Opinion from everyone I am sure, but wondering views on japanese classic car collectability?
They seem to be increasing by rarity (what is left and not dead!) and the global market now being able to access (ie Australia, UK & US seem to have picked up their markets for them)
Car I am looking at is an early Subaru WRX - stock factory spec, well looked after with history - not abused or modified (rare in itself).
Is a limited factory version not the regular model (STi RA lightweight, rally spec with roof vent, controllable diff etc etc).
Just wanting a view really as am considering retiring the Ducati fleet so would love a sunday driver with some attitude that can still take the family out when needed and be on the upwards trend value wise.
Cheers
sw20,
Sep 16, 4:44am
Yep. These were a sub $10k car five years ago. You would be lucky to get a good one for $20k now. Give it 10 years and these will be $50k.
bigfatmat1,
Sep 16, 7:32am
Imo the money is with sti wrx.
richardmayes,
Sep 16, 8:23am
Subaru WRXs have more motorsport heritage in this part of the world, than most of the other 90s Jap turbos that are all starting to be on the up and up in value now.
By rights those things *should* come to be seen as the RX-3 or the RS Escort of their generation. if they aren't already. (IMHO as someone who takes it easy in old English classics!).
sport_billy,
Sep 20, 6:30am
Thanks guys
Agree, seem to climbing up price wise and great history in rallying obviously
toenail,
Sep 20, 7:02am
only collect something that is low km's and unmodded that is 100% OEM.
sw20,
Sep 20, 7:10am
Low kms isn't a deal breaker when it's a desirable and scarce car.
serf407,
Sep 20, 8:39am
Yes the subaru would be in the collectible category. Ok if driving by yourself. The impreza of that era is a bit of a baked bean tin if dented by a current day ute/ suv tank, so you might find something else for journeys with passengers. If using the older japnese cars, might look at using modern ecu, pmu etc and keep the originals in your cupboard, and a few other things like that, original rims stored etc.
ash4561,
Sep 20, 9:09am
Sorry not my thread but what is the collectability or value of a 4 cylinder lc holden torana.
msigg,
Sep 20, 9:17am
Hi ash4561, that vehicle will be worth approx 10k if good condition.
incar.,
Sep 20, 6:41pm
I have inspected 2 Type R STi recently for an Australian client. buyer found a cleaner vehicle in the u.k. around 30k plus here but 50-70K in Aussie depending on originality.
International buyers are fairly active in purchasing from Nz stock, I remember watching someone cut up a semi-perfect Rx3 in the late nineties with an axe. long story.
marte,
Sep 20, 9:14pm
I swapped a Honda MVX250 for a car stereo. It's now a seriously collectable motorbike.
As for my Nissan Leopard TRX 2 door.
sw20,
Sep 21, 3:34am
My BC5 RS Legacy now lives in Yorkshire. It was exported last year. I sold it about seven years ago for sweet fanny adams.
djrandomguy,
Sep 22, 6:37pm
I find it weird that the car that dethroned the WRX and EVO on the world stage, the mighty 206WRC isn't held in the same regard. You don't get anything near the Power of the Jap rockets in road going guise for sure, but the 206 is still a maligned car. It did after all win almost every time it turned up and we're still talking rally pedigree for the cars it beat. Maybe with time, 205Gti prices have gone mental if you can find one much like the car you're seeking.
sw20,
Sep 23, 3:11am
The 206 wasn’t the same car as the WRC version. They weren’t even 4wd. The WRXs and EVOs were close enough to the same vehicle.
djrandomguy,
Sep 23, 3:53am
Yes I understand, but the almost 0% reverence doesn't stack with it's "pedigree" as mentioned earlier. The WRC cars produced a hell of lot more power in any marquee. and while this may be achievable from an EVO or STi machine my point is that the 206 carries the same if not more "pedigree" by virtue of it's dominance but is shunned by history.
meow_mix,
Sep 23, 9:15am
While the WRX and STi are lovely cars, the RA model may not be the nicest car to live with, in case anyone's interested RA stands for Race Altered, it was a stripped out lightweight version of the WRX, so usually no aircon or electric windows etc, so a case of more badge, less car. I'm sure mint low kms examples would be worth quite a bit.
elect70,
Sep 23, 12:40pm
Id still like a corrolla SR2 coupe dont see any for sale much
richardmayes,
Sep 24, 12:17pm
Unfortunately 206 that you can buy is a fairly girly, 2wd, auto hatchback, or a cabrio for ladies of a certain age who want to head down to the boulevard for lunch. Not really a car that will appeal to people who care about rallying, driving and fast cars in general.
I'm sure there was a manual, more cowbell model in the 206 lineup somewhere, and hot hatches are cool too but it's not even a shadow of the 4WD turbo WRC car.
Whereas the WRX and EVO you could buy had a lot more than just the silhouette of the rally car.
sport_billy,
Sep 25, 1:05am
Cheer’s for comments all,
If those Pugs had half the real world charm of the Jap WRC cars agreed, sadly like noted most are just cooking models linked via association with the model name.
A number of STI/RA models came with factory option air con/electric windows etc, so not a concern - the appeal of a ‘raw’ vehicle outweighs today’s mod cons and comfort per se as wouldn’t be a daily driver - just a fun vehicle
bwg11,
Sep 25, 9:34am
A friend drives a one owner 2006 "pig nose" WRX and has had several over 20k offers recently, so they certainly are appreciating. No, it is not for sale, these were just approaches. IMO, the WRX is a very useable appreciating classic.
framtech,
Nov 14, 12:50pm
certain models can be worth heaps, look at the 1200 , 1600 2 door pl510 datsun and the 240Z, the RX2 and RX3 RX7 mazda and the hot early toyota starlets, those old rocketships are worth buckets of money now, problem with the heavy super roo is the shitty engine thats runs its bearing if you flog it around the corners (remember to overfill the oil) and the only one to own would be a homologated wrc turbo model. The 1260kg RA would be better turned into a club car and thrashed over some gravel roads.
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