1993 Mazda rx-7

[Chadi335is]

Thinking of picking one up that hasn't been modded?

Anyone have one? Thoughts?

[Billup]

Buy it and drop an LS1 in it if you really want to enjoy it.

[Chadi335is]

Wondering how the reliability will be and access to parts....

Or if the BRZ is a better option

[fcman]

Originally Posted by Billup

Buy it and drop an LS1 in it if you really want to enjoy it.

As long as you never plan on being able to sell it. Once I finally buy a house I plan on picking up and restoring another 2nd gen and a 3rd gen. Both I think are future classics in stock form.

Originally Posted by Chadi335is

Wondering how the reliability will be and access to parts....

Or if the BRZ is a better option

As long as it's a weekend car you should be ok. They definitely aren't what I would call reliable but I daily drove my 2nd gen for 4 years with minimal issues (other than the occasional flooding which could be fixed on the spot) Granted the first year I had it I blew the motor on it, but it had $150k miles on the original motor and I stupidly slapped on a giant turboback exhaust with no fuel upgrades

[Red Bread]

No, it's not reliable and yes it's miles better than a BRZ. My dad's had one since 1993 and his has actually been very reliable, but that's certainly not the norm.

They have no torque before either turbo engages, they make S2000's feel like big blocks. With the a/c and heat in the 90's or higher they're comically gutless until you get past 6k rpm. Once the turbos kick in they like to oversteer like crazy.

But when you get it all right and it doesn't throw you into the weeds, it's very fun. In a straight line it's pretty much dead even with my old S52 M Coupe to about 120 where its aerodynamics give it a good advantage and even stock, it would do a touch over 165.

Lots of parts are getting very hard or impossible to find and some that are still available are quite pricey for a Japanese car. Mazda dealers will almost certainly not have any idea what it is either.

One funny note, since it's not a piston engine, parking and leaving it in gear does not create compression, so always use the e-brake. Ask me how I know this.

[fcman]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

One funny note, since it's not a piston engine, parking and leaving it in gear does not create compression, so always use the e-brake. Ask me how I know this.

Had mine roll into a friend's brand new (to him) car. He hadn't even taken it home yet.

[Billup]

Originally Posted by fcman

As long as you never plan on being able to sell it. Once I finally buy a house I plan on picking up and restoring another 2nd gen and a 3rd gen. Both I think are future classics in stock form.

Debatable. I purchased my old FD for the lone fact that it was LS swapped. Didn't have to deal with any of the maintenance nightmares on a stock rotary, plus it ran like a bat out of hell.

If you're a purist, then absolutely. Any car in it's pure form is going to be the most sought after. I value reliability and the driving experience itself more, though.

[lowbudgethero]

They are pretty unreliable and hard to work on. Do it only if you really love those cars.

[pukicabuki]

If you look at it from a collectible standpoint then find one with as few miles as possible that is all original. Clean stock ones are rare. You'd have to hang onto it for the long term though. There is no money to be made as a short term investment type of situation.

If you're wanting a fun car to enjoy then buy one with an LS swap and beat the crap out of it. Its a great chassis with a crappy drivetrain in stock form but the LS swap fixes that.

[evo335xi]

Low miles and receipts for maintenance a must. But if you find one of those, you might as well get a new car sadly. With that said it would be awesome to have one for a bit.

[Boostin FD]

There's one here locally on craigslist with low miles and 100% stock. I miss mine ;-(

[JuicyJosh]

I've owned two FDs, a '93 Base Montego Blue/tan and then a '93 Black/black Touring model.

The Touring came with a downpipe and the J-spec dual-circle tails. Then I lowered it on TEIN Flex Type (16-way adjustable) coilovers, poly engine mounts, all new rear suspension bushings, Banzai diff brace, removed the secondary throttle butterflies and bored out the UIM intake, double-size aluminum radiator, Xcessive engine brace/large oil sump, and in 2007 (with the help of my friend David) installed new Efini turbos... Had the transmission rebuilt, Exedy Stage I clutch and pressure plate, Exedy lightweight flywheel, installed a short-throw shift linkage, high-flow cat, GReddy Evo II mandrel-bent catback, Enkei RP03s (and later RPF1s with center caps and matching metal valve stems), Advan Neova AD07s (then AD08s), Apex'i Power FC standalone, Apex'i AVC-R electronic boost controller and solenoid, EWS deleted, HKS voltage stabilizer, reman alternator, HKS SSQ BOV, '99-spec 6 o'clock tach, '99 steering wheel with flying M airbag, wired in a stealth fan on/off switch, and I laid down Dynamat Extreme's the entire rear half of the car (and the top of the muffler exhaust shield), custom fabricated an MDF adaptor plate so I could install 5-1/4" speakers for the front doors, then custom installed a 10" sub in each of the two behind-the-seat storage compartments with an Optima Yellow Top in the spare tire well in the trunk... off the top of my head.

And of course, the engine was rebuilt, with an RX-8 e-shaft.

The vacuum system for the turbos was a bit of a nightmare, and working on the car without a garage became something I was no longer willing to do. The car was extremely fun.

I sold the car to David in 2012.