A 91 or 95 NSX?

[cyberdog]

Which would you get?

91 Red/black top w/ 60k miles & stereo I want + exhaust/wheel mod (not so crazy about the exhaust) & type R shifter and graphite console (stylish) -- 32k

95 Red/targa top w/80k miles & modded headers & exhaust but stock stereo and gear shifter, maintenance done --33k


Both are out of state and in great condition but the maintenance on the belt and pump etc. has been done on the 95 and it is close enough to drive instead of ship (11 hours down 80). Both have non-stock tires, the 91's are painted (indifferent on that).

I really like the black top and the mods of the 91 but I like the newer year and the targa of the 95... Insurance is around the same. 95 would have power steering and the different 2nd gear, what's different about it?

 

[ChopsJazz]

91:
Manual steering (which I like)
Coupe (I also like)
Needs TB/WP (expensive)
Mods (does a shifter really matter?)

95:
Power steering (come on, man up and drive the manual rack :wink
TB/WP done
"Modded headers" (I don't know what that means)
Updated 2nd gear: closer ratio to 1st gear (this is nice, but throw a short gear set in the 91)

All in all, the 91 sounds pricey, but the low miles are a nice plus. I love the rigidity of the coupe, but the openness of the Targa is nice too. Is it for track use or Sunday drives with the Mrs? Mods, like exhaust and stereos and wheels and shifters, are not something that I would not weigh too much, but that's just me. You'll probably start down your own "mod path" soon enough anyway.

Have you had anyone look at these cars and fill out one of these? And have you seen either one yourself, or at least driven examples of similar 91's and 95's?

Good luck! I like the 95, sort of...

 

[cyberdog]

91:
Manual steering (which I like)
Coupe (I also like)
Needs TB/WP (expensive)
Mods (does a shifter really matter?)

95:
Power steering (come on, man up and drive the manual rack :wink
TB/WP done
"Modded headers" (I don't know what that means)
Updated 2nd gear: closer ratio to 1st gear (this is nice, but throw a short gear set in the 91)

All in all, the 91 sounds pricey, but the low miles are a nice plus. I love the rigidity of the coupe, but the openness of the Targa is nice too. Is it for track use or Sunday drives with the Mrs? Mods, like exhaust and stereos and wheels and shifters, are not something that I would not weigh too much, but that's just me. You'll probably start down your own "mod path" soon enough anyway.

Have you had anyone look at these cars and fill out one of these? And have you seen either one yourself, or at least driven examples of similar 91's and 95's?

Good luck! I like the 95, sort of...

I planned to go through the wiki check list and have someone out there check it for me. It'd be a DD so an open top would be nice... Now that I look at it the maintenance being done and the later year means the price will hold and may cost less in the long run. I kind alike the idea of power steering, seeing as every time I try to park my car with the ign. off the manly thrusting of the wheel and pounding of the brake w/o the booster is not only a PITA it's kinda scary. Don't get me wrong, I hate modern cars with the wheel and pedals disconnected from the car, how that's safer is beyond me...

Should I really go out and try to test drive both? I highly doubt I'll like the 91 better performance wise assuming their conditions are the same.
I could always go for a 2005 but I'd be a much longer loan and would leave no money left over for ANYTHING....

 

[ChopsJazz]

You may want to at least find local examples of a 91 and a 95 to see what you like best. Personally, I prefer the manual rack, but for a DD I would probably like to have a Targa. Also, some early cars had some pretty strong engines. I have one. It dynos 271 rwhp with headers and exhaust alone.

 

[swbatte]

Without having seen them (as mileage and year don't always indicate condition) I'd go for the lower mileage 91. It'll be slightly quicker, easier to mod (if you're into that) and has 20,000 fewer miles.

I'd only buy the 95 if I had to have a T-top.

 

[95 CRUZER]

I was faced with the same decision, an early model or a " T ". I got the 95. It's sooooooooooooo nice to remove that top on a hot summer day. Like anything in life there are trade off's, but for me I'm glad I went with the 95. Really you cant go to wrong with a nsx.

 

[cyberdog]

You may want to at least find local examples of a 91 and a 95 to see what you like best. Personally, I prefer the manual rack, but for a DD I would probably like to have a Targa. Also, some early cars had some pretty strong engines. I have one. It dynos 271 rwhp with headers and exhaust alone.

The later ones don't have strong engines??

Without having seen them (as mileage and year don't always indicate condition) I'd go for the lower mileage 91. It'll be slightly quicker, easier to mod (if you're into that) and has 20,000 fewer miles.

I'd only buy the 95 if I had to have a T-top.

I'm not into modding and the likely hood that the price of the 95 will remain the same (but be depreciable) is high. It's also got the maintenance done which is pricey in itself.

I was faced with the same decision, an early model or a " T ". I got the 95. It's sooooooooooooo nice to remove that top on a hot summer day. Like anything in life there are trade off's, but for me I'm glad I went with the 95. Really you cant go to wrong with a nsx.

So the question becomes: Do I get the 1995 or a 2005? I'd really like to have a yellow/yellow. And if I get the 95 (or 91 for that matter), it'd just be to trade up for an 05 in 4 years when it's paid off. The problem with that plan is there are only 6 yellow/yellow '05s (I like the '04 and '05 revisions, 3.2L and rio yellow, not that spa is much different). The 05 y/y is my dream car. However if I wait 4 years the chance of getting one, and one that is not modded (I'm really not about modding, especially on later cars) are very slim :-\. The other factor prompting this is that 2 of these (at max) 6 are on sale now and are stock with low miles. I plan to keep whatever NSX I end up with for at least 15 years.

Here's the dellema:

I make $1,400 plus bonuses and money from my .com biz (both hosting and freelance web design) which can bring in $100-600/mo but does vary. If I were to get an 05, w/ insurance, it would come out to about $1,400/mo to pay the car of before 6 years (putting extra cash I get in the bank to collect interest to pay as a lump sum at the end or for emergencies.) I am a student living at home so living expenses wont be a problem for another 4 years. Do I resist the urge or cease the opportunity while '05 sales and the economy is slow? I don't mind being broke, I have been all my life and having my dream car would help ;-), but I'm still split on a decision.

Just as fyi the cost of the 95 would be around $850/mo (lower insurance etc.).

 

[N Spec]

No offense, but sounds like you can't afford the 2005. The car/insurance payment should be at most 50% of your monthly salary, and this is considering you paying no bills, living at your parents house. You don't want to drive a car that cost more than you make in a year's salary. You will find yourself selling it soon and you will still be broke at the same time.

Get the 91 or 95 and you'll save yourself some money. The 95 sounds like a better deal and you don't have to worry about the after purchase maintainence. You can't go wrong with any NSX as long as it in good condition. Some may argue that the difference in each gen is drastic, but I say all trivial unless you are an ultimate race car driver that will only track the car.

Buy the 2005 later after you get a job that pays much better and it will mostlikely have low miles still as the people who are buying these cars are not young like us and will only drive it like once a week, if even. They will still be around, people like to take care of expensive cars. Can't say how the gas prices will be, but we will still be dependent on gasoline for the next two decades atleast even if it hits something like 5 to 10 dollars per gallon. It just means you won't be DD the NSX in the upcoming years, that's all.

I myself pay about $800-900 altogether for insurance/car note and it will be fully payed off within the next 18 months or so. I also have some student loans to worry about, but that's what a college degree is for. After that I may be looking towards a purchase of another NSX, this time a coupe for mods gallore and tracking (would be sweet if it were a NA2 coupe). Hell, I just love the NSX and most other 90s japanese supercars. I plan on having a collection of a representative from each jap manufacturer before gasoline is no longer supported.

In the mean time, to deal with rising gas prices and satisfy the sense of speed, getting a sportsbike to commute to work sounds really good (of course, first I have to allocate a job to commute to). This way I can leave the NSX for days off work, afternoon/nights, leisure or shopping.

 

[Crossed Sabers]

The later ones don't have strong engines??



I'm not into modding and the likely hood that the price of the 95 will remain the same (but be depreciable) is high. It's also got the maintenance done which is pricey in itself.



So the question becomes: Do I get the 1995 or a 2005? I'd really like to have a yellow/yellow. And if I get the 95 (or 91 for that matter), it'd just be to trade up for an 05 in 4 years when it's paid off. The problem with that plan is there are only 6 yellow/yellow '05s (I like the '04 and '05 revisions, 3.2L and rio yellow, not that spa is much different). The 05 y/y is my dream car. However if I wait 4 years the chance of getting one, and one that is not modded (I'm really not about modding, especially on later cars) are very slim :-\. The other factor prompting this is that 2 of these (at max) 6 are on sale now and are stock with low miles. I plan to keep whatever NSX I end up with for at least 15 years.

Here's the dellema:

I make $1,400 plus bonuses and money from my .com biz (both hosting and freelance web design) which can bring in $100-600/mo but does vary. If I were to get an 05, w/ insurance, it would come out to about $1,400/mo to pay the car of before 6 years (putting extra cash I get in the bank to collect interest to pay as a lump sum at the end or for emergencies.) I am a student living at home so living expenses wont be a problem for another 4 years. Do I resist the urge or cease the opportunity while '05 sales and the economy is slow? I don't mind being broke, I have been all my life and having my dream car would help ;-), but I'm still split on a decision.

Just as fyi the cost of the 95 would be around $850/mo (lower insurance etc.).

If I were you, I would not buy either car... Even the '95 is like 60% of your base salary! If I were your parents, I'd be pretty pissed that my student kid bought a $30,000 sports car that he couldn't afford and was living at home to pay it off.

I would study hard, save my money, and buy whatever you want when you get a good job in a few years. Do you really want to have that much debt in college??