here we go again...found a local 7 143k auto not a a spec of rust...fresh paint and a brand new flawless interior. stock as a rock under the hood and a legit ny inspection just done. I think I found a driver for the mrs.


By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-01

for sale sign said 6 grand firm, but told me up front not a penny less than four grand. Gimme some opinions...before I empty my savings account

 

Wow...I didn't realize what a horrible pic I took...well its the only one I got, but in person this car presents very well. Even let me take out the storage bins to check for rust as well as check compression on the motor.

 

painted body color moldings and aftermarket sunroof were really the only disappointments on this one. auto trans is rebuilt and shifts great.

 

The paint job looks suspect. Look closely at the paint on the edges of the side molding. It's possible they didn't remove the side molding to properly prep it for painting. If that's the case, the paint will eventually crack and chip away along the seams. Also, look under the front bumper cover to make sure it was removed and the fenders were painted underneath. Similarly the door handle. It's an unfortunate situation with the market price of the car being so low, a good paint job costs more than the car. Hence it's not uncommon to see corners cut and substandard paint jobs. Then it can take even more work to make it right. Personally I would avoid any car with "fresh paint" and have it done myself. But if all else looks good, just that keep in mind.

 

good points...the moldings were removed and the paint used was treated with an agent that you need when painting rubber like parts (urethene maybe???) according to the owner. As for the door handle and bumpers I am not sure. I am VERY familiar with what you are talking about since I had my GLC painted and the shop removed nothing...I was not thrilled, and to add insult to injury they oversprayed all over the trim. It took hours to remove most of it.

Living in NY I will NEVER even attempt to build a show quality car...I'm not responsible enough to keep it nice and I def don't have the deep pockets it takes to create. That being said ...I still like a 10ft car...looks great from 10 ft away and clean enough to turn a few heads and take to local meets and stuff. so far this meets the criteria...

 

Car at least looks decent. 4 grand for a 80 something FB w/143K miles is a little steep in the current market to me. Seems more like a $2,500 car but you don't get a real feel for it from just that one pic. I'd be curious to see what it looked like before the paint and interior work. May be a better indication of its actual care and condition. Automatic 7's often lead pampered, quiet lives compared to manuals, so it may be an exceptional runner. Still, 30 yr old cars can develop quriks without warnings. Something you may want to consider in a daily driver for your wife.

 

Lol...not a daily for the wife Banzai...just a way to include her in the game...(see my sig). I would like her to actually go to the meets and events with me and the kids...lol. I am concerned about carbon build up on the rotors...this engine has prob never seen redline. Compression was stellar however and those numbers dont lie. It is a 85 and equipped with a beehive so I also wonder if dowel pin o ring failure is not too far off as well...4k is not a little number, but it can creep up quick...my 81 is approaching the 3k mark as I replace the entire suspension and misc braking components...and will prob pass the 4k mark as I continue to restore...**** some guys drop 4k on a paint job only or interior...I think I just really want this one..o boy...I'm in for a hell of a day tomorrow! lol!

 

Says your from bk if you look on craigslist in ri ct and ma theres a couple better then that for that price

 

Thanks but I beg to differ...I'm an avid craigslister...did a search tempest after your post...send me the link and I'll check it out, but I saw none as worthy worth my time or effort.
Not counting FC convertables...I did see a couple of those that I know the wife wouldn't object to...thanks for lookin' out.

 

Heres some i found that didnt seem bad.


http://providence.craigslist.org/cto/2913834664.html


http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/2977927161.html



http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/2927447291.html

http://nh.craigslist.org/cto/2952912181.html

 

If you can get that one for, four go for it.

 

I don't know where you are finding such $2500 cars but around here they are more like $4 to $6,500, like the links above. It's good to see the strong values though.

 

Thanks for the links, but I think you proved my point for me...not one of them was less...except the first one...that was nice for 4200

 

I agree, I'm not opposed to stronger values at all. I have noticed a bit of an upswing in asking prices overall the last year. I also agree that I see a lot of asking prices in the 4-6K range, for FB's especially GSL SE's (which this is not).

However, there are asking prices and there are selling prices. Two different things. What I don't see are an abundance of people who actually will pay the asking prices. Lots of people talk the talk but are strangely silient when it comes to picking up the tab. It takes two to do this tango and that compromise is what actually sets the market, not the asking price alone.

Not trying to knock the car but to me, 4K is strong money for a 143,000 mile, 27yr old rotary. Again, it's just my opinion, generated from a single picture, a short paragraph of basic information and watching these cars with interest for several years.

I also 2nd cfamilyfix's comment about the engine not seeing redline. I have an 80 w/the 3sp auto trans. It short shifts at a ridiculously low RPM, like 3,500-4,500. This is what babies the automatic cars. My auto runs like a top and seems impressively torquey even compared to one of my manual 5 speed cars. My biggest problem is remembering not to push in the brake pedal like its a clutch when comming up to a stop!

 

lol...that is soooo true about what people ask and what they actually sell for. If this was a gsl se this decision wouldn't be that difficult to make, but then again there were no auto's in this trim level made by mazda.

 

Update...I made an offer of 3500 on the car. Waiting to hear back from the owner.

 

Did you check for collision damage?

Look underneath for any signs of damage front and rear. Do the doors open and close alright, is the hatch aligned correctly as well as the hood?

Is there a lot of putty where the seams are? That usually means they cut out the damaged part and put a new one in and used putty to make it look good. Depending on where it is and the quality of the job, it might not be a bad thing.

Do all the electricals work? Like the headlights pop up and work high and low beam as well as backup lights, turn signals, brake lights and the heater / A/C system. If it has power windows, do they work, do the remote mirrors work?

I don't know about NY laws but do you need to pass a smog check to change owners and if so, has it passed?

From what I see, granted it's a blurry picture but it looks like an Earl Scheib job. I've used them and got a great $99 paint job by doing all the prep work myself like removing the taillights, door handles and used a razor blade to scrape the gunk of the edges of the doors where someone had put those plastic door ding protector thingies. If they did all the work you say about the moldings, you might be able to see under the molding by taking off a side marker light and see if there's fresh paint under there, if not, I don't think they removed the moldings to paint it.

How well does the paint match the engine bay, the underside of the hood and the door jams?


It has a glass sunroof, that's a plus.

Next time you look at it if you're still interested, tell the owner that you want it to sit overnight so you can see how it handles a cold start. One scam is to have the car all nice and warmed up and voila, it starts at the turn of the key.

Finally, find a rotary expert around and pay him to go over your car. Compression for both rotors should be near each other and should be the same for each of the three combustion chambers on each rotor. I forget what the reading should be but 90 seems to pop up but there are many others here who can give you the correct range for compression.

Good luck.

 

Even for $3500 that thing better be in GREAT shape! Has the interior been redone professionally? Hows the steering and the rest of the suspension? Completely stock? Does EVERYTHING work? I have spent $3500 on a paint job and sold the car (Rx7) a couple years later for $3500!!

 

The crappy pic I took does not do this car justice. The car was painted over 4 years ago and put into storage in Florida...fresh paint may have been the wrong term to use...I apologize...I think the paint takes on this "Earl Sheib" appearance due to the moldings and door handles being painted body color...I personally like those items done in black myself. Its easy enough to correct. The interior is where some real money was spent (receipt revealed to show a bill of 3200!!!) Black and red leather...not exactly my taste but can easily be subdued with a different floor mat and a tasteful steering wheel. Def not as loud as a rx8 shinka lol.

The test drive was nice and reminded me of how nice these cars hold the road right out of the box...compared to my 81 fb and my GLC...this car rode like a dream. Tranny shifted firmly...owner indicated it was rebuilt with a shift kit of some kind...and old JATCO's are kinda known for "shift shock" anyway.

The owner got back to me tonight and he is having a tough time letting go of it for my offer...I explained my position, the mileage, the s level trim auto trans and aftermarket sunroof all make me feel that the asking price is a bit high...I told him I would come up 100 and that was all I was willing to do...told him to take his time and get back to me when he is ready...3600 would make me feel better than 4k any day as it is not cheap to register and insure cars here in BKLYN and the additional money saved would go toward those fees. I know its only a 400 dollar difference, but a number in the 3k range just makes me feel better...4k is pushing it in my opinion. Thanks for all your help and support on this one, its making all the difference in helping me make a better decision...hopefully he will agree and I get to take some REAL pics so I can highlight what I felt was so appealing about this car...then it will be time to start making the right changes and present to the wife july 2nd as a b-day gift...I'm prob gonna have to get her a real gift (for her) since she will see through this gift as really being for me...

Damn...WAR and PEACE was prob shorter than this post, but I would like this to happen...I will keep you posted.

 

even the lights in the storage bins work!

 

It has an auto tranny? That is not a positive selling point. Since it's a 12a, driving it will just not be the same as an exact car with a 5 speed.

I test drove a '94 that had an auto. It was horrible and according to the receipts they had, it had a new engine and all new turbo hardware as well as all the factory fixes. It still had that weird hiccup when I guess the second turbo kicks in. Despite all the work done on it, I passed because it didn't run nearly as good as one with a 5 speed and the A/C didn't work. I can fix A/Cs on a normal car but to say a '94 engine compartment is crowded is an understatement.

If you like the car, it's been checked out by a mechanic and passed, let the owner know what you are willing to pay and don't get suckered into a 'gotta have it mentality'.

I new a car salesman and he could tell when the customer really wanted the car, they took so much advantage of people that I don't think a lifetime of perfect Karma could correct.

 

An 85 12a is certainly a different animal than a 94TT. I work as an ASE certified mechanic for a rental car company for the past 8 years repairing cars and shuttle bus, so if the engine blew a week after I bought the car, it would be no one's fault but my own. I don't "gotta have it" and if the owner calls back tomorrow to say he rejects my offer, then I'm on to the next...there are plenty of clean cars out there...just have to find them. Sometimes I get bothered by what people ask for their cars...1st gen 7 owners are inherently cheap! On the east coast we remember the days of abundant running 12a's...all dressed in primer and deep dish ARE 5spokes with 215-50-13 BF Goodrich rubber and blacked out trim...a grand would get you a running car. It seems gone are those days...as now I am entertaining spending 3500 on this car. Its been said before...a car is only worth what someone is willing to pay. I'm willing to spend 3500 on this car knowing that if I found another one in lesser shape I could easily surpass that number trying to get it to look as good as this one does already...****...my GLC has about 7k into it and I wouldn't enter it into a car show to save my life...it would be disrespectful to guys who spent twice that on paint and body.

I would pay the same 3500 for a restorable r100, rx2, rx3 etc as I would for this decent condition running 1st gen because they are that hard to come by over here...its only worth what you want to pay...so true. Thanks RX7lives...your concern is the reason this forum is one of the best...

 

Looks nice. I would want to see some "before" pictures. I'm not going to lie, the thought of rust has kept me up at night....

I'm one of the "what your willing to pay" people....Hell, I paid OVER the agreed upon selling price of my '85. I thought it was fair.

 

Bottom line is, the only person you have to make happy is yourself. Sounds like you've mulled it over and have set your limits that you're comfortable with. Bending a little is natural and sometimes needed. I hope the seller agreees and cares enough to realize that sending it to a grateful and apprecaitive new owner may be worth a few bucks out of his pocket. Good Luck!

Maybe your wife would like a new steering wheel or that trim and door handles returned to black.......

 

Done...I paid for the car and cannot be happier...as an unexpected bonus, the car came with new in box left side tail light, OE brand new muffler and a book full of repair history and reciepts.

The moldings and door handles are #1 on my list of things to change back to black, as well as an oem 85 steering wheel and oe floormats.


By cfamilyfix at 2012-05-03