Mk1 buying advice

[Scougar]

Hi guys
 
My nextdoor neighbour has 2 silver mk1 rx7\'s (a-reg and c-reg). She uses one as a daily driver and the other as a parts car (ironically, the a-reg is in better condition and is used as the daily).
 
I was interested in maybe buying both as she is selling them together for £500. Not sure if it\'s a sensible decision as I drive 38 miles a day (19 miles each way) to work across a-roads.
 
Just after a little info and advice on what I can expect fuel economy wise and power wise from these cars? I currently (stupidly) run a renault clio mk1 1.8 16v which gets 35+mpg whether I thrash it or just poodle along.
 
My previous car was a reasonably modded Nissan 200sx 14a with 280Bhp @1.1bar, semi-race coil-overs, brembo disks, alloy locking collars to stop axle tramp, decat, Apexi boost controller, FMIC etc... so I am really missing the RWD jap thing.
 
I just don\'t want to sell the clio and find that I\'ve got myself into a money pit. It\'s a nice looking car but both front bumpers have had a little knock and need replacing, which I have no idea on the cost of these bits. (I do pretty much all the work myself, but about the only thing I haven\'t ever done is an engine rebuild)
 
Matthew

[Brett]

As with any old car you will have some problems from time to time.  But theres nothing \'different\' as it were when it comes to buying a 1st gen - check all the things you would normally check when buying a second hand car - check the panels are ok and that theres no terminal rust hidden out of sight!  The engine should start easily from hot or cold. (Heavily worn engines can be a pig to start if left for a few minutes before restarting)
 As ever buy with your head and not your heart. (I wish I could follow that rule...:rollin)

 An FB will not return 35mpg unless being towed :Giggle expect mid teens as a rule and much less if you thrash it.  Derestricting the exhaust and fitting tubular headers/mainfold (dumping the air injection system) will release some usefull power and up the MPG a little

[Scougar]

The spare car has a full custom stainless exhaust on it (apparently cost £400), that could be swapped over.  The car main car isn\'t perfect and would need a little bodywork, mainly replacing 1 wing and sorting the bumper (prob be easier to replace entire bumper).  Trouble is old car, looks beautiful... lol.  Yup heart thing :Hammer
 
Matthew

[Brett]

Buy them

(I\'m a great help I know)

[David Nock (RIP)]

Check for corrosion in the rear wheel arches (behind the back seats). Check the bottom of the doors and also the front chassis rails for cracks at the steering idler or steering box, particularly so on the A reg. To my mind £500 is cheap for 2 cars so expect some work on them. What\'s the MOT situation?

[Scougar]

1 rear arch on the \'better car\' is rusty.. not sure about the inner arches as of yet. Don\'t know about MOT either.  Was just chatting with the neighbour, and I\'ve asked for a test drive, awaiting that.
 
Matthew

[David Nock (RIP)]

Ah, test drive and you\'ll buy, end of story.

[Scougar]

lol... don\'t say that.  It looks like a cool car, although I wish I was able to get a decent bodykit for it (heathen for doing it to a classic car )
 
Odd PCD as well
 
but yes... it might end up if I like how it drives... but we will see.  My wife took autobody in America when she was at college, and restored a mustang, so it might not be that bad to do.  See how it compares to my old s14a, as that was pretty precise handling and wonderful to drive, after I put the coils on (felt wierd mid-corner before hand).
 
Will see, never know might be able to fix both of them lol.
 
Matthew

[sadgoth]

lol... don\'t say that.  It looks like a cool car, although I wish I was able to get a decent bodykit for it (heathen for doing it to a classic car )
 

There are a few really good kits for the FB/SA22 Mariah motorsports make a mean gen 1 kit + TWR do one and not to mention the Elford kit

[shaunwil]

I\'ve been using one as a daily driver for the past 6 months. Its not a monster of a car and on a normal part thrash part cruise drive i saw 20mpg. I do about 34miles a day on A-roads. Only time its let me down was when i drained the battery.

Im now running LPG on the car, does about 16mpg but its way cheaper than petrol. Tank isn\'t very big, so fill up every 100miles. Runs like petrol

Got a 13b egi engine waiting for it, so hopefully power will be up and mpg up. This engine now has compression.

As said if you do a test drive you will enjoy it and say what the hay. These cars go regular for 500 on ebay so you would get your money back if you change your mind.

It has cost me a bit more to get as i want it, but they are great fun and very capable little fun cars

Shaun

[Scougar]

Thankyou for the opinions and the advice  I very much like the look of the Mariah mode one wide body package  Shame they don\'t have an option of a more remodelled front without the bumper on there though.  I guess it needs to match the rear.
 
lol at milages though for these engines, they really suck!  I will let you guys know after a test drive (if it materialises
 
Matthew

[sadgoth]

the 1st gen engines go on for quite a while (I had one with well over 130k on it when it started to lose compression)

[mullins]

These two then?

[Scougar]

hehe yeah... that\'s my house on the right !!
 
obviously there\'s a question to be asked here
 
Matthew

[shaunwil]

blimey !!! Just to say my mpg is naff at the minute because my compression is 6.5bar on the front and 4.5 bar on the rear rotor. Engines done 111k though and is still running happily on lpg !

Shaun