When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
good point Redbul, i never thought that if a blown motor was involved, the turbos could be trashed as well.!
Originally Posted by Redbul
A local RHD with blown motor might be a fourth option. If that car already has its BC registry and has had a VI, you could stand to save several thousands compared to the other options.
Abbotsford rotary shop is pre-rebuilding 13bs, so you could swap your blown one and be back on the road in a week.
I think the $5-6 thousand you are speaking of for a "rebuild" would only encompass the engine. You may find you need a new turbo solution. So another $5000.
There is a built 94 RHD for $9000 for sale in Quebec. Claims new motor. Transport from Quebec maybe $1300 (?). Don't know what VI issues you might have here. But seems like a good car to add to the BC fleet. Claims to have low chassis KM. So other parts may have some life left on them.
From my understanding importing a USDM to the CNDM makes it an "import" , and in case of a collision and get a salvage title , its next to impossible to have a Rebuild Title.
Like JDM car that gets a salvage title in Canada , they are parts car now.
I might be wrong , and I hope I am,but that's my understanding.
i have been looking extensively into this.. here is a quote from the RIV web page and a link. good info here when importing a salvageable car or a parts only car.
"Salvage or rebuilt salvage vehicles can be licensed in Canada provided the original damage was not flood-related and the vehicle is admissible under Transport Canada’s List of Vehicles Admissible from the United States. All licensing jurisdictions in Canada require a second rigorous structural integrity inspection for U.S. salvage vehicles to verify that the necessary repairs have been done to make the vehicle road safe."
Speaking as someone who had an r32 GTR and who's friends all were early adopters and owned/modified/blew up r32 gtr's when they were first legal, none of us really understood what the US market would do now. This would've been 2006/7/8 FYI but I actually didn't own my skyline until 2010 and it wasn't a clean one anyways TBH.
Three factors have impacted this:
-the crash of 08 leading to a lot of "collector" and "toy" cars flooding the market
-raw cars appreciating in value due to oems building more techno-driven cars, see any air cooled porsche for reference lol
-the US now being able to import early 90's JDM cars
Here is where I don't think the Rx7 is that special though. Lot's of enthusiasts and fans and people in automotive culture know the car, like the way the car looks, appreciate the history of the car (although all of mazdas wins were earned via FB/FC's lol) but WON'T buy the car. They don't want to learn rotaries, or deal with it. They'll pass right along and go get a Supra, Skyline, Silvia, ANYTHING ELSE before a rotary. And the people who want rotaries typically enjoy driving them.
So yah, if you want, buy these all up, put them under covers, and garage queen your way to "investment" class. My opinion is, go to the bank and ask about ETF's instead. Rx7's are meant to be driven and enjoyed. My guess is that in 40 years when the boomers all die their kids' kids won't want the rx7's or air cooled porsches anymore than you probably a 1929 Model T. It will be obsolete.
Where's the fun in not driving a car built to be driven anyways?
I do not know well the demographic of the Collector Car enthusiast, but I suspect many already own all the ETFs they need.
No doubt RX7 owners are a niche market.
What we are seeing on the West Coast is a move by long time owners of stock, or near stock, LHD, moving to kit up their cars. This seems more for personal satisfaction, than waiting for the collectors to scoop up the cars.
Also we should be mindful that there is a young generation who have been, and are, driving RX7 for hours everyday and night (without leaving their living rooms).
With Spirit R and Bathurst Late Runs selling at, or close to, Y3,000,000 at auction, the base Type RB are being pulled up, especially if in good condition. Car looks identical on the outside save for badging.
Sale this week in Japan is example. This car had relatively high KM (119,000) but was graded 4 with a B interior. Went for Y1,490,000; Which would likely translate to over C$20,000 landed and registered in Vancouver.
The Type RB had a carry forward of the 265 hp set up established in late 1995 for the 1996 model year. The R and RS had the 280 hp set up. The Type RB Special Edition had some of the upgraded cosmetic equipment of the R and RS. Here is a summary of the different models of S8.
Can anyone confirm if it was only the 1999 Series 8 RB (ver 5) that had the lower power Series 7 engines in them ? If the later Ver 6 - 00 onwards we’re all the 280 hp engines?
I have not posted here for some time. Nor have I looked at the auction action in Japan. So today was quite a surprise . Prices for the highest end FD have quadrupled. For Type RB maybe up 250%. here is a table I made from the raw Japan auction data. I note most of the Type RB sold were grade "R".
Most of these examples are relatively high kilometres for JDM; and rated grade R, they are not quite among the upper tiers of available cars. Local pricing asks of $40,000 (about) for cars with rebuilt engines does not seem so farfetched given what is going on at the fountain of used FD.
Quebec
