Thinking about buying a Mazda RX-7

[evilxsnake56]

I've recently crashed my mom's corolla..lol
And now I am turning 18, my budget isn't really an issue..
I was going to get a nice G35 like every other asian..
But I am more toward a racing person, I want something that people won't laugh at and something that girls won't be embarrass to sit in.
Since I want to get a car myself, my final decision comes down to the RX-7
I've recently done some research about RX-7 and found out that it is a vert rare car. I still have a lot of questions about the RX-7
If I get one, will I be able to bring it into the Mazda company and swap a new engine in?
Is the accessories of this car expensive... like the intake.. bleh bleh bleh
Honestly.. I don't even know how fast this car is. I just think it is a great looking car.
Hopefully that someone will be able to asnwer my questions..
Thank you all so much and have a good day
-Jason

[L-Spec]

Which RX-7? Since you can pull money outta your ass to get a G53, I'm going to go ahead and say an FD haha. You're better off finding a local (or nearest) tuning company that specializes in rotaries and have them do a swap for you, but I suggest you learn as much about these cars before you're up the creek without a paddle. Parts cost doesn't have to be that much, especially if you're not all about buying every single part from Japan. There are dedicated tuners and shops that offer parts in North America that do just fine. On the other hand, if you already crashed your mom's Corolla, I suggest you stay away from an FD for a while.

[evilxsnake56]

Thank you for your personal suggestion. There is another question that I just found out last night.
I heart that the RX7 is really hard to maintain, the maintaince cost is very high and very often.. is that true?

[G-man422]

They are hard to maintain if not properly taken care of to start with. As long as all maintanance was kept up with, it should be pretty good. The RX-7's use oil, so you must frequently check your oil to make sure that you have enough. Also, the rotary engine has far fewwer moving parts than your average piston engine, so if you look at it that way, there are fewer parts to break.

Personally i think you should get a 2nd gen (FC) RX-7 before you go buying a more expensive car that you know little about. This way you can get to know more about care, maintanance, etc for the rotary engines. Just my $0.02

Good luck with your search bro!

G-man422

[L-Spec]

I can get my hands on a 13B turbo for $1000 (CAN) with low mileage. I'd probably rebuild them, but with the money you'd save from not doing a 13b-rew and putting that into an FC engine, you could have a really bad ass car. Treat it right, and it'll treat you right.

From personal experience, it's not how much parts you can break, it's what parts you can break. My car is really easy to take care of. Everything I had to replace was mostly due to old age.

[drftk1d]

If you crashed your mom's corolla, don't get any RX-7 (unless it wasn't your fault). Besides, your insurance will be thru the roof since you're only 18 and you have an accident on record. Adding you as the driver of a sports car would make things much worse.

All of the horror stories about the RX-7 are usually about
a) 3rd gens
or b) modified cars

people expect the engine to hold up to 500+ HP on stock internals like its a 2JZ or something.

The RX-7 is a rear wheel drive car with a short wheelbase, which means that if the back end comes out on you THE BACK END COMES OUT ON YOU. It's something I learned fromto drifting my FC. You'll need to learn how to handle that first (and since you couldn't handle a Corolla, you have a long way to go) before you do any modifications to it.

Honestly, get a n/a 1st or 2nd gen RX-7, a Miata, a 6 cyl Mustang or a 240sx before you step into an FD. You'd be doing yourself a favor.

[jcsaleen]

If you crashed a corolla you'll be dead in an FD in about an hour. That car tries to kill you and yes the RIGHT mod's are VERY EXPENSIVE.

My car planned mod's...

Car being repaired after an accident in the rain (don't ever drive an FD in bad weather btw)

Repair - 2500 - 3000
Custom structural component's titanium front end brace etc - 500
Parts already bought ~
Downpipe - 100
Midpipe -40
Intake's - 180
New 01 front bumper - 400
Lip - 100
A/gauge - 160
Koyo - 400
New Tails - 300
Racing beat DT - 500
Apex'i N1 titanium - 450 (used)
Pettit Unlimited Ecu - 300
Earl's Racing wide oil cooler with SS line's - 160
Blitz VGTT - 120
N1 hood- 570

I installed everything myself the labor would have been another 500 - 1500 to put these basic bolt on's... on.
______________________

Future mod's

Hks - To4-Z (BB) - 6500
Volk Te-37's - 18x8 -18x10.5 - 2500-3000
Coolcharge III - 1000
PFC - 600
Primaries & secondaries - 800
Tien Coilover's - 1200
Autoexe side lips - 600
Kouki's - 100
Blitz guage's with custom mount pass - 500
Blitz Iboost - 500

Imo ~ You truly don't know how a rotary work's you shouldn't be driving one. I know a kid like you who owns a G35 same mentality. Get an auto G35 an call it a day. If you buy an Fd an you don't know what your getting you sink thousands upon thousands to get it running from day to day. (Mind you they are bad Daily drivers)

[drftk1d]

honestly any really modified car is a bad daily imo

[klohiq]

Originally Posted by jcsaleen

If you crashed a corolla you'll be dead in an FD in about an hour. That car tries to kill you and yes the RIGHT mod's are VERY EXPENSIVE.

...

Car being repaired after an accident in the rain (don't ever drive an FD in bad weather btw)

lol wait, you tell him he shouldn't get an rx7 because he crashed his corrolla, but you go on to say your fd is in the shop because YOU crashed it. I'm not trying to flame you or anything, but I find that slightly amusing...

My friend owns a 240sx, he drives the thing in maine all year long...he's owned it for several winters and he hasn't had any major problems driving it. I own a fwd so I can't say it's the same as an fd, but I've heard people with mr2s talking about how snow isn't that bad...it has a short wheelbase AND it's got a rear-biased layout (tail-happy) AND it has less polar weight than nearly any other car due to the engine/trans location.

I've seen a lot of people ride motorcycles in the snow and I rode mine a few weeks ago in the slush/snow. I'm not saying you don't know how to drive, but if I can handle snow on two wheels you should be able to handle rain on 4 wheels - and I doubt your rx7 runs 12s like my suzuki...

To the thread poster - I agree with everyone elses opinions (mostly) that you should at least start out on a non-turbo fc or other low-powered cheap rwd. An FD is a powerful car and like other vehicles in it's class (supra, sti, evo, etc etc etc) you should work your way up to it rather than skipping right up to it. Buying an FD is like starting out on a 750cc sportbike, sure it's not a open classer like a Blackbird 1100 or a Hyabusa 1300, but it still has more than enough tq and hp to high-side you on the first corner.

[jcsaleen]

Originally Posted by klohiq

lol wait, you tell him he shouldn't get an rx7 because he crashed his corrolla, but you go on to say your fd is in the shop because YOU crashed it. I'm not trying to flame you or anything, but I find that slightly amusing...

My friend owns a 240sx, he drives the thing in maine all year long...he's owned it for several winters and he hasn't had any major problems driving it. I own a fwd so I can't say it's the same as an fd, but I've heard people with mr2s talking about how snow isn't that bad...it has a short wheelbase AND it's got a rear-biased layout (tail-happy) AND it has less polar weight than nearly any other car due to the engine/trans location.

I've seen a lot of people ride motorcycles in the snow and I rode mine a few weeks ago in the slush/snow. I'm not saying you don't know how to drive, but if I can handle snow on two wheels you should be able to handle rain on 4 wheels - and I doubt your rx7 runs 12s like my suzuki...

If you honestly think an Mr2 is worse in the snow you really have need look again. Mid-engine Rwd = more weight on the rear wheels thus more traction. I said high 12's an yes I do think it's capable with 300 rwhp an the right tires not to mention my car is under 2600 now. That's besides the point. If you compare a 240 to an FD you have bolt's lose. A 240 is an economy with some speed an FD is an all sports car from the suspension layout to the power it puts out. I not going to defend myself saying this or that about why I crashed because I wasn't suited for it at the time. But you calling on people why you drive an Fwd really doesn't show anything to me.

Imo ~ If you ride a bike in the snow you have bolts loose an I think anyone can vouche for that.

[klohiq]

Originally Posted by jcsaleen

If you honestly think an Mr2 is worse in the snow you really have need look again.

Imo ~ If you ride a bike in the snow you have bolts loose an I think anyone can vouche for that.

better traction yes...but with more weight closer to the middle of the car the car is actually worse if it starts losing control in a corner...which is where most drivers other than noobs crash...just like slowing down, if the car loses grip the rear wants to come around like a rear-engined porsche 911...very hard to control, yet still some people have decent luck with them in the snow.

as for riding a bike in the snow...look on youtube or a lot of other places...a lot of people ride all year long in the uk. it's not insane or anything, you just have to have good control and smoothe inputs.

[klohiq]

http://www.dieseljo.com/ - a few pics of bikes doing wheelies and slides in the snow...with screws in the tires though

http://youtube.com/watch?v=c_NmgIAMiqo - video of some dude driving a dirtbike on ice...kinda drifting it.





still think I'm crazy for riding a bike in light snow/slush and rain??

[jcsaleen]

Originally Posted by klohiq

still think I'm crazy for riding a bike in light snow/slush and rain??

YES!

Your a good guy in my book an crazy one at that.

[drftk1d]

you don't drive the FD in snow because it's rare and you don't want it to rust

[jcsaleen]

Originally Posted by drftk1d

you don't drive the FD in snow because it's rare and you don't want it to rust

Well said my friend.