I just got my license a couple months ago, and am currently driving, my parents Honda CRV. I've loved Rx7's from the first time i saw one, and have been trying to save up some money over the past few years to get one. However, since i am a new driver, i'm wondering how long i should drive with an "ok" car, before i get my dream car. The last thing i would want to do is get a beautiful Rx7, and impale it on a pole or something.

 

When you get a good job and can support the FD since it is a money pit and will eat your wallet alive and SPECIALLY when you feel you are RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH not to do anything stupid.

 

NEVER. stay away from the RX-7 it just brings you misery. check my threads.

 

get one when you can put it in a garage and have another car for daily driving..

 

when you can truly truly afford it. and not just money wise. only once you have enough time and care to truly devote to a vehicle deserving of it.

however, with that being said....an FB or N/A FC is always cheap fun for your rotary fix. and it'll help you learn more about a) cars in general and b) rotaries specifically if you decide to do dig in under the hood and elsewhere.

 

It was easier for me to afford it, living with my parents when i first got it 8 years ago. I don't think i could of afford it ,if i was paying rent. The Car payment, high insurance rates, and it the shop bills add up. But was able to do it, and pay it off. Now i have 2 FD

 

Buy one now! Then complain about how expensive it is to fix and upkeep, and throw cheap parts at it like any 16 year old would!

 

its best that you wait until you are in your 20s for this car. only then will you have the wisdom and responsibility (hopefully) to own this car. its quite demanding maintenance wise, and can be an unruly monster if you dont know how to drive well. best learn in the car you are using right now, pick up on cornering basics and spirited driving. those techniques will help you greatly with the RX-7 as well as save your *** because its easy to lose control in it depending on situation at hand.

 

Get another car that is either RWD or turbocharged before buying a turbo RX-7. I have personally owned these cars, in this order (sometimes more than one at the same time):

86 Honda Accord, 01 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS, 94 Kawasaki Ninja, 86 Toyota Corolla, 94 Mazda RX-7, 91 Acura Legend, 05 Mazda 6 Wagon.

I spent two years autocrossing the Subaru, and attending driver training courses, before trading it for the RX-7. All the other cars besides the RX-7 and the Impreza were bone stock daily-drivers.

-s-

 

Get one when you won't have to rely on it.

 

i waited almost 2 years..... some people mite get lucky with the cars and get them with no probs but others will have trouble and just want to get rid of it.

 

buy one in about 5 years.


this is about the worst can a 16-17 year old could ever have.
i wont even begin to explain why

 

Get a FC first.

 

some people can be kind of blunt, but they speak the truth.
as fun as these cars are, they can be very problematic, and just not practical in any way as a daily driver.
if you really want one, save up and practise driving on other cars, and most importantly, if and when you decide to get one don't rush into buying one.
buying a first or secod can give you some idea what its like to own one (plus they're cheaper and easier to maintain)

 

I'm afraid inexperience and accident risk go hand-in-hand. Yes, being careful helps a lot, but when you're a new driver there are many times when you do something and look back to say "whoops, probably shouldn't have done that". In an FD those moments are much more likely to have resulted in going off-road. Plus it's about 10X easier to make a mistake while driving this car.

Then there is the issue of cost and practicality. You won't get anywhere in winter weather, the gas cost is crushing, and if you can find insurance it will be awfully expensive.

My suggestion is to get a daily beater, and enroll in driver training classes. (The kind where you drive around cones and stuff). Do autocrosses. Save money and buy the FD. Then you'll have a chance at keeping it on the road and a daily driver.

Dave

 

save up and do more research to see wat you really want

 

wow. this is the best "noob" post i've read in awhile. congrats on getting a license buddy! have fun, drive safe

 

I got my FD a few months before I was 18. I bought it for 13k (it was a real steal) with my own money, I worked hard since I was in about second grade. I pay for insurance, mods, gas, etc... I'm not gonna lie it gets to be really expensive, but in my mind its all worth it because this car means a lot to me. I have a 94 volvo 960 station wagon as my DD and I will say that a DD is a must especially since my car sits in storage for 9 months while i'm at school.

I grew up driving go-carts and I have attended several driver training schools, my FD has still caught me off guard once or twice. The first time I was driving in rain I upshifted and didn't match my revs quite right (I learned manual on this car) and the back end slid out on me, this was going straight.

So like everyone said, save your money for a fun/reliable dd like a subaru or something and get into some driving schools/autocross events. Also, you should be willing to do a large majority of your own work on this car (and have the knowledge to do it). It will save you a ton of money.

 

While karting and autocross experience are helpful, there is no substitute for experience in regular daily driving. In most driving situations an instinctive understanding of what to expect from other drivers and what to look out for that can only be developed from several years of normal driving will go a long way further than perfect car control skills. In normal every day driving keeping your car gripping to the road is not even relevant and the vast majority of crashes people get themselves into arise from carelessness or inexperience rather than an inability to control their car. Just give it 5 years or so driving a regular old car and good luck if you do get an rx7.

Oh yeah - I will say that you're displaying a much more mature attitude than most of the kids that come on here by questioning your readiness for such a car. Keep it up.

 

Get a first generation for a first car, they are fun to drive and a lot more reliable than the FD. After learning to work on rotaries with your 1st gen maybe upgrade to a 2nd gen and when you feel financialy strong then get the FD. Only my .02 ....Good luck!

 

thanks for all the replies, I'll definitely hold off for a couple years, maybe more, just have to see what's happening at that point in time. However, are there any books you would recommend for learning more about rotaries in general, as well as the Rx7?

 

the best "book" is this forum. stick around.

 

^^^^ +1

 

A rwd like an FD can be dangerous for a new driver. I know im just getting used to the RWD, reacts differently to FWD.

 

very true!! i remember a couple years back when i was driving in the rain, the back end kicked out... and it went so willingly, i was like haha.