This clean 1989 Mazda RX-7 convertible is offered for sale after a few years of inactivity after the previous owner passed away. Now offered by the stepson of the previous caretaker, the RX-7 appears to remain in excellent condition and doesn’t sport any apparent modifications. The market for the FC-chassis RX-7 is a funny one, with the turbocharged cars in far greater demand than naturally aspirated models like this one, but either offering is desirable when found in preserved condition – and with the manual gearbox, as this car has. The RX-7 is listed here on eBay with no reserve and bids to just over $2,000 at the moment.
While it is not a turbo model, the RX-7 still got the sweet dual exhaust setup to let its 13B engine sing. The top condition appears to be excellent, with no apparent tears or fading of the back window. Despite residing in Arizona, the black trim is still quite lustrous, and overall, there are none of the typical signs of sun fading you would expect on a vintage car that has lived in the American southwest. I’m even optimistic the power antenna still works given the mast isn’t stuck halfway up. The seller notes it is rust and rot-free, as you’d expect for a car in this zip code. And let’s be honest: it’s hard to go wrong with a red-over-black convertible.
The interior isn’t perfect, but it appears to just be a matter of needing detailing rather than any significant damage. The FC cabin is my favorite of all the RX-7 generations because it checks all the right boxes: heavily bolstered sport seats; a classic three-spoke steering wheel; driver-oriented gauges and center stack; and a stick shift that falls right into your hands. The seller confirms the RX-7 has air conditioning but doesn’t go so far as to say it still blows cold. With just over 91,000 original miles, one would hope the RX-7 was in good shape still overall despite years of sitting, and the seller confirms the suspension still feels tight and that the RX-7 fired up without issue after the old gas was drained out.
The engine bay is very clean, and I’ve always loved the Mazda logo plastered atop the air filter housing. If it still presents that well, it seems likely this car wasn’t driven in harsh conditions or otherwise left somewhere with the hood propped open for weeks at a time. On northern cars, that logo on the air filter housing is long gone after years of driving through road salt and other conditions that can destroy sensitive cosmetics, so when it’s all taken together, it seems likely this RX-7 was a weekend-only driver in a forgiving climate. The seller is open to taking a call to chat about the car, so give him a ring if you want to potentially take this clean RX-7 home.
Good little car but it is an 88 not 89 is there a big difference yes on the verts they were a bit heavy so the extra horses in the 89(s5) is important. By 88 the FC chassis is well sorted and mazda actually had verts in japan prior but fot the us 88 is a first year. Several things stand out saying it is 88 side molding tail lights engine and the grey interior just to name a few.
When my dear wife and I met, she had an 87 and I had an 86 MR2. The RX7 was a gorgeous car, except for the electrical gremlins. Intermittently, when making a left turn, the horn would honk. Nobody could figure it out, including the dealer. Five cars purchased later from that Ford/Mazda dealer, the service department comped us, spending hours tracking it down, only to discover the reverse switch was defective. But it only failed when NOT in reverse. They comped us the entire multi-day service call.
Oh, and we didn’t believe in cars with back seats!
Sold for $5201 on 10/11
Seems reasonable, as long as the buyer can do the needed work.