Warning for potential buyer... JH4NA1156RT000338

[Herblenny]

I wanted to share today's experience with you all.

Me and two of my friends drove down to look at this car (one guy know all about RX7s and other owns a use car lot and expert paint guy):

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...year=2007&start_year=1981&lang=en&cardist=214

http://cars.com/go/search/detail.js...832&recnum=1&leadExists=true&sellerFirst=true

JH4NA1156RT000338

Seller describes to me the condition of the body and paint and tells me " I challenge you to find a single flaw in the paint job" (he emailed this to me).

I also asked him if the car burn or leak any oil. He tell me NO!

So, I drive from Bham, AL to Pensacola, FL, to check out the car and purchase it....
As my friends will agree with me, the paint was just HORRIBLE. He got some of the panels painted and its one of the worst paint job I've ever seen. Its so bad that I could see the sand paper scratches 4-5 feet away. Also, the car was in front end accident and the gaps were off by the headlights and the hood. The rear bumper was painted and had over spray and also coarse paper markings. I guess I'm more picky then some and I'm sure anyone who's spending 20+K on a used car would be too.

After seeing the paint, we jacked up the car, crawled underneath, and saw.... OIL EVERYWHERE!!! Closer inspection, it seems like oil was coming out of the valve cover, oil pan, and other places... I just could not believe what I saw.

Also, the wheels were scrapped badly and he tried to cover up a ripped seats by sewing the leather himself.
Overall, the owner pretty much didn't take car of the car. I have 15 year old daily that sat outside but taken car of had better interior and paint..

So, I spent 14 hours today driving to FL from AL and I wasted my time, my friends time (3 other people), because this owner just lied about his car.

I'm now also experiencing other issues with another owner that I did business with yesterday night... Hope this isn't a trend with NSX owners (I hope the other owner on this forum reads this and reconsider his decision).

I just want to post this so that others don't waste time like I did... If I could help one person, its worth my time.

PHILIP SOHN

 

[da3dalus]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

Good to know. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Herblenny]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

The seller just emailed me after I mentioned to him that he had wasted my time.

Good luck to you, Phil – you’ll be driving a cheap compact the rest of your life.

Funny thing is that he was trying to sell his "junk" NSX to buy a truck (I guess he didn't have enough money).

I on the other hand own 2 x RX7s that each one is valued far greater than his NSX and 3 other cars that I've completely paid off. I also brought money from my checking instead of getting an loan.. But I guess he's a better man since he owns an NSX!

 

[latzke]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

The seller just emailed me after I mentioned to him that he had wasted my time.

Funny thing is that he was trying to sell his "junk" NSX to buy a truck (I guess he didn't have enough money).

I on the other hand own 2 x RX7s that each one is valued far greater than his NSX and 3 other cars that I've completely paid off. I also brought money from my checking instead of getting an loan.. But I guess he's a better man since he owns an NSX!

Just saw this and your other thread. I would suggest that you not take things so personally or get personal with others (even if they start it). I would certainly be upset/frustrated given the events as you describe them above. There is also value warning others about such, in a thread, so they don't experience the same. However, ad hominem attacks detract from taking such a thread by taking it off-topic and are poor taste anyway. Nobody cares who has more money, what car they drive, etc. Making flippant comments regarding such is self-defeating if you'd like others reading this thread to consider you a reasonable and respectable individual who is representing things truthfully.

Sorry to hear about your experience.

 

[ediddynsx]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

Hi Deals,

First of all I want to welcome you to the Forum.

Just wanted to throw in my two cents.....you get what you pay for when it comes to buying an NSX for 24k or any exotic car for a real cheap price......if you have done your homework on this site......

looking here http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/BuySell/pricing.htm

And here is a short statement from the very first paragraph every prospective buyer should know

"By definition, fair market value is whatever someone is willing to pay. Many people seem to confuse market value with the value of a car to them personally. Additionally, some "dreamers" look for the lowest price they can find regardless of not knowing the condition of the car, whether it is an auction price, whether the car is on the other side of the country, whether the car may have been a crash repair, etc. and then expect the same price on a nice car from every private seller they talk to. I have seen MANY NSXs and all the ones that sold for a really low price were sold at that price for a reason." Courtesy of the FAQ section.

You will notice a A condition 1994 NSX will go for 40-45k....I bought my 91 for $36,500 after haggling 2k off. So you should not be surprised that a 24k and the fact it is 94 NSX will be looking like what you saw. Even if the Seller did misrepresent himself, searching on here would have shown you that paying 24k for a 94 NSX will get you a F, X condition car.

I am not trying to chastize you at all, I am simply saying if you have done your homework then it wouldn't have been a surprise. No owner on here will sell his NSX for a price like that if his car was clean even with high miles. My buddies 1991 NSX with about the same mileage or more of that 94 you were looking at is asking $28000-$29000 but his car is clean, maintained and never been in an accident.

It took me a good year before I found the one for me that I liked. I already knew coming in to buying one that anything under 30k for 1991 will either be high mileage, abused, needs a lot of work, salvaged, been in a wreck, or any other X factors. So you see the picture now right?

1991 NSX with 166k+ miles asking $28-29K versus 1994 NSX with 166k+ miles and asking $24k. That should tell you something right there from the start.

Also just to let you know that I do appreciate RX-7's and I like them also. But coming on here and saying how great and modded your rx-7's and how much money you have does not make you look so good either. Insulting them (Prime members and Owners) also will not warrant people wanting to lend a helping hand either. There are plenty of people on Prime with a lot money but they do not need to brag of what they have. And there are so many nice guys and gals on here. So I suggest trying to start off again politely and start over.

RX-7's are way cheaper to mod and buy than a NSX overall. So that is why you do not see too many fully modded ones on here because it will cost 2X,3X,4X of what it cost to mod an RX7. See Danny's car in Sport Compact Car Dec issue and you will know what I am talking about. My buddy has 7 RX-7's sitting in his backyard because they are so cheap to get. You are not going to get a cheap NSX here and expect it to be clean. Unless the gods smile on you and you get it from a Divorce sale or some guy needing the money bad.

Just wanted to give you some helpful info on looking at getting one if you really are still in the market for getting one. A lot of people are trying to find that super clean used NSX for under 30K......let me tell you its not going to happen unless it is the exceptions I have explained. Good luck if you are still looking for one. I suggest you meet with some NSX guys and get some feedback and do some more research before going out looking for one. Finding that right one will take time and it will depend on budget. Rule of thumb from me is anything under 30k starting from a 1991 NSX will have issues that I have described above.

 

[Aero]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

Eddie says it perfect.

There's people out there that really don't know much about their NSX (they probably aren't members here) and to them it looks better than it will to you who knows how to spot things and knows about cars. When I had old Corvettes I'd go look at "matching numbers" cars only to find not a single # match. THey just put that cause they didn't know what it meant.
Because NSXs are rare you run the risk in the hunt that you're gonna have to put up with the frustrations of finding a good one.

 

[swbatte]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

While I do agree with the posts above that "you get what you pay for", you can easily overpay for an NSX like you have discovered. When I was hunting for mine, the majority were in average to rough shape. Let's say anywhere from a 5-7 out of ten. In that span, I saw poor paint, damaged interiors, mechanical flaws etc. There was no difference in price and they all wanted the 8/10 price, because the 'other guy' in autotrader who took care of his car was asking more, so they did to.

Keep looking for the nice car, but be prepared to travel and take your time. It took me 3 months and I saw 10 cars before I found one at a price I could pay that was in excellent condition. Good Luck!

(In the meantime, put some miles on your RX-7 and enjoy that for a while!):biggrin:

 

[ediddynsx]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

While I do agree with the posts above that "you get what you pay for", you can easily overpay for an NSX like you have discovered. When I was hunting for mine, the majority were in average to rough shape. Let's say anywhere from a 5-7 out of ten. In that span, I saw poor paint, damaged interiors, mechanical flaws etc. There was no difference in price and they all wanted the 8/10 price, because the 'other guy' in autotrader who took care of his car was asking more, so they did to.

Keep looking for the nice car, but be prepared to travel and take your time. It took me 3 months and I saw 10 cars before I found one at a price I could pay that was in excellent condition. Good Luck!

(In the meantime, put some miles on your RX-7 and enjoy that for a while!):biggrin:

I don't think I have overpaid for anything at all.......

Personally I rather "overpay" a little bit then buy a used one that needs a lot of work or any work really. I rather spend my money on mods then spend money having to get the car back to mint shape. My car had 24k miles on it and it came with racing hart type-c rims 17,18s, koni shocks and H&R springs, cantrell type-r mesh cover, type-r boot, AIS, type-r shift knob, rm dtm exhuast, comptech headers, viper alarm, and the car was pretty mint 9 out of 10. My paint is still glossier today then most peoples NSX's out there. My car is an A+ condition car so please check yourself before you start saying that I overpaid.

Mike- Thank you.....I know you know what I am talking about also. I am not saying you cannot find the good deals out there but they are far and few. If it is a good deal then someone would have already snatched it up right away. I had people in line waiting for me to drop out when I bought my car. Good thing everything turned out for me.

 

[swbatte]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

I don't think I have overpaid for anything at all.......

Personally I rather "overpay" a little bit then buy a used one that needs a lot of work or any work really. I rather spend my money on mods then spend money having to get the car back to mint shape. My car had 24k miles on it and it came with racing hart type-c rims 17,18s, koni shocks and H&R springs, cantrell type-r mesh cover, type-r boot, AIS, type-r shift knob, rm dtm exhuast, comptech headers, viper alarm, and the car was pretty mint 9 out of 10. My paint is still glossier today then most peoples NSX's out there. My car is an A+ condition car so please check yourself before you start saying that I overpaid.

I totally agree and that is exactly what I did myself. I don't know if I overpaid, but I paid a fair price for what was in my mind an excellent car.

 

[ediddynsx]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

I totally agree and that is exactly what I did myself. I don't know if I overpaid, but I paid a fair price for what was in my mind an excellent car.

Well I am glad you got yours for a fair price. Enjoy your car and take care of it because I know the values of the car will go up.


Cheers,

Eddie

 

[Chromatose]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

Many thanks for the heads up. Your calling out this guy in public who mislead you on the condition of his NSX is EXACTLY what this forum is for.
Be patient in your search. I searched for one year and flew all over the country looking at NSX's. NSX's that were described to me over the phone as "perfect" but in reality were far from. And, of course I saw pictures, but pictures do not tell the entire story. For example, I flew to Miami to look at an NSX at Prestige; when the salesman opened up the trunk, it smelled like someone had hauled dead fish in it! HORRIBLE smell. No way would pictures have told me that.

 

[The Kid]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

Im just curious what you wanted a 1994 car with 166k miles to look like? Id be expecting a pig with those kind of miles and price:wink:

 

[NSX-GUY]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

Im just curious what you wanted a 1994 car with 166k miles to look like? Id be expecting a pig with those kind of miles and price:wink:

I'm tellling Hugh on you !!! :wink: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

 

[The Kid]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

I'm tellling Hugh on you !!! :wink: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Ive seen his car before:redface: :tongue: Just kidding

 

[jimmycinla]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

Hi Deals,



Even if the Seller did misrepresent himself, searching on here would have shown you that paying 24k for a 94 NSX will get you a F, X condition car.

I am not trying to chastize you at all, I am simply saying if you have done your homework then it wouldn't have been a surprise. No owner on here will sell his NSX for a price like that if his car was clean even with high miles.

I already knew coming in to buying one that anything under 30k for 1991 will either be high mileage, abused, needs a lot of work, salvaged, been in a wreck, or any other X factors. So you see the picture now right?


Just wanted to give you some helpful info on looking at getting one if you really are still in the market for getting one. A lot of people are trying to find that super clean used NSX for under 30K......let me tell you its not going to happen unless it is the exceptions I have explained.\.

I totally disagree.

Deals,
If you are vigilant in your search you will find a early year great condition NSX under 30k. Now why they are few and far between, they are out there but you have to be ready to drop everything and go. I found two in my 13 month quest, but it was worth the wait and I got a awesome deal. He was on Prime as well, I realized after the purchase.
Unfortunately this seller led you on as to the condition but thats all part of the game.
While it is stressful, keep at it you will find it.

-j-

P.S. I flew to Sacramento with cash in hand to by a "Perfect Condition" 308 and drive it home. Well I flew home.
And the worst part ? The seller picked me up from the airport and had to take me back (quite ride).\

'

 

[ediddynsx]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

I totally disagree.

Deals,
If you are vigilant in your search you will find a early year great condition NSX under 30k. Now why they are few and far between, they are out there but you have to be ready to drop everything and go. I found two in my 13 month quest, but it was worth the wait and I got a awesome deal. He was on Prime as well, I realized after the purchase.
Unfortunately this seller led you on as to the condition but thats all part of the game.
While it is stressful, keep at it you will find it.

-j-

P.S. I flew to Sacramento with cash in hand to by a "Perfect Condition" 308 and drive it home. Well I flew home.
And the worst part ? The seller picked me up from the airport and had to take me back (quite ride).\

'

Well you can disagree all you want.....that is your right, I am just stating MY personal rule of thumb and experiences. I've never said you cannot find a nice or decent one for under 30k. But from the ones I have seen all the ones 30k and above were the LOW mileage, clean and maintained ones.

Also you are contradicting yourself.......it took you 13 months to find two clean ones? That is telling me that they are far and few. Yes you have to be vigilant and drop everything if you find one right away that is in the price range you are looking for. There are plenty of NSX's for sale but the question is are they in the condition and price that fit your needs? A lot of new buyers are looking in the 20k-28k range.....and 9 out of 10 they are usually disappointed. The prices Usually don't lie about the condtion of the car.

If there are that many out there then it would not have taken you that long to find one or two within 13 months. For me it took over a year and looking all over the US as with a lot of other people looking for their cars. So for my personal experiences that is far and few. But I am picky and I wanted low miles, clean and maintained.

1991 blk/ivory with 24k miles that came with a lot of goodies.

 

[jimmycinla]

Re: Warning for potential buyer...

Well you can disagree all you want.....that is your right, I am just stating MY personal rule of thumb and experiences. I've never said you cannot find a nice or decent one for under 30k.

A lot of people are trying to find that super clean used NSX for under 30K......let me tell you its not going to happen unless it is the exceptions I have explained.\.

No contradiction in my statement. I said they were few and far between.
I also looked at a lot of NSX's all over as well in the 13 months.
I was just letting Deals know that he can and will find a great NSX under 30k if he is persistent and patient in his search.

Deals, mine was a one owner car since 92 with 50k and I got it for 25k. So keep looking!

Good luck Deals.

-jim-