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In the News: New Cars Bad, Old Cars Good
This is Collector Car TL;DR: a weekly recap of what happened on Collector Car Feed, plus car auctions, listings, automotive news… Things of interest to someone who might watch Collector Car Feed. You know, you.
And you can get it weekly by giving me your email address.The Videos
This past week in Collector Car Feed videos was Readers’ Rides: the viewer car review segment. Please don’t send your car right now, we’re a little backed up. But if you do send it to the right email address, we will have no choice but to take a look eventually. We’re currently working on Q3 2023.
Unheard of: he said he was going to turbo his car “some day”, and then he did
This episode highlights a young New Zealander’s JZX100. In his email from 2023, he states he plans to turbo the NA motor “soon”. The cohosts universally agree “soon” means “never”, but what happens next will shock you.Got flexed on by a high school kid. Is this the hardest slammed Toyota on earth?
The cover truck here speaks for itself; a Subaru DL owner also builds an engine from a box of scraps.The Subaru WRX you can drive without letting people know you drive a WRX
The Legacy GT is presented. Quoting the owner: “I have had this Subaru for two years. I have honestly learned quite a bit [about] how reliable Subarus really are: they are not.”This video includes my favorite email of the bunch, so, watch this one if you’re only watching one.
The News
If Americans Don’t Want Small Cars, Why Did This Honda Fit Only Depreciate $1,180 In Eleven Years?
The Autopian reports on a Bring A Trailer listingin which a 1600 original mile Fit sells for $18,000. It’s even a CVT. Gross!Yes, It’s Going to Be Much Harder to Get a Nissan Z in 2027
Nissan is switching to a “made to order” system for the Z. Considering I’ve spotted three outside of SEMA since they entered production in 2022, this basically means we’re never going to see another new Z ever again.Stellantis reports first annual loss, no profit-sharing checks to UAW employees from 2025
Year over year sales are down 2% for Stellantis between 2024 and 2025, and if you’re surprised… how? All the leftover Challengers and Chargers are gone and peak Jeep Wrangler was what, a decade ago now? This begs the question: when will the aftermarket start making angry eyes and grilles with cheekbones for the Bronco?The Cars
1988 Nissan 200SX
Already sold, this was an S12: the Cope 240SX. This also wasn’t a turbo model, just a base, and it even has a salvage title. But at 31,000 miles on the clock and a $4500 asking price with the guarantee that it “runs and drives great”, anybody can see how it sold quick. Expect to see this one up for auction soon, probably on Cars and Bids.
1,600-Mile 2015 Honda Fit EX
As mentioned, this CVT dorkmobile sold for eighteen grand, proving there is a market, at least to one guy, for a sub-$20K subcompact.
This was actually proven last summer when a 2019 Fiesta ST sold for $18,250. What a better purchase by every imaginabe metric.
Ongoing Auctions
2016 Ford Fiesta ST
This FiST just looks good on those RPF1s, and it has the optional Recaro seats. I kind of want to buy it and swap those parts over to my black Fiesta ST (also a Cars and Bids purchase). This one is kind of a basket case and I expect the price to stay low, even though it won’t, because Cars and Bids bidders are mentally ill. A statement by the owner: “The car was tuned from 5k miles up until 75k miles when I installed a big turbo; that engine ate cylinder 1 around 93k miles due to a bad tune.” Classic.
2000 Toyota Celica GT
This 7th gen Celica GT auction ends today. At time of writing, it’s at $6850. It has 48,400 miles, somehow wound up on aftermarket wheels, and almost certainly burns tons of oil regardless of its mileage (this is a 1ZZ powered base model, not the desirable GT-S). But you never see 7th gen Celicas with mileage like this. I’m guessing it doesn’t really have legs and will stop around $8500.
2003 Nissan 350Z Coupe
Worst year, worst trim, worst color, timebomb transmission, mediocre mileage (~110,000), accident on record, known flaws include basic work you’d expect to be done before sale at auction. And yet, somehow, this will go over ten grand.
1991 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo
This is a USDM 300ZX TT. It has 6900 miles. It’s at $85,000 at time of writing with 3 days to go. I hope the high bidder is sweating bullets, because low miles or not, this is no Supra. Really nice car, hope you never make your money back.Final Thoughts
It’s been a week of nothing but bad news from automakers, while at the same time prices soar at auction for both late model hoopties and neoclassic halo cars. Is it rose colored glasses, or is the landscape really just that bleak? Let me know at collectorcarfeed@gmail.com.
See you Soon.
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Hot 240SX Projects In Your Area Want to Meet Up
The Nissan 240SX is a relatively simple car, which makes it all the more baffling that people can’t seem to keep them running. The KA engine is cheap, naturally aspirated, four cylinders; there’s nothing high-strung about it. And yet, time after time, we find rollers that could easily be complete cars, priced as if they are. These owners need to do better.
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Honda CRX Hunt: Searching Facebook Marketplace’s Overpriced Garbage
Today, we scour Facebook Marketplace for a decent Honda CRX, second gen, 1988-1991. We aren’t picky: while an Si would be great, we’ll take an HF or even a DX. Engine swaps? Don’t care. We’re just trying to find something clean, and these sellers are making it really hard.
The second-generation Honda CRX, produced from 1988 to 1991, was a compact, lightweight, two-seater hatchback with a sporty design. It featured a sleek, aerodynamic body with a sloping rear hatch: kind of a chopped, lighter EF Civic. In the United States, the CRX was available in three primary models:
- CRX HF (High Fuel Efficiency): Focused on fuel economy, it was equipped with a 1.5-liter, 8-valve SOHC inline-4 engine (D15B6) producing around 62 horsepower. You might still see one of these from time to time pulling down 40+ MPG.
- CRX DX: The mid-level trim, featuring a 1.5-liter, 16-valve SOHC inline-4 engine (D15B2) with 92 horsepower. This is the one you don’t want unless an engine swap and wild build are coming “soon”.
- CRX Si (Sport Injection): The performance-oriented version, featuring a 1.6-liter, 16-valve SOHC inline-4 engine (D16A6) producing 108 horsepower. The Si had sportier suspension tuning, a sunroof, and additional interior features. This is the one collectors want. That “Si” badge really commands a premium.
The second-gen CRX was known for its agile handling, responsive steering, and lightweight construction, making it a popular choice among enthusiasts and tuners, and making it very hard to find one today, even though so many were produced.