Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone has recently (last 2 or 3 years) purchased any Japanese classic sports car NOT named Skyline or Supra (we all know those are top dollar cars) Namely cars in the evo price range like the 300ZX twin turbo (or even 350Z), MR2, 3000GT VR4, and such. The listed prices on these cars are pretty high. While i have only driven some of these cars, it seems like the evo is way more of a performance bargain even at the current prices evos are selling for. I have considered selling my evo, but i know i wont stay away from Japanese sports cars and i just wanted to read other evo owners experiences good or bad.

Let me know what you guys think? Thanks!

 

I have not but I am looking into another evo 9 myself. Unless its a skyline r34 gtr, all other gtr's, supra mk4 can be had at basically the same price range as evo 8/9s (at least in Canada). Look at other countries and how they price the evo and youl see that the ct9a is almost certainly under priced in the USA at and is definitely the best buy compared to the other jdm models you mentioned. It is also leaving what used to be its comparable brother the Subaru behind and joining the higher ranks. I guess the car world is starting to realize they aren't as comparable as we thought. The evo is simply much more reliable, rare and attractive. Ive had the chance to drive the gc8 sti type ra for awhile and it just isnt comparable to the evo 8/9. Ive also driven the fd3s and r32 gtr and honestly none compare to the balance of power and handling of an evo. Especially if we are talking about the rs with its reduced weight and helical lsd.

If the evo 6.5 can reach prices of up to 100k what do you think an evo 9 would fetch in another 10 years? They really are today like what 60s/70s classic muscle cars were. I am not sure why some owners are always happy to hear the prices of our cars rising. They aren't stocks and I didn't buy an evo to make money. While it is a sign of our cars becoming more rare and desirable, for us enthusiasts who want to modify and drive our cars it is eventually going to get really annoying with cost to build. Im not looking forward to paying 10k for a pair of oem evo 9 seats. But I guess that's the price of a car slowly becoming a classic.

 

Interesting thoughts, thank you. I agree 100% about not buying the evo as an investment. Unless i havent looked hard enough, here in the us i see mk4 supras well into 60k-80k USD. R32 gtrs seem to be in the 30k-50k. Conpared to an evo 8 which seem to sell fpr 15k-20k for a decent one. Although i have the less desirable 8 compared to the 9, i really enjoyed the time it spent as my daily driver and would be more than happy to daily it again. One of the reasons i have had this car going on 14 years is the reliability, not once has it left me stranded. That last part you mentioned about prices for parts is really the part that worries me and seems to be a problem with the more rare cars. I would love to have an early evo now that they are legal in the US, but again, the whole parts availability and prices is what scares me.
Unless im not looking in the right place, the turbo MR2s ( a bucket list car for me) seem to be in the 15k range which is really about the same as an evo 8 and about 10k less that the evo 9, both cars that would blow the MR2 put of the water.

 

If anybody is interested more in this topic, Speed Academy on YouTube made a great video about the car market happening now. I know the evo doesn't get too much attention but i think we've all seen the prices creeping up. Partly due to inflation and rona. Will it last? Who knows. But for some of the prices out there for these cars, i think the money is better spent elsewhere. The new supra is a great example of bang for the buck performance. Along with mustang gt and the camaro ss. Not to mention the c6 and c5z corvette although those are climbing a bit.

 

are 90's car really considered "classics" already? f*ck I'm old...

 

Having been at a shop in the 90's that worked on 300zx's and 3KGTVR4's, I will never own one. I can't imagine 30+ year old ones.

 

As someone who was in high school in the 80s and wanted a Starion....I have to agree.

 

I can totally see that, which is why i ask who the heck is paying 15k-25k or more for these cars? The car i really want is an Mr2 turbo but no way i am paying 15k for a 150k mile car.

I do ask seriously tho. One thing that would worry me is the price and availability of parts. Genuinely curious. If i do sell my evo, i wont have the intention of buying another one due to the price of them for a clean one even if they are higher mileage. There is just much options at 30k for buying a car.

 

I picked up a yellow AP1 S2000 two years ago for $15k. Completely stock, 1-owner dealer-maintained car purchased from the dealership where it was sold. The prior owner was obviously tame as the car had all-season touring tires on it. It's a very enjoyable car. I know it's not a HP car like the Evo or Supra, but it's a really nice car, and from what I can tell, mine is now worth over $20k. No plans to sell ever unless I just run out of space.

As far as 90s quality, I do have a 95 Camaro that I've owned for 24 years. It needs a fair amount of maintenance (intake manifold leaks, Optispark issues here and there, etc.), but it's also a fun ride also with minimal costs given the performance (12 second NA car with a road race suspension).

 

Hahahahah soooo true! A good friend of mine had a 300ZXTT in 2006 that needed to have the freeze plugs replaced. Another friend that was a Honda mechanic helped him replace the plugs. Never heard as much cussing in and seen as many wrenches thrown across a shop in my life.
Also, I recently stopped by the parts counter at the local Mitsu dealer and they had a pristine 50K mile 3000GTVR4 for sale on the showroom floor. I asked them to pop the hood and as soon as I lifted it I said "NOPE!" and closed it right back up. F*&$ that S#@*+.

 

I really am very very close to getting rid of my evo and building something like this.

In fact, I think the motor from my Evo may end up in something like it.

 

^ I"ve been fantasizing about a 240Z or 260Z with a 9k rpm K20 and a CD009 trans...

 

Interesting take. The only car I've driven out of the 3 you mentioned is a FD RX7 and I felt it was much more balanced with a great power/weight ratio compared to my stock Evo 9. I have a modified s14 and it is probably a good 500lbs lighter than the evo with a bit more power and torque. But what the Evo has that the s14 and FD doesnt have is the superior chassis rigidity, 4 door utility and a race-engineered engine that delivers reliable performance. My Evo 9 is stock, but I am also well aware of the immense potential it has to outperform these other two cars.

OT: The only reason I own a s14 today is because I had it since high school. I wouldn't spend the amount of money these older 90's Japanese cars are going for these days. Some of these prices are just plain ridiculous lol

 

If anyone is interested I have a nice 1997 FTO

 

Yes, I wanted to buy a car resembling the Skyline from afar, but it would be cheaper. But I'm still thinking about this solution. Should I buy a car that looks like a sports car but has fewer advantages? I was looking for any useful source on which I could find something like this. As a result, I found a list of budget sports cars I could pay for if I took out a loan. In the end, I settled on the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. I liked all the characteristics of this car and its appearance. Yes, it's not a Japanese car, but it's a good option looking like a sports car. And he has advantages over others. Dodge Challenger is a heavy muscle car with a huge engine power that will outshine most muscle cars.