I used vast.com. It links all sites selling vehicles to theirs so you only have to go to one site.
Where did you find your NSX?
- Thread starter JMChristopher
- Start date
I was finally ready to purchase my childhood dream car and began my search on prime, cars, autotrader, craiglist, and ebay. I was flexible on color but stuck to years 97-01 as my wants were 3.2L, targa, manual, and pop-up sweetness. Searched for a couple weeks daily...maybe 20-30 cars available in all of North America at any given time (I say north because I was looking at you too Canada).
This brought the list to like 5-6 cars all over the place. After verifying VIN's and quick title checks and service history you see a very clear pattern form. Track/salvage/"why would someone do that" cars and the OEM car guys. So I was basically looking at 2 OEM cars...with 1 way out in the lead.
Contacted seller immediately, made offer, and purchased hotel and plane tickets (don't let travel or inconvenience stand between your dream). This point is important as the seller can sell it from under you, to whoever gives them the best offer, or who makes the whole process easier for them. The guy I bought from was a standup guy and basically said since I made first solid offer and made travel arrangements he would hold car for a few days. In the meantime he was flooded with requests. You have to move and move quick if you want to fulfill your dream.
Found car on Mon/Tue, verbal/email exchanges and offer, got my funds from bank Thur, and was on the plane Fri morning, and cut the deal Fri afternoon. Proceed to drive into the Cali sunset with dream fulfilled. Cruised the Cali coast the rest of the weekend and set up an enclosed transport for the car back to Texas.
Basically a whirlwind 5 days that I will never forget!
Good luck.
This brought the list to like 5-6 cars all over the place. After verifying VIN's and quick title checks and service history you see a very clear pattern form. Track/salvage/"why would someone do that" cars and the OEM car guys. So I was basically looking at 2 OEM cars...with 1 way out in the lead.
Contacted seller immediately, made offer, and purchased hotel and plane tickets (don't let travel or inconvenience stand between your dream). This point is important as the seller can sell it from under you, to whoever gives them the best offer, or who makes the whole process easier for them. The guy I bought from was a standup guy and basically said since I made first solid offer and made travel arrangements he would hold car for a few days. In the meantime he was flooded with requests. You have to move and move quick if you want to fulfill your dream.
Found car on Mon/Tue, verbal/email exchanges and offer, got my funds from bank Thur, and was on the plane Fri morning, and cut the deal Fri afternoon. Proceed to drive into the Cali sunset with dream fulfilled. Cruised the Cali coast the rest of the weekend and set up an enclosed transport for the car back to Texas.
Basically a whirlwind 5 days that I will never forget!
Good luck.
fastaussie
Suspended
sounds like a romance novel! quite the endorsement... :biggrin:
Prime
Hey JM:
Looks like lots of good advice, thus far.
I searched using the usual suspects; eBay Motors, Craigslist, Cars.com, Autotrader, Prime, etc. I found my perfect NSX on CL only ~100 miles away. The car was awesome, but the seller was a tool, so I moved along.
I found several other very nice cars on Autotrader and Cars.com, but dealing with the sellers (and dealers) was not worth the aggravation.
I finally found a nice '95 on an eBay Motors auction. I read the ad and really liked the seller's familiarity with the NSX and his obvious love for the car, and cars in general. We spoke via phone and email, got along great, and he stopped the auction and sold me his car (at less than the reserve price).
As mentioned, the right NSX sometimes will find you. In my case, it found me through the words of an honest and kind seller on the other side of the US. You will most likely find someone with a "good vibe" on Prime, but don't rule out well thought-out ads on auction sites, as well.
Speaking of auction sites, don't forget to subscribe to Bring a Trailer. NSXes sometimes appear on their site, either in auction form, or as a link to the seller.
Keep us posted, and good luck!
Looks like lots of good advice, thus far.
I searched using the usual suspects; eBay Motors, Craigslist, Cars.com, Autotrader, Prime, etc. I found my perfect NSX on CL only ~100 miles away. The car was awesome, but the seller was a tool, so I moved along.
I found several other very nice cars on Autotrader and Cars.com, but dealing with the sellers (and dealers) was not worth the aggravation.
I finally found a nice '95 on an eBay Motors auction. I read the ad and really liked the seller's familiarity with the NSX and his obvious love for the car, and cars in general. We spoke via phone and email, got along great, and he stopped the auction and sold me his car (at less than the reserve price).
As mentioned, the right NSX sometimes will find you. In my case, it found me through the words of an honest and kind seller on the other side of the US. You will most likely find someone with a "good vibe" on Prime, but don't rule out well thought-out ads on auction sites, as well.
Speaking of auction sites, don't forget to subscribe to Bring a Trailer. NSXes sometimes appear on their site, either in auction form, or as a link to the seller.
Keep us posted, and good luck!
Found mine on Daily Lister, a Craigslist search engine. The seller had posted the car one year earlier but did not return any calls because he decided not to sell. This time he received 20 calls but decided again not to sell after the first caller lowballed him. I left several messsages on his mobile and on the email address tied to the ad over a three week period. He only returned my call because he thought I would not stop trying to contact him. One week later, my son and I flew down and enjoyed a great drive home from Dallas to Indy in our new NSX. I guess my (long-winded) point is that it pays to be persistent.
This is all excellent advice. Didn't know about Vast.com and bring a trailer. Checking them out right now. These stories are also interesting.
I already have a friend that promised to do a road trip to pick up an NSX if I find the right one.
I already have a friend that promised to do a road trip to pick up an NSX if I find the right one.
Found mine on Prime. Took me almost 2 years to find my NSX, but finally the right one popped up and at the perfect time too (sold my previous toy just a month earlier). I contacted the previous owner the same day his listing went up and quickly developed a solid relationship with him. Once we were both comfortable that each other was was the right fit, things moved quickly. There were other people offering more than his asking price, but in the end he chose to sell me the car and I felt very lucky.
I think the key thing to remember is that NSX guys are VERY passionate about their cars. I know that if I ever sold my car, I would want it to go to someone who would appreciate it as much as I have...enough that I'd be willing to negotiate the price so that it found the right home. To that point, I tend to be more reluctant to purchase any specialty cars from a dealership (Auto Trader ads beware). Usually, that tells me that the previous owner didn't care for the car as much as someone who would sell it here on Prime.
I think the key thing to remember is that NSX guys are VERY passionate about their cars. I know that if I ever sold my car, I would want it to go to someone who would appreciate it as much as I have...enough that I'd be willing to negotiate the price so that it found the right home. To that point, I tend to be more reluctant to purchase any specialty cars from a dealership (Auto Trader ads beware). Usually, that tells me that the previous owner didn't care for the car as much as someone who would sell it here on Prime.
fastaussie; Talk about a small world, I think I'm the one that bought that 91 Red/Ivory in N.C. from a gentleman who was a pilot with the Air National Guard and it was a one owner car. My 13 yr old (at that time) son and I flew out and drove it 1300 miles home in Texas. And now, like you, I have an 02 Imola that I bought from a guy in Washington D.C. and drove it home. Both cars were found on Prime.
The Imola had only been posted for a few minutes and I bought it for $5K less than he was asking. The car had no issues. The seller needed the money to purchase a fairly rare Porsche and needed to raise the cash quick or risk losing the deal. He had others interested but they needed to raise the funds. I had the cash and could do the deal in 48 hours. I had the car home 4 days later. You are absolutely right, being ready to pull the trigger is an advantage when a good car pops up.
Dealers have some insane markups too. There have been a few dealer cars that were close to the right price, but after doing some digging on them they end up being salvage or having no available history except for a carfax. It is not quite enough to know how well it was cared for or when the last service was done.
I might as well just say that I have been looking for a mostly stock, 1-2 owner 93-94 silver, white or black, manual NSX. It would be even better to find one of the Non-targa 96+ models, but they are basically unicorns.
A couple years ago I came upon a black 91 with a chip, exhaust, intake and the 6 speed tranny since it was in snap ring range with lower miles. It was local and reasonably priced, but I couldn't afford it at the time. That kind of would be just about perfect for me. Maybe someday it will come up again.
Well you just missed one of the best deals in awhile and it was from a dealership...the minty 91 or 92 Sebring Silver with 39k just sold for $37,900... It was on CL.
This is why you look twice a day everyday on all the car sites/apps you can.....a deal like that pops up now and then...
I remember a few years ago during my latest search, I found a 92 GPW on autotrader with 120k, clean title, original owner for $20,000
..unfortunately he never picked up or returned my call and by the time I got a hold of him a few days later it was sold
. I was ready to hop on a plane to Florida for that one....It was on prime a year later out of Texas for $28,000... I just couldn't feel right buying that one knowing I got jipped out of $8k, although in retrospect I wish I had bought it anyway..the new owner had done all the updated maintenance then flipped it for a quick buck.
Moral of the story, look hard everyday and be willing and able to drop everything to go anywhere to get your car... I ended up getting lucky a year later when I found a very well kept bone stock blk/blk 92, 5 spd, original owner, 120k for $25,000
one night while checking my Craigslist app last year.... Literally 15 minutes from my house!!!:biggrin:Luckily I was first to call and told him I'd be there the next morning...we shook hands on his asking price and he was nice enough to hold the car a few days while I got my funds together.... He told me he had offers by the end of the day from people as far as Washington for $30k...luckily he was a nice guy with integrity and held it for me at the agreed price...so it helps to either have the cash on hand or a honorable seller when you do find the one.
Good luck!!!
Well you just missed one of the best deals in awhile and it was from a dealership...the minty 91 or 92 Sebring Silver with 39k just sold for $37,900... It was on CL.
This is why you look twice a day everyday on all the car sites/apps you can.....a deal like that pops up now and then...
I remember a few years ago during my latest search, I found a 92 GPW on autotrader with 120k, clean title, original owner for $20,000
It was on prime a year later out of Texas for $28,000... I just couldn't feel right buying that one knowing I got jipped out of $8k, although in retrospect I wish I had bought it anyway..the new owner had done all the updated maintenance then flipped it for a quick buck.
Moral of the story, look hard everyday and be willing and able to drop everything to go anywhere to get your car... I ended up getting lucky a year later when I found a very well kept bone stock blk/blk 92, 5 spd, original owner, 120k for $25,000
Luckily I was first to call and told him I'd be there the next morning...we shook hands on his asking price and he was nice enough to hold the car a few days while I got my funds together.... He told me he had offers by the end of the day from people as far as Washington for $30k...luckily he was a nice guy with integrity and held it for me at the agreed price...so it helps to either have the cash on hand or a honorable seller when you do find the one.
Good luck!!!
You love that '91 Sebring!
You've mentioned it so many times on here. That car was kertong's, and was sold on consignment, so not truly a "dealership" car.
You love that '91 Sebring!
That car was kertong's, and was sold on consignment, so not truly a "dealership" car.
Lol..just think it was a great deal in today's crazy market...I am surprised that he didn't sell it on here. He could have got over $40,000 and not pay a consignment...really surprised at that one.
And yes, I do love my Sebring silvers:tongue:
fastaussie
Suspended
so you're the bastard that stole my original dream car, the red/black top and ivory interior 5-speed NSX!
2 from Japanese auctions, both from Tokyo from memory. Both in great condition with low kms and decently priced.
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I found mine on CL but the seller seemed sketchy, partly because english was not his first language and that he had like a pay-as-you-go phone with a completely full voicemail that was recorded by like a 9 year old kid... I honestly didn't think i was going to end up with the car. But anyway, after much persistence, i found the car on prime from 2 years before, which made me feel a lot better because the previous owner had service well documented and within the two years the car was "lost" he had only put 10,000 miles on it. All i can say is the search comes down to persistence
My story is the same as most. ...
Took me 2-3 years, but...
Found on Prime, on the west coast, while in Afghanistan. A 1998 Kaiser Coupe (non-targa) w/ 72k for $45.9k
Immediately offered the sellers asking price. He was cautious at first, as I was attempting to buy from Afghanistan, but finally agreed after we both became comfortable with each other.
Put it in storage for two months until I headed back to the states. Jumped off the plane from Afghanistan, and onto the plane to L.A. Drove it back to NC over the next 10 days, hitting all the important sights along the way. (Most notably, Pike's Peak, and of course, being from NC, US-129 (Tail of the Dragon))
Took me 2-3 years, but...
Found on Prime, on the west coast, while in Afghanistan. A 1998 Kaiser Coupe (non-targa) w/ 72k for $45.9k
Immediately offered the sellers asking price. He was cautious at first, as I was attempting to buy from Afghanistan, but finally agreed after we both became comfortable with each other.
Put it in storage for two months until I headed back to the states. Jumped off the plane from Afghanistan, and onto the plane to L.A. Drove it back to NC over the next 10 days, hitting all the important sights along the way. (Most notably, Pike's Peak, and of course, being from NC, US-129 (Tail of the Dragon))
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so you're the bastard that stole my original dream car, the red/black top and ivory interior 5-speed NSX!
Sorry. We negotiated the deal over the phone and I flew to N.C. 2 days later. He knew I was serious and had the money ready to do the deal. But, I assure you, never in our conversations did we discuss who we'd screw by him selling me the car. Damn you hold a grudge.:biggrin: It's all good now we both have Imolas.:victorious: We can discuss this further over beers at NSXPO in Palm Springs.
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fastaussie
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HA! all jokes of course, although now that I know who you are!
first shout of beers is on you then... :biggrin:
wait a second, so the Afghanistan story isn't a scam?!
For a month I had searched multiple times a day just about every website and forum conceivable to man. The problem I found with the internet is that online postings and ads can stay there forever. One ad placed by an owner can show up in multiple sites without the person ever knowing about it, and once the car is sold the owner may take the ad down, but the trail of ads it created remains. No dates of when the ads were posted made it even harder. And then I had the multitude of salvage title cars to sift through. I can't remember how many I found that turned out to be dead ends. I was preparing myself for a long depressing search and having to be ready to fly at a moments notice to where ever I ended up finding one, but luck and timing happened to be on my side when I found a Red/Blk/Tan with 54k miles on Carsforsale.com, and only a 2.5 hour drive from me. The owner was reluctantly selling it so he hadn't aggressively advertised it in multiple locations. He also just placed the ad so it hadn't started showing up on other sites yet. He also took the ad down once the car was sold. The car cost $34k and is stock except for ground effects, exhaust, 18" & 19" tires and wheels, stereo system and a never used NOS. The car comes home with me tomorrow.
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I wrote to ~11 owners with NSX's that matched my musts/wants, politely introducing myself and asked if they'd please keep me in mind if they ever decided to sell. Got 11 really friendly "I'll never sell" replies, but one changed his mind 4 months later.
craigslist... I feel very lucky... 700 miles from home.... flew down and nearly broke my arm reaching for my wallet.... I was extremely lucky to find THAT CAR and THAT SELLER... he had the time and means to hold my hand thru the process
I made a snap decision on that car and got lucky....
I only looked seriously for a couple weeks.. SO GLAD I GAVE UP ON FINDING ANOTHER PORSCHE
I made a snap decision on that car and got lucky....
I only looked seriously for a couple weeks.. SO GLAD I GAVE UP ON FINDING ANOTHER PORSCHE
wait a second, so the Afghanistan story isn't a scam?!
Not sure if serious, or..... :?
Similar story here. Glad I wasn't the only one. The feeling is great!
