Well i'm up in arms right now, i cant make my mind up. For the past 4 years i've wanted an FD, and i still do. Well it seems harder and harder to find one thats in good shape and well taken care of now that i can afford one. So i'm thinking of getting an RX8 and sticking out as more and more breakthroughs come through. I just need another opinion, do you guys think its worth it? I'm going later this weekend to go test drive one, who knows i might end up in one next weekend (my own that is).

 

I think we all want an FD, but unless you have a good amount of disposable income to sink into a car they're just not a very good choice Go testdrive that RX-8

 

Yes...at some point in all our lives, WE ALL wanted an FD...RX8 is new or slightly used, an FD might have been abused and might be expensive in the long run.

 

Wait it out a little longer. Because if you buy the RX-8 you might have some regrets of not getting an RX-7. Pus, the RX-7 is the Hawtest!

 

Actually, the rx7 can be a great daily driver if you leave it stock and do all the proper maintenence. Replace all the vacuum hoses and get a performance fan and radiator and you should be fine. Also, upgrading to a single turbo setup reduces the rats nest of vacuum hoses and keeps the engine bay heat lower. Just make sure to tune the car after every mod and you'll be suprised on how reliable the fd really is.

The 2 reasons why the engine goes bye bye is by over heating and running too lean.

 

FD parts are expensive...Like Ike said, to own an FD you need either deep pockets or knowledge on how to wrench on your own shyt...

 

FDs really aren't that expensive to maintain if you're willing to work on the car yourself. The cars are all 10-13 years old now however, so there will be a lot of little things that might need to be replaced.

A good example is the vacuum hoses. A full set of hoses is only about $100, but if you get it done at a shop they will charge you an additional $500+ in labor.

The biggest problem is finding a good FD to start. There are SO many abused FD's out there for some reason. Don't settle for anything for anything less than a really clean, well-mained, relatively unmodded one. Some people are so quick to point out how cheap FD's have gotten these days, but that's only because there are so many shitty ones now. The really nice ones will still sell for well over $15k, probably to $20k.

 

If you have to drive the car everyday, buy the rx-8. I also wanted an FD more than anything but when it came down to it, I wasnt ready to deal with the daily hassel driving an fd would bring. Without question, the fd is more beautiful in my opinion and the better performer, but isnt worth it if it is your only car. In about a year, I plan on buying a used FD and garaging it as a project car. Im even willing to buy one without a motor in it since I wont have to drive it everyday. Then I can source and build a motor the way I want to. If you really want an FD, maybe that is the best option. Then again, like darkmaz8 said, if you wanna leave the FD stock and are lucky enough to find a surpreme unabused example for cheap, then go for it. Otherwise you wont find a btter replacement than the 8.

 

another thing to consider, many banks/credit unions will no longer authorize loans for cars that are 10+ years old, so be prepared to pay cash or other financial arrangements if you are to buy a *mint* FD (which usually go for 15k at least, IIRC)

 

agreed!

....and a good amount of disposable time.

 

Good point, and precisely why I'm not driving a 500hp+ Supra right now Even 5 or 6 year old cars can be tough to get more than a year or two of financing on.

 

Also, those of you saying FDs aren't expensive to maintain, they're reliable blah blah blah... When you start talking about well if you just do this and that and spend $500 here and $500 there that's not a reliable inexpensive car. In addition there are many people out there that do that stuff and still blow engines. 9 out of 10 (this may be conservative) used FDs that go up for sale have new engines, many of them with under 50k on the odometer. It's a car that I've been considering buying fro years so I check listings regularly, it's just not a reliable daily driver type car. It's also almost impossible to find one that's not modded and even more difficult to find an MT that's not modded.

 

Did the original poster even say that he wanted a daily driver? I've driven fd's for 8 years now and have never had a major problem (knock on wood), of course I work at home so only drive it on weekends or the track.

 

Sorry it took so long to reply to this guys, i only get on at work when i have the time. Great points and I really apperciate them, infact some of what was stated were thoughts that i had actually. Cause i have been looking for an FD its just i cant seem to find one in great shape like i used to 2-3 years ago, it seems like there all rolling chassis almost. Which is part of the reason why i've been thinking of the 8. And yes i do need a good DD to get around in, i was actually planning on getting 2 FD's one just well maintained and the other for the track. I've come to the conclusion that i'm going to get an 8 for a DD and buy a FD later on down the road for a project when i get the cash to. I'm going to go this weekend actually to test drive one since i was sick last week. Thanks guys.

 

I was suprised to see how many of us are in the same boat on this one. For me, it came down to wanting a car the way I like it - manual, black interior, exterior color choice, option choices etc. As the FD's age, you have to make many compromises in those areas. I too will likely end up with a project FD in the future (once I get out of the city), but I'll probably end up changing a lot of the little things like interior door skins, carpet etc.

I also liked the idea of the nice new car warranty, roadside assist and everything just working

 

good choice!!!

 

yea and it will be nice to have more then two people in the car and still be driving something sporty....course who knows maybe by the time i'm ready for an FD mazda will have come out with something........hahahah.

 

The "only" problem with my FD is it's so hard to drive. With 3.5" ground clearance I have to pay constant attention to road "irregularities". I can't just park it anywhere too. It attracts too much attention. It's not the enthusiasts I fear - it's the nuts who think it's too nice and will kick or scratch it for spite!

For a daily driver the RX-8 is hard to beat. It's so easy and fun to drive. It handles at least as well as my RX-7. Yes, it doesn't throw me back in the seat, but it's sneaky quick just the same! The rear seats are very handy, and it's roomy compared to the FD.

The RX-7s out there are getting old. Mine (93) does have a replacement engine and turbos, but that was done due to an engine fire early in its' life (20,000 km - didn't get the coolant mod. soon enough). It has been fine since (I got it with 60,000 km on it). I take it on long trips and around town to car get-togethers - now at 90,000 km. If you race one it will cost lots of money, but properly maintained they are quite reliable on the street.

You need to ensure you have:
1. Proper vacuum hoses - I use silicone ones.
2. Coolant Air Separator tank replaced with a metal one.
3. Pre-cat replaced with a downpipe.
4. Main cat replaced (by now they should all be burned out) - either a high flow replacement or a stock one (if you're rich - the stock Mazda cat is several thousand dollars last I checked).
5. Optional - ECU replacement (I have the Apexi PFC which makes a big difference in driveability). The stock ECU is fine but the PFC fixes up a lot of "bugs" in throttle response and is tuneable - necessary when you start freeing up the exhaust!
6. The stock radiators are now getting old and the plastic end tanks will start to crack. I have an all aluminum replacement waiting for installation.
7. The stock springs will have sagged by now and could be replaced by aftermarket ones - I have H&R sport springs on mine. You should also replace all the rubber parts the springs rest on as they also fail with age.
8. The transmission has a fifth gear syncro ring that is prone to failure. Most drivers of this car can't resist pushing it off the line, and if they miss the 2-3 shift it can damage the 5th gear syncro ring. It's a $500 repair in a shop.

So if you get an FD you have to be prepared to spend at least $1500 - $3000 to bring it up to "nice", even for a well maintained car. Combine that with the loan problems mentioned above, and you can see why these are now becoming "play cars", not daily drivers.

 

Buy mine :-)

http://partners.musicmatch.com/test/simon/fdsale/
http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?p=4403842