Hot Car Anxiety...

ReX_N_Rolla · 8 July 2006

I've been reading on this board for nearly 2 months now... I finally decided to register and post about my dillema...

Currently I have an 02 RWD WRX which I am trying to get rid of so that I can pick up my next love...

I'm anxious to pick up a sexy car, but I'm in limbo as to what to get...

I've been looking at NSX's for a long time and have been dreaming to have one, but my problem lies in whether or not I will be really happy w/ one...

My options at the moment are:

- *edit* 97T+ w/ under 50k miles for around 40-50k
- a 03+ M3 w/ under 30k miles for around 40k
- a 05+ C6 w/ under 15k miles for around 40k-45k

My problem is that:

- the NSX is sexy and rare w/ ok power but is older
- the M3 is common w/ good power but is fairly new
- the C6 is kinda common, kinda sexy w/ awesome power and is the newest

I have heard great things about the C6... I have driven the M3... But have never had the oppurtunity to experience the NSX... What gets me is that the NSX seems to be the underdog of the choices since it will be older, have more miles and doesn't have as much power... But in the end I still want it...

This is how I get with cars I set my heart on it and find a way to get it even though there are somethings that are negative about the car... I end up getting it, I fall in love with but in the end I end up wanting more...

On another note the M3 and the C6 seem to be daily drivers, whereas the NSX tends to be a garage queen... This also plays a factor in how much I get to enjoy the car...

Could you guys throw me your opinion about my dillema...? Especially those of you who may own these cars...

gtr · 8 July 2006

Why did you make your WRX RWD, drift car

Anyway, if your a terrific driver and want to be more compeditive on the track get the C6. If you want the most inexpensive car out of your list get the NSX. The C6 will drop 8K in value as soon as you buy it and the NSX will drop 8K in like 10 years (maybe). If you find a good deal used go for it. Just make sure the timing belt/water pump is serviced on these 7yr/60K mile cars. I purchased the NSX because it looks, rare, hold value, mid engine, terrific paint, hand built and honda quality:biggrin:

The only M3 that interest me in the US would be the competition package but, why would you want a car that will be redesigned very soon? The CLK 63 just bumped it's power to 475hp and make my CLK 55 362hp car look like a joke:frown:

sahtt · 8 July 2006

I also take into consideration insurance, depreciation, and reliability. On those notes, the NSX probably wins all 3. Even a 95 NSX over the next 10 years will probably have less issues than a brand new C6 that is rolled off the factory floor today.

The NSX 91-96, are not going to be as fast power wise as the M3 or C6. Handling, balance wise, etc. it is still up there. Combine that with the rarity and MR / aluminum chassis setup, and you have a lot to think about.

I think a 97+ NSX is right at about the same level as a E46M3, coming from someone who has driven both. That being said, I prefer the feel of the NSX greatly, it's also much more durable. M3's still look way too similar to other BMW cars to make their looks influence me in the buying decision.

NSXCELERATE · 8 July 2006

I stopped by the Lambo/aston martin repair facility in my NSX and got many compliments from the techs and manager. Drive up there in a vette and noone will notice, drive in a M3 noone will notice:biggrin: :tongue: :redface: :smile:
NSX isnt common, I like being uncommon myself.. Common cars for common folks:smile:

jond · 8 July 2006

Good choices. The NSX(at least 97+) is faster then the M3, and slightly slower then a new vette. I believe the new vette is 1/4 in 12.7 and NSX is 12.9.

The NSX will last 300,000 miles. The vette, 100,000 maybe?
I almost bought a C5 Z06 instead of my NSX, and from hanging out on their forums for 6 months, I found they have TONS of problems with their low mileage cars. Also I found that noone had many miles. Its rare to see a Z06 with 100,000 miles. Someone posted a pic here of a NSX with 300,000 on it..

As far as daily driving, I've driven mine every day since I've owned it averaging 350 miles a week. I wont drive it in the snow, but thats it.

Also, look at the depreciation rate of corvettes, and look at tire costs. I found the Z06s depreciated VERY heavily with miles, and the tires were around $1700. The NSX is much cheaper in terms of depreciation and tires. (rears were quick, but can be had for $150-200 each)

Also as stated above, I'm a ROCK STAR everywhere I go. When people pass me, they have their camera in their hand. This vs a vette which you will see 4-5 of them every time you leave the house.

ETLMD · 8 July 2006

Definitely go test drive an NSX. After one drive, you might completely forget about the M3 and C6 Vette.

khappucino · 8 July 2006

i'd reccomend a 97 if you can find one for your price range

as far as the choices given, i think its probably a closer draw between the C6 and the NSX, the M3 is a nice car and is actually quite fast (tons of torque and OEM ITB....) but its going to be a different feel than the nsx, two of my friends own E46M3, i've never driven a C6 so i can't really give a good opinion of that one, although i understand they are pretty damn fast

Blaze · 8 July 2006

I own two E36 M3s. They're awesome cars. Were it not for the price tag to repair them, I'd probably make at least one of them a drifter. BMW (M3s in particular) display the unique art of balance and power. Old to new, driving a bimmer makes everything else seem like....not a bimmer. :wink:

Corvettes.... They're a gross display of power. IMHO, they're put together with shoddy work ethics and it shows over time. They're a great looking car with some fun features. But HOW MUCH is the Z06, and it still comes with a plastic dash? PLEASE! Plus, nothing lines up. You can see gaps in the body pannels, the plastic dash is uneven...ect, ect. (you can see I'm not a vette fan)

The NSX. It's simple, fluid, and graceful. There will be civics everywhere that can beat you in a 1/4 mile. And evos that will tear you a new rear end on the road course, but at the end of the day, they go home in crappy rice boxes and you cruise the blvd with their girl friends. Because seriously, what would you rather be seen in/with? :biggrin:

It all comes down to what you want out of a car. If you want something rare, try a lotus. Those are rare, simple, fast and reliable and about the same price or cheaper then the cars above.

Good luck. I like to know what you decide on (and why)

Blaze

ETLMD · 8 July 2006

Lotus, reliable? Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

Although, with the Toyota engine in the Elise they should be more reliable than previous cars. Lotus Elises are not that rare. I see more Elises than NSXs (At least in my area).

Blaze · 8 July 2006

Psychobiology said:
Lotus, reliable? Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

Although, with the Toyota engine in the Elise they should be more reliable than previous cars. Lotus Elises are not that rare. I see more Elises than NSXs (At least in my area).

It's a honda or a toyota @ the core. I'd call that reliable. But admitedly, I don't have any #s to back that statement up with.

I was in London a few months back and there were Lotuses...Lotus... LOTI??
Anyway, they were pretty common there as well. I don't see too many running around SoCal though. For me, it's equal on the rare-scale to the NSX.

Blaze

nsxsupra · 8 July 2006

First why limit yourself to 95~96? Sounds like power is important for you. Ever heard of OBD II? Either get the 97+ with 3.2L motor + 6spd or the lightweight 91~94 hardtop. 95~96 does give you the open top though.

I had E46 M3, it was a fantastic car overall. The warranty is about to run out on the 00~01 model $$$. Stay away from E46 M3s produced from October of 2001 through February of 2002. Gold diggers seems to like this car. Maybe not any more now that it is older and newer model due out soon.

C6, I really liked the look during first year. Unfortunately it already looks dated for me just a little over a year later. I do love the look of C6 Z06 though. The 405hp stock C6 did not impress me. I thought I would get my ass handed to me even with 6psi CTSC, wasn't the case though:biggrin: The 02+ NSX come out on top on the only known media road test of NSX vs C6. NSX also out ran the C6 in 1/4mile in Top Gear review.

NSX is old, however even the older model still looks good. It is more like F355, older model yet still exotic and highly desirable. The look is timeless. Still the first and real Japanese super car. Aftermarket support for NSX is growing. There are so many goodies available and various vendors who provides great service such as SOS, Downforce, Dali, Nopi, Cantrell, Ztech, ARK, etc.

ETLMD · 8 July 2006

Blaze said:
It's a honda or a toyota @ the core. I'd call that reliable. But admitedly, I don't have any #s to back that statement up with.

I was in London a few months back and there were Lotuses...Lotus... LOTI??
Anyway, they were pretty common there as well. I don't see too many running around SoCal though. For me, it's equal on the rare-scale to the NSX.

Blaze

Really? I live in Southern California, and on one trip up to Los Angeles from San Diego on the 5 and 405 I saw four different Lotus Elises and not a single NSX.

ETLMD · 8 July 2006

nsxsupra said:
First why limit yourself to 95~96? Sounds like power is important for you. Ever heard of OBD II? Either get the 97+ with 3.2L motor + 6spd or the lightweight 91~94 hardtop. 95~96 does give you the open top though.

I had E46 M3, it was a fantastic car overall. The warranty is about to run out on the 00~01 model $$$. Stay away from E46 M3s produced from October of 2001 through February of 2002. Gold diggers seems to like this car. Maybe not any more now that it is older and newer model due out soon.

C6, I really liked the look during first year. Unfortunately it already looks dated for me just a little over a year later. I do love the look of C6 Z06 though. The 405hp stock C6 did not impress me. I thought I would get my ass handed to me even with 6psi CTSC, wasn't the case though:biggrin: The 02+ NSX come out on top on the only known media road test of NSX vs C6. NSX also out ran the C6 in 1/4mile in Top Gear review.

NSX is old, however even the older model still looks good. It is more like F355, older model yet still exotic and highly desirable. The look is timeless. Still the first and real Japanese super car. Aftermarket support for NSX is growing. There are so many goodies available and various vendors who provides great service such as SOS, Downforce, Dali, Nopi, Cantrell, Ztech, ARK, etc.

I agree. Since power is important to you, avoid the '95 and '96 models.

HondaHeat · 8 July 2006

1995- 1996 slower?

From the FAQ on this site on the 1995:

Limited Slip Differential Changes on manual transmission cars. Went from Torque Control Differential to a Torque Reactive Differential - when combined with Throttle-By-Wire, increases speeds out of a corner by 10%.

That sounds faster.

Besides the t-top model is definitely sexier and that's what he mentioned in the opening post.

gtr · 8 July 2006

nsxsupra said:
The 02+ NSX come out on top on the only known media road test of NSX vs C6. NSX also out ran the C6 in 1/4mile in Top Gear review.

Can you post this article :biggrin: Are you sure this is not a type-s version?

WingZ · 8 July 2006

gtr said:
Can you post this article :biggrin: Are you sure this is not a type-s version?

Serious can of worms on this one GTR! I thought it was going to start a fist fight in one thread.... LoL

Here's the link and I personally had a two watch it several times to make sure it was right. The NSX beat the 911 and the Corvette in their street race. They had no reason to fix the race and didn't make a big deal about the NSX beating the other cars. The NSX had a perfect launch and just took off , beat everything else off line. Maybe it was one of those factory freaks ( that seem to be less and less common these days ). I dunno

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4ypR5xPxYss&search=C6 corvette

gtr · 8 July 2006

WingZ, I'm not even going to comment on their so called drag race. I just wanna see the article versions with some numbers and I hope they made 10 runs for each car and take the best time. I think I recalled motor trend doing something like this for their numbers:biggrin:

rickysals · 8 July 2006

Get a 97+ NSX.

Not sure if you're aware, but 1997 was a big update. +20HP and a 6speed instead of 5speed... plus a bunch of other small changes. Check the FAQ for specifics.

They can be had for your price&miles.

This one is sold, but was in our marketplace here... and met your requirements... so you can get them

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49308

drive all 3. you'll know what you want after that

needspeed · 8 July 2006

NSX is no garage queen to me.....Its my daily ride.....It aint slow and its solid as a rock.......Steve

khappucino · 8 July 2006

HondaHeat said:
1995- 1996 slower?

From the FAQ on this site on the 1995:

Limited Slip Differential Changes on manual transmission cars. Went from Torque Control Differential to a Torque Reactive Differential - when combined with Throttle-By-Wire, increases speeds out of a corner by 10%.

That sounds faster.

Besides the t-top model is definitely sexier and that's what he mentioned in the opening post.

95-96 slower given the fact it has same engine output but weighs 150 lbs more give or take than a 91-94, the 97+ more than compensates for the weight differential by adding 20 more hp/tq. also i believe the above stated snippet is giving the 10% increase based on the same vehicle but with the differernt differential types, its kind of silly to do a straight comparo when you are varying more than one input at a time

if you decide nsx you should really try to get a 97, that extra .2 litres and the 6 speed are worth it imho

WingZ · 8 July 2006

gtr said:
WingZ, I'm not even going to comment on their so called drag race. I just wanna see the article versions with some numbers and I hope they made 10 runs for each car and take the best time. I think I recalled motor trend doing something like this for their numbers:biggrin:

Yeah they also didn't state the distance. Maybe the "Stig" was driving the NSX , because if you watch it again you'll notice that was near about one of the most perfect take offs I've seen. No real slip to speak off. I wish I could launch my NSX like that heck I'd love to just drive on the street like that.

This is by no means my first stick ( or by far my most powerful car ),but I have the hardest time getting the thing to go smoothly w/o leaping off the line at every light. Sometimes people think I'm racing or being a jerk , but honestly I'm just trying not to lurch or stall. I've had my car for over a year and still am not much better. maybe I better go back to S2000's.... LoL

PhiAlpha44 · 8 July 2006

I have 2 friends with 99 M3's. I walked them both 2 weeks ago. I've driven my friends M3's and I LOVE THEM! But they when they drive up somewhere and I'm with them, their cars get ZERO attention. Face it, to the common joe, an M3 just looks like a zillion other 3 series BMW's, and you can't throw a rock without hitting a corvette. Only one of the cars you are mentioning has an exotic flavor, and it's the NSX.

I'm telling you from experience before I bought the X... my friend had me sold on getting a corvette for ONE DAY! That day I passed like 8 or 9 Corvettes. I changed my mind right then and there that I didnt' want something everybody else had. Yes the C6 has rediculous power. But are you a drag racer? If not.. what good is it going to do you? If I wanted something everyone else had, I'd go buy a toaster or a coffee maker. :wink:

BioBanker · 8 July 2006

HondaHeat said:
1995- 1996 slower?

Yes, because those years have the heavier targa car with the lower powered 3.0L and the less optimal gearing of the 5sp.

Scin · 8 July 2006

Go for the NSX. My 1994 NSX with I/H/E is faster then an E46M3. The corvette is a nice car, however it is definitely not as sexy looking as the NSX and they truly are a dime a dozen.

I considered the C5 Z06 when I was buying my NSX, and I am glad I got the NSX. I still wouldn't mind having a C6 Z06 in addition to my NSX, they are fantastic performers and cannot be beat for the money.

You may want to look at 91-94 and 97+ if you are concerned about performance, as someone previously stated the 95 & 96 cars are slower. I bought a 94 because I wanted a coupe, and 97+ coupes are hard to find and they command premium pricing.

SaberX · 8 July 2006

Get a decent condition 93 and supercharge it. You won't be disappointed for your money.

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