Brian serves as the Information Technology Manager for Sports Car Market magazine. As a fourth-generation automotive enthusiast, he has a particular passion for Japanese cars spanning the 1970s to the 2000s and is actively involved in the North American kaido racer community.
1993 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon Exceed 4WD S/N P24W0400476. 176,100 kilometers (109,500 miles). “2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 145 horsepower and 152 lb-ft of torque, 4-speed automatic transmission and a 2-speed transfer case, 15-inch wheels, a brush guard, a sunroof, sliding, folding and swiveling second-row seats, folding third-row seats, an information display on the dashboard, and air conditioning.” Condition: 3. SOLD AT $15,936. Cars & Bids, 2/14/23. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we see Delicas on the road every day. With so many mountains and hiking trails and the enduring popularity of #vanlife, it’s no wonder they became popular over the past […]
1993 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon Exceed 4WD
S/N P24W0400476. 176,100 kilometers (109,500 miles). “2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 145 horsepower and 152 lb-ft of torque, 4-speed automatic transmission and a 2-speed transfer case, 15-inch wheels, a brush guard, a sunroof, sliding, folding and swiveling second-row seats, folding third-row seats, an information display on the dashboard, and air conditioning.” Condition: 3. SOLD AT $15,936. Cars & Bids, 2/14/23.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we see Delicas on the road every day. With so many mountains and hiking trails and the enduring popularity of #vanlife, it’s no wonder they became popular over the past decade. These trucks are loaded with cool features (which are otherwise normal in Japan), such as reversible seats, lay-flat bed, rear HVAC, and large rear sunroof. Early adopters were commonly paying a high markup for the third-generation Delica, with importers charging around $25k–$30k. This has been dropping, with plenty of examples now here and available. We imagine many owners, having scratched the itch during the pandemic, are now moving on. Unfamiliar buyers may not be aware of potential drivability issues here in the U.S. The highway speed limit is just 62 mph in Japan, and at 65, the short-geared Delica is at redline. They just aren’t built to be speeding along at 80 mph, meaning you’ll be a moving chicane on a typical U.S. freeway, and any kind of mountain pass will have to be climbed at around 45 mph. Power and gearing are not the Delica’s strong points. Today’s weak yen means rigs similar to this one are selling at dealers in Japan for as little as $5k–$10k. Tack on another $5k for import and shipping expenses and you arrive at the sale price here. This is a nice example that was well-bought. The new owner can look forward to a lot of fun without the import hassle. He just shouldn’t expect to be the first to arrive anywhere.
2010 Honda Element EX 4WD
S/N 5J6YH2H70AL008666. 58k miles. “2.4-liter inline-4, 5-speed automatic transaxle, real-time 4WD, Tango Red Pearl metallic paint, gray cloth upholstery, 16-inch alloy wheels, composite body panels, rear-hinged rear doors, air conditioning, cruise control, AM/FM/CD stereo.” Condition: 1-. SOLD AT $21,525. Bring a Trailer, 2/21/23.
Honda designed the Element at its Califonia studio with adventurous 20-somethings in mind, but when new it was primarily oldsters buying them. That demographic mix-up led to this weird quasi-van being discontinued in 2011 after a single production cycle. Yet an enthusiast community sprang up around the model. In the secondary market, many saw it as the budget camper-van option, setting Elements up with cupboards and beds and overlanding gear. With prices between $5k–$10k, they were not only utilitarian but also affordable. Recently, however, nice low-mileage examples such as our subject vehicle have begun cracking the $20k barrier in online auctions. If you want a perfect one today, then you will certainly be paying over $15k. If you just plan to take it camping, buying one with more miles and a little extra wear and saving a few thousand dollars still makes more sense. Our subject vehicle seems well sold today; however, the buyer isn’t too far ahead of the market. With diehard Element enthusiasts all over Facebook and organized Honda Element gatherings, these are not going down in price anytime soon.
1972 Nissan Skyline KGC10
S/N KGC10051090. 14k kilometers (about 9k miles) shown. “Replacement L28 inline-6, triple Solex carburetors, 5-speed manual transmission, white paintwork, black vinyl upholstery, bolt-in roll bar, front and rear spoilers, fender flares, front disc brakes, adjustable front shocks, 15-inch Watanabe R-Type wheels.” Condition: 1-. SOLD AT $111,000. Bring a Trailer, 2/4/23.
This stylish third-generation Skyline is referred to as “hakosuka,” or “boxy skyline.” This was the first generation to receive the iconic GT-R trim level. While the subject car wasn’t an original GT-R, it was modified to look like one with fender flares and trunk spoiler, which is fairly common for Skyline owners. The car was imported in 2017 by JDM Legends, a Utah-based Japanese-car restoration shop. It was tuned up, and many maintenance parts were replaced along with installation of the fender flares and rechroming the front bumper. Underhood is a Datsun 280ZX L28 engine that has been stroked from 2.8 to 3.2 liters, giving it a huge horsepower bump over the stock 2.0-L L20. Many of the mods here are the traditional upgrades you would find on Japanese-built Skylines. Prices in Japan for a car built similarly to this one are around $90k–$120k, making this sale right on the money. The advantage for the buyer is that the car is already here, with the work done by a well-known shop. Well bought. ♦
