Should I buy an older or newer NSX

[LMR]

I was there once, endep up with a 97, tried them all ... First I said, well, I had a S2000, a extremely fun car to drive, not as prestigious, not as "special" and no exotic (ex-supercar from the 90's either) ..yes 9K RPM's are fun but, there's no torque, is weird, but our NSX's are not "Torque monsters" either ..

I bought my used (with 12K miles) S2k @ 24K I believe years ago, 3 years later prices for a 02 S2k were around 12K (realistic price for private sale) ... that was almost 2 years ago.

Reasons I got a 97:

OK I sold my S2k for 12K (that was after I bought the NSX) .. my budget was 30K, I test drove a 91, a 93, and another 94 I believe, one thing I noticed, me and my gf, this NSX's were HOT, but, not much "faster" than our cherished fun to drive, and only 50K miles S2k .. they were faster, no doubt, but didn't justify for me to spend the extra 18K on them (91-96 with a bit more miles than the S2000) ....

Then I decided to go up to 40K (yikesssss) but the 3.2 with the 6speed really has a noticeable difference, in performance, I love NSX's regardless, but I think that If I came from a Prelude o a car like that, I'd be happy, but the S2k transition made me take the extra balls to spend more but get a car I wouldn't regret.

So the looks are a bit outdated, yes, but with spacers, lowered, 02 Wheels and rear -and other mods- I am a happy camper now.

As "heySkippy" said, the sweet spot are the 97-01's ... I LOVE the bug-eyes, but man, they are a lot more $$ and still they don't really make me think about doing a 02+ upgrade on the front, I quite frankly, LOVE the pop-up eyes

As the prices right now are so low, I wouldn't even hesitate to look for a 97+ ... I remember in 07 I almost bought a 93 for 36K .... prices are amazing now, GO FOR IT!!!

Oscar

PS: either way, I am sure you will be very very happy, NSX's regardless of the year, they are all amazing cars!




====
02+ are hot cars

but a 91-01 "refreshened" car can look as hot if not even more

But that is MY Opinion, I might be wrong.

Nothing wrong there, that's a sweet car.

 

[Big_D]

If I were looking I would get this one...can't go wrong and save a ton of $$$.

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139280

 

[LMR]

If I were looking I would get this one...can't go wrong and save a ton of $$$.

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139280

That is a nice one. I am pretty set on a black on black now and leaning towards a newer one but thanks for the info.

 

[Big_D]

That is a nice one. I am pretty set on a black on black now and leaning towards a newer one but thanks for the info.

Your Welcome.

I sold my black one...I miss it but I sure don't miss how fast the dirt shows on the black paint. I won't own another black car. :wink:

 

[EuroBoutique]

Forget all the crap about which one is better,

JUST BUY WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD ~ no one here can honestly say they prefer a 91 if they can get a 2005 model.

All cars need maintenance and the older cars need more it's that simple - buy the newest one that you can afford, simple as that.

 

[mknmoves]

forget all the crap about which one is better,

just buy what you can afford ~ no one here can honestly say they prefer a 91 if they can get a 2005 model.

All cars need maintenance and the older cars need more it's that simple - buy the newest one that you can afford, simple as that.

+1 +1 +1

 

[RYU]

JUST BUY WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD ~ no one here can honestly say they prefer a 91 if they can get a 2005 model.

I will challenge you on this one sir... It's a rather general comment.

 

[Big_D]

Don't forget about depreciation...the early cars are done. Newer ones...time will tell.

 

[LMR]

Don't forget about depreciation...the early cars are done. Newer ones...time will tell.

I plan on keeping the car for several years so what ever it is worth then will be another benifit of getting to drive it so long.

 

[scorp965]

no one here can honestly say they prefer a 91 if they can get a 2005 model.

I suppose it depends on your intended use; the earlier coupes are lighter, stiffer, have manual steering, and have OBD1 engine diagnostics, which makes them better candidates for forced induction (not to mention the gearing is better-suited for turbochargers).

If you want the "fastest" nsx, starting with a 1991-1994 makes far more sense than a 2005.

 

[tbromley]

Well LMR, you can see this is a big debate here - always pulls people out for the discussion and it shows that all the NSXs made have their own following despite the money issue. However, I've always said the same thing that Sr4play said - buy the latest model with the lowest miles you can afford - just on principal of getting one with the least maintenance needed, etc.

All things being equal it's hard to fault any of the NSXs - they all have their strong points. Like Big D showed you there are 91s out there with 05 miles - that red one is a nice car - it will not last long - maintenance up to date and low miles in pristine condition - rarer than hen's teeth!!!! Book it - in my relatively short time here - about 14 months something like that - you see about 2 of these guys a year - if that! How many of em are left - right? So if you want an early car - that red one D found is a jewel. Is 36k a good price - well it's a premium price for a premium car - "market price" - TBD! When I found one like that - it was a 93 for that same money and about those miles and it was white - so 36k for this one may be just a bit on the hopeful side in my opinion, but like I say - how many of those guys are out there anymore. They're going fast!

I like the sound of it cause it means my car is still valuable !!!:wink: Basic point if you shop smart you can't go wrong with any of these cars - but I will say this if those of us with the 91-96 cars could snap our fingers and poof we'd have the later 6 speed - we'd all do it - to a man! My guess....

 

[mknmoves]

Lately I have seen, a few earlier model NSXs with lower miles with asking prices in line with 02+ with the same miles.

Same miles/same price 11 years newer, what would you buy??

 

[tbromley]

Lately I have seen, a few earlier model NSXs with lower miles with asking prices in line with 02+ with the same miles.

Same miles/same price 11 years newer, what would you buy??

All I have to say is this, if I ever am in the market for one again - I'm asking you mknmoves what to do - cause dude, you can find some great deals. I ain't kiddin either! You are the man!

Oh and to answer your question - I'd buy the 02+ every time! I'd just like to know where you find an 02+ for 36k......:wink: I wasn't aware they exist. I'm just using the red one that D found as an example...91 with 19k miles or was it 18k miles for 36k with all maintenance up to date - now you find me an 02+ that meets that scenario and there will be 50 buyers ready for that! I'd be one of em too! :biggrin: Hell I'm ready right now!

 

[LMR]

Good points from all. Let me tell you where I am in my thought process. In the very beginning I was leaning towards an older one to save money for future repairs and bank the rest. But after reading all the posts leading up to Friday I was leaning more towards a newer one and went and looked at 2 local 2000's over the weekend. A black on black, my prefered color combo, and a blue w/black, a very nice color also. I liked everythng about the black except the clutch was too stiff for a daily car. After doing some checking it will probably be to costly to install a stock or softer clutch. The blue was also nice but priced a little higher than the black and do not think he will come down to where I need. So now I am thinking of looking at a 97 or 98 so I still get the 3.2 and 6 speed and have some money left if needed for future repairs/maintenance and to keep the wife happy, well somewhat happy anyways. I am not giving up on a 00 or 01 just think I need to expand my options. What do you all think?

 

[mknmoves]

All I have to say is this, if I ever am in the market for one again - I'm asking you mknmoves what to do - cause dude, you can find some great deals. I ain't kiddin either! You are the man!

Oh and to answer your question - I'd buy the 02+ every time! I'd just like to know where you find an 02+ for 36k......:wink: I wasn't aware they exist. I'm just using the red one that D found as an example...91 with 19k miles or was it 18k miles for 36k with all maintenance up to date - now you find me an 02+ that meets that scenario and there will be 50 buyers ready for that! I'd be one of em too! :biggrin: Hell I'm ready right now!

I wasn't actually speaking of the red one, but I will. I was speaking of this one on EBAY.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1991...iewItem&pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item1e5d6b0930

JH4NA1153MT000595 MILES: 17,677 PRICE: $43,988.00

I know I can get an 02 with decent miles for that price.

Back to the 91 or 36k.....no You probably cant get an 02 for 36k with that low of miles, but I know you can get an 02 for about 40k with low enough miles, I know of at least 2 right now. ( I will not give up my sources!) So that being said a 91 with looow miles for 36k or an 02+ with average miles for 40k...I'll spend the extra 4k! Just my opinion.:biggrin:

 

[tbromley]

Les,

If I were you I would start pm'g mknmoves....:biggrin:

Find out where you can get an 02 with medium miles for 40k- that's my advice. Now I don't mean to poopoo the older cars at all - and if you want a red one with 18k miles and all the maintenance up to date - there's one of those for 36k but I've got to say that I still adhere to the latest, lowest miler, best maintained, with records from an individual you can find/afford!

I can say no more. But this last post by mknmoves has peaked my interest and I believe him. I've talked with him and he is good at finding good deals - that's all I can tell you. If I could have bought a good medium miler for 40k with maintenance up to date when I was looking I would have!!! That's the bottom line.

Here's what I thought: I wouldn't have to put 5k to 7k in a car when I bought an early car. I bought mine for 28.5k and it had a stack of receipts - which is good.

Here's what I found out: I had to put 5 to 6k in my car over the course of a year to get it just right and I started out putting 5.3k in it! Yep that's right.

But I also found out at the time all the later model cars were around 40k and would still need some money put in - so I wouldn't just have 40k in it - I'd have most likely had 45k in it. At the time - a year ago. I still say that is most likely still true - although you may be able to get an 02 now - don't know. Maybe so though - but it will need something at that price - could you drive it a year or so and sell it and not put any in it - yes - most likely. I bought mine with the idea of keeping it. I've been buying and selling cars a lot lately and that was wearing my wife thin! Know what I mean.......

So - now I have about 10k less in a car - did I find the best deal out there - maybe not but I didn't find a bad one either. Food for thought.

 

[LMR]

Les,

If I were you I would start pm'g mknmoves....:biggrin:

Find out where you can get an 02 with medium miles for 40k- that's my advice. Now I don't mean to poopoo the older cars at all - and if you want a red one with 18k miles and all the maintenance up to date - there's one of those for 36k but I've got to say that I still adhere to the latest, lowest miler, best maintained, with records from an individual you can find/afford!

I can say no more. But this last post by mknmoves has peaked my interest and I believe him. I've talked with him and he is good at finding good deals - that's all I can tell you. If I could have bought a good medium miler for 40k with maintenance up to date when I was looking I would have!!! That's the bottom line.

Here's what I thought: I wouldn't have to put 5k to 7k in a car when I bought an early car. I bought mine for 28.5k and it had a stack of receipts - which is good.

Here's what I found out: I had to put 5 to 6k in my car over the course of a year to get it just right and I started out putting 5.3k in it! Yep that's right.

But I also found out at the time all the later model cars were around 40k and would still need some money put in - so I wouldn't just have 40k in it - I'd have most likely had 45k in it. At the time - a year ago. I still say that is most likely still true - although you may be able to get an 02 now - don't know. Maybe so though - but it will need something at that price - could you drive it a year or so and sell it and not put any in it - yes - most likely. I bought mine with the idea of keeping it. I've been buying and selling cars a lot lately and that was wearing my wife thin! Know what I mean.......

So - now I have about 10k less in a car - did I find the best deal out there - maybe not but I didn't find a bad one either. Food for thought.

I just PM'ed him before I read this post, we must think the same way.

 

[UberNSX]

Well LMR, you can see this is a big debate here - always pulls people out for the discussion and it shows that all the NSXs made have their own following despite the money issue. However, I've always said the same thing that Sr4play said - buy the latest model with the lowest miles you can afford - just on principal of getting one with the least maintenance needed, etc.

I agree with a lot of this. My own personal predilections are a little off kilter from most. My decision engine was (aside from the obvious, clean, no accidents, good shape, good paint):

1) I like the flip-up lights better than the bugs. Now I'm between 1991-2001.
2) It's a sunny day car, not a daily driver, so the targa would be great. Now I'm between 1995-2001.
3) I prefer the 3.2 engine since I'm not going to be trying to boost the engine. 1997-2001.
4) Can't be black or yellow, anything else is fine.
5) Prefer as much be stock as possible. Don't really care about performance mods. 7-spoke stock wheels are fine too.
6) I don't mind higher mileage if it's had regular oil changes.
7) I actually love the wrenching, so having some service due or deferred maintenance is no stopper, cuz I want to do that. I have the Helms' for all my Hondas and 20+ years experience & tool accumulation taught me to trust my own work above any shop, up to and including TB/WP and clutch jobs. And if the result is a lower initial cost, that goes in the plus column.

So following the "buy the newest example of the car you want that you can afford" precept, my dream car would be a mid-mileage '01 T with lots of oil change records that ends up on the lower end of the typical price range because it doesn't necessarily have the TB/WP service or a biggie like 60K done yet.

Basic point if you shop smart you can't go wrong with any of these cars - but I will say this if those of us with the 91-96 cars could snap our fingers and poof we'd have the later 6 speed - we'd all do it - to a man! My guess....

You got it. I figured, ah, that'll never happen, a 3.2 meeting those criteria that I can afford. I figured it's no big deal to "settle" for a 91 or 92 while keeping an eye out. But would you believe after just a couple months I stumbled on one that looks like it fulfills nearly all my criteria. I ain't got it yet, but it's in process. If everything checks out on a PPI, I will own it, and I'll be wandering at work around muttering "Opulence... I has it" and then going home and laying under the thing, refreshing fluids, swapping filters and hoses, retorquing stuff to spec, etc etc.

I sure hope that's how it goes. I'm looking forward to it, and yet kind of intimidated still. I mean, you've all seen how many coolant drains and bleeds there are, right?

 

[BATMANs]

If ur plans includes significant power mods (Supercharger, turbos and/or stroker kit) and handling mods, then save the $$$ on the car by getting an earlier model. Ideally the OBD-1 models.

For matters of safety, keeping the weight low, chassis rigidity, I would stay away from the Targa models, which are the later models.

OBD-2 has 2 more O2 sensors. It's an emission PITA, especially when u want to make some serious HP in California, or smog tough states.

 

[heySkippy]

~ no one here can honestly say they prefer a 91 if they can get a 2005 model.

Speak for yourself. I wouldn't have a 2005 model unless it was retrofitted with popups. I'm glad other people like them, but I can't stand the fixed headlights.

 

[sportmarc]

Speak for yourself. I wouldn't have a 2005 model unless it was retrofitted with popups. I'm glad other people like them, but I can't stand the fixed headlights.

HA! - glad I'm not the only one.
The only way I would ever get a fixed headlamp NSX is if I could flip it for a profit!:smile:

 

[oscar_driver]

1) I like the flip-up lights better than the bugs. Now I'm between 1991-2001.
2) It's a sunny day car, not a daily driver, so the targa would be great. Now I'm between 1995-2001.
3) I prefer the 3.2 engine since I'm not going to be trying to boost the engine. 1997-2001.
4) Can't be black or yellow, anything else is fine.
5) Prefer as much be stock as possible. Don't really care about performance mods. 7-spoke stock wheels are fine too.
6) I don't mind higher mileage if it's had regular oil changes.
7) I actually love the wrenching, so having some service due or deferred maintenance is no stopper, cuz I want to do that. I have the Helms' for all my Hondas and 20+ years experience & tool accumulation taught me to trust my own work above any shop, up to and including TB/WP and clutch jobs. And if the result is a lower initial cost, that goes in the plus column.

So funny, that is EXACTLY what my process of thought was 2 years ago when I got mine, after sooo much thought I decided I wanted a 97-01, under 60K miles (not many miles, yet not super low = $$)

• I wanted to take my old-school styling and make it bit more modern.

• I do like to work on the car, take my time, baby the car

• Not a DD but a weekend warrior definitely, i bought mine to drive.

So, when I found my 97, it was 46K but managed to get it for 40K, 58K miles, JUST SERVICED, TP, WP, new steering rack & pinion, all records, mile by mile done @ a Acura dealer close to my house, a super picky owner, he replaced the trunk rubber seals and so many little items, all records on a folder (including dealer leather conditioning etc)... amazing, even the kind of brake fluid, he wrote a letter asking me (or whoever was going to be the next owner) to use a certain brand, car was fully stock 100%

OK so then I spent around 7K to make it look the way I want, I installed all of all my cosmetic mods myself (not tints), and even my suspension (then I brought to my mechanic to align and check if all was correct etc) ....

I change oil with Royal purple every 5K miles, and I only have normal wear items such tires, pads, fluids to replace.

My only 2 issues in 2 years and 15K miles were, Axle, and the clutch Slave cylinder (fixed last week).

And although I don't DD my car, I DRIVE A LOT during the weekends!

Do I regret? NEVER, I feel like I have the car exactly the way I want, and If i need to sell for ANY reason, I am sure the next owner will take and drive all the way to Argentina if he/she wants .. that's how solid is.

I hope I didn't get annoying with so much writing, but wanted to share my ownership experience.

Oscar

 

[UberNSX]

I hope I didn't get annoying with so much writing, but wanted to share my ownership experience.

Oscar

Heck no Oscar, I'm eating it up.

Funny you mention brake fluid and motor oil, I was planning on Super Blue and Royal Purple myself

I'll probably take mine to work occasionally if I'm coming in early enough to get an end-cap spot in the garage.

The previous owner of your car sounds like... me. The one I'm looking at has had 3 owners, and I don't think the last 2 were as fastidious as I'm likely to be (I am the original owner of a car with 212K miles, and have records of every FILLUP)

The most major mods I do would probably center around the sound system, and/or changing out the center console to support a double-din with GPS. I needs my mp3s... got a 160GB drive in one of my other cars and it spoiled me Plus it's 2010. There isn't a cassette deck in the world that could look cool today.

 

[LMR]

So funny, that is EXACTLY what my process of thought was 2 years ago when I got mine, after sooo much thought I decided I wanted a 97-01, under 60K miles (not many miles, yet not super low = $$)

• I wanted to take my old-school styling and make it bit more modern.

• I do like to work on the car, take my time, baby the car

• Not a DD but a weekend warrior definitely, i bought mine to drive.

So, when I found my 97, it was 46K but managed to get it for 40K, 58K miles, JUST SERVICED, TP, WP, new steering rack & pinion, all records, mile by mile done @ a Acura dealer close to my house, a super picky owner, he replaced the trunk rubber seals and so many little items, all records on a folder (including dealer leather conditioning etc)... amazing, even the kind of brake fluid, he wrote a letter asking me (or whoever was going to be the next owner) to use a certain brand, car was fully stock 100%

OK so then I spent around 7K to make it look the way I want, I installed all of all my cosmetic mods myself (not tints), and even my suspension (then I brought to my mechanic to align and check if all was correct etc) ....

I change oil with Royal purple every 5K miles, and I only have normal wear items such tires, pads, fluids to replace.

My only 2 issues in 2 years and 15K miles were, Axle, and the clutch Slave cylinder (fixed last week).

And although I don't DD my car, I DRIVE A LOT during the weekends!

Do I regret? NEVER, I feel like I have the car exactly the way I want, and If i need to sell for ANY reason, I am sure the next owner will take and drive all the way to Argentina if he/she wants .. that's how solid is.

I hope I didn't get annoying with so much writing, but wanted to share my ownership experience.

Oscar

Oscar, that's great. This is just confirming the NSX will be the right car for me:smile:

 

[tbromley]

Oscar - great write! I always enjoy your posts, they are always from the heart! I really appreciate your sentiments and perspective and you KNOW I like long write ups....:biggrin: