What to expect

[Lawler]

Hi guys, new member here and i\'d just like to say to you all that it seems like a good place to be, and i\'ve a serious amount of respect for you guys who went ahead and bought the RX as opposed to most people i know who say, "ooh i\'d love to own one but..."
 
Anyway, i\'m here on an information gathering mission before I decide which rx7 to buy. I know I want the third generation and have a pretty good budget but I feel it\'d be suicide to go into the world of the RX7 blind as a bat!
 
I\'ve read posts from all walks of life (including the fifteen year old lad who wants an rx as his first car) which has been a great help. I\'ve only held a full licence for a year, in which time i\'ve owned an e36 beemer - ****e - a Honda CRX, a Pajero, and i\'m on a VW Corrado g60 at the minute. I passed my bike test in 2006 and had four bikes since, Kawasakis mainly; zed thou, ZX6r and my last bike which was a ZX12r so I know what it\'s like to open the gas and have a mile of tarmac pass by in a few seconds. That\'s the main reason i want the RX7, besides the beauty, and the \'involving\' nature of owning said machine.
 
I\'d like to ask a few questions though, am I looking at a toy or a good day to day runner as well? I ran my ZX12r like a madman every day and it was also my main means of transport even through winter, and had around the same fuel consumption as the rx judging by what i\'ve read on here.
 
I\'m looking at purchasing a showroom example with 55,000 on the clock, engine rebuilt 5,000 miles ago with no performance mods whatsoever but even now some people are telling me that there will be reliability issues. now I like to make my own mind up as i\'m not a sheep, and i\'m starting to doubt that the nay-sayers are slightly full of the proverbial poop? But are there people here who\'ve had problems post-rebuild for no apparent reason?
 
And finally, (Test drive not booked yet) exactly how involving is the ride? I always said it\'s the only car i\'d ever put a motorbike on the back burner for so if anyone else here has had big bikes then let me know how it compares, or if i\'m being mad in thinking a car can touch a 185bhp bike for thrills per mile.
 
Cheers in advance for any help and/or answers, I hope to have some pics of my new baby up on here in the next few months when i\'ve whittled it down to the one I think suits me.& handed over the readies!

[Colin]

Hi, i was in the same situation a couple of months ago having wanted a gen 3 rx for a while after a mate got one (nitronige). I sort of rushed in and bought the first one I saw but I have not regretted it, they accelerate/handle/look great! Although I want another 100bhp!
 
I used mine every day, even in the snow(!) and i have had no problems bar a blowing old exhaust, the fuel consumption isnt that bad imo for the performance. The servicing costs are no different to most high powered jap stuff but need carried out every 3000 miles. Worth checking the oil and water level every week.
 
Ill let someone else tell you more about the cars as i still dont know that much about them, hope get one though:)

[gregmacd]

mate I\'m pretty new myself only having owned mine since November so I shall answer the only one of your questions I am qualified to answer:

You asked: "And finally, (Test drive not booked yet) exactly how involving is the ride?"

I\'m not a biker so I won\'t comment on part two of your question but.

Before the Rex I owned a Nissan 200SX. It was very heavily modified. The suspension system was competely replaced, coilovers uprated ARB\'s, Strut braces front and back. I had a full big brake kit. The car was tuned but not that heavily as I was more interested in handling than I was in huge power. That car was great I thought it was a really involving sports car, it went where I put it and felt really solid.

And then I test drove My Rx-7 the only mods are ordinairy coilovers, a pfc, exhaust and wheels. That\'s it.

I was blown away!

I had spent £9k modifying my 200SX and a near enough standard RX-7 made my 200 feel like a repmobile. I\'m serious, even driving the Rex to the shops requires a level of commitment.

Taking the Rx-7 on a spirited drive across Reading in this weather requires absolute concentration, I lapsed once and nearly needed a change of underwear.

Now I\'m not a great driver, I\'ve driven castle combe once in a Ford Focus so I\'m not going to pretend I\'m Tiff Needel but I have driven a few cars in my time and I\'ve never felt more like a racing car driver than I do in my Rx-7.

I can\'t comment on reliabilty yet but given your car history I think you will feel like you have stepped up a few dozen notches when you get behind the wheel of an FD.

[Grizzly]

I\'ve been around Rx\'s for a number of years now and to be quite honest i thing Grant sums it up quite well, Simply there is no other car out there that will put a smile on your face quite like an Fd when its on top form but getting the right one is important.

i think you want to be expecting the worsted on the fuel front though , I have had this Chat with a few mates with supras and Skybuses etc and if you compare Hp per Ton the Fuel they use looks good but don\'t for a minute think  they are good on Fuel, i have had low teens on the work run (they don\'t like lots of short trips or they start Flooding and using lots of fuel) even though i love driving it i have a second car as i work 5 miles away and it was Ruining my car so i bought a cheap Shagger to do the work run (£30 a month in fuel and £200 to insure so it pays for its self)

Bit of advise though if you are thinking of buying an Fd do allot of reading up then when you think you know what your talking about do some more

[CraigWWW]

My advice, is get one. Simple.:god

Just don\'t rush in and buy the first one that \'looks\' good. I did ...£12k later im almost happy with it now, but I nearly threw in the towel on a fair few occasions.

Dont expect it to be trouble free motoring though, FDs are the most rewarding cars you could ever drive and treated well they will last as long as any Jap car of its era, just be prepared to get your mits manky.

You have done the right thing by coming on here though, plenty of advice and very helpful people. If it wasnt for this club Id probably be driving a Skyline or some other uninvolving pile of turd on wheels! Join up as soon as you get your Rex..its more than worth it!

Hope all goes well mate and see you on here soon!

[Lawler]

Your answers are cementing my preconceptions somewhat (i\'m creaming my shorts at the thought of driving one).  I\'m not bothered about servicing costs really, i\'m sure one doesn\'t just \'own\' an rx.  The ownership side of things rings a similar bell to my Corrado, ok so the G60 isn\'t a patch on the Mazda muscle, but with regards to lifting the hood once every two days to keep a steady eye on fluid levels etc, lifting the plugs out every fortnight for tell tale signs of evil in the pots, belt adjustment and compression testing every month and an oil change every 2000 miles (because I respect the car, not because I have to).

Ideally i\'m after a car I can be proud of, something which, like a bike, stirs the soul, and i\'m pretty sure i\'ve made the right decision.  Even the interior reeks of control, looks like the kind of place I could see myself getting very comfortable!  

And yeah, my car history is a touch tainted, shameful but I always had a £1000 banger on the drive and a £9000 beauty in the garage sitting pretty on two wheels. Time for me to sample the world of the big bhp rotary though methinx.

Oh, small question again, how much for a set of carbon rotor tips ?

[Grizzly]

Out of interest, Where about are you (it just says "The north" kind of a bit random

There are quite a few round here, if you are local it may be worth your while taking a trip up to the Mascrat Meet, you can sit and chat face to face with Fd owners and pick up allot more Info.

(acquired from Grinder (Stu) Post )

This meet is for all Japanese performance vehicles and is held every second Monday of the month at The Mascrat Manor, J21 of the M6.

If going north on the M6 - turn right at the island after exiting the M6 and cross the motorway. Pub is then first exit off the next island.

If going south, Pub is last exit off island after you exit the M6.

It\'s quite an informal gathering and we tend to get there around 7.30pm

come on guys - i have seen loads of posts from people up-north - so where are you all

[Lawler]

Thanks Craig, looking forward to being a member! ( fights off the urge to buy the nearest rex ) *twitch*  I\'m not letting shiny car syndrome play a part in buying something so exotic, I made the same mistake when buying 2 cars and a bike in the past. I\'m taking my time, and going through everything with a fine tooth comb, even rx7guru\'s - rx7guru.com -checklist will be printed out and taken on a test drive.

Grizzly: Sorry, I originate from the Lake District but i\'m living in Hampshire for the next two months. However I don\'t mind travelling, even for the right car, i\'ll get a train to John o Groats if need be.  Where is this Mascrat meet?  And forgive my ignorance, I haven\'t had time to check the website yet because of work getting in the way of my free time, are there meets posted on the board somewhere? Cheers. Pete

[Grizzly]

Oh, small question again, how much for a set of carbon rotor tips ?

There you go, a good example of why you should do some more reading up

Carbon tips are really for high rpm race work, they are not much use on the road as they have a short life span.

the funny thing is allot of people like to stay with Mazda 2pc Apex\'s because they are tried and tested, for engine rebuilds etc your best chap to talk to is Carl hayward ^ banner above, he is very respected in the rotary world.

[Grizzly]

Grizzly: Sorry, I originate from the Lake District but i\'m living in Hampshire for the next two months. However I don\'t mind travelling, even for the right car, i\'ll get a train to John o Groats if need be.  Where is this Mascrat meet?  And forgive my ignorance, I haven\'t had time to check the website yet because of work getting in the way of my free time, are there meets posted on the board somewhere? Cheers. Pete

Ok, Its In Warrington, With me being from Up north... I\'m not sure what meets there are in the south (Cue some one from the south )

[Lawler]

As if on cue...  

I\'m warrington born and bred mate, Thelwall to be precise. Must be something in the water which breeds good taste in automobiles!

Ahh, the reason I asked about the rotor tips was just out of curiosity, a guy had a rex advertised on Pistonheads claiming to have new carbon rotor tips which led me into thinking,"££££££££"   thus running a mile.

More reading will commence divvent worry, whatever I hear or read is followed with a quick google and a look on ten different sites to find some sort of middle ground. Only a few more months of reading \'til I buy :o

Anyone wanna lend me theirs for a couple of hours?

[Grizzly]

Anyone wanna lend me theirs for a couple of hours?

Got more chance of S**ting in the queens hand bag

I\'m sure you could get a ride in one though..

[Grizzly]

Ahh, the reason I asked about the rotor tips was just out of curiosity, a guy had a rex advertised on Pistonheads claiming to have new carbon rotor tips which led me into thinking,"££££££££"   thus running a mile.

You will learn that many of the owners of cars for sale on Piston heads/Ebay etc have not got the first clue about the car, i bet if you had a look now you would find some one claiming they had cams or had recent cam belt fitted etc. :eek

The main problem with Fd\'s (and i\'m going to get Burnt alive for this) is they attract idiots who buy on impulse because it looks nice. next thing the engine gives up and its the biggest pile of S**t they have ever seen, this is why you have to shop about and buy a good one, the market was flooded a few years ago with some real bad examples, not only did it drop the market value but the reputation of the cars/Engines took a real beating.

[marco]

lawler, i am in the same boat as you, as in I live in the north west but work in Hampshire. you aren\'t another matlot are you?

[colly]

That\'s the main reason i want the RX7, besides the beauty, and the \'involving\' nature of owning said machine.

It\'s definitely involving, it has abs but no other electronic crap taking corners for you so if ye have a heavy foot driving in the wet will definetly require concentration, it\'s surprised me a few times as it kicks out if your not carefull even on the straights. Stuff like the big rev counter in the center, the low driving position along with position of the gear stick and small gap between gears make it a nice car to drive.
 

I\'d like to ask a few questions though, am I looking at a toy or a good day to day runner as well?

I wouldn\'t say it\'s a toy but I wouldn\'t waste it driving to work, get a junk box for that, I personally like to keep the milage down and don\'t like the idea of driving more that 6k miles a year.
 

I\'m looking at purchasing a showroom example with 55,000 on the clock, engine rebuilt 5,000 miles ago with no performance mods whatsoever but even now some people are telling me that there will be reliability issues. now I like to make my own mind up as i\'m not a sheep, and i\'m starting to doubt that the nay-sayers are slightly full of the proverbial poop? But are there people here who\'ve had problems post-rebuild for no apparent reason?

I would not go for that personally (although your right going with a stock one), I brought mine in in June of last year, 40k miles on the clock, no problems with it whatsoever. Personally I think thats the way to go, but either way there is a huge difference between a good one and a bad one and there\'s alot of **** out there. I spent months deciding what one to get, if you buy the right one it will be very rewarding, if ye don\'t it may not.
 

And finally, (Test drive not booked yet) exactly how involving is the ride? I always said it\'s the only car i\'d ever put a motorbike on the back burner for so if anyone else here has had big bikes then let me know how it compares, or if i\'m being mad in thinking a car can touch a 185bhp bike for thrills per mile.

Never drove a bike but it\'s hard for me to see how something as light as a bike with 185bnp could be touched, car wise I wouldn\'t want anything else.

It\'s worth having a read about how to look after one, I assume lack of care is why some have problems (eg. mineral oil only (although some say royal purple is good) and not switching it off before its fully warmed up etc..)