If you want a really fast car with little depreciation, another to seriously look at is a GT-R.
The thing with an NSX is... you can sell all your mods used for quite a bit. There is a really healthy market for aftermarket parts here. Everything sells. Used CTSC? no problem. Used KW V3's? no problem. Used BBK? No problem. Buy quality parts and people want them and are willing to pay you a very fair price as long as the part is not junk.
So you put the car back to stock, sell all the parts, and if you have bought an 05 NSX and kept it in good shape... you're going to get quite a bit of money for it.
When you take all this stuff into consideration, it is very very tough to beat an NSX for what it delivers in terms of fun, rarity, style, speed, and low cost of ownership. I don't know of a single other car that does it better. If you do, then tell me what.
This is really a good post Turbo - you put it all very succinctly. The maintenance issue regarding the NSX is the main reason I bought it years ago - even though I am now NSXless. I would have bought a Carrera 4S 996 version but I know way too much about them - the IMS and RMS issues plague that model and even the 997 - except for the GT3 or GT2 - those engines are completely different from the regular line up. They are the real deal and you can put miles on them. Heck, the issues with the normal Carrera are overblown I admit but 5% or 10% of the cars being effected is a bit of a Russian roulette game and too much for me cause I just know I'll be the one that gets hammered - just my own paranoia.
I have a friend that put 180k miles on a 99 Carrera and didn't sell it till it started mixing water and oil. Good reason and he did do an RMS replacement - he now drives a Passat - go figure. I digress.
The point I'm trying to make here is that if you are looking at a used GT3 - their prices have held up pretty well and with most Porsches the best way to buy them is to wait till they depreciate to about 50% of their value and then step in. You won't get too badly hurt - with a GT3 that is. The other ones may not depreciate too much either but you do run a risk.
As to maintenance - well there is not a whole lot more maintenance with a well maintained GT3 over a well maintained NSX. I mean let's be a little honest - granted I did buy a 20 year old one - a 91 - and sunk 6k in the car over 2 years - that's a lot of money but the car had 43K miles on it! If I had bought a later model - I still would have put some maintenance dollars in it too, unless I got real lucky or I paid top dollar.
You pay top dollar for either car and with records from the right owner the maintenance isn't going to be a lot more with the GT3. Granted tires are more cause they are a whole lot bigger and wider - that's a disposable item - oil and filters - and keeping up with the brakes and rotors *the only other big expensive maintenance item cause when they go after about 50k - they both have to be replaced. The NSX will go forever on a set of rotors - not so with the 911. That's considered another semi disposable item, but the brakes on a stock GT3 are vastly superior to the NSX!
Other than those things well you may have some sensor go out or something like that but when you get to maintaining a 911 GT3 - go to the Rennlist and start reading the posts there. They have a hell of a good site too - not as friendly and warm as ours - different kind of people - but very informative and helpful none the less. That's where you'll find the info you really need to make this decision - but our friend and fellow primer that has 2 911s and an NSX could shed some light here as well.
You mention taking off the items you put on - like the CTSC- to get most of your dollars back - well maybe so - but we're talking a car that someone intends to own a long time - I presume. O1a4man would have to tell us what his intentions are here - but over a long period the Porsche will surely cost you more on just straight up maintenance maybe but when you start factoring in buying SCs and a bunch of other things to make the NSX a super performer I'm not so sure. You will loose something on the parts you take off if you ever do and then there's the labor to do it.
I could go on but I think here for the sake of this discussion our poster has to do a couple of things - drive both cars - sit down and really think about how much a good specimen NSX he wants to start with will cost and then add on the parts and come to a total. Then look at a used GT3 - and if he finds a good speciman it's going to be a toss up as to money and actually I believe if you look at used vs used - the 911 GT3 will be cheaper!
Check this out just for the sake of the discussion:
http://motors.shop.ebay.com/i.html?...&_osacat=6001&bkBtn=&_trksid=p4506.m270.l1313
The other thing no one mentions is that the NSX didn't come with an SC - now you can drive one with SC or TC but the only "blow up" stories you hear about are SCd or TCd NSXs. Nothing wrong with them but I'd still have to know a hell of a lot about a car that had one on it, even if taken off, before I'd buy it. Just the fact that an NSX has had one on it deters some buyers and that's just the way it is.
On the other hand a GT3 is naturally aspirated - is a no shit race engine specifically designed "strong like bull" by the race division and it's just a great car all by itself with no mods - no brake mods, no engine exhaust mods, no wheel mods - all ready to go just the way it came from the factory.
Now I like both car manufactureres and both make a great car - I don't need the mods to get me pumped but if you are looking for more performance in a stock vehicle, then there is no comparison. The GT3 is just more car! If you are just looking for a cool ride - either one will do. You want to step up - go ahead - the GT3 will still be worth a good bit if you buy it right - hell drive it a few years get the experience and then sell it and come back to the NSX....what's the harm in that and then you get to experience a different machine and man the GT3 would be a GREAT experience for a performance minded individual. If you could buy a 2008 GT3 for 75k - I mean come on man - instead of buying a late model NSX and modding it - it's a damn no brainer boys. NO BRAINER! The GT3 wins hands down!
Now you read this one and think about it and follow the link I posted here and make your own decision. This puts it right down there for you 01a4man.
Epistle #51 - over and out....:wink:
versus a Porsche or Corvette where they are all over the place. Perspective since the Porsche 911 body style has been around a lifetime.
Somebody hates 1991s...
