Hey guys, I live in Phoenix Arizona,
I found a 93 fd in Oregon that currently sitting in a dealership. Car is stock with 70,Xxx miles. Iam ready to take a flight out there and drive the car back ( 1,170 miles )
Engine has never been rebuild or modified according to the dealership.
My questions are followed:
1) What are some things I should watch out for while driving long distance with the 7?
2) what are some foreshadows if the car is going to breakdown?
3) last but not least, the dealership is offering a 1 year, 12 thousand powertrain warranty for $1600. ($100 deductible) Is worth getting?

This is my first thread on our forum. If I post in the wrong section please close the thread and let me know the correct place to post.

Thanks in advance

 

ask then what #3 entails..FULLY entails.
If they say rebuilding of engines then Snap it up.

I hate dealerships myself so I deal with guys I know with cars I know.

 

That was my main concern about the warranty too.
If it does cover engine rebuild or replacement. $1600 for the first year isn't too bad. Considering the car is right around 70k miles.

 

any dealer that knows a rotary engine would give it a limited warranty.

 

Hopefully they will let this one slide.
Any tips on questions #1-2?
I really don't want to get stuck in the middle of the desert on the way back to Phoenix haha

 

the regular stuff.
good coolant,good belts,over engine healthy sounding engine.
If the car has been maintained then it should not be a problem to make the trip.
Now if the engine bay looks sloppy(wires not attached,**** missing,engine sounds like **** after your test drive) then tell the guy to stick it cricket..and run.

 

Is this a MAZDA dealership? Was a compression check done?
Usually I'd point you to the FAQs in the 3rd Gen. section but sounds like time might be short so here are some links that might help ...

Buying an RX-7 / Buyers Guide / Used Car Shopping:
Buying a Used RX-7
http://www.marx7.org/infocenter/faqs/3rd_faq_main.html
Buying a Used RX-7
Buy a Used RX-7
1994 RX-7 Consumer Reviews | Fast, affordable, exotic beast | Epinions.com

Regarding extended warranty, dependent on how well it travels and the fine print....know that in my experience/opinion, otherwise decently maintained and stock FD engines will last around 100k before a coolant seal failure. A coolant seal is roughly the equivalent of a head gasket in a piston engine. All FD's are turbocharged. With that comes heat. With heat comes stress...and after about 100k, comes a coolant seal failure.
The bad news is that unlike a head gasket replacement just needing the removal of the heads, coolant seal replacement requires the complete engine removal and tear-down. The goods news is, even with a pretty comprehensive rebuild replacing all hard seals, springs and other wear items...it's typically some cheaper than a similarly comprehensive rebuild of a piston engine. Especially if you're a DIY'er.
If I were buying the car and immediately planning on driving that far, I'd carefully check anything related to cooling. With a very stock 70 k car, I'd focus on coolant hoses, especially the turbo coolant lines. They're exposed to a lot of heat and tend to swell and bloat...a sign they need changing. I'd definitely check ALL fluid levels and have them throw in an oil/filter changed before leaving.

 

Thank you for all the advise and links. I read all of them. I'll be leaving next Wednesday to pick up the 7. I'll keep you guys updates

 

Check for proper idle after the engine has been warm and started up before, Test drive, and after test drive check underneath the car make sure nothing is leaking.

Whats the update how was the drive or did you end up getting the car?

 

If I may add, when I drove mine longer distances in the summers or hotter dry climates
(i.e. 30 miles+ without stopping), beware running A/C on 4 with Recirculation on (i.e. MAX A/C). As soon as I got to where the car was basically just idling, it almost immediately stalled. Now I figured that I had another issue going on, but I have since run it under that same load a few more times in much lower temps and not seen the car stall. Perhaps one of the veterans can chime in with commentary, but it was a scary situation for me to be sure since I felt like I was going to be stranded for a while...