Looking for my first RX7

[Turbotomcat]

Hi guys I recently joined here with a view to becoming a regular member and contributor, after deciding my next car shall be an FD. This is of course dependent on all you gurus answering my questions with what I want to hear!
 
Since deciding to sell my current car I have been looking pretty much every day at the various advertising media to find a nice RX, seen a few nice ones within my budget but cant buy till I\'ve shifted this one first (and you may laugh, I have a Rover 220 coupe turbo, I would put in the burnout smilie but there isnt one for the front wheels! :Laugh ). Have always thought the RX7 looked stunning and it was only recently I realised how affordable they can be nowadays...
 
...which leads me to my first question. By affordable I mean I can afford to buy one, but from what I have read here and everywhere, thats where the fun begins. I was just wondering how much I can expect to have to spend on it just to keep it running - fuel costs arent a problem, and assuming I get one in good order with rebuild and history etc, should I still expect to have to fork out at the garage regularly during ownership? I would be using it purely as a weekend car, perhaps 2-3000 miles a year max, and I dont generally drive hard although it has to be done sometimes. Obviously you get your good ones and bad ones, Im just wondering if hefty bills are part and parcel of rotary ownership.
 
Cheers for any help guys

[Kash_]

The running costs are the same as any other high performance car... regular oil changes every 2000 miles, new plugs every 3000-6000 miles, coolant flush every 1-2 years and other general maintenance, e.g. brakes, clutch, etc.... You also have to remember that the Rex is a 10+ year old so you may need to replace things like bushes, etc... but once these are done then you dont have to worry for a while. Since your using it as a weekend car the maintenance shouldn\'t be that high

[Steve Burnett]

The car can cost very little each year (outwith fuel). About £100-200. It\'s when things start going wrong, Turbo, suspension, diff, brakes, gear box etc etc that the bills can get very high (I once had a bill for £800 and the car was still not fixed!!)
The main cost is modding it, wheather its wheels, stereo, performance most owners do something.

[Turbotomcat]

Woulnt be too fussed about modding, would get one that looks nice and maybe get wheels if I fancy it but wouldnt spend the earth on engine mods anyway. Sounds good though, I was half expecting answers like "aye they cost the earth, always breaking down but its worth it!". I will continue my search then, will have around 5k to spend max and I\'ve seen a few pretty standard, but very nice, examples for that budget.

[Turbotomcat]

Steve, just realised you\'re from Aberdeen, I dont suppose you were down at Crail last weekend were you? I\'d never actually seen an RX7 \'in the flesh\' before Sunday, when there must have been 6 or 7 there.

[Brett]

Just remember the basic rules:-

You get what you pay for.
Buy with your head and not your heart.
etc.

:wave

[interloper393]

Hey bud mike (scottish rep) and Neil(Rassberryboy) we`r at crail,.. lol i couldnt make it.. did you talk to any of the rex owners?

[interloper393]

How much are you looking to spend on a rex? mines on the road in a few days after a full respray WOOHOO!!!!

[Turbotomcat]

Didnt speak to any of the owners mate, no-one was around their cars when I was checking them out. There were a couple for sale, one nice red one with colour coded dash and console which I thought looked the business :cool
 
Before I started fancying a rex I was gonna spend around 4-4.5k on a car but I might stretch that to 5-odd if something grabs me :Giggle

[interloper393]

u cn have mine for 7k lol..

[Turbotomcat]

Hmm will you take the Rover as part/ex? Lol thought not :Giggle

[interloper393]

i had the 220 coupe.. nice cars the turbo i found couldnt put the power down, thought then/a was quicker? your car n 6k :yes

[banned advertiser]

have a nice one here
http://www.rotaryart.uk.com/acatalog/1995_Bathurst_RX7.html

[Turbotomcat]

have a nice one here
http://www.rotaryart.uk.com/acatalog/1995_Bathurst_RX7.html

Link doesnt seem to be working mate?
 

i had the 220 coupe.. nice cars the turbo i found couldnt put the power down, thought then/a was quicker? your car n 6k :yes

Still alot above my budget mate, I think any amount I spend on a car is a lot considering I dont even need one lol.
 
About your 220 turbo, I admit I\'ve never driven a completely standard one but mine is lowered on 17s and it gets the power down great unless you cane it in 1st of course. The n/a feels quick in low gears but cant compare with the tubby :3gears-rh

[n4bes]

Hey bud mike (scottish rep) and Neil(Rassberryboy) we`r at crail,.. lol i couldnt make it.. did you talk to any of the rex owners?

That\'s Mr Rasberry boy to you Craig......................lol

How Do Mate,

Where about in Fife are you situated.....? I have an Rx as a second car and it\'s only the modifying bits that really skin you mate, all the day to day parts are what you expect for a high performance car,not cheap but it\'s not a punto is it............ They are superb fun mate and you get a good laugh with the owners who go to the meets as well as turning alot of heads when you drive it.
I had the Black one at Crail, black wheels and it was sitting on the grass, pitty never seen you there.