Questions about buying an rx7
 

Hi hers a quick intro, my names Sean and I drive a jza70 Toyota Supra and I've never owned a Mazda in my life.

However my sister is thinking about buying an FC series 4 rx7...

I being the older brother is the one she asks all things mechanical however when it comes to rx7's and in particular rotary engines I have a lot to learn,

So i was hoping i could find a few answers here.

The rx7 an N/A and is about 180k kms. Now what needs to be done to a 180k km old engine in order to gaurantee reliability. Is it a case of a good service and change of fluids, belts, filters, spark plugs etc? Or is a rebuild the more realistic choice?

Also what are the main issues with Series 4 FC Rx7?

How much would a engine rebuild approximently cost?

Finally and most importantly I suppose, is an N/A rx7 a stupid choice for a first car?

http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/buy1.htm
http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/buy2.htm
http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/newowner.htm

It is important to face the fact that she is buying a 20+ year old sports car. It will require some work, and you will have to correct past mistakes.

An engine with 180K on it doesn't mean it is worn out, but realistically, it probably is. That doesn't mean it will pop. It could run forever. But it is important to perform a compression test.

If you need to rebuild and don't have to replace any hard parts (such as rotors or housings), which is a bit unlikely on a 180K engine, then it can be done for about $1000. Figure on replacing housings and/or rotors, and $2000 is a safe place to start.

I think any 20+ year old car isn't a great choice for a first car. But if she wants it and is willing to put in the work, then go for it. Just remember that she will likely need to put $1500 - $2000 into the car after purchase to make it reliable and replace all the worn out stuff.

I'd like to add one more thing...In my (considerable) experience, the rotary engine is the single most reliable part of the car. Never has the engine let me down. It has always been the stuff bolted to it failing simply due to age and abuse.