Ridiculous R34 GTR prices

[Mr.Impreza]

So I've been looking lately at R35 GTR's (Still keeping the 86(FRS)) and it just shocks me when I see such ridiculous prices for R34's.

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Nissan/GT...&orup=22_15_34

Okay....I understand...it's a popular car....so I expect a premium...like $40,000.....$50,000 even.....but $109,000?!

I mean you can find a 2014 R35 with the same Kms for almost $20,000 LESS.

I know the R34 is rare....but it's also dated. What do you guys think about the R34 craziness? Will prices keep going up for clean examples like this?

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[Summerwolf]

It is arguably the most iconic japanese sports car. Yes, prices will continue to go up for clean ones. When they become legal for importation.... who knows what will happen.

Plus the one you posted looks like an MNP car, so yeah that will command a premium on a premium.

[lowlevel]

I think this particular car will continue to climb in value for some time... I can't get past it being RHD myself... if you want one you should probably hurry up... lol

[KnightRyderx2]

Its all the awesome cars of the 90's, the appreciation is crazy. It's even happening in Japan too.

I had an Evo 3 back in 2006 while I was living in Japan and a couple weeks ago was thinking about buying one when they legal here in the states. I bought mine for $3500. It was clean with about 85,000 KM on it and only had exhaust and intake. I looked at a site that most of the dealers across Japan use to advertise. An Evo 3 in the same condition as the one I got; $22,000! Holy Crap! Thats at some dealer before its imported here. There is cheaper ones but they are used and abused with high mileage; the Evo 3 is more then the Evo 5 now.

Speaking of the R34, I check the same website back in 2006 and would could get a baseline R34 for about $20,000. I was thinking about importing one, so checking it out. Just looked at it now and the cheapest one is $41,000. That is before it gets here.

[Mr.Impreza]

Originally Posted by Summerwolf

It is arguably the most iconic japanese sports car. Yes, prices will continue to go up for clean ones. When they become legal for importation.... who knows what will happen.

Plus the one you posted looks like an MNP car, so yeah that will command a premium on a premium.

How limited was that color? Any info?

Originally Posted by lowlevel

I think this particular car will continue to climb in value for some time... I can't get past it being RHD myself... if you want one you should probably hurry up... lol

Yeah...RHD is always a deal breaker for me. If it wasn't I'd be owning a 2001 STI right now as a family car since you can find them in good shape for cheap from Japan. North American models are a different story. First no "real" STI and they all have super high mileage or rusted out.

Originally Posted by KnightRyderx2

Its all the awesome cars of the 90's, the appreciation is crazy. It's even happening in Japan too.

There is cheaper ones but they are used and abused with high mileage; the Evo 3 is more then the Evo 5 now..

I think this is one of the biggest reasons for the high prices.

Many are abused and have high mileage.

It's why I always tell people that even our twins will be rare and sought out after in the future when 90% of them will be wrecked, abused or have high mileage.

[Ammunition]

Originally Posted by Mr.Impreza

Okay....I understand...it's a popular car....[...]

I know the R34 is rare....but it's also dated. What do you guys think about the R34 craziness? Will prices keep going up for clean examples like this?

Allow me to pass on a bit of dad-advice my father told me awhile ago, when I was complaining to him about a thing being priced ridiculously high, and it in no way being worth that.

The reality of our era is that the cost of something is only in partial 'worth' what we feel it is, or what it 'actually' is (for example, the marvel of the engineering in that car will hold true), but in short, a thing is (queue dad) "worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it."

There are more than a few people that would, and will purchase the car for that - so, there it is

[BRZ'13]

i noticed this as well and thought to myself the same. Id still rather have a R35 anyday

[Cole]

Originally Posted by BRZ'13

i noticed this as well and thought to myself the same. Id still rather have a R35 anyday

Pretty much this. As sweet as it would be to have an R34, I can't be bothered to drive a RHD car. Too many day to day inconveniences. Plus, I feel like it would be a target for theft and vandalism. I'd probably never feel comfortable parking it somewhere.

[SLVRSRFR]

Maruyichi dabbles in some weird inventory, but I've found a lot of their prices to be on the high side in the past.

That said, even the guys at rightdrive.ca have some R34 GT-Rs and the prices are pretty up there. Nothing under $70k for a clean one with low mileage. Also as mentioned above, that is a very rare and sought-after colour on that particular one.

I'd still rather have an R34 than an R35, despite the fact that an R35 is a technological power-house. The simple fact that I can row my own gears in the R34 makes it a winner in my book.

But if I'm in that price range, I'd probably want a Hakosuka instead...which is literally my number 1, top of my list, money-is-no-object dream car. If someone told me you can have ONE car in the world, any car you want, for free, new or old, I would probably put a couple of others above it simply because of value (ie Ferrari F40 or Porsche Carrera GT), but if I won the lottery, a clean, original, Hakosuka 2000GT-R with the L20 would be the very first car I would buy, no questions asked.

[SLVRSRFR]

Originally Posted by Cole

Pretty much this. As sweet as it would be to have an R34, I can't be bothered to drive a RHD car. Too many day to day inconveniences. Plus, I feel like it would be a target for theft and vandalism. I'd probably never feel comfortable parking it somewhere.

If you had all the money in the world, you could find one of the extremely rare LHD-converted ones that went to Dubai.

[Mr.Impreza]

RHD insurance is very expensive also right?
I heard that there is only a few insurance companies who insure RHD cars.

[Mr.Impreza]

Originally Posted by SLVRSRFR

If you had all the money in the world, you could find one of the extremely rare LHD-converted ones that went to Dubai.

That would just make the owner even more paranoid to drive it haha. I'm with Cole on this. If I bought this R34 I'd be way to worried about someone doing something to it since they are extremely rare.

When I still had my WRX...i remembered the non-stop stories of people having 2004-007 STI's stolen from driveways and malls. R34 attracts even more interest from criminals I think.

[Cole]

Originally Posted by SLVRSRFR

If you had all the money in the world, you could find one of the extremely rare LHD-converted ones that went to Dubai.

I'd pass on that. If we're talking cars in the 100k range, I'd be looking for an R8, most likely. But there's a lot of other cool stuff, and a nearly 20 year old jap car with a touchy AWD system isn't up there on priorities.

[SLVRSRFR]

Originally Posted by Cole

I'd pass on that. If we're talking cars in the 100k range, I'd be looking for an R8, most likely. But there's a lot of other cool stuff, and a nearly 20 year old jap car with a touchy AWD system isn't up there on priorities.

Yeah but read my post again. If you had all the money in the world, you could have an R8 AND an LHD R34.



Can't fault your logic though. I just find a lot of the new-age exotic cars lack that visceral appeal that the oldies offer. Think F40, early Diablo, Countach, Testarossa, 959 etc. Just raw power and fury.