St3mpy

Theres a 84 or 85 for sale in my area (don't really know which one, going buy the interior looks). It's silver, don't know the trim package, 5spd, 192,xxx miles, and red interior. Asking price: 700 obo. Does that mean its dosn't run, or is that average price? It has some rust on it on the passenger side, not much though. I've never really looked at these cars, but they've intrigued me before. Don't really know much about em though, expect that they have a Wankle rotory. This would be my first car. So here are the choices: I can buy a 97 cherokee, 2wd, and 160,xxx miles on it for half blue book (about 1400 to me) or get this thing and some money left over for w/e. I realize it might need some/ work on it. The reason I'm even considering this over the Jeep is that I hate the way it handles. I was looking for a MR2, but can't find one within 400 miles of here (a MKII that is). So bascily, I need to newbie info on this car, and weather or not its a good buy.

Edit: It has five spoke wheels if that helps.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

Buy it, you'll like it way better than the cherokee. If it doesn't have any major problems it sounds like a real good deal at $700. These cars are really inexpensive to buy and keep running. I bought my 85 GSL for $1600 on ebay and put more than 100 miles a day commuting. Good inexpensive transportation.

Ray

St3mpy

How safe are they? Also, how much cargo room do they have? I'm a drummer, so being able to fit drums in there would be a nice thing....

ChasRX

Take the passenger seat out to fit your bass drum there. =)
toms and snare fit just behind the seats and cymbals and stands back furthest to the rear.
(I used to carry two 2x12 JCM900 Marshall cabs, head, gear bag and hard-cased guitar in mine, long ago.)

St3mpy

Thanks for the info! Another question: How reliable are the engines? Everyone I look at in the forsale section says blown motor and they only have like 90,000 miles on em...

H4Inf

Hehe blown motors still run =) Reliable... You need to look after your car and it will look after you! It's not the kind of car that you just buy and then expect it to work without you putting anything into it. It will want some attention, but it is DEFINITELY worth it

82SilverRX7

I bought my 82 for about that price last year and it's been the 2nd most fun car I've ever owned. I would buy it if I were you I think it'd make a great first car. I drive mine ~100 miles everyday.

plus if it breaks (other than an apex seal*) you can find parts cheap everywhere to fix it. I own a 2001 Jeep also and its in the garage broken right now and I'm relying on my rx7 everyday.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

In my experience driving my 84 and 85 GSLs for more than 60,000 miles on high mileage engines over the last few years, mostly on Georgia and Alabama highways, the 12A has been completely reliable. Check out my success story at:

http://members.cardomain.com/turd10

Also, if you get a 7 you will find a great deal of technical support and friendship in the RX-7 community.

Ray

tjgosurf

Depends, you want a passenger? I had a 6 piece set in mine, it was kinda hard to shut the back hatch, but depending on your bass drum. mine was 20" X 22"(it was a taye sounded awesome too) so the height is what killed me. but you can get it in there.

St3mpy

I didn't look, do the GS have disk brakes on all four? (I found out its a GS BTW, whats the difference?)

tjgosurf

I have read some sites that claim the disc front and drum rear stop quicker than a disc/disc set up. But would you really want to be in a car without ABS with 4 wheels that can lock up with just a slight bit more push on the brake pedal?

St3mpy

Ok, well I talked to him, said that its been sitting there for 5-6 years, it smokes alot. It said the catalic converter is clogged and has a hole in it. Would the smoking be becasue of that? It's gonna need to some mechanical work, so it sounds like he's asking to much for it. KBB says $625 safe running, and this isn't very safe running. Would the smoking be beacuse of the catylic converter, or are something of the gaskets gone?

jays83gsl

I bought my 83 GSL for $700, non running.

St3mpy

Oh yeah, no title.

82SilverRX7

Tell him considering the smoking that'll need to be fixed, and the fact that there's no title (assuming you can establish one with DMV) that you'll give him $200? He might realize he's not going to make anything off you and sell it. Thats assuming of course you'd want to learn a little about the car and do some work you could have a good learner/starter car for cheap.

St3mpy

Ok, got some more info. Called him back, he said that he konws its had atleast 3 owners, all which didnt have the title. He said he got it fomr a guy in Wisconsin (I'm in Alabama). He's had it for 2 years. He sda that he was going to get gas when he first got it, ran out of gas on the way, got some in it, and spit and spatered after that. He said he put somemore in it recently, and it ran ok. Sounds to me that he had some water or something in it and it finally evaporated. He said it dosn't have any power to it though, i guess due to the clogged catalyc converter. I asked him if the air conditioning and all that stuff works, and he said he wouldn't have a clue. Don't think that's a good thing. My dad thinks it a bad idea, but I won't something I can have some fun with. I'm probably gonna call him back and say "Talked it over with my dad, he says its a bad idea, but it's my money. I'll give you $250 for it, take it or leave it". I've got plenty got about $1600, so there's no rush.

jays83gsl

You should look around for a better deal. Sounds mighty shady to me, and these cars almost NEED a replacement of the gas line if you run 'em without gas for any distance (that's what my boss said, at least).

With that 1600, you can get a nicer X with PLENTY left over. OR, you could buy THAT one, get it retitled, and buy a spare carbureter to rebuild from me

82SilverRX7

well knowing that tells you a lot.. If it's been sitting that long there's a good chance one of the seals is gone. When they're not lubricated for that long they'll dry up. That would also explain the "lack of power" She might be running on one rotor which is bad news.. Unless you can pick it up real cheap and plan on having some repair to do I'd stay away from it.

Pele

iTrader: (28)

$200, hells yeah I'd get it... It runs man... Ditch the cat, put a pipe on it... (You don't have emissions inspections do ya?)

If it's been sitting for years, you wanna change out the fluids and such... Search around here, there's threads on that.

You'll aslo learn to wrench well on these cars. Drive it around, If it feels good at low speeds, you'll do alright... Worst comes to worst, you can part it out for way more than $200.

exbourne

get him down on the price and buy it, these cars are great, ck the oil every fillup, add when needed usually every 1k, keep in tune, mine has 160k+ and as sweet as can be, nothing beats this car after getting into 3rd gear, this baby just winds and winds, another thing find a good rx7 mechanic and pay him his money, to bring your baby up, money well spent, but don't listen to guys who say "I Think it is this"". get a book on the car, your auto store will order it, and lots of good stuff here and other online sites, keep all of us posted on how your doing, ok....

Aviator 902S

Ignore this one--- by the time you've owned it for three months you'll have spent all the money you saved by not buying the Jeep and then some on repairs.

Look for a 1st gen in good shape for around $1000 to $1500 and have it checked out by a competent mechanic who KNOWS THESE CARS. Most don't.

As long as they'e well taken care of and haven't been modded to death these 1st gens are reliable and fun to drive if not exactly fuel-efficient. (typical fuel economy = 17mpg city/ 27mpg hwy).

BTW, I stuff my '85 GSL with DJ equipment on weekends. If the passengers' seat is all the way back and reclined you'd be amazed at what fits there. The hatch also holds lots, and small stuff can be crammed behind the seats on the floor.

BTW, edition 2: If it has rear wheel disc brakes it's a GSL and will also have power everything and LSD. (Limited Slip Differential, not the hallucinogen that makes the walls talk to you and the ground shift). But the disc/ drum models (GS and below) do have slightly shorter stopping distances, unless of course the 4-wheel discs are on a GSL-SE.

YapaKanichi

Do a compression test. See if the seals have blown or not. Hows the interior? Rust b ehind the bins? How about the wheel wells you checked there? Is there a rats nest in the rats nest? lol j\k. Ok but anyways. Before you go spending your money. Check into detail about the car. See what kind of repairs its going to need. Don't automatically think the car is fine. IF they've been abused they most likely are just a parts car. Man I had a Honda Civic before this car. I put rims on it, a huge spoiler exhaust, clutch, sound, basically all the riceness you can possibly get, and no I'm not talking about the turbo sounding exhaust thing. But I got this car and absolutely love it. I would.....I don't know.....this car or a porsche, like a 80's model or something. I love this car If it's good, treat it well. Don't just disregard it and rag it. EVen tho they like to be ragged and proper maintence is to rag on it at least once a week. I think you know what I mean.

All in all, we can only give you advice on what to do. It's your money not ours.

backofdabunny

first off,No title,no good.have the guy come up with the title before you even give him an answer,then,you know if he gets a title for it that A:the car isn't stolen.B:This guy really wants to sell.Don't ever let him know how much you think its worth.have an idea in your head,but keep saying "that's not gonna work" until he gets to your price,or if he wont go any lower.Then walk away from it for a day,Get the guy real ansy and then point out all the stuff you will have to fix,This is only if he hasn't met your price.being that its sat for 5-6 years,do yourself a favor and take along a screwdriver,take out the back carpet,and the storage bins and look at your floor board underneath there and towards your seats,chances are they are rotted out bad,and you probibly wouldnt want to put drums in it.you can also unscrew the runner that holds down your front carpet and look at theat floorboard too.you dont want to flinstone it!Anything you do find bad yourself point it out to the seller.Show him you can't be screwed over,even if this is you first car.Also,take your dad's advise to heart,you don't have to do it but I am sure He Is warning you from experience,as am I.I once looked at a 87 turbo coupe(t-bird)No title,car wasnt even in the guys name,wanted 1400 and said the car was in good shape.Turned out it had been wrecked and the whole froont end was bondo,plus a strut mount was broke.guy wouldnt budge on the price so I walked away.I got a better bird anyway after that.My rx sat in a field for 4 years,And we had alot of chewed through wires and such.but the people on this site have been a Phenominal help,as they would be too you.You can always get the rex for say 250,Then go get a ford tempo or something else cheap.Car payments are for suckers! Good luck