RMBertasi

The Rx-7


there thats it like it?

hondmatic

I don't know if you check this site out yet. If ya haven't go here:

http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=68640

The links have alot of useful information. Especially the robrobinette.com site. I've been wanting to get an FD for some time now. My civic is paid off and i'm in college right now....so I'm gonna wait til I'm done w/ school....or until I can afford to keep one running. Whichever comes 1st. But, if you can afford to maintain it, get one.

WhiteCastle

iTrader: (1)

JESUS that Rx7 is a deal, low mileage too for that thing, unless I read it wrong. My god jump on that car, its a steal

nookiemonster

Okay look...my family (mainly my father) has been driving rotaries since the 70's. I can go into details, but that's besides the point. Based on the ad alone, the car is beautiful. Looks like a very rare, stock/lightly modded FD3S. Now, I'm going to tell you first hand, you better know what you're getting yourself into.

Detonation is pretty much what will kill this car. You up boost, you better tune. You change turbo configuration (ie. single turbo), you better tune. You add intake, you better tune. You add exhaust, you better tune. The car is very delicate and requires tuning, tuning, tuning. If you don't know what that means DO NOT GET THE CAR. Before you buy, have a compression test run. Detonation will kill the apex seals, so have it checked out.

Heat will also kill the apex seals. The 93-95 RX-7's came with a sequential twin turbo setup that eliminated turbo lag, and at the same time produced ALOT of heat. Reliability mods, yes, reliability mods are essential. In 1999 the RX-7 was refreshed with a larger radiator and oil coolers. You must get these, and I also suggest doing away with the sequential twin turbos and going with a minimal lag ball bearing single turbo. AND THEN TUNE IT.

Rotaries are the simplest engines ever put in automobiles. They are used very commonly in aviation, especially helicopters and are very reliable. My father rebuilds his older rotaries all the time on the coffee table. Yes, the coffee table. However, the turbo system on the FD is a mess...well the ones here in the states anyways...too bad we never got the revamped ones. If you want to see a video on the way rotaries are put together look here:
http://www.step-hen.com/rx8/files/renesis1.wmv
That's rare footage so you better rep me for that one.

Being that my father has taken proper care of his car, he has had no issues with it. He has close to 80K on the clock. He had a turbo FC when I was in elementary school that had 140K on the clock when he traded it in, with no problems.

Since you seem to know nothing about rotaries, I don't think you should buy one. If you have the time and patience to learn, they are infinitely easier to work on than piston engines, simpler, and lower in maintenance when setup correctly. Personally, I don't think it's a good car for someone like you, but if you feel that you can handle it, this particular one looks great. I wonder why the mileage is so low...check into it, and run a carfax. AND COMPRESSION TEST.

As for this comment:
When the RX-7 came out in 1993, it costed 40,000 dollars. Adjust for 12 years of inflation and that's over 50,000 dollars today. My father bought his new in 1994. He cross shopped it with Porsche. They were priced similarly. It BETTER be better than a 25-30 thousand dollar RX-8. Still think the RX-8 is overpriced? It's barely more than an RSX-S for a base 6 speed.

The RX-8 makes 238 hp on a naturally aspirated 13B renesis. The FD made 255 on a sequential twin turbo 13B-REW. Mazda accomplished a 50% more riggid chassis than the FD, and better handling dynamics. The car (contrary to popular belief) handles better than the FD3S. 50/50 weight distribution. The only thing the FD has over the SE3P (RX-8) is looks and straight line power. The RX-8 is not as light as the FD, but at 2900 lbs, it's still lighter than 99% of the competition. The RX-8 is a disappointment huh? It makes the most power per litre (physical size) of any production car, more reliable than the FD, and better on gas and emissions thanks to the relocated ports from the peripheral to the side housing. My father prefers my car over his due to the ease and driving dynamics. The RX-8 has LOADS of potential it's just that the car has a hard ECU to crack, and has so many electronic monitoring systems it makes the car basically self aware, difficult to tune, and hard to dyno. Haltech is making progress though, and we're starting to see some T3/T4 setups with close to 400 whp. The car is in its infancy, so give it time. Don't even pay attention to the Greddy turbo...it's a sloppy setup, Greddy just wanted to be the first.

nookiemonster

http://www.step-hen.com/rx8/protecte...ps/topgear.avi

Oh yeah, there you go.

The vid might be down, but if you can't see it, it's Jeremy Clarkson in Top Gear reviewing the RX-8. It ties the BMW M3 around the track, and he calls it the best car he had driven "this year." In short, he loved it, and dislikes the Z.

Look I'm not trying to force feed or defend the car to you, but don't call a car a "disappointment" without some kind of substancive argument for your statement.

Oh yeah, I wouldn't touch a modded RX-7 or RX-8 unless you know the owner or history of the car. This is why so many get bad reps for being unreliable...little riceboys and girls buy these cars, mod them, fail to tune them, and wonder why they're engine is toast.

The only way I'd buy a modded RX-7 is if I was just getting a rolling chassis and I can drop in a fresh engine that I can start from scratch with.

The local rotary guru has spoken.

AdmireMyGr8ness

iTrader: (2)

This is a very true statement!!!! A friend of mine had one and the seals blew on his twin turbo RX-7 at least 3 or 4 times and it's a difficult task to fix. NOT worth it at all!!! Unless you're Mike Lowe and own several sick RX-7's, right along with a shop to fix it and is some kind of drag champ with RX-7's. But if I remember correctly, the car was in the shop for 2 weeks or more needing the engine rebuilt b/c of that crap, note 3-4 times!!!!!

Don't do it, get something else.

Just be prepared to spend a lot of money on it and have it in the shop if you plan on getting it anyway...

RMBertasi

thanks nookie but yes i do know some about them but obviously not as much about them as you do... and no i wasnt planning on buying a modded one i even said... but ok thanks for your help and the footage didnt show.

nookiemonster

How is it hard to change the seals? If the vid I posted works, watch it. We've been known to rebuild them on our coffee table.

Like I said, any slight modifications will require a tune. Or else you can kiss your engine goodbye. Alot of people don't realize this. That's what gets the car a bad rap, is the people who mod them and race them without a proper tune.

AdmireMyGr8ness

iTrader: (2)

It's not just the seals that need to be changed from what I understand. It was a twin turbo... Either way it was costly everytime.

KnocturnalEM2

iTrader: (17)

Nookie the resident Rotary Head has spoken!! Damn I learned a lot reading that post...just as I do reading all his posts!! LOL!! IMO I would listen to Nookie when he says:
If you do buy one plan on reading a lot and learning all over again!!!!!!! Good luck and let us know what you do!!!!

bOoStEd042dr

iTrader: (2)

rx7 for sure....that's nice!

RMBertasi

Thanks guys i reeally am not sure i mean... yes i have to learn a LOT but it would be fun you know

KnocturnalEM2

iTrader: (17)

Then just do it!!! There are boards and such just like this one that can help you along the way!!!

RMBertasi

yea your right knnoc but its stilla huge step for me.

mikenam

iTrader: (4)

low milage rx-7. get the rx-7. its hard to find a low milage rx7.

RMBertasi

yea but i plan on gettin a new engine into it anyways no telling what the previous owner did but i have to take it to mazda asap for a compression test, if i do get that one.