Dave,
Just wanted to clear up a couple things with you. The vehicle was never misrepresented to you or any of the hundreds of people that have emailed or called me about it in the past couple months. I never said that only the rear bumper had been painted. I did tell you, and many others, that the rear bumper was the only easily detectable paintwork to most people. I am sure that there are many people that can attest to that. The bumpers on any NSX and especially Spa Yellow Pearl are always a slight shade lighter due to the flex agent used in the paint. This difference is amplified at different angles and times of the day depending on lighting. Stress cracks are created from poor parallel parking, nothing major. The car must have not been in as bad shape as you describe it now, since you were willing to buy it two weeks ago. Again, the price is deeply discounted for the paintwork.
I've been around long enough to have had experiences with buyers such as you. Don't forget that you had originally made a low ball offer and requested a pre-purchase inspection to be paid by the seller, afterwhich you could decide whether you want the car or not. This did not leave me with a particularly good impression of you as a serious buyer. Even after you decided several days later that you would pay for the inspection, I did not feel it necessary at that point because a serious buyer would have originally offered to pay for the inspection and/or would have left a holding deposit on the vehicle. You drove the car and inspected it yourself. We both know it has paintwork. I am not going to waste my time and risk damaging the car by taking it to the Acura dealer for inspection so they can tell you not to buy the car and to buy theirs instead. Again, with the wheel alignment, I wasn't going to drive 50 miles through the storm to the only shop that I trust with the car to get wheel alignment specs. Which might I add, is a request that I have never come across.
I don't appreciate people like you who are posting on this forum solely to discourage buyers from my vehicle just because you had a poor experience. If you are unhappy with the car or me, take it up with me in private, not by disparaging the car on a public forum under the guise of being a concerned list member.
From my experience, there are two kinds of NSX buyers. The first kind will only accept a low mileage, garage queen, that has never been touched in any way and they will pay TOP dollar for it. The other is willing to purchase a good car that has had some past issues, but at a deeply discounted price. This car is obviously for the latter buyer. You want the perfect car for an impossible price. I don't think anyone would disagree that a 1997 with a clean title is well priced at the offer we accepted from you.
I have sold several NSX's through this list and all people that have bought from me are extremely happy with their vehicles and still maintain contact with me because I am an enthusiast of the car and offer them help in many ways with their cars. I have also gone to inspect cars for list members from all over the country that I have never met although I had no financial interest in the deal or selling them one of my cars. I am not here to fool anyone, I am here because we all have a love for the NSX, which is more than I can say for you.
Chris
[This message has been edited by ck (edited 18 November 2002).]