1987 RX-7 Turbo, one owner, 75,000 miles, white / blue, beautiful!

[John V]

The basics:

1987 RX-7 Turbo II
Noble white exterior / blue interior
74,890 miles
$5,200 / OBO
One owner, never wrecked, no rust, original paint, never raced nor extensively modified.

Picture album is here:

1987 RX-7 Turbo Photos by vitamvauser | Photobucket (http://s368.photobucket.com/user/vitamvauser/library/1987%20RX-7%20Turbo?sort=2&page=1)

Sample pictures from album to whet your interest:

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo126/vitamvauser/1987%20RX-7%20Turbo/D4I_3434_zps97fb0f18.jpg (http://s368.photobucket.com/user/vitamvauser/media/1987%20RX-7%20Turbo/D4I_3434_zps97fb0f18.jpg.html)

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo126/vitamvauser/1987%20RX-7%20Turbo/D4I_3440_zpsf8cb2f88.jpg (http://s368.photobucket.com/user/vitamvauser/media/1987%20RX-7%20Turbo/D4I_3440_zpsf8cb2f88.jpg.html)

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo126/vitamvauser/1987%20RX-7%20Turbo/D4I_3467_zpsee261ebc.jpg (http://s368.photobucket.com/user/vitamvauser/media/1987%20RX-7%20Turbo/D4I_3467_zpsee261ebc.jpg.html)

Background:

I bought this car from its original owner in January and I have all documentation back to when this car was new. This car is in tremendous condition - never crashed, curbed, wrecked, raced, modified. The car was in non-running condition when I bought it but only needed some minor refreshing. I have completely gone through this car and replaced anything that the car needed. It is completely solid and I would not hesitate to drive it cross-country. It starts up quickly hot or cold, idles smoothly, pulls strongly to redline and handles like a new car. The air conditioning works and blows very cold.

Engine / Drivetrain:

Original engine with even compression on all chambers. Peak compression on non-Mazda gauge is 115psi.
New spark plugs and wires
New vacuum hoses throughout (including new Mazda oil injector vacuum splitter)
Fuel injectors cleaned, rebuilt and flow tested by Witch Hunter. New o-rings and insulators
New rubber fuel hoses
New pulsation damper
New fuel filter
New BAC valve
New battery
New thermostat and fresh coolant / distilled water
Remanufactured alternator
New OE Mazda clutch disc and pressure plate with resurfaced flywheel
New O2 sensor
Verified no turbo shaft play or wheel damage
Blocked off sub-zero injector
Verified oil injector lines are in good condition
Racing beat Rev TII exhaust from turbo-back with high-flow cat installed in downpipe. 5th gear boost 8psi. No FCD installed nor needed. Emissions legal in 49 states
New clutch fluid
A/C compressor replaced about two years ago, converted to R-134a
New Redline transmission fluid and rear end fluid

Brakes:
New OE pads all around
Rotors have plenty of thickness - replaced by previous owner.
New master cylinder
Flushed brake fluid

Suspension
Checked front ball joints - tight with no play
Checked front tie rods - tight with no play
Replaced front swaybar endlink bushings with polyurethane
Replaced rear swaybar endlinks with S5 endlinks
Differential bushings, trans bushings, control arm bushings and rear trailing arm bushings are all in good shape.
Newer KYB AGX shocks with new Eibach lowering springs. Stock look and ride with a moderate drop and improved handling.
New suspension top mounts front and rear
Eibach camber bolts in front struts to improve handling while maintaining stock tire wear.

Exterior:
New windshield top molding
New window bottom moldings
New external hatch seal
New badging all around (originals were badly faded)
New wiper blades
Blasted and refinished wiper arms, cowl plate and windshield side trims
Original Noble White paint shows some minor door dings and a few stone chips. Some checking / shrinking of paint near rockers, very common.
NO RUST top or bottom.
NO accident damage - I personally know the original owner and he verified it has never been hit - he never even hit a curb with the wheels.
Wheels have been blasted and professionally powdercoated for durability.
Sanded and polished FTP lenses
Paint has been professionally cleaned, clayed, compounded, polished and sealed with Klasse.
New Kumho Ecsta LE tires in stock 205/55/16 size.

Interior
Overall 9/10. Dashboard is not faded or cracked. Minor wear on door pockets, but that's about it!
Seats / carpets have been cleaned and look almost new.
Never smoked in.
Newer Sony AM/FM/CD with Aux input cable
Power windows operate quickly and smoothly with no odd noises
New Sony speakers (mounted in front doors professionally)
Air conditioning blows cold!
Original rear hatch cargo cover
Sunroof does not work - will flip up but not slide back.

This car is even more beautiful in person than it is in pictures and it is hard to believe how nice it drives. With manual steering the steering feel is spot on. The exhaust is quiet but has a nice mellow tone when you get on it. The car starts perfectly hot or cold - I started and stopped it multiple times during the photo shoot and it never flooded. The car stops well and tracks straight and true.

In my opinion there is not a nicer example available for sale today and I'm asking a very fair price for this car. Car is located in Columbia Maryland. I can assist transportation of the car for the buyer if necessary (I have a truck and trailer, but I can drive the car within a reasonable distance as well).

The car comes with all three original keys, a soft car cover, a windshield sun blocker, the original owner's manual and a factory service manual.

Contact John: john_vitamvas at yahoo dot com with any questions. Thanks!

[kognito]

John, good luck with the sale!

But I gotta tell you, there is one thing in your add that would throw up a big red flag for me (except I know you, and your history with this car)

If I was reading this add, and did not know you, the lines about "I have not transferred the title to my name so it is still a one-owner car. I have the original title from 1987, the original lien release from the early 90's." would sound very suspicious to me.

Does it even need to be in there?? it sounds kinda scammish to me.

maybe what you wrote is done all the time, I don't know . . .just offering my two cents, might be all it's worth!

[John V]

Seems pretty common in the "true" classic car world but you may be right.

[John V]

Sale pending.

[clyde]

Sale pending.

Hah! Awesome!

[John V]

Thank you again for your help with the pictures. Although the weather wasn't perfect, you did a great job of capturing the good parts as well as the flaws in the car.

I guess I should have asked for more money for the car but I didn't feel comfortable asking for more given the condition.

[TD]

Focus ST cameo...

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo126/vitamvauser/1987%20RX-7%20Turbo/D4I_3522_zps2530f891.jpg

[John V]

I tried offering clyde a straight trade for the ST, but he didn't bite.

[clyde]

It was tempting.

[equ]

I still think you should have kept this one. But kudos for sticking to the wheeler dealer plan and giving something good to the enthusiast community.

[John V]

It will definitely pain me to sell this. If I had unlimited funds and space it would stick around.

I'm still looking for the perfect third gen RX-7. If I come across one for the right price it will probably be in my collection for life.

[clyde]

I'm still looking for the perfect third gen RX-7. If I come across one for the right price it will probably be in my collection for life.

Or until it spontaneously catches on fire and burns your whole house down.

[John V]

I said "for life" so if the car kills me then... :dunno:

[ZBB]

Congrats on the quick sale.

Did you post it elsewhere, or did your buyer come through this ad?

[clyde]

I said "for life" so if the car kills me then... :dunno:

Good point.

[John V]

Potential buyer came from the road race autocross forum I frequent. Didn't expect anything out of that listing!

[clyde]

Potential buyer came from the road race autocross forum I frequent. Didn't expect anything out of that listing!

Huh. Assuming it's the same as when I was there more frequently, I wouldn't have expected it either...yet it also makes perfect sense at the same time.

[John V]

It's a very eclectic group over there. The guy called me this morning and said he had to have it and asked if I could give him a day to arrange his flight for this weekend. It still may fall through but I have a couple of backup offers already.

The market for these cars is a little strange. They're not quite a "classic" but they have a cult following.

[clyde]

The market for these cars is a little strange. They're not quite a "classic" but they have a cult following.

It's already 25 years old and it's an unmolested example of a car that typically got a lot of modding when they became affordable to teenagers. :dunno:

It's in amazingly good cosmetic shape inside and out. Since I'm not buying (or trading), I can safely assume it's in as good shape mechanically and I did see it start up a few times just fine.

I don't know..I don't recommend keeping it, but someday you will wish you did.

[blee]

I don't know..I don't recommend keeping it, but someday you will wish you did.

Yeah, that's the vibe I'm getting from this, too. Still, you did a nice job on this one, and there are (still) plenty of cars like it just waiting for a little love. Once my life settles down, I think a "barn find" project will make its way up my list of things to do.

[John V]

I need a break from "barn find" projects. I poured a ton of hours into this one.

I think my next project will be something to keep. Maybe it's a third gen, maybe it's an RX-8 with some interesting modification.

[John V]

Also, I may end up regretting the sale, this is true. But I don't have much time in my life for regret... so I doubt it.

[lemming]

Dang dude. You put a lot into that car.

It looks great and someone will have a blast in it.

[ZBB]

I was followed by a red one today. Hadn't seen that gen RX-7 on the road in years...

[equ]

I'm still looking for the perfect third gen RX-7. If I come across one for the right price it will probably be in my collection for life.

Aha, this makes the sale easier for sure. Proceed!

[John V]

Craigslist ad:

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto/3788288860.html

If someone felt like tipping off BaT to it, I would be very appreciative :)

[JST]

Done. Did the sale dally through, or are you just hedging your bets?

[Biggins]

This looks awesome! Good luck!

[John V]

Thanks. Yeah, just hedging my bets.

[Plaz]

Good luck!

[John V]

I've got three people coming to look at it Saturday and the supposed buyer (I still don't have a deposit) is coming Sunday. So... we'll see how this pans out. :)

[ZBB]

I've got three people coming to look at it Saturday and the supposed buyer (I still don't have a deposit) is coming Sunday. So... we'll see how this pans out. :)

I had a similar issue when we sold my wife's '02 MINI. There was an interested buyer from out of state who had a local friend come test drive it one weekend. He was still interested, but didn't send a deposit. A couple days later, another interested person came by, did a quick test drive with me and then put a deposit down and was going to come back the next day to complete the sale.

I told both parties that whoever paid full asking price first would get the car. I didn't hear back from the out-of-state guy until after the deposit guy completed the sale. Out-of-state guy was upset, but said he understood -- and I had communicated at each point and told him that since I didn't have a response, I had to go with the guy willing to pay asking price first...

[John V]

I haven't taken anybody's money so it's first come, first served.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the Saturday buyer is going to take it home, but I can't be certain, obviously.

I'm not sweating it. I don't have much money tied up in the car and certainly don't need to sell it, but I would like to get my garage space back :)

[John V]

Sold! :)

[Plaz]

Congrats!

[lemming]

Sold! :)

Was really just a matter of time. Good lord, one of us would have bought it, at that price.

[John V]

Fighting off multiple full price offers was not what I expected but very nice.

[lemming]

Fighting off multiple full price offers was not what I expected but very nice.

It's the right season. Economy is picking up too.

But above all, for how thoroughly you checked everything out, I assumed you could have sold it for double what you asked.

[clyde]

Sweet!

[lip277]

Excellent.

Glad it worked out for you. :)

[John V]

It's the right season. Economy is picking up too.

But above all, for how thoroughly you checked everything out, I assumed you could have sold it for double what you asked.

One did just sell for 9k, an 88 tenth anniversary turbo with 40k miles and really in mint condition. So there are definitely buyers for these cars out there.

[Nick M3]

Fighting off multiple full price offers was not what I expected but very nice.
The thing about old and cheap but well loved cars is that it's hard to find one that isn't a heap of shit. What's the big deal about paying 1-2k more than it's notionally worth if it's the right car and you save at least that much in deferred maintenance?

[wdc330i]

Well, that was fast! You may have found a new sideline. Although have you worked out what you put into the job in hours vs. your profit?

[John V]

Not really. I did it for fun and I did really enjoy the work. I made just under 3 grand on the sale and I had about 80 hours in it if I had to guess.

[JST]

Not really. I did it for fun and I did really enjoy the work. I made just under 3 grand on the sale and I had about 80 hours in it if I had to guess.

Interesting to see what this one goes for:

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-mazda-rx-7-sport/

[kognito]

Interesting to see what this one goes for:

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-mazda-rx-7-sport/

I was going to post this a few hours ago, but wasn't sure where to put it.

[John V]

A modified 1987 sport (which, by the way, was a package available in both 1986 and 1987, but whatever) with 100k+ on the clock? I get that it's a really clean example, but as far as FC's go, this is pretty far down the list of desirability. The part about the interior plastics not cracking because it was stored indoors is just not true. The inner dash structure of every FC will crack no matter how it's been stored.

People generally seek out the really late turbo cars (1990/1991) as there were very few made and the 1989/1990 GTUs. Those are the ones that can bring good money. This isn't even a one-owner car.

My guess, bidding closes at between $4k and $5k.

[John V]

A modified 1987 sport (which, by the way, was a package available in both 1986 and 1987, but whatever) with 100k+ on the clock? I get that it's a really clean example, but as far as FC's go, this is pretty far down the list of desirability. The part about the interior plastics not cracking because it was stored indoors is just not true. The inner dash structure of every FC will crack no matter how it's been stored.

People generally seek out the really late turbo cars (1990/1991) as there were very few made and the 1989/1990 GTUs. Those are the ones that can bring good money. This isn't even a one-owner car.

My guess, bidding closes at between $4k and $5k.

[John V]

Just over 4k. Seems about right.