Originally posted by ANSCNSX:
I do have some concerns about resale on an auto that I need to research and ask questions about.
Think of an automatic as a "special interest NSX". Automatics comprise 9 percent of NSX sales in the U.S. and as far as I can tell, supply has been pretty well matched to demand (meaning that ~9 percent of NSX buyers prefer automatics).
Resale value, and marketability, are similar to any special interest car. The market is much smaller (compared with a manual trans NSX), in terms of buyers and sellers and cars. That translates as follows. If you are looking for an automatic NSX, you're going to have a harder time finding one, particularly if you have further constraints such as year, condition, miles, price, etc. For example, if you absolutely
must have a purple one with a tan interior (total U.S. sales: 10 cars), then you might find that there's only one available, and it might have a price too high for you (and above that of a similar manual trans car) or more miles than you would prefer.
Similarly, if you're selling an automatic NSX, you're going to find that the market for the car is going to be much smaller than that of a manual transmission car, because 91 percent of buyers prefer a manual. So you'll have a couple of options. You can sell it if someone comes along willing to meet your minimum selling price; if you price it the same as a similar manual trans car, that means that you may wind up keeping it on the market for a long time. Or, you can sell it for significantly less money than a similar manual trans car, to expand your market to include any folks who might prefer a manual but would be willing to accept an automatic due to the savings you are offering. And, as usual, the quicker you feel you need to sell it, the lower the price you'll be able to get for it.
As you can see from these examples, a manual transmission car can be resold, but its market will be smaller. As a buyer, if you're looking for an automatic, that means you may have to pay more than a manual; as a seller, that means you may need to sell it for less than a manual. (Alternatively, as a buyer, if your needs are not too specific and you take your time, you may be able to find one for less than a manual; and as a buyer, if you take your time, you may be able to sell it for as much as, or more than, a manual - but
only if you can hook up with that person who
must have the exact car you're selling, and is willing to pay for it.)
Hope this helps.
