Jim:
I have to agree with you, at least to the extent that it would be nice for
the restored cat to equal the sum of the parts that make it up. The 1600/2000
have long been the poor students sports car, passed from owner to owner when
something broke. It is only recently that well-restored cars have begun to
surface on the West coast, as most nice cars were previously just cleaned up
for appearances.
I also believe that the free-market system of supply and demand will continue
to drive up prices, but not as fast as when the Japanese were buying and
importing every 2000 they could find. However, the parts supplier situation
will certainly change if Nissan stops selling parts for Roadsters, as most
2nd hand suppliers are buying most of their parts from Nissan at a discount,
then reselling to the public at whatever markup they choose. Very few parts
are being remanufactured, and from a cost and technical standpoint, that will
probably not change.
In conclusion, I believe most people would love to buy low, and sell high,
but at this time, Roadsters fall somewhere in between. That is why Roadsters
make great toys, but poor investments. However, even Cobra's, Lotus, and
American muscle cars were not always highly valued. Thanks for the spark to
get this conversation started.
Dan & Susan
Portland, OR.
|