Mazda has had success with the Miata restoration program, and are starting into the "other cars", presumably the FD/SA22C (expect a list mid-2020)

if i may ask, given that the factory restored 91-93 Miata is $43k, how much would the FD cost? and what does that do to value of the rest of them?

 

$55-65k? Just a guess based on model stratification.

edit: Did that super cherry car pull $70k? Seems like a showroom fresh resto could get close to that.

 

well at least it has an aircraft quality boost gauge!

 

I'm interested in this low mile R1 that was recently posted. To my experts - is this over spray from potential paintwork
or is this just undercoating that has worn off exposing the original paint ?

 

That looks like road grime/dirt.

 

It's impossible to be certain from just that picture - could be one of the two possibilities you mentioned or just road grime as the other guy mentioned. More close up, well lit pictures might help, but you would really need to physically inspect it to be sure. Grime would wipe off pretty easily with a wet rag, and either of the other conditions would become obvious on inspection too.

 

Tough time of year for Bring a Trailer, but this one just popped up:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1993-mazda-rx-7-91/

 

I love silver/red, and the mechanical/reliability mods he's done, but something seems off about that one. Shows more like 50k+ miles. Maybe its just because it's dirty. And what the heck is under the floor mat? Either the floor mat disintegrated prematurely or he used it to transport nose candy at some point.... He must not own a vacuum cleaner. Still like the car though.

 

Are the prices up all over the board or just on mint ones?
Say a "not trashed" mostly stock twin with a decent black interior, how much would that be expected to go for?
(It needs to start and run for registration)

 

Prices are generally up across the board, but the mid-high market it seeing the biggest swing. The cost of a quality refurbishment, in part, drives the price gap between a #1 and #3 car. #1's are harder to find, and #3's are more expensive to restore. Just my $0.02. And, when @Fritz Flynn talks about the sunken cost in a "good" car with higher miles, which needs a lot of servicing, he ain't lying.

Anyways, a good car with no overt issues ought to bring at least $20k these days, maybe more. Hard to say without seeing the specific example.

edit: That silver car on BAT might be a good buy, if you can flip all those nice parts and take it back to bone stock.

 

Yep more than ever smart money buys a well kept low mileage bone stock car if your intention is to keep it long term.

If you want a SSM/red FD this is likely a very good choice. I suspect it will sell for under 40k but this market is crazy so who knows.

 

93-94 had the pinch weld seam painted black, the 1995-2003 cars are body color.

just to dot the i, the car was painted body color, and then the pinch weld gets painted on a 93-94, the floor will be body color

 

Can definitely vouch for this. That's how mine is for both the floor and pinch weld seam ('93 original paint).

 

Silver/red on BAT sold for $30,250

 

​​​​​​​That was a weird one.

 

So cheap, return it to stock and flip it in a few months for a nice gain.

 

I would have guessed $42-45k if it had stock wheels. Great buy for whoever got it.

 

I agree.

Low mileage, rare ssm/red with some nice mods.

Great buy unless the current market is softening but I think that's doubtful given the current supply. Demand however is ever changing and hard to predict?

 

Demand is hard to predict for sure, but its hard to see a negative turn or even a softening for nicer FD's. The economy is showing historic highs in terms of family take home pay, stock market earnings, and employment. Combined with record consumer confidence this all suggests that people are more able to buy than before. I think you have been right that prices will continue to increase for nicer cars.

 

I think the mods, wheels, non-current registration, and lack of demonstrated mechanical pedigree were what kept it low. Auctions are hard on a car with a sketch rep. Apathetic seller (who doesn't drive/register their working FD in 10+ years?) let the car down. Didn't seem to care.

 

There is always more to the story..... I need this economic run to continue for 5-6 more years to truly be set with the company I purchased earlier this year. However, there are several signs showing some bubbles are out there. Luckily the housing market regulations, as much as this administration disliked them, has stopped that bubble this time. I hope others continue to believe in this economic bliss and ignore the fact we have doubled our national debt in a decade with

no end in sight.

 

The previous administration was no better so don’t think I’m taking sides. I’ve benefited greatly from both administrations personally and in my career. I just think we are headed down a road similar to the early 2000s.

 

Yeah the auto loan market and consumer behavior is crazy. 8 year auto loans haha, and the ability to roll the debt still owed on a trade in into the new loan.

Used to be a trade in helped cover a down payment, not add more debt to something someone already can't afford.

 

Adding negative equity to auto loans has been going on for quite some time. I had a buddy after high school who rolled negative equity on top of negative equity buying car after car he couldn't afford. This was 20 years ago.

 

EXACTLY. Consumer confidence is super high, Big housing boom, interest rates are still low, but the government continues to pile on the national debt. There are telltale signs. I don't mean to derail this thread at all but I think the mild downturn of the rx7 market is not just due to the winter. I notice in my business a mild lack of growth this past year. I hope I'm wrong.