Had a vehicle up for sale and was offered an '88 RX7 in trade. Not really a vehicle which I have a desire to own, but its one of the cleanest examples I've seen in awhile and it may be fun to play with for a few months while trying to sell it. Just not sure if I want to go through that right now or not. Its an NA car with 89000 miles and looks to be very well cared for. It has had the OMP delete and runs pre mix (pros and cons depending on who you ask I guess)
Thoughts?
I drove one when they were new and found it not half as fun as the GSL-SE I had at the time. But this one looks like a nice example of an iconic car.
Convertible is nice for the spring and summer but may make selling the car harder if you keep it into late summer or so.
paddygarcia said:I drove one when they were new and found it not half as fun as the GSL-SE I had at the time. But this one looks like a nice example of an iconic car.
Convertible is nice for the spring and summer but may make selling the car harder if you keep it into late summer or so.
Nice thing about living in the south. I listed a SAAB convertible in October last year and it still sold in 24 hours because it was 70 degrees. But my intent would be to list this for sale the day I get it most likely, unless driving it changed my mind.
That's a nice one. The 'verts are easier to find in nice condition, but they're all getting a bit scarce.
What is value of what you are selling and which is easier to sell?
Hi JThw8,
My daily for eighteen years / 287,000 miles was a 1987 GXL 5-Speed.
Its interior plastic pieces eventually turned to dust (Southern California) so it got sold to a co-worker and pressed into service as a Plan-B backup car / auto-cross toy.
At the time of sale its compression values were in the "it'll run reliably for some time but start thinking" levels on the original engine.
I don't believe there's any need for a premix conversion on a N/A 13B engine and you'd essentially be trusting that a human is both more reliable and accurate than a mechanical pump so...
Having said that, if the PO was a reliable and accurate type of person, I wouldn't be too put off by it.
I get the criticism that the FC was something of a flabby GT car but mine spent 90% of its time just getting me to work and back, 9% of it's time driving playfully, and 1% of its time driving flat out; brilliant design given my mission requirements.
Beautiful car and 89K miles makes it a 30 something year old in human terms if it has been cared for properly.
It's February. Take it on trade now and then sell it on a warm May afternoon!
I've owned an '86 (not convertible) as my third RX-7 and it was a fun car. It definitely wasn't a "powerful" car, and it definitely wasn't a "fast" car, but it was a fun car and I loved it. FCs are plenty of fun in the twisties, comfortable enough to daily, and you can show up to autocross and smoke the tires without needing to change anything beforehand (I mean, you're going to be near the back of the pack, but it's still a lot of fun). They're also a great conversation starter.
I say "do it". Have some fun with the car, turn some of your money into tire smoke, and pass it on to someone else when the sun comes out.
A lot of the coupes have been raced or drifted to oblivion, so convertibles are the FCs that survived. They weren't as desirable because they're heavier than RX-8s and the North American market didn't get a turbo version.
The person that will pay top dollar for one will be a rotorhead who wants a cruiser instead of an all out sports car.
That one is in the best condition that I've seen in years.
Make sure you wind it out often.
That is clean! And sexy!
I remember driving a convertible FC with those same delicious wheels in the 90s and was shocked how fast it wasn't without the turbo.
I'd buy it just to look at that 80s goodness though. And for the analog and rotary experience, then sell for a profit as "Rad era" heats up.
That is a super clean example. I loved my '88 FC Vert. Fast? No, but the car handled amazingly well and the brakes are awesome. They make fantastic highway cars and I loved roadtripping in mine. With the flip up wind deflector, windows rolled up, and the heat on, I would run top-down into the low 40's. Worked for driving in the rain at highway speeds as well. A good RainX on the windshield and you barely have to use the wipers.
Enjoy it this Spring!
Assuming the trade values are equal (or in your favor), I'd definitely make the deal! That looks like a great example! Like cars and bids worthy.
I have an '89 convertible. The car feels much lighter on a twisty two lane than the curb weight suggests, and the steering has a nice feel to it. It's not fast by modern standards, but it revs willingly to 8k and will cruise pretty effortlessly all day at 80 mph or so. The top operation is a little clunky if you don't have a friend nearby, but it can be done alone if you're cautious. If you're doing the trade just to flip it, try not to drive it. I find RX-7s to be infectious, once you experience the joy of driving the car you might have trouble letting go of it. Even the ones that aren't terribly fast just have a sort of eager quality about them, and the convertible is a great experience on the right road in good weather.
I had a '90 GXL that I really liked until I crashed it. That convertible looks really clean. I didn't think you could get a stickshift in the 'verts, but I might be confusing them with the convertible 240s. Or it's a swap. Many things can be true.
That one is super nice. SHould have no problem flipping it.
People complained about the weight of the FCs vs the SA and FB RX7s. But compared to today's cars, they're sub-featherweights. They were worth nothing when I had mine in '92-93, so I had no qualms about dropping a modded Ford 5 liter in when the N/A 13b died. Which definitely made it fast. And since it was a winning autocross car before that, it handled extremely well.
Love the convertibles, and would love to duplicate my old coupe in convertible form, starting with a non-runner.
Caprigrip said:What is value of what you are selling and which is easier to sell?
Values are about equal, proably more of an audience for the Rx than my vehicle (Japanese Kei Van)
dannyp84 said:If you're doing the trade just to flip it, try not to drive it. I find RX-7s to be infectious, once you experience the joy of driving the car you might have trouble letting go of it. Even the ones that aren't terribly fast just have a sort of eager quality about them, and the convertible is a great experience on the right road in good weather.
I won't be sad if I end up liking it enough to keep it around, it just doesnt fill a need. I already have a toy (77 Corvette) and a project (49 Ford F1) But as has been noted its really a nice enough example I'd almost be ok with sticking in the garage and seeing if it appreciates (plus enjoying it on odd days)
CyberEric said:I'd buy it just to look at that 80s goodness though. And for the analog and rotary experience, then sell for a profit as "Rad era" heats up.
My wife, who generally is disintersted in cars, and doesnt like red cars even said it was pretty. I introduced her to the idea of RadWood and being an 80s kid she decided maybe we should get the car and attend an event.
JThw8 said:CyberEric said:I'd buy it just to look at that 80s goodness though. And for the analog and rotary experience, then sell for a profit as "Rad era" heats up.
My wife, who generally is disintersted in cars, and doesnt like red cars even said it was pretty. I introduced her to the idea of RadWood and being an 80s kid she decided maybe we should get the car and attend an event.
That's what we like to call a win-win!
My brother has that car in white (89 manual with like 90k). He won't ever autocross it or anything but will drive it up through the backroads to skyline drive, date nights, cars and coffee, etc. Does a fantastic job with that and always gets a ton of thumbs up and any other rotary owners will immediately identify themselves.
The FC convertible drives wonderfully top down. You don't get beat up by the wind like you do with the Miata. Interior driving comfort was comparable to a Mercedes SLK.
Fun car overall and rare to find in good condition these days.
Saw this on CL and thought of this thread.
https://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/d/longwood-1988-mazda-rx7-super-nice/7717296648.html
Very well taken care of and maintained convertible. 5 speed manual transmission and clutch in excellent condition. Runs and drives great, goes down the highway smooth and straight. Needs nothing. Air-conditioning in excellent working condition. Body, paint and undercarriage clean and without any issues. Must see and drive to appreciate how nice this vehicle is. Please call to schedule a time to come see and drive it. 407-719-2two88 Brian
Asking $8795 or best offer
its interesting seeing the convertibles creep up in price, both of these are excellent examples.
Saw this pop back up active so I guess I should close the loop a bit. Its just not a car I have interest in personally so trading for the sake of selling it just sat wrong with me. I was still thinking on it when a trade offer for something which did interest me came up. Still working out the details on that one but it will be another JDM freak added to my repertoire. But probably one of the most easy to own JDM cars in the US since there is wonderful parts support.
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