This is my first time cross posting from another forum, and though I came in with a suspicion of slander, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was dialog between gentlemen taking place.
I would love to defend the power to weight ratio, to reliability, but there's not much to contest. Yes, the third generation RX-7 is prone to malfunctions at unpredictable times. There is no denying that it suffers from an overburdening of under hood temperatures, the primary cause of component failure, and that the parts are in limited availability.
There is however, a dramatic and distinct difference that one experiences while driving an RX-7 that I'm not sure one could experience from a car under $35K (Or higher for that mater) There is a sense of balance and responsiveness that connects directly to your synapses, and back again to the controls. Not only will you car react as you think it to, it will surprise you that it did it better than you willed it to. RX-7s are not Ferraris by far, but the sure allow you to feel like there one.
I'm not saying that performance to longevity isn't important, believe me it is, but there is a valid argument that performance comes at a price. I don't believe that the price is too high. There are ways to prevent damaging the car and maintaining a reliable machine. I think that many current 7 owners understand the complexities, and the no no's of owning a high performance machine.
A final note before I step off my soapbox. I would not underestimate a third gen RX-7 when met on the road. The sevens have had plenty of time to be refined by their succeeding owners, and though it may look stock, or even sound stock, you may be in for a hell of a race.
If you want to talk power to weight ratio, check out the Dodge Omni GHLs. A fellow 7 owner reminded me that even the ugliest sheep could be a visious wolf in disguise.
Later, and feel free to visit the RX7Forum anytime, as long as you are nice and polite.
Take care, and drive safe!
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