What to look for when buying a RX-7? I am looking to bu y a RX-7 in the coming months and I was wondering what should I look for when buying one?
Thanks,
James

 

Primarily, that the engine (not the car) has lower mileage and that the car in general has been taken car of. Better maintained cars will be much more reliable. Have a RX-7 person check it out, and have a compression check done.

 

Which generation are you looking to get? ('85 and earlier = 1st-gen, '86-91 = 2nd gen, 93-up = 3rd gen) Each generation has its own perticular set of things to look for.

 

im not sure. it comes down to how much they are asking.

 

check the oil, make sure that it is not too dirty or thick (that stop smoke stuff, mine was full of it when I got it) also make sure that the cooling system is in good condition. USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT!

 

2 most important IMO

!. make sure it doesnt overheat even after long idle or high rev,
2.Spend the few bucks to pay a competent garage do a compression check
Ive learned the hard way on each of these!

 

You'll want to look for the usual suspects as you would when shopping for any other used car, but for the RX-7, BE EXTRA OBSERVANT! A compression is an absolute must given the age of these cars. Also, look for even the tiniest of oil drops coming from the rear main seal and/or the area beneath the turbos. Any leaks and you're looking at possible (and costly) repairs down the line. On the test drive, don't be gentle while shifting! Be sure to shift hard and quick into 5th gear to test for any synchro problems. Lastly, if you have a mechanical boost guage, ask to have it connected to the extra nipple on the intake manifold and run it into the cabin to monitor boost patterns. You could also tape the guage to the windshield if the tubes are too short.

An exhaustive process, yes, but take a look around this forum and you will learn why. Follow their advice! There's no use in getting a good deal on a used RX-7 (esp. FDs) if you're going to lose your "savings" once one or more of the above mentioned problems hits you. Don't be a sucker!! Good luck.

 

There are a couple of RX-7 convertibles in my area that I am looking at. One 90 and the other 91. Both have automatics and are priced under $5000 each.

What should I be looking for as far as problems. Are the automatics reliable?

Kent

 

Make sure ALL of the electronics work... this is the radio, the heater controls, the failure light pods, the headlight switch... 2nd-gens are awful for electrical problems and can be rather expensive to repair.

An automatic convertible is the slowest RX-7 ever made, so don't expect much out of it as far as speed/acceleration goes, BTW.