Prospective NSX owner needs feedback from the pros!

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plpham21

Registered Member
Joined
29 July 2009
Messages
14
Hi Everyone,

I've been in the market for a used 91-96 NSX for about 4 months now....I've read up extensively on Prime, and have looked at many NSX's in my area, (OC/LA). What I've been seeing is a lot of cars have been completely repainted that are sold by dealerships. Of course, the dealerships won't admit it.... Also, with the private party ones, there are modifications and light paintwork (front and rear bumpers normally). Does anyone know how if these cars are actually worth purchasing? I have an example that I was thinking about getting...

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=263250405

-3rd owner
-mods
-repainted front and rear bumper
-85k miles
-asking for 28k.

Any thoughts? My budget is 25-30k cash. Know anyone who has a clean one to sell?

I've actually also considered a 95-98 NSX-T, since I've always wanted a convertible and an NSX... and it seems like that's the middle ground for me...Maybe I should wait and get the NSX-t or in your opinion it wouldn't be worth it since NSX owners rarely take the Ttop off?

I'm new to the forum, and just got registered....

Thanks in advance for all your feedback!!!
 
WELCOME! :biggrin:

Keep looking. Lots of nice examples for sale right now.

Keep some $$ around for maintenance that might have been deferred by the previous owner.
 
Hey Plpham21,

Read your post and it's hard to say. You really need to look at the records of maintenance closely and check the clutch - some people can ruin one pretty damn quick like mine was. Rarely, super rarely, does the purchase price include the money it will take to bring the maintenance up to snuff. Clutches on these cars are expensive so check that close but it does look promising. Decent looking mods too. I'd get really good pictures of the seats - they didn't look right unless there were seat covers on them and that could be because they are in poor shape. I think that 28 including the mods isn't so bad and it's had maintenance fairly recently with the Timing Belt and Water Pump but you need to see the records.

There's a white on on ebay with around 60k miles on it for less and newer seats and it looked pretty good. You might check that one too; it's a 92 I believe. The 93s are good models to get; they have a passenger side air bag. But I hope you like black cause that it one hard color to keep looking good. I had a friend that has had 4 NSXs and he had a black one and said he'd never have another black car. You might just love black. It sounds like it has potential - but if it were me I'd have to wait for a little less mileage.

Now if you really want to set you sights on the 97 model or later to 2001 and have around 40k bucks then you might find a good one. Remember the clutch in a later model is around 4k for the clutch and flywheel and it will need a flywheel - you can bet on it if it needs a clutch. I would be thinking clutch on the newer ones and lower mileage cause nows the time to find the right one at the right price.
 
I've owned several older exotics & planes, and my rule is to always plan on spending at least $5K the first year just to catch up on all the little things that have been missed over the years. I just bought my NSX a couple months ago, and although there have been no surprises, I am probably getting close to $5K. And this is using a mechanic for everything that is just ace with these cars and others and has great rates, dealer rates would be much higher.

Items included new Falken tires, new Bilstein CGI shocks, new TB/WP/tensioner & new water pump housing, window fix thingys and high temp grease, also while the doors were apart did the inner door latch part that tends to break and both speaker amps (rebuilt from Brian), also aligned the windows, replaced the AC control because I know it will go south eventually (also from Brian), went from H&R lowering springs to OEM as I didn't like scraping every 2 blocks, replaced both right rear CV boots, replaced valve cover gaskets and adjusted valves, new spool gaskets and a few other gaskets I forgot, new radiator cap just because they go bad and leave you stranded, 4 wheel alignment on a Hunter machine, AC & alternator belts, changed out the 6 main coolant hoses, thermostat and filled with Honda coolant, drained and filled tranny twice to clean out (don't care for the power flushes), changed fuel filter, air filter was OK, changed oil/filter, replaced one headlight, checked the harmonic balancer/pulley but it had already been replaced, brakes and clutch proved to have a lot left on them, the front right lower ball joint is just beginning to show a little wear so it will be soon, and I'm probably leaving out a few items. And these are mainly known problems that need addressed, then there are all those fun unknown things that come to visit at odd times.

Next year will probably include the ball joint mentioned, oil coolant hoses, repair driver's seat bolster, left CV boots, tires again, brakes, etc. I prefer to try to stay ahead rather than be calling for a truck from the roadside, YMMV.

My car has 120K but it didn't matter to me as I plan to drive it a lot and don't care for garage queens. I just want it dependable with few surprises. I would say that a lot of the things I did may also apply to any NSX you are looking at buying, especially earlier ones. Just because the TB/WP was replaced at 46K doesn't mean much if it was 12 years ago or the tensioner goes south or your harmonic balancer (because it's always a possibilty it may have been tracked more than you think). My TB was supposed to have been changed at 98K "about" 3 years ago but there was no written record. I decided since I plan to keep the car for sometime that I would just start the clock again so it is no longer an unknown. Unknowns and assumptions will ruin your day. Turns out that the WP was probably not changed as it still had the old style housing.

The other good thing about doing and documenting all these known items & problems is that my car should now be very easy to sell for fair money to a knowing buyer.

Oh yea and then there was the silver NSX book, the other NSX book on history and the history channel DVD to buy. Plus the NSX hat and sun shield.

I didn't start out trying to be this windy, it just took on a life of its own.
 
Wow! You guys are really awesome here....It's definitely tough having the money and ready to buy, but the patience to find the 'right' one...

Thanks for all the feedback so far! You guys have been extremely helpful in my quest for a clean, well maintained NSX....

:smile:
 
I ended up purchasing a '95 model in OC in May for $25k. I definitely was in the same boat as you...always wanted a convertible, but also wanted an NSX, and always loved my mom's old Del Sol from back in the day. I like the fact that the cabin feels nearly as solid as a hard top when the top is on as opposed to that canvass top feeling.

It's hard to find models that old that haven't had at least a bit of paint touchups. It's also hard to get maintenance records when a dealer is reselling the car. I got super lucky that this car was well maintained by its one owner, and when I got the records faxed to me from the LA dealer who serviced it (who wouldn't send it to me until I had registration in hand for the car), I found that the timing belt, clutch, water pump, brakes, and many minor things had all been done in the last 10k miles.

Even at 103k miles with a few minor paint blemishes (ie. minor rock chips on hood, a couple faded spots, etc), I still felt like the price was a steal.

As far as how much I've driven with the top off, it's a LOT in southern California. Not as much lately in the peak of summer, but definitely throughout the months of May and June I did plenty of it. I can see myself continuing to do so in the fall and spring seasons. Definitely worth going for an NSX-T when you live in this area IMO.

And yeah, supposively the '95 and '96 are the slowest years (5 speed 3.0L with the extra 200lbs from the targa top change), but it's still a blast for me every day.
 
Welcome aboard!

I would say that front/rear bumper is no issue if it was for rock chips/scratches/etc. Mods are all up to you. If the mods are things you'd want to do, and the car is in solid shape and well documented, I'd see that as a plus. If it is things you don't want, it could be a non-starter.

For me, I was looking for as clean and close to stock as possible for my third (and final, this time I mean it!) NSX and ended up getting super clean but heavily modded from a fellow Primer, so go figure.

$25-$30k should put you right in the sweet spot for clean and honest 91-92s. Trying to stretch that budget up much farther will get you into the dubious history examples.

Keep in mind there are only about 7500 NSX's in the US and its very heavily weighted towards 91/92.

One great and unique thing with the NSX is you dont really have to be scared of mileage. So a high mileage, well cared for, NSX can be a fantastic bet and much better than a low mileage car with tons of hidden stories that has passed from hand to hand.

Another thing to keep in mind in addition to some cash for updating maintenance is some possible cash for moving the car. Since the NSX really is pretty rare, you almost surely need to open your search nationally. I ended up shipping from CA to PA (coast to coast) using one of the super highly recommended enclosed transport shippers and it ran $1800 (to give you an idea of worst case shipping)
 
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Due to the current economic conditions, you should have no problem finding pre 95' cars for $20-26k and 95-97' cars for $25-$32k. Trust me, there are excellent cars out there for these prices. Sellers are finally facing the reality just like home sellers in this market that they need to drop prices if they want to sell. I have owned 3 NSXs and have been monitoring prices in the Socal area lately, as I am looking for another NSX in the upcoming months. Good luck with your search.
 
Would anyone here buy a 93 NSX with an 02 conversion already installed? I emailed this one guy who was selling his for 30k and when I asked for a VIN number, he disappeared....:rolleyes:
 
DLHNSX said:
Due to the current economic conditions, you should have no problem finding pre 95' cars for $20-26k and 95-97' cars for $25-$32k. Trust me, there are excellent cars out there for these prices. Sellers are finally facing the reality just like home sellers in this market that they need to drop prices if they want to sell. I have owned 3 NSXs and have been monitoring prices in the Socal area lately, as I am looking for another NSX in the upcoming months. Good luck with your search.
Click to expand...

All I can say is good luck with this. Ive been looking with cash in hand and didnt find this to be true at all. I hear a lot of people say it, and then it isnt reality.

Also, Ive found that what other people call "excellent", is unfortunately, often far from it. I got really tired of checking out these "great deals" in person (incurring travel expense) or having a remote PPI done and finding clear accident history.

Id go so far as to say that barring very high mileage, there is just nothing that is going to be GENUINELY clean and anywhere near $20k. And that a 97 (and hence NA2) isnt going for $32k if it is GENUINELY clean.

I always feel bad with this kind of discussion as many times in the past I've had friends show me the "amazing" car they found at a great deal only to immediately detect that it had major work. Normally, I ask if they REALLY want to know what I think or would rather stay in the dark :)

I can tell you now there are NSXs at dealerships up for sale that are top dollar and have known accident history documented right here on the forums. I can also guarantee that the people that end up buying them will probably swear the cars were PERFECT because as far as they can tell, they were.

I guess the lesson is always try to bring a professional eye with you when you check the car out as well.

As for the 02 update, thats really up to you. Thats kind of major work and I think it will typically have negative impact on value (compared to something less extreme like, say, a regular bodykit). The other challenge is did it get the 02 update b/c the owner was building a high $$ project, or did it get it b/c it had massive front end damage? For $30k, Id be very scared of the latter.
 
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mlambert890.....I agree with your comments about price. But would add that there are just too many factors with an NSX purchase to consider. For me take 95/96 cars. I recently purchased a 1996 red NSX-T. Having looked for a car for close to 2 years, I'd put the price for one of these cars between $28,000 and $38,000.

I could have purchased a 1996-T with 60k miles with no records and probably minor paint work to the left side of the car. Clean Carfax. PPI said no frame damage and car probably never driven in the rain. We agreed upon a $28,000 price but I declined based on paint work done to the car and some other paint issues....door dings. Plus no records for anything. From 10 feet car looked beautiful.

Had offers out on 95 cars with little or no work to be done to the car. Maybe 4-5 year old TB/WP but other wise were in excellent shape. All cars had records but none since new. Asking prices were pretty firm at $40,000.

But if you look hard and long enough you can find the right seller and jump on it and get the right car for the right price. Regards....Andrew
 
Hey guys,

On that original autotrader listing I mentioned, the seller is willing to go down to 26k firm. He says he's willing to knock off 2k for deferred maintenance. Car needs a complete tune-up at 90k miles....

Here's a long list of mods he has on the car:

debadged front bumber
jdm tail lights
02+ rear bumper valence
02+ oem rims
black sparco torino reclinable bucket seats
momo (nsx-r) style steering wheel
nrg quick release/hub
nrg steering wheel lock
avic d3 navigation w/ipod & bluetooth
dali racing coolant reservoir tank
powerslot slotted brake upgrade w/hawk hps pads
tien flex suspension coilovers
upgraded 94-96 style oem exhaust
front and rear adjustable dali sway bars
samco coolant hoses
sos trunk struts
sos engine hatch struts
hid 6000K
type r shift booth
sos short shifter
sos short stalk shifter
voodoo shift knob
led's external/internal
clifford matrix 50.5x alarm with pager (1 mile range)
autovation competition pedals

Again, no accidents...only paintwork was on the front and rear bumper...No maintenance records since the seller does all the oil changes, etc himself....84k+ miles. $26k cash......

YAY or NAY???

Thanks!
 
I couldn't agree with mlambert more. The guys that talk about all these low prices for NSXs are definitely not talking the kind of cars most people are looking for. I don't find these low ball prices. I do believe that I bought mine pretty right - but it needed a lot of stuff too and now I have 34k in a 91 with 41k miles. Everything MLambert said I second. Find a clean car with no damage and original paint and the kind of miles that would produce such a car and you will be at the upper range of pricing - NO DOUBT- BOTTOM LINE - and if not SHOW ME ONE!

High milers are fine for engines - but don't forget about the thing that is the hardest to get - original paint and a nice interior, unless the seats have been reupholstered a car with 100k miles will need it and that's around 1500 and then try to find that "excellent" upholsterer! Oh yeah, he's out there - better know a source. I wouldn't buy those seat covers from Leather seats.com. I didn't like any of the ones on that thread in the archive except the one that was done by a real good upholsterer.

So find me a clean car - really clean - nice interior and paint - with no more than 60k miles with sevice kind of up to date for less than 37k and I'll recend. Point is to get a nice N2 after you've brought it up to speed in maintenance you will have 40+k in the car! Prove me wrong on that one. SHOW ME.

Always be prepared to spend money getting the car up to date on maintenance no matter what car you buy. From 3k to 5k min.

You won't go wrong with the advice you're finding. I know I just got thru scouring the ads for 3 months. You want a 2001 - mid 40s - min. and it will need service. Want a 2002 - get ready to dig - upper 40s and up for the nice ones - 50k miles or less. The cars will go forever absolutely but time and miles take their toll on everything unless you keep up your maintenance impeccably! Everything nice comes at a price! :biggrin:
 
That's obviously the one - but there are no service records only records of mods. I can tell you there will be between 5 and 7k worth of maintenance on this car - I would bet. Just a guess but educated. I bet it needs a clutch. Another guess on my part.

When you said "last time you saw it", I mean you are speaking to it's looks I suppose. Seats ? not stock, steering wheel not stock, what happened to all the stock parts - there would be a pile of em. I sure would like to have the stock steering wheel for example.

Anyway I bet the car has bee surely put thru it's "paces" with mods like the ones listed!
 
Wow...I see you guys have located the car..awesome..It's also from a primer....

Anybody think 26k is worth it's weight in gold, or shall I offer less????

Feedback is greatly appreciated, since out of all the NSX's I've seen, this one is the most decent...but I still think it's over-priced.
 
Does anyone think that with all the mods, and most likely deferred maintenance which I will have to do...this car is solid deal at $25500???

Thanks!
 

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