Hi guys, im new to RX7\'s brought my first one 3 weeks ago, and it turns out ive brought a UK one which is ment to be a bit special. Could some body please tell me why. ?????
I was at jap show at the weekend, and everybody kept telling me this. aparrently the rear lights and sun roof gave it away.
Its also got cruise control on a manual which people found strange.
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/copie/DSC02937.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/copie/DSC02938.jpg)
UK 3rd Gens are pretty rare, there\'s not may of \'em about -- although there are a couple on here. The rear bumper has a UK shaped plate holder, rather than the square Jap one. Also of the jap versions only the type X came with leather and a sunroof -- this is standard on a uk car.
Manual with cruise control sounds like it has been converted from an auto box to me. I had a type X the same.
Dunno why the rear lights make it a uk one - the giveaway to me is the wide number plate: uk style. Imports have motorbike style number plates.
UK ones are special because they were only officially imported in limited numbers. Something like 156. And i think Jeremy Clerkson wrote one of those off!
There was only around 126 Uk cars sold.
The rear lights are different in that UK cars dont have a center brake light. :)
Adam
Mazda only sold 124 RX7\'s in the UK of which there are believed to be only about 40 - 50 left. Another thing you will notice about the rear bumper is the fog lamps either side of the number plate which was also a euro only thing. Having looked through the UK brochure I think manual and cruise were both standard (not even sure if the Auto box was available over here).
Barry
I have a Manual type X i think it\'s a touring X model, i also have cruise on the original manual box, also air bags, full Bose audio, Sunroof, Leather seats, Mine is a Jap one, as far as i know all the rear lights are the same for all models, for that year, it\'s the rear number plate shape you have that denotes it as a UK model Also if it\'s a UK model it should have an extra pre-cat in the front Downpipe, The UK models are lower power spec than the jap ones, but i\'m not sure what the figures are.The jap rear is like this one,
Bob
Yep its got Airbags and leather, also got bins in the back in stead of those tight seats. Its missing the sound system and all the speakers. If it had boss that would explain that.
RO284 - do you think is cause of the extra cat its got less power or did the uk one just have less power. ???
Yeah the extra cat makes the UK\'s power 237bhp as opposed to 255bhp for the Jap ones. After 96 the jap ones went up to 265 and again up to 280 in 98.
Barry
Quote from: ro284I have a Manual type X i think it\'s a touring X model, i also have cruise on the original manual box, also air bags, full Bose audio, Sunroof, Leather seats, Mine is a Jap one, as far as i know all the rear lights are the same for all models, for that year, it\'s the rear number plate shape you have that denotes it as a UK model Also if it\'s a UK model it should have an extra pre-cat in the front Downpipe, The UK models are lower power spec than the jap ones, but i\'m not sure what the figures are.The jap rear is like this one,
Bob
Ahhhh puts my mind to rest as I was thinking mine had been converted from an auto!, I have the same spec in black with red leather :)
I once test drove a jap import type X manual with cruise control so nothing unusual there. Strangely my current car is also a Jap import Type X with leather and sunroof etc but it doesn\'t have cruise control - must have been optional?!
Must say i do like all the bells and wistles, love the cruise and the Bose, certainly would not be without sun roof in summer, guess it\'s what you get used to, but having got it i would\'nt want to be without any of it now,
Manual Type X for me.
Bob
I\'m not convinced that it comes with cruise control on the manual. I thought mine was a manual type x with cruise control until we got it on the the dyno. It was then we found out it had a screwy final drive ratio (3.9:1 instead of 4.1:1).
So even though it gave all the appearance of having an original manual box it had actually been converted over in Japan before coming over here. The problem with Jap imports is that most of the time you have no idea whats been done to them before arrival.
I agree with people that the type x is the nicest model (except the leather seats that you slide around on) The sun roof makes such a massive difference in the summer.
I\'ve got a UK Car with a manual, they all come with cruise control fitted as standard.
Mine\'s completely standard and trying (its hard) to keep it that way as a lot have been modded now. So next year may get a jap RX with a nice single on there.
Quote from: Oedipus Rex.
Manual with cruise control sounds like it has been converted from an auto box to me. I had a type X the same.
not true, my FC is a UK manual and has cruise control. Remember these were high priced cars new and the UK market expects cruise on cars of this sort of value.
Am 100% certain my jap manual is standard, with cruise also, (as did my engine builder who was a Mazda specialist) works beautifully too, not an addition or altered, would not see any point in that, when you could buy a different car if you didn\'t want an auto,
QuoteMine\'s completely standard and trying (its hard) to keep it that way as a lot have been modded now. So next year may get a jap RX with a nice single on there.
Are you not happy with performance as it is Mazzy? mind you i do like to mod my car, i think it\'s a personal thing, so i go for appearance more than extra performance/less reliability, but that may change i guess,
Bob
You can easily achive more performance and better reliability.
Althought the FD was built very well, like all cars, the mazda will have had various comprimises made during the design of components. You can\'t simply have the best of everything as cost will go up to much!
Things like upgraded ECU, intercooler, better flowing exhaust etc. If the ECU is mapped conservativley and done well you could get what you want.
The FD is very fast stock but some extra BHP makes it EVEN BETTER!
Hi Bob
Its not that I find the car slow. But I do get board with cars quite quickly so getting more power makes it more interesting. Oh and I like tinkering with things.
I just don\'t want to change my current RX7 as I paid over the odds to get a really nice example of a UK car. So don\'t want to change a completely standard UK car as a untouched UK RX7 seem to be coming thin on the ground. I have changed the wheels as had to do something the urge was just to great, But there easy to put back to standard.
Tom
I\'ve got my eye on Jays car http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29213. So if I can sell mine and Jays is still forsale I may get that.
Hey welcome to the site! :wave
I also have a UK FD mine came with cruise control as standard, full leather, rear bins, sunroof etc,.....Oh and the added benifit of slightly cheaper insurance ;) .
I changed the cat for a sports cat and added a few extra bits and bobs now its running just under 300bhp which im happy with for the moment anyway . :3gears-lh
QuoteI\'ve got my eye on Jays car http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forum...ad.php?t=29213. So if I can sell mine and Jays is still forsale I may get that.
Very very nice Tom, That should fit the bill!
Bob
Hi all! As you can tell from the name I\'m Mrs Copie (the usual driver of our RX7!). Have to say, I\'m loving it. Get out with a big cheesy grin on my face every time. Anyway, just thought I\'d say hi!
Quote from: ro284The jap rear is like this one,
Bob
No thats the Chav rear, what a hideous way to ruin normally pretty rear end. :p ;)
You can\'t say that about my car! it\'s not finnished yet, thinking of that C west wing,
Welcome to the friendly forum, Mrs Copie.
Bob
Quote from: nikpDunno why the rear lights make it a uk one - the giveaway to me is the wide number plate: uk style. Imports have motorbike style number plates.QUOTE]
Look either side fo the numberplate mate:guinness
Quote from: ro284You can\'t say that about my car! it\'s not finnished yet, thinking of that C west wing,
Welcome to the friendly forum, Mrs Copie.
Bob
Thats your car! Sorry I didnt realise, well its a little to jazzy for me, but each to his own eh! :Santa
QuoteA7nty,well its too jazzy for me,
Is it? Sorry i don’t remember asking you, I am trying to help identify the difference between jap & UK cars.
Sorry Mr & Mrs Copie, that our resident world expert on these cars can offer nothing constructive to answer your enquiry, other than criticize other peoples choice, but at least it gives me publicity as the car is for sale, and comes with the old style lights as well as the later more efficient ones. Sad but I guess there must be a need to jump on any thread that comes along.
Your too kind :) no offense intended, just like em as they came originally. The point I was making in an unwittingly offensive manner is that Its hardly an example of a normal looking jap rear end is it. Firstly it has lexus style rear lights, both the corner lights and bumper lights and it has rear spats. None of these came on a Jap car as standard.
Odd im sure that I have never seen that Silver car around and I live in Bournemouth! I really didnt mean to offend, I just have a natural talent for it :D just take my rants witha pinch of salt.
Copie,
The differences are relatively minor. The UK 3rd gens are basically just Jap 3rd gens converted in bulk to pass SVA (thats why the numbers where so low - because a lot more would have needed type approval) AFAIK.
The cruise control is odd but a nice bonus, the sunroof is nice, but sadly takes away valuable space in an already cramped car. The UK models were also quoted as having slightly less power, from memory I think they had an extra catalytic converter (??) which would probably account for the power or loss of around 10bhp, although they may have had slightly different ECU maps but I doubt it, more likely just the lower octane fuel and extra cat causing a lowering of bhp figures.
Copie .
I included a pic of my car to show what people were talking about Re the shape of the rear number plate and bumper.
I think as far as the power being a little lower on UK cars, ( Probably the Pre Cat ) it is only very slight difference, hardly noticeable I would think, Plus you hopefully have the advantage of there being less worry about emissions at MOT time, Do you have any more Pics of the whole car? And interior.
Bob
Got to give it a clean and bits later, will take some more pics then. the previous owner was a bit of a bolt on billy....had to bolt a phone holder to the dash, and a cup holder to the dash in the passenger footwell. Also glued various bits to the top of the dash, so now we\'ve taken them all off it looks a bit tatty. King of Numptys:King! So if anyone knows of anyone getting rid of a dash in good condition, please let me know!
As far as losing room in the car because of the sunroof, it actually makes more room. The sunroof doesn\'t lay flush with the ceiling in the car, it actually goes out about half cm when it is shut. not an awful lot of difference i know, but hey! We compared it to our friends Jap RX7, and there is subtle differences that allow for more room inside. The front seats move further back for example, thus making it more comfortable for driving and carrying passengers. Its only small differences, but erm....hang on.......i\'ll get back to you with the rest of that sentance when i think of it:p
Oh yes I forgot that, they have longer seat runners.
They are slightly down on power cause they have a a pre-cat and are mapped for UK fuel as a standard.
A
Are the seat runners longer due to the lack of rear seats? I know that makes me sound really stupid, but i was just wondering if that was the reason, or if there was another reason for it
Yes thats right.
Think it\'s already been said, but UK cars were quoted at 237bhp Jap imports at 255bhp. No doubt power difference due to the extra cat and because mapped to lower octane UK fuel.
i have a uk car too.
I prefer the jap spec rear bumper ..its less cluttered.!
I think us uk owners get a raw deal...lower power, heavier.
That said they are rare so its not all bad
Forgot to say welcome :) Not many UK ones around so it\'s always good to see another!
I\'ve got to say a big thanks to everybody, for all your help, i fill a lot more clued up about this now, i\'ve seen on e-bay already the de-cat pipe and down pipe, so might have to invest in these after the mot to give me some more power. I must say the RX7 is so much fun, im a MR2 person ussually but mines just got to dodgy on the road, and using it on the track only. So getting this RX7 is great. Keeping me in the jap RWD catorgorie.
The de-cat and downpipes you see on ebay are normally from the states, they WILL NOT fit a UK/Jap car they don\'t clear the stearing rack.
Al
Are thats handy to know, thanks
De-cats are normally floating round the for sale section just keep you eyes open and in my opinion the downpipe\'s not really worth changing on the twins.
Al
Quote from: allstarukdownpipe\'s not really worth changing on the twins.
Al
Hmm, you can normally get them for a fair price so worth doing I reckon, especially if theres a cat in the standard one...
Can see your point though regarding twins just think theres some power to be gained still
Quote from: ScuttleRXHmm, you can normally get them for a fair price so worth doing I reckon, especially if theres a cat in the standard one...
Can see your point though regarding twins just think theres some power to be gained still
Opps yes if your getting a UK car definately change the down pipe but I\'d prob only swap if for a JDM one.
Scuttle do you have any figures to back up the power gains from a down pipe so far i haven\'t seen any a decat and cat back will increase power but the JDM downpipe is pretty much up to the job of the twins.
Al
No I havent got any figures matey, just going by what it felt like when I had the downpipe changed (before I had mid pipe in). Might have been just cos it sounded better, more grunty :)
I think down pipe and de-cat together might make a difference, sort of complement one another.
I would have liked to test things like that each time I put something new on but never had time to dyno or things went on in groups.
On a side note there was a bit of weight saving, jdm one weighed quite a bit more than R-magic one, and the main cat weighed about 10 tonnes more than the mid pipe :D
No problem mate, just interested was having a conversation with one of the welknown big power rotary boys at the weekend and he told me the stock JDM one was more than adequate for anyting the twins could throw at it, as far as I\'m aware SDminus who currently holds the 1/4 mile record on twins is still using the stock item.
Al
Ah, just remembered John Yorke will be the one to watch, hes making an engine with a 4" downpipe on some uprated twins and is hoping for around 400rwhp I think :)
But on standard twins I dont doubt your right, might be benifical if you start pushing them above 1 bar like some ppl have done, but doubt they would be lasting long then anyways!
Uprated twins maybe but on stock twins I\'mnot seeing it, I\'ve just been sad and asked my dad seeing as he\'s qualifyed and can offer a proper opinion and he can\'t see there being an imporvment if there both just hollow pipes.
Al
Welcome to the MRC o\' fellow UK Spec person! :Thumbs-up
Uk cars also had a slightly different intake setup on the plenum to aid cold start. Also has the 30second cold start rev between 2500 & 3000 rpm thingy.
Bose sound system was an optional extra. You get the ash tray in the center rather than the arm rest & a cubby in the drivers door with padding on top (some models just had the arm rest there too IIRC)
& to confirm that they all came with cruise control :)
Quote from: copieI\'ve got to say a big thanks to everybody, for all your help, i fill a lot more clued up about this now, i\'ve seen on e-bay already the de-cat pipe and down pipe, so might have to invest in these after the mot to give me some more power. I must say the RX7 is so much fun, im a MR2 person ussually but mines just got to dodgy on the road, and using it on the track only. So getting this RX7 is great. Keeping me in the jap RWD catorgorie.
I think he meant to say \'putting his wife in the jap RWD catergory\'!
But I agree though, thank you guys for the warm welcome, it definatly has explained a few things :Thumbs-up