hello.....& what to look for from 1991 nsx

[kimchi_a]

hello....new to this site...seriously looking into buying a 1991 nsx with about 80,000km. It's black exterior / interior...& untouched in terms of mods.
I'm sure this has been covered in this forum....but, what kind of typical problems / wears should i look for.....if any....?? what will be the next major service?.....$$$$???.....thanks in advance.

 

[Shumdit]

The FAQ would help, as would doing a search, but the major points on a 91 seem to be:

Has all service (especially the timing belt and water pump) been done? The cost is not cheap (by Honda car standards) and the failure can be a $10K repair. On a 91, it should have had 2 belt replacements already, although if it only has had 1, that's fine as long as it was less than the service interval.

If it's a manual the biggest thing to check is to see if it is in snap ring range (see the TSB in the FAQ-look! I sound all goverment-like!) If it is, but has been repaired, no worry. If it is and has not, lower the vlalue of the car enough to cover the repair cost.

A/C evaporators seem to go bad more on the 91-92 cars than the later models, although I would not call it a common failure.

Now a common failure would be the window regulators. I would read up on the FAQ about this, and if you do not already have proof the "fix-it thingies" have been installed, I would strongly consider having them put in before the windows fail (if you see what the cost to fix it after it breaks is, you will know why).

 

[kimchi_a]

Thanks for the info.....i'll do more some more research....
I guess that the service cost is fairy high on nsx......is it comparable to german cars....such as bmw (M models), audi....etc?......hopefully, not comparable to ferraris.

also.....is 80,000km considered high mileage for 91 nsx???
thanks again.

 

[Shumdit]

Service cost is not as bad as many BMW type things, and is certainly a fraction of any Ferrari (does your local Ferrari dealer charge $23.00 for oil and filter changes while you wait?):biggrin:

80000 KM is nothing on a properly maintained NSX. We have many people in the 100000 mile club and a good number well over 150000 (which is what 270000 or more KM?)

 

[kimchi_a]

ohhh man.....I've read about the snap ring issue......stuff like that scares me.....t-belt & water pump is understandable as it is a "regular" wear & tear.....
i'm guessing that there is no easy way to check that part unless you take it apart...???....
i'm selling my sportbike...getting old.....now, i want a car that is just as entertaining to drive & pretty.......nsx is perfect....but, i don't want to spend too much $$$ on repairs.....hope not.

 

[djdrock]

ohhh man.....I've read about the snap ring issue......stuff like that scares me.....t-belt & water pump is understandable as it is a "regular" wear & tear.....
i'm guessing that there is no easy way to check that part unless you take it apart...???....
i'm selling my sportbike...getting old.....now, i want a car that is just as entertaining to drive & pretty.......nsx is perfect....but, i don't want to spend too much $$$ on repairs.....hope not.

Snap ring...if you are referring to checking "that" part, yes the VIN# on the transmission will tell you if it is in range.

The NSX can be very expensive to own, but doing your homework, getting to know the owner and the cars history can help reduce the odds of having too many repairs.

 

[kimchi_a]

the biggest issue for me is that this car is 15 yrs old......even if the car has been well taken care of, i can't overlook its age...........i'm paranoid.
i can get mildly used & a lot younger g35 / 350z / s2000 in this price range.....but, nothing looks / sounds like the nsx.....feels like a huge gamble for me....although i'm well aware of nsx's quality.......
i can't get the black nsx out of my mind.......bitten by the nsx bug.

 

[Shumdit]

the biggest issue for me is that this car is 15 yrs old......even if the car has been well taken care of, i can't overlook its age...........i'm paranoid.
i can get mildly used & a lot younger g35 / 350z / s2000 in this price range.....but, nothing looks / sounds like the nsx.....feels like a huge gamble for me....although i'm well aware of nsx's quality.......
i can't get the black nsx out of my mind.......bitten by the nsx bug.

You might as well just do your homework and find a good one, and then buy it. Otherwise, you are always going to wonder what you are missing. I know a few girls I never had to guts to ask out that used to haunt me like that:biggrin:

 

[kimchi_a]

ha ha ha.....good point....i'm getting one as soon as my bike is sold......

 

[djdrock]

ha ha ha.....good point....i'm getting one as soon as my bike is sold......

Good! Go for it! And remember, a younger G35, 350 etc...will depreciate, though not as bad a some cars. The NSX, if purchased carefully, will hold its value, and possibly appreciate slightly depending on some factors.

I can not stress HOW IMPORTANT it is to research. I looked and looked, and the first NSX I went to purchase, off of Ebay, was trash. The seller had 100% positive feedback, with several years of selling history. He about shit when I pointed out all of the flaws, including a crappy repaint. The auction description said no body work ever. Moral of the story, get to know the seller and the history of the car if you can. Take a weekend to go look at it and have it inspected prior to buying it. A few hundred dollars spent early can save you thousands in the long run. Good luck on your search!