to FC3S or to not FC3S

[weirdstyles.net]

I found a shweet low milage FC3S, should i? Its 5,000. Too low? Im confused, the rotary scares me... I dont know enough about them!!

help me guys...please a lil..

should I buy it

are rotarys probelmatic?

apex what now?

peanut who?

[DRFT]

I think thats around the ball park but i think you can get it down cheapr. FC3S are great cars...Just keep a realy good eye on it and there should be no problems. Do the regular maintence routines w/more care. It's one of the cars that is not on the bandwagon yet...there are a few good forums to go to about them too... www.rx7club.com nopistons.com and teamfc3s.org i think. good luck and keep the fc clean

[weirdstyles.net]

as clean as can be, new black paint job, GP sports kit and suspension out the ***...

[S13FREEAAK]

What year, model and how many miles does it have?

[Titan]

First off, SEARCH please.

And here's a post I made about the FC a long time ago, read it well:

If you are lacking money, DO NOT get the RX-7. Believe me, I wanted to buy one as well, but they are FAR more expensive to keep then the 240 would be.

I've done alot of research on them and I decided it just isn't worth it, even if my older friend from work was selling his mint 86 FC to me for $1000 Canadian (~$600 US). It had only 139,000 km on it (~87,000 mi), but the motor already needed a rebuild.

In any case, here are the advantages and disadvantages I've found for the RX-7.

Advantages:

Fast, especially the Turbo II
Smooth power band
Great look, unique
Great community

Disadvantages:

- Unreliable (money pit) - contant repairs
- hell *** expensive parts
- Burns fuel like a mother (the N/A gets 17 mpg tops in the city)
- A guy (Aaron Cake) from my city has a heavily modified custom turbo FC and he says he gets 4-5 mpg in the city
- The rotary motor will only take about 140,000 km with decent maintenance, and about 200,000 km with excellent maintenence.
- They are difficult to pass emissions
- There are other weakpoints on the car (the transmission is overloaded from stock, alternator is weak and brakes constantly, certain fuel rail/line problem that has caused thousands of FC's to catch on FIRE! )
- The engine floods VERY easily (if you start the car, you HAVE to drive it for atleast 10 minutes)
- The engine burns atleast 1 quart of oil per 1000 miles, by nature, as it injects oil into the combustion chamber to lubricate the apex seals.
- EDIT: Oh yeah, and they also have massive electrical problems, many people refer to their dash as being "possessed"

If the FC you are looking at needs a rebuild (if it has over 80,000 mi, trust me, it WILL need one soon) then you can't just replace the APEX seals alone. Due to the fact that you teardown the block you also have to replace ALL the other seals. Don't just count on the seals needing replacement either, more often then not it is wise to replace the rotors and housing too.

Alot of this information was confirmed by Aaron Cake (one of the most respected memebers on rx7club.com). He was infact the one that told me the FC was a money pit, and that in the past 3 years he's dumped $15,000-$20,000 CDN into the car.. including mods of course.

All in all, you have to be a die-hard rotary enthusiast to get this car and enjoy it. Also, this isn't a car I would recommend if it is your only form of transportation, as you WILL see alot of downtime.

In any case, it's your choice... go with what makes you happy.

[weirdstyles.net]

Originally posted by Titan
First off, SEARCH please.

And here's a post I made about the FC a long time ago, read it well:

If you are lacking money, DO NOT get the RX-7. Believe me, I wanted to buy one as well, but they are FAR more expensive to keep then the 240 would be.

I've done alot of research on them and I decided it just isn't worth it, even if my older friend from work was selling his mint 86 FC to me for $1000 Canadian (~$600 US). It had only 139,000 km on it (~87,000 mi), but the motor already needed a rebuild.

In any case, here are the advantages and disadvantages I've found for the RX-7.

Advantages:

Fast, especially the Turbo II
Smooth power band
Great look, unique
Great community

Disadvantages:

- Unreliable (money pit) - contant repairs
- hell *** expensive parts
- Burns fuel like a mother (the N/A gets 17 mpg tops in the city)
- A guy (Aaron Cake) from my city has a heavily modified custom turbo FC and he says he gets 4-5 mpg in the city
- The rotary motor will only take about 140,000 km with decent maintenance, and about 200,000 km with excellent maintenence.
- They are difficult to pass emissions
- There are other weakpoints on the car (the transmission is overloaded from stock, alternator is weak and brakes constantly, certain fuel rail/line problem that has caused thousands of FC's to catch on FIRE! )
- The engine floods VERY easily (if you start the car, you HAVE to blah blah blah blah

talkin alotta search for under 300 post champ...

Ill take your information under consideration. Its wont be my only car, I got smiley...my wonderful SOHC 240...


I think ima get it...

[S13FREEAAK]

As long as you have another car their great. I say get and if its a N/A make a true dual exhaust system(two straight pipes right off the motor) if you don't mind it being loud.

[Bill Roberts]

Their are worse enthusist cars...total guttons for punishment.

TR6,7.8 or anything British like a morris garage..I would always hesitate when part of the name of the car invoves a garage..

hence MG, Morris Garage.

Nothing on them can stay 100 percent, you have to have 5 looming major problems for them to run...if anyone fixes it all, the total car will fail to junk in one mile BEWARE!!!

(Skull and crossbones painted flat black.)

Mazdas are such nice vibe behind the wheel vehicles and it is easy to fall in love with ANY Mazda, even the older trucks..but you must expect it to eat the billfold, profusely...always an issue that is not right IMHO..

Seriously.

[S13FREEAAK]

It all depends on the previous owner of the car. Because a rotary needs to be taken car of differently than a piston engine. Most people do not know what a rotary is and how it works. Most people don't know that that spark plugs need to be changed more often and that it needs more oil than other cars. Rotaries can last forever with minimal problems if they are taken care of. So the life of the motor depends on the previous owner.

[thx247]

not having any experince with the rotary other than driving with people in FC's...


the car looks great. 2nd or 3rd gen are awesome lookers imo.


Other aspects might not be worth it.

[AutoDestruct]

Swap in a 350.

[Dousan_PG]

Originally posted by Weird Styles
talkin alotta search for under 300 post champ...

stfu weird styles
a post count does not reflect intelligence or 'newbiness'
your more newb with your posts and comments then a lot of 'post count' newbies. you ask some of the most retarted questions....LIKE THIS POST!

[weirdstyles.net]

Originally posted by dousan36
stfu weird styles
a post count does not reflect intelligence or 'newbiness'
your more newb with your posts and comments then a lot of 'post count' newbies. you ask some of the most retarted questions....LIKE THIS POST!

Why are you going to open up like that? It was obviously a sarcastic comment, in regards to the paragraph which FOLLOWS it. I dont know this guy, so why am I going to f*ck with em?

Gotta loosen up a lil.

I dont nessecarily find this thread retarded. If someone ask to or to not buy a 91 240 with 112,000 miles on it, your all more than happy to reply. If i bring up the FC3S, which is a heavily discussed car on this board, then you act like Im talking about stuffing a 12B into a Del Sol.

Relax, he obviously found the sacrcasim in the statement, for he did not reply in the fasion you choose. Get all excited on me like that, calm down.

So looking back, no matter how much respect I have for you on this forum it's simple: You dont like it? Dont read it. You clicked this thread for a reason. I value his input which has drastically changed my views on the FC3S.

[S13FREEAAK]

Did you decide to get it or not?

[weirdstyles.net]

Originally posted by S13FREEAAK
Did you decide to get it or not?

No, im going to let it go. There seems to be too much upkeep involved, and I just dont have the financial backing

[Ni5mo180SX]

Originally posted by Titan



- There are other weakpoints on the car (the transmission is overloaded from stock, alternator is weak and brakes constantly, certain fuel rail/line problem that has caused thousands of FC's to catch on FIRE! )
- The engine floods VERY easily (if you start the car, you HAVE to drive it for atleast 10 minutes)

Good information all in all but thought id chime in on this end. The transmission on the T2 is very strong and can handle near 400whp. Its the same transmission used on the S4/S5 and the FD.

Alternator isnt really problematic either as far as I know. And in that case you can always jump up to the FD alt.

And finally, flooding shouldnt be an issue either unless you have a leaky injector that needs cleaning.

[JRTurbo909]

Originally posted by dousan36
stfu weird styles
a post count does not reflect intelligence or 'newbiness'
your more newb with your posts and comments then a lot of 'post count' newbies. you ask some of the most retarted questions....LIKE THIS POST!

Amen! I dont have a lot of my posts but I have been around reading and learning since back in the day (even before I was a member). So just cuz the post cont is low, doesnt mean that you know more.


Anyways, on the subject of the FC. I say get it, especially since you have another car. I love that car and the fact that it is way more rare than the S13 makes it better. I JOCK hooked up FCs. Especially this beauty...




FC3S

[fiebru1119]

FC's are not really problematic cars. they CAN be quite reliable, but what people fail to realize is that they require twice if not more times the attention/maintenance than other cars. my old FC died at 177,000 HARD driven miles from my own negligence to the cooling system (very important since rotaries run alot hotter than piston engines, and just one overheating is murder to a rotary engine)

IMO just learn more about them then decide if you want one or not..

oh, and forget GP sports.. RE Amemiya all the way!!

[AutoDestruct]

V-8 Rx-7 all the way.

[zenkiDori]

i know a few guys with FCs and they are very nice cars, and really not more unreliable than, say, an S13. just don't be a dumbass. the FDs are the ones that like to genade a lot. i say go for it, they are really nice cars with loads of potential.

[vinyladdic7ion]

IVAN IS A ROTARY GOD.

[M.Piedlourde]

Originally posted by zenkiDori
i know a few guys with FCs and they are very nice cars, and really not more unreliable than, say, an S13. just don't be a dumbass. the FDs are the ones that like to genade a lot. i say go for it, they are really nice cars with loads of potential.

Yes, this is how I've understood the way things are.

Although I've never owned one, NA RX-7s are supposed to be extremely reliable, and even FC TIIs aren't purported to be all that bad. The FDs are the cars responsible for perpetuating the myth that "all RX-7s are unreliable". Those cars, in stock form, have serious issues with the cooling system, and almost immediately have problems with fuel as soon as you start to mod them.

[MorganS13]

Originally posted by DRFT
It's one of the cars that is not on the bandwagon yet...

guess up in canada its different.. around here i know way too many people with turbo rotarys (FDs and FCs)

[neevosh]

You have to remember that these are 15 yr. old cars. They're gonna need some maintance.

-The wiring gets old and brittle and can cause problems like the fuel pump not recieving enough voltage.
-The S4 cars have weak alternators.
-The TPS sucks and goes out of whack frequently, causing a messed up idle.
-The cars use an AFM and vacuum leaks cause the car to idle poorly/not at all.
-Rotary engines inject oil into the chamber to keep the seals lubed, so they do consume oil.
-N/A's have actuators to open secondary ports in the higher RPM's. These tend to get stuck shut and cause a loss of power.

FC's can last a long time if properly maintained/modified. Especially N/A's. I've seen N/A's go 200K miles before needing a rebuild. My turbo FC went 150K miles before a coolant seal went. FD's on the other hand, tended to be time bombs. They seemed to give the rotary the bad name. My FD blew after 65K miles.

[aznpoopy]

the fc3s and maybe even the fd are too rare and expensive to ever be a real band wagon car. i think they are too much work and take too much technical skill to maintain for a ricer to ever really pick one up. they'd get fed up with it and dump it after a few months.

if anyone is still really looking into buying one, rx7club.com -> 2nd generation -> sticky fc FAQ -> guide to buying a fc3s na/turbo.