Fd2Blk

I was just wondering, you collectors out there, if adding custom parts to a 7 decreases the value of the car? I would like to add parts such as kits, and engine parts. I know it will increase in value some, but when a car becomes a collectible, is it worth more unmodified? I would think this "mint" mentality would not be the same on a second or third motor. What do you guys think?

Johnny

As much as I like the rx-7...I seriously doubt it will become a "collectable".

kevinmfaust

OOOOOOOOHHH Johny,
Watch out. I said the same thing about the RX-7 and now no one will talk to me.
Kevin

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

to a collector the most stock original car is the best.

mike

2-Rotor

If it came that way from the factory then that will make it more desirable. So, if its left alone no body kits, or anything modified extensively as far as engine work goes thats where the top dollar will be paid. And yes the FD will become a classic car here is why:

low production numbers

demand to buy used

how many cars are sold with a rotary engine with that performance potential?????

the car is a world class sports car recognized all over the globe.

there is still that large question that remains unanswered, will there be another RX-7 (4th generation).

Just for the record i didnt buy my car for an investment i bought it to drive and enjoy so i am speaking in total opinion here folks. There is always going to be that person who comes out and debates this issue but when people are selling their cars at more then half there value when they were new and the car is nearly 10 years old, thats a strong demand which will later lead to a classic. Its just a matter of time.

Mr Seven

As much as I love my RX7 it ain't no Ferrari. As far as it becoming a collectable car there are very few Japanese cars to ever achieve that status.

SleepR1

These cars are going on 10 years old, and people around here still ask "what is that car"? Very rare indeed. My favorite comment is from some guy who thinks he knows Rx7s and says, "ahh, I see you bought the 2001 model" (hee hee).

Keep 'em shiny fellas. If any Japanese sports car has a chance to be collectible, I'd say the 3rd Gen Rx7 has a pretty damned good chance of achieving collectible status!

Flybye

People are starting to sell them at http://www.collectorcartraderonline.com/
Go figure

Jonesboro

There are two ways to consider the issue of the FD as a collectible.

First you consider FD's in general, then you consider any specific FD.

For FD's in general limited supply, and high demand will keep the value/collectibility high. Of course the high demand comes from the popular following, which comes from the performance, body style, etc. Remember, supply gets lower every day as cars are totalled, converted exclusively to racing, etc. I think we all agree that demand for FD's is increasing and supply is decreasing.

However. when it comes to the value/collectibility of any specific FD, that is a whole different matter. Any car that has had exterior/body customization of any sort will be much less desireable and not considered a "collectible" FD. The same is true with interior customization. In general, any changes done to the car so that its exterior and/or interior "appearance" is different from stock will reduce its value as a collectible.

This is also true, in general, for mechanical changes. For example changing from automatic to manual transmission would kill the collector value. On the other hand reliability/performance modifications may or may not adversely impact value. As a general rule, if you want to maintain the maximum value on your car when making performance modifications, only do modifications that could easily be "reversed" back to stock/original, and always keep the stock/original parts so the car could be returned to stock/original by the seller or buyer. Of course, I don't mean keep the "wear items" such as belts, brake pads, hoses, tires, etc. just the main components.

SOLORX7

Yeah,what he said.

Toadman

Good topic… collector car or not, eventually the motor will be replaced if you drive it, and the engine number assigned to the VIN will not match the production run unless you rebuild the original engine. Those who own the car as a pure investment or commodity generally own more than one collector car, and they are the ones who keep the car all-original. Not all, mind you.

Imho, as either a stock flawless garage queen or modded-daily driver, eventually were all gonna die and someone else will enjoy the car. I’m not going to lay on my death-bed wishing I had driven and enjoyed my FD more. Life’s too short to let it hibernate under a car cover waiting for it to increase in value. While it can hold it's value with low miles and OEM condition, any real significant appreciation will happen beyond our lifetimes anyways. If we really wanted an automotive investment, the FD wouldn’t really be a first choice, would it? In what year will the car be worth 30k?50k?75k? Customization is personalization and sets our own FD’s apart. If it pleases you to do so, go for it! If keeping it stock is your style, great! Carpe Diem.

A car doesn't have to be collectible to be a classic, and vice versa.

Just my 2 cents...

Johnny

When... not in your lifetime

wishful thinking guys and girls....I wont happen.. There is no build sheets for our cars that I know of...ala old amercian cars..no way to see if the orginal engine matches vin, drivetrain...etc etc..

You guys are all dreaming...believe I wish differently, because I have tried before to insure mine as a classic...

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

mazda knows what engine was built for what car, but toadman is right
i didn't buy a flawless car because i wanted to drive it. i found one with a couple of dings and its been in a fender bender at some point. is it good enough to entomb in a garage? no. is it mechanically perfect? yes
it gets driven hard.

mike

kevinmfaust

I got my car 4 years ago for $20 k (There where non around then) and I just put another $15 k into it. There is not a car around for $35 k that will even come close to the performance that my car will. "If only I could find the gas smell". That is what these cars are......*** kickers......not average collectables. Now there are some people that will want the car because it is an *** kicker. I dont think I will ever sell mine, just more garage space. I dont think you will ever have the Prs. of Exon wondering.......Will the gullwing Benz or the 1994 RX-7 PEP go up in value more in the next 10 years. That as much as the emotion has alot to do with car collecting.
Kevin

Sloraxe

Hell in my book its already an collectible, I want more then 1, I want them ALL.

SleepR1

Will they even recognize your car as stock with those fancy new wheels (hee hee)?

SPEED_NYC

iTrader: (3)

mabye i'm wrong, mabye i'm crazy. but since when does a rotary engine come with any type of vin or ID #? its a modular engine, theres no 'block' to stamp a # on. thats what makes it easier for every starlet, corolla, and first gen in my neighborhood to run stolen 3rd gen motors! no cop is gonna find a # on that motor to trace back to a stolen car.

BTW, i had a car dealer/collector tell me to stop driving my car and put it in storage. he showed me a dealer book that had my 94 touring valued at $20K, where the kelly blue book was $11K. dealers have several diffrent books they use to value cars. anyways, there is a grey collored one that he showed me that ONLY lists wholesale and resale values for COLLECTABLE cars, the FD WAS in there, and at almost double what kelly says is 'market price'.

a week later I pulled my motor to port it and install the T66. it'll 'go into storage' during winters, when it's not running 10 sec quarters.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

Meanwhile back in 2002...

the doubters were alive and kicking

Hope you kept your FD Johnny... Because that day has come.

and oh:



lulz

arghx

iTrader: (3)

Inflation calculator says that 30,000 dollars in 2002 is 40,800 in 2016 dollars.

and the 37,000 these cars cost in 1995 (if you paid near MSRP) is 59,282 dollars in 2016.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

Yes but the original statement and argument *has always been* about forecasted actual dollar value with ZERO inference to inflation.

IRPerformance

iTrader: (41)

The value of clean, low mileage fds seems to be going up. A stock or near stock car seems to fetch the most money. Minor modifications such as reliability mods (downpipe, radiator, metal ast, etc) doesn't hurt either. The problem is there are less and less clean cars out there so it is making them more desirable.

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

Funny thing, that Supply & Demand..........

arghx

iTrader: (3)

I guess. In the strictest sense, yeah. If the question was will these cars ever be worth 30, maybe 40 grand, then yes, some are.

But it implies that the value of something doesn't depend on the real purchasing power required to obtain it: accounting value rather than economic value. 30 grand was a much bolder statement in 2002 than it is now--since we are talking about basic economics like supply and demand.

Simply put: the money supply increased (as it should have) since 2002, and thus the value of 30,000 dollars is less.

ZoomZoom

iTrader: (2)

We are there for sure. I've had offers of $40k for my CW base with 22k miles. No sunrood, no wing, no wiper, black interior, no accidents.
I am not selling the car. It would take a lot more than $40k to sell it.

I've already sold one low mile CW pep on tan recently for mid $30's. the market is so hot that car would easily sell for more than that now.

bajaman

Quoted For Truth.


I've not seen a single FD for sale in the Wichita area for well over 4 years now.
There was a body shell that sat in a local salvage yard for many years, even that is gone now.
The last FD I saw for sale in Wichita had definitely seen better days, obviously been through some owners that didn't know jack about it. Missing an air pump, had the requisite boy-racer "cold air intake" that did nothing but suck hot air off the turbos, no inner fender liners(!), interior was rough with lots of broken plastic. Priced at $8K, lol!