[kertionderf]

This is the second time this 1980 RX7 SA showed up on my local Craigslist. First it was listed at $350 USD and the guy just wanted to sell it fast since he didn’t have time to work with it as a project and he mentioned it would need towed now but that he DID get it running before and tested all the gears. Now it’s up again for $250 USD or any decent offer and he mentioned that he’s got it running but it’s touchy or stubborn on when it wants to start, he doesn’t mention this time if it would need towed or not.

I already have a daily driver (Honda Del Sol) but would love to get into working on my own cars and learning totally about engines and stuff from that ground up, however, I can’t be in the position of having my daily driver out of commission for a week or something while I mess around with it, so that’s where this RX7 would come into play. It’s also a manual from my understanding and I would love to learn to drive one but not have to rely right away on being good at it to use as a daily driver or something.

I know the car is going to need a lot of work and I know RX7 parts are not always the easiest or cheapest to find, however, I’ll probably be able to find what I need online via eBay or RX7 message boards, right? The other not so perfect bit is that I’m just about to start classes again which means my time is going to get more limited and I’m cutting back a lot on hours at work which means my spending money isn’t going to be at the same level it used to be.

I don’t know, do I try to snatch it for $200 or even maybe $175? Or is this just asking for trouble?

[nasdfrdg]

I would look at it and see what kind of work needs to be done.

It looks like a sweet ride, but then it also looks like it is going to be really expensive to do any kind of work done. See what needs to be done and price parts. Then look up what might need to be fixed and price those. See if the money hole the car is going to make is going to be worth it.

I for one have a 240z that needs a lot of work. I got it for $625. Before I bought it I priced everything that needs to be done and the money hole was MUCH smaller then I thought that it would be so I bought it. Gives me a lot of room, time and money to do things that I want to do to it, and not just what needs to be done.

I was really close in buying a 84 300zx N/A but that money hole was MASSIVE. My 240z needs way more work then that vehicle and the 300zx way out priced it. Found out that in general these rides are extremely expensive to work on for stock replacements and to even modify. So I have to wait to find a 84-87 300zx Turbo to really make it worth my money.

[Anaedilla]

Learn from a regular piston engine first then move onto rotary.

[nasdfrdg]

Learn from a regular piston engine first then move onto rotary.

May I ask why?

Learning a rotary, you will at least have a foundation for a normal piston motor and they are easy to grasp as well imo. Better now to learn rotary then not, as this chance may not come back up again and you never get to work on a rotary as they are hard to come by as only one series car has it.
Plus with a rotary, you could just always plop it on your kitchen table if you needed to. lol

[PVaQlNaP]

I say go for it if the car is in decent shape, an RX-7 is a sweet ride, keep in mind that it may be expensive to fully restore, if the interior is trashed, ect. Go look at it decide if you want it, based on how good the body/interior are, but I would love to have a decent RX-7.

[IACJdKfU]

I had no idea you were driving age[ban]

[kertionderf]

I had no idea you were driving age[ban]

I'm actually drinking age too, not that I drink. I turned 21 in May.

Somehow I foresee some jab about me and Veronica Mars...

[Noilemaillilm]

If you dont know anything about engines in the first place, then with Rotary, youll be chasing vacuum lines for months.
Youll be buying your self a head ache.

[JAMES PIETERSE]

Rotaries are a love / hate affair, and all the reasons to hate them are amplified with age. Rotaries burn oil straight from the factory, given that fact, you can imagine how much oil a 27 year old one would get through. Though a rotary will also run quite smooth, so when it's running well it will purr along beautifully, which would be a very rewarding feeling if you're the one working on it.

Buy it, but only if you're prepared to spend as much as 10 times its value within 12 months.

[rozettasmolanov]

Well, correct me if Im wrong, but you seem like a student, not loaded with money...
This car, being as old and potentially unreliable, sounds like a money trap. I mean there is the possibility that you will get it, it will run great and after little money you will have a fantastic car but here are some things to consider:

-Working on cars requires tools, tools cost money.
-Working on cars also requires parts, and sometimes those parts can be very expensive, or un-findable
-If you loose intrest in working on cars, you will have wasted ALOT of money and will have a big expensive lawn ornament which costs money just to SIT there.
-Not only will you have to pay 200$ for the car, but also the Tax,Title and liscence fee.
-You will also have to pay insurance for a second ( import! ) car.
-1980 wasnt a really good year for paint....be expecting to have to re-paint this vehicle.
-If you move you will have to pay to move this vehicle with you.

Not trying to be pesimistic, but any new vehicle comes with burdens and responsibilities of fact. Overclocking computers sounds fun...untill you learn of the things you will need to make it possible, then you have to buy new parts after you burn up yours from trying it all out, and then if you give up, you have watercooler parts, tools, and lots of hours wasted when you could have had a perfectly good running computer the whole time. Both of these things come down to one eternal question: " Do I want to risk the time and money to do this?"

[IteseFrusty]

I'd ask myself this question: what's in a hundred dollars? If no one would touch it at $350 why is it suddenly a steal at $250? And since he can't supply a picture I wonder what cosmetic condition it's in.

[crycleascentyv]

For learning purposes get somthing basic to start and get your confidence up on.

[Noilemaillilm]

Well, correct me if Im wrong, but you seem like a student, not loaded with money...
This car, being as old and potentially unreliable, sounds like a money trap. I mean there is the possibility that you will get it, it will run great and after little money you will have a fantastic car but here are some things to consider:

-Working on cars requires tools, tools cost money.
-Working on cars also requires parts, and sometimes those parts can be very expensive, or un-findable
-If you loose intrest in working on cars, you will have wasted ALOT of money and will have a big expensive lawn ornament which costs money just to SIT there.
-Not only will you have to pay 200$ for the car, but also the Tax,Title and liscence fee.
-You will also have to pay insurance for a second ( import! ) car.
-1980 wasnt a really good year for paint....be expecting to have to re-paint this vehicle.
-If you move you will have to pay to move this vehicle with you.

Not trying to be pesimistic, but any new vehicle comes with burdens and responsibilities of fact. Overclocking computers sounds fun...untill you learn of the things you will need to make it possible, then you have to buy new parts after you burn up yours from trying it all out, and then if you give up, you have watercooler parts, tools, and lots of hours wasted when you could have had a perfectly good running computer the whole time. Both of these things come down to one eternal question: " Do I want to risk the time and money to do this?"

Some really good points. Reminds me of me, when i wasted $15k in 2 years on a 1980MGB when i was a student. I still have the car, its been siting in the garage for the past good 6 years.