S5's- Why in such low demand??
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Kansas City
S5's- Why in such low demand??
OK...I bought a 90 GTU 17 months ago for $4300. Weeks later, I had to put in another engine (used, but I was given a 1 yr warranty). It has been a great car but then I came across and bought a 91 for cheap needing an engine. Anyway, I recently put the 90 up for sale in the Auto Trader for $3000 OBO, and have only had only a few calls in over 3 weeks, mostly teenagers.
However, I went to the auction a few months ago and bought an 87 Firebird (V6) for $1000. Included in the LONG list of repairs it needed was an engine, so I just put it in the Trader, phone rang off the hook, sometimes 15+ times a day, and I still doubled my money. (A 17 yr old 6 cyl. GM !!!)
Is it because I live in Kansas City, asking too much,
or does the RX-7 have a bad reputation
However, I went to the auction a few months ago and bought an 87 Firebird (V6) for $1000. Included in the LONG list of repairs it needed was an engine, so I just put it in the Trader, phone rang off the hook, sometimes 15+ times a day, and I still doubled my money. (A 17 yr old 6 cyl. GM !!!)
Is it because I live in Kansas City, asking too much,
or does the RX-7 have a bad reputation
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Rohnert Park CA
Easier to sell a $2000 car than a $3000 or $4000 car...
and:
Edmunds/KBB pricing says you were way too high:
1990 Mazda RX-7
2 Dr GTU Hatchback
Dealer Trade-In: $1,970
Private Party: $2,652
Dealer Retail: $3,788 (good to excellent condition/less than 80K miles).
To top that off you are in the midwest, where the import is 2nd class, and even the concept of a rotary engine baffles most mechanics.
and:
Edmunds/KBB pricing says you were way too high:
1990 Mazda RX-7
2 Dr GTU Hatchback
Dealer Trade-In: $1,970
Private Party: $2,652
Dealer Retail: $3,788 (good to excellent condition/less than 80K miles).
To top that off you are in the midwest, where the import is 2nd class, and even the concept of a rotary engine baffles most mechanics.
Full Member
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: KC
I live in Kansas City also, I know what your problem is and it is what they said. We have the ford and gm plants and they have the strong belief that we should by american. Totally opposite viewpoint on the coasts. Are you in the kcrx-7 club? Send me a pm.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 39
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From: Kansas City
LOL...funny you say that...a potential buyer wanted a compression done at her Midas shop, and they told her the car had very low compression on ALL 4 cylinders. You should have seen the mechanic's face after he found out there aren't cylinders invovled with an RX-7 Needless to say, they admited to not understanding a rotary and did not charge the $70 for the test.
Rotary Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 873
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From: Boulder, CO
before I bought my car it sat in the papers for about 3 weeks. I went down to check it out and decided to buy it on the spot. No problems in the last year, she's a great car.
Probably because everyone thinks that rotaries suck, they have a bad reputation (you can thank the fd's for that!).
Probably because everyone thinks that rotaries suck, they have a bad reputation (you can thank the fd's for that!).
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From: "You take my car, I take your knee caps"
wait wait............... i have this one in the bag.... its simple, old firebird=hillbilly ride, where do hillbillys live? the south, such as kansas.......... maybe im just a post *****, haha all in good humer
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Kansas City
I haven't put on any mods yet, but I have had 2 88's, and neither was quite the ride our s5's are. But that is just my opinion... and I am biased by the creature comforts and the styling of the JDM tailights, spoiler, and black interior. Yeah, I see that 3K is too much now, but seeing that 1st gens. sell in the 2k-4k range really surprises me also!!! Another reason I am baffled about the s5's demand!
Originally posted by Icemark
Easier to sell a $2000 car than a $3000 or $4000 car...
and:
Edmunds/KBB pricing says you were way too high:
1990 Mazda RX-7
2 Dr GTU Hatchback
Dealer Trade-In: $1,970
Private Party: $2,652
Dealer Retail: $3,788 (good to excellent condition/less than 80K miles).
To top that off you are in the midwest, where the import is 2nd class, and even the concept of a rotary engine baffles most mechanics.
Easier to sell a $2000 car than a $3000 or $4000 car...
and:
Edmunds/KBB pricing says you were way too high:
1990 Mazda RX-7
2 Dr GTU Hatchback
Dealer Trade-In: $1,970
Private Party: $2,652
Dealer Retail: $3,788 (good to excellent condition/less than 80K miles).
To top that off you are in the midwest, where the import is 2nd class, and even the concept of a rotary engine baffles most mechanics.
Track Junkie
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,277
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From: Los Angeles
everyone is afriad of the rotary engine, people that dont know any better hear from thier friends and loved ones that the rx-7 has many problems and they do not want to deal with it....which i think is a very good thing, because that leaves more for us! 
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
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From: Rohnert Park CA
Originally posted by Dvst8
hey icemark, was wondering where you get this info?? have a link to share?
hey icemark, was wondering where you get this info?? have a link to share?
http://www.edmunds.com/used/1990/mazda/rx7/3171/prices.html?tid=edmunds.u.mipmake.mippricetable..2 .Mazda*
Lets' face it, 7's just aren't that much in demand except with the small rotary community...
...and even we want them as cheap as possible. My TII is worth so much more than I could ever sell it for.
...and even we want them as cheap as possible. My TII is worth so much more than I could ever sell it for.
Must...scrub...parts...
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 796
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From: Derwood, MD
The turbo's are a whole different ballgame then the n/a's. It took me over a year to find mine. Right now, there isn't a single '90 TII for sale on autotrader withing 300 miles from me, except one heavily modded one. They're impossiblie to find stock and in good condition
OH,YOU TOUCHED MY TRALALA
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: STL
hehe i guess i was lucky then cuz my car found me...87 TII not running($5 ffuel line and the intake boot back on the turbo) and i had mine for $800...took 2 hours to get it home and get it running then drove it back the next day to return the gradge door opener that they left in the car.......so $805 for a TII...which i have scince but about a grand into. godda love that hood scoop!!!!
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
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Posts: 25,896
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From: Rohnert Park CA
Originally posted by yearrgh
It took me over a year to find mine. Right now, there isn't a single '90 TII for sale on autotrader withing 300 miles from me, except one heavily modded one. They're impossiblie to find stock and in good condition
It took me over a year to find mine. Right now, there isn't a single '90 TII for sale on autotrader withing 300 miles from me, except one heavily modded one. They're impossiblie to find stock and in good condition
yet everyone wants the extra HP or cool suspension or half dozen other mods, so again often times the mods drive down the value of our cars.
Full Member
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: North Carolina
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6327 Umm Period the end, i bet if he is a smart man reserve is at least 6,000 *motions for the crowd to let me borrow 7,000* 
that car is SEXKY
that car is SEXKY
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 39
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From: Kansas City
I just wanted to add that everytime I drive my 90 or 91, I am so happy with the RX-7! What could one better spend $2300 on? Surely not a Probe, 240SX, Eclipse, or Beretta. And 90 Rustang GT's, 300ZX's, and Corvettes surely cost a lot more than what you are getting, no?
