Why do these cars have so many owners.

[mcano]

There is so much talk about how much we love these cars, yet many cars end up having several owners over their lifespan. Even some 2005's had had a many as 3 owners. Now, I vowed never to sell my car, but I made a agreement with my wife that if I was ever out of work for a year that I would promise to sell my NSX. Well, it happened, and now I'm NSXless. I know people have their good reasons, but it just seems odd at the number of owners some cars have.

 

[payam972]

If you see a lot of the carfaxes, the owners are for a month to a few months. Most likely being dealers. Not true owners.

 

[docjohn]

well when you look at the price and that it can be an impulse buy or financed....and it is a dream car for some ..add this to how fickle ,and irrational humans can be esp with money I don't see it as unusual.

 

[Honcho]

When the price of these cars dropped in the early 2000's to a level that made them accessible to folks of average means, it became a tempting option. Problem is, when these people encounter their first major service event or even tire change, it becomes apparent that while the price of admission might be within reach, ownership is not. They usually quickly sell. You can tell this by looking at the title records. You will usually see a progression of several owners over a year or two.

 

[nsxsimon]

and situations change and having a two seater car to many is not as practical as we'd like to originally think. Many need a back seat, or more room, garage etc etc..

 

[heySkippy]

A LOT of cars were sold in 2007/2008 when everything went to hell.

 

[brettowen]

If you see a lot of the carfaxes, the owners are for a month to a few months. Most likely being dealers. Not true owners.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure dealers won't show on history reports as separate owners. That is unless they register the vehicle which would cut WAY into their margin (taxes, titling, etc).

 

[FF Drifter]

NSXs are pretty old. The longer the car is around the greater the likelihood there will be multiple owners.

 

[Hasdrubal]

Many people who get an NSX may buy one thinking it's an 'entry level' supercar. As they become more successful in life and think they need to move up, they may sell to make room for a Ferrari or something similar... and then come back to the NSX, I know there's more than one forum member who has left and returned.

Also, some people who buy one may later decide to move up to a newer one, or a preferred color that wasn't available at the time, or wreck one and buy another. My 92 is now over 180k miles, and if I crash it with any degree of enthusiasm I think it very likely to be totaled. At that point, I may buy another one.

 

[curtsr]

Many people who get an NSX may buy one thinking it's an 'entry level' supercar. As they become more successful in life and think they need to move up, they may sell to make room for a Ferrari or something similar... and then come back to the NSX, I know there's more than one forum member who has left and returned.

Also, some people who buy one may later decide to move up to a newer one, or a preferred color that wasn't available at the time, or wreck one and buy another. My 92 is now over 180k miles, and if I crash it with any degree of enthusiasm I think it very likely to be totaled. At that point, I may buy another one.

I think to put it even more simply NSX's are rarely used as daily drivers (Hugh and Meeotch are exceptions) they're typically toys or second cars. When money gets tight you sell toys and second anythings. When you get tired of a toy you sell it.

Oh, don't forget to throw kids into that mix.

 

[tof]

When money gets tight you sell toys and second anythings. When you get tired of a toy you sell it.

Oh, don't forget to throw kids into that mix.

Yup...sold my kids when I got tired of them.

 

[DRIFTER]

If you see a lot of the carfaxes, the owners are for a month to a few months. Most likely being dealers. Not true owners.

This is not true.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure dealers won't show on history reports as separate owners. That is unless they register the vehicle which would cut WAY into their margin (taxes, titling, etc).

@brettowen You are correct dealers don't go on a carfax report unless they register and pay the sales tax. There are a lot of things that never make carfax.

 

[Jetpilot3]

There are other ownership factors you need to consider.

For example with the 2002 Imola that I once owned it began its life in Utah until it reached 8,898 miles with its original owner. He never used it and sold it to me. I owned the NSX-T for a little under a year when I decided that it was too expensive a car to hold when the recession was happening and at the same time I received an offer that was above my asking price - two parties were interested in the car. Now its onto its 3rd owner in Hong Kong and still in brand new condition yet its had 3 owners!

Situations force the sale of these cars sometimes and no way does it reflect an abused or mis-treated NSX like many say/feel. PPI, service history, and visual inspection diagnoses the condition of the car so don't let the number of owners concern you; they are merely a number in most cases.

 

[EuroBoutique]

Forget NSX's for a second, ever look at s2000's? LOL

These cars are impulse buys which involve emotion. Way too many factors once you put that into play, just look at this countries divorce rates!

 

[payam972]

This is not true.



@brettowen You are correct dealers don't go on a carfax report unless they register and pay the sales tax. There are a lot of things that never make carfax.

When I bought my car it said 7 previous owners on carfax. When I looked at the dates, 4 of the owners had them for a month to two months. Only thing I can think of is dealer inventory... Who knows though. I called carfax and they actually deleted those out of the history. Pretty awesome.

 

[DRIFTER]

When I bought my car it said 7 previous owners on carfax. When I looked at the dates, 4 of the owners had them for a month to two months. Only thing I can think of is dealer inventory... Who knows though. I called carfax and they actually deleted those out of the history. Pretty awesome.

Carfax can alter the info that easy? I have even less faith in it now. The only time a dealer would go on a car fax is if the dealer registers the car and pays tax on it.

 

[EuroBoutique]

So just curious what is the MOST number of owners someone has come across?

Recently I was shopping for a car and the Carfax report showed SEVEN owners ~ wow!

 

[bngl3rt]

I saw a black coupe with 8 owners. 150k miles.

 

[dirtbag]

Calculated owners on a Carfax type report are totally bogus sometimes. I have a vehicle my mother purchased brand new, I'm the 2nd actual owner - but Carfax shows I'm the 7th owner. Here's how I think it went down:
1st owner (bank loan) (mother)
2nd owner (loan payoff - title transfer) (mother)
3rd owner (moved to another state initiated a title reissue) (mother)
4th owner (moved again) (mother)
5th owner (title transferred to me after purchase) (myself)
6th owner (moved to another state) (myself)
7th owner (moved again) (myself)

Another thing to think about, every time a vehicle bounces between dealers through states or through auctions can rack up the calculated owners in a hurry.

 

[Anopheles]

yup i just brought my car with impulse, me and my brother was flipping through Road and track last month and the rest is History:biggrin:

 

[brettowen]

Autocheck history reports (which I prefer to Carfax) use the term "calculated owners." I believe this number is there best educated guess on the number of owners based on the number of times the vehicle has been re-titled, not on how many times the vehicle has moved.