Help me decide. 90s jdm royalty.
Discussion
I’m looking to buy another jdm icon as a weekend toy. Had a few rare impreza impreza and now looking for a replacement.
I’ve narrowed it down to two.
Mazda RX7 fd3 or Nissan skyline r32 gtr.
Need some help as I’m torn.
Ive not driven either and blagging a drive in either is going to be difficult.
Pros for the mazda.
Looks
Rotary
Light weight sportcar.
Negative.
Rotary reliability and expertise.
Pros for r32 gtr.
4 seats
Rb26
Reliability over a rotary and easier to maintain.
4wd stability and able to put big power down.
Cons.
Too much like a grown up impreza?
Parts are very expensive when they do go wrong.
Less a sports car and more a gt car.
Anyone owned both and can compare?
Anyone in the north west with either willing to take me out in one and have a proper look at one.
I’ve narrowed it down to two.
Mazda RX7 fd3 or Nissan skyline r32 gtr.
Need some help as I’m torn.
Ive not driven either and blagging a drive in either is going to be difficult.
Pros for the mazda.
Looks
Rotary
Light weight sportcar.
Negative.
Rotary reliability and expertise.
Pros for r32 gtr.
4 seats
Rb26
Reliability over a rotary and easier to maintain.
4wd stability and able to put big power down.
Cons.
Too much like a grown up impreza?
Parts are very expensive when they do go wrong.
Less a sports car and more a gt car.
Anyone owned both and can compare?
Anyone in the north west with either willing to take me out in one and have a proper look at one.
I had an FD for a decade, no experience of R32.
Number 1 issue with FD is finding a good specialist to look after it. If you're not willing and able to do so, don't buy one, it'll just be a weapons-grade headache. RotorTorque are great but no use to you as in Essex. I've heard Advocult outside Brum are good, Jo Fidalgo on TI rates them and the chatter on FDOC looks all positive, so that might be an option.
Remember that there are hardly any rotary specialists and most of them are terrible, so be very careful.
However with a good specialist, for a weekend car the maintainability is not _that_ bad, and probably better with a single turbo conversion tbh.
Parts availability is becoming an issue unfortunately, more of an issue if you're dead set on keeping it stock.
I wouldn't say the steering is full of feel, although weighting is good and nice response. The actual handling is epic when you push up towards the limit, so adjustable on the edge, trail braking, power oversteer, 100mph transitions, just great. If you like driving a traditional FR sports car quite hard, it's really got everything going for it - low cg, light weight, 50/50, low moment of inertia, double wishbone suspension - and the on-paper benefits come through on the road.
They're also quicker than you'd think, a light tune and they'll walk 996s and E46 M3s. In the wet they have poor traction, in the dry they squat all the weight over the driven wheels and get good drive.
It's a very special car, worth the hassle if it's what you really want and if you can take it to a good specialist.
Number 1 issue with FD is finding a good specialist to look after it. If you're not willing and able to do so, don't buy one, it'll just be a weapons-grade headache. RotorTorque are great but no use to you as in Essex. I've heard Advocult outside Brum are good, Jo Fidalgo on TI rates them and the chatter on FDOC looks all positive, so that might be an option.
Remember that there are hardly any rotary specialists and most of them are terrible, so be very careful.
However with a good specialist, for a weekend car the maintainability is not _that_ bad, and probably better with a single turbo conversion tbh.
Parts availability is becoming an issue unfortunately, more of an issue if you're dead set on keeping it stock.
I wouldn't say the steering is full of feel, although weighting is good and nice response. The actual handling is epic when you push up towards the limit, so adjustable on the edge, trail braking, power oversteer, 100mph transitions, just great. If you like driving a traditional FR sports car quite hard, it's really got everything going for it - low cg, light weight, 50/50, low moment of inertia, double wishbone suspension - and the on-paper benefits come through on the road.
They're also quicker than you'd think, a light tune and they'll walk 996s and E46 M3s. In the wet they have poor traction, in the dry they squat all the weight over the driven wheels and get good drive.
It's a very special car, worth the hassle if it's what you really want and if you can take it to a good specialist.
samoht said:
I had an FD for a decade, no experience of R32.
Number 1 issue with FD is finding a good specialist to look after it. If you're not willing and able to do so, don't buy one, it'll just be a weapons-grade headache. RotorTorque are great but no use to you as in Essex. I've heard Advocult outside Brum are good, Jo Fidalgo on TI rates them and the chatter on FDOC looks all positive, so that might be an option.
Remember that there are hardly any rotary specialists and most of them are terrible, so be very careful.
However with a good specialist, for a weekend car the maintainability is not _that_ bad, and probably better with a single turbo conversion tbh.
Parts availability is becoming an issue unfortunately, more of an issue if you're dead set on keeping it stock.
I wouldn't say the steering is full of feel, although weighting is good and nice response. The actual handling is epic when you push up towards the limit, so adjustable on the edge, trail braking, power oversteer, 100mph transitions, just great. If you like driving a traditional FR sports car quite hard, it's really got everything going for it - low cg, light weight, 50/50, low moment of inertia, double wishbone suspension - and the on-paper benefits come through on the road.
They're also quicker than you'd think, a light tune and they'll walk 996s and E46 M3s. In the wet they have poor traction, in the dry they squat all the weight over the driven wheels and get good drive.
It's a very special car, worth the hassle if it's what you really want and if you can take it to a good specialist.
That confirms my thoughts. Number 1 issue with FD is finding a good specialist to look after it. If you're not willing and able to do so, don't buy one, it'll just be a weapons-grade headache. RotorTorque are great but no use to you as in Essex. I've heard Advocult outside Brum are good, Jo Fidalgo on TI rates them and the chatter on FDOC looks all positive, so that might be an option.
Remember that there are hardly any rotary specialists and most of them are terrible, so be very careful.
However with a good specialist, for a weekend car the maintainability is not _that_ bad, and probably better with a single turbo conversion tbh.
Parts availability is becoming an issue unfortunately, more of an issue if you're dead set on keeping it stock.
I wouldn't say the steering is full of feel, although weighting is good and nice response. The actual handling is epic when you push up towards the limit, so adjustable on the edge, trail braking, power oversteer, 100mph transitions, just great. If you like driving a traditional FR sports car quite hard, it's really got everything going for it - low cg, light weight, 50/50, low moment of inertia, double wishbone suspension - and the on-paper benefits come through on the road.
They're also quicker than you'd think, a light tune and they'll walk 996s and E46 M3s. In the wet they have poor traction, in the dry they squat all the weight over the driven wheels and get good drive.
It's a very special car, worth the hassle if it's what you really want and if you can take it to a good specialist.
Ive never owned a rotary. The one I’m looking at had a rebuild a few years back. Compression numbers are all high 7s low 8s across both rotors.
I want to keep the car as mazda intended so will be sticking with the twins.
The car I am looking at is a 1999 car so has the revised solenoid box which I believe is more reliable and easier to diagnose than the earlier cars with the individual solenoids.
The rest of the car is the same as any other so pretty confident in doing my own spannering on it. As long as the parts are available.
The R32 gtr I think will be more expensive to maintain to my standard. Lots more to go wrong with the HICAS and ATTESA also whilst the rb26 is robust. Keeping them running well is expensive. They also have oiling issues.
I think I’ve made my mind up on an rx7.
I think a gtr will be too similar to my impreza and want a change from a 4wd coupe and go for a proper light weight sports car thats not a cayman, lotus ect.
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