Is the NSX the car for me?

[xxForgedxx]

I am no stranger to performance cars however this is one that I have yet to drive. I am budgeting $20-25,000 max for a purchase and still considering other options for a car but none seem to fit just right. I figured I would take a look into these treasures.

I have heard time and time again that these are indeed the affordable exotic, they require only basic maintenance, they can take a beating and they hold up for quite some time with only mild premiums on parts and labor and a hunger for tires. Some times I see these cars with 130-140,000 going for what I am looking to spend and other times I see them with under 100,000 miles going for that. I have strayed from buying something like an E46 M3 because of potentially pricey repairs and maintenance as well as other cars.

I am wondering what I have to worry about if I were to buy an NSX with my budget, what things to consider and what can I expect to get for my dollar as well as will it be worth it in comparison to another car. Thanks in advance

 

[Big_D]

Welcome :smile: Were you planning on driving it daily or a weekend cruiser? You may want to spend some time going over the wiki and lots of FAQ are answered there.

 

[DrVolkl]

As long as you can afford tires and the routine maint. costs such as clutch, timing belt, etc, I'd say it's the car for you.

Extremely reliable, and the driving experience is like no other. But when it breaks or needs maint., it's going to cost quite a bit more than your other $25k options, say for instance, a 350Z.

So while the buy in may be affordable, it does cost more when it needs attention...which while rare, still happens.

Then there's the modding....

 

[bfrank1972]

Welcome,

Like Big__D said, have a look through the forums here, search around a bit and you will find a plethora of information on NSX ownership.

"No stranger to performance cars" - what does that mean exactly? What performance cars have you owned/driven/enjoyed in the past - that might help us understand what you're coming from.

What kind of car are you looking for? Something fun to drive on the weekends? Daily commuter? A car to pick up girls? A track beast?

Your budget is sufficient, though in that range you'll be looking at higher mileage cars that may not be absolutely pristine. You may have to deal with repairs or you may not. Pay now, or pay later, is often the case.

 

[xxForgedxx]

I will more than likely be driving this car as much as possible. It will be a daily until weather keeps it from going out. I will probably permanently be running 3 season tires that can take on rain and a cold ground. I will have a beater for when I absolutely can not take the car out, or when I just need some extra space.

I strayed from the M3 because it is a car that was intimidating to be in case things went wrong. Often times the things that broke came out of no where such as VANOS which at the dealer is a $6,000+ fix. Rear Sub-Frame failure was a huge deal as well as oil changes (Castrol only 10w60 $10 bucks a quart). I felt that I would never be able to relax, drive the car hard when I wanted and cruise when I wanted without having some paranoid feeling hanging over my head because it is german. I am ok with predictable maintenance, knowing when and around this or that should go and when something should be replaced. I can't stand NOT knowing or having the possability of something big going on the car because of factory weakness. I want to simply worry about basic things, drive the car how it is supposed to be driven, fix them without breaking the wallet and maintain without breaking the wallet.

I was told that these cars are very affordable for what they offer. Can someone shoot out an example of what I should expect to repair or maintain, the cost and how often? I could get a better idea with a cliff notes version of what an ownership experience in my price range should be like.

 

[xxForgedxx]

Welcome,

Like Big__D said, have a look through the forums here, search around a bit and you will find a plethora of information on NSX ownership.

"No stranger to performance cars" - what does that mean exactly? What performance cars have you owned/driven/enjoyed in the past - that might help us understand what you're coming from.

What kind of car are you looking for? Something fun to drive on the weekends? Daily commuter? A car to pick up girls? A track beast?

Your budget is sufficient, though in that range you'll be looking at higher mileage cars that may not be absolutely pristine. You may have to deal with repairs or you may not. Pay now, or pay later, is often the case.

I have driven the following:

Porsche:

2008 Carrera 4
2001 Carrera 4 Turbo
1999 Carrera 2
2001 Carrera 2 Cabrio
1998 Boxster

BMW:

E46 M3 Convertible x2 one being SMG
E46 M3 Coupe
E60 M5 6 spd

Mitsubishi/Subaru:

2003 EVO VIII
2005 EVO VIII
2005 EVO MR
2004-2005-2006-2007 STi

Ford/Chevrolet/Dodge/Pontiac:

2004 SVT Cobra convertible
2003 Mach 1
1999/2002 SS 6 speed
1999 C5 Convertible/2001 C5 Coupe
2004 C5 zO6

Toyota:

1994 Supra TT Auto
1997 Supra TT Auto

Honda:

s2000 x 50

......................................................................................................

That is a huge list of cars and I am not including some AMG cars and what not.

-I liked the s2000 for how it felt, I could focus on actually driving it instead of thinking "oh crap what's that noise, did something break" and I had the piece of mind that though parts were a tad bit more expensive, I knew what would be coming at me and around when. There were no expensive surprises if I had bought that car but it was too tiny and I don't want a convertible.

-The Porsches are great but the price is just too much as well as the high risk in regards to maintenance and repairs

-EVO/STi, great cars all around however they did not have a late night cruise appeal to them or a real wow thats beautiful look to them. They carried a bit too much boy racer with the package

-Corvettes... inexpensive to maintain, reliable as hell and fast. This car is damn near perfect aside from the cheap feel which was a void I would hope to fill with an NSX.

-BMW = too much risk in high maintenance and expensive repairs

-Cobras+GTO+Camaro... though I am not going to say they can't be made to handle very well, they just carry too much weight and too little fit and finish for my taste. Besides everyone has one.

-Toyota Supra= GREAT car, high mileage doesnt scare me however there are so many crap boxes out there and they do get pricey when treated well. Forced induction cars are a decent amount more painful to maintain and repair at older ages because of seals, hoses, vac lines etc.

 

[SWIFTVISION]

20-25k for a NSX? You must want one with over 100k miles and is beat to shit.

 

[heySkippy]

I was told that these cars are very affordable for what they offer. Can someone shoot out an example of what I should expect to repair or maintain, the cost and how often? I could get a better idea with a cliff notes version of what an ownership experience in my price range should be like.

There are quite a few of us here who have daily driver NSXs. My experience (3 1/2 years owner, 55K miles) is the car is every bit as reliable as the Prelude and the MR2 I had before were, but when something does break it costs a lot more, especially if you don't want to spend lots of time trying to fix it for less. Mine was the very definition of reliable for 3 years, but in the last few months I've been whacked with multiple little repairs each of which sucked a few hundred bucks from my wallet.

I am not discouraged in the least. On the whole it's been terrific and in fact I'm leaving in it tomorrow morning for a 3200 mile road trip. On the way home, I'm going to detour to The Dragon and thrash it in the mountains for a day and then drive the rest of the way home.

 

[xxForgedxx]

There are quite a few of us here who have daily driver NSXs. My experience (3 1/2 years owner, 55K miles) is the car is every bit as reliable as the Prelude and the MR2 I had before were, but when something does break it costs a lot more, especially if you don't want to spend lots of time trying to fix it for less. Mine was the very definition of reliable for 3 years, but in the last few months I've been whacked with multiple little repairs each of which sucked a few hundred bucks from my wallet.

I am not discouraged in the least. On the whole it's been terrific and in fact I'm leaving in it tomorrow morning for a 3200 mile road trip. On the way home, I'm going to detour to The Dragon and thrash it in the mountains for a day and then drive the rest of the way home.

Well that sounds like a good thing. As reliable as the prelude or MR2. Do you drive like granny?

 

[tosugrad]

GO BUCKS! I will be at the PSU game this year to watch the beat down.....

 

[syam]

with proper maintenance, an nsx will last for a long time, very much like the older hondas/acuras. it has been stated that if you take in the maintenance costs/ownership costs of say, an integra or prelude, that the similar costs to the nsx would be about 3x, which is still a bargain when you consider the type of car you are buying, and the performance it offers.

for the price range you listed, 20K-25K, you will not find many very good examples. there are two that i have been eying in the nsxprime for sale forums, one with higher mileage, and one with a salvage title, but when it comes down to it, for alittle bit more, you can have a very well maintained, up-to-date records nsx for around the high 20K's to low 30K's, which in my opinion would be a much better deal. there have been a few testaments on purchasing cars in the low to mid 20K range, and to bring these cars to a close to pristine level, costs in the end totaled to around 30K, so the decision is yours.

again, you must remember with your budget, you will be looking to an NA1 coupe, from the years of 91-92 most likely. these cars, although very good machines, are still 16-17 years old and will need parts replaced that aren't included in the typical oil changes. also, the snap-ring problem comes into question...

 

[heySkippy]

Well that sounds like a good thing. As reliable as the prelude or MR2. Do you drive like granny?

Meet me here a week from Monday and decide for yourself.

 

[tom4416]

I'm surprised that with that list of cars you own/owned, that you would be looking for a bottom of the barrel NSX. If you appreciate cars that much, spend some money to find a nice example with no deferred maintenance and lower miles. That will put you into the 35-40K range but then you roll with a car that needs nothing and isn't going to be a frustration from day one.

I haven't owned my long enough to comment on reliability but can say at 11 years old, it's still tighter than my C6 ever was. It's not a fast car, it's a very quick car. And, unlike much of what you've owned, isn't found at every intersection. Exclusivity has some appeal, at least to me.

Based on your list of cars, it will be one of the cheaper and more reliable ones you've owned

 

[xxForgedxx]

I'm surprised that with that list of cars you own/owned, that you would be looking for a bottom of the barrel NSX. If you appreciate cars that much, spend some money to find a nice example with no deferred maintenance and lower miles. That will put you into the 35-40K range but then you roll with a car that needs nothing and isn't going to be a frustration from day one.

I haven't owned my long enough to comment on reliability but can say at 11 years old, it's still tighter than my C6 ever was. It's not a fast car, it's a very quick car. And, unlike much of what you've owned, isn't found at every intersection. Exclusivity has some appeal, at least to me.

Based on your list of cars, it will be one of the cheaper and more reliable ones you've owned

That list was of the cars I have driven not owned actually but hey I'm flattered :wink:

 

[xxForgedxx]

GO BUCKS! I will be at the PSU game this year to watch the beat down.....

P.S.

Die

 

[Hasdrubal]

Speaking as someone who bought an NSX for under $25k, it's possible to get one in decent shape for that price.

Yes, you will have to catch up on some of the maintenance. If you're comfortable working on the car, then it's not so bad. Yes, you will have high miles. That doesn't make it terrible, at least mine isn't. A few more noises, sure, but the alternative is to buy something that quite frankly isn't as nice.

So, the question is as it was, what do _you_ want? If you're not prepared for the reality of owning an older, possibly abused but still fundamentally wonderful car, then steer clear. If you are, don't let those forum members who demand the best (not to insult them) discourage you. Fact is, I'm not in a position to demand the same.

I think that after spending several days total lying under and buried inside my car, I've gotten it to a state where I can count on enjoying it for many years to come. I know I'm going to need to do more work in the future, and I know it's going to cost me more than fixing a Civic.

I'm glad to do it. And just think, if I wasn't, my car might have gotten sold to some punk and had a 'powered by honda' sticker plastered on the windshield.

Nick

 

[omega2]

Considering the age of the car, the NSX holds up very well. Maintenance is expensive, but that is true for any rare car. As long as it doesn't require transmission work, most repairs are pretty reasonable.

 

[ANYTIME]

Here is an example of an NSX that sold for 24k

 

[xxForgedxx]

Here is an example of an NSX that sold for 24k

That said $35,000

 

[ANYTIME]

Nope. It sold for 24. I know the owner.

 

[nofd1977]

Now that sounds about right ! $35,000 is freakin ridiculous!

 

[tom4416]

Here is an example of an NSX that sold for 24k

That was an excellent buy at $24K!