Possible NSX Owner

[Ravant]

After reading up on the car, it is quite the attractive automobile. And I'm going to have to say, even though I currently have a project vehicle, when it's done, I'm going to desire another. Yeah - driving the completed project is fun, but nothing beats starting up a car you've been working on for over 200 combined hours to find that it works perfectly, only to enjoy its drive even more. Nothing beats that initial exhilaration you get from watching your hours upon hours of hard work finally pay off. So - yeah - I'm not getting rid of my Fiero, but instead, am thinking about picking up an NSX and possibly working on it.

Yes, it's a whole different level of vehicle, yeah - it's a whole new ball-game, but it's still an automobile. And regardless of how good they were upon release, you simply know some were mis-treated with the original owner.

Now herein lies my question. Which would be more cost effective? Should I attempt to buy an older, but great-condition NSX and just modify it? Or instead, should I try to find one in not-so-great condition (except the frame, that needs to be in great condition) and build it up to my own personal specifications?

This may tick off a couple of purists that usually exist at every car-specific site I've ever visited, but stock is a horrible word to me. It represents what the car was only capable of when released to the public, not the vehicle's true potential. So - all-in-all, what would be my best course of action if I were to work with and own an NSX? Buying in good condition and modifying, or buying in poor condition and breathing life back into it, while replacing broken parts with high(er) performance parts?

 

[s14_tat]

welcome to the board, if you don't care about reselling the car later you might be able to pick up a earlier NSX with a salvaged title for high teens to low 20's. The reason why it is not such a good idea to purchase a neglected nsx is because parts are very very expensive and there is almost no aftermarket alternatives. If you would like another project car, you can buy one that needs some work with less money up front, but when your finished with it, you would spend close to what you could've bought a clean one for.

I also don't like to leave things stock. In the 9 months I've owned my car, I put I/H/E, wheels, tires and suspension. Definitely well worth the investment.

 

[Ravant]

Well - I'm beginning a car collection, so to be honest, even if the oil wells of the world dry up, I'd still keep them to myself, and convert them to hydrogen-combustion later on down the road. (Exaggeration, as high-compression motors don't work well with hydrogen.) No, resale value is not really a concern for me. But my best bet would be to get an older one in decent condition and work up from there, is what you're saying, right?

It's a shame not much of an aftermarket exists for most parts, though. Thanks for the info!

 

[s14_tat]

the car is considered to be pretty rare, they do make aftermarket performance parts, but for direct replacement parts like sensors etc, your stuck with using oem ( which isn't a bad thing ). But yeah you can pick up a running 91-94 with a salvaged title for around 19-25K with a worn interior. The interior trims from the dealer will cost you around $1200 to replace all those plastic ones, etc. I would research how much certain parts cost and see which ones you are willing to pay for in a restoration. Than look for a car that has those problems that you are willing to fix.

 

[Synthesis]

depending on how bad the condition of the vehicle you're looking at is..... it might be worth it to save a few more bucks up front, and buy a newer one.

the nsx is becoming affordable, but parts are still the same price as they have always been. this is still an expensive car.
ex. clutch assy: ~1500 - 2000 bucks (parts only)

also, if you will need to replace fasteners, the costs keep going up, heh. the majority of the fasteners are dacro coated to prevent galvanic corrosion between steel bolts and aluminum (pretty much everything else). i just spent 50 bucks for 12 new self-locking nuts for my shock towers (and they were on back order).

however, if you don't mind spending the money.... then just be happy knowing that it is a very well-designed car, and not difficult to work on (in most cases).:smile:

 

[Ravant]

By that point, to be honest, money really won't be too much an issue. I mean - I'd have an option to get a brand new car for $30k-$35k, or to get something used for less, then some parts to bring it up to be the same price, but have it be nicer, and an overall better deal than what I'd get brand new... and I'd have been the one to put things together, so I could be confident in the workmanship. I mean - I'm not saying I'm perfect, and am certainly not trying to toot my own horn here, but most of the time, because I own the car, I tend to be a bit more careful than someone who figures, "It's not mine." *shrug* Is there a sticky around, or an internet source that has a checklist of things to look for when shopping for an NSX? Problem areas, rust, electrical issues, etc? Yeah - beggars can't be choosers, but if there's something that should seriously ward me away from one NSX over another, I'd definitely like to know.

And yes, I know the NSX is a rare vehicle, and to be honest, that's one of the main draws for me, other than its looks, relative light weight, high-revving motor, and mid-engine layout.

 

[MichaelD]

Is there a sticky around, or an internet source that has a checklist of things to look for when shopping for an NSX? Problem areas, rust, electrical issues, etc? Yeah - beggars can't be choosers, but if there's something that should seriously ward me away from one NSX over another, I'd definitely like to know.

Check the Wiki on this site. Also, I know there is a prospective owners checklist on here, but with the onrush of people for the "ownage", I can't find it. Just do a search.
One thing to check for in the 91-92's is the Snap Ring issue. Check on the tranny itself, and there is a list of transmissions in that range on here. As long as it is not in that range you are good. I just had mine fail, and it is not cheap to fix. I knew it was in the range when I bought the car, so I negotiated that into the price when I bought the car.

 

[s14_tat]

By that point, to be honest, money really won't be too much an issue. I mean - I'd have an option to get a brand new car for $30k-$35k, or to get something used for less, then some parts to bring it up to be the same price, but have it be nicer, and an overall better deal than what I'd get brand new... and I'd have been the one to put things together, so I could be confident in the workmanship. I mean - I'm not saying I'm perfect, and am certainly not trying to toot my own horn here, but most of the time, because I own the car, I tend to be a bit more careful than someone who figures, "It's not mine." *shrug* Is there a sticky around, or an internet source that has a checklist of things to look for when shopping for an NSX? Problem areas, rust, electrical issues, etc? Yeah - beggars can't be choosers, but if there's something that should seriously ward me away from one NSX over another, I'd definitely like to know.

And yes, I know the NSX is a rare vehicle, and to be honest, that's one of the main draws for me, other than its looks, relative light weight, high-revving motor, and mid-engine layout.

don't worry, you won't have to worry about rust. our cars if taken care of well might out last us. My 14 year old car at 90+K miles has a cleaner underbody than some 06 cars. and the majority of electrical problems are small stuff like failed circuit boards on the climate control unit, main relay failing etc

 

[Ravant]

I apologize for necro-ing my old thread, but I've got a few more questions. They would have been asked sooner, but I've been very busy with work for the past month or so.

In any case, here goes. There's four.

1: The engine orientation in the NSX, is it transverse or longitudinal?
2: What is an upper limit of power that I could expect to produce before things start to break? (As to not plow through that limit. I'd like mine to last, thank you.)
3: In terms of aftermarket performance options, what kind of skidpad could I reasonably expect after installing some of the better aftermarket suspension options available?
4: What's the lightest I could get the vehicle while still maintaining daily drivability, and keeping my passenger seat?

 

[s14_tat]

I apologize for necro-ing my old thread, but I've got a few more questions. They would have been asked sooner, but I've been very busy with work for the past month or so.

In any case, here goes. There's four.

1: The engine orientation in the NSX, is it transverse or longitudinal?
2: What is an upper limit of power that I could expect to produce before things start to break? (As to not plow through that limit. I'd like mine to last, thank you.)
3: In terms of aftermarket performance options, what kind of skidpad could I reasonably expect after installing some of the better aftermarket suspension options available?
4: What's the lightest I could get the vehicle while still maintaining daily drivability, and keeping my passenger seat?

1: The engine is Transverse mounted
2: The upper limit of the stock internals would be around low 400whp but you would need a aftermarket clutch to handle the added tq.
3: Stock the car hovers over the low .9 range, of course with tires and suspension almost any car can go 1.0g +
4: What is your definition of livable? Still retaining A/C, Stereo, windows, carpets?
the lowest weight varies by years, the coupes are the lightest ones to start with so with basic weight reduction ie: removing spare tires, engine cover, lighter exhaust, wheels, suspension you can dip into the low 2900lb range with full interior and no lightweight body panels being used. The new targa tops starts off around 150lbs heavier so you add 150 lbs vs the coupe after the basic weight reduction.

 

[Ravant]

1: The engine is Transverse mounted
2: The upper limit of the stock internals would be around low 400whp but you would need a aftermarket clutch to handle the added tq.
3: Stock the car hovers over the low .9 range, of course with tires and suspension almost any car can go 1.0g +
4: What is your definition of livable? Still retaining A/C, Stereo, windows, carpets?
the lowest weight varies by years, the coupes are the lightest ones to start with so with basic weight reduction ie: removing spare tires, engine cover, lighter exhaust, wheels, suspension you can dip into the low 2900lb range with full interior and no lightweight body panels being used. The new targa tops starts off around 150lbs heavier so you add 150 lbs vs the coupe after the basic weight reduction.

Thank you. This was exactly the kind of response I was looking for. Now which year coupes were the lightest?

 

[exSeSSive]

You can check out the NSX FAQ wiki for yearly differences/changes.

The 91-94's are the most common coupes *and* the lightest NSX's in stock form. These are all 3.0L engines with no power steering. Anything 95 and up in coupe form is *very* rare (nearly all are targa's.)

IMO, the difference between a friend's Coupe 94 and my Targa 97 is pretty striking. Driving it, the 94 is more of a pure sports car - the steering is "twitchier", the engine vibration through the chassis is a little more noticeable - while my 97 has "softer" edges on it.

It took almost a year of driving my 97 before the difference stood out to me. FYI, he's driven my car as well and we both have come to the same conclusion.

HTH.

 

[Ravant]

Thanks again. I'll have to keep an eye out for a good '91-'94, then. I'm currently driving a car that's got no power steering, and honestly, for a performance vehicle, I couldn't see driving one with it. Just feels numb in comparison, in my opinion. I prefer to feel the engine running throughout the car, I like that semi-rough, "I've got a car here" feel rather than "I've got a commuter vehicle here." So - '91-'94 it is.

 

[Paul91]

Some good advice was already given here. +1 on getting a 91-94. You won't miss the power steering. There are many nice, unabused early examples out there. Don't be afraid of cars with high mileage. Just get a pre-purchase inspection to insure the overall integrity of the car.

Good luck.

 

[Ravant]

Some good advice was already given here. +1 on getting a 91-94. You won't miss the power steering. There are many nice, unabused early examples out there. Don't be afraid of cars with high mileage. Just get a pre-purchase inspection to insure the overall integrity of the car.

Good luck.

Thanks, gonna need the luck. xD My luck with cars up until my purchase of the Fiero has been pretty poor. I did the research and got the pre-purchase inspection of that car, and frankly, it's been nothing but good to me since I've purchased it. But - it's one of many cars I'm going to desire. The NSX is another, so I'm hoping I find a good NSX from the '91 to '94 year-set that'll treat me well in return for similar treatment. :biggrin: We'll see what happens. I've got a good few months, possibly even a year before I make a purchase, but I'm of the firm belief that one can never be too informed about a vehicle.

 

[RON98]

depending on the level of modification, i would concider getting on that is ragged out and building it up.

if your going hard core like turbo, i would rebuild the engine and start from there.