I was thinkin about a RX-7

90CRXZCSi · 02-04-2002, 04:58 AM

Well i currently have a 90 CRX Si ZC. I was looking around for another car and was looking at RX-7's. There is a red one in the local newspaper for $12,500. It's twin turboed of course and it has 79,000 miles on it. i was just wondering if this is a good buy and IF i should buy it or not. Thx.

EfiniRX7 · 02-04-2002, 02:41 PM

Well there are a lot of factors you need to look into. Will this be a daily driver? Do you have a lot of disposable income in case something breaks/engine or turbos go out? These cars are getting older and aren't exactly the most reliable cars to begin with. It sounds like an okay deal price wise, but with 79k on it I'm sure the turbos aren't in the best shape. You figure they spin at like 100,000 rpm at boost and are subjected to tremendous heat from the rotary engine so they wear somewhat quickly. Check out www.scuderiaciriani.com and www.rx7turboturbo.com both of which have tons of info. Before getting into one of these cars you need to read up a LOT on them. They're very complicated, tempremental, and relatively unreliable, but offer a lot of performance and looks. I mean they can be made relatively reliable, but it'll never be nearly as reliable as the CRX you have by a long shot. It's a complicated, very high performance car and should be looked at as such. If you do go for it make sure you have some deep pockets just in case cuz you never kno if something might crap out on ya at any time. Don't take it as these cars are ticking timebombs, but that they're not meant just for any Joe Schmoe to just plop down a few grand and go out and romp on all the time and have it run forever. That's what a Supra is for

(just kiddin'). My engine blew at 48k miles and I treated it better than my own family (well okay maybe not like that but you get my point

). A good saying to heed is "One man's turbo is another man's problem"...and even more so on a twin turbo rotary. They're totally phenomenal cars, but have a lot of downfalls. Rotary engines create a lot of heat, plus the engine bay in a 3rd gen isn't vented the best, the pre-cat soaks up a LOT of underhood heat, the intercooler is useless, and the turbo control system is a nightmare (78 vac lines). If you absolutely "must have" one definately don't hurry to buy one (look around for a while...it took me about a year to get the right one) and educate yourself very well before you buy. Also have a very qualified (knowledgeable) rotary mechanic look the car over beforehand too.

Sorry for the long drawn out post, but hope this helps.

Mike.Com · 02-06-2002, 03:10 PM

I wouldn't buy it if you want to use it as a daily driver car. An FD is a Great car to have if you have to time and money to maintain it.

4ndrms · 02-06-2002, 03:33 PM

i like fds,but i heard they weren't reliable if you didn't take very good care of them,i heard you have to let them cool off and warm up in a certain way.so i decided just to get a supra.

Coldvaper · 02-09-2002, 01:09 AM

the first thing you should if you buy one is take out the pre cat. then buy a better Radiator, better inter cooler, replace all the hoses to silicon and change the fans so they can go on after the car is off.

yayarx7 · 02-22-2002, 03:02 AM

A better radiator would be a waste of money. The current bathhurst model is running far more HP on the same rad. The rad is more than adequate.

I love the things but they are unreliable.

I can afford to buy one, but cannot afford to fix it, and I do all my own wrenching.

So I stick to the cheapo first gen.

A T2 may be the best Rx-7 deal out there. For less than $5k you can have a 13 sec very nimble car that’s reliable and tame enough for a daily driver.

Jusy my $.02

93 RX-7 · 02-23-2002, 01:18 AM

I bought my 3rd Gen in June of 2000 and its been my daily driver ever since. I've put on about 15,000 miles and am now up to about 65K. When I got the car, I had to replace the tranny because the previous owners hadn't taken care of a known problem in synchros. Other than that, its been maintenance free.

From what I've seen, the best thing you can do for an FD is have the hoses replaced with silicone and zip tied. If you're planning on modifying the car, then plan on spending some money. The guys over at the RX-7 forum site seem to be constantly replacing their engines because they're overheating and overboosting the cars. I think the car has plenty of life without tinkering with it.

Bottom line, I love the car, but agree that they're getting older and will need some TLC. Do your research at rx7forum.com before buying.

Jason

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