Paying attention to car auction sites like Cars And Bids may seem like an endless rabbit hole of FOMO, but it can be a valuable use of time for those who have the means. Diligent observers can come across rare JDM cars in excellent condition like the third-generation Mazda RX-7 seen here. Those from Gen Y and Gen Z will have no idea just how impactful the third-gen Mazda RX-7 was outside of watching Initial D, so pay attention if you want to learn something.

We are going to talk about what makes the Mazda RX-7 so special, why we will perpetually be angry at Mazda for taking it away and take a deep dive into the specific RX-7 that is currently up for grabs. Consider this your official warning for anyone triggered by seeing incredible cars that they can’t currently purchase due to room, finances, or spousal isolation. We cannot be held responsible for any snap decisions you may make!

Why the Mazda RX-7 is amazing

Many causal gearheads do not realize it, but Mazda is one of the smallest Japanese auto manufacturers. Mazda has had a huge presence in car culture and motorsports worldwide, but the truth is relatively speaking, they are a small company. That being said, Mazda’s size means that they are more likely to take risks to stand up with their larger competitors. At least, they used to be more likely to take risks.

In the 1970s, Mazda wanted to produce an inexpensive sports car with plenty of power, excellent balance, and low weight. The problem was that just about every other manufacturer was trying to do the same thing. Mazda needed to do something differently. Their answer was equipping their sports car with a rotary engine. That is how the original Mazda RX-7 was born. In 1993 the third generation of the Mazda RX-7 was released, and it was an instant hit. It came equipped with two turbos and a beautifully designed exterior that is elegant and sporty at the same time. Unfortunately, the third-gen Mazda RX-7 was expensive, and its rotary engine was plagued with overheating issues. Eventually, Mazda pulled the plug after just three years on the American market.

That short production time thrust the third-gen Mazda RX-7 into “JDM gem” territory. To this day, it is tough to find one on the second-hand market—especially one without gaudy external modifications.

Buy this JDM car right now on Cars and Bids

Because of the devastatingly short production run of the Mazda RX-7, there is an excellent chance that many of you reading this right now have never even seen an example in person before. If you’re one of those people and you have a spare $20,000 laying around then, you really want to visit the Cars and Bids auction site right now. There is a listing for a 1993 Mazda RX-7 in relatively great condition with 69,000 miles on the odometer and no exterior modifications.

The car is currently located in Simi Valley, California, and has remained in the sunny, coastal state for the entirety of its life. While the RX-7 is free of rust and has no accidents on its record, it isn’t perfect. There are some cracks and chips in the paint as well as the dashboard.

The car isn’t stock either. The exterior is mostly factory, but several performance modifications make this car more or less desirable, depending on who you are. The owner upgraded the turbochargers and added an ECU tuner from APEXi, an HKS boost controller, thicker apex seals, larger fuel injectors, an upgraded intercooler, and other modifications. The complete spec list is on the auction listing.

When this article was written, there were three days left in the auction, and the high bid was $18,250; in the current used car market, that is an excellent price for a rare JDM car in good condition.

If someone can win this auction and stay under $20,000, they will have won the internet in our book.