Why the RX7?
05-21-13, 10:07 PM
#31
Why the RX-7? Well, the SA/FB came out when I was in grade 6, and for the years that followed, FBs of one sort or another consistently performed well in tests in Road and Track and other car mags I read. I saw them around, and always thought they looked great. A high school drafting teacher who I thought was very cool also had a gold FB - and I and my friends thought it another aspect of his coolness. So I had a pretty positive view of RX-7s.
The FC came out when I was in grade 12, again to great reviews, and I remember seeing my first one (red!) at a Mazda dealership a couple blocks from my high school in Calgary (there were also Porsches, Saabs, Jags, and Ferraris all at dealers in that area). I thought it looked like as good as any of them. I had also read about rotaries a little, and had at some concept of how they worked.
All that said, I wasn't even looking for an RX-7 when I came across mine. I was looking for a 240SX, actually, to replace the 80's vintage 200SX I'd been driving for 10 years, going back to my first year of university. I wasn't having much luck finding one equipped as I'd want though - a 91-93 with the dohc motor, hatch, SE vs LE trim, not a lot of weight and cost-adding options, and not in bland colours, like "champagne" or "sea mist green, or sneeze green, or whatever they called it. I came across the ad for the RX-7 I bought, which was both lower mileage and asking less than the 240's I was seeing, and basically figured what the hell, I'll check it out. It was well cared for, had never seen salt (still hasn't after 15 years with me - as of later this week!), and made the 240s I'd test -driven seem truck-ish by comparison. And, despite being red (which I loved, but my wife hates), my then-new wife really liked the car too. It still had the original Bridgestone RE71 supercar tires on it at the time, though they were quite worn, and it needed mufflers as the factory ones had pinhole leaks - both of which gave me some leverage to bargain down the price a little more. And I came home with a clean, low km RX-7 for my 30th b-day - it wasn't really my present, but it was awesome, and I loved that when I drove it to work at the high school I taught at at the time the next workday, I got a lot of positive comments from staff and students alike on my flashy new toy
The FC came out when I was in grade 12, again to great reviews, and I remember seeing my first one (red!) at a Mazda dealership a couple blocks from my high school in Calgary (there were also Porsches, Saabs, Jags, and Ferraris all at dealers in that area). I thought it looked like as good as any of them. I had also read about rotaries a little, and had at some concept of how they worked.
All that said, I wasn't even looking for an RX-7 when I came across mine. I was looking for a 240SX, actually, to replace the 80's vintage 200SX I'd been driving for 10 years, going back to my first year of university. I wasn't having much luck finding one equipped as I'd want though - a 91-93 with the dohc motor, hatch, SE vs LE trim, not a lot of weight and cost-adding options, and not in bland colours, like "champagne" or "sea mist green, or sneeze green, or whatever they called it. I came across the ad for the RX-7 I bought, which was both lower mileage and asking less than the 240's I was seeing, and basically figured what the hell, I'll check it out. It was well cared for, had never seen salt (still hasn't after 15 years with me - as of later this week!), and made the 240s I'd test -driven seem truck-ish by comparison. And, despite being red (which I loved, but my wife hates), my then-new wife really liked the car too. It still had the original Bridgestone RE71 supercar tires on it at the time, though they were quite worn, and it needed mufflers as the factory ones had pinhole leaks - both of which gave me some leverage to bargain down the price a little more. And I came home with a clean, low km RX-7 for my 30th b-day - it wasn't really my present, but it was awesome, and I loved that when I drove it to work at the high school I taught at at the time the next workday, I got a lot of positive comments from staff and students alike on my flashy new toy
05-22-13, 08:15 PM
#32
I hear ya, rx7racerca.
Many times, I stared out the backseat window of the family sedan as we drove past the local Mazda dealership. It was a small lot, with only a couple models. But there would always be one or two First Gens by the side of the road. I thought the design lines were simple but elegant.
Later in life, (1985 I think), I grabbed a car magazine that talked about Lamborghini's and Buick Regal Grand Nationals, but I spotted a little article about the next Gen RX7 for 1986. That design was awesome (not realizing what a Porsche 944 was at the time.) That was the dream machine I wanted to own, some day.
Years later, I was finished school and had a job. I was making money and needed something to spend it on. My reward would be a gently used RX7. I found a white '86 base model and was happy as can be.
Not long after that, I met a girl, who had a boss who also drove a white RX7. She hated him, but still dated me. We eventually got married and had kids. The RX7 was sacrificed for the sake of a family sedan. Bye bye RX7, you are gone but not forgotten.
Skip ahead 15 more years, and I made a deal with my wife...she could get another cat (her passion) if I could get an RX7 again. So I regained my youth, buy purchasing another white RX7 GXL (loaded, but no turbo and no emission testing either), which is now my summer fun car.
Many times, I stared out the backseat window of the family sedan as we drove past the local Mazda dealership. It was a small lot, with only a couple models. But there would always be one or two First Gens by the side of the road. I thought the design lines were simple but elegant.
Later in life, (1985 I think), I grabbed a car magazine that talked about Lamborghini's and Buick Regal Grand Nationals, but I spotted a little article about the next Gen RX7 for 1986. That design was awesome (not realizing what a Porsche 944 was at the time.) That was the dream machine I wanted to own, some day.
Years later, I was finished school and had a job. I was making money and needed something to spend it on. My reward would be a gently used RX7. I found a white '86 base model and was happy as can be.
Not long after that, I met a girl, who had a boss who also drove a white RX7. She hated him, but still dated me. We eventually got married and had kids. The RX7 was sacrificed for the sake of a family sedan. Bye bye RX7, you are gone but not forgotten.
Skip ahead 15 more years, and I made a deal with my wife...she could get another cat (her passion) if I could get an RX7 again. So I regained my youth, buy purchasing another white RX7 GXL (loaded, but no turbo and no emission testing either), which is now my summer fun car.
05-22-13, 08:38 PM
#33
Rotary Enthusiast
If it's good enough for Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin...
05-22-13, 09:39 PM
#35
Growing up on race circuits, I'd seen a lot of cars I thought were cool. . . . But these rotary ones always looked and sounded great to me. So I started with a gently abused FC, had some other non rotaries along the way but always longed for an FD. Finally made it to a point in my life where $$ and "wants" could peacefully coexist and pulled the trigger on a 95! Why the rx7? Because to this day nothing makes me feel more awesome than driving this car!
05-24-13, 10:54 PM
#36
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Canada
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I've always been a huge fan of FD's. I just love beautiful curves and the massive mazda speed spoiler haha. Recently though I've gained an appreciation for FC's in big way (The offset hoodscoop is so badass!) my dreamcar right now is a 10AE, I'm really hoping I come across one soon.
