future purchaser..... any advice or links that can help me out

[barnyardspecial]

alright guys i figure since im new to the forum i would share a little of my background..... i was an absolute honda hater for many years and i finally had a very good friend of mine swap me over to the dark side.... i havent ever considered owning an nsx because well first off i havent ever even looked into them to realize that it is possible to own an early one for $27k or less.... now that i know this is possible to do i am absolutely dedicated to owning one..... i live in indiana and it is hard enough to even find someone who owns an nsx let alone finding one for sale here but my grandmother lives outside of pheonix and i will be flying out to see her in the next 12 months and plan on driving my first nsx home. i have read into them a little bit through this site but i figure that there is no better way to get the truth than to ask owners.... i am aware of the snap ring range and i am also aware that you never want to purchase an nsx without maintenance records..... one of the biggest concerns i have with this is that i am a very mechanically inclined person and a do it yourself kind of guy because i love to learn and know how to work on anything i own.... there are certain things that i do not have knowledge of and if i am unsure of myself in any way then i wouldnt attempt the maintenance therefore that work would be done by an acura dealership but the problem is if i do say a timing belt replacement myself then i do not have record of doing the maintenance..... would this be a problem if resale where to occur (it defintiely wouldnt be wanted or planned) or would pictures of the maintenance being done and receipt of the belt purchase suffice

 

[shawn110975]

Read this article and you will know more

http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/includes/htup_0810_acura_nsx_buyers_guide/index.html

snap ring? who cares. its not a problem if your looking at an NSX under 27K as it probably has high miles and the snap ring has already been resolved. now if your 27K and less NSX transmission is in the range and has low miles impossible but it could happen( strike of lightning )
then your looking at a big job to replace. good luck on that.

dont worry about high miles this car is def not a 88 Civic hatchback LOL
one of my NSX's has over 120K+ miles and the same alternator.

there are NSX's with over 350K miles stock and still no sign of death.
heres a link to 300K miles and up NSX club.
http://nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6892
and another good one
http://nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91996

goodluck on your search.

 

[barnyardspecial]

Hahahha hating on the civic hatch thats funny kuz my daily is a 91 hatchback ..... Thx for the links tho

 

[mlambert890]

Shawn will prob weigh in at some point as well as the other super hardcore DIY guys, but one thing to be aware of is that some of the big work *is* engine out.

Timing belt, water pump and some of the hoses really do need the engine to be pulled (Ferrari 3x8 style), so that can make the more advanced DIY stuff a bit more challenging.

Other than that, the NSX is a pretty easy car to work on in some ways because it *is* an older design so a lot of the electronics are simpler (we have BrianK on the forum here who is able to recondition the speakers and amps and even the Climate Control Unit as their aging capacitors burst) and many of the components are friendly/familiar since, hey, its a Honda

 

[barnyardspecial]

Being that I have never even looked inside of an engine compartment or an interior at that of an nsx I cant swear that I am up to the challenge of pulli g a motor but I can state that it definitely isnt my first rodeo and I havent ever messed around with mid engine but I dont see y it could be that much harder and I would obviously do LOTS of research before even concidering attempting to pull the motor but I am atleast willing to research it and see if I would be up to the challenge..... Any threads on removing a motor would be awsome

 

[TyraNSX]

How many times are you going to misinform people?? The NSX is not a 355 and there are no mandatory engine out procedures like a 355, 328, etc. READ the manual, timing belt is done with engine in car, 1 motor mount loosened.

OP: learn to use periods & capital letters, it will get you a lot farther on Prime.
As far as documentation goes you will still have receipts for all your parts and you can take pics & document the actual work as you go. Put these in a binder that goes with the car. If you can handle the purchase and figure $1500- $2000 for incidentals then go for it.

http://nsxprime.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1460226&postcount

Shawn will prob weigh in at some point as well as the other super hardcore DIY guys, but one thing to be aware of is that some of the big work *is* engine out.

Timing belt, water pump and some of the hoses really do need the engine to be pulled (Ferrari 3x8 style), so that can make the more advanced DIY stuff a bit more challenging.

Other than that, the NSX is a pretty easy car to work on in some ways because it *is* an older design so a lot of the electronics are simpler (we have BrianK on the forum here who is able to recondition the speakers and amps and even the Climate Control Unit as their aging capacitors burst) and many of the components are friendly/familiar since, hey, its a Honda

 

[rbilder]

.... i am aware of the snap ring range and i am also aware that you never want to purchase an nsx without maintenance records.....

I guess I'm with Shawn on the Snap Ring issue. It is something to be aware of for sure. Calculate that into the price, etc. Mine is in Snap Ring range, but the price and condition of the car was too nice to pass up.

I was told the snap ring issue had been fixed, but didn't have documentation to prove it. Still has the VIN on the case. The issue doesn't affect all cars in the range. Anyway, there is a good link in the wiki explaining all that...

As for "never" purchasing a NSX without maintenance records... I wouldn't say never. It definitely helps you feel better having all the records. Especially a recent TB/WP replacement.

I would say that I would be more to using "never" in never purchase one without a PPI by an experienced NSX mechanic.

Going to Phoenix, there will be some NSX's there. I plan to stop into SOS (Science of Speed) next time I'm in town so I can droooooooooool over all the items they have for the NSX. :biggrin:

Keep us posted and welcome to prime!

Rod

 

[Honcho]

Welcome to the wonderful world of NSX. If you are considering an early coupe (91-94), read these:

http://nsxprime.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1217556&postcount=5

http://nsxprime.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1404688&postcount=4

http://nsxprime.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1450435&postcount=6

http://nsxprime.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1456093&postcount=6

Remember, $27,000 is just the price of admission. Even though it is a Honda and hand built, you are buying a 20 year old used exotic car. Things will break. Budget about $1,000 to $2,000 per year to cover these items, as OEM factory part prices are climbing higher each year. Also, do a LOT of searching and research here on Prime. It will save you time, headaches and money. Pretty much every question you have about the car will have an answer here.

 

[NSX2398]

And if you haven't already found it, check out the Wiki (off the red command bar at the top of most pages). There's a section specifically for those interested in purchasing an NSX. Also a section on Maintaining and one on Modifications

 

[mlambert890]

How many times are you going to misinform people?? The NSX is not a 355 and there are no mandatory engine out procedures like a 355, 328, etc. READ the manual, timing belt is done with engine in car, 1 motor mount loosened.

OP: learn to use periods & capital letters, it will get you a lot farther on Prime.
As far as documentation goes you will still have receipts for all your parts and you can take pics & document the actual work as you go. Put these in a binder that goes with the car. If you can handle the purchase and figure $1500- $2000 for incidentals then go for it.

http://nsxprime.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1460226&postcount

Because too many experts that I know actually know what they're doing have said it should come out for that job even though it's possible engine in.

But either way, you're splitting hairs. The point is it's a big complex job compared to a normal Honda.

Here is the DYI guide

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/DIY/timing-belt.pdf

Here is also a thread with expert opinions:

http://nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143728

Main point is... Big job... Lots of labor... Expensive with a pro... Tough DIY... Not like a Civic

I think that's a pretty fair statement. Whether you work around taking the engine out, or just take the engine out, this is not an easy job nor does it compare with TB replacement in normal front engine cars.

When people ask questions like this what they're really asking is "is this hard?" and "is this expensive?" I try to give them responsible advice. That being "yeah, it is".

 

[tbromley]

27k will get you a good car - but it most likely at that price point you will have some deffered maintenance. The reason records are valuable at that price point is that you'll know what the PO had done to the car and when!

I would not buy a 27k car with the idea I won't have anything to do - I'd have 5k in reserve. You'll be glad you did but then some buy these cars, drive a few years and then realize I need to spend 3k on this car and don't and sell. You will find that 27k will buy you either one of two kinds of cars - one that is higher miles as in over 60 to 70k and really well preserved or a mileage around 60k with a lot of deffered maintenance - that is a funny price point. I've seen some really good buys around there but you'd be lucky if you found one. Most folks sell their cars with deffered maintenance and those that buy them fall into 2 catagories - those that want a perfect car and pay to get it that way or those that drive it as is and don't worry bout fixing anything till something breaks.

I hope with your ability to DIY that you'll fall into the catagory that takes pride in their car and keeps it up to snuff with maintenance items by the book - that way you will maximise the value of your car and it will represent the brand and model well! You'll be a tribute to the car rather than someone that just uses it and sells to someone else that will need to fix it up.

All the best, good luck, get a ppi if you don't have records and deal with the owner - you might need one even under those circumstances. They are truly great cars, a rare breed, not a lot of em out there - you'll love it. Welcome!

 

[Dynamic-uzed-auto]

I bought my NSX with no maintenance records and as Larry B can tell you for the price I got a hell of a deal however don't cross out those gems just yet but read up all the links provided to you for you have the knowledge needed when looking, good luck.

 

[snowhitensx]

Well "Barnyardspecial" I recently bought my first NSX a few months ago, it was a true "barn yard find". I literally had no more then 15mins to make a decision to buy it at an auction, so I called Mike (Dynamic used cars) for pointers and his expertise which helped my decision. It had no records,owner was not there to tell me the history! I am in the used car industry for over 15 years, so I used my 6th sence, look if it had the new water pumps with the nipples which usually means most likely TB was done. A quick drive around over 80mph to make sure no vibration,no suspension issues,sometimes interior tells alot about how the car was maintained!
So hope that will help you make a good decision in your near future!