PPI Results - Opinions Please

[acura_NA2]

Hello all! Long time lurker, hopeful nsx owner.

Can someone offer their opinon of the following findings:

1. the mechanic noted that the Rear Cam Plug, oil sending unit o-ring, valve cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, vtec solonoid gasket, and area around timing belt cover (possible cam or crank seal) all show signs of oil seepage.

Car is a 02 w/42,000 miles.
60k and 90k maintanence have not been done yet.
Is this normal to have these areas of "seepage"? I have yet to talk to the mechanic, but I am assuming seepage meaning not actively leaking.
Are these items easily replaced with the 90k maintanence (motor out for TB and WP replacement)?

2. Mechanic noted that the front fender had been replaced. No structural/frame damage. They discovered that the fender was missing the VIN # along with various clips missing from the "plastic shields" (i assume he meant plastic fender liner). Owner swears no accidents he's aware of...original owner at that. Thoughts? Would this be a dealbreaker?

Thanks for your help in advance!


Tim (tbromley) I could sure use your thoughts here. :tongue:

 

[tosugrad]

Front fender had been replaced and original owner says it has not?

For me, I would WALK. End of story.

 

[HUYTURBO]

it could of been damaged before it was sold to him. whats the date it was shipped to dealer and date he purchased it.

seepage... oil. every car i take to the dealer they tell me it has seepage everywhere. wear and tear, normal i'd say.

 

[Rob4092xx]

I know most won't agree with me but remember...it is an 02 with low miles....not a lot around. I absolutely love the 02 to 05 models and have been looking for a low mileage, red, orange or blue one for over a year now. Currently, I own a red 2000 with 15k miles.

Now, again my personal opinion so please don't rag on me, if the car is at a good price and a color other than silver or white, I'd be all over it. Maybe the fact that I have owned three silver Corvettes, (C5, C6 and C6) is why I don't care for silver...I don't know.

To me, silver or white just don't allow the lines to show nor do they seem to stand out. If it were a smokin' deal, I'd consider a silver or white but it have to be real "smokin."

In fact, I had a chance last year to buy a very nice silver 02 w/40k miles for $45,000 and I passed. I took it to the local Acura store for a PPI and when I went to pick it up, it was in a parking lot with other Acura model cars. It was then that I realized the silver NSX just doesn't stand out like most of the other colors. Just don't like the lines in silver. I know I am in the minority here...but this is how I feel.

There is a lot more to owning these babies that worrying about re-sale sometime down the road. Heck, you may be dead, your car stolen or whatever "sometime down the road."

Get an estimate to fix the "seepage." If it the deal still pens out well, jump on it! NSX's with low miles are getting harder and harder to find only because they don't make them anymore!

Good luck!

it could of been damaged before it was sold to him. whats the date it was shipped to dealer and date he purchased it.

seepage... oil. every car i take to the dealer they tell me it has seepage everywhere. wear and tear, normal i'd say.

 

[tbromley]

I know most won't agree with me but remember...it is an 02 with low miles....not a lot around. I absolutely love the 02 to 05 models and have been looking for a low mileage, red, orange or blue one for over a year now. Currently, I own a red 2000 with 15k miles.

Now, again my personal opinion so please don't rag on me, if the car is at a good price and a color other than silver or white, I'd be all over it. Maybe the fact that I have owned three silver Corvettes, (C5, C6 and C6) is why I don't care for silver...I don't know.

To me, silver or white just don't allow the lines to show nor do they seem to stand out. If it were a smokin' deal, I'd consider a silver or white but it have to be real "smokin."

In fact, I had a chance last year to buy a very nice silver 02 w/40k miles for $45,000 and I passed. I took it to the local Acura store for a PPI and when I went to pick it up, it was in a parking lot with other Acura model cars. It was then that I realized the silver NSX just doesn't stand out like most of the other colors. Just don't like the lines in silver. I know I am in the minority here...but this is how I feel.

There is a lot more to owning these babies that worrying about re-sale sometime down the road. Heck, you may be dead, your car stolen or whatever "sometime down the road."

Get an estimate to fix the "seepage." If it the deal still pens out well, jump on it! NSX's with low miles are getting harder and harder to find only because they don't make them anymore!

Good luck!

I have to agree with Helenphan and Rob on this one. With an original owner that knows nothing about damage - I would tend to maybe believe him - but then it should be something you could track down to make sure. I had a similar thing happen to me with an owner in my case though there had been frame damage. If you can substantiate that there has been NO frame damage and it's a good deal - with low mileage or decent mileage - low - I don't think an O2 with 45k miles is particularly low - for example when i bought my 91 - it had 42k on it - now that's low and not as low as I've seen on the early ones. So this is decent mileage. If the price is right and you like the color and there is absolutely no frame damage then it would be fine. Not in the same class as an 02 with 20k miles and no replacement fenders but still this sounds like a good potential buy to me.

I like the "down the road" analogy by the way.

 

[Rob4092xx]

Very well stated TB!

I have to agree with Helenphan and Rob on this one. With an original owner that knows nothing about damage - I would tend to maybe believe him - but then it should be something you could track down to make sure. I had a similar thing happen to me with an owner in my case though there had been frame damage. If you can substantiate that there has been NO frame damage and it's a good deal - with low mileage or decent mileage - low - I don't think an O2 with 45k miles is particularly low - for example when i bought my 91 - it had 42k on it - now that's low and not as low as I've seen on the early ones. So this is decent mileage. If the price is right and you like the color and there is absolutely no frame damage then it would be fine. Not in the same class as an 02 with 20k miles and no replacement fenders but still this sounds like a good potential buy to me.

I like the "down the road" analogy by the way.

 

[tosugrad]

I have to agree with Helenphan and Rob on this one. With an original owner that knows nothing about damage - I would tend to maybe believe him - but then it should be something you could track down to make sure.

Wow you guys are SO trusting! I lost over $10k in costs trying to track down the perfect 993 TT before I bought my NSX and I can tell you that people, for the most part, lie about their cars when it comes time to sell. I can think of about 1 in a million circumstance where a car had damage prior to deliver to the first owner. And now this guy has owned the car for 5 years and never knew?

 

[mknmoves]

The damage may have happened before he owned the car, doubtful, but it could happen.

I worked at a dealership, many moons ago and I remember several NEW cars being damaged before the 1st owner took delivery.

I even recall a story, which I cannot confirm, that a couple of brand new cars being delivered had fallen off the trailer, recieved frame damage, where fixed and sold as new.

It doens't happen all the time, but it still happens I'm sure.

If the deal is that great, and it doesn't bother you, go for it.

 

[Rob4092xx]

Another good point to think about!

Wow you guys are SO trusting! I lost over $10k in costs trying to track down the perfect 993 TT before I bought my NSX and I can tell you that people, for the most part, lie about their cars when it comes time to sell. I can think of about 1 in a million circumstance where a car had damage prior to deliver to the first owner. And now this guy has owned the car for 5 years and never knew?

 

[sidwac]

Another good point to think about!

My view: When buying a car, trust nobody. Treat it like a financial/business transaction. Take all emotions out of it, save emotions for the women!! Ooops sorry to our NSX girls:redface::redface:

 

[tbromley]

Sid is right about taking emotionalism out of the equation - albeit hard to do! However, with this deal you have to expect the worst and hope for the best but while you're doing that you gotta get this car checked out. But the mechanic said fender replaced no frame damage - I'd make sure that mechanic wasn't hired by the owner - btw how did you find the mechanic - was he hired by you to do the PPI? If so then you may have some very reliable information.

Some of you are saying - mighty trusting - trusting of what? Trusting that the mechanic noticed the fender was replaced and there is no frame damage? Regardless of what the owner says bottom line is this - the fender has been replaced - what kind of discount are you getting for that? If this is a good deal you have to ask yourself - am I looking for a pristine 02 with all original paint, low miles...yadayadayada...or am I willing to take a great deal (don't know what that is cause we haven't heard the what's being asked for the car - details please) and a fender being painted and decent miles - this is your option and it may not be a bad one.

Lots of cars have fender benders - does that mean that they should be sent to the crapper or the crusher - well hell no! Just means - discount! Now in these days and times who wouldn't want a discount - you see not everyone is looking at these cars as some "collectors item" for the museum - they are looking at them like others do with any car - albeit a nice sports car we all love. That doesn't mean that a little repaired damage is a deal breaker to many. It's a car - you the prospective owner have to decide what you are willing to accept for yourself and what you want it for! We can't do that for you. How bout the wheels and suspension - have they been replaced - I mean just see what the extent of the damage was. If I was getting a smoking deal on this car with a fender bender I might seriously consider this. Could be a great deal! Who cares what the owner says - you are checking it out!:wink:

 

[tosugrad]

The point is if the seller lies about this (a pretty major lie in my book) then what else are they not telling you?

 

[tbromley]

The point is if the seller lies about this (a pretty major lie in my book) then what else are they not telling you?

How do you know the seller is lying? That's just a suspicion on your part - he could be I admit that but it may have been damaged before he got the car - it's happened before.

So unless you actually know something then perhaps you might temper that. Besides - due dilligence will prove the car out at any rate - so really - what difference does it make to the car what someone says about it. It's either a good one or it's not - other than the fender what do you find wrong with it.

You see you can't compare every NSX to your perfect car - obviously you wouldn't be looking at a car like this but your opinion lacks a little meat for this buyer. But then the buyers information he's giving us lacks a little meat to. Guess we'll just have to see how it pans out. By the way; where is this buyer anyway?

 

[ashman]

IMHO, I would not be turned off by this car. There are a number of reasons the bumper could have been replaced and as long as the quality of the work is not in question then I see no problem. The deferred service/ oil leaks can either be negotiated away or not I would see this as a far bigger deal breaker then the bumper.

 

[Big_D]

Sid is right about taking emotionalism out of the equation - albeit hard to do! However, with this deal you have to expect the worst and hope for the best but while you're doing that you gotta get this car checked out. But the mechanic said fender replaced no frame damage - I'd make sure that mechanic wasn't hired by the owner - btw how did you find the mechanic - was he hired by you to do the PPI? If so then you may have some very reliable information.

Some of you are saying - mighty trusting - trusting of what? Trusting that the mechanic noticed the fender was replaced and there is no frame damage? Regardless of what the owner says bottom line is this - the fender has been replaced - what kind of discount are you getting for that? If this is a good deal you have to ask yourself - am I looking for a pristine 02 with all original paint, low miles...yadayadayada...or am I willing to take a great deal (don't know what that is cause we haven't heard the what's being asked for the car - details please) and a fender being painted and decent miles - this is your option and it may not be a bad one.

Lots of cars have fender benders - does that mean that they should be sent to the crapper or the crusher - well hell no! Just means - discount! Now in these days and times who wouldn't want a discount - you see not everyone is looking at these cars as some "collectors item" for the museum - they are looking at them like others do with any car - albeit a nice sports car we all love. That doesn't mean that a little repaired damage is a deal breaker to many. It's a car - you the prospective owner have to decide what you are willing to accept for yourself and what you want it for! We can't do that for you. How bout the wheels and suspension - have they been replaced - I mean just see what the extent of the damage was. If I was getting a smoking deal on this car with a fender bender I might seriously consider this. Could be a great deal! Who cares what the owner says - you are checking it out!:wink:

I read this and immediately thought of FLO...LOL

For me I didn't want to own a car that had any body panels replaced. Having said that, it has happened to me with another vehicle.

I bought a New Chevy truck and found out the whole passenger door and part of the cab had been resprayed. In the sunlight the paint didnt match 100% Apparently it got damaged in route to dealership and they denied any knowledge. They say that the manufacturer or the trucking company could have had it repaired before it got to the dealership. I eventually got a replacement vehicle.

 

[tbromley]

IMHO, I would not be turned off by this car. There are a number of reasons the bumper could have been replaced and as long as the quality of the work is not in question then I see no problem. The deferred service/ oil leaks can either be negotiated away or not I would see this as a far bigger deal breaker then the bumper.

I agree with this Ashman, but you know all these engines weep a bit - as long as it's not a drip on the floor then it's not a big deal. Mine has some of those issues and untill it gets to be a drip - I'm not doing a thing. No mechanic that really is working for you would tell you that absolutely needed to be done.

I'm just kind of waiting for the originator of this post to show up and comment and give us more details on what's up. Maybe he's busy - but then maybe he's too busy to find and NSX - I don't know. Makes me wonder about him.

To Big D - dude you are funny! Glad you got a replacement vehicle. Nothing like buying a new car and finding out it had been hit and resprayed - that is one of those - "really and you didn't notice this yourself Mr. Dealer" things. Kind of like this guy that says he doesn't know anything - but I still say he may not be lying.

 

[acura_NA2]

Appreciate all the responses thus far:

tosugrad:
I agree...had the seller been lying about the fender, there is a good chance he is lying about a lot of other things. However, he was just as surprised, as I, after the PPI was done. He does seem genuine, and I guess I'm one of those people that will give the other person the benefit of the doubt first. The car had been originally sitting on the lot for ~1yr before it was purchased by the current owner. Would I have liked the original fender? Of course! Was I sleeping better before I found out about the fender? You betcha!:biggrin:

Sidwac:
I try to be as objective as possible...but it sure is hard! :tongue: Been wanting a NSX for a long time.

Tbromley:
I'm here I'm here!
No need to wonder bout me. Have been busy, although not looking at any other NSX's. Talked to the mechanic - car drives straight, original suspension items intact, none of the attached parts to the fender appear to be replaced. Taking this into consideration, along with the rest of the PPI and self deliberation, the owner and I have settled on a price that I would say is fair. Just waiting on some paperwork, and hopefully...I will be a full fledged member and owner soon! :smile:

 

[ChopsJazz]

I don't get the problem with having a panel replaced. It's not a Renoir, it's a car. Someone backed into my Insight and it's in the shop. It's be repaired and it'll be as good as new. It won't affect the car's integrity.

If you want a great car to drive, a replaced panel will make no difference at all.

If you want a virgin, good luck with that.

My .02

 

[Dtrigg]

I don't get the problem with having a panel replaced. It's not a Renoir, it's a car. Someone backed into my Insight and it's in the shop. It's be repaired and it'll be as good as new. It won't affect the car's integrity.

If you want a great car to drive, a replaced panel will make no difference at all.

If you want a virgin, good luck with that.

My .02

+ 1 What's the big deal? Everything checks out on the car. Good luck with your purchase.

My .05.

 

[tbromley]

Acura NA2 - glad you posted and glad you are going ahead. I'm like you - tend to give the benefit of the doubt too. I"ve seen this happen before.

Big deal is the PPI checked out - it's good car - it's superficial damage and your getting a discount - now that's something you should be able to live with just fine - it's a new fender - no other parts replaced- man you got nothing to worry about but having fun driving your new car. I'm happy for you that you didn't let the negative stuff influence you not to go forward.

We want to see some pics and get the details as soon as it's in your full posession! Welcome aboard!