Question about the NSX market

[swift996]

Hey guys, I've always enjoyed the design and engineering of the NSX and I think I finally want to dive into the market and buy one. I've done some research on things to look for etc. I was wondering how often you can find an early model year 91-94 with under 60k miles going for a reasonable price? I occasionally look at the classifieds around the web but don't have a good pulse on the market.

I currently own an e46 M3 and use to have a 996 Porsche 911. I want to get back into something lighter and more sports oriented. I'm considering an NSX and a Cayman S. I like the concept of the NSX a little better and think it would be cool to own one for a while. I'd appreciate any feedback on how easy it is to find a respected/coveted model.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[RSO 34]

What do you consider "reasonable" ?

 

[CarterK]

Hey guys, I've always enjoyed the design and engineering of the NSX and I think I finally want to dive into the market and buy one. I've done some research on things to look for etc. I was wondering how often you can find an early model year 91-94 with under 60k miles going for a reasonable price? I occasionally look at the classifieds around the web but don't have a good pulse on the market.

I currently own an e46 M3 and use to have a 996 Porsche 911. I want to get back into something lighter and more sports oriented. I'm considering an NSX and a Cayman S. I like the concept of the NSX a little better and think it would be cool to own one for a while. I'd appreciate any feedback on how easy it is to find a respected/coveted model.

Thanks,
Jon

I was considering a Cayman S for awhile before ending up with an NSX. For the same price of a lightly used Cayman S you could get a pristine 91-94 NSX, and you'd be happy with your decision. I think the Cayman is a great looking car, but it is a dime a dozen compared to the NSX.

There are plenty of good NSXs within your year range that are going for low 30's or high 20's. You'll mostly have to stick to private sellers to find them though, dealerships think any NSX that still runs is worth 30k.

 

[SonOfLiberty]

Hey Jon! What side of Orlando do you live in? I live in the Orlando area too.

Good luck on the search for your NSX. I've never driven a Porsche, so I can't say which drives better. But as far as cool factor and looks, the NSX takes the cake in my opinion.

 

[Big_D]

If you have cash in hand, then its not that difficult. You just need to be ready when the right one comes along because these cars are in demand and the supply is getting more and more limited.

Figure about 6 months to a year to find the right one. Documented maintenance history is the most important aspect of the search.

Good Luck!

 

[Ric]

Be prepared to pay more for just a used "Honda".

 

[Sportsmind4me]

It will be easiest to find a '91 that meets your criteria because it was the year with the highest production #'s. They pop up on Prime and nsxtraderonline on occasion, but more often on autotrader. Most members here bought from private parties and would agree for the most part to stay away from dealers, most importantly the small outfits. As far as "coveted" ones go, sebring silver is the rarest of the '91 colors. The black and red ones with black interiors are the most common, they are less common with the ivory interior. Grand Prix White was offered '92 on (if I'm not mistaken) in the most limited #'s, and '94 saw the addition of Brooklands Green. Finding one of these rare colors in stock form will be even more difficult. I passed on both a silver and a white and ended up with a red/blk b/c it was the only one that I had looked at that was completely stock and still belonged to the original owner. Just depends on where your priorities lie.

 

[NSX2398]

It appears you're new around here. If you haven't already seen it, you might want to check out the NSX Wiki (off the red action bar at the top of most pages) .. specifically the "Buying an NSX" section which has lots of useful information and things to avoid such as the transmission 'snap ring' issue.

Also note that there is a major service interval at 7 years or 90k where the timing belt, water pump, and other items are replaced which is somewhat expensive. This is a 'whichever comes first' kind of thing so having good maintenance records are important and you may find someone who has already had it done at 50k several years ago. But for a '91, you could argue that you'll soon be coming up to your third major service even if it's low mileage.

Good luck

 

[RedWings]

..and here is the obligatory suggestion for any prospective buyer

For any NSX that you are considering, get a formal pre-purchase inspection by a qualified mechanic. Not just any mechanic, a qualified NSX mechanic/shop.

I'd recommend that you meet some local owners and get to understand the finer points of what to look for and also understand more about why we enjoy this car.

I think that you will find that "its cool to own one", perhaps for more than a little while.

 

[swift996]

Thanks for all the feedback, I've been a lurker here for a while.

A reasonable price to me would be around/under $30-35k.

A Cayman S (06-08) is near the same range and being a huge Porsche fan, I consider it a great value. I've driven a Cayman S and it's a blast. I think the NSX has some very unique engineering and something you don't see too often. I've been through 13 cars now and I'm in my late 20's.

There are a ton of cars I like, so I typically will hold onto them for a year or two and try something else. I like to get really knowledgeable about the in and outs of the car and of course master driving the car to it's limits. I like to find cars with lower miles/pristine condition so that if I decide it's not something I want long-term, I can get my money back out of it. I've owned several Hondas and spent a lot of time with RX7s. Once I started to make more money I moved into European sports cars. I've never driven an NSX but from the performance figures and articles they seem pretty close to a Cayman S/996 911 which is plenty enough to have fun in.

 

[Big_D]

I will say, once you get into an NSX you wont find anything else that compares for the $. It is such a pleasure to drive. Thats why so many owners keep coming back to pick up another.

Thanks for all the feedback, I've been a lurker here for a while.

A reasonable price to me would be around/under $30-35k.

A Cayman S (06-08) is near the same range and being a huge Porsche fan, I consider it a great value. I've driven a Cayman S and it's a blast. I think the NSX has some very unique engineering and something you don't see too often. I've been through 13 cars now and I'm in my late 20's.

There are a ton of cars I like, so I typically will hold onto them for a year or two and try something else. I like to get really knowledgeable about the in and outs of the car and of course master driving the car to it's limits. I like to find cars with lower miles/pristine condition so that if I decide it's not something I want long-term, I can get my money back out of it. I've owned several Hondas and spent a lot of time with RX7s. Once I started to make more money I moved into European sports cars. I've never driven an NSX but from the performance figures and articles they seem pretty close to a Cayman S/996 911 which is plenty enough to have fun in.

 

[swift996]

Thanks again for all the pointers. The Wiki is very helpful.