Great handling, cheap, get about 50-75 hp with $250, fastest car on the road.

Has a tendency to run hot and has problems from time to time, but what can you expect, it is a rotary.

This is a bad ass car!! I have raced many cars and I would have to say this is the one I have been looking for. Every car I have raced in this car has gotten beat. The only thing that has given me a good race is a Nissan 300ZX TT.

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96 Toyota Supra Twin Turbo 91 3000GT VR-4 Twin Turbo

Unbelievable power and handaling. Surprisingly has good deal of tourqe. Havent found a glich in the electrical yet. Only the second owner and have a complete vehical history report from the first owner.

Gas millage sucks. but a good trade off for a car of this caliber that no one else around me has

AWESOME, even though my dream car is a third gen couldnt let this one get away when i found it. NO problems at all with this car yet. Lucky enough to have a good ratary mechanic within an hour drive. Been through many vehicals but the power and handaling of this car surpasses any other ever drove.

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1995 civic 1989 mazda b2000 1989 cavalier 1989 crx si 1982 200sx 1968 chevell w/ built 454

*Unbelievably good handling "out of the box" *Awesome brakes *Exclusivity *Easy to drive at the limit *8000+rpm redline *Uniqueness of rotary powerplant *Agressive Japanese front facia *Best taillights ever made *Bulletproof reliability

*Gas mileage (About 16mpg with my lead foot) *Little to no torque (Drag racing? No thanks.) *If something does go wrong, good rotary mechanics are hard to find. *Substandard electronics (Wiper switch, clock)

By far one of the best sportcars "out of the box" from Mazda. This car came with all the go fast goodies stock: aluminum hood, aluminum 4 piston front brakes, 4.30 rear end, 16" wheels, LSD, heavy duty suspension, no sunroof, no power windows, rear wiper, etc. All the fat of the Turbo II has been pared off, leaving you with a raw, purpose built machine. I've had mine for almost 4 years now and have virtually no problems with it. If you are looking for a no-frills handling scalpel for the street, the GTUs is it. They only made approximately 900-1100 of these models between 1989 and 1990, making it one of the rarest RX-7 models out there. Your work will be cut out trying to find one. It took me about 3 months and I had to travel 700+ miles to get it. Is it worth it? Hell yes! The GTUs is all about handling. The steering, suspension and chassis are dialed in for it. The 8500 rpm redline of the normally aspirated 13B rotary motor is something to experience. The linear power delivery makes balancing the GTUs on the edge of adhesion easy and predictable. I've driven the car in almost stock configuration at open track events, autocross, and numerous late night backroad runs. It can hold its own.

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This is my first RWD car. I wish I had gotten into RWD cars earlier in High School!

INCREDIBLE power! This is not a car for the weak or faint-hearted. This power is matched by phenomenal handling, perfect 50/50 weight distribution, and a race-car like grip.

Reliability. Unlike its predecessors, the 13BREW twin turbo engine is VERY prone to overheating which will result in internal O-ring coolant failures, and destruction of the apex seals caused by detonation or "pinging". While first and second generation cars would go multi-hundreds of thousand miles on their engines, the 3rd gen engine is only good for about 80K to 100K miles. The interior is full of cheap plastic unbecoming of a car that cost $35K new.

The 3rd generation RX-7 is by far the quickest and fastest RX-7 ever built. The twin sequential turbochargers have very little lag and enable the car to achieve 5 second range 0-60 times and over 160 mph top speeds, in an incredibly agile car. There is simply nothing out there that compares in its price range, and it can hold its own with cars costing 3 to 5 times its price. Timeless styling will keep this car looking "new" for years to come. The only way I would ever sell this car would be if Mazda offers a 4th generation that had better power and styling.

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1995 Toyota Supra 1993 Chevrolet Corvette

Driving the RX-7 is an experience that never gets old. I think I actually enjoy driving the car more than when I bought it. For being fifteen years old it still can hold its own against many newer sports cars. Finding a twisty road is where the car comes into its own, get to know the handeling traits and learn to drive it at its limit and not too much on the road will be able to keep up with you. Very predictable handeling, easy to drive fast, and the brakes have nice stopping power. The rotary engine is super smooth, I mean almost completely vibration free, seems to welcome abuse. Car is comfortable on long trips, shrugs a 5 hour drive off no problem. All I can say is what a joy, if you want a true drivers car than you need to go test drive an RX-7.

The gas millage is terrible. Around town is about 15mpg, and the highway isn't much better turning in around 20-20mpg, not like you buy a sports car to save gas anyway. Poor electronics (see above). Prone to rust, especialy around the rear wheel archs, front air dam, and bottom side sills. Shift bushings will be worn on most cars, those are about an hour of do it yourself labor, no biggie.

I have owned this car for close to two years now and I have enjoyed every second of it. When I first bought this car I was nervous about the reliability, but so far all i've had to do is change the oil. I've read a lot of reviews talking about how the rotary engine doesn't last, needs to be rebuilt, is unreliable, etc etc...just go ahead and disregard those statements. If you buy a car that has been taken care of (regular oil changes very important) then you should have no problem getting 200,000+ miles out of the motor, they are built to go and will do exactly that if you keep the maintenence up. Before I bought mine, I probably looked at and test drove 7-10 other 2nd gens, and I must say there *IS* junk out there, so you have to buy wisely, buying the first car you look at sight on scene could be a coastly mistake. Have it inspected by an authorized dealer before buying. I did this and for $60 bucks they went over the entire car and listed out potential problems and the overall vehicle condition. Don't be surprised if you find some electrical quirks. The electrical system on 2nd gen's are notorious for being very shoddy. On my car the dome light works about half the time, the wiper switch only works on the lowest setting, the alarm only works when the dome light comes on and sometimes will just randomly beep 2 or 3 times out of nowhere. Sunroof does not work, which is very common, usually due to being off track (the sunroof motors last forever basically). I drive this car through brutal Minnesota winters and have never gotten stuck once. While everyone is off in the ditch or stuck in snow drifts I cruise right by, and let me add that on the coldest -20 degree mornings the car starts right up like its nothing.

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My other car is a 1988 Toyota Supra. This is also a wonderful car. Completely different from the RX-7. Much more of a GT car and not a pure sports car, even so however it still has slightly higher per

GOOD looking car, has a 13B engine in it compared to the 12A on all the rest of the 1st gen RX-7. REALLY FUN TO DRIVE. Small car makes manuevering on the streets easy....

EMISSION Controls are not easy to work with. Not easy to find Mechanic for it. Synchros tend to wear down quick. Oil Cooler was a nuisance to fix...

This car is amazing... If you're not good with your hands this car is not for you. Its so beatiful especially with the 13B Rotary Engine in a 1st gen RX-7. A couple of mod should make this car run better. Only problem is that EMISSIONS can catch up to you before you know it and tikering with the Smog Controls can be difficult on this car. Rotary Mechanics are hard to find too... SO few on the road makes you unique from the rest..

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1987 Nissan Sentra, 1994 Nissan Quest, 2000 Nissan Pathfinder

Smooth engine Retro styling Responsive suspension Strong cult following

Underpowered in stock trim Solid Rear axle Rotary engine scares most mechanics

The 1st Gen RX-7 is a car that has great strengths and some weaknesses. As a reliable go-to car, it is spot on. The 12A Wankel motor with it's Nikki carb are very reliable, and the tight, albeit somewhat notchy, 5spd is a joy to use. This car is very reminiscent of another high-selling Mazda car: the Miata. This car loves to be tossed into corners at every opportunity. The exterior styling is sleek and retro without being dated, and the centrally located tachometer inside is quite usefull. Without that tach and it's warning buzzer, the redline would come and go with scarce notice to the driver. This car is for driving enthusiasts who like getting their hands dirty. As for weaknesses, this car is underpowered at a stock 100hp, though it is very easy to open that number up with inexpensive mods to the intake and exhaust sides. Without even touching the carburation, hp can be raised 20% using headers and a velocity intake. The gas economy of these cars is nothing to brag about, but it is not excessivly bad. The solid rear axle is the Achilles heel of the suspension setup, but even that limitation does not stop the RX-7 from outhandling it's peers. Everything about this car screams "Drive me!" and you will find yourself drawn in by the smoothness of the engine, the tossability of the car and the looks of it's sleek exterior. This car is a steal at current valuation and requires little effort to be a formidable car. It is worth noting that the myths surrounding the rotary's reliablity are just that: myths. I have owned two of these vehicles, and my previous car had 250,000kms on it. The engine showed no signs of tiredness and did not burn oil (more than it was supposed to) or use coolant, the death knell of the rotary.

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I am looking for imput regarding the purchase of an '83 RX7 GSL w/ 120K Miles. This car has been in storage for over 4 years but is in excellent shape with no rust or damage on it. I am hoping some of you experienced RX owners can give me some advice on how to maintain this car. Never having owned a rotary engine and reading many of the negative reviews about the engine I am very sceptical about buying this car. another issue is that it has an automatic transmission on it. Does anyone know if a manual tranny can be installed on this vehicle without breaking the bank? Or, should I only be looking for 5 speeds and pass on the great deal I can get on the auto? Please advise. Thanks.

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240Z, 280Z, 71 camaro, 73 vette

Power, looks, solid structure, reliable(so I've read), exclusivity, very high on fun/dollar.

sloppy drivetrain, bad mileage, uncertain reliability

I have some mixed feelings about this car and am thinking about selling it. Writing this should help my decision. I only paid $4000 for it. The poor guy who owned it before me spent over $6 grand in 2 years just keeping it on the road. He'd had enough so I bought it with a new motor, clutch and lots more. Only recently when I put in new plugs did it start running really well. THIS CAR IS FAST. It also has very balanced handling, although it could benefit from new shocks I'm sure. The car is also very solid and mostly rattle free. Interior is OK, nice seats, I like the central oversized tach. The drivetrain sucks though. The shifter and rear end are sloppy and compromise the feel of the car. The only other complaint I have is the bad gas mileage. I only get 350km to a $44 tank of primium fuel. I'm used to the affordable endless flogging of my '91 prelude. The car has been reliable for me, but like I said the guy I bought it off of sank over 6 grand into it.-new motor, clutch, ecu, fuel leak, electronics. Now it has a coolant leak and a brake leak. What's next? That's the thing with a 14 year old car - you can never drive it worry free, there's always a chance of something breaking. Funny thing is my prelude is 11 years old and nothing ever breaks on it. I do love this car though, it looks awesome, is mucho fast, handles well and most of all has enormous potential to do all of the above much better for relatively small amounts of money. If half of live is just showing up, than this car is a real treat. Owning a rotary gives you exclusivity. Not many are brave enough to own and maintain one. The thing is I need money to kill a credit card debt and given the condition of my 10th anniversary Turbo I know I can get near twice what I paid for it. This is indeed an incredible car.....-for the money. I intend to cash in on it. It will be missed.

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'91 Prelude, '93 Del Sol, 96 GTI VR6

Above

-Old plastic interior peices often break easily or are discolored -Somewhat quirky electrical system (3800RPM hesitation, Wiper switch problems etc. etc.) -If your not your own mechanic it can be hard to find mechanics that know anything about the rotary engine

If you really know this car its hard describe it in 4000 words. Its a wonderfully designed and created piece of machinery. I consider myself an enthusiast because ive owned four of the second gens so far and I probably still have yet to own more. For bang for the buck its simply amazing. Most can be had for around $3000 that have been well maintained; and thats the key to a long lasting rotary. I hate when people say "Oh, those rotary engines dont last long at all" which is completely not true. With 2500 mile oil changes and and a quart every thousand miles in between (rotarys burn oil as a normal lubrication mechanism with each revolution of the engine) the engine will last 200,000 miles and beyond. One of my RX-7's motors blew up at 220,000 and that car ran perfect until that point. The rotarys rev so high and so freely its mind boggling. The power curve is smooth but torque-less so if your a torque lover this car isnt for you, you'll hate it if you previously owned a Mustang 5.0 or anything like it. The size of this motor (1.3 Liters) and the amount of power it puts out for its size is somthing you wont find anywhere else (Non-Turbo 146HP 136Ft-Ibs torque/Turbo 182HP 180Ft-Ibs torque). As for the styling I LOVE IT!!! It looks so much newer than it is with its flared fenders and round, smooth but pronounced lines. I think they look better than the same generation Supra's, 944's etc. and also performs better. The cars looks spectacular in both hatchback and convertable trim. If you add mods to the exterior it can look extremely impressive. As for the interior its also very well designed. All of the RX-7 seats (especially the turbo seats) are awesome and very supportive. The dashboard is simple yet stylish and the guage pod is aged yet very functional with an oversized tachometer and even a buzzer that alarms if the engine is revved to high (because of the ease of revving the rotary). The interior almost promotes a serious sound system because subwoofers and speakers sound so wonderful off the hatchback throughout the small cockpit. You'll hear a lot of gripes about the small (if any, most come standard as 2 seaters) rear seats in these cars but if your a soccer mom you are dumb to buy this car in the first place. Its meant for two people to go on a nice cruise down country roads on a nice summer day with sunroof open, not carry six kids and an armoires worth of clothing. Im a small guy but the cars pretty forgiving to tall people. The seats move back rather far and if you get a GXL/GTU/Turbo you also get tilt wheel (plus many other options). The handling on these cars is also rather excellent. Being a rear wheel drive car you honda drivers will have to learn it a bit before you can really handle it on windy roads but once you do its simply exhillarating. The suspensions really stiff like it should be so little to no body roll and squat and dive characteristics keep the tires from breaking loose. You do feel every bump in the road. One very noticeable thing about the RX-7 is the precise steering it has. If you move the wheel a hair either way you feel it. I know this is probably more info than anyone ever wants to know about this car but these cars are true peices of art but were also an experiment from 1979-1995 (the whole time they were created) due to the rotary engine. Ive done everything from restoring the body and interiors of these to replacing and repairing the engines. Very quality construction and solid build ensure these cars will last a long time if taken care of. Its a wonderful car and a real joy to drive, you'll look forward to your next run to the store. If your looking to buy one be sure to take it to a real rotary mechanic before you make an offer to get the low-down on the condition of the engine because these are aging cars and usually have very high milse by now. If you do find a good one you'll love yourself forever for buying it.

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-Ive driven a 96' Mustang V6 (Pure Junk), 95' Acura Integra (A Wanna-Be Sports Car), 92' Subaru Legacy Turbo (Fast but lacking in handling) 87' Toyota MR-2 (Fast, Good-Handler but Tailhappy) -Ive own