Entry level engineer out of college - Should I get an NSX?

[tbromley]

I'll consider the car again after I'm comfortable with the job.

I live in Norman so Bob Howard Acura is 32 miles away. The shop in question is Eurosport. They might not have been up yet while you were still here but they service all exotics, so I'm sure they can handle an NSX.

http://www.eurosportok.com/service.htm

Stick with this idea of yours here - it's your gut feeling - all these guys trying to talk you into sticking your neck out before you even get situated - . Good thing about being an engineer - logic and prudence! I'm an Architect - I understand that. The NSX is not going anywhere and like many of us said there is a lot to know about the NSX. Mknmoves - well he buys NSXs like some change underwear - is a buyer and seller - knows the cars very well. You on the other hand are new to this.

Also - just because Eurosport works on exotics doesn't mean they know the NSX. Believe me it takes special knowledge to work on the NSX when major service or ABS work is prescribed. I would be inclined to drive the 32 miles unless I was sure about the local indiependant. Study up on the car and you'll be ready before you know it. :wink:

 

[nsx_2k]

I believe that you are doing the right thing in waiting. Get settled down financially & with your new job and THEN acquire the right one.

You are correct Eurosport was not around when I was down south. Interesting outfit.

 

[Mr Payne]

I bought my NSX when I was 23 making 67K/year. I only spent 20K. I think $800/month is too much.

 

[Mirroredshades]

You can afford it but I wouldn't lock in $800/mo payments. Go with $500 and keep the reserve for parts and maint. They are reliable but not cheap to operate.

If I were in your shoes, I would do it in a heartbeat.

 

[mknmoves]

Sounds like you made up your mind not to do it, but.....

1995 Acura NSX Targa Green/Tan - 60k Service Completed - 67k mi
JH4NA1185ST000573

Buy it Now:$26490

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Acur...2326329?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item4aa4caaeb9

OR:

1998 Acura NSX Targa Silver/Black 96,300 miles
JH4NA2160WT000166

Buy it now:$28500

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Acur...4436375?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item45f5ac0b17


If you could buy the green one for a little bit less it seems like a safe buy.

As I said, buy one now while prices are low, if you get in a bind, sell it.

If you don't buy it, maybe I will, then next year I will sell it for more.:biggrin:

 

[tbromley]

Sounds like you made up your mind not to do it, but.....

1995 Acura NSX Targa Green/Tan - 60k Service Completed - 67k mi
JH4NA1185ST000573

Buy it Now:$26490

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Acur...2326329?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item4aa4caaeb9

OR:

1998 Acura NSX Targa Silver/Black 96,300 miles
JH4NA2160WT000166

Buy it now:$28500

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Acur...4436375?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item45f5ac0b17


If you could buy the green one for a little bit less it seems like a safe buy.

As I said, buy one now while prices are low, if you get in a bind, sell it.

If you don't buy it, maybe I will, then next year I will sell it for more.:biggrin:

Yes Mknmoves you should buy the 98 and fix all the stuff that it probably needs like the TB/wP/hoses and then hope the clutch has already been replaced cause if it hasn't you can put the 4k in that. Then sell it to our graduate for 35k next year - he'd appreciate that.

This car has at least 4 to 6k worth of deffered maintenance - I'm guessing of course - don't know. It has had the master done but no mention of a clutch - believe me if it hasn't been replaced it is due! Interesting price though! It could be a good deal but I wouldn't run out and buy it if I were this guy that hasn't even worked his new job at all yet.

All this advice is from folks that are working - I know it all sounds good - the Brooklands green sounds like it might be the better deal to me. All I'm gonna say is that if you bought and sold cars as often as Mknmoves - you might do ok with this - drive it for a year and then sell it without doing any maintenance at all. Your choice.

 

[haveblue]

My current car is dark green. I want a black car :biggrin:

With as many of these mods as possible:

CTSC :biggrin:
exhaust
black 18/19
lowered
WW side skirts
'02 rear valence
'02 taillights
racing seats
RSX steering wheel
aftermarket stereo and speakers
integrated V1 in rearview mirror
HIDs

It's going to take a long time to find the right car....

I was originally thinking of getting an NA2 but I don't think I'll be able to now on this budget, especially if I want to do some of these mods. I'm somewhat apprehensive about buying an even older car than I'm driving right now (1994). But I guess it isn't that big of deal as long as it's been well maintained? The NA2's seem to be considerably more expensive than NA1's. Is it because of their rarity? Will they be worth much more say 10 years down the line due to their collectability?

 

[mickeylex]

The NA2's seem to be considerably more expensive than NA1's. Is it because of their rarity? Will they be worth much more say 10 years down the line due to their collectability?

Actually, they are not considerably more expensive. With the NSX, the price is highly dependent on condition, mileage and maintenance history. 10 years down the line, the price difference will similar to what it is today.

Advice is: when you are ready, find a car that is in good condition, has maintenance history and low mileage, whether it's NA1 vs NA2 or pre facelift vs facelifted vs 91-93 vs 95-96 vs 97-00 vs 01 vs 02-05.

 

[mknmoves]

Yes Mknmoves you should buy the 98 and fix all the stuff that it probably needs like the TB/wP/hoses and then hope the clutch has already been replaced cause if it hasn't you can put the 4k in that. Then sell it to our graduate for 35k next year - he'd appreciate that.

This car has at least 4 to 6k worth of deffered maintenance - I'm guessing of course - don't know. It has had the master done but no mention of a clutch - believe me if it hasn't been replaced it is due! Interesting price though! It could be a good deal but I wouldn't run out and buy it if I were this guy that hasn't even worked his new job at all yet.

All this advice is from folks that are working - I know it all sounds good - the Brooklands green sounds like it might be the better deal to me. All I'm gonna say is that if you bought and sold cars as often as Mknmoves - you might do ok with this - drive it for a year and then sell it without doing any maintenance at all. Your choice.

Tim,

I don't know if that was a shot at me or not...

If you read what I said, I said get the green one, not the 98. It's priced right and the miles are only in the 60s. To get the green one for about 25k I would say once again, is a safe bet. No one on here to my knowledge has any history on the car, so saying it needs a clutch, etc before even looking at it is just plain wrong.

I was also kidding about me buying the green one, I never cared much for the color myself. However if I did buy it, drive it and resell it, so what? Saying I would sell him the car for 35k and he would appreciate that??? Really? Sometimes people don't take risks and others do and they may benefit from them. If this happens it doesn't make them a bad person. Let's say I bought the car for 25k, kept it for 6 months and for some reason the market goes up and the car is now worth 32k, does that mean I should sell it for 25k because that's what I paid, does that make me the world fair?

Kind of got off tangent, but in this case even by your own admission I have experience in these cars, so who better to take advice from?

 

[NSX 2]

Im out of college for computer aided product design....now if i could only find i job i could be in your shoes.:frown:

 

[mickeylex]

This car has at least 4 to 6k worth of deffered maintenance - I'm guessing of course - don't know.

This car is fully documented and has all repair history in a binder with laminated pages...I'm guessing of course - don't know. :wink:

 

[tbromley]

This car is fully documented and has all repair history in a binder with laminated pages...I'm guessing of course - don't know. :wink:

Well that information must be in a different ad cause it sure wasn't on the ebay ad. If it does have all that then maybe you know about the clutch and if all the maintenance is up to snuff - then it is a steal! Something tells me that's not the case but 98k miles does affect the price.

Anyway - doesn't sound like any of these stockers are what our OP is looking for. Looks like he'll have plenty of time with the list he has. It will take a little while to find that. Anyway- we all know what it's like when your young and you would like to get a cool ride - I've been there albeit a pretty good while ago - so enjoy your life - I'm sure you'll make the right call.

 

[tbromley]

What? Naaa, you got me wrong here - I'm sure if you were buying either one of these you'd do your homework as you always do. And surely making a profit off a good deal is a good way to stay in these cars for little or no money. I would be the last one to hold that against anyone - it's what we'd all like to do. I don't think that's in my cards with mine.

You surely know your deals and make some good moves! No offense meant at all - it's just that this guy our original poster is probably having a bit of a time digesting all these comments properly. I still would say that there is deffered maintenance in the ones you posted but you're most likely right on the green one.

You know when you see a nice brooklands green/tan in person like my buddies, Dennis, they really look nice.

Tim,

I don't know if that was a shot at me or not...

If you read what I said, I said get the green one, not the 98. It's priced right and the miles are only in the 60s. To get the green one for about 25k I would say once again, is a safe bet. No one on here to my knowledge has any history on the car, so saying it needs a clutch, etc before even looking at it is just plain wrong.

I was also kidding about me buying the green one, I never cared much for the color myself. However if I did buy it, drive it and resell it, so what? Saying I would sell him the car for 35k and he would appreciate that??? Really? Sometimes people don't take risks and others do and they may benefit from them. If this happens it doesn't make them a bad person. Let's say I bought the car for 25k, kept it for 6 months and for some reason the market goes up and the car is now worth 32k, does that mean I should sell it for 25k because that's what I paid, does that make me the world fair?

Kind of got off tangent, but in this case even by your own admission I have experience in these cars, so who better to take advice from?

 

[LoveNSXs]

It all comes down to money management. There's no reason you can't get one. I bought mine at 21 on 19k a year income. Made it work.

Good luck!

 

[Midnight_Raven]

I'm in the same boat as you. I just graduated last year and was hired as a Mechanical Engineer at the age of 22 for a company similar to yours. The pay is similar to yours BUT! loan debt from school will leave me NSXless for the next serveral years. It's more than I want to wait but am taking the more financially stable approach towards it.

I could pay off my school loans off at min and easily save up for an NSX within a year or two, but I really don't like debt and decided to take the fast track in paying off my almost NA2 worth of debt in school loans. It sounds like you don't have any large amount of debt and it looks like you already got housing situation covered so you seem to be in a better position than I am to make that leap.

Seems like people here are giving good advice so I would just take all the input and really evaluate your situation. Do some number crunching with over estimates with utilities and housing payments and see if it is really possible.

 

[clr1024]

It all comes down to money management. There's no reason you can't get one. I bought mine at 21 on 19k a year income. Made it work.

Good luck!

Just because you can buy it doesn't mean you can afford it. It all depends on what your long term goals are whether this a purchase that makes sense to you as a person or not. Very much an individual response.

 

[Dtrigg]

I'm in the same boat as you. I just graduated last year and was hired as a Mechanical Engineer at the age of 22 for a company similar to yours. The pay is similar to yours BUT! loan debt from school will leave me NSXless for the next serveral years. It's more than I want to wait but am taking the more financially stable approach towards it.

I could pay off my school loans off at min and easily save up for an NSX within a year or two, but I really don't like debt and decided to take the fast track in paying off my almost NA2 worth of debt in school loans. It sounds like you don't have any large amount of debt and it looks like you already got housing situation covered so you seem to be in a better position than I am to make that leap.

Seems like people here are giving good advice so I would just take all the input and really evaluate your situation. Do some number crunching with over estimates with utilities and housing payments and see if it is really possible.

Smart man.

 

[LoveNSXs]

Just because you can buy it doesn't mean you can afford it. It all depends on what your long term goals are whether this a purchase that makes sense to you as a person or not. Very much an individual response.

Sorry, I tried to imply that I could 'afford' it without saying so.. yes. maintenance, insurance, the whole sha-bang.

There are good deals out there to be had. just gotta manage money properly...

 

[lightguy]

I'm probably the last person who should be answering this question, but screw it......get an NSX now, not later. You only live once and you don't know for how long.

If I were in your position I wouldn't spend 35k, I would spend a lot less on my 1st one, probably 20ish. This should buy you an early model with decent miles, just look they exist, people are negotiating. I've even seen 95/96 models under 25k, this is the way I would go. Most of the early models are coming to "bottom end" in their pricing.

IMO if you buy an early model now, you will drive the car for next to nothing. Meaning buy at the right price, some maintenance of course, and the car may depreciate a few grand over the next few years. Not too bad to drive an exotic car and lose very little.

If you buy it right, you can always sell it if something pops up, ie roommates leaving, job eliminated etc., but at least you would get to enjoy it even if for a short time, and that would be something I don't think you would ever regret!

Bingo.
Almost.
Get a "nice" early one not the cheapest one. Expect to spend 30K + or -.

haveblue;
One more thing; if you are going to put low miles on it= short commute this is better than packing on miles and expecting to get your money back.
You are going to have to buy a car anyhow right ?
Crazy as it seems a well bought NSX will cost THE SAME (in the end) as stinking practical and sensible new Nissan/Toyota/Chevy etc.
If it were almost any other sportscar I would say no. Incredibly the NSX makes economic sense if done right.
Look; I'm as tight as it gets but if you are truly a car nut and really appreciate the vehicle it can be done. Do the research, be patient and get the right one.
PS there are a couple of NSX in the used car section that satisfy your NEEDS and a few that satisfy your WANTS if you know what I mean.
To add to the complexity buying a modded car is always cheaper than doing the mods yourself.
Not as fun or rewarding but always cheaper.

 

[sahtt]

I'm 25 and am fortunate to have a few nice things. Having the obligation of a home payment (could easily balloon to $1200 based on what you told me) and an 800$ a month payment on a car with ~40k after tax income is probably not too wise. 800+1200=2k, leaving you with a whopping 1300$ a month for food, entertainment, car/house repairs, $ to help friends family, and hopefully some savings/investments. I made similar income right out of school. I have over a year's living expenses in cash and have zero debt. You can be in the same position or better.

Very few jobs are all that 'stable'. While having a house is nice, two of my best friends are engineers (civil and EE) and they are moved around constantly (one is actually in Canada now). It's also a risk, you might have to pay your mortgage and rent in another city down the road before you can sell the home. Bottom line, build that safety net first.

A funny thing happens when you pay cash. Before you write that $35,000 check, you will absolutely know if you want to spend the money.

 

[haveblue]

I have given it some thought and don't think I'll buy the house. I can keep renting here for $400/month until my roommates move out or until I need to relocate.

I've been given an update on the salary. $45k/yr GS7 for the first 6months, $55k/yr GS9 for the next year, $65k/yr GS11 the year after that, and then GS12 $75k-$80k 2.5 years after I start. He said 95% of the civilian engineers there are on a GS12 salary, so I guess that's as high as it'll go.

Assuming I wait 9 months or so to buy this car, I'll be making $80k by the time I'm ending the loan payments.

 

[SuperSonic]

Its all about individual needs like stated above. Im in debt hell yes but i love this car. Making 20k a year and paying the premium on my 2002 nsx has my account locked for a while but cars are my passion so i live with my choices. To each his own. Lucky you make 80k in under 3 years. Im on my last quarter, time to start looking for bus. mngt jobs

 

[alexchannell]

I was in almost the exact same situation. I bought the car and NSX but with both of those on a starting engineers salary, I didn't have much money for other fun activities. While I am glad I did it, I did sell the car after a year.

 

[tbromley]

Haveblue:

You are getting ready here to start what sounds like a great job with a big future. Get into it and roll a while.

The NSX does make good sense - economicly you can buy when bought right a good one that will not depreciate much if any and will be no maintenance really - if bought right. So you have two things going on - actually 3.

The house; the job; the car - lots happening. If the house is a good deal - real estate will come back up. If you plan on moving around - you really don't need that "anchor" but then - how do you work that job for the years it takes to get to the salary level of 75 - 80k. To much to ponder and then a car on top of that - the car - it will take you a year of looking, hanging out here reading and understanding the car and which may be best for you as a buyer, before you buy. Just don't make any big decisions right now - hang with the job and see how you like it. There is plenty of time for all this and good thing is that you need a while reading and seeing what's out there before you buy anyway. It'll all work out just right - just don't rush anything.

I don't know why all these other guys are so eager to spend your money - sit back and enjoy life while you research and save!

 

[Midnight_Raven]

Not to hijack the thread but I wanted to throw out an extra option for HaveBlue to consider.

HaveBlue:Have you considered buying another cheaper sports car that you can buy cash now and then buy the NSX later?

For NSXprimer members: Would you guys recommend or be against the thought of someone buying a cheaper alternative 2nd "toy" car while saving for the NSX?

For example cars such as the Mazda Miata, Toyota MR2, Nissan 300Z, and/or all cars that can be purchased sub 10K price range some good examples even near the 5K range.

I've personally been contemplating buying another MR2 to keep me satisfied while I save up. It's cheaper to have only one car but I know it would not be much extra pay, yearly, if you only use the car as a weekend car for summer use.