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About a year after I bought my FD (in July of '93) my brother and I were at a local car show and they had a Supra on display. Gave me a chance to sit in the car and look it over closely. My conclusion then, and even more true today, was that the FD was a way better looking car both inside and out. To me the Supra was bloated on the outside, boring wheel design, and the interior dash was plain and uninspired. I'm sure the interior material quality was better (how couldn't it be) but I walked away with no regret having the FD in my garage.
About a year after I bought my FD (in July of '93) my brother and I were at a local car show and they had a Supra on display. Gave me a chance to sit in the car and look it over closely. My conclusion then, and even more true today, was that the FD was a way better looking car both inside and out. To me the Supra was bloated on the outside, boring wheel design, and the interior dash was plain and uninspired. I'm sure the interior material quality was better (how couldn't it be) but I walked away with no regret having the FD in my garage.
^Agree 100%. If the FD had one fault, it's that the interior quality, fit & finish was crap, even in comparison to the prior generation RX7's like the FC. I know Mazda was obsessed with weight savings when they designed the FD, but damn, making the plastics maybe a little bit thicker and have better finishes/textures doesn't add that much weight and would have made the cabins much nicer to live with. Especially when Mazda was marketing the FD as it's up market halo car (they had the Miata for sports car buyers on a budget).
Pretty interesting last few listings.. i think most felt the 95 would clear $50k including myself. Imagine that.. a touring MB with tan interior had the highest of the 3 🤔
The Bring a trailer data shows a clear floor of US$20,000 since last year, but the $25,000 hurdle has still applied in many case. Median trend is likely breaching $30,000.
Last edited by Redbul; Apr 13, 2021 at 12:50 AM.
Reason: added info.
The Bring a trailer data shows a clear floor of US$20,000 since last year, but the $25,000 hurdle has still applied in many case. Median trend is likely breaching $30,000.
YEP, again I started this thread because I was seeing a lot FDs listed for 30k plus with 100k plus miles and stupid mods. Those same FDs today might sell for 25k.
Low mileage and stock will trump everything else.
The 95 auction was one of the better cars/deals I've seen recently on BAT. The MB was not.
I'm still waiting to see what a really nice low mileage (under 20k miles) base 94 or R2 sells for at this time. The current collector/used car market is in a bubble so hopefully we'll see something decent sell soon to get an idea of just how FAT the bubble is.
Pretty interesting last few listings.. i think most felt the 95 would clear $50k including myself. Imagine that.. a touring MB with tan interior had the highest of the 3 🤔
20k less miles on the MB car and completely bone stock. BAT really favors the absolutely stock cars which I guess I understand but also feel sad for the owners. Full bolt on sequential FDs are still a blast to drive after getting out of a newer 911/vette etc. A bone stock FD is far less thrilling.
Couldn't agree more. Bone stock cars are held on a pedestal but a few bolt ons and reliability bits dramatically change the experience for the better. I'm sure there are people that disagree but for me, once you feel the difference there's no going back.
resto-mods usually trail the bone stock category in value and timing. If the current trend keeps ups, you'll eventually see resto-mod (super clean with a few bolt ones) not be penalized quite as much for not being bone stock.
But take that with a grain of salt. I just watch a few Barrett Jackson auctions from time to time, far from and expert.
The 95 auction was one of the better cars/deals I've seen recently on BAT. The MB was not.
I'm still waiting to see what a really nice low mileage (under 20k miles) base 94 or R2 sells for at this time. The current collector/used car market is in a bubble so hopefully we'll see something decent sell soon to get an idea of just how FAT the bubble is.
You had my interest on the VR 95 that just sold on BAT so I had to look it up. Appeared to be a really clean, well set up driver for an enthusiast that doesn't mind tan and a sunroof. Glad to see a modified, moderate mileage touring going for collector grade money. It's a win for all of us.
20k less miles on the MB car and completely bone stock. BAT really favors the absolutely stock cars which I guess I understand but also feel sad for the owners. Full bolt on sequential FDs are still a blast to drive after getting out of a newer 911/vette etc. A bone stock FD is far less thrilling.
Yep no doubt, bone stock lower mileage cars are king on BaT (thus far). I really felt the 95 would hit 50k, last USDM model and far less made but hey that's the magic of an auction.
Don't feel sad tho, I find my stock FD a freaking blast to drive, puts a smile on my face every time I take it out. Not to say a lightly modded one isn't better but just haven't felt the need too....yet.
The topic of the weak interior plastics has come up again (with good reason). But i wonder if anyone on here can recount what the interior felt new, and how quickly the weaknesses began to show.
I have spent considerable time refurbishing my interior and each time I replace an aged piece with a better one, repair broken tabs, eliminate squeaks and rattles, the more solid the car feels. I have spent $10,000 on the motor, $5000 on the suspension, but the time and money spent on making the car feel more like a GT than a racecar, by fixing up the interior, probably has contributed equally to my satisfaction. Going all the way back to stock exhaust, has been a treat. Zoom-zoom!
well my experience is that a bone stock FD, when fresh and running properly, is/was plenty thrilling.
My DD is a bone stock FD with PFS springs and sways and I love driving it. I dread rainy days because I hate rain and because I have to drive the truck.
You had my interest on the VR 95 that just sold on BAT so I had to look it up. Appeared to be a really clean, well set up driver for an enthusiast that doesn't mind tan and a sunroof. Glad to see a modified, moderate mileage touring going for collector grade money. It's a win for all of us.
Yep no doubt, bone stock lower mileage cars are king on BaT (thus far). I really felt the 95 would hit 50k, last USDM model and far less made but hey that's the magic of an auction.
Don't feel sad tho, I find my stock FD a freaking blast to drive, puts a smile on my face every time I take it out. Not to say a lightly modded one isn't better but just haven't felt the need too....yet.
YEP, given the current market the buyer could have done a lot worse.
The topic of the weak interior plastics has come up again (with good reason). But i wonder if anyone on here can recount what the interior felt new, and how quickly the weaknesses began to show.
I have spent considerable time refurbishing my interior and each time I replace an aged piece with a better one, repair broken tabs, eliminate squeaks and rattles, the more solid the car feels. I have spent $10,000 on the motor, $5000 on the suspension, but the time and money spent on making the car feel more like a GT than a racecar, by fixing up the interior, probably has contributed equally to my satisfaction. Going all the way back to stock exhaust, has been a treat. Zoom-zoom!
If you are careful the 94/95 interiors hold up really well. 93 interiors just suck and there is no getting around lots of replacement even if it's just from scratches etc....
When you take apart a 94 or 95 you'll see a lot changes, not just the surface covering of the consoles but things like reinforced trans tunnel cover etc....
If you are careful the 94/95 interiors hold up really well. 93 interiors just suck and there is no getting around lots of replacement even if it's just from scratches etc....
When you take apart a 94 or 95 you'll see a lot changes, not just the surface covering of the consoles but things like reinforced trans tunnel cover etc....
Have to agree on the '93 interior. Even when new it was pretty bad. Closing the door rattled and squeaked even at zero miles. My plastics held up very well until about 2 or 3 years ago, but I was always REALLY careful, and as the only driver all these years I could "manage" their fragility. But in general it was always a noisy interior. I had heard back in the day that the 94's were upgraded in many ways to address these shortcomings. I've never driven a 94, let alone taken one apart, but thanks for confirming, Fritz.
When these cars 1st came out I was at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville driving through the multi level parking lot and on the 1st floor there was a black FD and black Supra sitting side by side. I pulled over put the flashers on and looked at those cars for a good minute. I'll never forget it, and yes, the FD killed it then and remains the GOAT!
we should do a "first time i saw an FD" thread.
mine was either a silver/red touring at a dealership (so i got to sit in it!!!!) or a CYM that had pulled into this entrance to our shopping center,, these would have both been sometime in 1992
First time I saw an FD was in 1994 on the Granville Strip in Vancouver. The strip is about 10 blocks long and has/had one of the greatest concentrations of old style, three story tall, tubular neon signs. It was dark and the neon signs reflected in myriad ways as the BB slid by. It truly looked like Batman was out on the town. The thing is, on a daily basis , I get the same looks of awe, that I made then, as I drive about in town.
Now ,as then, the contrast to the regular crowd of cars, makes the FD really stand out.
Continuing with the OT discussion on interior plastics, there's a '93 Supra on BaT that's about to close (white auto). The interior plastics are pretty trashed on this one, so maybe they weren't all that much better than the FD after all!
Spot the trend
