It's in snap ring range!

[nsxtasy]

I am in the process of buying my first NSX. I can only afford to be shopping for earlier 91-92 models. I was lucky to find a black on black original owner car with 40k on it. The car is everything I could want it to be except for the fact I discoverd it's in the dreaded snap ring range. I have read the section on NSXP about this.

Does anyone know what your chances are of getting it good willed repaired if it decides to go? My friend and auto appraiser are friends with the owner of the only Acura dealer in town so he would pull for me. I know there is a chance the tranny is OK even though it's in range but it's still scary.

I would normally just look for another car. This one however, is like brand new in and out. Every service with reciepts and a new cluch as well. It's so hard to turn down, Any advice is appreciated.

If you are stretching your finances to buy an NSX, then you should probably not be buying one (quite aside from the snap ring issue). If you are going to own one, you should be able to deal with a repair costing several thousand dollars at any time. It may be a clutch replacement, an A/C repair, or whatever.

There is NOTHING tainted about a snap ring car.

Get it fixed and you will never have to worry about it. Leave it as is and you may not have to worry about it, but if it breaks then you are out a huge amount of money.

Not necessarily. If you leave it as is, and it fails, but you recognize the symptoms and you don't keep driving on it, then all you need to do is replace the snap ring and the transmission case - IOW, the same repair as the preventive fix, costing $2000-2500.

Also, if you leave it as is, and at some point you need to have the clutch replaced, you can replace the snap ring and tranny case at that time and you won't be paying much extra for the labor, just the ~$800-1000 for the parts.

That's what I would do. I would buy the car (after negotiating a price $1500 lower than an otherwise-similar car not in the snap ring range), be aware of the symptoms (loose shift knob, etc), and drive it until it fails or until it needs tranny work, and deal with it then.

 

[DRIFTER]

knocking 2G's off a car just cause it might have a problem is rediculous in my eyes. You dont have to buy it, thats the bottom line but if a car is 40K miles in great shape and does not have any problems and is in reasonable price, low balling the seller because something could brake is not very cool.

Tell him the car will also need a timing belt and brake pads too in about 20K miles. Low ball him for another $2000 right there.

This is the reason that I got such a good deal on my car. I paid way below what the seller as asking just by talking him down saved myself about $2500. Call me cheep but 2500 in my pocket is alot better then some one else’s pocket.

At the time I did not now about the SR issue. There is no reason a seller can not knock 2k of a car that can possibly throw a Transmission providing that the car is competitively priced with a non-SR car. It has been well documented that cars within the SR range can possibly go. And yes a car that has not had the timing belt and waterpump replaced is not worth as much as a car that has had this done. Same thing goes with tires and brakes. I’m not saying that do to the fact the car need repairs that you should go to Acura and find out what it cost to replace everything and try to get that off the cost of the car. But if you don’t take that into consideration when purchasing a used car you are foolish. (I buy cars for a living)

 

[jlindy]

Those whose said he should replace it when he gets a new clutch, he mentioned that it already had a new clutch so he would be waiting a long time. It is not worth the risk in my opinion. It is true that it can break and you can catch it before damage is done, but again not worth the risk for such an expensive motor because drive it one minute too long and you are SOL.

I can't believe that the snap ring repair has gone up so much since I have owned one. I bought my snap ring repair kit with upper tranny case and everything from Dali for $600-$650 four years ago(it is now $700). My mechanic charged me $800-$900 for the labor. I later heard that even some Acura dealers were competing with this price. Has it really gone up that much?

 

[steveny]

If you are stretching your finances to buy an NSX, then you should probably not be buying one (quite aside from the snap ring issue). If you are going to own one, you should be able to deal with a repair costing several thousand dollars at any time. It may be a clutch replacement, an A/C repair, or whatever.

Not necessarily. If you leave it as is, and it fails, but you recognize the symptoms and you don't keep driving on it, then all you need to do is replace the snap ring and the transmission case - IOW, the same repair as the preventive fix, costing $2000-2500.

Also, if you leave it as is, and at some point you need to have the clutch replaced, you can replace the snap ring and tranny case at that time and you won't be paying much extra for the labor, just the ~$800-1000 for the parts.

That's what I would do. I would buy the car (after negotiating a price $1500 lower than an otherwise-similar car not in the snap ring range), be aware of the symptoms (loose shift knob, etc), and drive it until it fails or until it needs tranny work, and deal with it then.

This is good advice. Seems like most of the world walks around with "what if" doomsday thoughts. Buy the car drive it and have fun...it may never break, you may sell it before it does, someone could steal it before it breaks, you could hit the lotto, anything can happen why fixate on the worst possible outcome?

 

[Mirroredshades]

Id say your chance of having one goodwilled at this point is non-existant. Dont ask me how I know:frown:

I got the housing goodwilled in mid 2006. Knocked half off the part when I was getting the clutch replaced. Saved about $800.

 

[RON98]

This is the reason that I got such a good deal on my car. I paid way below what the seller as asking just by talking him down saved myself about $2500. Call me cheep but 2500 in my pocket is alot better then some one else’s pocket.

At the time I did not now about the SR issue. There is no reason a seller can not knock 2k of a car that can possibly throw a Transmission providing that the car is competitively priced with a non-SR car. It has been well documented that cars within the SR range can possibly go. And yes a car that has not had the timing belt and waterpump replaced is not worth as much as a car that has had this done. Same thing goes with tires and brakes. I’m not saying that do to the fact the car need repairs that you should go to Acura and find out what it cost to replace everything and try to get that off the cost of the car. But if you don’t take that into consideration when purchasing a used car you are foolish. (I buy cars for a living)

nice to know you buy cars for a living. just another sleezy car sales man.

when you sell those NSX you buy to flip so you can make a profit off prime members, do you have the character to fix the problem? or do you just pocket the extra $2000 and pass on the problem?

remind me not to buy an nsx from you.

 

[onewheelriderzx9]

Just like everyone says just get the seller to negotiate...

 

[JeffShoots]

Re: With 40k on the odo...

Yes, would not stay in gear. He did give me the trans W/ the car you want it?

Did it "break" at 96k or did he just finally correct thew issue...as a precaution.
My point is that (as I understand it) there is a potential "window" of concern but not 100% of the transmissions in the window will fail...

 

[EIFFEL]

i love tackling problems. I perfer to face it head on than ran around it.

what trouble anyways? Im getting someone else do the machining job.... also its the customer's money. With that said tho, i rather save the customer some money and have a little extra trouble than waste $ on a new transfer case. you can weld a bead and machine it to specs. That way the guy who does the machining in my complex gets $ money to pay the bills, the customer saves money and leaves happy instead of honda ripping us off for an arm and a leg for a defective product which they should have recalled in the first place.:smile:

knocking 2G's off a car just cause it might have a problem is rediculous in my eyes. You dont have to buy it, thats the bottom line but if a car is 40K miles in great shape and does not have any problems and is in reasonable price, low balling the seller because something could brake is not very cool.

Tell him the car will also need a timing belt and brake pads too in about 20K miles. Low ball him for another $2000 right there.

I think this is bad advice, If Honda believe this is the proper way to repair it, they would recommend it, But how would you machine shop warranty such a work. If the tolerence is slightly off, the snap ring may break down the road, the weld may come loose and ruin the gears/syncho, Would you pay for it? I can warranty a Snap ring repair with just a New snap ring installed for 12 month/12,000 miles. and save customer a lot of money and just take my chances. It does not constitute proper repair nor would I do it for a customer. Repair should be done for the best interest of the customer. Not his wallet. Long after the saving is realized, any deficiency in repair will be long remembered. Your reputation should be worth more than a couple hundred dollars. IMHO. Eiffel

 

[nsxtasy]

I can't believe that the snap ring repair has gone up so much since I have owned one. I bought my snap ring repair kit with upper tranny case and everything from Dali for $600-$650 four years ago(it is now $700). My mechanic charged me $800-$900 for the labor. I later heard that even some Acura dealers were competing with this price. Has it really gone up that much?

The cost of the snap ring repair has not gone up all that much (aside from labor rates, which have gone up quite a bit in the past 2-3 years). Figure $700-1000 for the parts and 8-12 hours at their hourly rate for the labor. It sounds like your repair was just at the low end of both ranges.

 

[DRIFTER]

nice to know you buy cars for a living. just another sleezy car sales man.

when you sell those NSX you buy to flip so you can make a profit off prime members, do you have the character to fix the problem? or do you just pocket the extra $2000 and pass on the problem?

remind me not to buy an nsx from you.

Wrong you are just adding to your ignorant statements by bashing me. I have had my nsx for 2years now and just recently I have replaced the entire transmission and put in JDM short gears NSX-R final drive and the SOS clutch. I replaced the waterpump and timing belt replaced all the cooling hoses and CV boots all new filters fluids including breaks. Also note I have an I\H\E So before you go judging someone make sure you know who you are talking about.

I am half owner of a car company that has been in business for 38 years, my father started it. About 7 years ago I started buying and selling cars as a hobby. This is a hobby that I take very serious. So excuse me for taking offence to your “sleezy car sales man” Bull$hit! You don’t have to worry about buying a NSX form me because it is not for sale. I will not sell it, I have too much money invested in the car. The NSX is my personal car and I enjoy it that way. Also note I have never sold a car to another prime member so think before let that case of Verbal-Diarrhea get to far out of hand.