Aaron Luke Bradley

so I own a miata NA already, it's fun to drive but I don't wanna tune it really, I want it as my daily and reliable car. my question is if I could find a reasonable FC RX7 would that be a good car to learn about rotaries and casual driving/tuning? I want the late model ones like an 88 that are most boxy, I would drive it to work at times but I only live 10 minutes away from my job and less than half of that is highway, the rest is just factory roads. just curious if it would be a good buy as my second car, I know how rotaries work but I have never gotten to really work on one before, thanks in advance to all the advice!

WondrousBread

N/A Rx-7s are pretty affordable and available. The FC Rx7 has two body styles with slight differences, S4 is 86-88, S5 is 89-92. Make sure to pick the one that you like better, as there are some trim changes. The price you will pay depends on exactly what you are looking for. If you want to do mechanical work on a rotary to truly learn how it works, you are probably looking for one that is in need of a rebuild. It will also be cheaper to buy than one that has a low mileage engine.

My suggestion (and admittedly I'm no expert) is to buy one that has a high mileage engine, but no rust. Rust will immediately make the car far less valuable as it is difficult to properly treat (as this usually involves extensive body work) and the rust you see is 1/4 of what is really there. Common places are on the edges of the wheel wells, the sunroof, and the long sections underneath the doors (I believe they are called rocker panels). High mileage on the body is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it has been maintained.

Also if you are unfamiliar with rotaries it is important to note that other than exhaust and intake modification there is basically nothing you can do from the exterior to increase power. You mentioned tuning, and this is technically possible but you will find that to get real improvements you have to open up the engine to port it, which is why I mentioned a rebuild.

You will also get nickel and dimed on certain replacement parts (particularly the super fragile interior trim) and you will find it irritating waiting for parts to ship. Otherwise it is a fun and rewarding car.

The "How to Buy an Rx7" topic is well documented, and if you google it there is an article on Aaron's webpage (he is a mod here) that tells you everything to look out for when buying an FC. Make sure to read it before going to see one.

Just my $0.02

Good luck

DC5Daniel

iTrader: (10)

My 2 cents is no one ever really knows what they're getting into (time/money) until it's too late . There's a lot of headache to be had, but also a lot of reward.

Being a newbie to RX7s, I would suggest the opposite. I would spend more on a solid car, and maintain/repair as needed. Otherwise, you're going to get overwhelmed.

Evil Aviator

Yes, the FC is currently the best RX-7 to start with. The older SA/FB models are running into major parts supplies issues (can't even get tires for most of them any more), and the newer FD models are much more expensive to buy and maintain. I agree with making sure the body is in good shape, as body work is the most expensive and time-consuming component to repair. Unless you have some type of strange obsession, don't worry about whether it is a S4 or S5, or whether it is a SE, GTU, or any other trim, as the differences are too little to matter and most of the components can be swapped anyway. Although it would make a difference in certain racing classes, the year and trim will not matter one bit if this car is just for learning and daily driving. Just make sure the car is in good shape because, as mentioned earlier, if the car needs too much work then you will have a great deal of difficulty getting it running because you will not know what 'normal' looks, sounds, and feels like. Use this buying guide:
How To Buy An '86-'92 Non-Turbo RX-7

If you are only driving short distances, periodically check the oil cap for a milky substance. This is caused when the engine does not run long enough at hot temperature to burn off the moisture in the system. A periodic 20-minute 55mph freeway trip will usually solve this issue. This applies to all cars, not just RX-7s.

One more thing... Don't buy the car and then immediately start ripping parts off the car to 'clean up' the engine bay. A great deal of technical help posts on this forum are due to new owners ripping off parts that they should not have touched. Also, some of the OEM parts are actually better than most of the aftermarket alternatives (oil cooler, spark plugs, oil filter, fan belt pulleys, etc.).

Aaron Luke Bradley

I think I'm getting a reading kind of on what I should do which really helps with confidence on buying an rx7, one of the fears I have is it becoming a problem car which is what I don't want. my miata is my daily and I don't wanna do almost anything to it so I can keep it reliable and well maintained, the rx7 FC is kind of my first "project car" nothing extensive just learning hands on with rotaries and how to do basic mods. so I think what I'll do is find a fair conditioned one to buy and slightly mod then save money for my next car. hopefully I'll be a high enough ranking member to actually talk to people about classified rx7's here.

DC5Daniel

iTrader: (10)

Unless Hilary Clinton is the seller, we keep the classified RX7s under lock and key .

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

i don't understand the question, you want your daily to be your tuner car? that's not very smart.

Evil Aviator

If you don't want problems then buy a brand new Corvette with an extended warranty and have the dealer perform all of the maintenance. In the meantime you can get a master's degree in automotive engineering and/or attend a tech school for ASE certification. Buying a 30 year old car and reading internet forums for 'education' is not exactly the most optimal path for avoiding problems. Sorry, but that is reality.