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Bad, no more cheap RX-7 projects on craigslist (the LE cost me $750).
I have the same thought while it is good to see our cars get attention, the prices have skyrocketed. Now that everyone thinks that there rusted roller with a trashed interior is somehow worth a thousand dollars. Hopefully if nothing else this attention can help us keep our cars on the road for years to come.
a small part of the procrastination of me not putting my '84 back together has been the fact that they were relatively affordable, so i always figured maybe i'd just get another one and do something "fun" with the one i already have. it's looking less likely that that will happen now. overall, i'm happy about it though. i'm glad we finally are getting our due in the marketplace and the annals. i'm not likely to benefit from it in any way - especially since i've never owned an SA and i want one someday, and that kinda sucks, but i'm a lifer - i'll figure it out.
I just mentioned this article to my son this morning and we talked about the early 7's becoming near non existent for a reasonable price. I used to buy a couple per year and fix them and sell them cheap just to keep the cars on the road. Now, when I want another to restore with my youngest son, I will be paying an arm and a leg for a restoration project.
I see the good and bad in the values going up, but with the values up so much, its no longer as Mazda originally intended, an affordable sport car. I've been into these cars for over 20 years and the prices have always been reasonable. I guess it was only a matter of time before their value would skyrocket. Its such an incredible car, it should very well be worth something.
The only drawback is that the community may get smaller and smaller as less enthusiasts buy the cars and more collectors buy them up.
I'm thinking the market might go in the direction of the 240z's. Their values have gone up quite a bit, have always been much more than an FB, and the 240 Community seems to be fairly large with tons of good restoration type parts, reproductions in OEM quality, etc. And for the people that do modify them, there are multiple aftermarket companies that make track car quality parts.
Now people buy a rusted out Z chassis for big $$ and spend much more restoring the rust.
Here's a video fellow OGTA member Phil posted last week of a brief trip he took around Lake Lanier recently in his yellow SA, along with a Datsun 280ZX friend.
The ZX is pretty, but give me the 7 any day.
I'd say Phil's SA is clocking around $20-$25K in today's market, wouldn't you?
I'd say Phil's SA is clocking around $20-$25K in today's market, wouldn't you?
I'd say, chances are pretty good he could. It's a very nice car. Modded, but in a good way and exceptionally clean. Have a feeling that car will likely be passed down rather than sold.
That article came out a day after I sold my SA that I have owned and modded for 20 years. I have own at least one Rx7 since 1989 until a few days ago. Now I am rotary free. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I do own two NB Miata’s so I still have sports cars
Love my SA (don't we all??). Paid $4200 off ebay (with 62K mi) in 2001.
Google sez 2001/$4200 = about $6600 today.
Guessing on a Good Day I might nab $12K for my old girl, now with 110K mi.
So 100%-ish increase in value in 20 yrs. No complaints, but not sure that reps any sort of sound investment, return-wise.
(of course, how can one calculate the Joy??).
So. HAVE they been under-appreciated? For sure. ARE they now getting more appreciated? Well. Glacially...
Love my SA (don't we all??). Paid $4200 off ebay (with 62K mi) in 2001.
Google sez 2001/$4200 = about $6600 today.
Guessing on a Good Day I might nab $12K for my old girl, now with 110K mi.
So 100%-ish increase in value in 20 yrs. No complaints, but not sure that reps any sort of sound investment, return-wise.
(of course, how can one calculate the Joy??).
So. HAVE they been under-appreciated? For sure. ARE they now getting more appreciated? Well. Glacially...
Love my SA (don't we all??). Paid $4200 off ebay (with 62K mi) in 2001.
Google sez 2001/$4200 = about $6600 today.
Guessing on a Good Day I might nab $12K for my old girl, now with 110K mi.
So 100%-ish increase in value in 20 yrs. No complaints, but not sure that reps any sort of sound investment, return-wise.
(of course, how can one calculate the Joy??).
So. HAVE they been under-appreciated? For sure. ARE they now getting more appreciated? Well. Glacially...
Stu A
80 GS
AZ
Up 136% in the last five years. Still not going to get rich! Bought my fourth one ten years ago just cause I love them. it's a nice way for me to actually save $$$ and enjoy it. P.S. Love that car!!!
Stu, that's a phenomenal picture. I've always loved the Sunrise Red with the gold LS wheels. I don't know if that's a sunrise or sunset, but the red sure does look marvelous under the low light and sun conditions. The color truly lives up to its name!
Very Kind! (starting to feel like my photo is jacking this thread. Apologies to OP!).
"Sunrise Red" - never made the mental-connection of the image to the time-of-day (5:30AM) I shot this pic -
Never seen RED SA with Goldies either, but seemed a perfect match when I found these (NOS!) rims...
My red Ducati has gold rims, so I thought "well, this works!"
Very Kind! (starting to feel like my photo is jacking this thread. Apologies to OP!).
"Sunrise Red" - never made the mental-connection of the image to the time-of-day (5:30AM) I shot this pic -
Never seen RED SA with Goldies either, but seemed a perfect match when I found these (NOS!) rims...
My red Ducati has gold rims, so I thought "well, this works!"
Stu A
80GS
AZ
You have the nicest SA i have seen so why wouldn't you be taking all the credit. Not to toot my own horn but i seem to have the one of the nicest SA in my area ( and litterlay the only 79 at every car show i go to and rotary meet ) and that makes me sad considering I'd give my own car a 7/10 . it is a well loved car but my passenger side door car has a small tear, the handle plastics are gone and my rear carpet is just a peice of particle board and leather i cut to shape . . I know a guy here with a supercharged 7 and his car is the only one that is nicer than mine but he had the whole interior reupholstered and had it painted recently. Then again i paid 2,400$ in 2015 for my car which was 99% intact minus the emblems . I have been offered 10 grand firm in hand and i have a AUTOMATIC , imagine what a similar condition early 79' would go for !
