Porsche owner thinking about an NSX

[Club411]

Hello All,

First post here!
I have been a Porsche owner all my driving life. I am in the process of selling my 2000 911 aero and 1988 928s4. I have always loved the style of the NSX so I am tempted to move in that direction.

I am looking to get an 02+ NSX for a daily driver.I live in Chicago and I am used to driving Porsches year round.

I am going to test drive an 02 NSX tomorrow night. I sat in one and the headroom is tight at 6'3.

Any advice on driveability, cost, leads, power or lack thereof would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Ray

 

[TURBO2GO]

Hello All,

First post here!
I have been a Porsche owner all my driving life. I am in the process of selling my 2000 911 aero and 1988 928s4. I have always loved the style of the NSX so I am tempted to move in that direction.

I am looking to get an 02+ NSX for a daily driver.I live in Chicago and I am used to driving Porsches year round.

I am going to test drive an 02 NSX tomorrow night. I sat in one and the headroom is tight at 6'3.

Any advice on driveability, cost, leads, power or lack thereof would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Ray

I seriously looked at 996T's and 997's before buying my NSX. There are definite advantages to this car (at least for me).

1) Rarity. A 911 is a fairly common car. They all look the same to the casual eye, and so there are a lot of them on the road and nothing too exciting.

2) Looks. My girlfreind's comment after a test drive of a new 997S... "it looks 80's". Her comment regarding the NSX... "wow, what is that? I have never seen that car before ever. That's an Acura?!"

3) Reliability. As reliable as the 911 is, the NSX is even more so.

4) High residual. The NSX is a lowest depreciating sports car you can buy. The 911 is close, but not quite as good.

For these reasons, the NSX topped my list and I was ready to spend over 100K on a car.

Downsides:

1) For some, and I mean some, its somewhat underpowered. Its a beautiful engine that revs and revs and sings at those RPM's, but it doesn't have "ooomph" you can get in certain cars nowadays. That problem my friend, is a Comptech Supercharger away.

2) Outdated electronics. No nav and a Blose sound system. That too, can be fixed in the aftermarket with better stuff that you will find in any factory car.

3) and this is for some people, it may be a plus in some people's eye... having to constantly tell people the car is an Acura. Then they think they should have bought that for 28K instead of their TSX. Anyway, besides the "A" badges on the car, there are no other giveaways and it looks very exotic. Badges are fixed by dental floss. Many are proud of the Honda heritage as you will see, they remove the A and put in the "H".

I think you will like the NSX. Its certainly not a loser of a car like many other high end cars... where you buy it this year and next year you are selling it for 1/2. Oh yeah it was really cool driving that exotic car around but it cost you $4/mile to operate.

Oh and I forgot to mention another big plus with the NSX, this community at Prime. These guys know more about the NSX than you'd ever want to know. If you ever have an issue, believe me there is a fix here.

personally I don't see a big price difference between the 02, 03, 04 or 05. So I would consider any, and even new... consider the fact that a newer one has a warranty and an older one won't. Not that big a deal with this car, but its extra insurance.

Good luck.

 

[Club411]

Great Insight!
I am looking forward to driving it tommorow night. With the resale so strong, if I get sick of the car, I can always sell it for a small loss.

Looking at a certified 02 20k miles silver 6sp. Want black, so that is a bummer. They are asking 59k I am thinking lower 50's

Thoughts on price?

 

[carmar]

club411, was like you before, came from porsche. so far, i am happy with the nsx. as far as reliability, it reminds me of 87-89 911 models . it does not have a lot of torque as the 996 or boxster S but i am pretty sure you don't have to deal with RMS . give it a try, i know you will like it.

my co-worker just bought the 987 and now have to bring the car to dealer twice already for RMS fix within 6 months of ownership. he is also thinking of an nsx as an alternative.

having say that, i still love the gt2, 993 and the 996 turbos. they are very well built cars.

good luck in your quest.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Great Insight!
I am looking forward to driving it tommorow night. With the resale so strong, if I get sick of the car, I can always sell it for a small loss.

Looking at a certified 02 20k miles silver 6sp. Want black, so that is a bummer. They are asking 59k I am thinking lower 50's

Thoughts on price?

I don't know... I bought my 05 which is 3 years newer, with 3000 miles which is 17,000 less miles, for $13,000 more money than what they are asking. You see what I mean about the strong resale of the car. In my opinion, a car that has bad resale like an Audi or Maserati, certain Mercedes models or Aston Martins, you buy used. Cars that have very strong resale, you try to get as new a one as you can afford.

Total cost of ownership is less many times with a newer car than it is with an older car. What matters to me personally is never what a car costs (that's what a bank is for), but what it costs for you to drive that car.

Some are hung up on price... and say "I can never afford a car that expensive". You don't need to afford that car if you have good credit. All you need to know is if you can afford the cost per mile. Sometimes that can be very low even with a very expensive car.

One just has to do their homework.

I got a good deal on my car, but it wasn't a steal by any means. It was fair. I did not care... because the value is in how this car retains its value and costs so little to operate, not in how cheap you managed to buy one.

Because of this I seriously recommend you let go of the dollars and cents a bit and really get the car you want. Any NSX bought fairly will give you tremendous value.

Perhaps some of the other members can chime in how relative to the market the price on your 02 is.

 

[Nihilation]

I skimmed through rather quick, but if nobody else has mentioned it and headroom is a concern you can pick up a Dali seat cushion for $150 and will give you another 2-3" above your skull.

 

[TURBO2GO]

I skimmed through rather quick, but if nobody else has mentioned it and headroom is a concern you can pick up a Dali seat cushion for $150 and will give you another 2-3" above your skull.

You see what I mean about this forum? there is no problem with this car someone does not have a solution to. :smile:

 

[carmar]

i use this as a guide during my quest: http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/BuySell/pricing.htm

 

[Aero]

Hello All,

First post here!
I have been a Porsche owner all my driving life. I am in the process of selling my 2000 911 aero and 1988 928s4.

If your 928s4 is a manual, PM me with details. I'm still keeping my NSX of course so no trades! :biggrin: But you definitely need a NSX..I'm 6'5 and fit without too many problems.

 

[nsxtasy]

Oh and I forgot to mention another big plus with the NSX, this community at Prime. These guys know more about the NSX than you'd ever want to know. If you ever have an issue, believe me there is a fix here.

We also have a very active NSX community here in the Chicago-Milwaukee area. Three of our Acura dealers do a lot of NSX service work and have great NSX techs, including one that also specializes in track preparation and aftermarket modification of NSXs. The NSX Club of America has an annual dinner and our upcoming Spring Fling event is later this month - feel free to sign up and come join us! And the Midwest will be hosting the national NSXPO event next year.

Incidentally, whenever I drive Porsches, I am struck by how very different they feel to drive from the NSX. Try driving the NSX (and please keep it in the low gears and rev the snot out of it); I'm sure you'll love it!

 

[len3.8]

If your 928s4 is a manual, PM me with details. I'm still keeping my NSX of course so no trades! :biggrin: But you definitely need a NSX..I'm 6'5 and fit without too many problems.

I have the NSX and Have a 91 928GT /Had a 87S4 5spd.
Also had all variants of the 911..

If I had to say, I would say the 928 feels more like the NSX, Much more of the Balanced feeling.
The NSX can be just as expensive to fix as either of the Porsches you own, in fact, the Clutch, TB and Water Pump are a lil more expensive to repair, but that depends on the labor rates in the Area that you use to service your car.

The electronics are nowhere near the PITA of some 928s.
The seating and the viewpoint from the drivers seat remind me very much of the 928.

The ability to do all things very well, Again the NSX is very much like the 928.
The one thing that surprised me most about the NSX, is the comfort you have on extended trips. Just like the 928 it does not beat you up. Knocking down miles at speeds are not a problem.

Winter time, I can't help you, because I never have driven either in the winter weather, other than cold weather..

I don't really compare the NSX to the 911s because they are so completely different, other than being classed as sports cars, I can't see anything remotely similar in the two.

The 911 is dependable as heck , so is the NSX
The NSX is easier to drive than either P-car.
It handles like the BoxsterS or even more like the Cayman. It is pretty precise with the factory settings left in tact, even altered, it still does very well.

Brakes, I am sorry, the Porsche's brakes are simply awesome.
Suspension, you can dial in more feedback from the NSX with bigger sway bars and Chasis Bars. However, the 911 and the 928 still transmit more feel for the road.

In the 911 you steer with the throttle, so to speak. With the NSX you steer with the Steering wheel, point and it goes.. You can easily interupt the dynamics in some curves. Almost the same feel as a 911 when you experience LTO.. The NSX feels as if it is on a centered axis and it's very easy to see and go where you want.

Torque and Power, the NSX has plenty.
Feels nothing like the 928, more like a 84-89 Carrera.
But still plenty of power and actually a little more usable power.

If I had to choose between the 3, I would take all 3.:wink:
Either way I think you will be happy.
I truly love all 3, but the 928 and the NSX should have Kids.... It would be a Cayman..:biggrin:

JAO

 

[LeftLane]

I went the other way (1995 NSX to 1999 911 Aero). To this day I regret selling the NSX. I loved the 911 too, but they are so different in so many ways. However, I haven't felt one tinge of remorse for selling my 911, and I still think about that damn NSX every day. I still whip my head around any time I see one on the road, whereas I'm pretty bored with seeing Porsches all over the place.

And I'm sure you know this, but this is absolutely the wrong forum for an unbiased "NSX versus Porsche" analysis. :biggrin:

 

[len3.8]

I went the other way (1995 NSX to 1999 911 Aero). To this day I regret selling the NSX. I loved the 911 too, but they are so different in so many ways. However, I haven't felt one tinge of remorse for selling my 911, and I still think about that damn NSX every day. I still whip my head around any time I see one on the road, whereas I'm pretty bored with seeing Porsches all over the place.

And I'm sure you know this, but this is absolutely the wrong forum for an unbiased "NSX versus Porsche" analysis. :biggrin:

What are you driving now Leftlane?

 

[NSX7]

I have the NSX and Have a 91 928GT /Had a 87S4 5spd.
Also had all variants of the 911..

If I had to say, I would say the 928 feels more like the NSX, Much more of the Balanced feeling.


Just curious, how can the 928 compare to the NSX - 928's engine is in the front, power delivery is completely different, much heavier car, back tends to get loose a lot, steering feel is completely different, to me the whole car feels way different than the NSX in every aspect - I love the 928s but I just don't see how they feel like the NSX

 

[Matt_337]

Great Insight!
I am looking forward to driving it tommorow night. With the resale so strong, if I get sick of the car, I can always sell it for a small loss.

Looking at a certified 02 20k miles silver 6sp. Want black, so that is a bummer. They are asking 59k I am thinking lower 50's

Thoughts on price?

Hey, I bought that car

 

[len3.8]

I have the NSX and Have a 91 928GT /Had a 87S4 5spd.
Also had all variants of the 911..

If I had to say, I would say the 928 feels more like the NSX, Much more of the Balanced feeling.


Just curious, how can the 928 compare to the NSX - 928's engine is in the front, power delivery is completely different, much heavier car, back tends to get loose a lot, steering feel is completely different, to me the whole car feels way different than the NSX in every aspect - I love the 928s but I just don't see how they feel like the NSX

Front mounted engine, clutch, torsional elastic drive shaft to transmission running in connecting tube, rear mounted transmission with final drive, double joint shafts, rear wheels. Makes for a pretty impressive 50/50 weight distribution. The car is ver neutral, especially on the track. Add the torque and the two cars are more similar then any 911..

Curb Weight 3500+, Not A true Pig...
I have never had the issue of the back end getting loose unless I wanted it to.

The steering feel, to me is So much alike it's mind blowing, that is one of the first things my wife commented on when she first drove my nsx...


It's true that the car is heavier but it also boast more torque

 

[LeftLane]

What are you driving now Leftlane?

len - I just traded my wife's GX470 (completely unimpressed) for a new Infiniti G35 sedan for me for work, and I love it so far as a commuter car with a little spark to it. She's back to driving a Suburban, and I'm toyless for now. If I can be a good little boy for a year or two, I'll be able to get back into something interesting without much spousal resistance. There isn't much that I'm in love with right now when pricetags are considered, so I'm willing to wait.

BTW - I sold the 911 outright. Took it in the shorts on that deal. Resale value my arse.

 

[NsSeX]

Hey, I bought that car

lol maybe you should call the dealership and remind them?:biggrin:

 

[The Kid]

Hey, I bought that car

bought, means its in your driveway. $100 deposits dont count:tongue: J/K
Welcome to NSX ownership, its a beautiful thing:biggrin:

 

[NsSeX]

I just have to chime in about the NSX's resale value. Good luck trying to trade it in and recieve a fair price for the newer NSX's. There is a lot more "potential" buyers for older nsx's 30k+- than there are people who can afford 50k+. I took a pretty good hit on my NSX, recieving only $55k for trade in. IMO the 911 turbo resale value is much stronger than a 02+ nsx, seeing how the 2001 996 tt (with average/low miles) prices have stablized at around 70k+:wink: I could most likely turn around and sell my 996 turbo today and very well make some profit off of it.

 

[Matt_337]

I understand about resale and what I could get for the money.


It's more of an emotional thing for me. An NSX brings me more emotion than a 996TT.

Don't get me wrong, I considered getting one of those while I was shopping. But in the end, I just felt like I needed to get the NSX.

I figure in a couple of years, I will be in the market for a 997TT. :smile:

 

[NsSeX]

I understand about resale and what I could get for the money.


It's more of an emotional thing for me. An NSX brings me more emotion than a 996TT.

Don't get me wrong, I considered getting one of those while I was shopping. But in the end, I just felt like I needed to get the NSX.

I figure in a couple of years, I will be in the market for a 997TT. :smile:

I totally understand the "emotional thing":biggrin:

I'm also hoping to be in the market for a 997tt in 2-3 years as well:tongue:

 

[Club411]

Well, I went to go look at a Blue NSX today 2004. I now remember why I loathe car dealers so much.

I called ahead of time and drove out there at lunch. When I get there the sales guy (22 year old kid) Tells me :

a) Not sure if you can drive it becuase it is such an expenensive car (insinuating I could not afford to buy this car) While only in my early 30's and wearing jeans and tshirt, he failed to notice the Audemars Piguet on my wrist and the AMG CLK benz I pulled up in. Friggin ass%#^%$#!

b) Ohh BTW the clutch is burnt out and the car dosent work. Keep in mind the car is an 04 with 5k miles. Not only that, but my 2000 911 has a 10x cleaner interior

I wasted my lunch dealing with these idiots!

 

[TURBO2GO]

are you looking for a particular color? I know a few good ones for sale.

 

[TURBO2GO]

I understand about resale and what I could get for the money.


It's more of an emotional thing for me. An NSX brings me more emotion than a 996TT.

Don't get me wrong, I considered getting one of those while I was shopping. But in the end, I just felt like I needed to get the NSX.

I figure in a couple of years, I will be in the market for a 997TT. :smile:

I am telling you... cost of ownership on the NSX is lower than the 996T. I know this for a fact. Also I have seen several publications stating the NSX to be the LOWEST depreciating sports car in that class (which includes the 996). The porsches are very good but the rarity, looks and reliability of the NSX makes it take the top spot.