My car is a piece of s**t and I hate it

[tof]

Bought the car Don't blame the car
drove for a month
snap ring breaks (new clutch + rebuild, sitting in a shop for 5 weeks) This is why you always scour club web sites before buying a car like the NSX. Snap ring issues, and how to avoid them, are well documented here on Prime.
shaft boot tears Happens to all cars
another 3 months sitting (winter) and the visors start to crack and separate Happens to many high mileage/older cars. My 91 NSX and my 97 Avalon both have this issue.
a month later, shifting from 1st to 2nd at redline grinds Time to change trannie gear oil? Worn clutch?
Loud clunking noise from rear now, every time I go over a bump Aftermarket suspension?
Decide to treat myself with the prospeed rdx injectors. Car sits for a month with no ecu, now has idle issues. Don't want to waste another month sending my ecu back. Mods do NOT make your car more reliable in most cases.
Another month and the abs pump starts running continuously, solenoids stuck. Search prime...1G ABS problems are common. Fix may not be that big a deal.

 

[nsxtasy]

snap ring breaks (new clutch + rebuild, sitting in a shop for 5 weeks)
.
.
.
a month later, shifting from 1st to 2nd at redline grinds

That latter problem is most likely occurring because the gears or hub selectors are worn. Such wear is easily visible when the tranny is taken apart, and if a good NSX tech did the snap ring fix, he should have noticed the wear and replaced those parts at that time, so you don't have to open up the tranny all over again a second time.

 

[PHOEN$X]

I'm so sorry to hear about the continued issues, Ben. I hope the latest issue gets resolved quickly, and inexpensively as possible.

I appreciated Ed letting me drive his BRZ, but for me there is no comparison with the NSX, at least not on local Phoenix roads (which admittedly isn't a fair assessment of the car's capabilities). I totally understand the frustration with the issues you've had, and you are welcome to drive my NSX anytime you are in the area.

Good luck, and keep me posted.

 

[alum04org]

Predicting this thread may

reach epic NSXPrime status. :smile:

Good luck, O P.

 

[MvM]

Very sad to read through this thread with different people having different and sometimes serious issues with their NSX.

It's late advice of course when you've already bought the NSX, but I think TWO things are very important when having or wanting to buy a NSX.

FIRST: Have the car checked out by someones who really KNOWS the NSX.
SECOND: Find a GOOD mechanic that REALLY has good experience with the NSX and which you can really talk with and who can explain WHAT is wrong and needs to be done.

Example 1:
Four years ago, a friend finally has the funds and buys the first NSX he finds, a Sebring NSX with only 80000 km on the odo. Did not check the car and after only 500 km, the engine freezes. Had to buy a different engine which cost him a lot of time and money.

Example 2:
Another friend. Buys a NSX, a lifelong dream, eight (8) years ago. Car looks absolutely new but has some small issues. Takes it to his regular garage, gets timing belt done. Engine idles very rough at a constantly varying RPM.
Shop tells him this is normal for a sportscar and he just assumes they know best.
FOR EIGHT YEARS, he goes to this show and keeps telling them to see if they can fix it, but it never happens, only in a so-so manner.
Finally, I introduce him to my own mechanis, who is 200 miles away, to do some major maintenance like timing belt-service, cam gaskets etc. etc.
And my mechanic finds out, within a day, the timing belt has been set wrongly, causing 12 bent exhaust valves.
Now, they have all been replaced, new gaskets etc. and the car nows runs like it has not run for eight years.
Owner, needless to say, is now a very happy owner.

If you have issues that keep coming back, find yourself a different shop or mechanic. I will NOT do business with a shop which will not let me talk to the mechanics who do the actual work.

 

[davidf]

I'm starting to feel the same way about mine.

Bought the car
drove for a month
snap ring breaks (new clutch + rebuild, sitting in a shop for 5 weeks)
shaft boot tears
another 3 months sitting (winter) and the visors start to crack and separate
a month later, shifting from 1st to 2nd at redline grinds
Loud clunking noise from rear now, every time I go over a bump
Decide to treat myself with the prospeed rdx injectors. Car sits for a month with no ecu, now has idle issues. Don't want to waste another month sending my ecu back.
Another month and the abs pump starts running continuously, solenoids stuck.

When I'm driving it, and it works, it's great. When it's sitting and I can't drive it, I get pissed and wish I had never bought it. I've had barely any time since I bought the thing to actually enjoy it.

You had the clutch change and tranny rebuilt yet, it grinds at redline. It shouldn't grind and the trans oil should be fresh. Somethings not right here!!!

 

[JD Cross]

The NSX is inherently reliable
If it's not behaving that way it's very likely there has been an unreliable owner in the car's provenance.
Usually a look at how a car has been kept and the car's records (or lack of them) will give you all the clues you need to buy or run away.

 

[tof]

The NSX is inherently reliable
If it's not behaving that way it's very likely there has been an unreliable owner in the car's provenance.
Usually a look at how a car has been kept and the car's records (or lack of them) will give you all the clues you need to buy or run away.

Well part of the problem, I think, is differences of opinion about the definition of "reliable". Even the most "reliable" 20 year old car with 100,000 miles on the clock is going to need more maintenance than a new Toyota. And many new cars require nothing but oil and filter changes for the first 50,000 miles or more. But when things do start to wear out they don't all wear out at the same time. When you daily drive an older high mileage vehicle, something more major than fluids will likely come up needing maintenance due to normal wear every few months.

 

[scammy]

It really is quite simple, its an old car it needs things done to it all the time to keep it up to spec if the previous owner didnt do these things or didnt do them properly then you are going to have the odd issue. However these cars are really reliable if maintained yet because they are easy to thrash and the feeling you get from taking them to the limit especially when that vtec kicks in means you are going to have to maintain it properly.
I race dirt bikes, i change the oil every 5 hours or less i clean the air filter for every ride i break down the suspension points and regrease them same for both axles and wheel bearings and the steering head and the list goes on, its just part of the things you have to do to maintain a high horsepower car or bike.
yet the reward you get from driving /riding a well maintained vehicle is why we own these toys

 

[TURBO2GO]

Patience is a virtue. I think once the car is sorted it will give you many trouble free miles.

 

[nsxpilot]

None of your issues are the result of the work done by the dozen or so guys that hand-built the car a couple of decades ago....the problems are the result of all the guys since then that "worked" on it during the last couple decades. If I remember correctly, the NSX repeatedly won awards for reliability and I'm not surprised that mine has been virtually trouble free in the 17 years I've owned it. I'd be very confident that a really competent NSX tech could get it back to where it should be.

 

[BATMANs]

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[SFNSXguy]

I know you're not going to like my suggestion.... but take the car back to Don Lam... he can fix it. Period. (Your past experience notwithstanding.)

(or Shad Huntley)

 

[1K2GO]

Shad Huntley - Driving Ambition

I took my NSX to him the day after I bought it. It was leaking from virtually every seal. He replaced them all and power washed the entire under carriage.

It had 4 blown shocks and was slammed to the ground. He replaced them with KW V3s, installed sway bars & chassis reinforcements, set ride height & corner balanced.

He removed all the nonsense the previous owner had put on the car and replaced them with the correct upgrades.

My car has spent a lot of time at his shop but NEVER has he had to fix or re-do any of his work.

I drive my car hard at the track. She does not complain.

Cry once

 

[ggpaul]

tof - If you'll allow me to challenge you a bit on the BRZ. I've owned a BRZ since August. I've logged nearly 14k miles on it so far. It's a fun car but even still.. the NSX is on a completely different level and I will venture to say Ben will be "missing out" (Ignorance is Bliss though). However, I can see why a failing NSX can cause tons of heartache and perhaps stepping into a trouble-free brand new car can help him regain his mojo.

I don't own a BRZ but I do own an FRS and I agree. It is a hell of a fun car but the NSX.....man. lol. I love it even with the small problems that it encounters.

 

[nsxsimon]

sad to read your horrors. But its a lesson to anyone reading, including myself to enlist as many prime members when purchasing an NSX and do our due diligence in ppi's and maintenance records. As well, be less impulsive. But its so damn hard with these beautiful cars. But a wise man told me actually today, good NSX's are becoming more scarce by the day, and I think he's spot on. I am in Canada, where finding a good NA1 is almost impossible. I almost found myself led by my heart instead of my mind and could have faced a similar story as yours. Best of luck

 

[Tangoman]

I was led by my heart (researched for 2 days and bought the first one close to me in my price range). It's been awesome so far. All the issues I have fixed it had when I bought it. Everyone has a different experience.

 

[IMS_NA1]

I'm starting to feel the same way about mine.

Bought the car
drove for a month
snap ring breaks (new clutch + rebuild, sitting in a shop for 5 weeks)
shaft boot tears
another 3 months sitting (winter) and the visors start to crack and separate
a month later, shifting from 1st to 2nd at redline grinds
Loud clunking noise from rear now, every time I go over a bump
Decide to treat myself with the prospeed rdx injectors. Car sits for a month with no ecu, now has idle issues. Don't want to waste another month sending my ecu back.
Another month and the abs pump starts running continuously, solenoids stuck.

When I'm driving it, and it works, it's great. When it's sitting and I can't drive it, I get pissed and wish I had never bought it. I've had barely any time since I bought the thing to actually enjoy it.

Just curious whats the mileage on your car?

 

[bngl3rt]

Heh, just saw this thread come back from the dead. I hate my car a lot less now - and if you've been following my build thread, I am finally getting to do some things I *want* to do to it (and even took it to the track a few weeks ago).

It's been a very expensive story but luckily it has a happy ending. I recently added up all my receipts and I have spent $15k on "fixing shit" and bought the car for $24k so it's a $39k car to me now. The only problem with that assessment is that if I had paid $39k for a clean 1996 NSX, it would hold roughly that resale value (the miles I put on it notwithstanding) whereas no one will ever pay me $39k for an NSX with history of major mechanical problems (even if it has since been repaired and run many trouble free miles). So I still lost out in that sense but I'm not really planning on ever selling it anyway...

 

[scbeast]

Glad to hear of the not-so-horrible ending.

 

[EuroBoutique]

Ben, glad to hear your problems are finally solved!

I think you had an odd black sheep in the NSX family, reading this thread people can start to think the NSX is expensive and troublesome but this is not bad if you compare this to Italian cars and their maintenance cost if something goes wrong

Can you imagine trying to sell a 100k mile Ferrari? haha

 

[1stwife]

glad to hear its finally at the point you can enjoy it.. with that said, thinking of how much you spent repair replacing laboring on parts its always something you can expect from a car thats allmost 20+ yrs old.. i don't think alot of people that buy an NSX are thinking about resale value.. probably one of the worse investment interms of resale .. always baught cars ive always wanted for the thril and enjoyment of owning.. when its time to let it go I knew ill never get that $ i put into back.. one question, now that its running like it should as you would expect was the cost of ownership worth it to you? atleast you can have a piece of mind that with everything that has been worked on and changed these new parts should atleast last you another 100+k =)

 

[LOVESHOTNSXY95]

Your not alone! My nsx have tons of problems next after next. I guess the last owner didn't do any maintenance and I'm paying the price for it. I had the tp/wp and spark plugs done last year and now I'm having oil leaks and brake lamp light issues. Plus I recently found a leak on my radiator.