Where will you and your FD be in a Decade?
01-10-09, 09:13 AM
#78
Since I bought a new one in March of 96 and have pretty much had one ever since, I don't see why I shouldn't have this one in another 10 years. A beautiful design lasts a very very long time. I don't see people throwing away their old Ferrari Daytona's...
I was middle aged when I bought the first one and am now 60. My reaction times have probably slowed a little, but I notice that more when leaning my Ducati... Hell, Paul Newman was racing at age 75.
I will probably do a few more things to this one, but have already made it pretty much what I wanted. Will work on the exhaust and maybe remake the side vents and maybe put in a Bentley-like chrome mesh grille, but, hey...
I don't care what the value to someone else will be, but wish my daughter liked cars more than horses...
Gordon
I was middle aged when I bought the first one and am now 60. My reaction times have probably slowed a little, but I notice that more when leaning my Ducati... Hell, Paul Newman was racing at age 75.
I will probably do a few more things to this one, but have already made it pretty much what I wanted. Will work on the exhaust and maybe remake the side vents and maybe put in a Bentley-like chrome mesh grille, but, hey...
I don't care what the value to someone else will be, but wish my daughter liked cars more than horses...
Gordon
Khris
01-10-09, 11:38 AM
#79
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Sorry, for my rambling statement, but what I said, or meant to say was is not out of line with your thinking. I said I would understand someone today departing from an FD to an Exige [or Elise for that matter], the comment I made was responding to a particular poster in this thread that said in 10 years he would be in an Exige or 360. That is what would make NO sense of jumping from one old unreliable car to another old unreliable car. Don't ever tell me a Lotus is reliable or durable. Grew up with an Elan in my parents household and later a Europa auto-X project car for myself in '80's. To this day will take the Lotus position S&M pain, even my wife was getting me an Elise for my B-Day this last December which we put on hold pending a better understanding of my '09 - '10 business climate. The Elise would never replace the FD only supplement it as I feel I have over burdened the FD using it as both a road and track toy. And yes like Gordon, I would also add a Dino 246 to the stable if only I could afford todays prices.
01-10-09, 12:43 PM
#80
Well, I know that when I re-enlist in a little less than 2 years from now, I'd like to go ahead with my 2JZ project.
After that, I just want to continue to clean the car up cosmetically and have it be as COMFORTABLE of a ~500rwhp beast as I can. hehe
As far as 10 years from now, goes....I dunno.
I see myself having a go fast weekend car, like my FD...and a comfortable and more luxurious, but still fast family car...G35/G37-style. That's my taste.
After that, I just want to continue to clean the car up cosmetically and have it be as COMFORTABLE of a ~500rwhp beast as I can. hehe
As far as 10 years from now, goes....I dunno.
I see myself having a go fast weekend car, like my FD...and a comfortable and more luxurious, but still fast family car...G35/G37-style. That's my taste.
Ultimately i want another sports car, just so i can make that a speed beast. Like a vette or viper. And have a regular car for a daily driver.
BUt then there are times where i feel like i dont need it, keep the FD and mod it just a bit more to where its pretty fast, then getting a luxury daily driver like a G37 coupe.
Decisions decisions.
01-11-09, 04:08 AM
#82
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Yo I think I'll still have mine. Have it 8 years now, and I'm 33. I've had the car off the road for over a year now, and I have all the bits I want to put her back on the road. I'll be honest I cant wait to get it back on the road. I have it sitting in the garage at the minute while I work on my rally car. I think the 7 is an aquired taste. The people that buy and get rid after a few months cos of the running costs like the idea of a 7 but not the reality. However if you keep it and put up with its moaning, its like havin a good woman, ya put up with the **** on a bad day, but man on a good day................
Any one that has the car for several year and contemplating selling, will sell if thats what they want to do then and there, but in ten years how many will have rebought cos ya seen some kid with one and think what the hell!! Sure there are gtrs and supras and all that stuff, but if you want something thats good looking and pure mental..........
Any one that has the car for several year and contemplating selling, will sell if thats what they want to do then and there, but in ten years how many will have rebought cos ya seen some kid with one and think what the hell!! Sure there are gtrs and supras and all that stuff, but if you want something thats good looking and pure mental..........
01-11-09, 01:25 PM
#83
Rotary Review
Do do know what happen to them? I been searching for a long time and I can't find new article from Rotary Review, I thought it was good Magazine for Rotary nut's their also give good insight information which you don't see or hear sometimes unless u ahng out all day at a Rotary shop.
01-11-09, 03:29 PM
#84
Me? In 10 years, I will be single, responsive "street" turbo. Not too sure what fuel I will be using (alcohol or petrol). Depends on what is available 
The car will be a dual purpose street/track car. About 350 whp, 350 is a nice round number (kind of like a chevy engine). All I'll ever need 
Car will have a fresh paint job, clean and tight trim/weatherstipping. New wheels/tires (anyone say CCW classics or Fikse FM10's?), probably 17x10 all fours--suspension to match. Cleaned up detail bits (interior pieces). A lot of love is always a part of my FD 
The real intent is to have a unique, clean street/track/drag car. We shall see!
The car will be a dual purpose street/track car. About 350 whp, 350 is a nice round number (kind of like a chevy engine). All I'll ever need Car will have a fresh paint job, clean and tight trim/weatherstipping. New wheels/tires (anyone say CCW classics or Fikse FM10's?), probably 17x10 all fours--suspension to match. Cleaned up detail bits (interior pieces). A lot of love is always a part of my FD The real intent is to have a unique, clean street/track/drag car. We shall see!
01-11-09, 05:20 PM
#85
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Go look at things like the 240Z owners - no one is making a mint restoring these cars. But you have a group of hardcore enthusiasts who just have a passion for them. Another example - during one of our club's "R-B-Que" events up at VIR one year (just a big cookout and watching SCCA racing for the day) one of the guys brought up a beautifully restored RHD RX-3. Now this car was not one of your classic "collectables", nor was it about to go out and set lap record on the track. You would never recover the money that it cost to put it back in prime condition. But everyone there admired the car, complimented the owner, and appreciated the work that had gone into restoring it.
This is where I see the FD (and indeed the RX-7 community) heading over the next 10-20 years.
This is where I see the FD (and indeed the RX-7 community) heading over the next 10-20 years.
01-11-09, 08:14 PM
#86
Do do know what happen to them? I been searching for a long time and I can't find new article from Rotary Review, I thought it was good Magazine for Rotary nut's their also give good insight information which you don't see or hear sometimes unless u ahng out all day at a Rotary shop.
01-11-09, 09:59 PM
#87
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JConn... My, my... I just don't think you get it. So, I'll flail away again, which certainly seems to get your hackles up. First, your ultimate measure of collectibility is dollar value and yet collectors do in fact collect things because they like them and want them. (While I don't collect string, I do collect antique gnomes and first editions of "yellow peril" novels among other things...) That does generally and eventually translate into higher prices for collectible cars, but it does not mean that if a car is priced at $25,000 rather than $100,000 or $1,000,000 it is not collectible or going to be valuable.
Are all cars collectible? If there is some guy who collects Ford Pintos does that mean Ford Pintos are collectible cars?
The answer to both questions is no.
There have been several posters in this thread, on Page 3 for instance, who have said they don't think the FD will turn out to be collectible car "per se." Not exactly a vote of confidence, is it? (When you have owners of the car saying it isn't collectible.)
That doesn't mean there won't be a cadre of owners who treasure and appreciate the car. I count myself among them. (See my post endorsing the writer who talked about the FD following the pattern of the 240Z.)
And, hey....good luck with those gnomes.
01-11-09, 10:29 PM
#88
reliable performance
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You keep claiming to know things about the collector car world. Anyone who knows anything about collector cars knows that originality is prized.
So, are you then claiming that sometime in the future there's going to be a movement aimed at reinstalling rotary engines in FD's?
(Do you see how the brand has been bastardized and devalued already? This undercuts your unique mechanicals argument. Owners of these cars are discarding their unique engines at an alarming rate. That ain't a brand enhancement.)
I think you'd better stick to collecting garden gnomes.
01-12-09, 12:18 AM
#89
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Ferrari Lusso's languished for many years in the $50,000 range and they are now approaching $1,000,000, because people finally recognized it as one of Pinin's finest designs. The original Dino went through the same metamorphosis when people with money discovered it was beautiful and it went from the $40,000 range to $200,000.
You're making my point. Thank you very much. $50,000 for a Lusso and $40,000 for a Dino are both well above the original prices of those cars....in fact more than double in each case.
Here we are 15 years on and the 3rd generation RX-7 is showing nowhere near that kind of appreciation. It's worth less now than it was 3 or 5 years ago. It's depreciating ---- just like a typical used car.
Nope, the facts in evidence (even your own) are not on your side. You've failed to substantiate your case.
But I don't want to be misunderstood. I'm not dissing the FD. I think it has a lot to offer. I've owned mine since new in 1995 and enjoy it every time I drive it. It's just that its price chart and its ownership profile are showing every sign of following a pattern similar to that of the 240Z and not that of being a collector car as that term is generally used and understood.
Last edited by JConn2299; 01-12-09 at 12:25 AM.
01-12-09, 01:24 PM
#94
Interesting thread. I have been asking myself the same question in the recent months. I drove my FC for nearly 8 years. During that time I took it from stock to totally wild in both motor and suspension performance as well as visual appeal (to me). During that time, I made a conscious decision to build the FC instead of the FD. Not because of what I could afford, but because of what I felt would be unique.
Several years later I have been pondering an FD project for sometime now. I have a straight chassis, and a whole myriad of brand new in the box parts both performance and stock. I have "flipped" several cars with the profits from each funding my "habit" which looks like little more than a pile of parts to my new family. As have many others I'm sure, I have considered (and still do everyday) selling my parts/project to purchase a car that is closer to completion.
Then, of course there are the recent events in the market that drive the "responsible adult in me" to do fiscally responsible things with my money instead of pumping it into my car(s). Boo.
In the end, I will do ask I always have. Save my money at a reasonable rate, and sacrifice other things to continue to play with my cars. I've tried a few times to get away from Rx7's and I always come back. I have to many nice parts to abandon them now
Several years later I have been pondering an FD project for sometime now. I have a straight chassis, and a whole myriad of brand new in the box parts both performance and stock. I have "flipped" several cars with the profits from each funding my "habit" which looks like little more than a pile of parts to my new family. As have many others I'm sure, I have considered (and still do everyday) selling my parts/project to purchase a car that is closer to completion.
Then, of course there are the recent events in the market that drive the "responsible adult in me" to do fiscally responsible things with my money instead of pumping it into my car(s). Boo.
In the end, I will do ask I always have. Save my money at a reasonable rate, and sacrifice other things to continue to play with my cars. I've tried a few times to get away from Rx7's and I always come back. I have to many nice parts to abandon them now
01-12-09, 04:31 PM
#95
I was like dammnnnnn. Im about to ditch my luxury/fun daily driver idea and getting that. Then getting a pos corolla or something for winter lol.
Damn i hate that theres soo many nice cars out there.
01-12-09, 05:35 PM
#96
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The reason I bought the RX7 was because of the aesthetic and the chassis. The fact that it has light weight and an extremely well designed suspension. The car being extremely beautiful was what hooked me in the beginning.
I will agree and say that I think my car (with LSx variant) will probably be less valuable in the future when people are looking for OE cars to collect, it doesn't make it any less enjoyable in the present. If I dont sell the car in the next year, and with the market it doesn't look like I will, then I see myself keeping this car for a VERY long time. Only reason I would sell is if I had to get it emissioned in CA should a move there become necessary.
But I just wanted to say that to some of us, the engine in the RX7...though unique...was not the primary draw to ownership. The chassis does have some very redeeming features.
01-12-09, 07:14 PM
#97
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Cosmo... I have no problems with V8's in these cars, kind of like Fritz. I am not a purist or i wouldn't even have put in a 20b in mine. I preferred to keep it rotary. My choice. You and I both think these cars are beautiful and that they have great chassis... Good reasons to have them.
Gordon
Gordon
01-12-09, 09:26 PM
#98
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