Sunkist Miata is on the market!

[The Driver]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda-MX-5-Miata-Unique-Factory-Color-Test-Car-1990-MX5-Miata-Unique-Sunkist-Orange-Color-Car-Mazda-/150838315507?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item231eaa09f3#ht_1685wt_1165

Let's not make a habit of cross threading with other sites, but this is historic!



http://youtu.be/w5nhHsST-YM



Pictures from Dan Tagtow:

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=c76f467d36ed1a73&sid=0AYsm7dq0YsWLFmA

More detailed pictures of the rebuild:

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=32abbc273f570fdc&sid=0AYsm7dq0YsWLFug

Select photos from current owners with Sunkist, 2005-present:

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=6263682dcb691472&sid=0AYsm7dq0YsWLF3A

[revlimiter]

Whoa. I didn't actually think I'd ever see it for public sale.

$35k is quite a lot.

[The Driver]

^ Specially since it's a repaint! I doubt the color cars that still have their FACTORY paint are worth $35K!

[theothersawyer]

That is a lot of money for a Miata! I'm sorry, but at the end of the day, it is still a Miata.

I think I would rather buy an NA for a few grand and spend like 33K making it badass!

[94R]

Wow! Somebody will have to really want THAT miata for its history to buy it.

[I<3flippyheadlights]

That is a lot of money for a Miata! I'm sorry, but at the end of the day, it is still a Miata.

I think I would rather buy an NA for a few grand and spend like 33K making it badass!

Buy a miata for a few grand, spend 15 grans making it amazing, then using the rest to buy a nice daily car :P

[kung fu jesus]

That "crunch" as I recall put the car as a salvage title. $35k is literally retarded.

[Bummer]

Buy a Miata for $5k, put $30k in it, sell it in ten years for $6k. Buy this Miata for $35k, sell it in 10 years for $40-50k, or 20 years for $100k. This is a cheap way to get into the investor car market.

[The Driver]

That "crunch" as I recall put the car as a salvage title. $35k is literally retarded.

I'm good friends with Skip Cannon, the man who own it when it was totaled. I have seen the pics of the accident, it was BAD! That it was resurrected is awesome and almost a miracle, as it was close to becoming a "Monster Miata". But $35K large? Not yet...

[kung fu jesus]

"The insurance company made a very fair settlement after I documented Sunkist's status as a true, one of a kind, factory produced car. As part of the settlement, I was allowed to keep Sunkist although they declared her a total loss which resulted in her having a salvage title. I sold her to Monster Motorsports in San Diego, the people who put the 5.0 liter Ford engines in Miatas. They planned to repair Sunkist and convert her to a Monster Miata. I convinced them at the time that it would be better to restore her with an original drive train. They had a new Miata engine, transmission, and differential from a Monster conversion ready to install. The original drive train (with only 28K miles) was ruined in the crash. They told me that it took very little work on the frame machine to correct the damage."

again, 35k: Crack. Pipe.

Seems the owner lost too much of his nest egg in the financial apocalypse and is trying to make some of it back by selling his over-speculated, "rare" Miata to a fellow "enthusiast" (re: sucker).

[The Driver]

The current owner is simplifying things. It was Skip who got the car from the insurance co. He sold it to Monster Miata and bought it back from them. Then he sold it to the current owner. Nice rebuilt, but it is not a $35K yet. Though he is probably fishing with that price, and honestly, who can blame him?

[drv2fst]

Is there anything more to this than a rare factory color ? I mean, it doesn't have rare M2 bits and pieces, or better performance.

[psulja]

I think it'll be a really long time before he even gets an offer on that car. Even a Miata collector wouldn't be looking to spend that much money, especially since the car isn't actually original anymore and has been resprayed. GLWS to that guy, he'll need it.. :fp:

[iRoadster]

Totalled car for twice as much as it was brand new? I know the market value for NA Miatas is up a quite a bit at the moment, but this is ridiculous.
Who prepares this guy's Kool-Aid?

[wannafbody]

I'd guess 10K max offer but maybe there's an idiot out there.

[rikaro]

I'm not going to argue if the price is reasonable or not, but it seems like a lot of people doesn't really appreciate cars like they did before anymore. There will be "true enthusiasts" that will be interested in the car (regardless of the price). A lot of people nowadays buy miatas because they're cheap cars like civics and 240sx to drive, but neglect the history of the car. IMO the miata is a classic car. A car like this is not going to impress a lot of people, but the buyer and may be only a few others. Hate to say this but a lot of people drive the miata as "pass along" cars. If they have the money they're going to buy something else. I'm not really the biggest fan out there on miatas but I truly believe that the miata is a car that's not replaceable.

Sorry it's been a little out of topic but I just have to say that the price may not be reasonable at all, but a collector's item will have it's only place and price.

[Agent☣Orange]

I suspect it's a wiffy price. In other words, wiffy's been nagging him to sell it and he complies with a price so it'll never sell. All married men know this technique. It's in the Married Man's Survival Guide.

[s0verybored]

I can appreciate it for what it is. Pretty much a one off color that came like that from the factory.

Will it reach collector's value in the future? Probably not with that salvage title and repaint. Or if every other NA in the world just kinda blew up.

I remember when the owner of the B pkg sunburst yellow mentioned in the ad sold her car. The owner just sold it for original MSRP (20k or something around there.) I would've bought that one for that price.

[mrmustang]

Buy a Miata for $5k, put $30k in it, sell it in ten years for $6k. Buy this Miata for $35k, sell it in 10 years for $40-50k, or 20 years for $100k. This is a cheap way to get into the investor car market.

Sorry to say, but if you are looking at buying a car for future investment, this Miata is not the smartest investment in the bunch :D

[The Driver]

I can appreciate it for what it is. Pretty much a one off color that came like that from the factory.

Will it reach collector's value in the future? Probably not with that salvage title and repaint. Or if every other NA in the world just kinda blew up.

I remember when the owner of the B pkg sunburst yellow mentioned in the ad sold her car. The owner just sold it for original MSRP (20k or something around there.) I would've bought that one for that price.

You are talking about "Sunny", the "press release" 1991 Sunburst. It was sold for MSRP + one dollar to Prof. Tom. But that car was (and still is) MINT.

[afc2112]

I'm not going to argue if the price is reasonable or not, but it seems like a lot of people doesn't really appreciate cars like they did before anymore. There will be "true enthusiasts" that will be interested in the car (regardless of the price). A lot of people nowadays buy miatas because they're cheap cars like civics and 240sx to drive, but neglect the history of the car. IMO the miata is a classic car.

What do you mean "nowadays?" Everyone has always bought Miatas because it IS cheap.

No disputes the fact that it is a classic.

If you're such a true enthusiast, why don't you buy it for $35k and appreciate it more than the rest of us?

[The Driver]

What do you mean "nowadays?" Everyone has always bought Miatas because it IS cheap.

No disputes the fact that it is a classic.

If you're such a true enthusiast, why don't you buy it for $35k and appreciate it more than the rest of us?

Dude, lets play fair. He did say that the price was NOT reasonable...

[afc2112]

Yeah, but he's claiming that we're not true enthusiasts for balking at a $35k price tag on a rare, ableit non-original Miata.

And let's be fair. True enthusiasts would probably be looking at used 911s, C5 Z06s, Vipers and NSXs at that price point. Those cars are guaranteed classics too. With pedigree and performance to boot.

It's kinda hard to justify that kind of money on an NA. Heck, you can probably buy a real Lotus Elan for that coin if you truly like the history of the Miata.

[kung fu jesus]

Let's really be fair. You're all saying pretty much the same thing. :mrgreen:

[The Driver]

Yeah, but he's claiming that we're not true enthusiasts for balking at a $35k price tag on a rare, ableit non-original Miata.

And let's be fair. True enthusiasts would probably be looking at used 911s, C5 Z06s, Vipers and NSXs at that price point. Those cars are guaranteed classics too. With pedigree and performance to boot.

It's kinda hard to justify that kind of money on an NA. Heck, you can probably buy a real Lotus Elan for that coin if you truly like the history of the Miata.

I'm a true enthusiast. I don't shop 911's, Z06's or Vipers. The NSX does nothing for me. I do like Miatas though...

[afc2112]

Well, we have different ideals when it comes to sports cars. But you can't deny that it's overpriced. If you prefer your cars small, an Elise is a better proposition than the Sunkist.

You might even be able to find one in orange. :)

[I<3flippyheadlights]

for 35k I could own a few cars on my list...

[The Driver]

Well, we have different ideals when it comes to sports cars. But you can't deny that it's overpriced. If you prefer your cars small, an Elise is a better proposition than the Sunkist.

You might even be able to find one in orange. :)

Oh not different ideals as opposed to different budgets or financial goals in life.

But yes, for $35K I'd rather buy a Lotus "Exige" than Sunkist, rebuilt or not. An Elise? Meh!

[afc2112]

I am younger than you and I have no debt, so I can consider those cars at that budget. Not that I would take the plunge...On the same token, the only Miata I would consider over 8k is a Simpson Design Italia Coupe.

That is unique enough to warrant a premium over ordinary NAs.

[jux]

I'd wager that in 1980, not many folks saw a lot of value in a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, either. Why don't you go see what they're worth now? I can find a rusted out pile of shit in my area for about $5k...with a shrub growing where the engine used to be.

Now, imagine your 1 of 1 Miata in 30 years. Regardless of title condition, so long as the vehicle proper is kept up properly, it's gonna have some decent value. However, $35k is indeed a crack pipe price at this point in time...unless someone just really needs to own Sunkist right now (and has a winning lotto ticket).

[kung fu jesus]

I am younger than you and I have no debt, so I can consider those cars at that budget. Not that I would take the plunge...On the same token, the only Miata I would consider over 8k is a Simpson Design Italia Coupe.

That is unique enough to warrant a premium over ordinary NAs.

This comment made me laugh. :lol:

[The Driver]

This comment made me laugh. :lol:

It reminded me when I replaced my 944S with the 968. Now I wish I had not bought either...

[yosh95m]

fuck thats a lot... i honestly am speechless for this one

[Stealth97]

salvage title and repaint makes special colored car just another old miata.

[Phatmiata]

salvage title and repaint makes special colored car just another old miata.

You nailed it on the head! It's not even a true limited edition! I think he is just testing the waters, or like Yata stated, his wife wants him to sell it.

If you watch the video it states it was crushed all the way up to the firewall, and that the original engine was destroyed.

[The Driver]

If you watch the video it states it was crushed all the way up to the firewall, and that the original engine was destroyed.

That's because that is exactly what happened to it, while on Skip's hands.

[WASABI]

You'll be paying $35,000.00 for a vin number. To me that's not worth it.

[kung fu jesus]

I agree. If the original engine was destroyed, and the car is being sold with the intent of being some Concours-level specimen, then the motor in the car won't have a matching VIN on he pan. If the tag was swapped over, the documentation of the car being salvaged still hurts the "Concours" level the price is commanding.

I don't have a dog in this fight, just sayin'.

[Calebbel]

Does anyone know the whereabouts of the other color cars? I'd imagine they'd be more likely to be worth this kind of money than this one will ever be.

[The Driver]

Does anyone know the whereabouts of the other color cars? I'd imagine they'd be more likely to be worth this kind of money than this one will ever be.

The blue car (which was repainted with factory specked paint due to flaking and had the engine replaced by a factory one) has over 200K miles and it is currently the Miata of the month on Miata.net.


Rasberry and green car are unnacaounted for.

[s0verybored]

Very nice story on the metallic blue color car. Nice to see it being put to good use, instead of being set on a pedestal.

I want to see the color car next to a laguna blue to see the differences.

[etikoner]

It looks sweet.

Like a nice OEM+ build that someone built with 15K on top of a cheap used miata.

Being original would have me retract my statement, but it's (unfortunately) a salvage titled vehicle.

No way I'd pay 35k for it.

Though I do wanna see pictures of the other Color cars!