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 Acura Integra GS-R Coupe S/N JH4DB238XPS000187. 58,300 miles. “1.7-liter inline 4-cylinder engine (B17A1), 5-speed manual transmission, 160 hp, 117 lb-ft of torque, original owner until 2022, 14-inch alloy wheels, four-wheel disc brakes, fog lights, rear spoiler, sunroof, cloth upholstery, AM/FM/cassette radio, and cruise control, no modifications.” Condition: 1-. SOLD AT $18,026. Cars & Bids, 6/13/23. The appeal of the third-generation Integra Type R has finally trickled down to the second-gen Integra — and for good reason. This generation introduced the sporty double-wishbone suspension design already found on many Honda cars of the 1990s. Unlike the next generation of Integra GS-Rs, […]
1993 Acura Integra GS-R Coupe
S/N JH4DB238XPS000187. 58,300 miles. “1.7-liter inline 4-cylinder engine (B17A1), 5-speed manual transmission, 160 hp, 117 lb-ft of torque, original owner until 2022, 14-inch alloy wheels, four-wheel disc brakes, fog lights, rear spoiler, sunroof, cloth upholstery, AM/FM/cassette radio, and cruise control, no modifications.” Condition: 1-. SOLD AT $18,026. Cars & Bids, 6/13/23.
The appeal of the third-generation Integra Type R has finally trickled down to the second-gen Integra — and for good reason. This generation introduced the sporty double-wishbone suspension design already found on many Honda cars of the 1990s. Unlike the next generation of Integra GS-Rs, this one had lower production numbers similar to the Type R. With fewer than 4,000 of these available to the U.S. market, they are now rare collectibles. This generation GS-R featured the B17 engine that was only available for the U.S. and Canadian markets (similar B-series engines were the B16 and B18). Being a survivor of the Honda tuning craze and still in original ownership makes this car desirable. A similar GS-R, with four times the mileage and peeling paint, sold on Bring a Trailer last year for more money, making this example especially well bought.
1998 Suzuki Jimny Wide
S/N JB33W100128. 143,600 kilometers (89k miles). “1.3-liter inline-4, 5-speed manual transmission, 2-speed transfer case, 80 hp, 83 lb-ft of torque, Suzuki sport exhaust, side window deflectors, ceiling-mounted interior overhead rack, Momo steering wheel, Clarion head unit and CD changer.” Condition: 1. SOLD AT $8,569. Cars & Bids, 6/16/23.
The third-generation Jimny is finally available to import this year. If you are unfamiliar with the Jimny name, you might know the previous-gen U.S.-spec version: the 1985–95 Suzuki Samurai. That earlier model was available in Japan from 1981 to ’98, with various upgrades and powertrains over its 17-year lifespan. This later model boasted a big cosmetic update and was kept in production for another 20 years. One of the possible reasons for the major revision was changing regulations for keijidōsha or “kei” cars. These are small city cars that fit within specific exterior dimension and engine-displacement limits to get significant tax breaks in Japan. In 1998, regulations allowed these cars to be 1.5 inches wider and four inches longer.
The Jimny is one of the more popular off-road vehicles in its segment, though our subject car is not technically the same as the kei-class variant. This JB33 version (not the smaller JB23) has wider over-fenders and a more-powerful 1.3-liter, 4-cylinder engine (84 hp, 85 lb-ft at most). Kei-class versions had a 660-cc 3-cylinder producing a max of 63 hp and 80 lb-ft. This larger engine makes it desirable for import, with a bit more power to keep up on American roads. Similar Jimnys are available in Japan in the $5k–$7k range, suggesting excellent value for this one, having already been landed and titled. That goes double when you consider older versions can bring the same amount despite their outdated features.
1997 Honda S-MX Lowdown
S/N RH11027195. 82,300 kilometers (51k miles). “2.0-liter inline-4 (B20B), 4-speed automatic transmission, 128 hp, 135 lb-ft, front fog lights, passenger’s side rear door, rear privacy glass, power-folding and power-adjustable side mirrors, cloth upholstery, split-folding front and flat-folding rear bench seats.” Condition: 2+. SOLD AT $8,485. Cars & Bids, 6/6/23.
Given my own experience importing an S-MX (“Collecting Thoughts,” p. 82), it felt fitting to include this auction, the first time an S-MX has appeared on Cars & Bids. This one is in great condition for its age, with low mileage. It is still all-original for its Lowdown trim level, which included orange interior accents, tri-spoke aluminum wheels, 15-mm lower ride height, front and rear spoilers and side skirts. The seller was smart to flush and replace the transmission fluid, as old fluid can create issues down the road. Our subject is in nicer condition than the one I imported, and another one sold shortly thereafter for a similar price, so this seems like the current going rate. Similar examples are bringing $5k in Japan and costing another $2k to import, so nobody got hurt here.
