Looking to stay under $50K, expect what?

[Gramps]

Newbie, first post!

Took my wife's car to Acura of Brookfield for service last week. Killing time I was looking at NSXs they had parked along the dealership. All were privately owned and two were track cars. Long story short, I've thought of nothing since. I have had a lot of cars of varying descriptions, most recently, 2000 Porsche 996 coupe, a couple C5s, the most recent an '03 Z06.

I have never even sat in one, but plan to do so tomorrow. I would like to stay under $50K. What can I expect? Anything to be aware of other than the usual pitfalls of buying used? Any years or configurations to avoid?

All and any suggestions would be appreciated. Located upper midwest, local dealer is Acura of Brookfield, which appears to be well represented on this forum.

 

[SoCalDude]

Lot's of info here FAQs as well as using the search function.

 

[nsxtasy]

There are no years to avoid; after all, it's a Honda!

With a few minor exceptions, and leaving out the automatic transmission cars, there are basically four different NSX models:

'91-94: 3.0-liter engine, 5-speed, 270 hp coupe
'95-96: 3.0-liter engine, 5-speed, 270 hp NSX-T (removable roof panel)
'97-01: 3.2-liter engine, 6-speed, 290 hp NSX-T
'02-05: same drivetrain as '97-01 but minor styling changes

You can find a nice '91-94 for $30-35K, a nice '95-96 for $35-40K, and a nice '97-01 for $45-50K. Some people will tell you to get the '97+ because it has the higher horsepower, but it's really up to you whether that's worth the extra money over the earlier years.

 

[johnny010]

I would personally stay away from the 1991/1992 b/c of the snap ring issues (again me personally).....

Also, I was parked next to a 2001 (mine is a 1993), and you couldn't tell the cars apart. I would look for a 2002 model if possible.

Look for a manual tranny, and one that has had the timing belt and water pump replaced is a big plus.

Good luck.

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edit: if you can find one with modifications done properly, you can also save a small fortune.

 

[DV8]

One other note is that the pre '95 models did not come with power steering.

You should be able to get a really nice NSX for $50K, just make sure all the maintenance is up to date and have original records if possible. And a PPI is a must.

BTW I'll be at Brookefield Acura to get my oil changed and serviced within the week :smile:

 

[johnny010]

...and I belive the power steering is only on while you newer guys are driving less than 20 mph. I personally really really really (did I say really?) like not having the power steering. It takes some getting use to, and it sounds major, but it's not. Ask other members here, and I'm sure you will hear the same.

If had 50K, I'd probably try to turn it into this: http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69747

 

[ETLMD]

I really like not having power steering as well. There's no reason to avoid '91 and '92 NSXs. You just have to make sure that the transmission number doesn't fall within the snap ring range.

 

[nsxtasy]

There's no reason to avoid '91 and '92 NSXs. You just have to make sure that the transmission number doesn't fall within the snap ring range.

80 percent of the '91 cars are not within the snap ring range. And I really don't think there's any reason to avoid cars within the snap ring range. Many of them have been repaired. And if you're that worried about the snap ring failing, you can have the ring and the upper transmission case replaced for around $2500 (around $800 parts and $1700 labor), and never worry about it again - so at worst, it's only worth a difference in price of $2500 between a car within the range and one that is not.

Personally, I really think the obsession over the snap ring is WAY overblown. If I were considering buying a car in the snap ring range, here's what I would do. I would negotiate a buying price that is ~$1500 less than that of a similar car that is not in the snap ring range or that has had the snap ring and transmission case fixed. I would become familiar with the symptoms of snap ring failure (loose shift knob, etc) so that I would stop driving the car if and when it happened and have it repaired immediately. And beyond that, I would just drive it and enjoy it! If and when the car needed transmission service for some other reason (clutch replacement, gear mods, crunching on the 2==>3 upshift, etc), I would have the snap ring and upper transmission case replaced at the same time, so I wouldn't have to pay the labor cost until the transmission needed to be serviced anyway. And until that happens, I would just drive it and not worry about it. Very simple.

 

[johnny010]

Or you could just spend a few thousand more, get a car that doesn't fall anywhere near these problematic years, never have to worry about the problem, and have a newer car to boot.

Just my way of looking at it.

 

[Jay444]

Talk to John Vasos at Acura of Brookfield, if you don't already know him. He's very knowledgeable about the NSX, and is very helpful. He helped me out considerably when I purchased my 93 from a private individual in Il.

In stock form, the car performs very well. Still, lots of owners end up 'upgrading' its performance...

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Performance/performance.htm

$50k will get you a very nice NSX. If you plan on modifying the car, you might want to factor that into your price.

Good luck!

 

[nsxtasy]

Or you could just spend a few thousand more, get a car that doesn't fall anywhere near these problematic years, never have to worry about the problem, and have a newer car to boot.

The difference in price between a newer car and a snap ring car is substantially greater than the amount it would take to fix the snap ring issue permanently so you never have to worry about it.