www.RX7fb.com

Im set on one i have found for about £2k (1984 S2) and its in very good nick. Im 15 and looking to have it as my first car. the FB has been my favourite RX-7, followed by the FD then FC. My dad owns a RX-8 PZ and i know the guys at Essex Rotary so i'm not short on help.

Anyway, i have a few questions about the FB...

1) Whats the fuel economy like? I know that a rotary engine is far from economical but what MPG will i get from a unmodifed FB?

2a) How easy are parts to source? and...

2b) How much are said parts? And would i have to get parts from overseas?

3a) What is the cost of a rebuild? Being an FB i don't plan on getting rid unless it gets written off or i end up making these annoying things called kids so i will probably keep it longer than the engines life. Also...

3b) What is an engine's life span (in miles)?

4) (Not important) Does an FB suit Minilite rims? I think they suit the car but my dad disagrees. What is your thoughts on that?

Thanks :3
Adam Scholz

Hi Adam,
welcome as our youngest member.I think your first car the FB in good condition will be fine.
1. About 12,5 Liter per 100km in the middle
2. wear part are more easy to get now in europe. Other depends what you search.
3. 300000 km my first Rx7 engine only highway Use.Other 160000 km without rebuilt is no problem.
4. bolt diameter change from 4x110 to 4 x114,3mm. Minilite design is nearly the same like the Japan racewheel the watanabe Rs 8 spoke, a very popular wheel in Japan.
Best wishes
Thomas

Hi Adam, I see you've found your way here then! It's casey (Malcolm) from the Essex RX8OC meets. I know you were keen on the FB but didn't know you were into buying one so soon As with all these cars, underbody rust is the biggest issue, so check for that thoroughly before you buy.

Would I advise you to buy one as a first car? Well, it'll certainly stand out amongst the usual Corsa/Clio brigade It's simple to work on mechanically with basic tools. Getting some parts can be a pain, but, with help on this forum and internet searches, it should be possible to get what you need. Some parts are best bought from the USA, as, even with shipping, it can work out cheaper that way. Rockauto in the USA is a good source of parts that I've used a few times.

I'm hoping to bring KIMI 2 down to the Essex meet at the end of this month, but it will depend on the weather, as I'm trying to limit her exposure to wet roads at this time of the year! May see you there and your Dad there

EssexWankelist wrote:Im set on one i have found for about £2k (1984 S2) and its in very good nick. Im 15 and looking to have it as my first car. the FB has been my favourite RX-7, followed by the FD then FC. My dad owns a RX-8 PZ and i know the guys at Essex Rotary so i'm not short on help.

Anyway, i have a few questions about the FB...

1) Whats the fuel economy like? I know that a rotary engine is far from economical but what MPG will i get from a unmodifed FB

Thanks :3
Adam Scholz

22.59 mpg in our bog standard 12A car since 2008. (Constantly monitored).

Hi Adam,
Welcome,I do not see any problems with it being your 1st car as you come from a Rotary background.
I would not recommend that you took lessons/test in one due to visibility/parking etc & the examiner having to get into a low car as they do seem to lack a sense of humour
regards Pete

Hi Adam,
welcome to the forum
I wouldn't buy a 1st gen RX7 as a first car..... you would be much better off with a modern hatchback to start with.
RX7's are cool cars but they are 30+ years old and unless they are in absolute tip top condition ( which very very few are) they need constant maintenance and may not be very reliable in day to day use.
Some of the lads on here have used their 1st gens as daily drivers but have spent a good deal of money to get their cars to a good enough standard to cope with the demands of being used as a daily.
Other negatives are poor crash protection, tricky handling in the wet and if it snows then you can forget about going anywhere. Fuel economy is also dire compared to modern piston engined cars and you'll be spending vast amounts on petrol.
I'd also imagine that an insurance company would sting you to insure a RX7 as a first car.

My advice is to buy a modern hatchback to get you on the road, build some experience and build up your no claims bonus.
If you can then drop on a 1st gen RX7 as a project car to do up, you will learn loads and loads from working on it and once you have a year or twos no claims then insure the RX7 on a limited mileage classic policy as a second car.
That way you can take it out in nice weather and get to enjoy it without it bankrupting you.... whilst still having a reliable cheap to run modern car to taz about in each day.
.........................just my take on it

I pretty much agree with Ian, my son is also dead set on an FB and I've said almost exactly the same to him as Ian has said here.

OK for a second car but not the most user friendly daily driver.

ian65 wrote:Hi Adam,
Other negatives are poor crash protection, tricky handling in the wet and if it snows then you can forget about going anywhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLZxd6Swcec
All i know the Rx7 FB passenger carb is very very sure and the airbag is not all you need. The US Report in the 80thy tells the Rx7 FB as the most safety car better then Volvo and Mercedes (espacially the smart )

Hi Adam

First off welcome to the site.
To answer your question, as a first car, I'd start off with something affordable really.
In that I mean a first car should be something you can afford to run and enjoy driving as you get used to the roads and other cars/road users.

Modern cars have stuff the fb doesn't as stock. Like power steering and fancy brakes/electrics etc. An fb is non power steering, unless a late s3 jap import 13b engine, so like the guys have said heavy steering for parking and very short on space inside.

The rotary engine is thirsty so you'd be getting around 18-22 mpg. I have an rx8 and at best I got was 27 mpg but its averaging at 22-24 mpg. If it's short journeys then it'll be worse.

Fb's are alotta fun and the little 12a seems very robust if its been looked after. It's about 115 bhp so its quick. In comparison I have an mx3 import which is 4 cylinder twin cam but puts out the same bhp, so the 12a is pretty good for the car's light body.

The engine could go a long time before rebuild if its been serviced, i.e. proper oil/spark plug changes and revving to reduce carbon build up as they are meant to be revved, not babied.
Usually a compression check from a specialist will help give you an idea of engine condition.
13b engines are usually put into fb's if the 12a engine has gone to rotary heaven as very few 12a engines left. That means more power really. Have a read on here to get a good idea. Ian has some good first time buyer guides etc.

The fb suffers from hidden rust due to our climate so body needs checking over in typical places they go in.

Not trying to put you off, you need to do the sums, re insurance and running costs etc. Maybe you could get a relative's car and in a while get an fb on classic insurance etc. Or else start off with another Mazda, i.e. an mx5 s1 or an mx3? I can tell you the 1.5/1.6L mx-3 (1991-1998) are great cars to drive and you get power steering, C/L, air con and are easy to run with non interference engines so if timing belt ever broke, the engine valves have enough clearance to not get wrecked.

Good luck what ever your decision and ask away as the guys on here know everything there is to know about the fb or something that might suit you to begin with.

I don't see why not.. Except for maybe insurance costs . My FB is my first car. It takes some getting used to as you don't have all sorts of electronics controlling the car. The steering can be a bit of a ball ache when parking or squeezing through tight gaps at slow speeds. They aren't exactly fast cars but are very fun ! I think as long as you keep in mind what the car is then you should be fine.

1. MPG obviously isn't the best.. If it's a daily then you will probably spend a lot of time at the petrol station

2. There are quite a lot of parts available. Mazda are still able to get quite a few if you go in with part numbers. Rockauto.com is a great place for cheap bits also. Shipping takes the price up but it's still a lot cheaper than buying in the UK. I find the prices of part for our cars to be pretty reasonable..

3. I don't know how much a rebuild is. Engine life can vary but I have heard or some going over 150k miles

4. I think they can suit minilites