hey, i am looking to buy an rx7, but they are really rare in my area. I wanted a 5sp. and am willing to spend up to 13,000. One has finally come up for sale, a 94 w/ 80k miles and automatic for $10,000. Does this sound like a good deal? Would it be worth it to buy it and put a 5spd. in it, or should i wait a looong time till another one comes up? Thanks for your help.

Jeff

 

it is a good deal, but not if the engine is gonna blow,
90k is kinda the redline for these rotaries, after that you never
know when it's gonna go, i've heard of ppls engines
lasting 130-150k miles,
but usually they'll go around 100k

the way to find out is have it compression checked,
and you really MUST get it checked out by a mechanic
before buying.

If the seller seems hesitant FOR ANY REASON,
dont buy it.

Also, auto's are kinda weak, you might want to just wait.

 

would i need to have a rotary specific mechanic or would any normal certified mechanic work? and do you have any idea what it might take to make it a 5 speed? thanks -Jeff

 

the way I hear it, there are lots of mechanics
that dont know jack about rotary's,

and they cause more harm than good,
so it would be a good idea to get a rotary specific mechanic.

Of course, any good mechanic should be able to tell
if theres something blatantly wrong with it, like if it was
totaled then rebuilt or something.

I duno much about the 5speed conversion,
I hear its not that tough, just requires $$ for lotsa parts and labor.

 

I don't know man. I think the conversion might be a pain in your ***. You need lots o parts and they are gonna cost beans, plus whatever mechanic does the job for you is gonna charge you a fortune. I looked for my fd everyday on autotrader for 3 months. then travelled 4 hours to go see it. A lot depends on how desperet you are, how long you waited, and how much you are willing to spend on the conversion. honestly it could take that whole 3 grand extra to do the conversion. I'm sure people on here are gonna flip out about what I just said but it might be true. 10 grand for a car with 80k is a sweet deal if the engine still has good compression. make sure the turbos are good too. check www.rx7turboturbo.com. that sight tells you everything you need to know.

 

Hey, dont buy it only cause ur gonna regret buyin an auto. Granted, that is a heck of a deal if the compression comes out good, but the auto's are considerably slower than the 5spd. That is kinda high mileage for an fd. I would just wait for the next one to come along cause a conversion swap is a pain in the ***.

 

i would pass on it. i got my 93 with 87k miles, 5speed, MODS++ for $11k. just gotta look really really hard. mine needs tons of work though

 

What on earth do you mean by that??

 

take your time and find what you want
i just bought my 5 speed '93 - 62000 miles for 12750$
you just have to look around and make a lot of calls - and ask alot of questions.
try autotrader.com
i wouldnt suggest trying a tranny swap just yet.
But i would go with a 5 speed for sure.

 

i would pass on an auto!i say this because i thought there was not much difference till i drove a stick yesterday,wow there is a big difference. it is a 93 black with red interior with 25k on it for 15000 in excelent shape. hope you find one soon.

 

what exactly is engine compression and how can i check it?

 

You will want the compression checked by someone with the proper equipment. This is one of the few things you can go to a dealership for and not be too afraid. As far as my opinion, I would definitely wait. Don't rush into it just because it may sound decent now. Like everyone else is saying, you WILL regret buying an automatic. Once you get into the car and start modding, there are limits. As far as switching, just buy a 5spd to begin with.

An auto w/ 80k miles for $10k. The engine probably won't have too much left on it depending on its condition. Then you buy a new engine for $3-$5k depending on who and what is done. Then a few more thousand for a auto to 5pd switch, which puts you into $15k-$16k range when all is said and done anyway. So spare the time and frustration and just wait. Trust us all, it is not the best deal.

 

IMO buying an automatic totally defeats the purpose of having a "sports car". Of course you will never understand what an RX-7 is all about with an auto but hey its your money. Also a Tranny swap will be a huge undertaking. You need to change out more than just the trans. The Computer also needs to be swaped. Its not worht buying a car for 11k that you need to throw another 4 or 5 k into to make it a 5 speed. Buy a 5 speed. They are out there. I saw like 100 of them for sale in the Autotrader.com. If you cant afford to buy a 3rd gen for more than 11k you cant afford to own one.