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These once-affordable JDM cars have recently skyrocketed in value, and their prices will just keep climbing.
JDM cars have a cult-like following behind them, and for that reason, they are highly sought-after in the used car market. In the light of the current financial state of the world, used car prices are at an all-time high, and that doesn't exclude JDM sports cars either.
Used JDM sports cars used to be the go-to option for those searching for an affordable, yet fun vehicle, but the array of options is shrinking by the day. Today, we'll be talking about some Japanese-built cars you could have bought for scraps, but are worth ungodly amounts of money today.
If you haven't been living under a rock the last few years, the Mark 4 Toyota Supra will be on this list to no surprise to you, as well-kept turbocharged models are selling for beyond $250,000 nowadays.
The Mark 4 Supra itself is definitely overhyped; they don't produce 1,000 hp from the factory and will lose against almost all modern sports cars, but there's more to it than just numbers. The Supra is a tuner icon, and one of the largest reasons why gearheads fell in love with cars in the first place... after all, it was driven by the legendary Paul Walker in the first Fast and Furious film.
Related: JDM Legend: A Look Back At The Amazing 1993 MKIV Toyota Supra 2JZ
The legendary Acura name badge has been revived in 2022, but it doesn't quite rekindle the same obnoxious personality as the original Integra. The third-generation Acura Integra Type-R was and still is, a driver's car, and that's exactly why you don't see many low-mileage examples.
Just a few years back, these turbocharged four-cylinder front-wheel-drive sports cars could be had for around $20,000, but today, you can't seem to find one for less than $20,000. Here's one of the most outrageous actions we've ever seen; on Bring a Trailer, this 2000 Acura Integra Type R with just 7,000 miles on the clock fetched a whopping $112,112 - we'd argue it's still worth the large sum of cash.
Related: Why You Should Get Your Hands On An Integra Type R
The Integra was Acura's little pocket rocket, and on the complete other end of the spectrum was the NSX, Acura's supercar. Till the year 2021, the Acura NSX was one of the most affordable supercars money could buy, but unfortunately, as all good things are, they don't last forever.
As of the time of writing this article, if you want to acquire one of these incredibly balanced supercars, you'd have to fork up at least $50,000. If you want one with around 50,000 miles, and relatively unmodified, you'll have to spend more than $80,000 - and by the looks of things, these NSX models won't die down in value soon.
With the discontinuation of the WRX STI, all STis are rising in value, but none are rising as vast as the Bug Eye generation. These Bug Eye STIs were produced between 2000 and 2002, and if you know the Subie world, you know the average Subie owner loves to modify them.
Therefore, an average Bug Eye STI won't necessarily be ridiculously expensive, but if you're after one that hasn't been ruined yet, it becomes a challenge. They were only produced for 2 years, so even just finding one for sale is difficult, but don't expect to pay less than $15,000 if you happen to come across an unmolested one.
The Mitsubishi 3000GT was far ahead of its time, especially the VR-4 trim level. It came equipped with a variable exhaust, active aerodynamics, four-wheel-drive, and a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that put out 320 hp and 314 lb-ft of torque.
For the longest time, the VR-4 was the most affordable piece of JDM lineage you could pick up, but in recent years they have skyrocketed in value, so instead of being able to buy a well-kept one for around $20,000, you have to fork up at least $35,000 today.
Related: A Detailed Look At The Mitsubishi 3000GT
There are quite a few reasons that explain the Honda S2000's escalation in price. It comes with a 2.2-liter naturally-aspirated four-banger with VTEC that emits 237 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. While that might not be an extravagant amount of power, it still had a retractable roof, as well as a redline of 9,000 rpm.
This rear-wheel-drive lightweight Japanese sports car won the hearts of millions of auto enthusiasts around the globe, and with such a high demand prices were bound to climb, we just didn't expect to see Honda S2000s sell for more than $70,000 this soon.
Related: Here's What A 2022 Honda S2000 Could Look Like
The Mazda RX-7 FD isn't just a great driver's car with a ton of aftermarket potential, but it also become one of the most recognizable hero cars since it made waves in the Fast & Furious films. All RX-7s were powered by tiny, unreliable rotary engines, and we haven't seen a proper implementation of a Wankle engine since.
The FD RX-7 has never been extraordinarily affordable, but we have reached new highs in auction results. Take for example this 1993 Mada RX-7 with just 5,400 miles on the clock on Bring a Trailer; it sold for an unbelievable $105,000.
Related: Third Generation Mazda RX-7 FD3S (1992-1997): Costs, Facts, And Figures
The Lancer Evolution is one of the most praised names in automotive history, and we saw the last iteration of it with the Evo X in 2016. Yes, there have been ten different generations of this Lancer Evo since 1992, and every single one thereafter has maintained the same magic recipe: All-wheel-drive, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and a manual gearbox.
The Evolution which became the most expensive was the ninth generation. Just last year, the cheapest Evo IX that sold on Bring a Trailer went for just under $20,000, but the cheapest one sold this year thus far went for over $30,000 - that's not even talking about low-mileage limited edition ones.
The Nissan 300ZX was a revolutionary Japanese sports car since it broke the normal tendency of Nissan's Z cars by having a turbocharged engine. Of course, the Z32 wasn't the first to do it, the Z31 300ZX was, but the Z32 improved it in every single way.
Not only did the Z32 300ZX come with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that pumped out 300 hp and 283 lb-ft of torque, but it sported a contemporary design that hasn't aged a day since it went on sale in 1989. Unfortunately, the 300ZX isn't bulletproof and suffers high maintenance costs, and that's why these used to be affordable, but as time passed, we just made peace with it. So, instead of costing just a smidgen over $15,000, you'll have to pay at least $30,000, if not more, to find a decent example.
The Civic Type-R is arguably one of the greatest hot hatches ever created, and even the newly released examples stir up the pot just as much as its predecessor. However, there is one Type-R that stands out from the rest - and it's not the ugly FK8 - it's actually the EK9 generation.
It was based on the sixth-generation Honda Civic, conservatively styled, yet drove like a toddler with a sugar rush since it was powered by a naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter four-banger that sent 182 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. At first glance, you wouldn't think this Civic is worth six figures, but it turns out that in Japan, people have another view on the subject.
Marnus Moolman is a young aspiring automotive writer from South Africa who is making a name for himself, despite his young age. Currently, he is studying to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting to pursue his lifetime dream of running his own automotive detailing establishment.