FemaleTuner, hope you're mechanical. You'll spend lots of time under the hood. I'm getting my 3rd engine installed. I got tired of waiting for my car to get fixed, so I bought another car...

 

I'd sell it...for a new one.

I've had a couple of cars that I've tried to make somwhat of a project out of them, but nothing has come close to this. It's addicting. Unfortunately, it's really expensive too (for modding). Having a second car is almost a requisite. For me, it's not that I have problems and need it, it's that in order to really take as best care of it as I can, I don't want use it as a daily driver and our winters here can be pretty nasty.

Once you have it for a little while and start wrenching on it yourself, you'll start to appreciated it that much more and gain a certain...love (for lack of a better word) for it.

It's a killer looking car, comfortable, handles as if it were on rails, goes like stink, sounds awesome, is unique by the very definition of the word, rare, and best of all (though to the disadvantage or advantage, depending on how you look at it) relatively inexpensive to buy. The only bad thing to that is if it kept the value as Supras (another topic altogether, but don't take it the wrong way) it would be kept out of the hands of lesser "qualified" individuals, thus you'd find more in much better condition.

 

i did the same exact thing. i got tired of the never ending maintenance and repairs, but i love the car so much i sold my two vintage datsuns instead and ordered a lancer evo mr so i don't have to rely on the 7 so much but can still take it out and remember why i love the car so much.

 

I wouldnt sell mine for anything someone who is sane would offer me. The other day a guy offered me 29K for my car (I know he most likely was not serious - though he said he was) and I didnt even consider it.

It is a car of extremes - when the car is right it is awesome and when it is wrong it is terrible. If you dont find the working on it part fun then it is not the car for you. I actually would rather work on the car than alot of other hobby type things. If you are in a situation where you rely on it for transportation then by all means sells it or get another car.

What part of NC are you in? I am moving to the charlotte area in Sept. I also know lots of 3rdgen people across the state and I am sure I can put you in touch with a few enthusiasts who do there own work to give you some direction on your project.

All that being said I hope you keep it! Look forward to meeting up one day and seeing your car.

 

I say keep it as well. Koyo rad's go for $359 at rx7store.net Link here..... http://www.rx7store.net/index.asp?Pa...ROD&ProdID=682

Find some local people to help you out with working on it, NC has a good large rx7 following. Good luck with it. Post some pics up of the car.

 

A couple of things...cuz I learnd a lot the hard way on my own (I didn't know ANYONE w/ an FD for a while...)

1) Shop around for prices. Don't instinctly buy a part you need. Since she's not your daily driver, sit and wait (for a reasonable amount of time). Example, I don't know what radiator you got, but RX7Trix in South Carolina sells the Koyos for $369 SHIPPED, and that's a new one! They tend to have very competitive prices, and depending on where you are in NC, they could be very helpful (if so, give them a call www.rx7trix.com, ask to speak to Brandon, tell him Ramy sent you, and he'll take care of you).

2) Know and expect that the FD is very expensive to maintain. If you have too much going on in your life right now to deal w/ it, don't sell it, just let it sit. I hate to see someone get rid of such an incredible car.

3) To help w/ finances, keeping an emergency stash is a rule of thumb. Also, get yourself a good year-long 0% APR credit card. OMG it comes in handy. Charge up the emergencies on it, and make whatever payments you can as you go, over time. If the year's about to end, and you still have a bit left, transfer the balance to another 0% apr card, and keep going. But beware...if you can't manage a tight budget, and know exactly how much you can and can't afford in the long run, this is NOT the way to go. If you can, you'll be fine. That's how I afford 99% of my stuff.

4) Get to know some good and experienced FD gurus in your area. Rotorsports or RX7Trix are both great places to meet 'em and get some experience at the same time. Which brings us to the next point...

5) Learn to do stuff yourself as much as you can. It keeps costs down considerably. Your friends from #4 will help out a great deal too in jobs that are more involved or need multiple hands...

6) The forum is your BEST friend. Read up a lot on it, there's tons of great info, esp. before you do anything. There are plenty of how to's as well as people's experience w/ various products and setups. These two sites are excellent too: http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/index.html, and http://robrobinette.com/. Try and stick w/ mainstream parts that lots of people have used, simply because they've stood the test of time and #. Experimentation is for the rich

7) Think of your short and long term goals for the car, keep them in mind, and keep an eye on the Parts For Sale section. Whenever the right part pops up at the right price, grab it while you can. Don't waste time trying to get things "in order," because the sales don't come up tailored to your order. That way, you can save a bundle on a rack of parts. And yes, it's very common for FD owners to have a rack of parts sitting in their rooms, waiting for the set to be completed, or for enough time to install them. So simply said, time and patience are the name of the game.

So like someone else said, if you truly love the car (and it doesn't take long...I was physically and emotionally stuck on the car before I even bought it hehe), it'll take a hella lot more than going broke to tear you apart from it, cuz when she's running right, and you experience the pure power and agility...wow...there simply is no substitute. Good luck, and I hope you fully enjoy your FD.

~Ramy

PS...if you're interested, hkgirl1218 (NJ) and SexyRX (PA) also own FDs, and are on the NE section. Might wanna drop them a PM

 

the fan was just bad luck, could have happen to any car although i didnt even know it was possible for a fan to let go like that. keep if you like it, sell if you can afford it or if you dont think you can handle it anymore. more and more things will eventually go wrong and there is no stopping that. there are tons of wearable parts on a car, especially a 10+ year old one which is driven hard!

 

Girls know that guys that keep their FD's are more likely to not cheat and go through thick and thin in a relationship.

 

yeah sell my car and save my money for my dream car? oh wait its in my driveway...

well if you've already done the reliability mods and made sure everything is in good condition. you can only hope nothing too big goes wrong. i really havent had anything go wrong except the master and slave cylinders and the clutch had a mind of its own for a few days.

BATMAN - that is true. it can also be bad because girlfriends tend to get pissed when we spend too much time on stupid cars.

 

funny you should say that
im 17 now..ever since i was about 6 or 7 i got a 1:18 scale model of the viper and i still have it and like it
and over last year or two i been taking a real likeing to rx7's
now that u mention it i think i know why

they both have sexy rears

one day i wanna get an rx7
but i dont liek 1st gen and 2nd gen not that nice either
3rd gen is like hot stuff

 

I suspect there are two kinds of FD owners. Those that are here for the long haul and those that are here for the quick blast and then off to something else. It's a little like mountain climbing or extreme hiking. When I eventually got to the top of a mountain and ran into someone I didn't know, I never worried about having my base camp ripped off. The climb to 14,000 feet weeds out the riff-raff. If you can find a long term owner of a 3G that is willing to help you, you may have found a friend for life. Someone you can probably trust. Don't be in too much of a hurry to rid yourself of the FD unless it is getting in the way of school or some other long term dream you hold dear.

 

What...you never heard of the 7 being nicknamed a "baby Viper" ?? That was actually the first description I ever head about FDs back in the day...

 

She has a lot of mods on her now but if I decide to keep her, I'm not sure if I should leave her alone or add more mods. I love the Montego Blue color and I painted the factory wheels a flat black color. There are a couple of guys I know with single turbos but I want to know if some NC, VA, SC people ever get together. If you guys can help, I'll list what it has currentlyand any input would be appreciated.

 

Here's A List Of My Mods:
New 1.3l With 4000 Miles
Street Port With 3mm Apex. Seals
Pf V-mount Intercooler
Pf Ram Air Intake Set Up
Pf 3inch Down Pipe
Pf 3inch Full Exhuast
Pf 3inch High Flow Cat
Pf Purple Piggie Back Computer
Upgraded Secondary Injectors
Rebuilt Turbos
Mazdaspeed Clutch
Pf Lowering Springs
Pf Sway Bars Front & Rear
Koni Adjustable Shocks
Full Polyurithan Bushing Kit
Pf Rear Spolier
Pf Boost Guage On A Pillar
Silicone Hose Job
Taylor Race Plug Wires
New Koyo (on The Way)
She's Montego Blue With 59,xxx Miles
There Are Some Other Things But Im Too Tired To Remember Right Now

 

I Will Try To Post My Pics Tomorrow
To Shawnk: I Live In Winston Salem, Im About An Hour Or So From Charlotte.

 

Nice! Sounds like you got a nicely modded 7! I'm curious tho...PFS makes a V-mount??? And a ram-air intake?? Or does Pf = performance?? That, and I'm interested if you have any pics of the ram-air intake, cuz I haven't seen one before... (there was a 2 page discussion about it earlier on the forum, but it becaome a 12 page all out war between Zerobanger and Jimlab if I recall correctly haha

 

i can try to email you my pics, give me the name and i will try to send it

 

yea, im intrested to see that setup too! also, does the ram air make a difference that you can feel if you have ever driven it without that???? im intrested in making one also but want to know if its worth the time....


also, a firend of mine said this and he is exactly right...
"if your motor blew tomorrow, would you even consider selling it?"

its very true...... if you love the car, you will stick with it no matter what... i was 17 when my motor blew and it took me 6 months to collect close to 6 grand but i did it!!! now, im repainting it! also, dont listen to people that tell you its not "worth it" i heard this one a lot "the car is only worth 15k, you bought it for let say 12 and you want to spend 5k on the motor... you will lose money" my reply is: "if you never sell it, its an investment!"

 

"Maybe I have myself convinced that worse things will happen but I do love the car and feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place"

yeah sometimes relationships can be hard you know especialy with a car that gives you problems..me and my girl..i mean car have been together for some time now and like all baby's mama she's been giving me problems, but dont look at the bad times, look at the brighter days when you and your car were happier taking walks on the beach making sweet love together, not the times when she cries(oil leak). Me and my girl been through alot and i've spent alot of money on her also, sometimes i just think she's a gold digger, but when it comes down to it, she never complains when she i ask her to go with me to this place or that place. never gets mad when i look at other cars, never talks back to me. you gotta look on the brighter side you know? you'll get over it it's just a phaze your going through. good luck. btw just bought her an engagement ring gonna surpise her tomorrow.

 

Talk to these guys they can help i will almost garuntee it

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...&page=29&pp=15
Smoken' (Steve) is a mechanic in the Durham area. Good with FC's.

Rotorsport racing is in Kannapolis. Good for all gens. More Race oriented though. so typical repairs can take a little longer.
linked earlier on.

http://www.rotorsportsracing.com/com...fo/default.htm
Bryan and Rusty can help you out too. Good luck and stick with the FD. You will NOT be sorry when it is running correctly and reliably.
It is the most fun car I have ever owned and driven. And my girlfriend loves her FC and won't stop bugging for a FD
So she votes to keep it if that counts as 2 votes

 

Please tell me you're not using 87 octane with Octane Boosters

 

Hahaha!!

 

My email is The944@aol.com.

Oh and about the octane boosters...yea I forgot to cover that. You do NOT want to use a low grade gas and add octane boosters. Buy the highest quality gas you can find (I used to use Sunoco 94), and if you still want, use octane booster on that. Trust me on this one...you can find horror stories on the forum about ppl blowing their engine from a bad tank of gas...

 

You're in deep now. Better keep it, and pray nothing goes wrong. Make sure you have plenty of money to throw at Rotorsports Racing. I hear they're good, but they're not cheap. Good luck and enjoy!

 

Well that absolutely no sense. It's not an investment, that for damn sure.