Authentikdit

If you are this set on owning one,go out and just buy one..Don't think about it rationally,don't consult anybody,just buy one and take life from there..If you have to debate about it this much,then it isn't the right time.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

We do understand, as we have a love for them too (this is an RX-7 forum). However, most of us have owned them long enough to know whether or not it would be a good situation for certain people to buy them. We are (at least most of us) realist.

IMO, spend your money getting yourself through college. Then spend your money getting a nice place to live where you can afford to live by yourself (or you get married, whatever works there). After that, get yourself a nice car. Whether that is an RX-7 or you have different taste by then who knows. But at least you'll have what matters, first.

surreal

The cost of a relationship can far exceed the cost of maintaining the FD. You wanna talk HIGH maintainance? Trust me on this one. But seriously, I had my 1st gen for 15 years and put 250,000 miles on the same engine. The most reliable car i have ever had. My FD is another story. My big initial mistake was going for performance mods as a priority. After two engines, i backed away from that strategy and went with reliability mods primarily, other than exhaust. At this point i would say that if you spend your effort at 1) fixing broken stuff, 2) undoing mistakes made by others, and 3) improving reliability, you can use the car as a DD no problem. This was what i ended up doing. For reliability, i cooled the engine down. Running cooler is the trick. Change oil a lot. Larger radiator, dual oil coolers with fan cooling, downpipe and better exhaust, large intercooler, non-seqential turbo conversion, better intake, Apexi computer.

No matter how you cut it, it will cost you. Look at it this way, having a high maintainance car is not such a bad thing. It gets you used to the idea when it comes to some women....

:-)

mirabile

This dude loves his wife. I want to know how you post pics of your girl all over and are ok with it. My best friend dated a playmate for a long time and I couldnt understand how he handled it so well.

rynberg

OK, we've had enough of this type of thread this month already.

My advice -- mature to the point where you don't ask random strangers on the internet about financial decisions. Your girlfriend doesn't have ANY say whatsoever in what kind of car you get, give me a break.

dubulup

college kids, should not own FD's...I don't see where the time or money would come from. Now, the first thing I bought out of school was the lowest milage FD I could find. Looking back, I should have bought a house...no regrets though.

mirabile

Dubulup stop generalizing. I built mine while in college. Part time jobs, saving money for things, and eventually earning sponsors. Anything is possible if you love your car. ...

surreal

Hey thanks for that. Yes, we are in love. While i was rebuilding the car she spent a lot of time in the garage with me. She is fully supportive of the FD and my devotion to it. When it comes to spending on it, she has never questioned anything i have done with it or the amount spent. She enjoyed the photo shoot we did with it and I suppose she is secure with her appearance. I told her i wanted to post those pics and she was flattered by it. For my part, there is nothing to handle. I've been on both sides of the room now, and I have to say i enjoy being the guy standing next to her a lot more than looking at the guy standing next to her....

Back on the original subject. I think we should cut this guy some slack here. It is easy to stand on this pillar of wisdom we have built over the years doing this and talk down to this guy, but we were all this guy once too. Someday he is going to be here, two FDs later, responding to some dude who wants to get into it but is not sure how he is going to afford it or how his girlfriend will take it. I hope then he remembers that he was once that dude...like we all should now.

I say go for it. You only live once, and while i regret certain decisions in my life (mostly related to relationships), i have never regretted pursuing that which i loved to do. This is true of my car, and my jobs. My past post was meant to be funny, but there have been some un-funny comments made towards this guy...

elfking

I bought mine with a blown motor, Karack (member on the forums) rebuilt it and I reinstalled it replacing anything rubber and most all of the sensors. I drive mine everyday, soon to be re-painted but mechanically mines been great to me. I also bought mine knowing it would be a project as thats what I enjoy repairing from the ground up.

Previous owner hit something on the freeway, killed the oil pan and ran it out of oil huge hole i could stick my pinky in... So if you end up getting one I say prep for the wost and keep another grand or two for a rebuild since you really don't know how well the previous owner maintained a car unless you get receipts with it and all.

I had a girlfriend once.... haha maybe another one day... She didn't like the 7's so much and wanted tiffany's instead of macy's... but Macy's allowed for parts to be ordered at the same time. It worked out in the end, she's happier without me I am sure.

I would say if your making enough money to maintain it then sure but being as these cars are not new and have no warranty anymore you should be ready. As others have said even a car that sat for many years with low millage could easily just throw a seal tomorrow. Or it could be perfectly fine for years to come.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

you are not the norm, take that as a compliment. I stand with Dubulub.

College kids should focus on school not on an FD.

RaPtOr-T

I've DD my FD for almost 2 years. It was stock when I got it and besides blowing every single coolant hose and needing a new clutch the very first week of owning it, it has not given me any problems what so ever, that is problems that I didn't cause I've driven in flooding rains, ice, minor snow....no problems if your careful.

I've done all the mods to the car myself, with my own money. I work part time and I am still in high school. I have not modded the car in 2-3 months and it has not given me a single problem. When you mod the car you have to fix all the little things that go with that mod, but if you just leave it alone it will be fine, just maintain her. You can see most of my mods in my sig.

psquare8

nope, buy a 280z like I did, until if rusted away the only issue was finding money for gas - it was kind of like the Honda of today...

MattB

maybe ill win the lottery by spring...

if not...ill ask for a raise at work and try to get a job on the weekends... I have been building computers since i was like 13 so I might start building and selling computers...hmmmm...who knows...

kiddslick

1. I hope the original guy had a hot girlfriend, because a girl making decisions for a car is not the best idea, unless she really knows cars. 2. If you are in college, worry about your grades and graduating , then you can worry about a car. The cars and more will be there when you are done.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Anything might be possible but it's certainly not reasonable.

IMHO college is not the time to stuff part time jobs in and make money. It's time to get active in events, have a social life, study hard, and take advantage of the experience that somebody else is paying for.

But everyones experience is different. I took a tough major and I competed fall, winter, and spring in Division I athletic programs. If your schedule allows some spare time, then maybe you can count on steady part-time income.

Dave

crcleofdst

I wouldnt recommend driving it in the snow if you end up buying it......

just my .02

John

rotor rod

AndrewYaya

For what it's worth here are my thoughts in no particular order:

• Your GF drives a Saturn - that makes all of her automotive knowledge & intuition suspect.
• You're in college, so you need a car that has some practical hauling capability; an FD maxes out with a pack of gum or a Pez dispenser.
• You've got years to go learning how to drive - fast is not only about power. I had an instructor on Thunderhill in a stripped Datsun 510 that hauled faster than my modded FD.
• Out of college, I bought my NA FC off the dealer lot. I still have it, and I still enjoy driving it. Except for the busted fron U-joint on the drive shaft I just found. Second drive shaft, third transmission, second diff, 5th catalytic converter, first motor.
• As a student, you are unlikely to have the time or resources to unfix the prior owners' booboos, perform standard & preventive maintainance, upgrade for reliability, and store it in the covered garage it deserves.
• My FC has taken some pretty abusive damage from the ambulatory penises of the world that key, scratch, and dent other people's cars. The FD gets special treatment to keep it away from these people.
• Many of these people can be found at college, where there are an abundance of no money, no job, slackers.

My advice is pick up a clean NA FC. You can keep your Subu and work on the FC as needed. As a bonus, when you are out of school and can really afford an FD, you will have plenty of rotary wrenching experience and spare parts. You'd be surprised how much is common between them. Learn how to drive in the FC, which will force you to pick up the skills of getting the most out of a car.

Oh, and you're in Mass, right? Do they salt the roads up there? If so, I would not recommend an FD. My FC managed to survive OK a few years in the midwest, but that was pushing my luck. It will be 20 years old in 2007, and I expect to roll over 250,000 miles too. Now that is reliable.

Andrew

But, hey, that's just me.

DaveW

Except for the unnecessary jab at the GF, I agree 100%. Excellent post!

Dave

AndrewYaya

Thank you. The first comment was more aimed at the Saturn than the GF. Though I did have a GF that selected a car because she liked the color - I'm not kidding. It was a nice color but...

bkg

well, personally I don't know from experince(not yet) but you know if its an unmolested or smartly modded FD go for it I trust you know that. But the only reason a FC might be a pain is cuz its old as I am 20 man. BUt dan shcechter's fd has 350whp 50,000mile and is his daily driver I asked about it. Everyone here will attest to the fact that a rotorhead maintained FD can last long but still 17k thats worries me sitting to long or something ain't kosher.

RotaR aRT

iTrader: (1)

daily driving an fd aint that bad it just the **** that comes with it.. like the rate it sucks gas + having to use 91+ octane aint cheap.. i daily drive mine stock with reliability mods and its fun but when you start hitting problems.. your gonna be forkin over some good cash. also smelling various liquids and noises from either your car or another car usually gets to you..

RotaR aRT

iTrader: (1)

^^ id listen to that guy if i were you.. priorities first then on to the good ****.. fd's are really big money pits

Asterisk

iTrader: (3)

****, you know what i say? Just do it! If you are a REAL rx7 fan, then go for it. (sry i didnt read teh whole thread)

bkg

Realistically anything can last as long as you take care of it. Thats what we all can agree on, but it takes a 7 head to maintain them.