Opinion on price 95 NSX-T - red - 31K miles

[spyderman33]

I'm looking at 95 NSX-T red with 31K miles.. It is in immaculate condition.. all records. Dealer serviced.. Two owners. The last owner has had it since 97.. Clean carfax.. No dents, dings, stone chips.. Pretty new tires..

I went on KBB.com and edmunds.com and the pricing is very skewed on NSXs. They typically say that private party value is around $34-36K on a car like this but the owner will take no less than $40K..

Is that a good deal?

I am also looking at a 94 NSX black (not T) with 36K... Dealer serviced.. clean carfax. pretty good condition, some interior wear and some stone chips... not immaculate.. two owners. This one will get let go for $34K.. Tires are less than 50% and (gulp) chromed .. I am not dissing that but chrome is not my cup of tea.. so I will need to replace rims/tires pretty soon (~$2K)..

Which is the better deal?

Opinions?


Thanks!!!

This is a great forum!

 

[Shumdit]

The 95-T is the better deal to me.
1: The condition of the car is better, which means less $$ spent to recondition, and/or better resale value if you maintain the current condition.
2: The Targa, while not everyone's favorite, is a nice addition to most buyers, and will also help not only in resale value, but in giving you a larger pool of buyers when you go to sell.
3: Not having to replace the wheels/tires will save you ( in your estimate) $2k. That makes it a 4K difference between the cars and for the Targa alone it is worth that in resale, plus you get Power Steering (I am assuming we are talking about 5 spds. here) and a few other improvements that are on the 95 over the 94.
The only thing that would hold me back is that red is not my favorite color on the NSX (or any car, for that matter). It has a lot to do with the sheer number of red NSX's (and sports cars) out there, but if the color is equally attractive to you as the black, then I say go for the T. It has been said many times in various ways that no one ever regrets buying the best of something, whether it be a vacuum cleaner, or a car. So get what suits you the best. I can tell by the fact that you mention the interior wear and stone chips you are somewhat picky about your car (and all NSX owners should be). So spend a little extra and get what you really want.

 

[JOPRIMO]

Just bought the exact same car, mileage, everyting... its a good deal. Take it and run!

 

[spyderman33]

Is it typical that the pricing is skewed on these cars? I guess it must be related to supply and demand?

Thanks for the opinions!

Oh yeah, JOPRIMO,, How much did you pay for your car?

 

[Shumdit]

I think it is hard to use a industry guide book which is primarily written for production volume cars like SUV's and Sedans, when you are considering an rare car like the NSX. I think your best source of info is NSXprime, and watching the results of Ebay auctions (although remember people are looking for bargains on ebay, and sometimes are not willing to bid as high as they might pay if the car were local and available for inspection prior to purchase). I think $40K for the car you are describing is not a bad price. It is not a steal, but if it were I might be a little more concerned about why it was.

 

[spyderman33]

My concern is what would happen if it got stolen or totaled? How would the insurance company pay me? It would be based on the NADA Blue book value and/or edmunds, right?

so if this car is worth $37,000 private party value on KBB.com then I am instantly losing $3K on this car?

Do you see where I am going with this?

Is there a proper procedure where I can tell the insurance company what the car's replacement value is?

 

[Shumdit]

Yes, I see what you are saying. You need to check with the different insurance companies, because many use ACV (actual cash value) in putting a price on a loss. This works against many cars (and favors the insurance company) since the ACV is often less than the Nada or KBB value. In the case of certain cars (like the NSX, and other rare cars) it means they will pay more than what many of the "books" say the car is worth. I think if you do a search you will find some people who have totalled their cars, and gotten a fair deal on the claim.

 

[Shumdit]

One thing I wanted to add: On the 95, make sure the recall has been comleted to replace the EPS control unit (power steering). This is an expensive repair if it fails, and Acura had given a 8 year warranty on the units, IIRC. Possibly it is still under warranty if it has not been done, but either way, you would be best served by knowing if this is another possible expense you may encounter.

 

[spyderman33]

Good stuff.. I'll check with the owner and see if it has been done..

Thanks for the good info.. I am calling my insurance agent as we speak..

 

[JOPRIMO]

See my PM to you on my purchase price.

BTW... the EPS suggestion is an excellent one!! Mine was broke and 41 days over the warranty and Acura wouldn't goodwill it. I was lucky the dealer i bought mine from paid to have it replaced... $1200 part and easy DIY (im told).

 

[spyderman33]

Am I understanding this correctly? the 94 NSX doesn't have power steering?

I think I just read that..

 

[Shumdit]

Only the Automatics had Power Steering from 91-94. All 95 and later cars have power steering regardless of transmission (except the 99 Zanardi-Had to mention that or some anal retentive like myself would be all over me!)

 

[JOPRIMO]

Also... the way i understand it is that the PS is only on from 0-35 MPH... after that it shuts itself off. So its really only a power "assistant" to the R&P steering mechanism.

There is no adverse affect with it disabled.

 

[Shumdit]

You would know better than me (being an owner of a 95). I have heard people with EPS problems driving it that way for months, so I would assume you are right.

 

[spyderman33]

But that makes it worth looking at the 95 more.. I will park the car in a tight corner of my garage and will undoubtedly regret not having the power assist...

Thanks guys..

 

[chumch]

I am actually glad that I dont have power steering...It makes me feel like I'm more at one with the car--there's less parts between me and the ground

 

[nsxtasy]

The pricing is much more accurate in the Pricing section of the FAQ on this site than in any guide book.

All the NSXers I know who have had their car totaled by insurance companies (and there have been quite a few, unfortunately) have received fair market value or better, and not the artificial values that some of those other sources estimate.

The big difference between the '94 and the '95 is the removable roof panel. Some people prefer open-air motoring, and others prefer the greater rigidity of a fixed-roof coupe. Take your pick.

 

[Dennis in SE PA]

If the car is straight...

It is worth $40K easily IMHO. I have a 95 1 owner/never at an auction/30K miles, close to perfect. I would not sell it for $40K. There are not many in the first place. Nice low mileage ones are even harder to find.

 

[Shumdit]

Spyderman, I know of a 96-T with 39K White/Tan 5-speed(all service done, 2 owner, new clutch from Acura just installed) for $37,200.00 if you are looking to get in a slightly newer car for less money(although more miles). I have no financial interest in the deal and do not even know the guy, but I have seen pics and it looks good. The only mods are an aftermarket CD changer (Alpine that uses the factory head unit for control, a common item, since the factory units are $$$, and the factory wheels have been chromed. Let me know if you might have an interest and I will give you the owners email, name and phone. I do not think he has sold it yet, but you might want to check before backing out on the other one.