Miata Mailing List: October 1993, Message #36
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   From: francis@balthazar
Subject: Re: 94 Miata
   Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1993 11:55:06 -0400

In message Joseph "Mr. Data" Szabo writes
> Gidday Mates,
> 
> I noticed a funny thing here in the land of Oz. Up until a few months ago
> secondhand MX-5 prices were: 
> 
> 	ie	New	-	 A$35.5K
> 		89/90	-	~A$24K
> 
> Now here's the weird thing. As news of the 94 MX-5 with the 1.8l engine has
> become more wide spread, the prices of these secondhand vehicles have seemed
> to increase (approx $2K).
> 
> 	ie	89/90	-	~A$26K
> 
> Has this happened in other parts of the world? What's with the interest
> in the older cars?

>From a personal perspectiove I suspect that a lot of this is due to disapointment 
with the new offering.  The new MX-5 will come in at over $40K (OZ dollars) and 
offers very little above the current model.  Whereas everyone knew that the 
mid-life kicker was due about now, I suspect many were expecting a somewhat more
sparkling package, rumours of a 1.8 V-6 did not help.  Now that it appears to be
little more than a bore out and a fiddle with the basics, along with the excuse
to raise prices, interest has waned.  As a consequece second hand prices that might 
have been depressed with the expectation of the new model have risen again.  I can't
afford to trade up to a new one (or even contemplate the idea) but now I have no wish 
to do so, and would not, even if I had the money.  When I see a new Miata on the road 
I don't feel envious, rather pity for the poor fool that has only just seen the light 
and has missed out on the three and a half years of sheer joy I have had with mine.

US readers will look upon our prices with slack jawed amazment.  Remember that the OZ
dollar trades at 0.65 US at the moment (down from 0.69 a short while ago.)  Even so
it is hard to belive we are not being robbed blind.  


							Francis Vaughan

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