Hello and How much is too much for a stock CRX?

On the other end of the spectrum there are an endless number of CRXs with failed swaps complete with ghetto rigged wiring, high mileage, rust, altezzas, crappy body kits all for sale (usually for what seems like bargains). If you've got the money, time and patience you resurrect one of these monstrosities. Some people on this site have done it. It's hard work and will probably end up costing as much as buying a mint CRX would have. But the problem with the mint CRX is finding one, cheap riced out CRXs are literally everywhere.

Right now a half a block away from my house there's a 90-91 white DX with Z3 fenders, altezzas, 18" cheap rims in the rear, stock Si wheels in the front, and fart can sitting in a front yard. The rear tires are flat and it hasn't moved since before Xmas. I've seen the kid that drives it (he's a skinny, crooked, upside visor wearing MM wannabe type). Awhile back I was in the yard one day when he passed by in it with girlfriend/baby's momma in the passsenger's seat and two small kids standing in the hatch area. My guess is I could walk down there, offer him $500 cash, and buy that car today.......

I paid $2500 for this though it was after endearing myself with the husband and wife.




(Yeah, I know I have shown this before. Too bad. That's the fun of scoring a great deal!)

How much? Well, I'd say start laying in your "war fund" now so you'll hopefully be ready to pounce if a nice CRX comes your way. Clean, stock CRXs are selling for well beyond KBB prices, simply because the demand is higher than expected for a 15-year-old car.

That said, patience is definitely a virtue. If you've got time, wait for the right car at the right price. I paid $2500 for a really clean '91 DX (Burgundy) four years ago or so. Too much for what it was, I was told, but I've never regretted the decision for a moment. One-owner car, never wrecked, beautiful condition inside and out. A few simple mods took care of the DX-ness of the car (Si seats, Si engine & MPFI swap, hybrid transmission, and so on), and she's still a head-turner.

About a year and a half ago, I picked up a Barbados Yellow '90 Si for $1200. Again, one-owner car, original condition (the interior looks like it just left the factory - not a mark on it!), a little paint fade. That one was cheap because it had a bad headgasket and a graunchy transmission and bad axles. Not an issue for me, since doing the mechanical stuff is easy for me. A few hundred bucks later, she's a beauty. Well, except for the faded paint part...

My point? You can find a sweet deal for $1200 or $2500, or maybe even a sweeter deal for $3000 or so. Really pristine examples with very low miles might fetch $5000-$6000, but if the car is right, I wouldn't feel too bent over if I bought it for that. Chances are, if you buy a clean, stock 2nd-gen CRX for a "fair" price ("fair" meaning what the market will bear these days), you're likely not going to lose money on it if you decide to sell it later on down the road. I think we've seen the bottom end of the CRX's depreciation. From here out, they only go up in value.

And don't listen to Charles. For $2500, he *stole* that Tahitian Green Si. (Just kiddin' ya, Chuck. Because I'm... ya know... a bit jealous).

Mike