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[Viva La Sam]

ok, i am getting my license next year (and drivers ed this summer). Well, this summer i plan on getting a Mazda RX7 from 1990 because i am going to tune it and get it in shape for when i get my license. Well here is my question, How much should i pay for one. i have seen some going for $3,000 USD, and some for more or less.

also, i plan on swapping in a 6Speed manual instead of the 4Speed it comes with.

[Granulated]

Depends in the condition and mileage, of course...I would say one in MINT condition should maybe fetch $3k...you can probably find one cheaper than that.   I'd also suggest getting a second car as a daily driver...older rotaries are known to be less than reliable.

[Viva La Sam]

well my parents do own two cars already. The Toyota i am going to use as a daily. also, i live right across from a mall, and 15 different buses go by my house, so transportation is easy. So, i guess i can keep the budget for just the car at $5k? i know the mods will do way over $10k   .

[Rylinkus]

QUOTE(Viva La Sam @ Jan 28 2007, 10:29 PM)

well my parents do own two cars already. The Toyota i am going to use as a daily. also, i live right across from a mall, and 15 different buses go by my house, so transportation is easy. So, i guess i can keep the budget for just the car at $5k? i know the mods will do way over $10k   .

If youve got 15k to play with what the hell are you buying a 90 RX7 for? You could get a nice car thats not prone to breaking down for.

[Modderxtrordanare]

QUOTE(Rylinkus @ Jan 28 2007, 04:11 PM)

If youve got 15k to play with what the hell are you buying a 90 RX7 for? You could get a nice car thats not prone to breaking down for.

Because that's logical and makes perfect sense.  What teenager does that?

[ubernewb]

because he's basing his wants on watching initial d one too many times?

a rotary engined car is NOT a good car to start with. first off, the things aren't reliable. anyone that says they are is simply full of shit. you will end up with a lot of down-time and a very empty wallet. not many mechanics out there will bother with rotaries, and the ones that do will charge accordingly.. first time the slightest thing goes wrong, it's gonna hurt.. i guarantee it.

secondly, an mx7 with 10k worth of mods under the hood is gonna be entirely too much car for you to handle being a new driver. don't think you're just gonna hop behind the wheel and pull perfect drifts into the sunset.. you're not. the car will get away from you and you will break things.. best case, you'll just kill the car.. worse case, you'll kill yourself.. absolutely worst case of all, you'll kill someone else.

save your money and just buy a cheap little beater.. learn to drive that car first, maybe even take some driving classes (and i don't mean "this is how we parallel park" driver's ed bullshit - take a real class) and once you can manuver that car well enough, get yourself that rx7.. keep it stock till you know how to handle the car, then slowly build it up from there. each step, re-mastering the car.. each mod you perform will effect the car's reactions to everyday situations.. knowing how your car will react in a given situation can mean the difference between life and death..

[xboxhackern00b]

QUOTE(ubernewb @ Jan 28 2007, 06:21 PM)

save your money and just buy a cheap little beater.. learn to drive that car first, maybe even take some driving classes (and i don't mean "this is how we parallel park" driver's ed bullshit - take a real class)

if there's a master drive around you take their 2 day skills class, you will learn TONS

[Rylinkus]

A 02 or so Miata is in this price range and a MUCH better choice than an older RX7.

[jesterrace777]

Having been the owner of a second generation RX-7 (An '88 GXL) I concur that a 2nd Generation RX-7 IS NOT A WISE INVESTMENT for someone who is looking to have this as a primary vehicle and certainly not for a teenager who doesn't even have his license yet.  BeMine only had 84K original miles on the engine when I bought it and the guy who had it before me absolutely babied the thing.  By the time I was done with the car (owned it less than 4 years) I had done the following:

Been through 4 alternators
Replaced virtually every hose under the hood of the car (I think my car blew coolant all over my engine compartment about two to three times per year)
Replaced the leaking high pressure fuel system once and it was about due for it again by the time I sold it (fuel leaking out into the engine compartment is just a disaster waiting to happen)
Averaging 13-14MPG around town and 19-20MPG on the highway (A 5.0 Mustang and a 350 Z-28 Camaro get better gas mileage on both and have more power and performance than the RX07)
Had an electrical system that was failing miserably due to all of the connectors that Mazda uses on their vehicles
Had to put on a bleed off kit since the feul injectors were leaking fuel into the engine and flooding it while it sat after I drove it

and that is just what I remember off the top of my head.

I bought the car in the summer of 2002 and sold it in march of 2006.  I paid $3600 for it when I bought it and when all was said and done I spent almost exactly the same amount in maintenence during that time period.  I didn't even have any crazy performance mods done because I was too busy trying to keep up with the vehicle itself.   Oh yeah, in addition if you get the 1990 RX-7 you will also get stuck with the lovely power seatbelts which are not only a pain in the ass to use but also run about $350 each to replace.  Thankfully my '88 didn't have them (1990 was the first year that they put them in).  

I'm sorry man but it is clear from your original post that you know virtually nothing about RX-7s.  The very fact that you posted that you want to switch out the "4 speed" tranny for a "6 speed" tranny proves this.  ALL STOCK MANUAL SECOND GENERATION RX-7s COME WITH A 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION!!!!!!!!!!!

FURTHEMORE, the only 6 speed tranny configuration that I know of in a second generation RX-7 is the Z-28 LT1 Engine and tranny conversion that people do.  In otherwords you are dropping in a Chevy 350 V-8 with the 6 speed manual transmission that comes with it.  I did consider doing this conversion with mine but between the failing paint job, the fact that I would've had to gut and replace the entire electrical system, to say nothing of rebuiding the rear end of the car to support all that torque, it just wasn't worth it in the end.  Honestly if you are looking for an older car that has a nice shape, a decent amount of power AND TORQUE (which a stock 2nd generation RX-7 simply doesn't have), I would recommend an old Datsun Z.  You would get a little bit better gas mileage and the cars are far more reliable (not to mention the cast iron straight sixs in them are virtually bullet-proof).

[Rylinkus]

QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ Feb 6 2007, 09:33 AM)

FURTHEMORE, the only 6 speed tranny configuration that I know of in a second generation RX-7 is the Z-28 LT1 Engine and tranny conversion that people do.  In otherwords you are dropping in a Chevy 350 V-8 with the 6 speed manual transmission that comes with it.  I did consider doing this conversion with mine but between the failing paint job, the fact that I would've had to gut and replace the entire electrical system, to say nothing of rebuiding the rear end of the car to support all that torque, it just wasn't worth it in the end.  Honestly if you are looking for an older car that has a nice shape, a decent amount of power AND TORQUE (which a stock 2nd generation RX-7 simply doesn't have), I would recommend an old Datsun Z.  You would get a little bit better gas mileage and the cars are far more reliable (not to mention the cast iron straight sixs in them are virtually bullet-proof).

Couldnt you just buy a 93+ Z28 and end up with an LT1/LS1 and T56 Tranny?

[jesterrace777]

Of course.  I was just pointing out that the conversion was the only possible way of getting a 6 speed tranny in a second gen RX-7.  That and even though it wouldn't be practical there is something to be said about having that engine and tranny configuration paired up with the RX-7s lower weight and handling capabilities.

[Rylinkus]

QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ Feb 7 2007, 11:11 AM)

Of course.  I was just pointing out that the conversion was the only possible way of getting a 6 speed tranny in a second gen RX-7.  That and even though it wouldn't be practical there is something to be said about having that engine and tranny configuration paired up with the RX-7s lower weight and handling capabilities.

Not really. You kill the balance of the car by adding hundreds of pounds to the front. An LT1 or the like is MUCH heavier than the stock rotary. You end up with a car, suspension, brakes, etc not designed for that weight in the front end....

[jesterrace777]

Of course it is.  That is why I said it wasn't really practical as you would have to redo a bunch of different things in order to get the car rebalanced.

[capboy210]

QUOTE(ubernewb @ Jan 28 2007, 07:21 PM)

because he's basing his wants on watching initial d one too many times?

a rotary engined car is NOT a good car to start with. first off, the things aren't reliable. anyone that says they are is simply full of shit. you will end up with a lot of down-time and a very empty wallet. not many mechanics out there will bother with rotaries, and the ones that do will charge accordingly.. first time the slightest thing goes wrong, it's gonna hurt.. i guarantee it.

Completely disagree! 1985 rx7 235,xxx miles now, no engine rebuild, original tranny and only 1 clutch replacement. Works like a charm. The car is not even babied by any means either. It sees 7k on the tach at least 1 time a week. Tell me thats not reliable.



You simply cant argure that the rotary engine is bad engine.  Find me a pistion shortblock thats around 200lbs that has the potential of 500 hp. Also find me a decent piston engine car that has anything even close to 50/50 weight distribution. I would also like to add that a rotary engine has far more less moving parts.

However there are some downsides to rx7's. I will readily admit that repairs are expensive if damage ever does occur. However its only because practicly nobody knows how to work on a rotary engine, very much the case at mazda dealers. Rx7s will be cheaper in repair only if you know what your doing. They also are bad at emissions.

Here & here is a great example of a 13B-RE in a FB and other powerfull rx7's. Tell me these cars are slow. Oh yeah and rx7's are a nightmare on insurance, especially if your young.


If you looking for a rx7 head over to rx7club.com > classifieds > 2nd gen (FC) for and idea on prices. I don't recomend an rx7 as a first car!

[capboy210]

QUOTE(Viva La Sam @ Jan 28 2007, 11:04 AM)

ok, i am getting my license next year (and drivers ed this summer). Well, this summer i plan on getting a Mazda RX7 from 1990 because i am going to tune it and get it in shape for when i get my license. Well here is my question, How much should i pay for one. i have seen some going for $3,000 USD, and some for more or less.

also, i plan on swapping in a 6Speed manual instead of the 4Speed it comes with.

Im not sure if your reffering to a 4 speed automatic or not, but if your buying a automatic rx7 dont bother. The cost of the swap will be more than your car. Just buy a rx7 with a standard 5 speed in it. Shifting beats automatic any day. Im sure we can all agree to that.

$3000 will not get you a decent 1990 rx7. 6 Speed swaps are extremely difficult and requires custom fabrication etc. There is no need for a 6th gear because in fith you will be going 3.5k ish on a highway which is about optimal effiency for the rotary engine. 6th gear would completely kill that. There are hardly any people who drive a 6-speed rx7 because it's simply useless and not needed. Basicly just view it as this, you can already haul ass in 5th. There is no need for a 6th gear!