Advice for first time buyer

[SEO]

Hey community,

First time poster here, first NSX forum I've visited a while back and finally joined. I've finally joined because I'm in the market to buying an NSX. I'm looking to get a 2002-2005. I would like to have any and all advice I could have before going out and getting one. What to look out for, best place to buy one, prices that are reasonable that compliments the miles driven on it etc. I'm in Florida. I've seen some for sale here and there in Florida but not to my taste.... they're usually the older ones like early 90's and I'm not interested in them to be completely honest. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[blue_myriddn]

Welcome!

First off, you are looking to buy at a tough time. Spring time, the upcoming release of the 2017 NSX, and speculators are starting to drive prices up especially on the much more rare 2002+ styles. Finding a good deal may require quite a bit of luck and hard work on your part or may be flat out impossible. If you are willing to simply pay for what you want, then you shouldn't have a problem buying a good car out there in the color that you are looking for. Price points will range between $75-$100 and you may want to give this thread a read: Are 02+ NSX's $100K Cars? . Depending how you feel on the strength of the brand, the price point will be ok because the cars are likely to hold their value (meaning you can get in and out at the same price) or we are in a bubble and the cars are over priced. I happen to believe the cars will hold their value based on what I have seen, but I am admittedly biased.

As for what to look for:
1. Ownership history - is the person a member of Prime? NSXCA? Do you have an idea of how the car spent its time previously or is it a big mystery? Being a Honda, they are reliable, but that doesn't mean they can't be abused by corner cutting owners who are looking to save a buck. You can be looking at $5-$10k to bring a "great deal" in to an enjoyable experience.

2. Matching VIN stickers - the body panels all have VIN tags. If one is missing, that suggests foul play, figure out why

3. Stock equipment - try to get as much of the original equipment (wheels, etc) as you can when you purchase the vehicle. You may also want to be careful with cars that have been fiddled with too much by the owner. Honda got a lot of stuff right when they built it in the factory.

4. Take it to an experienced NSX tech - there are plenty of folks in Florida who know their way around a NSX. Trust their assessment over a dealer/local mechanic. The NSX isn't a common car and unfortunately a lot of people simply don't know what they are doing when they start working on one.

5. I would worry about mileage last. Lower mileage will hold its value more in terms of flipping, but if you want to actually enjoy the car a low mileage can be a real headache and often more expensive in repairs as it is overdue for lots of stuff. Anything below 125k miles really should still be a solid NSX. Above 125k it may be ownership history dependent.

I would also try to reach to some local owners and have them walk you through their cars. I know that I can show people a LOT of stuff first hand that can be useful.

Good luck.

 

[JohnWayne]

Welcome!
First I would suggest the WIKI. Read and search through older posts, and then read some more! There is a large amount of this information already covered.
I would also suggest having about 70k+ liquid to be ready to go at a moments notice, if you don't someone else will.

 

[NSX2398]

First I would suggest the WIKI.

This is a great suggestion .. especially the section titled "Purchasing an NSX". But this assumes that you know where to find the Wiki .. which is off the red action bar at the top of most pages.

Another suggestion is .. once you find an NSX with a VIN .. you can first test it to make sure it's a valid VIN here: http://ojas.net/nsx/vin
You wouldn't believe how many people screw up the VIN in an ad. Once you know it's valid, do a Google search on it to see if it shows up anywhere .. and typically if it's been discussed on Prime, it will be high up in the search results.

For the 2002-2005 years, they're all likely to be lower mileage which may seem attractive but you need to be aware that Acura recommends doing the first major service (TB, etc) at 9 years or 90k miles whichever comes first so these years are in need of a major service if they haven't had one done yet and this should be a negotiating point. Can they go beyond 9 years? .. sure .. but it's like playing Russion roulette and if the belt fails, it's going to cost you a lot in engine damage.
If it's been driven conservatively and not subjected to a lot of stop light drags, then the OEM clutch should last 80-90k miles. Probably one of the most expensive repairs is if the a/c evaporator develops a leak so make sure it's blowing cold.
Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[JD Cross]

I would view the maintenance history of any NSX you want to buy as the primary focus.

Careful owners generally have good records of their vehicles maintenance history.
Careful owners usually look after detailing, cleaning etc. as well as timing belts/water pumps etc.
And they tend to drive their cars with respect for the vehicle.

I'd gladly pay a $5 K premium for a well maintained example as you can spend $5K pretty quickly doing deferred maintenance.
Buy the best example you can find at a fair price.

 

[oldnews]

As there are only about 860 of the 2002-2005 in US, you will have a tougher time than you might imagine if you're looking for 2014 prices. Good luck and welcome aboard!