Daily driving NSX?

Be gentle it is my first post.

I have always admired the NSX and have been a lurker here for years.

I am really considering picking up a higher mileage 91 or 92 to use as a daily driver most of the year. Sure I would love to drop $40k plus on a garage queen, but realistically I want to drive the car and not cry when I get that first rock chip.

Sure they are a Honda, but with higher (100k+) miles are these cars really that reliable? I drive at least 100 miles a day. I have read many posts stating that these cars can require $3-4k in maintenance off the bat. What are common items that need replaced.

Can anyone share experiences of daily driving and/or experience with higher mile cars?

Thanks for the help!

The wiki could probably best answer most of the maintenance questions (it's located at the top).

I nearly daily drove my NSX when I had it, and the only issue I had was a coolant hose blew. Many Prime members DD the car.
Most of the gripes associated with daily driving the car stem from the car being too low, hard to get out of, hard to get into, need to watch where you park, general items associated with leaving a car like the NSX in a place where other cars can damage it easily.

I loved it. It was as docile as an Accord, the sitting position was comfortable, and the visibility was fantastic. Most of the controls are typical Honda, so very ergonomic and functional.

Most of the items people are talking about in reference to deferred maintenance and $4K+ expenses are things such as the timing belt/water pump replacement intervals, potential clutch, coolant hoses, AC service, things like that.

Make sure your 91-92 has had a few things addressed:
-Timing belt/water pump interval good
-Clutch doesn't slip
-AC works properly (compressors, fans). Make sure it blows cold out of ALL vents.
-coolant hoses have been changed
-manual transmission is NOT in snap-ring failure range, or has been repaired if IN snap-ring failure range
-Windows roll up and down normally, at a constant pace, and not unreasonably slow. The regulators were of a poor design and need lubricating/a "fix-it" modification piece
-Make sure there's no errant TCS or ABS lights. These can be a few different issues from dirty throttle body to failure of the ABS system and can be potentially expensive.

Also, some things that would be a good idea to check would be:
-recent valve adjustment, within last 2 years
-no VTEC/cam seals leaking. These can be notorious.
-If TB/WP interval good, check to see if the harmonic balancer was changed.

Sure you can dd the car... But I wouldn't have it as my only car... Having a spare encourages you to do all the maintaince on time and gives you a spare incase something does happen.

Now (and dont be offended, we just see this all the time), if your post was code for "my budget puts me in higher mileage early cars", then save up longer and either get a better one with lower mileage and a maintaince history or buy yourself a cheap reliable beater to go with it.

OneRedNSX said:

Sure you can dd the car... But I wouldn't have it as my only car... Having a spare encourages you to do all the maintaince on time and gives you a spare incase something does happen.

Now (and dont be offended, we just see this all the time), if your post was code for "my budget puts me in higher mileage early cars", then save up longer and either get a better one with lower mileage and a maintaince history or buy yourself a cheap reliable beater to go with it.

Click to expand...

+1... IMO DD of an NSX is a bad move. Personally, I think a 911 makes a better DD. More space, backseats, higher ground clearance, much MUCH lower profile, AWD... And that said, even the 911 I was never able to DD.

I know people do it. I know people do a lot of things. But personally, I don't think its a good way to go.

Mine has been my DD for 6 1/2 years, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I appreciate the honest feedback.

Thanks for the note about the wiki, I did not see that at the top, tons of info there. I will spend time reading it.

As far as budget, I do have a winter beater (95 Accord that I have since almost new). Maybe its me, but at this point in my life I just cannot really justify buying a toy and letting it sit in the garage most of the year. If it is going to sit in my garage and get driven once a week, I would rather put that money to work somewhere. I would rather have one with a few (albeit minor) flaws and not feel so bad when I rack up 20k+ miles a year and pepper the front of it with some rock chips.

I have been daily driving my NSX for over a year now. Yeah I daily drive it but I dont drive it a 100 miles a day. Also, I bought mine with only 30,000 miles on it. I wont be daily driving pretty soon. I picked up a 02 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS as a beater. I probably will drive the Subie during the winter for the most part and in rain. Its really hard to walk into my garage and say "no I wont drive you NSX". lol. I wish you luck.

I have daily driven my lowered 93 ever since I got it ~2 years ago. I wouldn't have it any other way. Costco (can't buy too many things), supermarket, fast food, school, everywhere.

As with any car, make sure it's maintained properly and you will be fine.

ThumperAC said:

Be gentle it is my first post.

I have always admired the NSX and have been a lurker here for years.

I am really considering picking up a higher mileage 91 or 92 to use as a daily driver most of the year. Sure I would love to drop $40k plus on a garage queen, but realistically I want to drive the car and not cry when I get that first rock chip.

Sure they are a Honda, but with higher (100k+) miles are these cars really that reliable? I drive at least 100 miles a day. I have read many posts stating that these cars can require $3-4k in maintenance off the bat. What are common items that need replaced.

Can anyone share experiences of daily driving and/or experience with higher mile cars?

Thanks for the help!

Click to expand...

Hello! I have been daily driving NSXs for about 16 years now, and my current 1994 has been my daily driver for about 10 years. Currently I have just over 177,000 miles, and the only issues the car has had have been caused by human error (i.e. - some sloppy work by the dealer caused some problems that otherwise would not have happened). There are plenty of NSXs out there with 200,000 miles and more that have been trouble free. Just like with any car, maintenance is the key. Every 90,000 miles is the timing belt/water pump/accessory belts service that is the big one. Usually the valve adjustment is done at the same time, and that is a few thousand dollars when combined with the other maintenance. Most of the maintenance for the car is just like any other car. With proper snow tires, the NSX is fine in the snow too. There really is no reason why the NSX cannot be used as a daily driver for 99% of the people out there. It comes down to the fact that most NSXs owners just do not want to subject their cars to the higher mileage. If you do not care about miles or depreciation, then buy one and drive it. My NSX is a daily reminder of why I love the car, and a blessing to have. As I close in on 200,000 miles I get even more excited, and want to drive it even more. :smile:

well, there's driving it daily and parking it in questionable areas where it can get damaged. that said, my only options are what's in my sig... so i certainly recommend daily driving fun cars.

The NSX makes a fine daily driver, but I wouldn't make it my ONLY car. What if your car needs service...it could be out for days. Sometimes when I go out, I just take the beater because I just don't want the attention. I can park the beater where ever and I really don't care if I get door dings.

Since you have at least a backup plan older accord (which basically never go wrong), I see no problem with your plan.

Word of caution though, if you are not mechanically inclined yourself, spend the little extra to get a car that has everything that USAFdarkhorse mentioned already done to it.

In the current market you should probably expect to pay $25-30k for a well documented and maintained 91/92 car with somewhere between 100 and 150k miles....so not a garage queen, but just a well cared for car.

That is what I would recommend. If you find a "deal", there's usually a reason. I, for instance, paid ~$16k for my car when I bought it (knowing it needed a good deal of work). I have about $25k now in it after all has been said and done to get it look and run as the car should. Had I not done a good bit of the labor myself, that number would be much higher. The moral is that any money you save up front, will likely come back to haunt you later....unless you're a masochist and like a project.

While you're digging through that wiki, or search the forums for "balancer failure" and "transmission snap-ring problem". As far as street-driven cars are concerned, these are about the only two semi-common sources of any type of really expensive mechanical failure that don't involve user error.

From a capability and comfort standpoint, as long as you don't lower the car absurdly it really does fine as a DD. When I'm fiddling with my other car, I'll DD the NSX for a few months sometimes, although as some have mentioned, I'm a little pickier about where I park. Obviously, you can't carry large items....I've gotten some funny looks with about 4' of 8' PVC tubing sticking out the passenger window, but the trunk is actually fairly accommodating.

Good luck with your search.

Its late and I was only able to skim the above posts. So, I hope I'm not a repeater.

I drove my 95 auto trans as a daily driver in LA for about 8 months (my 92 Prelude died at the ripe age 0f 250,000 miles). The daily round trip was about 60 miles, but sometimes I needed to drive to projects once at work, adding to the mileage. Although it was mostly enjoyable, even in traffic, the majority of rock chips nicks and scratches came during this period. Because of more seat time, there was a corresponding amount of driver stress to be careful on where to park and how you approach speed bumps and driveways, and to avoid bad or in a hury drivers during rush hour traffic.

I would prefer having a backup car, as I do now, to allow the option of not driving the NSX everyday, particularly when I know I will be going out of the office for a project. I'm not afraid to drive my car. I average around 10,500 mile per year. I would prefer quality driving time over rush hour driving. If I had a manual, in my situation, I may not have enjoyed daily driving as much.

Something more to add. It seems like a fair share of the people that do not daily drive their NSX stress out WAY too much about things like where to park and driveway angles, and such. The funny thing is that the more you drive it, the better you are at knowing the best angles in and out of places without damaging your car (my NSX is lowered, and sits an inch and a half from the ground in front, and I am fine). Plus, if people just learn to park in a normal spot (not super tight), most people will leave your car alone. I learned early on that the more of a spectacle you make of your car by parking it out in the sticks, the more likely people are to mess with you. The point of what I am saying is that the more you actually drive the NSX, the better you get at avoiding the high stress situations, and the more enjoyable the car becomes. Plus, I seriously believe that if people see you treating it like a 'normal car', they will leave you the heck alone!

I look for reasons to drive it. Friend needed picked up at the airport last week (90 - 100 mile round trip), so I made sure to find a way to cram all their crap into the NSX as opposed to taking our Evo, Sierra 2500HD, or other larger cars. The enjoyment of driving made it the first choice. Commuting for work at sometimes 200 miles or more per day, I take the NSX. It gets the best fuel economy of any of my cars, and puts a smile on my face whenever I drive it, or see it after meeting with customers.

The funny thing is that my car is not a beater either. Even at 17 years old, and almost 177,200 miles, people who have seen it will tell you that it looks like it has 30,000 miles. It is well taken care of, and looks great. Driving every day does not have to turn your car into a turd, you just have to not let your car be a turd.

The NSX was designed to be a daily driver. I say go for it.

OneRedNSX said:

Sure you can dd the car... But I wouldn't have it as my only car... Having a spare encourages you to do all the maintaince on time and gives you a spare incase something does happen.

Now (and dont be offended, we just see this all the time), if your post was code for "my budget puts me in higher mileage early cars", then save up longer and either get a better one with lower mileage and a maintaince history or buy yourself a cheap reliable beater to go with it.

Click to expand...

I agree with this post here from OneRed...but would also add the following. Buying a high mile NSX for a daily is not the best idea for a lot of reasons but you surely can drive it daily. Driving a Porsche daily as Mlambert suggests would scare me a lot more knowing how expensive they are to maintain and they have a few issues that concern me - not just me - but pick up the latest issue of Excellence with the Bruce Anderson buyers guide/report on the 996 and 997 and see his warnings and he didn't even mention the IMS issue which is shown up in one that was bought that had an engine replacement at 12,300 miles due to the IMS bearing grenading his engine. I know not all have that problem - but feeling lucky with an NSX is a lot easier than hoping you are with a 996 or 997 imho.

Don't need to start a thread on that - back to driving the NSX as a daily. If you think just cause it's a Honda you can just buy any high miler and because it is Honda "reliable" - the engine that is and btw it is bullet proof more than any sports car engine MADE, start driving it without worry about maintenance - WRONG. The older and higher mileage it is the more important it is to find one with a long lineage of maintenance history in the possession of the owner! You either buy one with all maintenance up to snuff or figure on providing that yourself. Depending on the specific example you're looking at will suggest to one what will be needed. It is hard to just throw out the "usual suspects of maintenance" - for example:

I bought mine for 28.5k and it came with a long lineage of maintenance history - a stack of reciepts but it needed servicing. It was a time interval thing - you need to know what those are! Read and listen to our group for a good while before you buy! I have put 6.2k in mine and it had 43k miles on it and was in good shape releatively and it still cost me that and 5.2k of it was spent immediately with the mechanic I took it to - Barney, the barn man- famous amongst our readers for being a super great NSX independant mechanic along with some others in other parts of the country. So if the maintenance isn't up to snuff and there's a good bet it isn't you better have some fix it bucks from 5k to 7k. Like I said the higher the miles the more likely it is that things need doing - not always but usually.

Once those things are done and you want to drive it as a daily - go right ahead - but they are not as cheap to own and operate as a Honda Accord or Civic - you can bet on that! So be prepared.

For the budget minded or young guy on a budget - I wouldn't think of driving it daily. I wouldn't think of any sports car as a daily but if ever there was one - the NSX is it and obviously the more funds you have to take care of it makes it that much more doable. There are guys that drive older 911s as daily drivers - just depends on how prepared you are to take the proper care of a car like that, which is deserving of attention, and not drive it into the ground. These are special cars but it's not like picking up a Miata and driving the poo out of it. This is an exotic and it costs like one to a lower degree than a Porsche or Ferrari or Lambo or other rich man's cars. You can buy almost anything - the real test comes in maintaining it.

Hope that helps,

OneRedNSX said:

Sure you can dd the car... But I wouldn't have it as my only car... Having a spare encourages you to do all the maintaince on time and gives you a spare incase something does happen.

Now (and dont be offended, we just see this all the time), if your post was code for "my budget puts me in higher mileage early cars", then save up longer and either get a better one with lower mileage and a maintaince history or buy yourself a cheap reliable beater to go with it.

Click to expand...

+1 agree

ThumperAC said:

Be gentle it is my first post.

I have always admired the NSX and have been a lurker here for years.

I am really considering picking up a higher mileage 91 or 92 to use as a daily driver most of the year. Sure I would love to drop $40k plus on a garage queen, but realistically I want to drive the car and not cry when I get that first rock chip.

Sure they are a Honda, but with higher (100k+) miles are these cars really that reliable? I drive at least 100 miles a day. I have read many posts stating that these cars can require $3-4k in maintenance off the bat. What are common items that need replaced.

Can anyone share experiences of daily driving and/or experience with higher mile cars?

Thanks for the help!

Click to expand...

I noticed you are in Ohio. Have you driven an NSX yet? If not, I recommend you try to drive a few of them with various mileage so that you can see what a good NSX is like compared to a bad one. I am north of Indianapolis, so if you are ever around the area, let me know and you can drive mine. It has a lot of miles, but is very well maintained. It would be a good indicator of what you can expect from a well maintained, higher mileage, NSX.

re: OH. I noticed that the folks saying "I DD every day, go for it!" and in CA, FL, etc.

OH you need to consider are you in an area where you are going to get shit weather for months and months, snow etc.

Thats a big part of why I could never daily drive these cars in NY/NJ/PA. It would be ridiculous, IMO, to haul an NSX through 8" of snow.

Lifestyle also matters. If you are young, single, and live 11 miles from work, thats a big difference than being married with 3 kids and a 45 mile commute, needing to haul groceries, pick people up from airports, etc.

The NSX is a car with 5" of ground clearance, 20 year old parts, 2 seats, no trunk space and a pretty expensive maintenance schedule compared to the vast majority of normal cars. If "daily driving" for you is the equivalent of basically a great pleasure cruise, then its fine. But if "daily driving" means 20k mi per year, 365, through all kinds of conditions then its a bad move.

mlambert890 said:

re: OH. I noticed that the folks saying "I DD every day, go for it!" and in CA, FL, etc.

OH you need to consider are you in an area where you are going to get shit weather for months and months, snow etc.

Thats a big part of why I could never daily drive these cars in NY/NJ/PA. It would be ridiculous, IMO, to haul an NSX through 8" of snow.

Lifestyle also matters. If you are young, single, and live 11 miles from work, thats a big difference than being married with 3 kids and a 45 mile commute, needing to haul groceries, pick people up from airports, etc.

The NSX is a car with 5" of ground clearance, 20 year old parts, 2 seats, no trunk space and a pretty expensive maintenance schedule compared to the vast majority of normal cars. If "daily driving" for you is the equivalent of basically a great pleasure cruise, then its fine. But if "daily driving" means 20k mi per year, 365, through all kinds of conditions then its a bad move.

Click to expand...

^ +20! Great advice...

Yeah, geography will make a difference.

When I still had the OEM 15/16 wheels with skinny tires and tall sidewalls on my car, I'd just bleed the tires down to like 25lbs, turn the TCS off, and the car was actually completely tolerable in the kind of relatively mild snow we see occasionally in TN (the NSX was my only functioning car for the first winter I owned it, and we got maybe a few 3-6" dustings).

That said, my other car is an MR2 that I've driven in every condition imaginable for 11 years so I'm used to dealing with the mid/rear balance with little/no traction. Now though, I don't think I'd trust the low profile super-aggressive street tires as much on snow/ice.

Now leave it to a guy like R13 - that is most cmmendable - Tennessee - great state! Not too much colder there than here in Atlanta - just a bit more snow. Good for you! This post will make a believer out of you DD wanna be dudes - not bad. Shows you can make it work!

Some great discussion going on, thanks for all of the input!

Yes, I am located in Ohio. I do not plan to drive it in bad weather (ice, snow), as stated before I have an old Accord that gets that duty.

I do drive about 100 miles a day, but most of it is 4 lane highway that is in good condition and very little traffic at the hours I drive.

I do not intend to dive it into the ground. With all my vehicles (even my wife's minivan) we stay on top of all maintenance and regularly wash and wax them. An NSX would be no different. I understand the costs associated with these cars (especially the big items TB, WP, clutch).

For some time I have admired these cars and wanted to own one. I just cannot justify buying one to let it sit in the garage and only drive on weekends. These cars were made to be driven.

Lol, Thanks tbromley. I'd qualify that by stating that my car is definitely not an "investment". I'm pretty sured it's optimistic market value is barely what I have in it.

A stock NSX is a VERY good GT car. I'd love to do a 50 mile blast in it every morning...and of course by "blast" I mean a leisurely drive at the legally acceptable pace.

The seats are very supportive and the stock suspension is quite compliant on the highway. That said, even with the coil-overs and low-profile tires I have on the car now, I still haven't felt very beaten-up after a few 5+ hour trips in it.

The thing you'll want to make sure of is that you get the car aligned in such a way as to minimize the rear tire wear. Otherwise you'll go through a lot of rubber quickly with a commute of that length.

mlambert890 said:

re: OH. I noticed that the folks saying "I DD every day, go for it!" and in CA, FL, etc.

OH you need to consider are you in an area where you are going to get shit weather for months and months, snow etc.

Thats a big part of why I could never daily drive these cars in NY/NJ/PA. It would be ridiculous, IMO, to haul an NSX through 8" of snow.

Lifestyle also matters. If you are young, single, and live 11 miles from work, thats a big difference than being married with 3 kids and a 45 mile commute, needing to haul groceries, pick people up from airports, etc.

The NSX is a car with 5" of ground clearance, 20 year old parts, 2 seats, no trunk space and a pretty expensive maintenance schedule compared to the vast majority of normal cars. If "daily driving" for you is the equivalent of basically a great pleasure cruise, then its fine. But if "daily driving" means 20k mi per year, 365, through all kinds of conditions then its a bad move.

Click to expand...

Any two seater sports car of a certain age has some of the same issues you list. Your post states the obvious. For one person, commuting to work, the NSX is a fantastic car. Who needs a bigger trunk? Who needs rear seats? If you carry a laptop to work, the empty passenger seat works great!

I drive my NSX 2-3 days per week in Texas. I do not choose to drive it on rainy days or days with a good chance of rain. Occasionally I get caught by surprise but otherwise my NSX is a good weather car. I have no problem otherwise with the 27 mile each way drive. If I lived in a northern climate, I would not drive it in bad weather. Just too risky.

I don't think the NSX' maintenance schedule is especially expensive. A 911's maintenance requirements are likely even more expensive. My 97 NSX gets oil changes, tires, etc. But I don't need to worry about a TB for many years (same as any Honda), plugs last a long time, etc.