Buying a rex with a blown engine?

[Jit]

argghhh stoppit.... my heads about to explode!!!

[Nik da Greek]

Might it be doable in many cases Nik? Won\'t most blown engines just be stuck in limp home mode? Or is that idea playing with fire?
 
I dont think we, as noobs, should restrict ourselves to just this approach if at all possible, DW- you can always pick up a loan of you think you\'ve found "the one".

Guess it depends on why it\'s gone phut. From my understanding, if you could get an engine to start with blown seals of either sort, you certainly wouldn\'t be driving it hard enough to test brakes, chassis track, suspension, boost control, and all the other things you\'d like to be straight! Better to find the money for a UK registered car with rebuild history. Like I found out with my two, it means the rest of the car can (and does) fall to bits, but at least you\'re spared the extra worry of the engine sh!tt!ng itself.
 
Jit, don\'t hurt yourself patting yourself on the back! :Laugh  Sell the man your nice black Rex!

[bluerx]

All fair points there Nik. With here, FDUK, pistonheads, ebay and good old autotrader there\'s no shortage of cars to go at, and I\'m definately not in a rush, so it\'s a case of wait and see.

As for Jit\'s car- shes all yours, DW, it\'s saving up time here

[devlin_weed]

here we go:
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200212364419&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=010

[AshRX]

If you have a look at what he has bought, he needed to buy a new ecu.

I would stay away personally, oil leak from sump, good compression?? How does he know, has he tested it.

Uprated drift - great for drifting.....mmmm me thinks thrashed to hell and back

[Nik da Greek]

Looks like a gauranteed bag of arse to me! No photo of the engine bay, so you\'ve only got his word on the shedloads of goodies allegedly under the bonnet. Would have more credence if he could spell "GReddy" correctly. If all he has to do is read it off the elbow, it shouldn\'t be that hard!
 
Those lights will fail an MOT, too. Unless it comes with the standard ones, budget for that at the very least! Sump gasket is an absolute PITA to re-seal, engine out or rack dropped off the bottom job, unless you\'re lucky enough to be able to undo all the mounts and jack it and the gearbox up enough to do it, in which case you need the dexterity and tiny hands of a proctologist. Might be the only bright point, if you have to take the engine out anyway to replace/repair it you can do the sump gasket properly, too.
 
Any advert that refers to "drifting" more than once might as well translate as "mercilessly thrashed from stone cold by a mechanically unsympathetic baboon who\'d rather show off to his mates than treat a car with any respect. Will explode expensively shortly after purchase. Avoid"

[devlin_weed]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130210442690&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=003
 
how about this. and its near me. i dont know what those compression figures are. i.e. if they are good or not.

[AshRX]

Thats Martin @ Speedline. He is a vendor on this site.Very Good figures indeed

[devlin_weed]

ok so should i give him a call and go and check it out. it seems that out of all the advice everyone has given me this would be my best bet.

[Speedline Imports]

Unfortunatly I have just sold that car about an hour ago.
 
Regards,
Martin

[nick english]

Unfortunatly I have just sold that car about an hour ago.
 
Regards,
Martin

not suprised with them compression readings lol

[devlin_weed]

nads........

[Speedline Imports]

not suprised with them compression readings lol

Indeed. It is and great standard example, and the new owner is taking it home this week.

[fly]

I recently bought an rx7 with a blown engine which i am currently rebuilding myself. In terms of cost, the amount can escalate horribly once you get the engine out of the car, i was filled with dread when the bare engine was on my work bench ready to be dissembled. Fortunately only the front rotor and housing were damaged, the car had chucked a seal and badly scored the front housing and damaged the seal inset and one of the combustion areas.

When i looked for a car i tried to find a car with expensive aftermarket parts that i could strip off the car and sell to help with the rebuild, and it has worked well. i have spent just over £1200 in parts so far + £500 for a Power FC, but i have made nearly £800 selling some of the stuff that i dont want on the car (wheels, ebay intercooler, steering wheel, crap coilovers).

The main problem is if you buy a problem car and find you need 2 new housings, 2 rotors and 3 centre, front and plates even if you do it yourself the parts alone will cost you in excess of £3000, which really defeats the object of getting a car with a blown engine as its better value to buy a working car for the amount you end up spending.