Prospective Owner with Questions

[Malibu603]

Hello everyone,
I'm fairly new here, but I've tried to read as much as I can in the short time. I fell in love with the NSX just recently and I really want one now, however I have some concerns:

1) My price range would put me in the early 90's NSX's. I understand that puts the car 15-20 years old. I'm a little worried about the maintenance with this car. I don't want to drive it and and have work on it every time. I keep reading about timing belts, water pump, valve timing, hoses, even clutches that seem to go bad early, etc that need to be checked/replaced. Is it really as much work to maintain this car as it sounds? My current car (1998 170k miles) I have done virtually no maintenance on and it runs pretty well. I know I'll have to do more than nothing, but like I said I don't want to work on it every other time I drive it.

2) I'm also worried about tire life. I see that you can put the alignment to a more neutral setting which helps tire life, but how much better is it? It sounds like with the recommended setting you only get 6-8k out of a set. How much longer do they last with more neutral setting? 10k? 20k? 50k?

3) I love the look of the lip spoiler that a lot of members have here, but I'm worried about how low the car is. Does anyone regret putting one on? Are taking speed bumps possible at all?

4) I live in SE Michigan, and I was wondering if there are any reputable shops in this area that I could take the car to if the need arises.

5) This may sound wierd, but I've only seen 2 NSX's in my life and have never seen in the interior, much less sat in one or driven one. Are there any meets in the Michigan area that a non-owner would be welcome to show up at and possibly check out the cars? These are so rare that it's hard to really get a feel for them.

Thanks so much for your time.
Tim

 

[ChopsJazz]

Buying an early model NSX is not as much of an issue as you may think. Just be sure that it is the right one for you with low miles, proper maintenance, and an attentive owner. As the cars reach a "certain age" some will surely need more care than others, but search for one with the timing belt and water pump replacements done at the correct intervals, hoses replaced and fluids regularly changed and you should be fine. There is no issue with clutch failure unless the clutches that you mention have been abused in some way. The OEM units are fine (mine lasted over 100K miles) and they can handle the power that the low boost CTSC can deliver.

With the '94 spec alignment your tires should be fine, but if you want scalpel-like handling you may want more aggressive alignment and just chalk up the tire wear as a "cost of ownership" issue. That's what I do.

Good luck on your search. If you find yourself in the SF Bay Area nay time soon, get in touch with me and you can drive my car.

 

[tbromley]

Hello everyone,
I'm fairly new here, but I've tried to read as much as I can in the short time. I fell in love with the NSX just recently and I really want one now, however I have some concerns:

Well I'm glad you've been doing a little reading but obviously you've missed the point that many are still buying the early ones - like me for example- bought mine about this time last year. We wouldn't be buying them if all they were was a money pit!

1) My price range would put me in the early 90's NSX's. I understand that puts the car 15-20 years old. I'm a little worried about the maintenance with this car. I don't want to drive it and and have work on it every time. I keep reading about timing belts, water pump, valve timing, hoses, even clutches that seem to go bad early, etc that need to be checked/replaced. Is it really as much work to maintain this car as it sounds? My current car (1998 170k miles) I have done virtually no maintenance on and it runs pretty well. I know I'll have to do more than nothing, but like I said I don't want to work on it every other time I drive it.

An early 90s car is a great car and don't worry about the maintenance - plan for the maintenance when searching for the car. Have you been looking? If you are concerned about maitenance then budget for it, be knowledgeable about how to buy before you buy and you'll have a great experience. These cars are getting old but they are still great cars and solid as a rock. If you want the latest model you can buy - an 05 - to avoid just about any maintenance - then you should be prepared to spend 55k+ and into the 60s and up depending on mileage - there is surely one for everyone's pocket book - with careful consideration. The best advice is this: Buy the best example, regardless of year, with the lowest miles for nice interiors and the least general wear and tear issues. These cars have timing belts - like many Japaneese cars - they all have a life span and they need replacement - it's just a fact. Clutches have to be replaced too - but many times you can find cars with all that done - it'll just take some waiting and looking. That's all. The clutches if driven correctly can last 100k miles. The TB time limit is 6 or 7 years and eithe 90 or 105k miles depending on which comes first time or miles and depending on NA1 or NA2. So don't be freaked out by items that need replacement along the way of ownership! It's just part of it. The lower the "entry fee" (purchase price) - the more it'll cost you, unless all maintenance is up to snuff, on bringing it up. So pay up front or pay after the fact - your choice - but you will pay regardless. Don't think your going to find a 170k NSX for low dollars and have no maintenance issues staring at you! You'll be living in a fools paradise. Like I say pay what a properly maintained car is worth up front or do the repairs yourself after the fact!

My advice - buy a medium miler 30 to 50k miles in a 91 to 94 with all maintenance up to snuff - no accident damage - or superficial damage at worst - and you'll get a solid car with nice paint and a nice interior for around 30K+ to 36k - something like that! The more pristine and up to date the more you should expect to pay. The next increment is for the 2 years of the 3.0 engine and the targa top - nice ones can surely be had in the 95 to 96 cars - 35k to 38k depending on pristine condition. I'm talking top of the line cars - not those with deffered maintenance which is mostly what you'll find - cars needing something like a TB/water pump/hoses and valve adjustment (2600 +/-) - those cars deduct this work - simple as that and you'll still be looking at low mileage nice cars. Next comes the jump to the 3.2 and 6 speed cars - all targas with few exceptions - rare exceptions for coupes in the years from 97 to 2001 - with the special edition Zanardi being the exception - they're all coupes with PS delete - As you get into the 97 to 2001 range of cars still with low mileage and maintenance up to date, very nice examples expect to pay from 38k to 48k+ maybe into the low 50s. For 2002 -05 same model as the others - as in very nice examples and rare colors etc at the top of the range - expect 48k+ to 75k for the very best last year! That's pretty much what you'll be looking at.

You start taking away condition, adding miles and deffered maintenance, clutches needed, some accident damage as in panel replacement, and you can see all kinds of pricing.

2) I'm also worried about tire life. I see that you can put the alignment to a more neutral setting which helps tire life, but how much better is it? It sounds like with the recommended setting you only get 6-8k out of a set. How much longer do they last with more neutral setting? 10k? 20k? 50k?

If you take settings to 0 degree camber as some do and set the toe end for optimal wear - you'll see a slight degredation in handling and a definite increase in tire wear to as much as 15k miles on the rears - Porsches are just like that.

3) I love the look of the lip spoiler that a lot of members have here, but I'm worried about how low the car is. Does anyone regret putting one on? Are taking speed bumps possible at all?

Speed bumps are definitely possible - it's the lowering that'll get you. Lots to learn on suspension and handling changes. There are other sections on that.

4) I live in SE Michigan, and I was wondering if there are any reputable shops in this area that I could take the car to if the need arises.

Don't know Michigan...sorry

5) This may sound wierd, but I've only seen 2 NSX's in my life and have never seen in the interior, much less sat in one or driven one. Are there any meets in the Michigan area that a non-owner would be welcome to show up at and possibly check out the cars? These are so rare that it's hard to really get a feel for them.

I'm sure there are NSX owners and ralleys in the big cities. Look in the reagional forums for events.

Thanks so much for your time.
Tim

In the final analysis - you need to do lots more reading, take your time looking, get a feel for YOUR budget and what YOU feel comfortable spending, get your own feel for pricing - what's a good deal - what kind of mods may appeal to you like headers on the early ones and more - patience, patience and more patience and you'll be rewarded by finding just the right one for you and your budget. Hope this helps and good luck on your search - remember the search is as much fun as anything -almost....:wink:

 

[99NCNSX]

There is probably not a more reliable exotic available than the NSX. As tbromley has accurately summarized, finding a car with documented service and an accurate history is the shortcut to having a satisfied ownership experience. You will see many NSX's here on Prime that are daily drivers with lots of miles on them (well into the 100k's) and no serious service issues.
Additionally, these cars are so predictable, that with the information on this site you can learn exactly what will wear out or fail and when - so that you can prepare and anticipate these.

You definitely need to see and drive an NSX. Look for some owners in the Michigan area and contact them.

 

[shawn110975]

Dont be scared of an NSX with High Miles
I Have posted this time and time again.

But read this Article about Buying the NSX and High miles mean Nothing to a well maintained NSX

click this link then print it out and take it with you when you go see an NSX

http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/includes/htup_0810_acura_nsx_buyers_guide/index.html

here is a quote from that article about miles

"9 Mileage
Don't be afraid of a high-mileage NSX. Despite its supercar status, it's still built by Honda and, despite whether or not NSX fans are willing to admit it, the C30A and C32B NSX engines have much more in common with Honda's most reliable Civic, Integra, and Accord engines than they might think. In short, a well-taken-care-of 100,000-mile NSX engine could still potentially run like new"

its not like the NSX is a BMW and with high miles then you would be screwed.

the NSX was Hand built. there are NSX's here on Prime that are pushing over 340,000 Miles.

Name 1 BMW, Lotus, Mercedes, Ferrari, Porsche that can say that.

NONE.

 

[VegasSpeed]

At this point I would feel better driving my NSX and not having a problem than my BMW. Part of that is my 335i is having a fuel pump issue.

You need to read up more. Do some searches on each topic you have a question.

 

[Malibu603]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I know I need to read more, and I'm working on it. I actually couldn't fall asleep last night, so I was up reading until about 1:15am (and actually found an answer about the speed bump thing)

I do understand that finding a car with regular maintanence is key. I guess what I meant with my original question was, if I found a car that had ~100k miles and had the maintanence done, would I have to worry about other things, or could I safely drive it for several years with minimal worry. From the responses here, it sounds like there isn't much to worry about if the maintanence it up to date, so that's cool. As for the transmission, I'm glad to hear that most last for a while. It seemed like when I was reading that I saw several posts/threads about clutchs needing replacement earlier that I would expect.

I should also say that I'm new the Honda/Acura as well, so I don't know much about their cars in general. I'm worried that even if the engine/transmission is good, does the car still sound and feel good? I don't want a car that rattles when you slam the door, or feels loose going over bumps. I know people say "it's a Honda" but again, I haven't been in too many Honda's, and even a 20 year old Honda is still 20 years old.

I think some of these concerns could be put to rest if I could get a ride or drive a car. I have looked in the Mid-West section for meets and didn't see anything coming up in Michigan or Northern Ohio.

Thanks for the reply's everyone. I'll keep reading, I just couldn't wait any longer until I posted! :smile:

 

[shawn110975]

Yeah like the Link I showed you one of the High Points of the NSX is the suspention. you dont want one thats clanking and banging while you drive.
or if it does clank and bang and the price is right then get it fixed. not to bad price wise.

but once your satisfied with all the fixes your good to go.

I got my 1992 about a year and half ago with 114,000 Miles for $21,000
had some issues but after that she has been a beast to drive.

they were saying on another thread here that the car GAINS HP after 50,000 Miles. so my original 270HP might actually be 280 now. LOL

I had the Timing belt and Waterpump done so I could sleep at night instead of worring if its gonna break tomorrow. but if you can get proof it has been done then she will last a long time. yeah the car is up there in Age. but man do I love htis car.

I am so satisfied with my NSX that I will be driving it from Tampa, FL to vegas for the NSXPO in October.

good luck on your find and dont hesitate to ask questions we love to Flex out brains LOL

I still look outside at mine and smile. and say to myself "I dont believe I one an NSX"

 

[tbromley]

the NSX was Hand built. there are NSX's here on Prime that are pushing over 340,000 Miles.

Name 1 BMW, Lotus, Mercedes, Ferrari, Porsche that can say that.

NONE.

Excerpt from your post....

Shawn, not trying to beat you up but Mercedes and Porsche have cars that have gone 350k to 400k miles without major engine work - so I wouldn't lump all those cars up there together. BMWs may need service and repairs but they do last as well. There are many BMWs out there with over 150k miles and they look and run good - may cost more to maintain than an NSX but - that's just the way it is. To say that none of those cars can last a long time is just not the case. Now are there other Porsches and Mercedes that haven't you bet - and a lot more of them need major maintenance long before an NSX would. I surely agree with that but properly maintained is properly maintained - to do that with German cars is just more expensive.

We don't need to bash other marques our Hondas stand on their own - they are truly great cars!

Anyway, my 2 cents worth.

 

[ChopsJazz]

the NSX was Hand built. there are NSX's here on Prime that are pushing over 340,000 Miles.

Name 1 BMW, Lotus, Mercedes, Ferrari, Porsche that can say that.

NONE.

My Mercedes had well over 250K miles when I sold it. I'm sure that there are thousands of high mileage cars of the makes that you name. Heck, Volvos never seem to die.

I love my NSX, but there are lots of cars that can rack up the miles if properly maintained. The key is maintenance.

 

[shawn110975]

Chopsjazz and tbromley

your right! the key is maintenance without it all cars fail.

I will shovel those words back into my mouth.... yukk

 

[fourringpilot]

You should have an extra $500 a month of disposable income. You will need this for things that may need to be replaced. You may replace the rear tires for $500 in August. In December you may need a new clutch - $2000.

Take $500 and place it in a savings account each month or invest in stocks (I love BP at $35 right now). When something needs replacing you can pull the money out and get it fixed. Of course, you may get lucky and have years of problem free driving at wich point you can pull out some money and go make it rain at the Spearmint Rhino. :biggrin:

 

[SuperSonic]

hey shawn, was that your cars first belt job, 100+k miles and its a 92. That would make me rest easy knowing it didnt blow and its 10 years older than mine as I am still saving to do the belt, though I dont think 53k miles on a 02 is really pushing it at this point in my cars life.

 

[nsxtasy]

There are a lot of replies here with good information. Just to add to what others have said...

I keep reading about timing belts, water pump, valve timing, hoses, even clutches that seem to go bad early, etc that need to be checked/replaced. Is it really as much work to maintain this car as it sounds? My current car (1998 170k miles) I have done virtually no maintenance on and it runs pretty well.

The maintenance schedule for an NSX is virtually identical to that of most other cars on the road. Most cars need to have the fluids and filters changed every few years, and most cars need to have the timing belt changed every 90-105K miles or every 6-7 years, just like the NSX. If you are not having fluids and filters changed, or the timing belt changed, on your current car, then there is a much higher chance it will have problems. That's the whole reason for scheduled maintenance, to avoid more serious problems (and the chance of getting stranded on the road). As my mechanic keeps saying in comparing scheduled maintenance with unplanned repairs, "You can pay me now, or you can pay me more later."

Some services are not scheduled, but happen because parts wear out - brake pad changes, clutch replacements, etc. Clutch life in the NSX varies, but most people have clutches last 40-60K miles. Because a clutch replacement typically costs $2500 for the five-speed and $4000 for the six-speed, this is a significant item. If you buy a car whose clutch has recently been replaced, you can defer the need for a new clutch (and this alone is worth several thousand dollars in the price of the car you buy).

2) I'm also worried about tire life. I see that you can put the alignment to a more neutral setting which helps tire life, but how much better is it? It sounds like with the recommended setting you only get 6-8k out of a set. How much longer do they last with more neutral setting? 10k? 20k? 50k?

First, you're not going to get 50K miles out of a set of the high-performance summer tires used on a high-performance sports car. You will replace tires more frequently than the all-seasons on your family sedan. If that's a problem for you, then don't buy a high-performance sports car (and it's no different for an NSX than a Porsche or Corvette).

Second, the short tire life on the NSX is primarily an issue only with the rear tires, not the front tires. Front tires typically last 2-3 times as long as rears. How long depends on what kind of tires you get, and how you drive. There are really sticky tires (e.g. Dunlop Star Spec) that, with the aggressive alignment, might last you only 3-6K miles in the rear, but 8-15K miles in the front. There are longer-lasting summer tires (e.g. Continental ExtremeContact DW) that, with the less aggressive alignment, might last you 8-15K miles in the rear, and 15-30K miles in the front.

3) I love the look of the lip spoiler that a lot of members have here, but I'm worried about how low the car is. Does anyone regret putting one on? Are taking speed bumps possible at all?

The car is fairly low. I'm very happy with the stock lip spoiler and the car at stock ride height, and speed bumps and driveways are rarely a problem (although I've learned to take the worst ones at a diagonal where possible). But if you buy a lowered car, or lower the car you buy, there are downsides, and you've named some of them (along with ease of entry/exit).

 

[shawn110975]

NSXFTW,

When I got my 1992 about a year and a half ago with about 114Kmiles I had no previous Mait records, other than the car looked mint. When I had mine TB/WP Valve adjustment I asked for the old belt. it looked brand new. now it might have been done at 60K or 90K I dont know but they say that the real issue is age. I remember reading here on prime a guy
had never changed his TB and was at 100K with a 1991 and when he did it he compared the NEW one with the old one the only difference was the older one was a little greyish not the new rubber black color.

it depends on the Driver and lots of other factors.

heres the link to the article, my facts might not be all there but read for yourself LOL

 

[Malibu603]

Thanks for the reply nsxtasy. Even 40-60k seems low to me. Maybe I need to learn a lot, but my buddy's Subary WRX has ~110k on it, and it's original.

As for my current car, it's an OHV, so no timing belt for me :smile: It's also Dex-cool (say what you want, but I haven't had any issue with it).

That's a good point about no car getting 50k on performance rubber, I knew they wouldn't be that high. Since I would only drive the car ~5000 miles a year tops, I guess tires would last several years, and the clutch would be fine.

One last question, I have looked around a little, but how well does the stock trans hold up to forced induction? I might have a line on a turbo car. I don't have all the details yet, but I was wondering how the trans holds up. It sounds like the stock block is good for ~400WHP, so I haven't found much about the trans.

 

[ChopsJazz]

NSXFTW,
When I had mine TB/WP Valve adjustment I asked for the old belt. it looked brand new. now it might have been done at 60K or 90K I dont know but they say that the real issue is age. I remember reading here on prime a guy
had never changed his TB and was at 100K with a 1991 and when he did it he compared the NEW one with the old one the only difference was the older one was a little greyish not the new rubber black color.

I don't want to hijack this thread and bring up that old timing belt thing, but Shawn, it has been stated many many many times here that a visual inspection of a belt (or of a hose) is not an accurate assessment of it's quality. There are cords inside the rubber that deteriorate that can/will cause it's failure. Advising people to put 100K miles on a timing belt (because you got away with it) is bad, and potentially costly, advice.

Back on topic, my tire wear lately on my rear Falken Azenis has been ~3,500 miles. Aggressive alignment, pre-CTSC, no burnouts. The fronts have lasted 4 times as long.

 

[mlambert890]

NSX timing belt service is very expensive. Also, the 6-7 years really is not all that typical anymore. Maybe for older cars, but for many newer cars, the recommendation is 9 years or so *and* it's cheaper.

It is what it is, but i think to be fair prospective owners need to consider this as it's a very real thing. Also, I know that many say the TB/WP job can be done at a great price with one of the handful of independents around, but let's be realistic there too... Realistically, it's not likely that you can utilize one of these few independents which leaves you in a tough spot since the consensus seems to be that TB/WP shouldn't just be "done anywhere"

A ~$2000 job that must be done every 6 and is a pain in the ass is something a prospective buyer really should consider carefully. I know its the one thing about the NSX that really bugs me. I have an easier time finding Ferrari independents that are good near me than e NSX and i'm lucky enough to have Davis Acura "close" (close being a little over ann hour away)

 

[Malibu603]

NSX timing belt service is very expensive. Also, the 6-7 years really is not all that typical anymore. Maybe for older cars, but for many newer cars, the recommendation is 9 years or so *and* it's cheaper.

It is what it is, but i think to be fair prospective owners need to consider this as it's a very real thing. Also, I know that many say the TB/WP job can be done at a great price with one of the handful of independents around, but let's be realistic there too... Realistically, it's not likely that you can utilize one of these few independents which leaves you in a tough spot since the consensus seems to be that TB/WP shouldn't just be "done anywhere"

A ~$2000 job that must be done every 6 and is a pain in the ass is something a prospective buyer really should consider carefully. I know its the one thing about the NSX that really bugs me. I have an easier time finding Ferrari independents that are good near me than e NSX and i'm lucky enough to have Davis Acura "close" (close being a little over ann hour away)

Yeah, the TB and valve adjustment is the biggest thing for me. Why can't anyone come up with a timing chain conversion :smile: Of course buying a 20 year old car means it's probably going to have other issues as well. That's the biggest thing I'm worried about, the money to keep the car in top shape.

On a side note, you weren't on ClubGP before were you? You name rings a bell.

 

[nsxtasy]

NSX timing belt service is very expensive. Also, the 6-7 years really is not all that typical anymore. Maybe for older cars, but for many newer cars, the recommendation is 9 years or so *and* it's cheaper.

The NSX is an expensive car to maintain, period. The frequency of the services is virtually identical to most other cars of the same vintage. And there is no Honda/Acura with a 9-year timing belt recommendation. The current cars have the same recommendation of 7 years or 105K miles as the '97-05 NSX.

If you're concerned about maintenance costs, you should buy a new car that is not a very-high-performance sports car, not an NSX (or Porsche 911 or Audi R8 etc).

I know that many say the TB/WP job can be done at a great price with one of the handful of independents around, but let's be realistic there too... Realistically, it's not likely that you can utilize one of these few independents which leaves you in a tough spot since the consensus seems to be that TB/WP shouldn't just be "done anywhere"

It depends on where you live. In some areas (e.g. Tennessee, northern New Jersey, northern and southern California, Phoenix, Orlando), there are independents with a lot of NSX experience. In other areas, the most experienced NSX mechanics are at the dealer.

A ~$2000 job

It shouldn't cost $2000.

I have an easier time finding Ferrari independents that are good near me than e NSX and i'm lucky enough to have Davis Acura "close" (close being a little over ann hour away)

The services for a Ferrari, performed by an independent, are still far more expensive than NSX services performed by Davis Acura.

If the cost of maintenance is a concern, buy a new family sedan. But if you want to play, you've got to pay.