Honda CRX Si: finally a classic?

A friend in the biz just purchased what appears to be a mint, mint second-gen Honda CRX Si. Selling price was about $5500. No, not Ferrari money, but a few years ago that car was probably worth half that amount.

Does this mean my wife should keep her Electron Blue 2000 Civic Si?

Link to the CRX: http://www.ebay.com/itm/151147102301?forcerRptr=true&item=151147102301&frommaketrack=true&viewitem&autorefresh=true

Well I hope so...

I know. I might be able to get top dollar for those parts sitting in my garage.

I need parts. What do you have? Just remember, a car is worth more than the sum of it's parts.

I really think the first gen CRXs will be the ones that are most appreciated.

Leo

In reply to Leo Basile:

I don't see why they would be appreciated any more than the second gen. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, but overall the second gen are better cars. I think they both will have a following. Actually, they already do.

I don't see them becoming classics any more than MGBs are. They'll gain value by virtue of being old, but ultimately they'll never be super valuable. One day, someone at a car magazine will rebuild one using period-correct go-fast parts.

Alan Cesar wrote: I don't see them becoming classics any more than MGBs are. They'll gain value by virtue of being old, but ultimately they'll never be super valuable. One day, someone at a car magazine will rebuild one using period-correct go-fast parts.

Well that's an interesting comment about the MGB. Based on some of the comments in the forum you are writing on, I'm surprised no one has threatened your life or at least questioned your human heritage by now. I personally think a MGB is a classic car. I never really liked them myself, but I concede they are often considered classic, especially the GT.

I don't believe an auto or a work of art of any other medium must be hyper-expensive to be classic. It just has to right. And the CRX si also provided a preview of later cars to come.

And yes if you read this magazine, you probably read fairly often about someone rebuilding a classic with period correct go-fast parts. (A Tiger is among others currently being written about.) That's one of the good things to do with a classic auto.

If I still had the garage space I'd be looking for another 1st generation CRX si to rebuild using period correct go-fast parts. Or even better looking to find an original and maintain it with it's original go-fast parts that worked damned well.

So I shouldn't get rid of my (genuine) Mugen wheels, huh? I agree, those are keepers.

bravenrace wrote: I need parts. What do you have? Just remember, a car is worth more than the sum of it's parts.

I should check. Pretty sure I have some interior bits. I also have a DC header that's supposed to work on a B16A-powered CRX.

Please let me know about ANY nice interior parts you may have.

Rupert wrote:

Alan Cesar wrote: I don't see them becoming classics any more than MGBs are. They'll gain value by virtue of being old, but ultimately they'll never be super valuable. One day, someone at a car magazine will rebuild one using period-correct go-fast parts.

Well that's an interesting comment about the MGB. Based on some of the comments in the forum you are writing on, I'm surprised no one has threatened your life or at least questioned your human heritage by now. I personally think a MGB is a classic car. I never really liked them myself, but I concede they are often considered classic, especially the GT. I don't believe an auto or a work of art of any other medium must be hyper-expensive to be classic. It just has to right. And the CRX si also provided a preview of later cars to come.

I do apologize for any confusion. Of course an MGB is a classic car, I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. The CRX will also eventually be a classic car. They're both fairly significant in their era. But they're not valuable classics, which is my point. Neither one will ever be considered hugely collectible. (that might even be a good thing, depending on your perspective)

Value comes from some combination of desirability, rarity, and significance. I think the CRX and MGB only carry moderate amounts of all three.

I agree with Bravenrace in that the 2nd Gen is a better performance car, but I would prefer a 1st gen. They remind me of a Bugeye...In sprit of course.

Leo

When all the honda boys get old and want to relive their youth they will want and probably pay a lot of money for a clean low mileage CRX, or Civic like they had modified when they were young and broke.

There are a lot of young and older honda enthusiasts much more than MGB IMO, clean low mileage cars with no mods or mods with factory performance (Mugen etc...) parts will be super valuable. They are already hard to find now. They will without a doubt just go up in value.

Not an si, but I think an example to support the notion that the CRX is already collectible.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251367143817

In reply to Alan Cesar:

I don't disagree, but the title of the thread was asking whether or not the CRX si was a classic, not if it was valuable. I see those as 2 different things.
Both my Mustang and a same year G.T.350 are classics, but their values are vastly different.

In reply to bravenrace:

Well Said!

CRX is most definitely a classic. I just hope that Japanese cars do not reach the "collector" car prices. Sure I love my old Datsun but if it got to the level that 356 prices or some Alfa prices I would be sad. (yes I would sell and run away with the profit and buy another toy) The whole point of Japanese cars was their affordability.

Now as for period go fast bits, yes you must use them. Lets face it we are all Gollum...........hanging out in a cave fascinated by shiny baubles

      Tom

I'm just having trouble with the fact that a car I bought new is now a classic.

bravenrace wrote: I'm just having trouble with the fact that a car I bought new is now a classic.<img src="/media/img/icons/smilies/unhappy-18.png" class="smiley" alt="" /

It only gets worse! I have bought almost as many cars new that are now classics as I have fingers. In fact that 240Z I'm leaning on was bought new by me 42 years ago! We don't even want to talk about the classics I bought new in the '60s!

In reply to David S. Wallens:

I've always liked the 1st gen and since its the oldest, should become the most collectible. I almost bought in 1985 but opted for a Dodge Shelby Turbo instead.

I loved the '91 Si that my brother had. It was an awesome car with a black exterior & interior.

In reply to BAMF:

That's exactly the one I bought new. I turbocharged it when it was one year old, but kept it in perfect condition and kept all the stock parts. Eight years later it had 40k miles on it, still smelled new inside, and I sold it because I had small kids and wanted something with a back seat. I've regretted it ever since.
Luckily, I later bought a clean (but no where near as nice as the '91) '88 in the same color combo, and this one's a keeper, along with my '90 Civic si.

I definitely think they're a classic. It reminds me of a conversation I had in Calculus in the mid '80's. I was driving a TR4 at the time, and a couple of people in class had just purchased this new car called a CRX, one an SI. We were arguing that, or at least I was, that the Honda would never be a classic. I guess I was wrong. Of course the first time I actually drove one, I knew I was wrong. They've always been fun and still are. It's a shame so few originals still exist.

I had a 91 Si in black. Loved that car. Me and the misses took a road trip in the summer of 93 down the east coast. A week in the summer in that little car. It was perfect. It hauled our gear, got 35+ MPG and was a blast to drive. I regret selling it.

Most certainly a classic or soon-to-be classic.