RX-7 vs Fiero (Page 1/5)
racingfortheson AUG 24, 10:11 AM
Try as I may, I can't get my 16 year old boy to want a Fiero, lol. He is selling his pickup and wants a car. He wants an RX-7. I was just just wondering if anyone here could shine a little light on what I should be looking for. I know I want a NON-turbo and a Gen-1 or Gen-2. Just wondering if anyone who has had or messed with one could give me things to look for and maybe how it compairs to the V6 Fiero.
DanDamage AUG 24, 10:54 AM
Explain to him how unreliable they are and expensive parts are and that he better be prepared to have it sitting for the majority of his ownership of it.


I hate all 2nd gen RX7s for this
jaredmurray88 AUG 24, 10:14 PM
A fellow in the next town over has a garage queen rx7. The bloody thing has to have a major tune job done every spring just to keep it running right. It sees a few shows and some highway then gets parked with little to no gas and stabil but every year the same deal. I think it was a gen 1 but may be a gen 2 those are not my cup of tea obviously. My friend is the mechanic that works on it every time its in and the next time I see him I will do some digging for you and your son. I was led to believe it was something to do with igniting the fuel that did it like the ignition system was garbage or something along those lines.
RWDPLZ AUG 25, 04:05 PM
Get the best one you can afford, and plan on it needing an engine sooner rather than later. In terms of reliability, an RX-7 makes the Fiero look like a Corolla. 2nd or 3rd gen would be the one to get, I don't care for the 70's look of the first gen cars, and the 12A isn't nearly as good an engine as the 13B. Like a Fiero, you need to be a master mechanic or have a lot of money to keep it on the road.
craigsfiero2007 AUG 25, 07:16 PM
Get a RX7 and then swap in a SBC or SBF in. Thats a neat Father-Son project.
carnut122 AUG 25, 07:59 PM

quote
Originally posted by craigsfiero2007:

Get a RX7 and then swap in a SBC or SBF in. Thats a neat Father-Son project.



^^^ Yep, what he said!^^^
racingfortheson AUG 27, 12:33 AM
So RX7's are apain to own?
3058 AUG 27, 11:37 PM
In the range you're looking for, the one to get would be a first-gen GSL-SE; you get the fuel-injected 13B engine (instead of the smaller carbureted 12A) and an LSD. It feels somewhat lighter and nimbler than the 84-87 Fiero's I've had experience with (never driven an '88, so I can't speak to the suspension differences). The Mazda feels like more of a car that you wear rather than a machine that you drive.

Most second-gens are solid, but any of these cars are hard to find in un-abused yet regularly driven shape; I second the likelihood of having to do a major engine rebuild (apex seals, or at least some major fuel injection work).

They CAN be great sports cars, but are quintessential "sports cars" in the vein of classic MGs, Fiats and Triumphs as opposed to, say, a Miata or even S2000. I daily-drive my Fiero, but I wouldn't want to depend on an RX-7 (of any vintage) as my only vehicle.


EDIT: ^^ Basically what RWDPLZ said. :P

[This message has been edited by 3058 (edited 08-27-2013).]

Blacktree AUG 28, 01:31 AM
I'm not sure about the 1st gen, but on the 2nd gen RX7 the ignition parts are OMGWTF expensive. You're talking $500+ for the ignition control module, and $150+ for the coils.
Raydar AUG 28, 07:24 AM
Try to steer him to a Miata. We love ours.
The aftermarket is tremendous. (He is going to want to mod it. Everyone does.)
The cost of entry for a decent one is about $4K, at least around here.
They improved incrementally every year. I think the 2nd gen (99-05(?)) are my favorites.
The first gens are fine, but get a 94 or later. In 94 the displacement was bumped from 1.6 to 1.8 liters. Not much more power, but a much better torque curve, as I understand it. (Ours is a 97.)
Did I mention that parts are plentiful?

Bone stock, ours was nearly as quick as my 3.4 Fiero.
It's much easier to drive hard. (Might not want to tell him that.) It's a much better "driver's car" than the Fiero ever thought about being.

Most anything you would want to know...
http://forum.miata.net/vb/

Here's ours. (The wheels have been changed. Same style but less dish. There was fender interference with these.)

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 08-28-2013).]