Looking to get into a rotary for track purposes (twisties) and driving schools. I'm wondering how a 2nd and third gen stack up against each other? I've seen what a third gen can do on the track, but how close can a second gen come with power and handling mods? They're a whole lot cheaper to buy that's for sure.

 

Third gens have more horspower, better suspesnion aero dynamics, mazda simply took the second gen rx7 and made it better. In all reality though, the performance is not so far advanced that with few mods a second gen could match. In my experience it would be cheaper to make an fc better then a STOCK third gen.

 

I don't track, only occasional autocross but IMO your comparing apples to oranges. Other than both being rotaries, not much is alike. Stock vs. stock the FD will be faster in every parameter...acceleration, turning and braking and top speed. It's more expensive for a reason. It's a little humbling, but I'M the limiting factor every time I go to an autocross.
That said, if your on a budget buy a solid FC and mod it at a rate your checking account will allow. The FD is more demanding...it won't care about your account balance. Besides, since your going to a driving school, hopefully it will get faster as you increase your skills.

 

false the fd is in fact far more advanced in every way, as it was intended to be....to get an fc to do what an fd can do you would need to do a lot of not always cheap mods, like coilovers

trust me after owning both my fd when it had **** stock touring suspension with blown shocks destroyed my fc with upgraded shocks and rb springs

if you really want to get hyper technical if you watch an fc in a high speed corner in slow motion without a cage you can actually see the chassis flex, mazda discovered this and made the drivetrain more rigid to eliminate that on the fd

can an fc be better? yes..will it be cheap? no it will eventually even out to were you might as well bought an fd

very true

point being, if your buying these cars for optimal performance get an fd, if you just want a fun car that you can make fast later but dont really care about looks, get an fc..you will definitly have fun, plus there slightly more reliable and there easier on the pockets

but if you have your heart set on one and just want people to give you reasons to change your mind...dont settle, just wait and save up for what you really want

both are great cars, and both are fun...and their head turners regardless