RedRover

Hi Guys.
HQaven't owned a rotary since my RX3 back in 1977-78.
But I am looking at a CHERRY 1988 RX7 vert.
5 speed, and the usual loaded.
40K miles. Red.
Driven, but only a little for the last couple of years.
In other words this thing is in really great shape, but it is not a show car.
All systems go.

Can you give me some help?

What's it worth in a private sale.
I'm talking "about" here.

3k?
5K?
8K?
12K?

Could you take a moment and give it your best guess.

I'll try to post a pix, but this IS my first post...I may screw it up!
(But I am used to car forums. Member of Miata, Fiero and Murano forums)

RedRover

rotorforce

That things cherry! My guess is in the 5k range but most current owners tend to think around 7-8k, from what I have seen in the auto trader.

Icemark

Dealer trade in: $2,052
Private party: $2,784
Dealer retail: $4,018

Good condition, red, with 40K miles

playdeadva

+1

RedRover

Show me one like this for 4,018 and I will buy two of them.

Homer

WonkoTheSane

iTrader: (2)

I'm going to have to go with this. I would expect to pay at least 5k for that example. It is mint looking (from here, anyway).

One thing to be wary of: If it really hasn't been driven, or at least driven hard in the past few years, be very careful when you start driving it. do some searches for "Dying of boredom"... basically you can get some accumulated carbon on the inside of the engine because it wasn't burned out. Now you have this engine with carbon, and a new owner who wants to open it up to see what it can do! So you floor it, and at 8000 RPM, a piece of carbon dis-lodges..... (you see where this is going)

But that thing is beautiful

Also, greetings to a fellow Miata owner

Secondmessiah

i just bought a 87 turboii in the exact same condition as that for 6 grand, so probably around there

of course, im sure youll remember from owning an rx3, the key to rotaries is maintenance, so make sure yours is exquisitely maintained

RedRover

Secondmessiah, is that a convertible? Aren't verts a bit rarer? Or maybe even a lot rarer?

Wonko, No more Miata. Had a 99 (New). Moved on when Mazda wouldn't extend the warranty for the engine issue. I was coming up on the time (36 mos0 but only had about 12,000 miles on it. I thot they should have extended my warranty time. They din't think so. I will never buy a new Mazda again.
IF I buy the vert, which is really not likely............. I will, of course, inhale all there is to know around these parts.........Wouldn't want to spread my rotary around the hood in little pieces parts.

the problem is..........
the guy wants an obscene amount of money.
I can't find one anywhere near this condition and mileage, so if I want to play,
I have to pay.
I mean let's face it, most 7s of this vintage have 100K miles. Or more.
And the wear and tear to go with it.

But $12K?!!! Yikes.

I'm leaning toward offering him more than any of the boards, or any of the sites (KBB, Edmunds, NADA,ect) value the thing at, and be prepared to move on.
Some nice looking , much newer Z3s out there for a few dollars more, and some super clean old vette verts out there for the 12K.....

But I will keep looking for the time being. The numbers at NADA,KBB ARE low AND a bit phony IMO. They value the very best 88 vert at maybe 5K.
But, if they are not available........... I would have to say they are worth more.


Homer

Icemark

Countless available this time of year... sounds like if they are commanding $2000 more in florida for the same car, I need to ship some cars out of California.

I counted over 50 FC convertibles for sale right now on Auto trader (actually I gave up at 50, and there were 2 more pages of cars to go).

Run a search on 88-91 RX-7 and see how many there are yourself.

And edmunds.com is almost always exactly right. They base the value on what is actually sold, rather than the asking price.

ahabion

aye keep looking... there are lots of verts out there in decent condition. If you're set on this one, low ball him... all he can say is no. If hes looking for 12k, give him 6 and watch his eyeballs roll out of the sockets. other than that... its like women, there are more out there, just have to be patient.

RRTEC

iTrader: (13)

12k is silly, If it were a s5 perhaps if it was in similar shape.. But an s4 for 12K is redonkulous. Half that price would be well worth it.