Checklist

1978 - 1985 MAZDA RX7 SERIES I II III

BODY & CHASSIS

Poorly-repaired crash damage is the biggest hazard for RX7 buyers. Kinked chassis rails and damaged strut mounts can create costly suspension problems. Leaks around the opening rear window allow water into the luggage area. Look at door shut-faces where faded or peeling paint will reveal a resprayed car. Body filler or bubbling around wheel-arches, the windscreen and sills indicate a car with rust issues or nasty older repairs. Some new parts are still available; recently-advertised examples including door handles for $150 per pair and indicator lenses at two for $60. Cars with ‘Daytona’ fibreglass body kits are best avoided as they are costly to fix when damaged and do little for aerodynamics below 200km/h.

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

Picking an RX7 with tired mechanicals can turn a cheap car into a money-pit of opencut proportions. Any sign of exhaust smoke or water vapour is dangerous; indicating apex seal wear or internal coolant leaks. Either means a $4000 engine rebuild. Look carefully at coolant hoses for deterioration and leaks which can destroy an otherwise usable engine. New kits of hoses cost less than $100 and aluminium radiators around $500. Rotary engines rely on excellent oil and the lubricant needs to be changed every 5000 kilometres. The five-speed manual and early automatic transmissions are tough but rebuilds cost more than $2000 and it might be preferable to swap for a later transmission. Minor differential whine is typical, clunks need investigation.

SUSPENSION & BRAKES

Worn or overly taut suspensions can spoil the enjoyment of an RX7. Uprated struts, stiffer rear springs and more resilient Nolathane bushings will keep the body flat without totally ruining the ride quality. Wider, lower profile tyres will help mid-bend grip and minimise the RX7’s characteristic oversteer. Make sure to run tyre pressures a bit higher than recommended. Standard RX7 steering is indirect by nature but more than 40mm of slack at the top of the wheel suggests the steering box needs a rebuild. Brake rotor and caliper upgrades are available and essential if the car is running a higheroutput engine.

INTERIOR & ELECTRICS

Interior plastics suffer sun damage so check under dashmats for cracks and deteriorating door hardware, a loose or damaged console and sloppy column stalks. In S3 cars, make sure that the cruise control is working and in all models that the electricallyoperated headlights pop up quickly and the windows in later models move freely. Look around the headlining in S3 cars for signs that seals around the lift-out roof may be leaking. Badly worn seat trim is a sign that the rest of the car is in a similar state so allow for some expense when negotiating price or find a better one.