If and When to Start Driving Your NSX as an Investment

[posterchild2]

So my 1996 Red NSX-T is coming up on 55K miles. I have owned it for 20 months and have put about 9K miles on it since purchasing. I know a lot of factors go into determining value, and mileage is one them, along with condition and originality. As the values of these things are starting to creep up, at what point do you start treating the car as an investment rather than a depreciating asset that most cars are. Investment and cars is a huge oxymoron, one tends to always contradict the other. Everything I have ever bought and sold with 2 or 4 wheels I have lost money on, which is normal, so I find myself in unchartered waters with the NSX. So at what point do you start "hoarding" mileage with these cars if you are considering it an investment for later? I know for some of us the car is not looked at as an investment and enjoyed on a daily basis. Normally I would not care about mileage and would just buy another car, I have a daily driver; but sometimes take the NSX to work. What are your guy's thoughts on the subject? Thanks.

 

[blue_myriddn]

Just my two cents - but here it goes.

By in large, it isn't worth the bother. The cars that see a skyrocketting value are ultra-low mileage garage queens - everything else sees pretty moderate return and the price differential isn't terribly large for a "good" vs "great" car in the big picture. It becomes especially smaller if you are having to go out of your way and no longer enjoy the car.

I would say it is always smart to treat the NSX with the dignity it deserves - beyond that I wouldn't sweat the details.

 

[RPM217]

^^^^^^^^^^^^
I agree with the above. I now have two toys that are appreciating in value. The reason that I bought them, was to drive and enjoy them. If my GT were a delivery miles car, it'd be worth 25-50M more than it is. That being said, I wouldn't enjoy "just looking at it". My NSX I've had since new, and I now have about 72,000 miles on it. Those miles have put on many smiles, and introduced me to some friends that are priceless. So if I left the car in the garage, and never drove it, it'd be worth more, but what about all the smiles and friends I've made along the way..............................
Everyone is different, but like you said, you didn't buy it as an investment, if it doesn't lose value, or goes up in value, than it's a "win-win". Life's short, take it for a drive!!!!

 

[The Kid]

I think about this all the time but luckily I dont have the time to rack up that many miles even if I wanted too. Thankfully I have other toys too to keep my occupied.

 

[robbiedawg]

another thing to keep in mind is that i think it's really bad for an nsx to just sit for extended periods of time without being driven.you can solve the problem of the battery dying with a battery tender,but all sorts of things start to clog and corrode if the car just sits.so personally,i wouldn't want a 20 or 25 year old car with some crazy low amount of miles on it.that said,i must confess i'm only putting 3-4k miles a year on mine,but unless there's bad weather,i drive it at least 3 times a week,at least 15-20 miles each time to let it warm up fully.especially after sinking some money into a big refresh last year,i want to enjoy it as much as I can.

i've been reading kaz's blog extensively-
http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/entry.php?735-Eng-Refresh-Stage-1-LMA-04
for those who don't know,he was one of the original nsx engineers and also a formula 1 engineer who now has an nsx shop and does frequent overhauls on nsxs.he's always stressing how important it is to drive these cars,and showing pictures of corrosion resulting from not doing so.here's a quote from him on an engine with very dirty internals that wasn't driven enough.he cleaned it as best he could,and said-
"While the engine is hot and running, the engine oil will do good job in cleaning the engine parts."

so,to me,some of these super low mileage cars may look pristine,but mechanically they may be a whole different story.
maybe i'm missing the point,because a collector may not care about any of this,but it still seems sad to neglect these fine cars through nonuse.

 

[TomCat]

As it has been said above...are you a museum piece curator or an automobile enthusiast?
Highest dollar tends to go with things like original wheels and tires (undriveable by now), 100% functioning BOSE with cassette, original functioning antenna, etc...even replacement OEM is not often "as valued" as never replaced.

 

[neuronbob]

I am a new owner, having bought almost two weeks ago. My new to me NA2 had 59.2k miles on it at purchase. I've already had two road trips and put 1000 miles on the car. I bought my car to drive, not to put under a plastic bubble to stare at. If the car appreciates while I'm putting 2-3 k miles a driving season on it, great. If it depreciates as it's not a low mileage car, so what. Either way, the plan is to keep the car for years and get maximum smiles out of it.

 

[Albert86]

Bought my car in the $30s (low) 63K mi. Put in another $12K just because I should. I have since put on about 13K mi.
Sure - every drive to work I think about the useless mileage I am putting on it, but - it's still fun.
When I bought the car I was "coached" - do I want to drive it - or look at it.
I ended up buying a car that that I could enjoy driving and not having to sweat the deprecation that another (low mi NSX) would have seen.
I decided that it would be more fun to have loved and known than to have loved and looked at.
I'll let the clock roll - do my diligence to make sure the care is nicer than I bought it - and continue to make those
senseless drives to work - rolling up the clock.
If I end up selling for $25K (hypothetically, some day as time, deprecation, market and miles dictate) - I decided I will still have "known" the car,
and enjoyed it, and the (possible) loss would have been my gain to have enjoyed the revs, cornering, looks and thumbs up and attention
an otherwise ordinary normal car would not have received.
Stand around in the garage and look at it a bit - now decide - do you want to keep looking - or .......

 

[dirtbag]

No. Never. Investments create stress. An NSX should never cause you stress; that's no fun. Drive it, enjoy it.

 

[Patricio]

The NSX is "great" investment to me... but not the way you may be expecting... To me the NSX has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars of motor-head bliss for a fraction of the cost. It makes exotic car ownership so relatively inexpensive, that it can actually be appreciated as a real performance driving machine without fears of wallet crushing repairs..

People like to look at fancy cars that sell for millions at auction but don't add up all the expenses and restorations over the years that allowed that car to still exist. Regardless of how much cars can appreciate; maintenance, insurance, garaging, and inflation will always prevail.

Cars are bad investments, the NSX may be the BEST you can make of a generally bad "investment".

The NSX is meant to be driven, it's meant to be appreciated for being timeless and exotic just as it is frugal, minimalist and eternal in construction.
A 200k mile NSX is more impressive to me than a un-used, sad, imprisoned and under-loved 10k mile NSX.
The NSX is a one of the few machines that can endure being used for what it was designed for.
It becomes even more impressive by never showing its age regardless of how many years and miles that go by.
look at all the low millage cars that sell for 10-20k more than a high millage car, you could not pay me 20k to not have driven my car for the past 10 years.
Like most owners I attempt to minimize my losses as often as possible, but I do find the additional tens of thousands I've spent over the years as a bargain.

Low millage "desirability" is rubbish exotic car owners created since they cant drive their mechanically inept money-pit pile of unreliable metal.

The NSX was made be driven unlike any other car in its class, if your not driving it, then what is is there to appreciate about it?

 

[Dynamic-uzed-auto]

Just drive the thing it's very therapeutic

 

[Speedmaster]

I have been driving mine all week on a mid-western city work trip. I could fly and have more down time, but I really enjoy driving the car. I will have put nearly 1,000 miles on mine after today's six hours (still ahead of me).

I should also note that I have extremely high mileage.

Regarding letting cars sit. I do notice a different feel in the car between driving it after several hours versus around town. The motor feels much smoother (not that it was rough). The steering and suspension seem to be very responsive (that could just be me avoiding semis). I can't put my finger on it, but it just feels good.

Hope this helps.

 

[heySkippy]

I turned my low miles NSX into a high miles NSX with no regrets at all. If I had it to do over I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[gleibig]

Everywhere I go, I drive home backwards.

 

[davidf]

I have put so much money into mine since 07 purchase, this includes several exhausts, several various wheel combos, various body pieces that have since been removed/replaced, countless steering wheels, ect ect, that my car has been more of a test car than an investment and I wouldn't change a thing could I go back in time. I've loved every second of it. That's why I bought it. No investment purchase here, lol.

 

[posterchild2]

Weather is perfect today in Houston, so I popped the T off and drove her into work, I think I have been going about it all wrong with the whole "investment" thing! Once I start looking at something as an investment it is usually with the idea of selling it at a later time, which I would be foolish to do. I've finally got the car riding the way I want it with the stock rims and tires, Eibach progressive springs, Koni Sport shocks and struts, new CV boots, all new lug nuts and struts, and a fresh 4 wheel laser alignment. Simply put, it's like night and day compared to the crap that was on it when I bought it. Although I enjoy the look of nice big rims and tires, I don't think I will ever go back. A buddy of mine sold me his fat faves for basically nothing , so that's what is what is on the car now until I find a set of the later model stock rims. I guess the term investment doesn't always apply to money!

 

[Zmoney]

I go through new cars every few years since I like to experience new things (marriage is tough). The NSX is at my 2 year mark and definitely has appreciated in value. I average about 3-4K miles per year and think that has brought me a lot of smiles while still retaining its value. As others have said, it all comes down to what makes you happy. I get a thrill of owning different cars and actually not losing much or even making money if you buy right. I wish I could have multiple cars in my stable, as I would LOVE to keep my NSX forever, but that's just not feasible for me. I personally think when the 2016s hit the streets the older ones will creep up even more which is why I would only sell mine for top dollar. Cheers.

 

[Shrink]

Just drive the car and enjoy it. If you want an investment, find a safer more predictable way. Drive it anywhere and everywhere you want. That's what makes these cars so special. An exotic that you can use as your daily driver. It makes no sense to me that people spend so much time in cars they don't enjoy, so they don't put more mileage on their cars. Remember, you can't take it with you. My car has 265K on her and still purring. Almost weekly, I have people asking to buy the car. If you take good care of you car, none of use will have trouble selling them for more than we purchased.

 

[unc0808]

As most said, just drive and enjoy it.

Most of us knew going into our purchases what the market values were, and how they are increasing these days.
Sure I could possibly flip mine and make a few pennies, but that's not why I bought it. That's what real estate is for. Bigger dollars.

As you said, most cars are depreciating assets. It's great the NSX is not that.
I bought mine feeling I paid a good price, and knowing that if I had to sell it, I wouldnt take a big hit, or maybe if I am lucky come out even or ahead.

 

[Blackhorse06]

Really enjoyed this song on Sky Sports F1 coverage. I think about it every time I drive my car! Just Drive!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRlilIegHbo

 

[docjohn]

if your car has more than 20k miles..just drive it...

 

[boca rat]

if your car has more than 20k miles..just drive it...

I think the mileage number is not 20k, more like 50k. A 94 with 30k or so just sold on BaT for $65k.

If you have 55k on the clock right now, even just a few thousand per year will have in you in mid-seventies pretty quick. I barely drove my 99 and put on 5k in 18 months, most of that to car events. I use my 150k 91 a lot more and have put on 6k in 8 months - but don't even stop to think about the miles racking up, which is why I sold the 99 and bought this one (amongst other things, like cost, CTSC etc).

In my mind, the sellers question is more like "if I just rack up the miles, am I throwing away easy money?". In this case, I don;t think so, especially given the year, 95/96 being the least desirable. If there is such an NSX thing....)

2 cents

 

[posterchild2]

I think the mileage number is not 20k, more like 50k. A 94 with 30k or so just sold on BaT for $65k.

If you have 55k on the clock right now, even just a few thousand per year will have in you in mid-seventies pretty quick. I barely drove my 99 and put on 5k in 18 months, most of that to car events. I use my 150k 91 a lot more and have put on 6k in 8 months - but don't even stop to think about the miles racking up, which is why I sold the 99 and bought this one (amongst other things, like cost, CTSC etc).

In my mind, the sellers question is more like "if I just rack up the miles, am I throwing away easy money?". In this case, I don;t think so, especially given the year, 95/96 being the least desirable. If there is such an NSX thing....)

2 cents

Oh yeah, I'm well aware my 1996 is probably the least valuable of the years. So I was looking at the Carfax again and noticed the first report was at a Las Vegas Inspection Center in October 2001, mileage 16,853. Next entry was for the 30,000 maintenance in September 2005 with 31,055. The car now sits at 55,025, so that comes out to roughly 2,500 miles a year, who the hell drives their cars 2,500 miles a year! My wife's 2014 CRV has 29K miles in 18 months. I'm just wondering why if these cars were designed and engineered to drive the piss out of them, why are there still so many with these types of mileage. I'm assuming that most NSX owners have at least 3 or 4 other cars in the stable, so that should explain the low mileage ones.

 

[RYU]

So you're basically saying you'd trade away the joy and enjoyment of the your last 9k miles for money? Life's too short

 

[dKweddings]

Oh yeah, I'm well aware my 1996 is probably the least valuable of the years. So I was looking at the Carfax again and noticed the first report was at a Las Vegas Inspection Center in October 2001, mileage 16,853. Next entry was for the 30,000 maintenance in September 2005 with 31,055. The car now sits at 55,025, so that comes out to roughly 2,500 miles a year, who the hell drives their cars 2,500 miles a year! My wife's 2014 CRV has 29K miles in 18 months. I'm just wondering why if these cars were designed and engineered to drive the piss out of them, why are there still so many with these types of mileage. I'm assuming that most NSX owners have at least 3 or 4 other cars in the stable, so that should explain the low mileage ones.

Your assumption is correct. Some owners do not "daily drive" their NSX, they have other vehicle(s) that they use on a daily basis.