The NSX is ready to take off $$$$ wise.

Joined
14 August 2005
Messages
637
Location
Arlington TX
I dont come to Prime that much anymore but thought you should know that IMO the NSX's day has finally come for the top collector car status and $ appreciation that its due.
Not talking about holding value or a slight increase but really ready for take off.
Witness the 80s-90's Ferrari and Porsche classic market.
The NSX has just so many things going for it that even those markets lack.

I'm not often wrong on topics of this nature.
But we'll see.
 
It is regretable you do not visit Prime much anymore. Pls don't let that persist. :smile:

Veteran perspectives are always appreciated.

+



And I think you are right on.
 
From what I can see, it's already starting to progress quite nicely for sellers, but poorly for those wanting to get in.

I see four year old ads that make me drool compared to today's prices.

$50k for a low mileage 91-92 is a bit much imo
 
I have been thinking of selling lately but something is holding me back. I am afraid I will regret it.

The Porsche 993, especially the 993 turbo prices are crazy these days.
 
Last edited:
Like opticole said, prices have been going up steadily for awhile now. I'm a late comer and finally purchased mine this year and I'm glad I could because finding the right one at the right price is like waiting for pigs to fly.
 
The MKIV Supra market is doing the same.
 
Think of what you can buy new nowadays and more importantly for how much, to get:

• 0-60 in 5.1s, 1/4mi in 13.65s, top-speed at 167mph+
-or-
• 0-60 in 4.7s, 1/4mi in 12.85s, top-speed at 176mph+

Need to spend about ~$45k for the former, and close to ~$65k for the latter, for a new make/model of something.

Which is where I believe '91-'96 & '97-'05 NSX values, respectively, will eventually settle... (mileage/condition/history will adjust those aforementioned values)

Point being, NSX ownership in the past 10-15 years has more-or-less been money in the bank!
 
My personal opinion is that the entire collector car market has bounced back and then some since the market collapse of 2007-08. Since then, the stock market has more than doubled in value leaving many investors/profit takers with a great deal of disposable income to purchase "toys." I personally don't see the NSX values particularly higher (or lower) than the overall trend of the collector car market. Don't get me wrong, I love my '91 and would like nothing more than for its value to skyrocket in the coming years. I just don't see any evidence of its projected value bucking the market trend. If someone has empirical data to prove otherwise, let the flames begin!
 
Lets not confuse a first year NSX with, say, a late 60s Porsche 911 S, a car that has gone from the mid 30s for a really nice example back in 2006 to as much as a quarter mil today. A better comparison would be Ferrari 328s and 348s of nearly the same vintage as the 91 NSX. Values on those F cars has been flat or down for years.

Of course the NSX is a superior car. Take the prancing hood off a 348 and you have a not very attractive or particularly fast package with poor ergonomics and shaky reliability that sounds really nice when it's running. And interest in classic Japanese iron in general and NSXs in particular has certainly picked up in the motoring press, including magazines catering to car collectors. While NSX prices are rising, The bubble might burst in a year or two. There are, after all, a LOT of NSXs out there and owners generally take very good care of them.

Best advice I've read or heard about car collecting is get cars you love, to look at and/or to drive, and enjoy them. Don't worry if prices go down or get too excited if they go up.

Maybe in another 20 or 25 years we will see perfectly restored and #2+ survivor NSXs follow the 911S into the stratosphere. But I'll enjoy mine now for what it is, a great car to drive, detail, show, cruise in, work on, and enjoy.
 
I believe the majority of the buyers today are folks who are now in their 30s and 40s who lusted for the car in their teens. That market will dwindle as time goes on and therefore demand will fall OR be replaced with investors and speculators or owners who have learned of the legend but have not lived the true joys of owning and driving the amazing nsx. The nsx does have a romantic story behind it which more than one could say for the 993 tt or the e30 m3. The last of the air cooled 911s? the first true M car? pair that up with the David (nsx) vs Goliath (ferrari) or ayrton senna...and perhaps the nsx has a more compelling story. We all know where prices for those 2 cars have raised to crazy levels. I might not be making a point here but there are multiple economic factors to consider.

who remembers the American muscle car hype in the late 2000s? I do. I made a lot money selling two chevelles. Look where that market is now. It's stale and stagnant.

Im curious why people are buying this car. Is it to drive it or is to own only to have rotting away in a garage?
 
I don't know about everyone else here, but I surely didn't spend the money to just look at it. Driving my vehicles for the sake of driving/enjoyment will likely always be true for me. Otherwise, I feel as if I'm not getting my money's worth.

Drive, Break, Fix, Repeat.
 
Classic car values are always in direct correlation to the economy. When the economy is great, so are car prices. There are always deals to find when the economy is in bad shape.
In 2006 prices were high. Not so much in 2008. today they are increasing again.
It is all about how much people are willing to pay, and cash in hand allows people to pay more.
 
One of my best friend's brothers (who is a huge Austin Healey collector) was at the Amelia Island Concours in March. A renowned car broker he knows told him that he should purchase an NSX right now, as he felt the car was poised to appreciate dramatically in value over the next few years.
 
I could care less what it's valued. I'm not planning on selling. I had a guy at a car show this weekend ask how much it would take for me to sell it to him. I told him the best offer over $100K gets it. He said I'll never get that much. I told him that was the point. I've wanted an NSX since 1991. Now that I finally have one I'm content to keep it. So, unless someone is crazy enough to pay me what it would take to own a clean 1991 and an 02+ NSX, I'll just keep the one I have.
 
^Bingo.

I had someone asking me what it'd take to buy mine. A guy I know for a fact has the money. My answer was simply "You could buy 3 clean examples for what I'd want for it. I'll help you look for one of your own, but essentially, mine isn't and won't be for sale"

I'm one of those "30"-ish guys (I'm 28) who've dreamed of owning one forever. I was fortunate enough to find a clean example that was well maintained and am even more fortunate to no longer owe a penny on it. Being that this was the iconic dream car for me (being a Honda nut for as long as I can remember), now that I have finally obtained it, I can't wait until the day I hear my now 2 yr old ask "can I drive it?" to which I will simply respond with a laugh :)
 
$50k for a low mileage 91-92 is a bit much imo

I personally know of a 91' blk/ivory with 15K miles that just went for $51K. The real kicker was that the Seller was only asking $49K but had such a considerable amount of interest in the car that the eventual "buyer" ended up offering $2K over asking price all in less than 48 hours after being listed on CL. That being said, this particular car seemed to be exceptional in its mileage and condition, but it does show that it isn't out of the realm of possibility for clean, well-maintained low mileage early year NA1's to approach this.
 
I have been thinking of selling lately but something is holding me back. I am afraid I will regret it.
The Porsche 993, especially the 993 turbo prices are crazy these days.

Same. I've put 100,000 miles on my NSX over ~7 years and it's worth almost the exact same today as when I bought it!
Looking at 993 prices, I see one for $170,000 another for $110,000, it makes me wonder if the NSX could possibly get back up to it's original sticker price.
Sticker on my 97 was $90,000. Adjusted for inflation that's around $150,000.

If you look at it, the NSX has outperformed the stock market over the last 10 years...
NSX: Outperforms Ferrari and the Stock Market.
 
Last edited:
I think there is a lot of scrambling in the collector market looking for the "next" car.
IMO there is are lot of potential pent up collectors in the Japanese car market that just dont know they are.
Just as there were potential collectors in muscle cars before that took off.
In the Ferrari market everyone was waiting to see (after 2008) when the Boxer would take off.
It took awhile but has double to tripled in value over the last year.
Not saying the NSX will this year but when it does fasten your seat belts.
 
I have found Haggerty to be a pretty good indicator of values and they are registering an uptick on NSXs. One thing that is very important to keep in mind though is that the "skyrocketting" models tend to be the garage queens and "time capsule" cars. If you take a close look at the graph I have attached below of the report on my model year you will see that the real steep gains are in the Condition 1&2 cars, whereas the condition 3&4 cars have a more flat growth. I think if this graph continues you will see similar progress with only the Condition one cars reaching up to the $80k range while the condition 3/4 will stick around the $50k range.

Personally, I am probably going to drive all the value out of my car, but that is fine with me as I am happy with converting dollars to smiles ;)


q8c0.gif
 
I think the NSX will significantly appreciate in value, but it might not be for another 10 years. It seems that certain cars suddenly become hot collectibles when they approach around 35-40 years after introduction. Just compare today's market for 70s Trans Ams or early C3 Corvettes with 5 years ago. Demographics is a big deal. You need the financially stable 50 year olds with expendable cash lusting for the iconic cars of their youth. Hardly anyone disagrees, NSX owner or not, that the NSX is one of a handful of iconic cars from the 90s. Every era has had its time to shine in the collectible car market. When its the 90s turn, I have no doubt that the NSX will dominate. It might also be that the 90s will be much more cherished coming off the 80s era, which can be argued was a low point in automobile history. The shittiness of the 80s coupled with the timelessness of the 90s NSX could create a synergy that translates into big $$$ for the NSX down the road.

I apologize for the long winded response. All of my writing is mirroring my PhD thesis which I've been writing for the last 6 months.:frown:
 
Back
Top