Montego

iTrader: (1)

Who me? Thank you but not really. My car is a total respray from Montego Blue. Granted, it is yellow all over given that I pretty much gutted the car (windows and all) but its a respray none the less. In fact, it is not even CYM as the color I chose was velocity yellow (corvette color) . I did not want to be a wannabe CYM and frankly, I am not that huge of a fan of CYM. Its a nice color I am just not into any kind of flake type paints (my car is solid yellow)

I don't really care about resale of my car in particular (but I do care for FD's overall). I am not one of those types that does everything possible to give the car the most value. Screw that I bought it for myself to enjoy myself! I'm not a storage facility keeping it nice for the next guy....

Montego

iTrader: (1)

Thanks G. Coming from you that means a lot

2-Rotor

I am not saying that the FD is not a special car. I know that its value should be a lot higher than it is but lets face the facts people not everyone knows how to work on them or wants to deal with the needs of a rotary engine. A high percentage of people who bought these cars I would be willing to bet had owned an RX-7 in the past. This is why I say it is a cult car. Some people love them and understand how to maintain them and operate them. I personally do not care what the values do they can go up, down, sideways, I am still keeping mine.

Fritz Flynn

iTrader: (263)

That's a good point and likely the cars biggest hurdle BUT at the same time as far as collectors go it may just be one more fascinating thing to add to the conversation when they show the car off.

I actually hope the values stay below 50k (or don't go crazy) because I enjoy driving the car so as the value goes higher I will feel silly daily driving it and end up putting a cover on it and daily driving a cayman or something.

Fritz Flynn

iTrader: (263)

LOL

We've both taken a lot of crap over the classic car statement but clearly the car is currently a classic and there's no denying that or it would be selling for 5k max instead of 15 to 20k for a decent car (more than I paid for my 1st FD in 1999) and 25k plus for a very nice low mileage car and the values have gone up 2k minimum the last 5 years and I expect another 2 to 10k leap in the coming 5 years.

Bottomline: For all the naysayers it's time to admit you were wrong, that this car is a classic and the values are not going to go down. If you disagree post here and we can bump this thread in five years when a low mileage FD is still selling for 30k or even 40k

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

It's basic economics..... supply vs. demand. As time goes by, less and less FDs will be available. Certainly less pristine low-mile stockish FDs.

Mazda didn't sell many of them to begin with----compare production numbers to any other sport car and you'll raise your eyebrows. Chevy produced over 37,000 Corvettes last year alone, for example.

Fritz Flynn

iTrader: (263)

Exactly

There is and there always will be a demand for great sports cars and the FD is a one of the greats.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

Is it time for me to say to the naysayers 'I told you so'?


From Jan 2009 (six years ago):

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...5/#post8916082

&

Feb 2010:

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...4/#post9832323

rx7 SE

iTrader: (5)

I think the only thing that puts a kink to a potential rapid rising sale values of the FD is the rotary itself. It serves as a double edge sword as, despite the chassis's looks, the engine makes it even more unique and rare but on the downside from the people I talk to (including many car enthusiasts) 95% of drivers out there are just plain scared of the rotary. And that percentage will only get higher with time as these engines age and/if builders become scarce.

Take the rx8 for an example, from my research I've found that Mazda improved on that chassis in practically every way over the FD. It's only downsides are it's looks (in comparison to the FD), and so many renesis failures. Now they are selling for less than FC prices already...a chassis that can potentially outhandle the FD, all because of the bad rep from the motor.

Also look at the Supra. Great looking car, poo for interior IMO. Absolutely solid motor which is most of the reason why they sell for so much...although I do agree that their prices are too a little inflated for what you get.

In conclusion to my rant, if the FD were accompanied by a rotary motor that never gained a bad rep I have no doubt in my mind they would be selling for 30-40k right now with ease. But people don't want to pay too much money for a car that potentially will need a lot of maintenance, and won't have anyone nearby who can do it unfortunately.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

^^

Take for example this 1955 VW bus that just recently broke a record by fetching $235,000:



Yes a VW bus... Now lets stop and think about the practicality of the bus

- Unreliable and very finicky. Rule of thumb in owning an air cooled VW (I should know I own one): Is to always carry tools because that car will leave you stranded. Maybe not today, not tomorrow but it WILL leave you stranded without a warning. If you think about it RX-7's don't even come close to that mindset. Yeah blowing engines are common occurrence with us but dammit that Rx-7 with the blown engine will still drive you home!

- Extremely under-powered. Especially with the buses since they came with the same engine as their much smaller counterparts. A 1955 bus came with 30HP! talk about being under-powered. Got 6 friends and wanna go up a hill? Better be in first gear and have two friends push lol...

- Sitting in one literally feels like sitting in tin can.

By all accounts an under-powered finicky piece of crap. However, a piece of crap that many love. As it brings nostalgia of family outings, road trips, vacations, and even memories of being broken down on the side of the road that somehow bring a smile.


http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/05/autos/vw-bus-auction/


With that being said, I never prescribed to the notion of it's a rotary and therefore people will be deterred from it in the future. Collectible cars are not about practicality (or in rotary terms reliability) because they are not purchased for everyday drivers. Rather they are purchased because they bring out passion and nostalgia to those that love them.

Fritz Flynn

iTrader: (263)

I've had a tendency to have these exact same thoughts and then I remember why I love this car and it's not just about the looks or it's handling ability. It's the engine; how smooth and effortlessly that 1.3 liter delivers power, the myriad of turbo and exhaust sounds etc... I EFFING LOVE EVERY ASPECT OF THIS CRAZY LITTLE ENGINE!!!! which is why I'd pay 50k plus for an FD in 10 years if I no longer owned one and I won't be the only one.

I can't wait to drive my FD home tonight and that's after 15 years of driving them. If I daily drove any other sports car I doubt I'd still feel the same way 15 years later and that alone says just how special this little car is.

VTECthis

iTrader: (4)

I don't know if reliability is going to be a factor or not, considering that some of the great sports cars of the past were complete pieces of junk mechanically. Jaguar, Ferrari, early porsches, Lamborghinis, etc. The main thing about some of these cars, is that when they are running correctly, there is little else like them out there, similar to the FD.

roondawg

iTrader: (1)

I'd add that the rotary makes the car. 5k gets you a rebuilt motor. I just paid 4k for a trans for my wife's car. I'd say all in all engines aren't crazy expensive. I hope values go up so someday I can recoup all I spent on fb's over the last 20 years.

SA3R

That is the issue I see. You WILL see the prices rise for these cars. Come back to this thread in five years time and we will not be wrong.

The problem is, some of the cars have been modified very poorly/tastelessly. Tacky, awful body kits, poor or messy turbocharger installations, battery relocations. Gaudy interiors done cheaply. Bad wiring. Ebay parts, gauges sprouting out of the interiors, terrible wheels added. Fart can exhausts. Fast & furious parts from China, plasti-dipped things, etc.

I can't talk. But the fact is, you would not slap an Ebay body kit onto a 1969 Dodge Charger or a Porsche 911. What makes it okay to desecrate the FD?

if you're going to make a track-only race car, fine, chop one to death and live with your choice (please choose a low spec or basket case car for this purpose though ) But the real collectability is in the restored, low mileage cars which have been well maintained. They will ride the price wave the best.

If I don't have one in a few years (who know what the future will hold) I'd be happy at that point to pay 50 or 65K to get back into one, because there is little else out there like it, and I would NEED an FD in my retirement years.

Spalato

iTrader: (33)

This is the reason why I save every factory part I take off my car. And any mod I do, I make sure to make it 100% reversible. Just in case my grand-grand-grand-son decides to bring it back to stock form, at which point I wont care as I'll be dead, he at least wont have to spend years searching for old FD parts haha, they'll all be stored in the garage. That 'lil bastard better not sell it!

drezjdmrx7

iTrader: (1)

I've owned 2 MKIV Supra's and I can't tell you why their valued so high. People like the idea of a reliable car that can put out astronomical numbers at the dyno. Most of them are accident cars and Targa tops which are awful and creek over every little bump on the road.

I always find myself coming back to an FD. I haven't gone the NSX route because dollar for dollar I'd rather have something faster. Plus there's so many better cars in the market for that kind of price. E92 M3, Porsche Cayman and Lotus Elise.

With the FD there really isn't much in the price range of 13-18k. All I can think of are Scion FRS or Mustangs.

I think the reason why FD's don't pull the premium like the NSX or the Supra is because of the reliability stigma behind it. I can see FD's going for less their aging and there's a lot of backyard specials. To find a well sorted FD is very hard and personally I wouldn't pay more than 18k for any FD. Unless we're talking low mileage and I mean low mileage care like less than 40k R1 SSM/CYM that's it.

I've owned 2 FD's and I'm in the market for a 3rd but it's difficut finding a good one. That doesn't mean i'll pay more when I do because of supply and demand. A product needs to be a good product to command a premium price.

NSX's and Supra's are more reliable than a wood burning stove and FD's aren't even close as far as fit and finish. Performance wise they blow them out of the water. But from a third party standpoint people think i'm nuts for wanting one again.

rx7 SE

iTrader: (5)

You make a good point. Even the classic beetle prices have soared and they need rebuilds just as often as a poorly maintained single turbo FD's. It's the nastalgia that sells it. So I suppose there is a good chance that these values are about to jump very high. The poor success of the Rx8 is only going to increase the value of the FD as people will want to get that to feel the Mazda's one and only true and pure sports car (so far).

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

the Rx8's reputation is undeserved, its almost the easiest car i've ever worked on, and i've had 3 in the last 2.5 years, and haven't had to do more than a clutch, radiator, and some coils. what 100,000 mile car doesn't need one or two of those things?

i'm actually disappointed i haven't had to do an engine yet, its like drinking your first beer, or you first kiss or something,

my dad bought a VW van new in 1971, engine blew up @12,000miles.

my brother has a 1985 golf, and it is the worst car ever. not only is it totally unreliable, but if you think finding someone to work on the FD is hard, try an 80's vw, mechanics literally run away from it

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

that is a good way to put it, they made 266,000 Rx8's in a 9 year model run. the NC miata has also been around for 9 years, and they have sold ~50,000 of them.

rx7 SE

iTrader: (5)

Going to need you to site your source for that one.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

good call, actually i think the 266,000 figure is global, and the miata figure is US.

Mazda RX-8 Sales Figures - GOOD CAR BAD CAR

Mazda MX-5 Miata Sales Figures - GOOD CAR BAD CAR

i've got about ~79,000 miatae vs 73k Rx8's in the US. i can't find a global number for the NC miata.

00SPEC

iTrader: (9)

Quoted For Truth! I am trying as well, and it is hard when it is not your main shin-dig like some of these other members eheh

00SPEC

iTrader: (9)

I believe actually, we meant that FD Owners rarely part with the car in better condition than when they received it, generally of course.

Though, I think this was a much more relevant statement in the previous decade---these cars are so rare now...and kids are ruining S2000's now instead


regardless, valid points u make!

Fritz Flynn

iTrader: (263)

The S2k is another great car that will be a classic

Those same kids will be the ones buying FDs and S2Ks in 20 or 30 years and restoring them. How the world turns LOL

rx7 SE

iTrader: (5)

Bump from the dead....


So with the FD getting close to 25 years old I suppose we're going to start seeing imported RHD cars from Japan/Australia etc...has anyone considered how this will effect the resale value of the US models as the newer imported models start to hit the states?