Auto Express – August 20, 2019

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk SpecialIssue 63

50

MODERN

CLASSICS

MAZDA RX-8

Years produced: 2003-2012

Price range: £400-£7,500 Rarity:★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

Honda CRX

Years produced: 1988-1991

Price range: £3,000-£8,500 Rarity:★★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

ASMART-lookingcoupéthat’spractical,goodtodrive

andhasanexoticengine–sowhyareRX-8ssocheap?

Theanswerwillcomethefirsttimeyoufillup,because

theMazdawillaverage20mpganditprefersexpensive

superunleaded.You’llhavetotopuptheoil(again,

withthecostlystuff)every1,000milesorso,too.

Repairsandservicingaresimilarlypricey,due

totheMazda’sunusualandcomplicatedrotary

engine.Sowhyarewerecommendingone?Because

ifyoujustuseanRX-8foroccasionalfunortrack

days,thereisnocheaperwaytogetintoacarwith

thissortofperformanceandstyle.Wespotteda

9,000-mileexamplefor£7,495atadealerifyouare

wantingtoinvest–butwewouldratherpickupone

ofthemanyRX-8sthatareavailableforaround

£1,200–andjusthavefunwhileitlasts.

WHILEtheHondaCivicalwayshadabitofa

reputationforbeingapensioners’car,theCRX

wasbelovedbyenthusiasts.Itfeaturedexotic

all-roundwishbonesuspension,arev-happy

1.6-litrepowerplant(someequippedwith

VTEC)andasnappygearchange.Thiswasall

wrappedinastylishbodyand,becauseitwas

aHonda,itwasreliableandeconomical,too.

Rust,bangerracersandmodifiershaveculled

mostoftheCRXs,though,whichmeansthat

goodcarsarebecominghighlyprized.

Japan

TOYOTAMR2 ROADSTER

Years produced: 2000-2006

Price range: £500-£4,500 Rarity:★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

EVERYgenerationoftheToyotaMR2canbe

consideredaclassic,butwe’reconcentrating

onthefinalincarnationbecauseitseemssuch

goodvalueatthemoment,withpricessettling

ataround£1,500.Forthatkindofmoney,you

getatidydrop-toptwo-seaterwithfunhandling,

thankstoitsmid-enginedconfiguration.

Manyhavebeenkilledbyanastyfaultwiththe

catalystthatsucksdebrisintotheengine,though.

Findonewhereit’sbeenfixed,orapost-2003car.

expertview

TheRX-8’srotaryengine

islowontorque,soyou

havetoworkitreally

hardtogetthebest

performance.Butit’s

greatfunwhenyoudo.

John McIlroy

Deputy editor