UK Spec - a little help anyone?

[UK Mazda RX7]

Signed up to the site a while ago but pretty new still as i havent been around much since signing up. Looking to get hold of a genuine UK supplied/spec rx7, ive been reading alot of info on here and sites regarding what makes a UK spec car compared to imports from looks to under the engine spec but theres alot of different opinions out there such as does a uk spec have a sunroof or not do they have mazda badges etc so i was wondering if you guys would mind helping me out by helping me out when it comes to telling a genuine uk supplied car out of the crowd of imports.

Any info that cant be simply changed like difference between uk and jap chassis numbers would be greatly appreciated and the badge (did any of the geuine uk models have anything other than mazda badges on the body vice versa with the imports did they ever have mazda badges or just efiniti badges?) and sunroof issue would be nice to finally get closure on. Thanks in advance to anyone wh replies and lends a helping hand.

[neil_jdmr]

AFAIK fella If it has cruise control and leather seats its a uk model.
 
For me the best way to check an import from a uk car is the instrument cluster if its got a the k ( as in kph ) blacked out its an import uk clocks will say mph.
 
Very few cars can you swap a uk cluster into a japanese car.
 
 
 
Also look for rust is a good one ( Sorry i couldnt resist ):Hammer
 
 
 
 
 
Im sure someone in the import game will be along soon and give you some cast iron pointers

[SmbFD3S]

Easiest way to tell if it\'s a UK car is the rear bumper, as it will have the standard "long" plate and fog lights either side.
 
I have a UK RX7, (with no rust lol), basically the engine number is FD13 instead of FD3S etc, comes with leather interior, cruise control, twin oil coolers, sunroof, rear bins not seats, and the mazda badges are the original oval ones not the efini or new "bird" in an ellipse style....
 
ALL UK models are the same and are 1992 as they only made them for one year, in total a 124 UK models were made, thats it!!!

[m4drx]

do bear in mnd that many of the long rear number plate bumpers are changed on uk fds as people tend to prefer the JDM ones. so dont let that be too alarming if you spot it.

[SmbFD3S]

Good point and yes i\'ll be doing the same lol

[skybusr34]

i thought they came on the 95 plate as well??  thats got the circle mazda logo. with all interior mods

[Ricco_04]

Officially imported by Mazda UK between 1992-1995.

If your looking at stock ones then there will also be a cat in the downpipe, but dont think youll get much chance to check that!  They also had a drivers airbag and "should" state 2616 on the V5c. They all had a sunroof as standard.

[20B_boy]

I have a UK RX7, (with no rust lol), !!

Bet it does!

Saw the worst UK spec one ever recently - half of the underside had been plated over to patch up holes :-/ Not recently either!

By a Jap one!

[UK Mazda RX7]

So whats with all the rust issues with uk spec cars, dont tell me the underside of the jdm cars are made from plastic only takes 5mins to check the underside for rust, im 22 and theres about a 300 quid difference on the insurance for me on a uk compared to a import so its a uk id def wanna get hold of plus they seem to hold a better price in the market compared to the japs - if my research is right.

So the uk cars where officially imported and supplied by mazda uk between 92-95 and they had the old mazda bag that looks like a lollypop inside a circle, not the current modern day mazda badges, i got that right?

And regarding the chassis numbers and engine numbers they in the usual places top left under the hood and top (or side) of engine block - rotary housing?

[S3TH]

If you\'re trying to save 300quid please don\'t get a rex!
Jap ones are usually in a lot better nick honestly speaking...
The underside isn\'t made out of plastic but they lived most of their life in Japan and only come to rusty old suicide grey England in later life, check the import dates etc...

[SmbFD3S]

Bet it does!
 
Saw the worst UK spec one ever recently - half of the underside had been plated over to patch up holes :-/ Not recently either!
 
By a Jap one!

Nope, no patches, but ok there is minor surface rust on the underneath but it\'s been treated, i agree most UK spec cars are really bad for rust, i know the history of this one tho, and for the last 11 years of it\'s life it\'s been owned by 2 people, both who i know, and both have heated garages, and not used in the wet on purpose....
 
Anyway,
 
Yeah badges are the "lollipop" style, as far as i know plates are in the same place as JDM cars....
 
Like S3TH says however, unless you find a remarkably clean UK version which is more than unlikely these days, the Jap models are often in better condition due to climate conditions so worth spending the extra on on the insurance for a better all round chassis condition to be honest...

[UK Mazda RX7]

The underside isn\'t made out of plastic but they lived most of their life in Japan and only come to rusty old suicide grey England in later life, check the import dates etc...

Only jokin about the plastic underside (think thats something only the koreans do and cheap plastic at that ) Yeh i had the same problem when i was looking for a tt supra to buy the market was full of imports that had long since seen their best days after years of no tlc thats why i tend to go for the uk spec/supplied cars plus their slightly rarer.

Yeah badges are the "lollipop" style, as far as i know plates are in the same place as JDM cars....
 
Like S3TH says however, unless you find a remarkably clean UK version which is more than unlikely these days, the Jap models are often in better condition due to climate conditions so worth spending the extra on on the insurance for a better all round chassis condition to be honest...

Cheers for clearing up the badge issue its been throwing me off when its come to looking for one to view and possibly buy. Theres a UK spec/supplied rex just come up in the classfieds red one looks very tidy no fade which is common on the red ones so ive read and seen - does anyone know the history of the car or the owner/member? I spent 7months looking for a uk 6spd man tt super that werent abused eventually found a very clean one so if there is a tidy uk rex out their im persistent enough to find it.

[JBerg]

If you\'re trying to save 300quid please don\'t get a rex!

lol, so true!...

It\'s REALLY expensive...