H_M

iTrader: (7)

The prices will probably go up. Everything JDM up here has skyrocketed since the R32 became legal to import in to the US.

A year ago you could get a clean R32 GTR for $10-$12k CDN in Canada. Now people are asking $15K for their ragged out ones and close to $20k for clean ones. FD prices have gone up by 50% too. It's hard to find a clean, well running rhd FD for under $15k CDN now whereas you could get the same car for $10k a year ago. A lot of people are already asking $15-$20k CDN or more for their rhd FDs up here.

A good rhd FD will probably be selling for around $20K CDN shortly after the rhd ones become legal to import in to the US. The LHD ones will be worth more because they are more desirable, feel more familiar, and are rarer.

Narfle

iTrader: (16)

It will probably have more of an impact on late model parts availability stateside than sale prices.
It may impact the low-end market, but after shipping it's still in line with entry level FD prices here in the states.
Just a few more sketchy FDs running around with the steering wheel on the wrong side.

US collectors want legit LHD US spec nice FDs. At least until spirit Rs and bathurst models are available. And those will be priced to the US market for nice FDs.
If anything it will raise the tides in the east.

PPL who drive RHD cars in the US buy their parts on ebay. They don't actually define the real FD market.
Old dudes who want stock cars do. And btw, they hate all modifications.


EDIT: There's this perception that value drops because non 25 year cars are prohibitively difficult and expensive to legally import into the US. It's not that R34's actually are worth 100k. It's that the process of getting it here on the up and up accounts for half of that or more. It's not the car that dumps value after 25yrs, it's the import process.

F1Eng

1995 Mazda RX-7 TWIN TURBO! RARE! ONLY 29000 KMS! | used cars & trucks | City of Toronto | Kijiji

Just gonna leave this here.

A LHD 1995 MB untouched with under 30,000 kms!

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

^from the link above

JUST ONE OWNER AND WITH ONLY 29500 ORIGINAL KILOMETRES THIS HIGH PERFORMANCE SPEEDSTER WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THRILLING DAYS AND EXHILARATING NIGHTS OF INSPIRED MOTORING!........NEVER WINTER DRIVEN AND WILL MELT COLD HEARTS AND TURN STUBBORN HEADS! FOR THE TRUE ENTHUSIAST AT HEART, THIS COLLECTOR GRADE RX7 CAN BE YOUR FOR $ 39900 CERTIFIED AND E PASSED PLUS HST AND LICENSE

I love it!!! Hell, my '93 MB may go up for auction in 2020...... I'm planning to drive it when I visit NJ during the holidays. Can do that for years and keep the mileage below 3000

quichedem

iTrader: (4)

Is that in Canadian dollars? If so, that's $30683.93 US. Might not be too far-fetched for a low-mileage peach like that. Even has the battery cover!

Narfle

iTrader: (16)

Yes, it's CAD. I'd expect an apple-apples base to ask US$35k and an r2 to go US$40k.
Would be interested to see what Rich's ultra-low-mile '93 fetched. Bout the same as this example, maybe some more?
The top side of the market isn't slipping, for sure. Harder and harder to find stockers in primo condition.

bmwtmx

I have followed the collector market since the 1990's and have bought and sold a few cars for profit. Lots of Porsche's although I did have a few others. With that in mind I have a pristine 94 RX7 R2 with 30k miles that is bone stock. I am a firm believer that FD RX7's will appreciate as the number of cars that currently exist with low mileage, unabused and in stock form is tiny. Once you reach that threshold these cars always go up.

If you are comparing any collectible car to a new car you are missing the point. Why does a Porsche 930 with low miles cost more than a new 911 Turbo when clearly the new Turbo will destroy the old car in every conceivable metric? Why is the most expensive car in the world slower than a new Camry? You are buying a piece of automotive history that will never exist again. Carmakers wills never offer these types of cars again due to emissions, safety, etc. Need we mention that there are virtually no manuals any longer? The value is always going to be with stock cars with no paintwork and solid service history. I know of a couple of low mileage R2's that have sold in the mid-$40k range and there were plenty of buyers who wanted them but just felt the time wasn't right. I could easily see these cars at $60k in 2 years.

quichedem

iTrader: (4)

Just saw this, from bringatrailer:

Bone-Stock w/ 18K Miles: 1994 Mazda RX-7 5-Speed | Bring a Trailer

The original craigslist link is gone, but BAT says it was listed at 23.

bmwtmx

This car sold in 1 day. Whenever you have quickly appreciating assets (cars here) there will always be sellers who are not aware and sell for what they think the car is worth. See it all the time. And performance variants of the same car will always sell for a lot more than the regular cars. In our case the R1/R2 will always be the most collectible and will command the highest premiums. Think 911 GT3, Ferrari Stradale, Alex Zenardi NSX, etc. Just the nature of the beast.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

I hear what you are saying and I agree with you. But IMO anyone who pays a premium over other comparable FD's just because it is an R1/R2 model (not being a CYM) is getting ripped off. Reason being is that the R models are pretty much the same version as all other FD's. Except they have extremely minor differences: such as a strut bar, extra oil cooler, suede seats, stiffer struts, lip spoiler, and no sunroof a big wow... In the case of the porsche, ferrari, at least they are truly a performance upgrade over the regular versions. The NSX IMO is justified as it is actually a is vary rare model (only 50 made).

In that same breath... The collectible market is all about passion not practicality.

bmwtmx

Truth is it doesn't matter what you or I think, it's just a fact that people will pay serious coin for a limited edition car if it has performance add-ons from the factory.

The Zanardi NSX was all suspension with the major difference being no power steering. Is that worth $100k-$150k more than a regular NSX today?

On the opposite end, the Alpina BMW Z8 came with a detuned motor, an automatic transmission, softer suspension, and bigger 20" wheels and costs nearly double what a regular FASTER Z8 with a 6 speed goes for.

I am just saying that as these cars appreciate the R1/R2 will be the one's that collectors will pay a premium for.

Littleguy

iTrader: (5)

I would think that both R1 and Base 5-speeds would be the most desired examples by about equal proportions.

Narfle

iTrader: (16)

I think the, generally, ascending pecking order probably goes as follow, take it with a grain of salt...

Touring - sunroof not racecar, bose system eats up space and hard to repair
PEG/PEP - sunroof not racecar
Base - no sunroof is racecar/rare/+headroom, cloth seats best(maybe some like suede better?), no appearance package(lip good, spoiler debatable)
R1/R2 - no sunroof is racecar/rare/+headroom, oil cooler, strut bar, appearance package, suede seats better than leather

93 - can has CYM, bad plastic finish, worse interior color scheming(door panels, headliner, rear quarters, trunk div match seat and carpet but not dash)
94/95 - better plastic finish, better color scheming(all black interior panels), better gas tank, better rear subframe, other stuff? No CYM...

Just sayin, a 93 MBM base is not in the same ballpark as a BB/CW R2.
But neither is a 93 touring in the same class as a 93 base.
Or a 93 base vs 94 base.
Or a 94 base vs a 94 R2
It's a complicated market if you know your options.

Maybe the average buyer doesn't care. But, we're talking about top market.
So, I assume they've done some homework.

djseven

iTrader: (56)

Difference of opinion. I believe anyone who buys a yellow car got ripped off no matter what they pay. I always prefer the R1/R2s over the base/touring, especially for a stock or nearly stock car. If its one that is going to get heavily modified then it doesnt matter.

h_turbo

I wonder how much mine is worth, it is all stock all original with 22K miles. I have put less than 300 miles in two years on that car.

Littleguy

iTrader: (5)

This was a great breakdown, thanks!

Montego

iTrader: (1)

Quoted for truth because people will pay for limited edition cars. But we should clarify that the R1/R2 isn't a limited edition it's just a different option package. Now the Spirit-R on the other hand is a limited edition...

Oh totally on the difference of opinion. But to clarify my comment is not really about the color: I understand paying the premium on a CYM not because it's yellow (it could be green with pink polkadots) but it's because that is the only true attribute that isn't easily bolted on in addition to being extremely identifiable. Personally I'm not a fan of CYM FDs (mine is not CYM) but I get it on why people seek them out.

On a side note: Interesting thing about having a yellow car is that it gets violent reactions from people. For the most part they either absolutely love them or they absolutely hate them.

Edit-
I don't know, maybe I'm being too practical... because I don't see them as anything remarkable (especially when one can turn a base model into an R model with a screw driver and a crescent wrench) but maybe people will pay a premium for a car just so that can say it's an R model.

Narfle

iTrader: (16)

I have a base that I'm intent on converting close to R spec(add factory oil cooler, strut bar, front lip). I like my base seats and don't want a rear wing at this time.
But, I do believe top market is going to pay for originality and associated options.
It's easy enough to drop a hemi in a mopar, but it doesn't bring the same money on the block.

Bruce Hornsby wrote a song about it

Montego

iTrader: (1)

^lol I hate that song.

I guess the question is will the masses be in consensus on what options are the ones to have? Because as it stands today, we are all pretty divided on what we prefer.

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

.......the community can think what it wants, but the real money (and the serious sports car collectors) aren't really within the community. No offense to anyone, because if you're reading this then we're probably all in the same community

bmwtmx

Oddly enough, I may list my FD for sale soon as I have too many cars and don't drive any enough. More frustratingly, 2 of my cars are stored someplace else so the whole thing is getting to be a pain. Need to decide which car(s?) will sell and the FD may be one. So this thread and all the commentary may be tested and can see if they do get decent money.

roondawg

iTrader: (1)

Just ran into a collector that just returned from a collector car seminar put on by Hagerty. He told me the fd is on the "ready to explode" list. I figured he was talking engines...lol

He mentioned selling one would be regrettable in the next few years. Maybe good things are coming for rotary faithful that lost tons of money on our passion.