Don't worry, FD parts prices are already climbing fast. For someone looking to keep their cars long-term, I would suggest buying some essential items (like whatever interior parts are left) new from Mazda, while they're still available. The pace and the extent of the offerings from the Heritage Program have been pretty underwhelming so far, and I'm hoping that is just due to the pandemic.

 

20k Mile 94 R1 RX7FD just listed.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1994-mazda-rx-7-50/

 

You beat me to it, was just about to mention it but it's actually a base model. Very clean, thinking this will hit $55k+

 

This is the exact car I bought new in February 1995. Hmmm. Beautiful car. Marc suggests it will hit $55,000. Unless there are issues with the car that are not immediately apparent, this one could go for over $75,000, imho.

 

I feel like it has a solid chance to hit 55 and would not be surprised if it hit 60k. I would be a little surprised to see it go to 75 but would definitely be cool to see it hit that number. Going to be fun to watch.

 

Yeah, definitely will be fun to watch. My initial thought was $60K+, but who knows with the way prices have been trending. I can tell you if I didn't have pretty much the same car (with ALOT more miles) in the garage I'd be bidding on this one. Only potential issue I can see is it apparently sat for 17 or 18 years based on the carfax. So there may be some recommissioning work required at a minimum. Hate to say it but I suspect he stole this from his uncle

 

More media on 90s Japan cars gonna keep raising prices.
Everyday driver compared the RX-7, 300zx and Supra this morning on Motortrend.
Love seeing the 7 on the big screen, she looks timeless compared to her rivals!

 

What a great comparo! Anyone know how to access this content without a subscription to the cable channel?

I have followed these guys off and on since the early days when they did their first 300ZX review and would love to hear their opinions on all three of these cars.

 

One of my favorite small Youtube channels also has a lot of good FD RX-7 review content and comparison with other cars. He has a lot of track experience so the impressions he gives about each of the cars are usually pretty useful.

He has made 5-6 videos featuring local Bay Area FDs for review, this comparison with the 350Z, Lotus Elise, and S2000 is the most recent.

 

I lost all confidence in that review the minute he started talking about how much he liked the parallel turbo conversion vs sequential. If you driven both (properly functioning and same boost level), parallel is not an improvement. That is just internet myth from 15 years ago from people that couldn't/didn't want to maintain the sequential system.

 

I went parrallel after restoring the sequential. Never could get it to stay out of limp mode. Best shop around here refuses to do sequential.

My deciding factor was, how long can you trust a 25 year old ecu full of a zillion 1980s transitors and what-not?

I'd like to go back and I have the parts to do so, but.......

 

That was my point. People typically go parallel because they can't get sequential to work, it is not a performance benefit as the "experienced" person in the video claims and spreads to less informed individuals.

"Best shop" is pretty vague. A shop like IRP, Banzai, several others seem to manage it pretty well.

 

Converting to single turbo was probably the best thing I ever did. She’s been single turbo for over 20yrs now. Only had to get the turbo refurbished last year. She drives beautifully with the single.
I was never too keen on the stock setup. Don’t get me wrong, she delivers a good punch for those who don’t want to shift out of gear and putting the engine in the right power band. Or for those who just love putting around below 2000rpm . However, anyone who owns our vehicles will quickly realize the party doesn’t really start till the 2nd turbo kicks in.

Still, if I were to find a stock vehicle, the first thing I’d probably do is convert it to single.

 

Beautiful car. Low miles, all black interior and with the battery cover! Should fetch a pretty penny. I'm thinking $63k

Yup as Marcz55 said not an R car. Since it has cruise control, cloth seats, single oil cooler, no R lip, and no strut bar. But it doesn't really matter, the car looks pretty damn good.

Also as an FYI - R1 cars are only 93's model years. R2 cars are 94/95 cars.

 

Wait... Was this the car that made the spread on an issue of Road and Track? Circa 1999.... It had chrome mirrors. I remember the main picture with you behind the wheel, but i don't recall if it was R&T and whether it was the cover...

 

Petit Racing is a master mind with sequential fds.

 

Do those houses stay with the original ecu , or have they a favored aftermartket ecu that can run the sequential?

By "Best Shop" I mean the Best Shop in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada.

 

I'd say most common is PFC for those on sequential twins. Then probably haltech elite seems the second most common, but a lot more advanced. And people investing that much in an ecu seem to be going for bigger power with single turbo.

 

So how would a car value be affected by a pfc running the sequential, and everything else stock?

 

Of course it won't go as much as an all stock original model. That's just the way the game is when it comes to collectables.
However, for the person who actually understands a little about our cars, if they manage to obtain one slightly cheaper than an all stock model, I don't see how that's a bad thing..

2 factors always affect every vehicle regardless of where they come from. Originality and mileage. Look at all those examples of original FD's barely having 10k km/s on the clock. That thing hasn't been driven at all! You're looking at a 27-28yr old vehicle that'll probably have to go thru a major restoration of parts if you attempt to drive it the way it was meant too. Sure, the clock might say 10k km's, but time ages everything! I do mean everything. Won't be a factor if all you want to do is purchase something and have it in a garage or a bubble.

These are things I'll never understand. Imagine owning a vehicle for over 1/4 century and not driving it because you want to sell it for the exact same price, if not slightly higher, than it was originally offered?? Clearly everyone has way more money and more time than I have ever had.. must be nice to be so privilaged.. lol

 

If everything else is stock then there is no need for a PFC. stock ecu will run a stock car just fine. So no impact to value. Main issues with sequential reliability is not the ecu, it's maintaining/replacing the vacuum hoses, solenoids, and wiring/connectors from getting brittle or failing over time.

 

Most amateur collectors have no idea what they are doing - and ignore the opportunity cost of the money invested in the car.

If you invested $33k (the cost of an FD) in a low-cost S&P 500 index fund in 1993, you'd have $500k by now (with dividend reinvestment and ignoring tax). Enough for two GT3 RSes!

 

A collector’s primary reason for collecting is…..collecting, not making money.

Collecting cars purely for the sake of making money will always be a losing proposition (compared to more “traditional” investing), but I don’t think I’ve ever met a car collector who does it for that reason. It’s a cool perk that helps justify it to your spouse.

I’m sure Jay Leno could have been worth $100-200 million more if he didn’t collect so many cars and instead invested that money in various ways, but what’s the fun in that…?

 

But maybe the investor already had $500,000 in 1993.

If you wanted to buy a car as a work of art, the FD certainly fits the bill.

Somehow the Mazda engineers snuck an art piece in among the box cars.

Why besmirch it by actually driving (it)?

Ironically, on purpose, or otherwise, we all tend to be more art collectors , than drivers of these cars.

 

Right—how much is *enough* ?

At some point you need to have fun.