Interested in purchasing an NSX as a DD... smart move?

[TakmaN]

Hi Everyone,

I have always loved the NSX since its debut and had never even thought about purchasing or owning one since it was out of my price range... until recently. Curiousity has been getting the best of me, and after researching prices, I noticed they have dropped significantly in the current year. However, I would be looking at a 1991-1993 year range with my budget and will be using the car as my daily driver. This brings about a couple of concerns:

1) The car will probably have 100k+ miles and I drive about 40-50 miles round trip to work every day; will the car still be reliable in the coming 2+ years assuming it was well maintained previously and I keep it up?

2) I've heard the NSX touted as the low cost maintenance supercar, but what other cars can the maintenance costs be compared with? I previously drove an E46 M3 and was not a fan of the maintenance cost of that car, albeit, I paid more than what I had budgeted for it so I stretched myself a bit thin (which will not be the case with the NSX).

3) I currently do not own a home/condo but have been saving for one (living at home). I read another thread down the page about the 30 year-old who had saved up a lot of money and found mixed responses whether to buy a home or the car first. In my case, I am 23 years old (a bit young I know) but the NSX has always been one of my dream cars. With the price range I'm looking at, I should be able to purchase it for what I can get from selling my current car + some cash (so no debt). Is this a smart idea or should I just keep my current car and just keep saving for a condo/house? I live in Los Angeles so I have a few years of saving ahead before I can purchase anything decent. I like the carpe diem/you're only young once mentality but I need to think about my future as well.

Sorry for the paper I wrote but those are my main concerns. Basically it boils down to the NSX being one of my dream cars that I can purchase but I am hesitant due to maintenance costs of using it as a daily driver. I also found it is hard to find one with a clean title and have found several theft recover/rebuilt titled ones. Does anyone have experience with those? I would normally not ever touch any theft recovery vehicle or rebuilt title, but I may have to make exceptions as NSX's are as rare as they come and honestly do not have time to travel out of state to look at any. Considering that I work mostly 60+ hours a week, I would care for the NSX as best I could but I would prefer not to spend my weekends at a mechanic. I'd rather spend the hours cleaning and waxing her .

Thanks for reading this and any advice from current NSX owners or anyone in a similar position would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Khiladi1020]

I use my NSX as a DD here in LA, and its working ok for me. There are plenty of threads on the forum about having an NSX as your DD and what to expect, so you should search and read those for more opinions. The wiki should answer most of your questions.
Things to remember
-91-93 don't have power steering, if that concerns you. Test drive a couple and see if the effort required in parking lots and slow turns are ok with you.
-Overall maintenance should be better than the E46 M3, but with an old or high mileage NSX, there are issues you need to address and they can be expensive $$$. Timing Belt, snap ring tranny fix if necessary on some 91-92s, window regulators, etc. Look it up in the wiki here for more.
-You'll be wearing out your rear tires fast which can add up $$$
-Yes it should be reliable if the car doesn't have existing issues and all maintenance is up to date.
-Space is tight in the car, and you might miss having a space behind you to throw a jacket, cds, or whatever else you normally carry. You dont' have door pockets and the glove box/console areas are small. You're trunk will get hot since its adjacent to the engine, so you have to be mindful of what you put in there. You are giving up a decent amount of practicality when driving this car every day.

Otherwise, its a lot of fun to drive and gets a lot of attention! :biggrin: (2 sided coin!)

 

[Big_D]

Welcome:smile:

The NSX does very well as a DD, lots of them are out there. Yes they are reliable and if you maintain them properly you should enjoy over 200K+ trouble free miles. The main thing you need to make sure of is that the maintenence is up to date and fully documented. That takes out the guess work. The big ticket items are TB/WP and clutch so if you find a car with those recently taken care of, then the rest is relatively inexpensive. Rear tires last between 5K and 8K miles depending on the compound and if the car is lowered. Depending on what size they are those can add up in a hurry.

One thing that concerns me is where it would be parked most of the time. Do your parents let you use the garage? When you are at work, is the parking lot secure? The cars get alot of attention and sometimes that leads to vandelism. Also with an aluminum body, they dent easily and getting them repaired is expensive.

Another thing to consider is that every EVO and STI you come across will want to race you and depending on your self control you may end up with some tickets. Insurance costs aren't cheap to begin with so you should probably look into that right away.

Finally, you already know that cars are a terrible investment and when you get into these the mod bug bites pretty hard so its always tempting to keep dumping money into them instead of saving for that house. I tend to think its better to wait to get one till you have a garage of your own to put it in which would motivate you to save money faster to reach your ultimate goal.

Best of Luck

 

[swerve2007]

go for it- i dd mine with no issues. just make sure you have the storage figured out.

edit: the maintenance costs will be on par or lower than your bmw.

 

[Sarge]

Well I am planning on taking a trip out to Hemet on friday march 6th , if you want to look at mine it is for sale. I will be staying till saturday evening. If your interested just call 951-766-5214 tomorrow evening or Sat morning.

 

[b4rstiwsnc]

I am in the same situation as you are in, I also have an e46 m3, but I only have 44k miles and a 100k warranty which is nice. I too would ideally like to trade it for a NSX straight up 94+

 

[TakmaN]

Thanks for the responses so far guys! Garage space won't be a problem and depending on the client I'm at, I will have guarded parking or a structure. I have a 3 car garage at my home as well and my current car is garaged 24/7. I currently have a Honda S2000 so I'm used to the lack of space and practicality issues. My girlfriend has an accord we use whenever we need the space so that is covered as well. The mod bug has bitten and so far I have it under control for my current car. I love the NSX stock, except for the ugly wheels on the 1991-1993 model years.

I also don't race (street race especially) and don't really have that "urge" for power which is why I couldn't justify keeping the E46 M3 which is like a regular 3-series coupe with flared fenders and on steriods under the hood. The NSX is just one of those cars I have to own sometime in my life and would like to pass it on to my kids someday as well. Considering the prices have fallen dramatically, they are relatively easy to maintain, and still look great after 17 years, I can hardly contain myself from purchasing one. And to think I purchased my s2000 for the price of a well-kept NSX right now... the pain!

I'll do more forum browsing/searching for more specifics on my questions. Thanks everyone, this forum is great!

 

[zhan]

OP..
i actually am in the same market as you (23 years old, living @ home seeking to buy an NSX)
i just checked insurance for the car (1991 model) - $73 a month full coverage
SOOO CHEAP! 50% less than the M roadster I just sold
but i still do not recommend dailying the NSX (i have a civic si for daily)

 

[heySkippy]

I've been using mine as a DD for 4 years now it's a great car for the job.

But don't fool yourself, it will cost more than a Civic would to do the same duty. Tires wear out fast and common failure items like window regulators and antennas and whatnot cost more on the NSX. Lots more sometimes.

Still and all, I highly recommend it as a DD.

 

[MashimaroNSX]

I daily drive my NSX and I can say that so far reliability hasn't been an issue, insurance varies from state to state, but I can say that the insurance for the NSX was 50% cheaper then the insurance for my Integra which to me also made the NSX an even more practical daily driver vs other exotic cars out there. Here in Hawaii the rates for the NSX for me is roughly 70 dollars a month for 1000 deductable collision coverage. I used to have a E36 M3 and the maintanance on that car was higher then the NSX. Hope this helps.

 

[needspeed]

I drove mine every day except in ice and snow the NSX is a great DD I highly recommend it......Steve

 

[BioBanker]

Except for winter, mine is my daily driver.

Why would you want it any other way?

 

[M-P]

Thanks for making this thread...I was literally about to ask the exact same question.

 

[nsxnoob]

make sure you are able to sell your s2000 first... i noticed on s2ki.com its been up for sale for a while and no takes yet...... In today's economy its tough to sell a car...... And i think the price you have it listed at might not sell....... I'd say get rid of your s2000 first then come talk about buying a nsx.

 

[docjohn]

let me highlight a different perspective. I know you stated that the car will be garaged at mom and dads ect......but still,it's an exotic car that most people think costs a 100,000.So mix a 23 yo with that and the crowd of peers you will be hanging with and the risks of vandalism /mischief increases.From a mechanical standpoint the maintenance costs are in line with the bmw's and a little higher than the s2000.Where you might be stung and for which people your age don't want to consider when salivating over nsx's is the very high cost of body work.We have seen totaled nsx's that don't look "that bad".Whether you want to agree or not ,drivers of cars like the nsx at your age have a higher risk of bending something on the car.Good luck with your decision.

 

[TakmaN]

let me highlight a different perspective. I know you stated that the car will be garaged at mom and dads ect......but still,it's an exotic car that most people think costs a 100,000.So mix a 23 yo with that and the crowd of peers you will be hanging with and the risks of vandalism /mischief increases.From a mechanical standpoint the maintenance costs are in line with the bmw's and a little higher than the s2000.Where you might be stung and for which people your age don't want to consider when salivating over nsx's is the very high cost of body work.We have seen totaled nsx's that don't look "that bad".Whether you want to agree or not ,drivers of cars like the nsx at your age have a higher risk of bending something on the car.Good luck with your decision.

Good point and I have definitely taken that into consideration. Considering I pretty much just work, eat while working, then sleep, I really don't have much of a life at the moment. Ironically, one thing that has held me back from purchasing the car is that I hate "showing off" anything I own, and considering the NSX is supercar looking status makes me uneasy that way. But I have always dreamt of owning one. When I had my E46 M3, I would always park out of the way so no one would know what car I drove and of course, to prevent door dings. I really want to pull the trigger on an NSX but the body/repair part is what scares me more than the car having higher mileage and maintenance costs. I also consider myself a responsible driver and definitely have no interest in racing or driving aggressively on any public road, no matter when or where. You do put up a good point that no one had previously brought up. Thanks a lot for you input! It looks like I have more deciding to do .

 

[TakmaN]

make sure you are able to sell your s2000 first... i noticed on s2ki.com its been up for sale for a while and no takes yet...... In today's economy its tough to sell a car...... And i think the price you have it listed at might not sell....... I'd say get rid of your s2000 first then come talk about buying a nsx.

Yup I agree, I will definitely not buy another car without selling my current one first. I had actually decided not to sell it and even had a buyer lined up a few weeks ago for more than what I am currently asking for it, so there are buyers out there. I even have some serious interests right now, but I'm holding off for a few days to see if I really want to jump into an NSX. I figure it's better to ask for opinions and do research on the NSX and prices before I actually let my s2000 go as I sold my daily driver also and will be car-less.

Also, does anyone know how the NSX trunk fares compared to the s2000? I can squeeze in two sets of golf clubs in my s2000, should it be relatively the same on the NSX? Also, since the s2000 is a convertible, it's pretty noisy inside the cabin. Is the NSX a bit quieter or louder since the engine sits right behind the cabin?

 

[lazynok]

Your situation sounds exactly like mine!

I'm 23 years old from Los Angeles and I still live "at home" also... and daily drive my 92 NSX. I think the car is the perfect daily driver... I originally got a 97 Accord for my daily driver... but the NSX is too fun and was too expensive to justify only driving it on the weekends... it takes me to the store, to work, to the gym, on road trips, everywhere!

Good thing you have that "garaged" parking at your job... every day my job location changes (movies/tv industry) and sometimes I am forced to park my NSX in places that none of these Primers would be caught dead leaving their cars (ghetto Rite Aid parking lot in south central for a month, end of a mile long dirt road in the mountains, crappy parking lot in downtown LA where I cracked my lip on the crappy asphalt, overcrowded parking lot where all cars were packed within inches of each other so we couldn't even get out).


Daily drive it, love it, put on tons of miles and tons of happy faces. =]


If you do pull the trigger.... and if you lower it... watch out!!! I still refuse to lower my car because I will DESTROY it if I do.. so if you daily drive... consider the height requirements. It may look 4x4ish... but you just have to deal with it.

 

[Doraemon]

If you do pull the trigger.... and if you lower it... watch out!!! I still refuse to lower my car because I will DESTROY it if I do.. so if you daily drive... consider the height requirements. It may look 4x4ish... but you just have to deal with it.

+1. on the 4X4ish... I recently got the 17/18 setup with 215 front and 275 rear. The stance look much "meaner" but the 4X4ish look does look even more pronouced. I saw the eBay listing of Bilstein for $519 shipped and really wanted to pull the trigger...until I reminded myself that everyday I leave my garage, I had to turn my wheel full-lock, back out to the street in opposite direction (I live on a inclined street) at almost 0 mph and still sometimes scrape the bottom of my front lip.....

Back to the DD, I agree with everyone that this is probably going to be your "cheapest" DD exotic/sports car. Nothing even come close in reliability and drivability (did I just invent a word). I used to DD an accord coupe and it has no issue except normal oil change for 60K in 3 years. I would feel that you will get the same with the NSX, except the cost of the rear tires :biggrin::biggrin:

 

[TakmaN]

Awesome responses guys, thanks! TV/movei industry sounds fun . I need to find a new career path, I keep getting more and more bland each passing day...

My S2000 is currently on coilovers and lowered about 2 inches and I have a front lip, so I know how much of a pain in the butt a lowered car is . I would probably only want a mild/modest drop on an NSX as I couldn't bear scraping any part of it on anything. I scrape the bottom of my front lip on a daily basis but the car feels so much more planted that I just can't go back (I bought my car with OEM shocks and lowering springs so handling wasn't the best).

Time for the search to begin! It's going to be hard timing the sale of my s2000 near finding and finalizing the purchase of an NSX. If it's meant to be then it's meant to be, if not then I'm still perfectly content with my s2000. I'm still debating if I want to go with a cheaper alternative in the tough times (which was the original reason why I decided to sell my s2000), but if an NSX "finds" me then I probably won't be able to resist.

What is the range on maintenance costs on an NSX roughly every 20,000 miles or so? I'm just trying to figure out what I can expect to spend maintaining it for roughly how many miles I drive a year. I spent about $900 (including tires) on my S2000 in the past 15,000 miles or so which isn't too shabby.

 

[Doraemon]

What is the range on maintenance costs on an NSX roughly every 20,000 miles or so? I'm just trying to figure out what I can expect to spend maintaining it for roughly how many miles I drive a year. I spent about $900 (including tires) on my S2000 in the past 15,000 miles or so which isn't too shabby.

Depending on how "hard" you drive your car. If you don't expect to dring your car hard, and use the less performance/more tread life tires, you should be able to get by with 1 set of tires for the 20K miles. Figure in 4 time oil change with synthetic oil (I have it cheap because my buddy does it for $60 each, I would think about $100 each), the cost over 20K miles should be as follows:

A) 1 Set of stock 16/17 tires for about $400 (Kumo SPT/Yokohama S.drive/Falken FK-452)
B) 4 Oil Change for about $400 (Synthetic Oil)
C) Normal Wear and Tear $400
D) Tempted to mod your NSX $$$$$$$$$:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

So, if you can keep your modding urge in check, you will probably see somewhere around $1000 to $1500 for the duration. If you had falling into the vicious cycle of modding... then... you won't know what just hit you...

 

[TakmaN]

Depending on how "hard" you drive your car. If you don't expect to dring your car hard, and use the less performance/more tread life tires, you should be able to get by with 1 set of tires for the 20K miles. Figure in 4 time oil change with synthetic oil (I have it cheap because my buddy does it for $60 each, I would think about $100 each), the cost over 20K miles should be as follows:

A) 1 Set of stock 16/17 tires for about $400 (Kumo SPT/Yokohama S.drive/Falken FK-452)
B) 4 Oil Change for about $400 (Synthetic Oil)
C) Normal Wear and Tear $400
D) Tempted to mod your NSX $$$$$$$$$:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

So, if you can keep your modding urge in check, you will probably see somewhere around $1000 to $1500 for the duration. If you had falling into the vicious cycle of modding... then... you won't know what just hit you...

Haha thanks for the response. I think I have my modification urges in check. I always say that my next car will stay stock but it never does though argh!!! I doubt I can afford to modify the NSX to the degree I want so keeping it stock will be plenty fine. It looks like maintenance costs are not that much more than the s2000. And I never drive any of my cars hard, I'm a wuss in that department. I'll rev to 6k maybe once a week, if that. And by once, I mean one time, not several times for one day. That makes the NSX even more perfect, sure it's not as fast straight line as more modern, cheaper alternatives. But it has history, heritage, poise, and will be a classic Japanese supercar for years and years to come. Ok, now I REALLY want one haha.

 

[lazynok]

I think I have my modification urges in check. I always say that my next car will stay stock but it never does though argh!!!

haha I thought I had my modification urges in check too... I was going to leave my GPW 92 looking stock forever... I loved the design... AHHHHH and tons of money later... i still want to spend more. Freaking NSX...

 

[bruce91nsx]

You are receiving great responses here; I am only posting to make a positive observation about how thoughtful and articulate you are in thinking about this purchase.

 

[VampNSXX]

My first NSX I had was a DD and I had no problems at all. The only time It left me on the street was when the clutch went out but it happened right on my drive way so i just pushed it in the garage and got a new clutch. I drove that car about 50k in like one year.


Just make sure you have a place to park it at work that is safe or the haters will go out of there way to key it or somthing like that. There are alot of fucken idiots that will do that because they just feel like that will make them better than who ever owns the car.