hi guys my name is collin seiders and i have a few questions regarding a trade i may be making in the next week or so. ever since i was a little kid i've been fascinated by rotary engines. i always dreamed of owning an rx7. i currently own a 91 miata that has a few mods but its getting high in miles. i was made an offer the other day, a man wants to trade me a 1980 rx7 with 174,000 miles on it. it has been garage kept since it was pre ordered in 79. im a little wary only because it will have to be my daily driver for a little while. i was wondering if you guys could give me any things to look out for and maybe some opinions

this link is actually the exact car he wants to trade if it helps

 

Based on that video, the car looks like it's in great shape.

Check for rust in the rear wheel wells (especially suspension mounts) and the rear of the front wheel wells. Perform a compression test.

 

The car does look great! I think you'd be pleased. There's quite a misconception about rotaries not being reliable daily drivers. Not so true. It needs to be well maintained. That is a must with any car. Be prepared to work on your own car, if you don't already.

Check out the 1st Generation RX-7 FAQ -> The 1st Gen RX-7 FAQ Page

 

well thanks guys ive been a little uneasy just because of all the people who seem to have misconceptions about the rotary engine. ive done literally hours of research and they seems to be amazingly reliable. people originally told me that the seals go out and they are extremely expensive to replace, however they failed to mention that the seals are viritually the only thing that can go bad.

 

dont forget rotors and housing can go bad thats when it can get spendy

 

well i looked into the housings and there is a company who machines old 13b housings down to a 12a, however im not sure how reliable they would be.

 

From experience check for rust in the bottom of the doors, the rear hatch gutters, and also in the front right, or in your case may be left where the washer bottle is. They can leak and cause rust where the chassis rail meets the inside guard!