And the winner of dreamer of the year is... Part 2!

In Ireland, I'd doubt it. In the UK, US or Japan probably(especially the US though it would need to be parked up for a few years). Ireland's market for that sort of thing is absolutely tiny and most who would be in that market already have one, or similar for years. A new buyer willing to slap down 24k on a weekend car that's an 18 owner tired example with a respray and interior shiny spray? I really don't know. The seats do look good for that mileage. I'd be shocked if they haven't been partially retrimmed with new bolsters.

I have noticed among mates as we've gotten older that in general torque becomes more prefered over horsepower and they prefer more comfort, especially when it comes to NVH. With those who like their pies low cars are not liked. The most extreme being one lad who once was mad for Lotus, where he had to grease himself up to get into the things, but who now loves big German iron with all the trimmings. And fair enough.

An EK9/DC2/5 would leave a Passat for dead(more torque, same power, 300kilos heavier with a meh chassis), but you'd be doing prison speeds and it would take a lot more concentration, but the thing is I would actually agree with you; for a bit of safe enough spirited driving without going nuts the Passat would be far easier to live with and clearly better day to day. There's a reason why the lairy JDM stuff nearly always has a dozen plus previous owners. People don't tend to hang onto them they way they would a classic Beemer for example.

Though I disagree with this; even with tweaks a DC5 isn't close to what can be achieved, or indeed out of the box with the superior unequal length wishbone setups of the earlier Hondas. Honda went costcutting, like they did with the replacement for the EP3. The rear setup is OK, but doesn't have the passive toe in under braking of the earlier stuff. The 5's are well known for bump steer and woolly feel and many make them even worse by lowering them, cos that's what you do for 'handling'. Not(or you have to know what the hell you're changing and doing). Keep the suspension stock, replace tired bushings, run more negative camber at the front and add a stiffer rear antiroll bar. That's about your lot. They are a much more modern car though, more comfort, better fit and finish, far less creaky and IMHO still look pretty current. The others are clearly products of the 90's and early 90's at that. The EKs and DC2 look like an old car, the DC5 doesn't to nearly the same degree.

As for popularity of the old stuff, there's a load out there that would sell their first born for Toyota AE36's and they go for strong money. The price of Supras has gone insane. BMW E30 M3's are what now, a hundred grand? It's a minority of guys into their model of older/classic car, but decent survivors of those old cars get harder and harder to find each year so prices naturally go up. It's just the nature of these things.

Less so with Ireland though, as that minority of guys involved are of an even tinier minority. In the UK you might have a couple of thousand petrolheads wanting an EK9 R/Skyline/E30 M3 and with the readies to hand over(in the US more like tens of thousands), here in Ireland you might have a couple of dozen and half of them likely already have something similar in a shed somewhere. Those guys selling 90's JDM stuff like the Skyline or the Civic are on a hiding to nothing especially at those prices. I'd reckon that Civic is actually 'worth' about 14-15k tops in the Irish market. That is you'd actually sell it at that, but even then your phone wouldn't be lighting up. Fashion comes into it too. 20 years ago with any trick JDM stuff you'd be lucky to be able to catch your breath before your phone would go nuts with calls and offers of cash. Since then the scene has moved on to RWD and German(mostly). And that's before we get to cheaper credit to buy new. So the market for the Jap stuff is older guys nostalgia for the most part and a current bubble in the market, much of it driven by the US and youtube. I've noticed quite the number of recent JDM imports showing up on donedeal at strong money. Guys thinking 'values' and what sells in the US or UK or Japan is what will sell here. Rude awakening time I reckon.

It's the same old story; worth is what somebody is willing to pay for something, but if your phone isn't ringing you've got the price and your market wrong.

Maybe the covid anti vaxxer types were right. There's something in the vaccines that causes madness... 😂

I seem to remember that particular car has been here before and for sale for ages.