RSXiMUS

iTrader: (7)

Well all the Japanese cars currently that demand crazy high prices (and people willing to pay it) were also rare because of lack of demand at the time. MK4 Supras and NSX comes to mind, and to some extent Z32 300ZX twin turbos and FD RX7's.

If Lexus decides not to make a replacement ISF, the rare factor will climb through the roof eventually. At least with the RX7, Supra, NSX, 300ZX, there were options to choose from. The ISF stands alone in that it's a compact sporty rwd V8 sedan from Japan, made to tackle the M3 and C63.

The GSF while nice and updated with tech, is not really an ISF replacement, first off it's over 4100lbs and quite a bit slower. 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, 1/4 in 12.9@110. ISF does 0-60 in 4.2, 1/4 in 12.7@114. 4mph in trap speed is huge. The size and weight difference would be a turn off for people looking for a smallish RWD V8 fun sedan with decent aftermarket support, now with tuning available it could possibly get real interesting. ISF's are already into the 11s with just header exhaust and tune, on street tires!

The way I see it, with all these manufacturers currently downsizing their motors, and adding turbos ect. (or adding size,weight like Lexus) eventually people will look back at the golden age of naturally aspirated V8's crammed into rwd compact sedans and their choices will be limited to either the E90 M3, W204 C63 and the ISF.

If you look at the 2011+ ISF compared to those Germans, the updated ISF beats all of them on the track, was the only one of those 3 to make it in Car and Driver's 10 fastest sedans in lightning lap history. You add to the fact the the ISF's 8spd transmission is the best compromise between the M3's M-DCT and Mercedes Auto, shifts as quick as a dual clutch but smooth like a Lexus auto, gets the best gas mileage and and has Lexus reliability. Which car would you want to own used? A person who is cross shopping the 3 will be scared straight after visiting the M3 and C63 forums, everything from aftermarket warranty IS A MUST!!! to catastrophic rod bearing failures, electrical issues, throttle actuators frying, to head bolts snapping off in the C63 ect.

I think people are realizing this about the ISF and that's what is driving the prices up in the used market. Get a car that has all the handling prowess of the M3, makes all power and right noises of the C63, while having all the comfort, luxury and reliability of the Lex. Subjectively I think the ISF has aged the best as well.

I get a feeling like you're trying to down talk the ISF in order to push potential sellers into unloading them cheaper so you can ****** them up for a good deal. I'm sure your tune will change once you own the car though. I've seen this 180 degree turn around many times..

JaponesV8

I'll take those unwanted slow GSFs

The cars aren't Supra Turbos I'm sorry to say. A better comparison would GTR to old Supras, if they never made another GTR. Unless I'm unaware of a faster, newer, higher HP Supra?

Supra is wanted because they never made another or anything similar after it. Especially nothing that can push 700+ hp reliably.

I'm just stating what KBB price is and that cars are sitting on lots. The people listing far over KBB are doing just that.....listing. Not selling.

So you place your bets, I've placed mine. I'm glad to hear so much passion about how great these cars are. If one does come around, it'll be sweet to own!

Justin727

Supra wasn't wanted because they never made anything else?!

Supra prices took a hit in the late 90's much like you were hoping the ISF would but hasn't.

What sold the Supra was the fact that you could easily obtain 450 RWHP with some bolt on's and a movie that put it back on the map among the younger generation and BAM prices surged up.

With the introduction of the R35 GTR Supra prices slowly went down and for the last 2ish or so years were at their lowest. Now they're rising again especially for unmolested versions due to everyone buying them up, building them up, and now the unmolested versions are extremely difficult to find and if you do find one and the owner knows what they have you'll be paying through the teeth. Heck even Automatic Supra's are selling higher now then what they use too. You're still seeing cleanly built Supra's sell in the mid 30s to mid 40s. These cars would fetch 50-70k back in the day as they did.

Clean Turbo MR2's fetch a nice $ and so do Altrac Celica's. Matter of fact I've seen a lot of Toy/Lex vehicles fetch more and sell more privately then what KBB evaluates. 4Runners and GX's come to mind. People aren't spending the extra $$ for nothing. They are spending for piece of mind, reliability, and capability for these vehicles. Some being collector cars as we both know too.

With slightly better aftermarket support now I believe that is why the market maybe on the rise for the ISF especially with the ECU being able to be tuned now as that opens different doors for different things.

Until strides to build up aftermarkets support for the RCF/GSF happen the pricing for the ISF will be higher until then. When RCF/GSF comes within striking distance of what some can afford paired with higher aftermarket support is when you'll see ISF $ dip. Until then just continue to play the waiting game.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I bought my current Supra just before F&F in 1997. I paid $28.5k for a '93 hardtop TT 6 speed with 32k miles on it and one owner. A year later you couldn't touch it for under $35k. Best car buy I have ever made. And yes, mine is unmolested too, down to the original cats that still make 0.0 HC emissions when tested on rollers.

MWIS350

Lucky you my dream car Supra & NSX.

Diesel350

I wonder how this compares to the M3 in 2014. Probably thousands of M3's compared to the IS-F.