Help with the value of a 1983 Mazda RX7

I know what it's worth and I have been to all the usual sites for estimating the value but I have a friend who's brother claims that RX7s are highly collectible and that it's worth $9K-$10K. So needless to say it's not getting any takers when listed at that price. She was offered $5K which I think is very good but she turned it down because of the brother.

The good: She's the original owner, all service records are available, sun roof, low miles (53K) and the interior is like new. She says it's a GS level but I can see nothing that confirms that on the car but it still may be. It has OEM original aluminum wheels. The bad: A few little chips on the exterior paint and one ding on the hood from a shovel falling off the wall and of course the big deal breaker for most of us the dreaded automatic trans.

So please do me a favor and post up what you think it's worth so I can show her. Then maybe she will get some sense and drop the price. And if anyone is interested on this forum I can put you in touch with her. Thanks!!

$9-10k in a few years, a decade tops. Not yet today, unless you get a motivated buyer who has to have that exact model. (It happens)

$5k sounds about right, IMO.

$5k sounds about right. I certainly wouldn't go any higher.

$3750 because automatic transmission. Otherwise I would say $5000.

I bet the know-it-all brother used the phrase "all day long," too.

Thanks everyone. This should help and is exactly what I have been telling her.

I've seen a few with the higher asking prices, but they've been highly optioned manuals (and I've always heard that you do not want an automatic on these cars) in very near perfect condition. Even then, I don't know where these closed, just what the ask was.

An '83 was my first car, and I'm getting near my mid-life crisis years. I agree with Knurled, a decade, tops. When people my age reach the point where they're well established enough to buy a perfect version of what they drove while working at Tower Records, or what the cool rich kid in high school drove, these will take off, along with Sony Car Discmans, cassette adapters and pristine copies of the Fugees' first album, Blunted on Reality.

(Edited: Thanks Mazdax605 for pointing out my error.)

Mike wrote: (and I've always heard that you do not want a manual on these cars)

Quite the opposite. You don't want the auto.

Here's a somewhat comparable one for reference: http://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/cto/5214326903.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mazda-RX-7-GS-Coupe-2-Door-/331681568999?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4d39c318e7:g:pssAAOSw37tWAfab&item=331681568999

I think this is a really good comparable. It's an Auto and even less miles that your and their buy it now is 4450.

I walked away from a rust free, 75k mile 1985 RX7 three weeks ago at $3500.

The Auto makes it rare and also very undesirable. I would not even offer on that car due to the auto trans. Yes it can be converted but the price would have to reflect the cost to do that. 3k is the top price I would pay. No more. If you can get 5k for it I would take that offer and run. Who ever is saying it is a 10k car is not in touch with the market. Also it is going in to winter and that lowers the price as well.

They made a boatload of these cars and they are not hard to find. I think the seller may have taken a $1,500 hit by not taking the 5k offered.

Mazdax605 wrote:

Mike wrote: (and I've always heard that you do not want a manual on these cars)

Quite the opposite. You don't want the auto.

Correct, and thanks. Word fail. Edited.

Often times RX-7's suffer from perceived rarity from those who aren't really in touch with the market because of its Rotary Engine. I was guilty of it too when they were new to me...

Once, while shopping for a fuel injector for my '86, I called a local yard and he quoted me $3. When I got there the guy had it on the counter and pulled it back when I went to pay. "Now, this car has a 'special engine' that I forgot about. I'm gonna have to charge you $60 for this injector".

Unless it is a GSL-SE it is not rare or particularly valuable.

Should watch this car and see where it ends up.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mazda-RX-7-gs/221916636015?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D34002%26meid%3D69a006c2d4334056afc6601878fcb940%26pid%3D100010%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D18%26sd%3D151841688872

They are lovely cars even in stock form but sadly just aren't worth what you'd think. Around here you'd maybe make $2k with the autobox.

Sadly, the problem with opinions is that they come from people without cash. Suggest that she offer it to the $10k guy for $8k. He can then most certainly flip it and pocket $2k with no trouble since he thinks it's worth that. Oh, he's not interested in making 25% profit in a month's time to turn the car to a market that clearly (in his mind) values it at $10k? Then don't take his advice on valuation.....

80's imports have not begun to move yet. Give it another 10-15 years, and then we'll all be watching Barrett-Jackson saying "can you believe it?"

Can you believe it!?! AE86 $19,000

It's about a $3500 car. Take $5k and run!

Regarding the AE86 above, my first thought was "you can ask whatever you like but it's not a 19k car until someone pays $19k for it." Then I read the amount of un-originality to it and he's on crack. Twice.

dean1484 wrote: Unless it is a GSL-SE it is not rare or particularly valuable.

It's an '83, so no, it's not.

$3,500 is absolutely full retail with gravy imo. Even that would require a buyer who's not particularly car-savy, who only bought it on a whim. $5,000 would constitute a home-run.

I'd love LOVE another first generation RX-7, but wouldn't even pay attention to that specific car above $2,000.

I just bought a 1983 last Saturday.

The good…Single owner, California car (always garaged), top of the line GSL model, super nice paint and only 42,000 original miles.

The bad…Automatic, several small dings, and a few minor electrical things need fixing.

I payed $4,600 for it which appears to be about a grand above FMV…whatever, I’m willing to pay a premium to get the lowest mileage possible and my dad happened to be with me when we stumbled across the car which is relevant as I’m storing it in his garage.

Added later…my mom died suddenly eight weeks ago and I’m all my dad has left so I wasn’t concerned about paying that extra grand to have something in-hand that we can play around with together.

There was a guy one the club who had a '79... in Sparks Yellow (desirable color)... with the hood prop on the right side (indicates a very early build car)... automatic.  And he was asking about how to do a trans swap.

THAT CAR BELONGS IN A MUSEUM