I'm seriously looking into buying one..I've always loved the looks...of
course my S would have to go which doesn't thrill me..but the Mazda is
a bit lower and smaller and lighter which I like..and OEM FI to boot!

From reviews though..they seem to be "money pits" for repairs...also
really bad MPG which considering fuel cost isn't great.

They always looked like baby Ferraris to me though!

 

I owned one for a little over 5 years and tracked it frequently, the last year I owned it I went the track once a month.

They are great cars but you have to know what you are doing, or have a good mechanic who is familiar with FD's. They can be very reliable if build them right, you can't just turn up the boost on the stock ecu. Cooling is very important for a reliable FD, big dual oil coolers and a well ducted v-mount preferably with a vented hood will take care of that. There is also a company that makes a better water pump for high rpm use.

I suggest spending many hours of research on rx7club.com before buying an FD. There is a lot you need to know if you want to modify it and keep it reliable. Even if you plan on keeping it stock, things like relocating the stock iat sensor can help improve reliability.

If you want one and are willing to take the time to mod it right and take care of it then it's a great car. The FD is still my favorite car that I've owned (I liked it more than my s2000 and NSX) and one day I want to buy another one.

 

I've owned 2 FD's and they're one of my favorite cars of all time...they were fantastic when they weren't having 'issues'. Unfortunately I found them to be a pain in the rear from a maintenance perspective and it seemed like something was always going wrong from leaking seals to one of the cajillion vacuum lines under the hood breaking or coming loose. I still love them and now that I can support the maintenance on one I'd own another but I couldn't find one when I bought 91 300zx TT and now she's my garage queen.

 

FD RX-7 is not any smaller or lighter. It's pretty much the same size and weight as the S. The S's upright windshield sticks up a bit higher, but the body of the S is as low as the 7.

I might be about to get an LSx V8-swapped one myself... Significantly greater performance, reliability, and mpg for next to no additional weight

Hmmm, I love the way they look, but they don't remind me of any Ferraris past or present.

 

I think about a LS swaped FD all the time.. It just sounds so very very nice

 

I've been thinking about these a lot recently as well. ZDan, how seriously are you looking into that?

 

[/quote]Hmmm, I love the way they look, but they don't remind me of any Ferraris past or present.
[/quote]

Looks like a baby Ferrari to me!
I mean that in a very positve way..plus over the years I've seen
mostly red ones.

 

Maybe a wrinkly, red, still-wet, mis-shapen head, newborn Ferrari? I mean I always really liked them, and thought they were quite possibly one of the nicest looking sports cars ever, but "Ferrari" never crossed my mind. Calling them "baby Ferrari" seems like trying to give them some Ferrari cachet they don't have or need. I call my car my personal Ferrari, but that's just because everyone else I know drives sedans and thinks my car is the very picture of selfish excess (:/).

 

ugh!!
I think maybe?..just possibly? yeah I think this would fall
under the heading of......HELLO>>>>>>>s-u-b-j-e-c-t-i-v-e!!

geez...I wasn't addressing "cachet" or any other issue I might feel
the RX7 has!

just..unloosen your ever tightening belt!

 

I know you mean it in a positive way, but it just doesn't look like any Ferrari. It does look fantastic in its own right, but the nose isn't long enough to evoke any front-engine Ferrari and of course the proportions are a bit off to evoke any mid-engine Ferrari.
Also, the curvaceous nature of the FD lines doesn't evoke modern more angular Ferraris, but at the same time it's way too modern-looking to evoke older more curvy Ferraris.

Personally, I don't think Ferrari RED suits the FD at all (unlike, say the 240Z). I like the Montego Blue FDs best.

As for "baby" Ferrari, the shame is that all modern Ferraris are oversized and overweight They need to make a modern Dino