Faults:

For the Roadworthy, I took the car to be looked over, and the following faults were found:

Horn stopped working once they opened the dash.

Exhaust leak.

Broken indicator lens.

Broken piece of rubber below the front bumper.

Oil leak on the sump (turned out to be the sump bolt, was charged $225 for a bolt replacement!).

Faulty in dash clock.

Indicator does not click off.

Broken sports suspension switch.

General Comments:

I bought this car out of my developing motoring passion. My previous car, a Ford AUII Fairmont, was good while I had the car for a few short months, but sadly it was totaled (Made $4000 profit!). Also, it was just a "car" car, nothing more.

With the extra cash I had from the insurance payout, I started looking at two door sports coupe's for around $5k. Looked at mostly Toyota Soarers, because they were very good luxurious value for money, but didn't have any driving spirit with them, and they seemed pretentious.

I managed to come across an old Mazda RX7 with only one previous owner. An old Italian man had owned the car since 1986, and had sadly passed away a few years ago, and the family was selling his car. I test drove the car, and I was in love. It was such a unique car; using the rotary engine and the 80's feel of the big round dials and flip-up lights, not to mention the leather upholstery in perfect condition! The car handled SO tightly around corners and sounded SO good when giving it some more power. The car however was sold without a roadworthy.

After about 12 hours of arguing with the girlfriend on what car to get (RX7 or a 91 Prelude), I decided to take a chance and buy the RX7 for $4900. I was over the moon when I was showing it off, people turn their heads and wonder what car it was, and people ask me what's it like to drive one; being 19 years old in Melbourne, apparently back in 86 it was a movie star's car in its prime.

It wasn't until I took the car to a specialist rotary mechanic to do the roadworthy check that I realised that owning an 80's movie star car came at a cost. Also only after buying the car, I found out that the car's electrics are completely atrocious!

Listed were the problems that the car had when doing the Roadworthy, all of which cost me $1300 (We had just enough funds to keep the rent paid after that, not to mention eating 2 minute noodles for a while!)

Once I had everything fixed, I drove the car to Vicroads (I live in Melbourne) to have the car transferred. It was only on the way back that I found out that the horn had stopped working after it was just fixed, and the mechanic would not fix it again as compensation, because he said he did a good enough job!

After owning the car for a month with constant oil topping up, I noticed that the car was starting to get a bit smokey when it hadn't been driven for a few days, which seemed concerning, although I have been reassured that because rotaries are designed to burn more oil, when they're not driven there is always an oil build up.

All in all, when my heart says it's a driver's car, my head says it's cost me more than if I bought a Commodore. If you're going to buy one, be prepared that you have to spend cash to keep that unique piece of motoring running smoothly.

Faults:

The FC3S RX-7 is notorious for flooding, but I had this happen only 3 times in the years I owned it.

Most of the time I had little or no problems except for overheating in warmer weather.

General Comments:

This is a car that is loved by those who own it, feared by those who can't afford it and seen often overtaking by those in similar priced sports cars. Hatchback drivers, I'm looking at you.

I'd love to get one of these again. I sold it for a Honda Integra VTEC, but have regretted it ever since. Not even the famous VTEC engine is as smooth or powerful as the 13B Turbo and has cost me more to maintain even if it uses less gas. Even the automatic gearbox couldn't put me off it which says something for it. Next time I'd definitely stump up the cash for a manual conversion.

I kept it well maintained and it rewarded me. Warm it up, cool it down and change the oil often. Change the apex seals, and if you can afford it, have the engine rebuilt by a specialist. You'll be laughing at everyone who can't believe your car costs as much as their chrome wheels but whips it on the road every time.