should i buy my 16 year old kid a 1986 mazda rx-7?

darthlinux42 · 07-09-2003, 05:58 AM

Hi,
I was wondering if it is a good idea to but my 16 year old son a 1986 Mazda RX-7 for his first car. It's a used car and it's being sold for $1300. Is this a good idea and is it a good price?
Thank You

Jetts · 07-09-2003, 06:02 AM

is it n/a or turbo?

cause if it is n/a i dont see a problem with it
im sorry i cant help you on the price thing, not really priced a rx7

but if it is an n/a i think it wont be bad for your 16 year old
my first car when i was 16 was faster then a n/a rx7 and im still living lol

sorry i wasnt much help

darthlinux42 · 07-09-2003, 06:04 AM

i don't think it's a turbo, how much speed does a turbo add to a car?

Jetts · 07-09-2003, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by darthlinux42
i don't think it's a turbo, how much speed does a turbo add to a car?

im not an expert, but it will be a big difference
and from the expericence of driving my friends dodge daytona turbo, it really isnt the speed, turbos like to pull when shifting and punching the gas and if you cant control this or not expecting it, it could cause an accident

13BDriver · 07-09-2003, 12:33 PM

Well, if you are buying a 1986 RX-7 for you kid for a first car for 1300 and expecting it to be reliable, that's def. not a good idea. When I was 16 I bought a 1988 RX-7 n/a for $2300 and I put 3 engines in it within one year. If you buy an RX-7 and want it to be reliable, either find one with a rebuilt engine, rebuild the one that is in the car, or buy a rebuilt engine for the car if you want it to be reliable. I was on a tight budget and had to keep buying used RX-7 engines.

Anyway, as far as the turbo part goes. The n/a RX-7's of that year had 160 hp I believe. The Turbo II's have 200 hp. If you are worried about the naturally aspirated car being too fast, the only thing you need to look out for is the top end, I got my 88 up to 135 once on the highway, but as far as acceleration, it is just a little bit faster than a 95 Honda Accord. The car weighs about 3500 lbs. if it is a n/a car, so it is very heavy in my mind. Anyway, I would assume that the Turbo II Rx-7 is probably around the same speed as a 99 Honda Prelude. The turbo would have much more potential for hp gains, I don't know if you are buying the car to mod it, or if you are buying it just to be a safe, reliable, first car. Anyway, the n/a's are pretty safe, they aren't that fast unless you are just trying to drive around 130 mph.

Chris V · 07-09-2003, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Anyway, as far as the turbo part goes. The n/a RX-7's of that year had 160 hp I believe. The Turbo II's have 200 hp. If you are worried about the naturally aspirated car being too fast, the only thing you need to look out for is the top end, I got my 88 up to 135 once on the highway, but as far as acceleration, it is just a little bit faster than a 95 Honda Accord. The car weighs about 3500 lbs. if it is a n/a car, so it is very heavy in my mind.

The '86 N/As had 143 hp, and the Turbo II of '87-89 (no '86 Turbos in the US) had 185 hp. IN '89, both got upgrades. 160 hp in the N/A cars, and 200 in the Turbos, but they also got heavier.

In '86, the base model (and Sport) weighed in at 2600 or so before options. The SEs were a tiny bit heavier, and the GLX was about 2800. The Turbo II came in at 2800 depending on options (though the usual Turbo was available with all the options and tipped teh scales at around 2900 lbs). When the convertables arrived, they weighed over 3000 lbs, and were pretty porky.

My '86 Sport with no luxury options (no A/C, no power accessories, no sunroof) had an aluminum hood and an aluminum jack, and weighed in just under 2600 lbs, stock, so it was pretty light. It ran the quarter in about 15 and a half seconds, which was about a second quicker than the RX7 GTU, and only a second or slower than an RX7 Turbo.

illest7 · 07-10-2003, 10:22 AM

RX7s arent reliable because people cut corners and do crap like buy used parts. 90% of the FCs out there have well over 100,000 miles on them. Most cars start to have problems around then and the problem is even worse in a car thats had the piss driven out of it its whole life. I wouldnt buy a Turbo rx7 for a new driver but maybe an N/A. Proper maintanance and common sense will do a lot for an rx-7

Steel · 07-11-2003, 03:37 AM

117,000 and still going strong!

and 3500 pounds is total crap unless its filled with fat people and a big dog.

Anyhoo, the n/a's are good for first drivers, they have a really falt torque curve and the power is really predictable. I think they're actaully a bit underpowered for their handling capability. But the TII you should keep away from new drivers. Last thing you need is a kid getting caught off guard in a corner when that turbo spools up on a RWD sportscar.

Turbo Thoughts · 07-11-2003, 04:06 AM

I don't really think its too great of a car to pick up for your boy, there. I mean it IS a great car. Did your son happen to request the car, cause if he did, then maybe he's done his homework and knows the faults and strongpoints of this turbo rotary engine powered rear wheel drive sports car. If he diddn't do the homework, or you diddnt ,in case you're plannign on surprizing him, theres 4 things wrong with the car for your particular application in the sentince before this one.

REAR WHEEL DRIVE: When traction is lost on a rear wheel drive car, the power wheels, or rear wheels will easily begin to spinout, since they have no weight major weight over them, and will most likely cause the rear of yhte car to spin around in front of it, or the rear to slide out (fishtail). turbo models will make this much easier to happen much faster.

TURBO: at certain RPMs, this device will force extra air to creat more power, and unfourtunately it can be somewhat uppredicable for new drivers and can cause spinouts because it can suddenly make too much power for you (like on jughandles, offramps, or turns)

ROTARY ENGINES: These are engines that do not use pistons or cams like normal cars, they use rotars in a chamber, that spin irregularly against the walls to compress, intake and all the normal things an engine does. You can see how they work as opposed to normal engines at "HowThingsWork.com"..Do a search there on "Wankel engines", named after the inventor of the rotary engine, (for some reson im recalling hi first name being felix?) Wankel.

SPORTS CAR: This one's self explanitory. I don't think a sports car is all THAT much of a great idea for a young guy, first car, first time driver. Maybe you have the confidence in him and he has the skill, so great for him. Personally i think maybe a sport compact would be a better choice, but then again, hey... Maybe he did his homework, maybe he wants this car for other purposes too like drifting, a special driving style/skill fad going around with young poeple everywhere. If he is going for this, maybe he'd like to look at 240sx's and stuff, too.

RX_speed · 07-13-2003, 02:32 AM

he said its a 1986 model. NONE of the '86 RX-7s are turbocharged because the turbo II was introduced as a 1987 model. And the 86-88 Non-turbos has 146hp, the 89-91s had 160

RX_speed · 07-13-2003, 02:40 AM

double post

Ca6139uY · 07-13-2003, 02:17 PM

well i'm 17 and i've been driving my 89 3L toyota supra turbo for abt 1 an ahalf yr nows and i haven't even scratched it...
lot's of my family didn't like the idea but of me drivin it as my 1st car but nows i made them eat their words! Onli my dad aproved of it bc he knew i wouldn't do anything stupid....
If u can trust ur son to take it easy and drive safe then y not!
that just my opinion!

i'm getting a 91 rx7 turbo 2 at the end ob this yr woo hoo can't wait!!!

audi&benz · 07-13-2003, 02:26 PM

it all depends on if you can trust your 16 year old son with the car. when i turned 16 my parents gave me a 13 year old piece of shit, which i still drive, but i got to drive my parent's cars quite a bit. my dad had a brand new audi a6, and i got to drive it by myself right after i got my license, and have taken it on many road trips. it all depends on whether or not your son is trustworthy.

darthlinux42 · 07-13-2003, 03:47 PM

i trust my son. what i want to know is it a car he can fix if something breaks or will we have to take it to a show. also is it a good price?

RX_speed · 07-13-2003, 04:13 PM

most shops dont know rotary engines well, but its easy to learn to work on yourself

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