Market Watch: Nissan S13-S15 Silvia & SX

Date: 25.05.2023

S13 Nissan coupes seen here 30 years ago were escapees from a Japanese market where tight rules made them hard to re-register once over five years old. Avoiding the ‘recycling centre’ often meant finding new homes in New Zealand and Australia

Badged as 180SX, Silvia or even ‘Sileighty’, the new arrivals were derisively termed ‘grey’ imports by the mainstream vehicle market, with dire warnings about unobtainable spare parts and untenable insurance premiums.

Early ones still found eager owners and perhaps for that reason, Nissan decided to flood the market with 200SX versions of the updated S14.

These came with 2.0-litre, 147kw turbo engines in manual or automatic and three trim levels culminating in the leather-trimmed Luxury.

| 2022 Market Review: Nissan 180SX/200SX/Silvia 1988-2002

Later would come a second flurry of Japanese Domestic Market Silvia S15s, with leather trim and other goodies which tilted sales in favour of the low-volume imports.

Values didn’t move significantly until 2021, when Pandemic lockdowns did all manner of unpredictable things to buyer behaviour. Early versions since 2018 have more than doubled in price, with later S15s experiencing slightly lower growth.

| Buyer's Guide: Nissan 180-200SX/Silvia coupe 1988-2002

Under the new rolling 25 import regime, Australia is likely to see even more 1990s versions starting to arrive from Japan, satisfying demand for low-kilometre cars. Ones to watch as the floodgates open include the pre-1994 180SX and Silvia Varietta convertible.

Retail pricing remains strong; however cracks are emerging. An early 180SX in worn condition offered with no reserve at a February 2023 auction made a realistic $11,000, but similar cars were still being offered privately at over $20,000.

| Future classic: Nissan Silvia/180SX S13

The closer an early SX or Silvia can remain to stock condition the better. Most are well past their 30th birthdays and can be suffering cracked plastics, worn velour trim and electronic dashboard failures. Especially hard to find will be windscreens with their head-up display feature in working order so the best car available with an analogue dash is the one to buy.

| Our Shed: Nissan S13 Silvia on the road again

How the prices moved:

2010
MODEL	YEARS	CONDITION 3 $	CONDITION 2 $	CONDITION 1 $
180SX Coupe	1988-1990	3000	7700	12,000
180SX Coupe	1991-1992	3600	9000	13,750
180SX Coupe	1993-1996	4800	10,000	16,500
180SX X Type	1997-1999	I/D	13,500	20,000
200SX Coupe	1994-1996	4500	8700	12,500
200SX Coupe	1997-1999	6000	10,600	15,500
200SX Luxury	1994-1996	5200	10,500	14,750
200SX Luxury	1997-1999	7000	12,250	17,500
200SX Type R/S	1999-2001	I/D	18,500	27,000

2015
MODEL	YEARS	CONDITION 3 $	CONDITION 2 $	CONDITION 1 $
180SX Coupe	1988-1992	2200	6000	12,500
180SX Coupe	1993-1996	3000	7000	13,500
200SX Coupe	1994-1997	3000	6000	11,500
200SX Coupe	1997-2001	3300	7000	13,500
200SX Type R/S	1999-2002	I/D	10,000	18,000
Silvia 1.8 Turbo	1988-1991	2500	6000	10,500
Silvia 2.0 Turbo	1992-1993	3300	7000	12,000
Silvia S15 Turbo	1999-2000	I/D	12,000	20,000

2023
MODEL	YEARS	CONDITION 3 $	CONDITION 2 $	CONDITION 1 $
180SX Coupe	1988-1990	9500	20,000	29,500
180SX Coupe	1990-1992	I/D	23,000	34,500
180SX Coupe	1993-1997	I/D	26,5000	37,000
200SX Coupe	1994-1997	11,000	25,000	34,500
200SX Coupe	1997-2001	I/D	28,000	39,000
200SX Type R/S	1999-2002	I/D	33,500	45,000
Silvia 1.8 Turbo	1988-1991	6000	15,500	24,500
Silvia 2.0 Turbo	1992-1993	9500	26,000	34,500
Silvia S15 Turbo	1990-2000	15,000	29,000	42,000
Silvia S15 Varietta Conv.	1999-2002	I/D	19,500	30,000

From Unique Cars #478, May 2023

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