The baby may be worth more than ya' think.

[Ron Mummert]

I picked up a 2" thick, 760 page book called "2012 Collector Car Price Guide" edited by a Ron Kowalke, a "respected author, & price analyst" per liner notes.
Just about everything on 4 wheels is contained within this tome.

The cars are rated condition 1 to 6, with a "1" being just about showroom, & basically not driven, & a "6" being a parts car, with perhaps weeds growing from beneath the axles. Mileage is not listed as a factor, nor are mechanical issues discussed. While there may be a few "1s" hidden away out there, I'd say most of our most pristine examples with "average" mileage, whatever your definition of that term means, would qualify as a "2", which is described as "Fine condition", well restored, or a combination of superior restoration, & excellent original, or an extremely well-maintained original showing very minimal wear". I can think of a few SVXen I've seen that might fit that definition, including mine, but I'm selfishly optimistic, & I have some bug splats randomly dispersed upon the bumper, so I'll settle for a 2.5. A "3" might describe a servicable "daily driver" needing minor cosmetic spiffing. I'll ignore 4s & 5s - you know who you are

So....here's the $coop, keeping things simple, & oddly enough note that some of the older models are more valuable than later years. Prices are for LSL AWD models.

Category "2" - '92 - $11,900, '94 - $11,000, '97 - $9,100
Category "3" - '92 - $7,650, '94 - $4,950, '97 - $5,850

Ever a "rougher" quality Cat. 4, '92 is listed at $3,400.

Other years fall somewhere in between.

Oh...& just in case you've got a Cat 2, '92 Legacy 4X4 turbo station wagon, it's a steal @ $10,500.

Ron.

[1986nate]

Problem still remains that there aren't enough buyers. Any writer can write what they want, but it still doesn't break down to real world market. You could have one pristine SVX sell for $13k and another near identical (mileage/condition/model year) sell for $6k. All because someone really "had to have" the one that sold for $13k.
And it makes absolutely no sense for a 92 to be worth more than a 97. No matter how you look at it. All things being equal, a 97 SVX is going to sell for more than a 92.

[Lookin4SVX]

I think the 92's are worth more because they are going to be classics sooner and not need emissions/inspections, and not having to deal with OBD-II crap..
That is the only reason I can think of a 92 would be worth more. I know that is why I bought a 92...

[benebob]

I don't think I've seen a car which would fall into a 2 catagory in about 5 years. Even the nicest out there such as Mike's pearlie would be a 3+ in most classic circles and that's if he threw his slushpuppie back in it!

[Sean486]

Mine is probably somewhere between a category 3 and category 4, maybe a 3.4 . I think $3400 would be a fair price for it. (Not that I'm planning to sell)

<<edit>> If Mike's is a 3 then mine is 5.

[1986nate]

Originally Posted by Lookin4SVX

I think the 92's are worth more because they are going to be classics sooner and not need emissions/inspections, and not having to deal with OBD-II crap..
That is the only reason I can think of a 92 would be worth more. I know that is why I bought a 92...

9000+ 92's sold/produced for NA market vs 640 97's. nuff said

[Ron Mummert]

Originally Posted by benebob

I don't think I've seen a car which would fall into a 2 catagory in about 5 years. Even the nicest out there such as Mike's pearlie would be a 3+ in most classic circles and that's if he threw his slushpuppie back in it!

So you be dissin' John's Dremel queen?

Ron.

[benebob]

Originally Posted by Ron Mummert

So you be dissin' John's Dremel queen?

Ron.

Not at all a very solid higher mileage #3+ car in a color that is not very popular for collector cars.

Considering most cars loose their number #1 status long before their first oil change a unrestored 15-20 year old #3 car is a very nice machine and the prices out there fall into a realistic relm once you put the cars in a realitistic catagory.

Yes Sean you're driving a #4 car but it still the best thing in your driveway!LOL

[kwren]

I have a #2 pearl... turned over 77K yesterday. My silver would be a #3 with only 55K on it. The pearl has only seen rain once.

Keith

[bwb3]

Now, if we could get insurance companies to accept this as a value guide.
Gene

[Sean486]

Originally Posted by benebob

Yes Sean you're driving a #4 car but it still the best thing in your driveway!LOL

Damn right it is!

[kwren]

All we need to do now is get the people that refuse to treat their SVX like the queen it is by maintaining it properly off the road, and in the dump where they should be... then the value of the real SVX lovers cars would skyrocket.

Problem is that although all the cars may not be "loved" enough to treat them like a queen, they are mostly all loved enough to keep driving everyday... Velcro, zip-ties, wheel-bearing roar, check engine light and all.

When Subaru says "what to drive" they were also talking about the SVX... that is the reason that a low mileage one is so tough to find.

Keith

[jetboy]

Mileage always counts and will affect price. So if your Daytona has seen twice the mileage than your neighbours, expect the price of yours to drop by some then thousands...

SVXs are always mentioned by market experts as a "sleeper" and generally receives great words from "anyone" who's into classic cars (and should have the big picture well in front of them). Anyone but the english, of course.

In the end, it's only a car's desirability that really pushes the price (in this market, desirability = demand). Typically, cars that were really desirable when they came will always be very desirable. Cars that were not very desired when they came are unlikely to be very desired in the future. There are exceptions like DeLorean of course.

SVX might have some desirability potential because a fair amount of people might have wanted the car when it came but had no way to pay for one. I'm one of those (or, I was 13 at the time). I remember the car came and thought it was like WOW, forgot all about it and came over an article when I was planning on getting a car (boyhood fantasies are desirability driver no 1).

In addition, other Subarus might increase desirability for the SVX just like some Imprezaboys converts: When you finally scored that 19 year old chick and "put her on the fat path" as we say in these parts of the world, you just know that your powersliding days in public traffic are over. So you buy an SVX and a Legacy instead

Also, there will always be a certain amount of desire for the SVX. The more cars that die, the better for us who take care of ours. Demand might not increase but availability sure can decrease.

Jokes aside, I don't see much hopes for appreciation anytime soon. If ever.

[Lookin4SVX]

Originally Posted by jetboy

In addition, other Subarus might increase desirability for the SVX just like some Imprezaboys converts: When you finally scored that 19 year old chick and "put her on the fat path" as we say in these parts of the world, you just know that your powersliding days in public traffic are over. So you buy an SVX and a Legacy instead

That's me... I had a 2001 2.5RS coupe.
I crashed it on the highway slideways in a snow storm, frame damage, totaled.
I wanted another Subaru coupe, Subaru don't make them no more.
I couldn't afford to buy an Impreza coupe with the insurance check.
So I bought me a 92 SVX and leased a new legacy.

I always wanted an svx.. when I saw how cheap they were, I was like screw it, I'm buying one..
I have had my svx for 2.5 years now, in total I got about 4.5k into her, and I think it was money well spent.
I enjoy the car, its a fun weekend toy for me, I put about 20,000 miles on her since I got her, mostly just running up and down the local cruise night strip.
People ask about it all the time when I stop at the gas station."What it is?", "Really its a Subaru?", "It a nice looking car, why don't they still make these?" and so on..
20 years old and its still a head turner.. That is why I love my SVX.

[Conn SVX]

Will never get the respect it deserves.
I was working and a guy was buying screws and wanted some special kind we did not have. I said what for? He said classic car . I said. I had an old car. He said you should bring it to the car show on Sat. He said I AM A JUDGE AT THE SHOW. So what do you have. I said an SVX. He says what is that a Toyota? I said no. He said a Nissan ? No I said Subaru. He goes , really never heard of it. I said what do you have? He says 72 Vett. I said oh. He said y do you say it like that ? I said doesn't everyone have one of them or a Mustang.