Found a 91 NSX with high miles.

[NetViper]

There is a 91 NSX on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=598348873


I am going to take a look at it tomorrow. Sounds like a great car, but I am worried about the high miles (90K).

Does anyone know anything about this car? Can anyone run carfax?

Any advice?

Thanks

--dave


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NetViper -= 100% Stock EBP 2000 Civic Si =- Still looking to get an NSX, but at least I can live life at 8,000 RPM!

 

[Lud]

My only comment is that the seller listed the car as having "perfect paint." Since the car has 90k miles, either his definition of Perfect is pretty loose or the car has been repainted. Good luck.

 

[NetViper]

Lud,

He said the car has just been repainted. Done professionaly with clear coat and all. I will check it out today.

Is it worth getting an extended warranty on the car?


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NetViper -= 100% Stock EBP 2000 Civic Si =- Still looking to get an NSX, but at least I can live life at 8,000 RPM!

 

[Lud]

Only you can decide if an extended warranty is worthwhile or not. It depends on your financial situation and the level of risk you are comfortable with.

If the entire car has been repainted, you need to check for damage repair regardless of the explanation given for the repaint. If you don't know what you are looking for, get help from someone who does.

 

[sjs]

Originally posted by NetViper:
Lud,

He said the car has just been repainted. Done professionaly with clear coat and all. I will check it out today.

Is it worth getting an extended warranty on the car?

Ask for the name of the shop that did the paint. If they have nothing to hide then there is no reason not to tell you. Go to the shop and ask them for details about what the car looked like when they got it and what they did to it, and what paint they used. (In fact, I'd call them immediately so the guy selling it can't talk to them first. Trust no one.) As them if their work has a guarantee that transfers to you, and if so exactly what does it cover etc.

Inspect the paint very carefully on every panel, including for orange peel, which is very minimal on original NSX paint. (Compare original NSX paint to something like a new BMW. It's amazing how much orange peel the BMW has by comparison.)

Unlike many people, I don't dismiss a car just because it's been repainted, especially an older one. However, I do want to know why it was painted and that it was done well. In some ways I'd actually rather buy one that was repainted a year or two before so I could see that the paint was holding up, and because someone who repaints a car they intended to keep for awhile is more likely to make sure it was done right. A repaint just to sell the car might not be as nice. But, if you have a good guarantee from the paint shop it doesn't matter as much.

 

[nsxtasy]

In some ways I'd actually rather buy one that was repainted a year or two before so I could see that the paint was holding up, and because someone who repaints a car they intended to keep for awhile is more likely to make sure it was done right.

How about two repaints eight years ago, like this one had?

 

[Saturn]

sjs,

what do you mean by orange peel ?

 

[NetViper]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
In some ways I'd actually rather buy one that was repainted a year or two before so I could see that the paint was holding up, and because someone who repaints a car they intended to keep for awhile is more likely to make sure it was done right.

How about two repaints eight years ago, like this one had?

I am guessing you do not like this car ken.. Where do you see two repaints 8 years ago? -- the two accidents?

I tried to see it over and over today, but the guy said it was still at the shop from being painted.

Carfax does show an accident, though I don't know when or how serious it was.

I am thinking that I probably don't want this to be my first NSX ownership experience.

Thanks for the comments.

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NetViper -= 100% Stock EBP 2000 Civic Si =- Still looking to get an NSX, but at least I can live life at 8,000 RPM!

 

[nsxtasy]

I am guessing you do not like this car ken..

I haven't seen it. Obviously two accidents and a repainting are cause for concern - but I wouldn't necessarily rule it out on that basis. The key question should still be, whether you would be paying a fair price for the car, given its condition - and you should be able to see the condition for yourself before bidding. It appears to have a clear title, a history of two accidents of unknown severity, a full repaint, and fairly high miles. Take all that into account in deciding what you would pay for it.

Where do you see two repaints 8 years ago? -- the two accidents?

Yes, the Carfax showed two accidents in 1993.

I tried to see it over and over today, but the guy said it was still at the shop from being painted.

I find it curious that he would put it up for sale on eBay while any work he is doing on it is still in process.

 

[sjs]

Originally posted by Saturn:
sjs,

what do you mean by orange peel ?

Orange peel refers to the texture of paint. As fresh paint is sprayed on it flows slightly and dries with something akin to tiny dimples. I've probably been told the actual cause, but don't recall. Perhaps it is due to surface tension. Walk up to a clean car and lean down to view a painted surface from and oblique angle rather than straight on. (Often easier to see indoors with florescent lights than direct sunlight depending on car color.) Orange peel is seen in the reflection of light off the paint. You will see what appears to be tiny low and high spots making the reflection less smooth than in a mirror. I you look closely, it is very pronounced in cheaper cars and less so in more expensive cars. However, even most expensive cars are painted by robots in a few thick passes with little or no work in between.

Now look at an NSX (or any true custom show car paint job) and you will see very little of the orange peel effect. This is accomplished by putting on more but thinner layers and, ideally, light sanding between coats.

Although I'm not exceedingly picky, I would not buy an NSX with a paint job that displayed more orange peel than the original unless I took into account the price to have it sanded down and painted again, which would run anywhere from $3k to $8k.

 

[Nsxotic]

Orange peel is caused by too thick of coats laid on and not allowed to dry properly before laying on the next coats. Paint should be laid thinnly and preferrably wet sanded and buffed between coats for a showshine. Orange peel = Lazy painter or maladjusted gun.

------------------
Todd Arnold

http://www.geocities.com/nsxcessive/index.html

 

[ak]

That's mad cheap!!! but then there's usually a reason for it to be that cheap.

 

[sjs]

Originally posted by Nsxotic:
Orange peel is caused by too thick of coats laid on and not allowed to dry properly before laying on the next coats. Paint should be laid thinnly and preferrably wet sanded and buffed between coats for a showshine. Orange peel = Lazy painter or maladjusted gun.

Uh, didn't I say that? Except the part about a lazy painter or maladjusted gun. Other than exotics, virtually every factory paint job has significant orange peel, as does any insurance paid repaint on the same cars. Some, like Mercedes are far less, but I'm always amazed at how bad even the moot expensive BMWs look.

 

[nsxtasy]

I see that the reserve has been met and the bid is currently at $23,700. This is significantly less than what I would expect a well-maintained '91 with 90K miles to go for (around $29K or so). Which makes me wonder why the reserve was set so low.

Are you going to be able to see the car before the auction expires two days from now?

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 25 November 2001).]

 

[NetViper]

I tried to see the car all day saturday and then called again sunday. He told me it was still at the shop, but it was on its way over. Said the same line all day sat. and then I called sunday at 2:00 before I left and he gave me the same line. So I left. Oh well, there will be more NSX's. This one sounded pretty good for me, but I guess it was not meant to be.

I guess I will just have to wait for Todds

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NetViper -= 100% Stock EBP 2000 Civic Si =- Still looking to get an NSX, but at least I can live life at 8,000 RPM!

 

[ck]

Just wondering what happened to my earlier post? I guess the Carfax was too long?

Chris

 

[NetViper]

Wow, the car is over 27,000 dollars now. I feel sorry for whoever wins that after looking at the carfax etc. I guess some people just dont do their research!

As for me, the search continues...

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NetViper -= 100% Stock EBP 2000 Civic Si =- Still looking to get an NSX, but at least I can live life at 8,000 RPM!