OK so I'm buying a very clean 93 Mazda RX7 FD3S Touring from a private seller. The car looks great and in very great condition and has been really taken care of only 6100 miles on the original motor (checked the CARFAX and miles reported are accurate and nothing major at all reported on the CARFAX). So I'm meeting with the owner to get the car so when I get there what questions should I ask about the car and what should I do when I to see the car in person. I'd really appreciate your guys advice and guidance. Thanks.

 

That's pretty damn low miles. I would hope the car was started every once in a while to keep the seals from being stuck, constantly changed out the fluids and the body is in good shape.

 

If it sat still for 5 years or more then be careful of the engine condition.

The ideal situation is a 10 mile drive every other week for 20 years.

 

Classic example of why there are FAQs. IIRC, our own degeesaman wrote the Epinions piece....

Buying an RX-7 / Buyers Guide / Used Car Shopping:
Buying a Used RX-7
http://www.marx7.org/infocenter/faqs/3rd_faq_main.html
Buying a Used RX-7
Buy a Used RX-7
1994 RX-7 Consumer Reviews | Fast, affordable, exotic beast | Epinions.com

 

Regular fluid changes and periodic drives are important. I passed on a car with less miles last year because the coolant had never been changed.

 

At this point the most important thing isn't the engine it's the interior, paint, overall body condition etc.....

The engine is cheap. Worst case cost on a bad engine will typically be no more than 4k which is less than a nice paint job and most likely there are several other components of the engine that will need attention anyway like the FPR, injector o rings, various coolant hoses, vac hoses etc....

BOTTOMLINE: Everyone of these cars with an original engine is a ticking time bomb so don't sweat that just go into the relationship with your eyes wide open.

Better off to pay 20k for a car with good interior, good paint, bushings, no rust etc...etc... than 15k for a car with a fresh motor, some minor rust, needs paint and will need turbos, trans work, has broken interior pieces etc...etc...

A low mileage FD at this point in time is worth 20k with a blown motor LOL

 

^ Much of that depends on the price point and buyer.

$4,000 to $5,000 for complete engine overhaul and replacement isn't cheap relative to a car that costs $20,000. At that point you're talking 20 to 25% of the purchase price.

The buyer of a $15,000 RX-7 with higher mileage or lots of aftermarket parts is also different than the buyer of an untouched original example with low mileage and a price point in the middle to high $20,000s. Right or wrong, minutia may matter to the later buyer who finds a rebuilt engine less desirable than the original. Even if it is a time bomb.

 

So did the OP check out the car? Let us know how it went.