Someone burst my bubble, am I crazy for getting such an old car?

[OriginalNsx]

Greetings,

Like probably most of you on here I have always loved the nsx since i was released. I am now in a situation where I can buy one finally.

I really want to get one, but I am at the same time weary of buying a 20+ year old car.

I'm sure they are still a great ride, but to be realistic what I am getting myself into in terms of fixing up/ maintaining a 20+ year old car?

Other than oil/tires/brakes and timing belt/water pump, what are some expenses one should budget for?

I'm not sure how much I can potentially inspect the car I will buy, so should I be budgeting say 3-5K just to get the car road worthy/reliable?

 

[anesthesia]

Welcome to Nsx prime, in regard to your questions it's been ask a hundred time. Make sure you find one that is well taken care off, with maintenance up to date, although it being an old car and I can see the hesitation in buying one, if it's properly maintain the Nsx is extremely reliable, very few things goes wrong. Do a quick search but all I can tell you is go for it, live out your dream, you only live once and you will never loose money if you buy one. I can tell you it's one of the most rewarding things I spent money on, the joy I get out of it is priceless, and the good thing is the value is increasing, get one before it sky rocket like the air cool Porsche, Good luck with your search.

 

[OriginalNsx]

Make sure you find one that is well taken care off, with maintenance up to date, although it being an old car and I can see the hesitation in buying one, if it's properly maintain the Nsx is extremely reliable, very few things goes wrong.

Other than the engine blowing out, what are some of the horror stories of someone buying an nsx that wasn't taking care off?

I found one potential car, but it looks like there isn't any service history on it but the car proof has no records of accidents etc. If I take it for a test drive and things seem "ok", I'm just weary I might miss something. I don't want to wait things out too long as it might get snatched up.

 

[NSXonwheels]

Originalnsx, take some time and read some of the threads in this forum, use the search feature and learn as much as you can about the car. Go through this NSX specific buyer guide: http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/htup-0810-acura-nsx-buyers-guide/#__federated=1

Any question you have about purchasing an NSX has been asked and answered here, just take your time browsing and learning. Everybody will have different experiences, but a well maintained NSX is as reliable as any 20 year old honda. If you are afraid of buying a 20 year old Honda Accord then the NSX won't be much different. I'll tell you this, my 2006 Corvette needed more maintenance and repairs in the 2 years I owned it (2011-2013) than my 1991 NSX in the same amount of time (2013-present)

 

[Lamchop168]

Other than the engine blowing out, what are some of the horror stories of someone buying an nsx that wasn't taking care off?

I found one potential car, but it looks like there isn't any service history on it but the car proof has no records of accidents etc. If I take it for a test drive and things seem "ok", I'm just weary I might miss something. I don't want to wait things out too long as it might get snatched up.

You our need to hire someone to do a PPI. Part of that is compression testing which will make sure the engine is good. They will also inspect most of the car, especially the chassis to make sure it's never been in an accident. They can inspect the body to see if it original paint and never been repainted. PPI is a must unless you're a mechanic yourself or else spend the few bucks. The maintenance record is very important and I wouldn't go by what the seller say unless I see it on paper. If the tb/wp have been done and the clutch is good, those are some of the big ticket item. Tires can cost you over $1k so check that too. Good luck and welcome to prime!

frankie

 

[jwmelvin]

All the above is good advice but yes, plan for $2-5k even if nothing is seriously wrong and you want to get the car in top shape. If the engine is not modified then it seems like you have little risk of catastrophic problem. But a compression check could help confirm that.

 

[blue_myriddn]

I'm sure they are still a great ride, but to be realistic what I am getting myself into in terms of fixing up/ maintaining a 20+ year old car?

Maintenance is minimal - oil changes, tires, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary if the car has been properly cared for.

Other than oil/tires/brakes and timing belt/water pump, what are some expenses one should budget for?
I'm not sure how much I can potentially inspect the car I will buy, so should I be budgeting say 3-5K just to get the car road worthy/reliable?

The unknown is the element that can make these cars money pits - you can easily sink anywhere from $5,000-20,000 or more if you end up with a problem car. It can be very hard to identify a car that has problems, so make sure to have it inspected by an EXPERIENCED technician if you have a questionable maintenance history or simply are unsure of what has gone on with the car. Cars with "stories" can end up being very costly. If you can buy a car that is known in the community, or from a reputable member of NSXCA or Prime that can be a great way to avoid problems.

Sometimes though, you just need to roll the dice and make your best judgement when it comes time to sign that Bill of Sale.

 

[Jinks]

I would study these forums as if it were a tour guide to your own religion if I had to do this again.

 

[tof]

Where are you located? Given that, someone might be able to recommend a truly qualified tech to do the PPI. If you have budgeted 5 grand to get your next car on the road you can spend 1/20th of that on a really good PPI and save most of the rest for future maintenance.

Be patient in your purchase decision. When it comes to NSX's the rule sometimes is, "buy in haste, repent at leisure".

PM me if you are looking at 91s.

 

[OriginalNsx]

I'm not budgeting $5K per say, it all depends on how much I am spending in the end

I'm in Toronto, I know there is a Canada specific forum so I'll search in there for a local PPI guru.

Where are you located? Given that, someone might be able to recommend a truly qualified tech to do the PPI. If you have budgeted 5 grand to get your next car on the road you can spend 1/20th of that on a really good PPI and save most of the rest for future maintenance.

Be patient in your purchase decision. When it comes to NSX's the rule sometimes is, "buy in haste, repent at leisure".

PM me if you are looking at 91s.

 

[MrBret]

Agree with guys who say get it inspected. I bought my 92 when it was 10 years old, looked great, but had to spend 3 grand since previous owner hadn't replaced timing belt/water pump and the engine spooler valve (not sure exact name) had failed, but when I picked up the car it was perfect. Just did timing belt again after 13 years owning it and glad to know it's up to date.

Timing belt cost for a Ferrari would curl your toes. NSX is more expensive than regular Honda but not much. And if you have the interest you'd be surprised what you can fix yourself.

 

[Shrink]

These cars are about as reliable and solid as you will ever find, but some of them are over 20 years old. So things will break. Just go into the experience knowing over time you will have to replace some parts. I bought my 1991 with over 220K miles on it. Honestly I was skeptical, but she has never failed me. Take care of the car and you will have years of happy ownership.

 

[oldnews]

Greetings,

Like probably most of you on here I have always loved the nsx since i was released. I am now in a situation where I can buy one finally.

I really want to get one, but I am at the same time weary of buying a 20+ year old car.

I'm sure they are still a great ride, but to be realistic what I am getting myself into in terms of fixing up/ maintaining a 20+ year old car?

Other than oil/tires/brakes and timing belt/water pump, what are some expenses one should budget for?

I'm not sure how much I can potentially inspect the car I will buy, so should I be budgeting say 3-5K just to get the car road worthy/reliable?

Yes.

 

[Sean Firth]

Here's my story; by no means a cautionary tale, but one worth repeating nonetheless.

I too bought my car from out of town, and had the car inspected by the sellers local NSX guru. Everything passed no problem, compression, leak down, no accident history etc. I knew the car had deferred t belt maintenance and negotiated the final sale price keeping that in mind. When I was driving home (5hours) I noticed the clutch was weak; so I called him. The PO apparently didn't know anything about it and wouldn't do anything after the fact. Caveat emptor.

The following winter (I bought in May) I was almost $6k into maintainance for T-belts, hoses and the damn clutch. Needless to say, my wife was not pleased. Even though the lions share of the niggly bits were disclosed, $6k is a lot to an otherwise very understanding spouse. I've since been able to make it up with her in the form of handbags, shoes and vacations as well as a rock solid car since that day - but keep that money aside.

The previous owner also promised to courier me the full service history and it never happened.

At the end of the day, you're buying a 25 year old sports car and there will be things that aren't up to your standards. It's always better safe than sorry.

 

[nsxto]

There are a couple of good local NSX mechanics around the GTA - PM me if you want their info or signup with the NSX Canada Club.

As others have suggested, you need to get it checked out by a good mechanic, yes. Most important of all, you need to get it checked out by a good mechanic who knows these specific cars!

The most expensive items as 'surprises' go are the usual engine/tranny/clutch - so make sure those are all good! A PPI from the local Acura dealer will help you with that. I know that at Acura 2000 they work on a few NSXs, so they may have an NSX specialist - call them and check.

Now, maintenance wise, TB/WP, clutch, valve adjustments...make sure you know when those were done. If there is no documentation to prove it, expect to get one or more of those done for sure.

Next, there are the coolant hoses. There are tons of them on the car and if they have not been replaced, you need to get that taken care of, as well. I plan on getting this done on my car that I bought 2 years ago as I don't know when they were changed.

The cars are easy to work on. If you know about cars and have worked on other cars in the past, then you can do most little jobs yourself - like plugs/brakes/oil.

Don't listen to people trying to talk you out of it!!! I postponed my decision for way too long and ended up paying almost 1.5 times what I could have at one point. But, I love my car every time I drive it and people who see it can't believe that it is 20+ years old! It is the most satisfying car I ever bought. Plus, there are so many neat things about the car that you get to appreciate after owning it for a while. For example, the view from the cockpit, how easy it is to place the car on the road, knowing exactly where each corner is. The feel of the manual steering is awesome. The tight gearbox feels so right and precise. The styling is timeless and just the overall balance of the car. Trust me, very few cars can match the overall package that you get with an NSX.

Now go get it checked out and come back to tell us all about it!!!

If you need any help, feel free to PM me. I am around the GTA so I will be happy to share what I have learned from my time with the car.

Good luck!!

 

[myw]

hahahah. awesome sean!

The following winter (I bought in May) I was almost $6k into maintainance for T-belt, hoses and the damn clutch. Needless to say, my wife was not pleased. Even though the lions share of the niggly bits were disclosed, $6k is a lot to an otherwise very understanding spouse. I've since been able to make it up with her in the form of handbags, shoes and vacations as well as a rock solid car since that day - but keep that money aside. .

 

[skafia]

Just know that it'll never rust!

 

[RedWings]

Have a reasonable budget for starters...
if you try to get one on the cheap, you will get exactly what you are asking for or worse
Put in some discovery time here on Prime and meet some current owners
Cheers and best of luck in your hunt

 

[docjohn]

did somebody say .....bubble................

 

[vivanshah]

did somebody say .....bubble................

that's one googly bubble