Why do you love this car?

[Gizmovr4]

"Prices on these things hit rock bottom awhile back. Nice examples will command decent coin now and in the years to come, IMO."

If you truly believe this then you wouldn’t be driving 503 – you would restore it and park it next to 1051. Drive the cars and enjoy them including 1051. It’s a shame to let 1051 dry rot in a garage when its such a nice car- drive it!! share it with at least the few (very few) that actually love these cars (me included). Bring it out to the shootout- we would all love to see it in person and not just in front of the garage in pictures. Hell maybe even take it down the track and enjoy ! if your saving it for your nest egg – good luck to you..

The pricing on these cars has stayed the same for the last 10 years or so – if anything as the cost of owning an evo drops so will the value of the vr4. For the most part people here on this forum are looking for performance at a value price.

"Doesn't that describe a bunch of the now highly sought after muscle cars from the 1960's?"

“yes” however muscle cars back in the 60’s were very sought after even when they were new! People in 1969 for example wanted to buy a camaro or corvette but couldn’t afford one… Now after 40 plus years they finally want the car they always sought after back in the 60s and couldn’t acquire back then.. only problem – the number of these cars still available has diminished with many being junked throughout the years – thus supply is down and price is up for those wanting to buy one…

That brings us to the gvr4 – “Never popular as new” … never in demand – still not in demand … and only in demand at the right price!! Not a collector by any means. Only saving grace is that they actually numbered the ones imported to the states. Even that could become null once the cars reach 25 years and true right hand drive jdm cars can be imported without issues…

 

[turbowop]

If you think I don't drive 1051, you're srsly mistaken. The only reason I've been posting so many pics lately of it in front of the garage is because of all the work I've been doing to it. It may only get driven in the summer, but it gets driven a lot, especially for a guy that has to drive a company van for work and can only drive his personal vehicles after work hours and on the weekends. Ask any of the PNW guys how many of the club runs I've been on that required me to drive across the state to the West side to meet up with everybody. My car gets waaaaay more miles put on it compared to 90% of the jackstand ballers on this site, so feel free to pull your ignorant head out of your ass.

You wanna pay for the extensive costs required for me to drive all the way to the Shootout and back including time off work and hotel stay? I'll be there. Otherwise I can't justify so much money considering the other priorities in my life. Rot in the garage? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowrofl.gif You don't have a clue.

 

[91VR41400]

I actually love how they look. Love how the rims match the color of the car, pretty decent body lines inside and out. Nobody knows what they are and what potential they have. There great sleepers. Plus they sound sick with some mods thrown at them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

[fuel]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quoting gizmovr4:</font><hr />
After reading all of the posts- Other questions can be answered!

Will the gvr4 ever be worth collecting? Will the value ever increase on these cars? (questions that are always asked)

The answer is “No” . Most of the people that replied here in general only bought a Vr4 because it was affordable. If the price of these cars were to increase most of you wouldn’t want to purchase one! Most of the reasoning for buying these cars is that they offer performance at a very low cost – so modify them- race them but by all means don’t stick them in a garage thinking that some day they will be worth any more that what you paid for them today…

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

I disagree - the value of 6G Galant VR-4s this side of the pond has sat firm and slowly increasing over the last 5-10 years. Gone are the days of them being only ~10 years old and plenty to choose from for $5,000-10,000 in varying condition. Now you are lucky to find a tidy un-molested one for that price! I remember my friend bought a tidy factory-standard 1988 model in 2001 for $5,000 and nowadays there's no way you can find a tidy one for that price. I guess however on the other side of the coin the demand for them is indeed dropping because people are moving on to the newer and increasingly more affordable cars - but there is still a bunch of people who have a soft spot for the 6G VR-4 who usually had one when younger and regretted selling it, that will come into more money when they are older and spend a fortune on another one in years to come. This is pretty much happened for any classic or desirable car once they reach 25-30+ years old.

 

[NateCrisman]

A few things I want to point our that is relative to collector car value that none here seems to take into account:

A: the classic muscle car era of high value cars are of high demand in general because the entire population of car enthusiasts from the 1940's to 1970s were only interested in Ford, Chevy, and Mopar. You had every high school kid in the entire country dreaming of a 69 camaro, Vette, mustang, Hemi dodge. Now that this VAST generation of car guys are all trying to buy the same cars during their midlife crisis when they can afford toys they couldn't in their youth. Compare this to today when the (arguably much much smaller) generation of "car guys" enthusiasm is spread out over a much more broad spectrum of the same domestic cars along side the Asian Imports and Euro Imports. There is certainly going to be far less overall demand for any one specific model car 30 years down the road (compared to how today's demand for classic domestic cars) since there are literally hundreds of different enthusiast cars of this generation.

B: The muscle cars of the 60's came to an abrupt end due to the 70's gas crunch and emissions laws, again, consolidating demand within a relatively narrow area of cars. Noone wants 1975 mustang II's. Noone wants TBI camaros from 1982. For a good 20- year span from 1970 to 1990, if you wanted a performance car, it was 1960's stuff to modify because the modern stuff in those years wasn't worth screwing with. There were really only 6-7 good years of performance cars out of detroit that are super desirable, for what, maybe 6 or so models per manufacturer? Again...think of how much this consolidates the demand and compare that to our generation of car enthusiasm: We have had many desirable cars produced starting in the early 90's continuing to today...22 years and counting of solid enthusiast performance cars spread among 10+ manufacturers and genre! AND THE NEW CARS KEEP GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR! you can see this in out own area with the DSM/GVR4 and Evo lines. look how many long term DSMers gravitate into the Evo8-10. And some move up the scale too eventually. There is no gas or technology crunch happening that consolidates the enthusiasm into any small band of model years or manufacturers.

C: Enthusiasm is arguably waning in our generation of "car guys" compared to generic enthusiasm overall during the 50's-70's. That was heyday of car culture. Go to your local dragstrip and see for yourself and ask sold of the old geserz running 60's cars how the scene was back in the day when 1970's dragstrips pulled in hundreds and hundreds of spectators and people hanging out each night. I would bet if you went back in time to any generic USA high school in 1970 and asked every high school senior male about his interests...maybe 50% of them were "car guys". If you do this today, your more likely to get 50% computer gamers, musicians, hackers, and maybe 5% give a rats ass about cars.


Overall, I just don't see the classic/muscle car collectors market ever even reaching what we consider modern cars (1990's to 2012's). I don't think really there will ever be a market that appreciates value the same way we see now with 1960's cars that sold new for $3000 are trading for $60,000 50 years later. My prediction is in 2050 whatever enthusiasm is left for cars of our generation will be simply picking through whats left of 30+ years of good cars to screw with and buying them up at todays prices + inflation.

Basically, Im saying there will always be more cars available than there are buyers for them. Be it Mitsu DSM/GVR4/Evo, BMW M3, Mustangs, Vettes, CRX's, Civic SI's, Turbo Audi and VW, WRX stuff, ect. The supply will always outpace demand, especially since a good chunk of the enthusiasm is somewhat adaptable. 50 years from now if I can't find a GVR4, I may be just as interested in a Evo8, Talon AWD, Laser, or a Evo10. sh*t, in 50 years I might even be able to afford the 2011 Nissan GTR I always wanted to since it might just about be the same price as a GVR4 (and 4 times as fast).

And that's even saying there is any enthusiasm for "turn of the century" performance cars 50 years from now....for all we now 2050 cars will all be 75mpg 750hp AWD monsters and make all our current stuff un-desirable. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

[turbowop]

I'm not trying to say these things will be auto auction jewels worth millions in the future. I was just playing devil's advocate to a couple of Gizmo's comments.

 

[NateCrisman]

Yes, what Im saying is that in 30 years there will be no such thing as an auto action like what we know today where old cars sell like hotcakes at huge value increases compared to what they sold for new to throngs of buyers all itching for the same car. There is so much diversity of cars now with small inch markets.

. There might not even be any reason for people to want old 1990's & 2000's cars if the next 30 years the manufacturers continue to put out solid performance cars for decades to come. Fast forward 10 more years to 2022 and you very well may see maybe 40 or 50 GVR4's left..all selling for $5000 or so right along side 03 Evo8s selling for $5000 along side a couple nice 1Gs and 2Gs left at the same $5000. Maybe EvoX's will be down in the $10,000 range too at 11 years old and high mileage. Since we have arguably 15+ model years worth of solid capable AWD Turbo mitsubishi models to buy from, I just don't see any scarcity of supply that can possibly outpace the demand bleeding away.

I know personally, when Im in 60 years old, while I may have a soft spot for nostalgia for a GVR4, that same nostalgia bug might be fixed by an evo or a dsm.

 

[Gizmovr4]

Wop, I know the truth hurts... just pointing out the obvious. You have been around long enough to have seen many ultra nice examples be parted out – simply because they were worth more in parts than as a whole.

I know that when you disagree with people on this forum you name call – that’s your thing and not mine - facts work better for me !!

As far as “My car gets waaaaay more miles put on it compared to 90% of the jackstand ballers on this site, so feel free to pull your ignorant head out of your ass.” I don’t care what you call me … but at this point you insulted about 90% of the members on this forum that at one point or another had their cars on jack stands. Hell at least they have an excuse – they likely broke it because they actually use it.

If your going to continue name calling move on… not interested in that at all !!


Fuel- In your country things could be different i was just pointing out the situation in the US.

 

[jnava]

Part of the 10% not offended.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

[Barnes]

1051 sits and just rots?? Oh man, that's rich. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowroflr.gif

 

[beaner]

sits on 24k biotch

 

[turbowop]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quoting Barnes:</font><hr />
1051 sits and just rots?? Oh man, that's rich. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowroflr.gif" alt="" />

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Seriously. This sh*t is hilarious.

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quoting gizmovr4:</font><hr />


I know that when you disagree with people on this forum you name call – that’s your thing and not mine - facts work better for me !!

If your going to continue name calling move on… not interested in that at all !!




<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Where did I name call? I guess I said you were ignorant, but that's a fact when it comes to what you know about me and what I do with my car. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif" alt="" />

 

[GSTwithPSI]

The Galant VR4 is a fairly rare car, even today. In the years to come, it will undoubtedly only become even more rare. The problem is, the interest in these cars is just as equally rare. To add to that, as stated previously by others in prior posts, I fully agree there seems to be a lack of interest in cars all together by the majority of people and youth today. Unarguable, that interest is nowhere near what is was in the 50s and 60s, and will probably become less and less as time goes on. The days of hybrids and dealer maintained cars that are traded in every two years are here, and aren't going anywhere in the future. Let's be honest here guys, 99% of people who see a VR4 wouldn't look twice at it. Those who did give it a second glance would say it looks like a grocery getting turd, and could care less about the power train, the number on the dash, or how rare it is. We are the other 1% gentlemen. And just as Galant VR4s begin to decrease in numbers, so will the following of individuals who give a sh*t about this car. IMO a large demand for these cars is not going to peak anytime in the future, and probably has already peaked years ago (not that a truly high demand for a GVR4 ever existed). The VR4s that are left in mint condition 20 years from now will undoubtedly be worth a good bounty, but only to the right person. In other words, a large demand or market for these cars will never exist, as it doesn't even exist today. That being said, the one die hard Galant VR4 collector in the world will likely pay whatever you want for your showroom condition VR4 20 years from now... Just like I'm sure the one antique belly button lint collector will pay top dollar for Nicki Minaj's youthful navel fluff long after she is 20 years older, fat and coked out. But the idea that the Galant VR4 will ever be the 69' Dodge Charger of 2050 is far from reality IMO. And for the record, I hope to be the guy buying up mint GVR4s around 2050, so Wop, if you would like to store 1051 in the garage and never drive that would be cool with me. Thanks.

 

[unistylef]

I enjoy the car because it inspires a thread full of awesome posts like the ones you see before me.

 

[BpuVR4]

these cars are meant to be driven and perform. i think it's a greater injustice to not let them breathe and enjoy them for what they are- amazing machines that a minority appreciate, and that's just the reason i love them. fully capable, fully stealth, with history.

 

[Turboman_456]

To me she is one of those iconic Japanese vehicles like,REPU or GT2000, and let's not forget on the American side Buick Grand National.
Even back when I had a WRX, I would gawk at VR4s, for they were the first and few. I bought my Gray Lady out-of-state. I flew to San Jose California.
Drove her back to Washington state she's been a reliable car for almost 3 years now. My oldest son is about to start driving here soon.I'm buying him a New Toyota TC I don't think I will ever let him drive my Galant unless it was some kind of emergency LOL. Now I just need to five lug it.

 

[curtis]

Because where ever you look on the internet you can a picture of your car and or know who owns the car in the picture. Even better you can see an out of the blue picture on the same thread and it remind you of a VR4 owner.


To prove this point

For 18 million dollars who does picture 12 remind you of. click me

 

[curtis]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[matt92vr4]

I test drove my first vr4 on October 3 1996 and I will NEVER forget the moment that changed my life. I was instantly in love with AWD turbo Mitsus. From 1996 to 2008 everything in my life revolved around the car. All of my friends were from car forums, all of my $ and time went into the car, I even met my wife on the forum. I positioned myself around the car so that my career was based on it. Worked on customer cars all day and then my own cars at night and on weekends (if not at the track). This of course was the "other" vr4 hehehe.

When we had our kids I decided that the 3S car scene was not going to work well for the kids. No longer did I have free time to be at the race track two night per week and dump all of the money into the car. I needed to spend this time and money on the family, besides, they couldn't even ride in it. So, all of the cars went bye bye.

I had a very hard time coping with the loss of my toys. I know it sounds dumb, but I'm pretty sure I had an addition problem. According to my wife I was miserable. One day I was sitting at my desk and out of no where the though occurred to me that I needed to buy a GVR4. It made absolute sense! AWD, turbo, Mitsu, cheap (more $ for the kids), easy (more time for the kids), 4-door, smelled the same as a 3S, comfortable, and fun. I also love the sleeper look!

So I started my search and decided I was not going to settle for anything less ('92, white, sunroof, unmolested, southern car). It took about two years for the right one to come along. When I saw it for sale on here I showed my wife and she said "Call them and buy it now!" That's one of the great things about marrying your best friend! I even got a bonus feature as I bought it from the original owner and have the key fob.

I absolutely love this car and will keep it until a greedy non-insured driver totals it (that's generally how I loose my cars). I hope that day never comes, but until then I will keep on loving and driving it!

 

[JNR]

Can't say I *love* this car, but it's neat and is almost back to driving status (no fault of the car, but things in life came up).

I recall reading about them when they first came out and they had good performance (0-60 ~6.8 was pretty respectable then) + liked the look (2nd to the diamante of the same year) and Mitsubishi was in their heydey then and built pretty good stuff. These cars were $$$ though new and for a couple thousand more could get a Syclone (which were crazy expensive to a young adult, lol) and so I chose the truck at that time, but ended up selling it when my 2nd was born, as it was basically a 2-seater.

While I liked the VR-4, it was a 4-door and I never liked 4-doors and chose never to own one until later on. I mean, I always thought it was funny fixing up or having a 'performance' 4-door, but things have changed in the past few years and they do/did make some nice 4-doors recently (like CTS-V, G8 GXP, etc.) and when they come in manual they are actually kind of cool and fun.

Never been an import 'fan', but this car stood out to me and years later (2004) one day it came back to me as a thought, checked the auto trader and there was #20, so I bought my first import (always said it would be a mitsubishi if the time came and sure enoough).

Daily drove it for a couple years, then got burned by buying/installing a miswired 3G harness and so started fixing it (these cars suck w/o boost and not being able to get on it all the way /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif ), then one thing or another came up and it sat, doing a few things to it here and there.

However, I'm on roll now to get it running again and almost there. Getting excited. I do remember how much fun it was to drive (pretty well modified, not sure about stock) and it's hard to believe it's 20 years old now and how good of a condition it's still in!

As for value, these things are pretty pathetic in that regard and many times I kind of kick myself for not getting a GN like I was going to at the time, as they have always been worth $. I mean, haven't lost any $ on it, as I wasn't foolish enough to put all that $ into the car and instead let the PO take the hit, but it's pretty sad, nonetheless, that people are too cheap to spend the $ on a nice example.

Will these ever reach muscle car status, as far as $ goes...doubt it, as there is no comparing the two, BUT this car is only 20 years old...when the chevelle (use those as an example, but fill in the blank) was 20 years old in late 80's/early 90's, they were still pretty cheap, as were most all "muscle cars" then, save for a rare hemi or big block that was numbers matching original.