The 1995 Mazda ɛ̃fini RX-7 Is a Sports Car Icon
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- Опубліковано 22 тра 2024
- CHECK OUT THIS RX-7 ON CARS & BIDS!
crsnbds.com/rx7
The 1990s Mazda ɛ̃fini RX-7 "FD" is rapidly becoming valuable. I'm reviewing this 1995 Mazda RX-7 RZ, in this episode, we'll explore the design, performance, and quirks of this rotary-powered beast and find out why the 1990s Mazda RX-7 is such a good JDM investment.
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DOUGSCORE CHART:
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 THIS...
00:32 It's for sale on CARS & BIDS!!!
01:10 Overview
01:28 Dorito Powertrain
02:54 Japanese vs. American Market
03:34 It's Not a Mazda??
05:04 Type RZ
05:51 Smart Door Handle Design
06:16 One of the Most Beautiful Cars Ever
06:49 Interior
07:06 Driver Focused Interior Design
08:22 Interesting Auto-Window Switch
08:52 More Interior Quirks & Features
09:47 Pop-Up Headlights!!
10:30 Good Ole' 5-Speed Manual
10:55 Storage Instead of Rear Seats
11:25 Cargo Area
12:21 Driving Experience
16:53 Final Thoughts
17:13 DougScore
#dougdemuro #cars #rotary #mazda #doritos - Авто та транспорт
Sports car design used to be so simple. Massive Gran Turismo 4 vibes, so nice to see one fairly stock too.
As a brit who has had a very different selection of cars to look at, I love it too. GT3-4 where such good games for the era. Think doug is a fan too and has done a good number of iconic cars in older GT games :)
Man I never got to own 4 because I didn’t have a PS3. Gran Turismo 3 was insanely good though
@@likedcascade6625 Hey mate, 4 was a PS2 title! 5 was a PS3 game. 3 came out in 2001 and 4 in 2004.
@@Cogglesz I had so many of these in Gran Turismo, every time one showed up for sale in used cars I just had to buy it because they're so beautiful! 😂
Glad some people still appreciate gran turismo series here
The 1995 RX-7's timeless design has aged like fine wine. It still looks stunning even after all these years.
Each generation of the RX-7 and the RX-3 still looks good. The RX-8, not so much.
Thanks for swinging by the space to review this timeless JDM legend, Doug!
Can't wait for the next one!
- GC Motors
Underrated comment
y'all should put some acoustic panels up or something
@@alexanderz831 why? it looks like a spot for photoshoots, not recording sound
Ill give you $3,500 cash money! Lets get this done!
But seriously, that is the sexiest JDM car Ive EVER seen. Incredible!
@@christiandulaney1638 Double the offer and add another zero and you might win that bid.
My uncle had one of these, bought it brand new, it was his baby he was apart of an RX-7 club and used to race it often. RIP uncle Kevin I know he would love to have seen how appreciated these cars became. Cheers
That’s awesome, did the car end up staying in the family?
I still think the FD RX7 is the most beautiful car ever created. It's so subtle that it could drive by someone who doesn't know about cars and they wouldn't even notice it, but the more you look at it the more you realize just how perfect the lines and curves are. It is a perfect looking car
the only other car that outshines it for me is the first gen nsx, i think that's the most beautiful car ever made (also my favourite).
Impossible, the most beautiful car ever created is AlfaRomeo 33 stradale.
Its a FACT not an opinion. 😎
@@fermignano89 yep
@@fermignano89 I'm gonna be honest, i always found it... overrated...
@@fermignano89 i'd say 8c for alfa romeos but to me the best looking car ill say would be the DB9 (opinion)
Actually one of the best looking Japanese cars ever made, and justifiably worth a pretty penny in the classics auctions. That is saying something as, historically, the Japanese have not exactly been the best at automotive aesthetics (great at tech, quality, reliability - but not design)
The Toyota 2000 is right up there along side it.
Opinions vary, sure, but to call this one of the best looking cars ever built is just silly. It looks almost exactly like any other RX-7, which was easily beaten out by its contemporaries that he mentioned.
F&F movies are fun, but I think this is just a sales pitch.
Disclosure: I've owned both a '92 Dodge Stealth R/T and a '92 RT Twin Turbo - they both look better than the RX-7 just as my 2006 Infiniti G35S Coupe looks better than the RX-8 of the same era.
@@RetroMMA dodge stealth better looking? Whatchu smoking?
This and the 4th gen prelude are my picks
@@Andriig75 Look up what a Stealth R/T TT looked like in 1992 and tell me the RX looked better. While I owed one and might be bias, people that say it's ugly are the same simple minds that hate Nickleback because, well, everyone does... sad.
The headlamp up-but-off button serves a couple of purposes. It lets you change the bulb easier, and you could leave them up if it ices and then it won't kill your battery. Pop up lights are difficult to de-ice otherwise.
also to look cool when parked ❤
And for cleaning bugs off!
When I had my FD, I always made sure to leave my lights up when it was going to go below freezing, as having them frozen shut is really shitty.
And not rare at all. Most cars with pop ups have the button.
My MKII Celica Supra has rubber "whiskers" that are intended to help mitigate the freezing problem, but naturally end up falling apart and are a bit expensive to replace. Better than a dead lift motor I guess. Either way, I've never met a pop-up car that didn't have some way to do up-but-off.
I had a 95 FD RX-7 when I lived in Australia back in 2000-2002. Doug is right, it's one of the greatest driving sports cars of all time, the handing, balance and braking are so good but the smoothness of the power out of the rotary is just so unbelievably fun. The powerband is insanely wide so it's a such a fun car to zoom around in, I think because he's driving other people's cars he's understating it because he's not really pushing the limits. There are faster cars, higher spec cars but I've never driven anything else that was close to as much fun.
Fun, absolutely, enough to nearly get a person arrested multiple times. But, would you choose to drive one today? Or would you rather drive an E63 S AMG for the same price lol.
Used to race bikes too. Gotta push off the peg and "lock-in" while leaning, can be very exhausting and leave bruises on the insides of your knees. FD3S is the opposite and the only car I've ever experienced this in. I had to "lock-out" to stabilize my body, ended up with bruises on the outside of the knees a few times. Awesome, awesome car. Worst daily driver I've ever had lol.
@@philonetic321 You pose a good question. Most people would prefer less sacrifices in a fast car, the modern cars smooth those harsh edges more common before 2015. My friend has a AMG and it's fast but also smooth and quiet. It's a nice car but perhaps too nice!
Man I’ll sell a left nut for a rx7 but in all seriousness I might refinance the house
@@philonetic321 sure they’re overpriced now but I’d rather drive the FD over the more modern M3 or RS6 I’ve had since. Sure they were faster and nicer but just less fun on a twisty road, you don’t get that same connection to the road and the gear shift was unbelievable.
Doug the kind of guy to sing Billy Joel's we didn't start the fire, outside a fire station.
😂😂
@@dougnokiadoesn't make any sense but whatever
This is the sound of da police!
- Doug as he gets detained in the police station
And still get charged for 2nd degree arson.
"You know that we've been burnin' since the world's been turnin'" 😁
Doug, here's another example of why I personally enjoy your videos. Not only do I get to live vicariously through them, but I get exposure to cool cars like this that I probably wouldn't have known existed. Thank you for all your work ✌🏼🤟🏼🤘🏼🤙🏼
I have owned an FD a number of years ago. One of the best looking and fun-driving vehicles I have ever owned but the reliability was definitely an issue. I have spun the eccentric shaft bearings, blown apex seals, dealt with overheating, and have melted a wiring harness. That said, I still look back to that car with a lot of fondness. Glad to see this video on my timeline today.
The FD did make it to 10 years of production. The special order units Spirit R Type A were sold in Japan at the beginning of 2003.
Over 10 years even.
Doug said '93 but the FD first came out in '91.
One of the most beautiful cars to come out of the 90s
THE most beautiful
@Ano Nony beautiful but the viper was better
@@Welcometofacsistubeno one cares.
@@Welcometofacsistubematter of taste, I can decide which one looks better
Exactly not the most beautiful of all time but 90s definitely
Doug the type of guy to say “ẽfini!” for a photo instead of “cheese!”
Holy shit I'll actually start doing that
@@Danse_Macabre_125 I thought it was a 3033 car.
Doug is a type of a guy to show in bikini at a beach party
@@edwardvalivonis23 Wow!
Totally agree about the FD RX-7 being among the most beautiful car designs ever produced! Even today an FD will make me snap my neck to look, especially as it is now quite rare to see one in the wild. I can’t even remember the last time I saw an FD while just out and about, which is sad. That said, I am simply mystified by the fact that you have STILL not done a video of a Z32 300ZX Doug! You’ve done every single other 9-‘s Japanese sports car (3000GT, FD RX-7, Supra Turbo, etc) but never a Z32!! Dude, the 300ZX TT remains my all-time favorite 90’s sports car and I just cant believe you are intentionally avoiding it on the channel! Surely you’ve had a few Z32’s for sale on Cars and bids??? Please make a video on this wonderful Nissan icon!!!!
Agree 100%. I owned a Z32 for a number of years, one of my all time favorites. Ended up with an FD in the end. I've been patiently waiting for Doug to drive a nice example. Wonderful cars, nothing else like it.
Yes!
I'm surprised he hasn't done a Z31. I really feel the Z31 is incredibly underrated and deserves recognition as well.
What about a 90's Eagle Talon TSi?
When I was in HS my parents bought a used RX-3 for me as my first car. I'm in my early 60's now and I still have fond memories of that car as it was one of the most fun cars I have daily driven (had a 2000 Protege EX that was pretty fun too). That little compact "box" could smoke the tires in 1st and make them chirp in 2nd. I also remember how much oil it used. My friend loved mine so much he went out and bought an RX-2, and we used to joke about filling it with oil and checking the gas, but for a first car I had way more fun than I probably should be having as a new driver at the time. ;)
there was an FD parked on my street for a very long time. from a distance it looked like it just had a a flat tire. but as you got closer to it you could tell it had driven over something substantial. the passenger side seat was up higher than the drivers, all the passengers side suspension was torn out or damaged. man it was heartbreaking
What ended up happening?
@@leonm6969 i seriously thought about trying to find out who owned it and seeing if it was salvageable and potentially buying it. but that would have meant knocking on strangers doors, i didnt want to come across as a creeper. it sat near interstate 75 in NKY just over from Cincinnati, so it was seen by 1000's im sure. its a very highly traveled interstate. it was bright red, so it was a beacon. i assumed that the person didnt have full coverage insurance on it, it sat there for better than 2 years. they must have cleaned it from time to time cause that bright red paint stayed near perfect. i finally got it out of my head when i got a good deal on a Supra. then one day, poof it was gone. never knew what happened to it and never saw it again
@@robduncan2816 I’m glad you got another JDM beast my man 😎
@@AJayZy you mean just "Japanese". JDM means it's a car made for and sold originally in Japan
@@bvedant Don’t tell me what I mean dummy
The separate headlight (without the lights on) pop-up feature isn't really for cleaning. It's for when you park in areas where they might get frozen. So many pop-up headlights of that era were broken when people tried turn them on when they were hard frozen stuck from being parked overnight or whatever.
We used them for cleaning. Didn’t freeze much in Florida
I actually used that headlight popup button frequently on my 2 NA Miatas living in New Jersey ... Leave them up in winter so they don't get iced in the down position. Plus the just looked so dorky-cool parked with the lights up
@@lordflyquad4721 Exactly.
@@lordflyquad4721 Most folks who hadn't owned an import before probably assumed the pop-up mechanisms were broken.
I find it rather amusing that this one has gotten a "classic" status. I always loved the style of it, but I remember that writers from various car magazines back in the day thought it looked too soft and swoopy, like it had melted. This look was actually seen as quite radical at the time, especially the rear light cluster, the weird rear wing etc. I was 19 when it launched.
“I guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet… but your kids are gonna love it.”
I love it that the previous rx-7 FD got 10 for styling but this one got 9 (even though Doug said it's one of the mpst beautiful cars ever made...)😂
prob cuz this one has a wing and stuff and the other one was just clean
And cool factor? How about *6*
Glad to see Doug doing the review by himself again.
@@xten1111 no, clearly not.
I actually liked his friend
@@xten1111no
@@MarcoVenustusI don’t mind him but we come to this channel for a Doug review, not half Doug and half some random new guy. Doug is like 90% of the reason most people watch.
Is freind is a boner kill!!
I recognized this iconic model of the RX-7 because it's the one that Keisuke Takahashi used in Initial D. It's an AWESOME car, for sure!
18:04
Enfini was more of a sub-category name for one of Mazda's dealer groups than a brand they created. Back then there were Mazda Enfini, Autozam, Eunos, etc. Honda dealers were Honda Verno, Clio, Primo and so on. Such segmented dealers had access to carry certain cars each and not others. Enfini-badged cars were what Mazda only supplied to Enfini dealers, which isn't a phenomenon only limited with Mazda. For example, Vitz (Yaris' name in Japan) had a Netz badge who was among Toyota's dealer categories with Toyopet, etc.
I mean yeah, but mazda had multiple sub-brands, and that was the goal. Similar idea to toyota and scion and lexus. They wanted multiple brands targeted at different groups of people to sell more cars.
@@graham_lewis Thanks for replying. In fact the difference is that Lexus and Scion are the brands from the manufacturer, while Eunos, Enfini, Nets, etc are retailers’ names. I doubt I’ve seen this complicated setup outside of Japan.
The manual switch to pop up the headlights was so that you could leave them up in cold weather climates so they wouldn't get frozen down. My '02 Trans Am had the same switch.
I saw one of these in Japan back in 98-99 and was MIND BLOWN!! Absolutely stunning!
The ultimate version of the FD RX-7 IMHO was the JDM only, runout Spirit R version in 2002. The Type A variation (of three offered I believe) was my favorite. Oh and I think the gauges here are excellent! Clear and unfussy, the way they should be. What’s wrong with that? 🤷♂️
If you have psvr2 and gran turismo 7 you can get close to owning one in virtually it also has a rev limiter sound to let you know to change gear
The ultimate was definitely the RX-7 SP, which had a full carbon nose section and modified to over 280 horsepower for homologation in the Australian endurance racing circuit. The RZ in this video was also a lot more special than the Spirit R, which is little more than a sticker package with floppy Bilstein suspension and some nice Recaro seats.
I drove that car in Initial D lol
@@verdict1163 Rz trim also had pearl paint
@@verdict1163 the Spirit R is definitively more sought after (and nicer looking) than the RZ
The FD RX-7's design is timeless. Absolutely beautiful.
I saw one of these on Rt 1 in Delaware last week. I gave the driver a thumbs-up and she smiled and flashed her lights behind me. 'Twas a lovely exchange.
The FD is my dream car. I will own one one day😊
Good luck on ur journeys!
good luck
Same here, one day! Good luck
Thanks for the wishes internet homies!
It will come to you! You just need to be ready when the opportunity arise!
It was my dream car also! Plastered my high school agenda with pictures of it... I finally fullfilled my dream 5 years ago! A black 1992 FD Efini :)
One of the best cars ever, sat in one at the 94' LA Car show and fell in love with it!!!
“The RX-7 is one of the purest sports cars to come out of Japan” - Gran Turismo
The knee pad on the door was for track/touge driving. With high grip, your body shifts around a lot on slaloms or left then right( or vice versa) turns, less so with bolstered seats. You naturally spread your legs out and use the side of your legs to further brace you so you don't rock back and forth. After an hour or so, the side of your leg near the knee area is sore from being pressed against the side of the door.
The early 90's Ford Probes had the headlights up off option as well. I had a 92 and I always appreciated it when changing light bulbs. Great video.
First gen Integras did too.
As did z31 300zxs
Most pop up headlight cars have some way to do this, Doug always says something similar with pop up headlight cars that have the function including his previous RX7 review.
Miata MX5 NA also has that button, nothing weird.
The ae86 too has an extra step in the switch to keep them up but off
It’s striking just how beautiful this car still is. There aren’t many designs that have aged this gracefully. For me, this sits right up there with the Gen 2 Viper GTS for ageless designs.
I agree. the RX-7 will forever be my dream car, it is hands down the most beautiful car ever made.
Rx-7 has always been one of my all time favorites. It's just a stunning vehicle, full stop. In college, a friend took me for a spirited ride in one and I was blown away. It was my first time in a true high performance car, and that experience sticks with me even now.
even if they’re apparently hard to live with and unreliable - this is my all time dream car. so so so beautiful and i love how unique the powertrain is.
Fun fact about Mazda's quirky 90s brands, the first gen MX5 was actually sold in Japan as a Eunos, specifically the Eunos Roadster :)
Everyone of us owned a few of them in Gran Turismo… 😂😂😂 The Eunos badge was a sort of “V”
He's already reviewed a Eunos Roadster, so I'd assume he knows
Mazda also had multiple divisions. Eunos, Amati, Enfini and Autozam.
However, they all either failed or were cancelled last minute mostly due to the Japanese financial crisis.
If that never happened the rest of the world would have gotten the Cosmo 20b. Kind of sad.
The gauge cluster is NOT boring. It is functional and streamlined, and has definitively a certain zen purity about it, which it would not have if it was more "interesting". Ie: You are not allowed to say anything even remotely negative about this automotive masterpiece ;)
Not even trying to simp for the car...but it's a good-looking gauge set-up. I dislike all the screen garbage out now aimed at Zoomers.
True, sometimes good old fashioned analog minimalism is the way to go. It's more reliable too.@@fortheloveofnoise9298
This is one if my dream cars, thank for this review Doug!
"One of coolest Japanese sports cars ever - if not the very coolest"
6/10
Just like the 300zx you compared it to in the beginning, this car has one of those timeless beautiful look. Not many cars from the 1990’s are still gorgeous head turners in 2023.
My manual transmission 1998 Nissan Sentra is the epitome of beauty.
@@fortheloveofnoise9298 phahaha
For some people this may just be an old Mazda with and strange engine. But for me... Its a masterpiece. Art and engineering combined at its finest.
My dream since I was a child has always been designing and creating my own sports car, but since the day I discovered the FD I just think in getting one of these.
It's really hard for me to improve this timeless design.
Feel the same its so much more than just a Mazda or just a rotary car its a stunning automotive masterpiece that feels and sounds like nothing else
@@Juelsens i have an RX-8, it's not the same, but it feels amazing, I'm in love with rotary engines, I've been using it since 2018, now it's time to buy an RX-7
If I recall, Millenia was supposed to be a sub brand for Mazda as well. My dad had an Millenia S, and a non-S. Cool cars.
This is the car I always wanted at the time. I remember they even had a magazine advertisement where they talked about the fact that they had drilled holes in the pedals as a weight reduction technique. It was a little bit marketing-y, but it did speak to how much they care about keeping the weight down.
How does this car only get a 9 for styling? This car is so beautiful and easily a 10
Strangely the us one got a 10.
@@Tremodua I saw that too. Seems like a mistake. Doug says ɛ̃fini is the nicest RX-7 and its among 10 or 15 nicest cars yet it receives only 9?
Ya what’s up with that?
This is a 30 year old car, and still among the best looking cars ever created
impossible. japan didn't exist until youtube came into existence in 2002. that's only like 10 years ago
My RX7 FD is 31 years old 😛
That design is definitely timeless, what a stunner😍 loved this car since I was a kid
Hey Doug, love ur content! I had a 1989 accord that had a button to raise the pop-up headlights without turning them on. It actually shorted out and they would flap around if you pushed the button!
Mazda and Mitsubishi did a lot in the 90s
The 1996 RX-7 Type RZ is one of my favorite Japanese cars ever, thanks to its capabilities in Gran Turismo games.
I've daily driven 2 Z32 300ZXs (one manual coupe and one auto 2+2) and 2 RX7 gen 2 convertibles (89 with the round taillights and an 88 without) but the one car I've always lusted after was the RD. I need to start looking for one. LOVED this video!
I bought two of these new, a 93 and 94. The 93 manual touring model was an amazing car with go-kart handling, but plagued with reliability issues. The squeeze cast aluminum parts were prone to failure. The paint was too thin. Cooling issues. ECM failure. I got the dealer to buy it back only after a fight. Eventually they put me in a 94 for no extra cost. The 94 had less problems but was still not great.
I finally traded it for a 94 Supra TT. As iconic as the Supra is, it wasn't as much fun to drive as the RX-7. Snap oversteer exacerbated by a lack of chassis communication made it a challenge at traction limits compared to the RX-7's stellar feedback. At least it was stone reliable.
This is such a beautiful car. One of the best designs of all time.
Indeed. I love the super cars but so many of the designs are over the top. The Japanese designers understood that "less is more"
Man I love these so much. Their prices in the current market have chilled my desire for one considerably. But the FD-RX7 is still one of the finest things to ever come out of Japan.
I remember 20 years ago when they were around $20k for a decent runner, $10k for a good rolling chassis. Sadly, those days are long gone.
@@BentonHart - Yeah, it's unfortunate. In the early-2000's, one of my neighbors was selling a red '94 in pristine condition for $12,000. I was young and didn't have that kind of money laying around at the time, but I always think back on it and wish I'd have been in a different position when he was selling it. We'll never see deals like that on these ever again.
20 years ago? I got my clean 93 with 85k miles for 13.5k like 7 years ago.
When I was younger, i loved the veilside body kit for the rx7. But now, I think it’s far more beautiful as it came out from the factory! Greetings from Greece Doug! ❤️
Iconic. The Mightycarmods boys did a great piece with the designer of the FD RX7 a while back. What a machine.
I love the simple gauge cluster
I wish all cars had this type of gauges
Also, I love the centered RPM gauge
I absolutely LOVE a center tach😍😍😍
Modern MX-5s still do that, thankfully, and so does Porsche at least on 911s and 718s.
370Z's have the tach front and center.
16:42 I don't know if it will ever be possible, but you have to experience Honda NSX Type R (2002). It's a different beast compared to the regular NSXs you tested and very likely the best Japanese sport car from that era. I hope to see it one day on your channel!
Nice job Doug! Very well reviewed. 👍
I still have my Efini FD and the thought of parting ways with it is just inconceivable, especially after having it for so many years.
We need another donut media vs Doug demuro game show lol.
Doug, I had a 1985 300ZX with a pop-up light switch. I'm pretty sure all cars with pop-up headlights had a switch to keep them up when off. It was so they wouldn't freeze in the down position during cold months with freezing rain and snow conditions. That would leave a lot of people stuck if they went to drive at night and their lights were frozen in the down position.
Pontiac Firebird don't have it, i have both 95 and 98 and they don't have it, want them up? Turn the lights on 😂
My Supra didn’t have a headlight pop button, but it did have a four position headlight switch. Headlights on, parking lights, lights off, lights off and closed. Kinda odd way to do it but made changing the bulbs a breeze. And it even waited about 2 seconds after flipping the switch to actually retract the headlights, so some sort of electronic brain was involved. I wonder if the earlier Celica Supra model worked that way, too.
Hey a fellow Z31 owner! Sadly I'm a former Z31 owner. I used to have a 1984 Nissan 300ZX Z31 with microfiber seats, and badging for both Nissan and Datsun. It was my first car and I miss it so dearly. I later tried to get it up and running again but after putting in another $2k I just couldn't afford to keep it running, the engine once seized up and was never the same again.
Probably my favourite car review by Doug as it covers my absolute favourite cars of all time.
The headlight popup button is most useful for parking as the bonnet is quite sloped. The lights give you a reference point at the front.
This car would rip. Lightweight and balance can do wonders and that's kind of the hallmark of the rotary sports car. It would be so cool to see a new RX with a proper hybridized rotary powertrain with either a manual and/or DCT. Sadly it would probably be far out of my price range but a Mazda RX that could compete with the GT-R would be wild to see come to market.
In my opinion, only the original NSX was more beautiful than the RX-7. Less is more
They were available with back seats in Japan. Ever time I watch an FD video, it makes it more difficult for me to sell mine.
My 1986 300zx by Nissan had the pop up headlights when not turned on option also. (one of the top buttons on the dash instead of normal headlight switch. One of our Honda Accords growing up had the same feature. I just thought it was a look cool but no lights on look. Your correct it was kind of pointless but not rare. Great Video Doug and enjoyed seeing you on "Doughnut" guessing prices of used cars.
When #manufacturers were making cars you had to have! Really great designs and cars you could see in your driveway! It's not like that anymore unless you're buying a "super car" or a juiced up "SUV", which is not a "car". Miss those days..
Well said
Looks gorgeous stock ❤
Yep, I hate seeing them all modded out.
Although holders of stock ones must sure appreciate it! Like trying to find a stock supra.
I have never seen one that looks better modified than it did stock. It's one of the best looking cars of all time. I don't know why people change it.
It’s not stock dummie
@@drunkenhobo8020 facts
I had a 93 for 25 years...I autocrossed and tracked it. My nephew has it now. There's a reason almost everyone tried to bump the power up because it has very little torque. But once it gets going, it's great. But it is a PITA to keep it running right. Lots of maintenance. I love the swooping door design and at least they didn't try to trick insurance rates by putting in rear seats. I had the bose wave system in my touring model. Very good sounding. Just by changing the springs/shocks it made a huge difference in handling. I once went back to stock and it felt like I was driving a station wagon. My car was the main reason it got FTD in autocross events.
My 89' Accord had that button to leave the headlights up as well. It's for winter time. When you don't want your headlights to freeze in the down position.
I regret not holding on to one of these RX-7s in the 90s. The most fun (and speeding tickets) I had in my younger years
Mazdaspeed MX-5s are baby FDs with a simple reliable powertrain for a fraction of the cost. Hear me out:
Same great hydraulic steering feel, easy clutch, perfect shifter, and weight balance as the FD. Even a similar power/weight ratio with a few easy bolt on mods (just intake and downpipe get you 40+whp). Mine makes about 200whp and at 2500lbs it feels fast because it actually has torque (sorry rotary bros). It also sounds amazing; like a 500 Abarth with more intake/turbo noise- honestly one of the best sounding 4cyl out there. MSM is also from the 04-05 "golden era" of cars and the last Mazda sports car without TC or ESC.
I believe a Mazdaspeed Miata with the right bolt on mods is the most fun you can have on 4 wheels under 25k (if you can fit in one). Definitely undervalued for what they are. Can’t wait for Doug to finally review one as he always says it’s his favourite Miata.
Wish I could get a Miata again, all I can afford currently is my 1998 Nissan Sentra manual transmission.
Would suggest finding an FD to test drive then, they feel completely different. FDs will absolutely have more torque, it's just usually past an MSM's redline.
@@berniemac6835 Yeah no doubt an FD has more torque for sure, but the MSM is less peaky (ignoring the bad factory tunes/ECU) and has it’s torque lower down the rev range so it feels peppier daily driving it. I think they’re similar in power/weight, but obviously the FD is more powerful and the objectively better car. Looking at values though I don’t think an FD is 4-5x more fun than an MSM. I think an MSM is probably 80% the fun of an FD (that missing 20% being the rotary engine) minus the very involved ownership experience of caring for a rotary. :)
Edit: Also they look similar on the outside (especially with a hardtop) hence my “baby FD” comparison.
@@samlepro3 Pretty spot on, miatas are definitely more fun than an FD though.
I have a FD RX7, a RX8, and a rotary powered Austin Healey Bugeye. Yes the rotary takes some specific things you have to do but if you do they aren't so bad. There's definitely annoyed things. For example my RX8 wouldn't start recently because I wasn't driving it enough and when I did not hard enough. That killed the spark plugs which flooded it. After swapping the plugs, which are $25 each 😬, and a deflooding procedure, which Mazda built into the computer by a sequence with the pedals (there's other things to fix it by pressing the pedals other ways) it started up. When I drive it regularly and rev it a lot it runs great and they are all fun in different ways. That being said I can park my 911 all winter and it will just start whenever I want!!! Great video!!!
I had a 94 touring model. I loved that car. It was computer limited to 159 mph. I got it up to 155mph a few times. It was super fun to drive.
One of the best looking Japanese cars ever!
Mazda design in the early-mid 90's was just off-the-charts awesome. I worked for Mazda in Southern California at that time. In addition to this RX7, we had the achingly gorgeous MX6 coupe, and the 929 was an equally magnificent car, albeit with its share of quirks that worked against it. We also had the MX-3 with its insane little 1.8 liter, 24-valve V6. And finally, the Miata It was a great time to be with Mazda.
My brother had a red V6 MX-3 back around '00-'01. Extremely snappy and fun car to drive!
@@Mikebumpful the probe twin right
@@brym4467 No, that would be the MX-6. The MX-3 was a very small car!
the dougster going hard on the JDM videos lately KEEP IT UP!!! VERY NICE (borat voice)
The 2002 Spirit R Type A is still one of my dream cars. Can’t wait until it’s state legal.
😍 You never know what Doug's going to come up with next!
Shouldn't styling be a 10?
That particular body style of the RX-7 is my absolute favorite for JP cars, and one of my favorite overall. That sleek design from 1993 still looks great next to today's cars. It was way ahead of its time. Back in 1993, NOTHING looked as good as that car in that price range, and most of the cars in the top-end. I'd say only the Lambo Countach and Diablo looked cooler at the time. The Wenkel rotary engine is awesome for sports cars too for the weight-to-power ratio. I worked on a 1978 RX-7 once, and when I pulled the engine, I didn't need a hoist. I just reached in and lifted out the engine with my bare hands with little effort. It only felt like it weighed like 75 lbs!
I almost bought one of these used around 1999 or 2000. It is a beautiful car, and the one I almost got was silver, which is a great color for this car. The curves really show off with that color and maybe the red and blue that I think it came in.
The one thing that kept me from getting it was, I am only 5 foot 10 5 foot 11, but I could not sit comfortably in it. My knees were press tight against the dashboard, and I couldn’t get the seat to go back far enough to be comfortable. I know that Doug is taller than me, so I’m surprised he didn’t mention it at least not at the point where I am in the video.
Doug, is the type of Used Car Salesman we wished we could get every time we went to buy a car. He knows everything about the car and loves it for what it is.
I love when you ask a super basic question and they just have no idea, like they didn't even bother to look the car over before trying to sell it. I asked a salesman if the mk6 gti I was looking at was modified at all, he said no. We pop the hood and i'm looking at a carbon fiber intake. Like dude, do you even care about cars at all?
Classic Doug. No guest. Best way to do a vid.
that design was so ahead of it's time. my neighbor's boyfriend had a brand new FD back in 93 when I was 12 and it was the coolest thing to see coming down the street, especially after he had it painted the OEM Mazda competition yellow....
The Ford Probe also had the ability to put the headlights up without turning them on. Handy for cleaning, and also for NE winters, as leaving them up all the time was preferable to trying to raise and lower them when they're covered in ice. I imagine it also made it easier for things like bulb replacement.
Would like correct you on the thing with pop up headlights. Another car who has a button to open the lights without turning them on is the Nissan S13, and also it's not just for cleaning, but also during winter times so you can have the lights up over the day/night so they don't freeze shut.
I can never tell if a notchy shifter is a good or a bad thing. Doug extolls the virtue of the notchy shifter in the Rex7. Thought I often hear reviewers using the word notchy to describe a bad shifter.
Had a 93 FD3S back in Okinawa. That thing loved getting slideways.
FD-RX7 is super sick! Whoever gets their hands on it is incredibly blessed!
Doug you seem to have forgotten us Miata folks. We can " pop up, pop up and down headlights " at any time!!
This my absolute dream car. Simply beautiful. Thanks for making this vid, Doug!!!!!
Buy one, Doug. I have 191,000 miles on my 1993. New engine at 100,000. It's been pretty reliable. Very few issues. And you are so right about the shifter, clutch and steering. As pure and perfect as the look.
The lights can be placed in the up/open position but not necessarily for cleaning. It’s a feature to prevent them from freezing in the closed position. You open them before a big snow/ice storm.
Great video! You gotta find and review a Mx 6 Mystere.. Was the first car i learnt to drive standard in! Was super fast for what it was.. I think you’ll love and appreciate it:)
8:58 This type of a door handle was in Volvo 740, 940 and 850's as well. Imo one of the best door handles as you can find it while fully blinded so easily
25 year FD owner here and keeping it on the road has been a daunting task! There just aren't many mechanics out there and most Mazda dealers won't work on them. Last time I got a Mazda dealer to work on my FD, they said to not tell anyone because they won't take on another one after mine. For that reason, I always plan on selling it but then I drive it (when it runs) and then can't bring myself to sell it. It truly drives like nothing else and like it is on rails, probably similar to a Lotus Elise. The great part is while I keep deciding to not sell it, the price keeps rising.
k swap it then
Doug, I believe the space behind the seats looks suspiciously like rear seats.... because in JAPAN they had rear seats in the RX. Great car though.... and you said it about the shifter. I had several Porsches and the RX shifter was always superior. As for modding... I had 12 - 8" woofers in that flip-door cargo compartment of my 92 RX (driven by a Fosgate Punch 45) and it looked stock with the carpet replaced by a custom sewn panel.
Your shows are great Doug.... you make me love cars again.