Buying a high miles 91-93 NSX vs low miles cheap American muscle as a daily driver?

[plissken]

I'm in the market for a car needless to say, and it will be a daily driver. Whatever I get, I'll be financing. The options before me are...

1. An 05 or newer Mustang GT, or Charger R/T for around 16-18k with 25-45k miles on them. I know the Charger is a 4 door, but I find them a hair more comfortable than Mustangs.

2. A 91-93 NSX for 20k or under with 110,000-150,000 miles on it.

Financing will be more difficult with the NSX, I'll need to a find a dealer with one(from Autotrader there are several in my price range at the moment from dealers). Not to mention I'll pretty much need to fly to wherever to get one as naturally no dealers anywhere near me has what I need at the price I need at the moment.

Everything I've read about the NSX is very impressive. I read reviews from people with 280k miles on them that still run as if new! On the other hand potential repairs are scary, 2k for a clutch, as much for a timing belt change etc. Funny I haven't read any accounts at all of engine trouble. Also they say it wears out rear tires every 5k miles!

I find it humourous that some criticize it as being slow at 0-60, which it can do in 4.9-5.2 seconds(faster than 97% of the cars on the road in the U.S. easy). And it would be nice to have a car you never see, unlike the Mustang especially(toss a rock at the road blind folded and your liable to hit a Mustang).

But then a Charger or Mustang V8 is a lot easier and indeed cheaper to get, plus they have cup holders and real trunk space . So, any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

P.S. Especially after so many miles, is the interior still quiet on these cars?

 

[OLDMNSX]

Well, you have to decide what vehicle will best fit your needs. Check into what insurance will be for your age and driving record too. Are you going to be able to keep the car garaged when you are not driving it? A NSX sitting outside unattended over night on a regular basis can draw a lot of unwanted attention depending on where you live. You can park a Charger or Mustang in a Wal-Mart parking lot and store it there for 6 months and no one will even notice it. Try leaving your NSX there over night and see what happens, in other words watch it disappear.

Now if you want a car that is noticed and asked about by kids, moms and dads get the NSX, but remember that responsibility comes with the purchase of the NSX. It deserves respect for what it is. Can you do that?

If your credit is good you don't HAVE to purchase a car from a dealer, get your own financing. Unless the NSX that I was interested in was a VERY LATE MODEL, I WOULDN'T PURCHASE AN OLDER NSX FROM A DEALER. UNLESS I could talk to the previous owner and only if he had maintenance records on the car. There is a reason that people trade-in cars.

There is nothing wrong with an older NSX with miles on it as long as there is maintenance history and you get the car looked at by someone that KNOWS NSX's.
Brad

 

[PhiAlpha44]

If it was going to be a daily driver, and I had to finance it. I'd get the Mustang.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

Couple of questions to better gauge your needs.
How much $$ are you wanting to spend?
Do you have another car at your disposal?
How far do you drive to work?
How long do you plan to keep?
Can you do basic wrench turning?
How long do you plan to look?
Do you require an auto or manual?
Do you have color combo preferences?
Mileage restrictions?

 

[Dtrigg]

If you have to finance a daily driver, why wouldn't you get something as cheap as possible? If I were in that situation I would buy a Honda.

Just my opinion.

 

[damthatbeaver]

A Mustang? How can you even consider an NSX when youa re considering a Mustang? I think that if your interested in an NSX...then you should consider a Supra or a Skyline...that way you are sort of in the same genre. Aslo, both the Supra and the Skyline are excellent daily drivers.

Dam

 

[plissken]

Couple of questions to better gauge your needs.
How much $$ are you wanting to spend?
Do you have another car at your disposal?
How far do you drive to work?
How long do you plan to keep?
Can you do basic wrench turning?
How long do you plan to look?
Do you require an auto or manual?
Do you have color combo preferences?
Mileage restrictions?

I'll start with this, but try and answer all the other questions as well.

I'm trying to spend less than $20,000.
I do for now, but I'll be trading or selling it toward whatever I get, NSX or other.
I drive about 25 miles 5 days a week to and from work.
How long I plan to keep it depends on the car. If it's the NSX, probably quite a while. If it's a Mustang or Charger, probably long enough to get it paid down/off and trade it for something I really want(either the NSX or the new Dodge Challenger, which I've been lusting after)
I'm not much of a mechanic, but my Dad is(changed and rebuilt several engines to say the least), though he's not always around.
Auto or manual, makes no difference. I like the ease and convenience of an auto, but manuals are more fun.
I definitly prefer black with black leather on the NSX, very hot looking.
Mileage restrictions?

I have a month or two to figure out what I want. And I had the same thoughts on buying from a dealer vs an individual with proper maintenence records. If I can get my own financing, this will be the route I take with an NSX.

Well I was actually looking at the Mustang and Charger before the NSX came onto my radar, so I haven't really started thinking of other cars of it's ilk. However it sounds like there is nothing I'd rather have if I went this route.

Oh and I won't be able to keep it in the garage yet, but we're in a very nice neighborhood, and it would be parked in a car port at the end of a long wooded driveway. And even for a daily driver, I want something sporty with some speed and passing power in reserve. I actually drive for a living(company cars which are mostly Hyundai Elantra's), so I know what I like... Champaign taste on a beer budget.

 

[Bill_C]

Keep in mind there will be a lot of other costs when dealing with an older car with high miles. You will need to be prepared for some potentially costly repairs with the NSX (timing belt $1,500, clutch $2000, etc). Also, NSX parts are not cheap.

Personally, I would not own the NSX if i had to daily drive it (even though you could). Under 20K, I'd get a used Infiniti G35 6spd coupe, which i would not worry about and have fun driving. These also hold their value better than a Charger or Mustang (since you are financing, will likely owe more than it's worth by the time you get rid of it).

At the end, the car has to make YOU feel good.

Regards,
Bill

 

[Dr.Honda]

Keep America beautiful, don't drive a Charger! blech!

 

[Thanhnsx]

IMO, If I were in your shoes, for a daily driver if I were to be financing it would be the mustang. Why? because it is more reliable.

Purchasing a old NSX can sometime (depending on the car condition) cost a lot more then you think. Even if you were a DIY. It can still be costly. With old cars you will always have to worry about something being replace.

but after all said and done. I think NSX are one of the funnest cars to have.

 

[willabeest]

I'm in the market for a car needless to say, and it will be a daily driver. Whatever I get, I'll be financing. The options before me are...

1. An 05 or newer Mustang GT, or Charger R/T for around 16-18k with 25-45k miles on them. I know the Charger is a 4 door, but I find them a hair more comfortable than Mustangs.

2. A 91-93 NSX for 20k or under with 110,000-150,000 miles on it.

Financing will be more difficult with the NSX, I'll need to a find a dealer with one(from Autotrader there are several in my price range at the moment from dealers). Not to mention I'll pretty much need to fly to wherever to get one as naturally no dealers anywhere near me has what I need at the price I need at the moment.

Everything I've read about the NSX is very impressive. I read reviews from people with 280k miles on them that still run as if new! On the other hand potential repairs are scary, 2k for a clutch, as much for a timing belt change etc. Funny I haven't read any accounts at all of engine trouble. Also they say it wears out rear tires every 5k miles!

I find it humourous that some criticize it as being slow at 0-60, which it can do in 4.9-5.2 seconds(faster than 97% of the cars on the road in the U.S. easy). And it would be nice to have a car you never see, unlike the Mustang especially(toss a rock at the road blind folded and your liable to hit a Mustang).

But then a Charger or Mustang V8 is a lot easier and indeed cheaper to get, plus they have cup holders and real trunk space . So, any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

P.S. Especially after so many miles, is the interior still quiet on these cars?

i bought 1992 with a lot of miles on it. i could not be happier. regarding tires if you align the wheels different than stock the tires will wear normally. (not quickly).
regarding what will be your main problem - finding a good honest mechanic. i happen to live within walking distance of one of the best NSX mechanics on the west coast. if he ever moves out of the area i will probably sell it. but as long as his shop is open my NSX is a keeper. unless you have a really good mechanic that you can trust do not buy any vehicle 17 years old. you will be asking for one of those nasty life lessons. but then again, you have to learn sometime...

 

[Cozmo]

+1 on the G35.

I don't know what other people think about their cars but my NSX is certainly not quiet inside (compared to probably any kind of sedan). It has an aftermarket exhaust and headers, and there is a ton of road noise. That alone is enough reason for me to not want to drive it 100% of the time.

You didn't give any indication of your financial situation or anything so it is difficult to give advice. Since you're trying to finance the car I assume you can't afford to pay cash.

I think if you're financing the entire car which is this old and that cheap, it is going to have some issues. If the NSX is the car you really want, are you going to be happy with a mediocre one?

I don't find my NSX to be very practical for everyday use. If you don't have any other vehicles is a tiny little trunk going to be enough space for you? I don't know if you've looked in one but they're really shallow.

I do take mine to the store and drive to work when it is nice outside, but I wouldn't want to get rid of my other car, no matter how much less fun it is.

Insurance + Tires + Maintenance is probably going to cost more than most cars that people daily drive.

Save your pennies! People here told me the same thing "don't finance a car like this. If you can't pay cash you can't afford it."

I guess the proper (and un-american) thing to do is buy a cheap daily driver with cash, then make payments to yourself so you can pay cash for the NSX you actually want, rather than the only one you can find that you can afford.

Not having any car payments is a really good feeling.

 

[YellowHaze]

It all boils down to $ vs. desire. The NSX is the most satisfying (excitement + driveability) car I have ever driven.

If I had a ~$20K budget to work with plus enough money for some repairs and maintenance, I'd consider getting a good deal on a low cost NSX to use as a DD. A good used M3 would be on my list too, but even an M3 doesn't quite measure up to the thrill of owning an NSX IMHO.

 

[plissken]

Yeah sadly I think I've ruled out the NSX. It's just too impractical and hard to get. Feels more like rich peoples garage decorations(no offense ). There is one near me for sale with 9k miles for 37k, probably a steal if you can afford that.

The G35 seems like a nice option, though the manuals are rare. I don't care about auto or manual, but being that the auto is a 4 speed, I wonder how it's performance is vs the 6 speed. Course if looking at that, may as well check out the 350Z's, as their in the same range. So now it becomes a G35 vs a 350Z vs a Mustang. The other two will likely indeed hold their value better than the Stang.

Which really takes me from these forums I guess... Thanks guys, I'm sure there will be NSX's when I'm in a better financial situation.

 

[95ttht]

They're both outside of warranty.

Personally, I'd trust the 18 year old Acura over a 5 year old Ford any day of the week...

:tongue:

 

[sahtt]

If you have to finance a daily driver, why wouldn't you get something as cheap as possible? If I were in that situation I would buy a Honda.

Just my opinion.

I can't answer his question adequately either without telling him something he probably doesn't want to hear.

 

[Scin]

You can certainly daily drive the NSX, I did for a few years and know lots of people that have, it was certainly more practical then the Suzuki GSX-R I road every day for two years.

If you wont have $3,000 or $4,000 in your bank account after purchasing, I wouldn't get the NSX. It's like everyone else has said, a high mileage 15 or 16 year old car is going to need maintenance, and it's no fun to put yourself thru undue financial stress!

I've driven the 350Z quite a bit, and I will say that it is a very nice sports car. I think you can get one that is three or four years old with 30k miles in your desired price range, and it will be a lot easier to finance. The handling will be superior to the mustang, altho the sound isn't as good

I used to be in the car business--unless your credit is absolutely stellar and you have a good down payment... you won't be financing a 15 year old car with 100k+ miles.

If I was in your position, I would get a really clean Miata for $3,500 cash and call it a day. I think the Miata is the best used sports car deal that you can get--what it lacks in muscle it more than makes up with in go-kart like handling. I own two in addition to the NSX.

 

[plissken]

Hmm, whats the interior like on the Miata's? Never seen a Mazda(car) that looked comfortable for someone who's 6' as I am.

There is one hope for an NSX. There is one for sale in Tulsa, OK where my Dad(the mechanic) is working on a contract! It's a 95 with 141k miles, 1 owner, and it shows he did regular maintenence. It's red, which is acceptable, with black interior.

Here it is.

He can look at it tomorrow and see what he thinks. With a 5k downpayment plus TTL it should be doable(and maybe the dealer will budge on price moreover). I was researching G35's and 350Z's today, and I would say a Mustang would still be better. Seems to me there is nothing out there as fast, reliable, cheap and easy to work on when something does go wrong as a Mustang for the money. It's easy to see why their so common.

 

[lazynok]

I used to be in the car business--unless your credit is absolutely stellar and you have a good down payment... you won't be financing a 15 year old car with 100k+ miles.

I did! 121,000 miles, 1992, $0.00 down. Didn't get the best interest rate, but I quickly paid off enough to get it down to a price my credit union would refinance it for with a much better APR. So it is possible, but the rate wont be the greatest. Use www.capitaloneautofinance.com , they finance anybody. Then just refinance... done.. you have your super old NSX.

Oh yeah, been daily driving it 30,000 miles and the only problem I've had is a rear brake caliper pin that wasn't properly lub'd... either due to old age or improper lubrication the last time somebody was in there.

Don't buy some super sticky racing tires and they will go along way.

Have fun =]

 

[benlee]

Hmm, whats the interior like on the Miata's? Never seen a Mazda(car) that looked comfortable for someone who's 6' as I am.

There is one hope for an NSX. There is one for sale in Tulsa, OK where my Dad(the mechanic) is working on a contract! It's a 95 with 141k miles, 1 owner, and it shows he did regular maintenence. It's red, which is acceptable, with black interior.

Here it is.

He can look at it tomorrow and see what he thinks. With a 5k downpayment plus TTL it should be doable(and maybe the dealer will budge on price moreover). I was researching G35's and 350Z's today, and I would say a Mustang would still be better. Seems to me there is nothing out there as fast, reliable, cheap and easy to work on when something does go wrong as a Mustang for the money. It's easy to see why their so common.

I don't understand why you're cross-shopping an nsx with a mustang

 

[Scin]

If you want to go fast in a straight line, then yes the Mustang is decent at that.

The Mustang also has some of the worst suspension on any sports car currently produced. The car has a live axle, and the factory suspension has *terrible* understeer. The car isn't anywhere NEAR the same league as the NSX.

If you want cheap acceleration and lots of after market power mods, I guess it's ok. To be honest with you, I HATE the Mustang. It is a terrible handling car.

 

[plissken]

It seems you really can't cross shop an NSX, I'm not finding anything in it's league with it's level of performance and reliability. I'm talking opposite ends of the spectrum here. The Mustang represents simplicity. Cheap, easy to find, easy to work on and cheap to fix. The NSX is more or less the opposite of that. By spending 16-17k I can get a V8 Mustang with 25k miles on it, by spending 20-25k I get an NSX with 120-150k miles.

I've kind of eliminated G35's and Z cars because at the same price as the Mustangs, they don't appear to be as reliable/cheap and easy to work on, and one at the same price as a Mustang will have 70-90k miles on it.

I'm really at a loss as to what to do, and my mind changes every 5 minutes(I hate car shopping). Luckily I have some time to work out exactly what I want, vs what I can get. I look at that NSX for 25k with 146k miles on it, and realize it's the same price as a brand new Dodge Challenger V6(almost my dream car, just lacks the 5.7 Hemi) with a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty and lifetime powertrain warranty. I haven't gotten to drive an NSX yet, and I have a feeling if I do, it will replace the Challenger as the dream car... and i dunno how I feel about that lol.

So please bare with me as my mind constantly changes. I'm trying to educate myself and think this through before I do anything, but there are so many variables and waay too many vehicle choices.

Speaking of which, anyone know of any good NSX mechanics in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area?

 

[willabeest]

It seems you really can't cross shop an NSX, I'm not finding anything in it's league with it's level of performance and reliability. I'm talking opposite ends of the spectrum here. The Mustang represents simplicity. Cheap, easy to find, easy to work on and cheap to fix. The NSX is more or less the opposite of that. By spending 16-17k I can get a V8 Mustang with 25k miles on it, by spending 20-25k I get an NSX with 120-150k miles.

I've kind of eliminated G35's and Z cars because at the same price as the Mustangs, they don't appear to be as reliable/cheap and easy to work on, and one at the same price as a Mustang will have 70-90k miles on it.

I'm really at a loss as to what to do, and my mind changes every 5 minutes(I hate car shopping). Luckily I have some time to work out exactly what I want, vs what I can get. I look at that NSX for 25k with 146k miles on it, and realize it's the same price as a brand new Dodge Challenger V6(almost my dream car, just lacks the 5.7 Hemi) with a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty and lifetime powertrain warranty. I haven't gotten to drive an NSX yet, and I have a feeling if I do, it will replace the Challenger as the dream car... and i dunno how I feel about that lol.

So please bare with me as my mind constantly changes. I'm trying to educate myself and think this through before I do anything, but there are so many variables and waay too many vehicle choices.

Speaking of which, anyone know of any good NSX mechanics in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area?

how about a used corvette with a good warranty?
carmax has great warranties you can purchase.

http://www.carmax.com/enUS/view-car...+190+9&Q=c6fee3aa-f54b-4735-bbc7-7d995ca132ca

 

[plissken]

Funny you should mention that. I really don't like corvettes, cramped interior, hot and noisy etc.

However, I have a cousin who has a 94 Firebird Formula, with 6 speed manual, and an LT1 engine(it's a Vette with a back seat). He's gonna give it to me, just needs to have an oil leak fixed(rear seal probably), a new starter and clutch(about $1500 worth of repairs)! It also has an en engine miss, but it's nothing that will kill the car, so it's really not worth fixing. Not a permanent car by any stretch of the imagination, but it buys me time to save, either for a Challenger R/T, or an NSX with lower miles!

 

[gleibig]

Fiero.