Hey guys. Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, I'm new to the forum. Anyway, I've been eyeing a 1st gen NSX as a weekend toy. It was a toss up between this car and the R35 GTR, but it seems to me that the NSX would be cheaper to own and maintain than the GTR. Is this true from a maintenance and repair perspective? I can do some basic/moderate maintenance items myself, so I could save some money there. Has your NSX costed you a lot on maintenance/repairs since you've had it? I do like to modify my vehicles, so thats a different story, but I'm just looking for mainly the operating costs of a first gen NSX versus other vehicles such as a GTR, 911, etc. Thanks!
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What is the cost of ownership like on a first gen NSX?
- Thread starter Jspex
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A lot of this depends on the NSX you are buying. Remember, the newest of these cars are 14 years old. So, you should adjust your expectations to those of owning a classic car. A brand new NSX was one of the most reliable and easy to maintain cars in the world. A 25 year old NSX can still be reliable, but there will be things that will break due to age and must be replaced. It's just a part of classic car ownership. My general advice to new owners is to set aside $5,000 when you buy the car to address the stuff that will break. I also owned a R35 GT-R and the cost to maintain versus my two NSXs was much less. That's because the GT-R is a new car and the NSX is a classic car. I would look for a NSX that has full maintenance records and has had some of the more common age-related issues already fixed. Those would be the power windows, ABS, HVAC system, suspension joints, steering rack, and electronics (gauge cluster, CCU, etc.).
In short, the days of "it's a Honda, it will last forever" are over. Today, owning any 1st Gen NSX is classic car ownership and all that comes with it. That said, I prefer the NSX experience over the R35.
HTH
In short, the days of "it's a Honda, it will last forever" are over. Today, owning any 1st Gen NSX is classic car ownership and all that comes with it. That said, I prefer the NSX experience over the R35.
HTH
The regular maintenance cost will be like a Honda Accord although the timing belt replacement is a hefty touch compared to the Accord. The NSX parts also seem to come with a premium price compared to the Accord. The bigger issue which is what I think [MENTION=18194]Honcho[/MENTION] is addressing is that given the vintage of these cars, you are now potentially into the life cycle / life extension phase which is a step beyond the regular own and maintain stuff. The life extension costs will depend on the particular NSX that you purchase. A 2005 with low mileage that was never used on the track will likely just incur the scheduled maintenance costs in the owners manual for the next 5 - 10 years (plus the inevitable clean and grease of the window regulators which is not in the maintenance schedule). A 1991 with high use could easily push the window on Honcho's $5000 maintenance fund.
Another thing to consider is the challenge of finding replacement parts. Sometimes they are backlog. Sometimes they have to be shipped from Japan. Sometimes they are discontinued and you have to substitute for a similar part. In summary, do not be surprise if you have to hunt around or get creative. Thankfully, there are resources that can help such as Science of Speed or The NSX Shop to help out.
[MENTION=18194]Honcho[/MENTION] described it quite well when he said they are classics. Old cars require more attention and may have symptoms that newer cars do not have. Unfortunately, the NSX was affected by the "capacitor plague" and some electronics have or may fail.
In the end, when everything is working, they are still a blast to drive.
[MENTION=18194]Honcho[/MENTION] described it quite well when he said they are classics. Old cars require more attention and may have symptoms that newer cars do not have. Unfortunately, the NSX was affected by the "capacitor plague" and some electronics have or may fail.
In the end, when everything is working, they are still a blast to drive.
Dropped $4,200 on maintenance last summer. WP+TB+ Every gasket+ all coolants at Source 1. The only main expense other than mods . 5 years of ownership 20k miles.
I have to laugh when I hear, "it's as cheap as an Accord". Sorry Old Guy.:biggrin: It's just not for us average Joes. Old guy is smart, he can do the work himself. The problem you will find is searching for parts. You get the stoopid nsx tax on EVERYTHING!!! How about paying 400 dollars and above for cheap ass abs plastic parts? Hahah.
Unless you own a lift in your garage, be prepared to shell it out as most repairs needs to be performed underneath the car, MOSTLY. It's a Honda with a Ferrari price tag on parts.:wink:
Unless you own a lift in your garage, be prepared to shell it out as most repairs needs to be performed underneath the car, MOSTLY. It's a Honda with a Ferrari price tag on parts.:wink:
In self defense, I did say 'regular maintenance' costs :smile:. Yes, there does seem to be an NSX premium adder for a lot of parts and if you are obsessive about appearance, once you get into replacing trim parts the prices are really up-their because Acura is the only source. The hazards of owning a relatively low production numbers vehicle!
Bram said it best when he said the cheapest nsx you own will be the most expensive nsx you'll ever own. I am a poster child for it.:biggrin:
I added up everything I spent while I had my 1994 NSX for 15 years. I bought it with around 6k on it and put 92k miles on it. All of my receipts added up to $21k including mods like wheels, exhaust, suspension, stereo and interior updates.
I can assure you that that cost has gone up for all of the aforementioned reasons.
I can assure you that that cost has gone up for all of the aforementioned reasons.
I have spent ~ $5K per year.
Off site storage - $1500
Insurance - $1K (maybe I should look into this)
Maintenance and repair (not much repair, but all done by me) - $1K
Improvements & updates - ~ $1K
Tires & gas - $500
Timing belt & WP is coming, so a more costly year up ahead (~ $2.5K extra I don't know if I can do)
My car is in pretty good shape though
Depends on commitment, if you have room at home, and if you can do some of the "easier" work yourself.
Rewards are a nice car and head tuner every you go.
Best wishes.
Off site storage - $1500
Insurance - $1K (maybe I should look into this)
Maintenance and repair (not much repair, but all done by me) - $1K
Improvements & updates - ~ $1K
Tires & gas - $500
Timing belt & WP is coming, so a more costly year up ahead (~ $2.5K extra I don't know if I can do)
My car is in pretty good shape though
Depends on commitment, if you have room at home, and if you can do some of the "easier" work yourself.
Rewards are a nice car and head tuner every you go.
Best wishes.
They're both cool cars and each have their benefits/drawbacks. I recommend just test driving both and then see how you'll have to rationalize the financials to make what you're attracted to work! I mean, they've sold the GTR here for 11 years so if you're looking at an older one it may also have some potentially hefty maintenance costs.
[MENTION=18194]Honcho[/MENTION] 's input on what your expectations should be with an older NSX is spot-on.
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Thanks everyone! I should really think about this more then. It would be a weekend car, so if its down for awhile waiting on parts it wouldn’t be an issue. I have jack stands, but no lift. Seems like its expensive but also cheap depending on what youre doing.
Another one to remember is "buy the best car you can afford" (basically the same thing, but worded differently)Jinks said:
Yep, highly recommend. Although finding a local NSX to test drive might be hard. However, feel free to post where you are located. Maybe someone in the forum is nice enough to give you a ride (or offer to let you drive theirs).[/COLOR said:
Once you made up your mind, the next step is whether you want a NA1 or NA2
Depreciation/appreciation aside, I think cost of ownership needs to be separated into
a) maintenance/wearable costs (no gas or insurance)
b) mods
Item a) costed be around $15k CAD over the course of 11 years (120k km/~72k miles). High ticket items: OEM clutch, TB/WP, Fuel pump, brake rotors/pads, steering rack rebuild. So 21 cents CAD a mile.
a) maintenance/wearable costs (no gas or insurance)
b) mods
Item a) costed be around $15k CAD over the course of 11 years (120k km/~72k miles). High ticket items: OEM clutch, TB/WP, Fuel pump, brake rotors/pads, steering rack rebuild. So 21 cents CAD a mile.
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Many of the lower-miles, garage queen NSXs out there have large amounts of deferred maintenance. Bills can get pretty large in those cases, but if the car has been maintained religiously prior to your ownership, it's really not an expensive car to live with compared to say, a same-era Porsche 911.
I do agree that a properly maintained NSX will be cheaper to own than an R35 GT-R off consumables and ease of maintenance alone.
I do agree that a properly maintained NSX will be cheaper to own than an R35 GT-R off consumables and ease of maintenance alone.
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If you like, check out the local mechanic shop that specialize in nsx. They can tell you first hand what the maintenance is like.
Also, they might have some leads on local cars that are for sale because many owners build a good relationship with the shop from their years of ownership.
Also, they might have some leads on local cars that are for sale because many owners build a good relationship with the shop from their years of ownership.
Take a look at the following links as a starter...if you have specific questions and we can share our experiences.
https://www.nsxprime.com/wiki/Category:Purchasing_an_NSX
http://www.nsxprime.com/wiki/Purchase_Process
http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/1507-acura-nsx-buyers-guide
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/203860-Car-shipping
Here is an excellent study on purchase cost
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/199875-Gen1-NSX-Current-Market-Analysis/page3
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What are you willing to pay for one?
If you leave out the cheapest ones expect around $2000 per year for maintenance . Depending on how much and esp. how you drive it that's a good basic number. The spread is from $500 to $5000 per year if the TB or clutch is due to change, excluding horror bills but they are really rare.
Parts: very high availability. There's no fear that the car won't drive because Honda left us out in the desert. BUT they are not cheap. The waiting time for parts can significantly be reduced if you check on a periodic base what needs to be replaced within the next months.
Mods: the 'wild' era of wildest modding an NSX is over. :wink:
DIY: yes, the NSX allows a lot DIY (in contrary to the 911!).
If you leave out the cheapest ones expect around $2000 per year for maintenance . Depending on how much and esp. how you drive it
that's a good basic number. The spread is from $500 to $5000 per year if the TB or clutch is due to change, excluding horror bills but they are really rare. Parts: very high availability. There's no fear that the car won't drive because Honda left us out in the desert. BUT they are not cheap. The waiting time for parts can significantly be reduced if you check on a periodic base what needs to be replaced within the next months.
Mods: the 'wild' era of wildest modding an NSX is over. :wink:
DIY: yes, the NSX allows a lot DIY (in contrary to the 911!).
Wow... I have to disagree with some of the guys about this being an expensive car to maintain. I had the luck of owning two NSXs, a 96 120k miles and an 05 with 23k miles. Both were fairly cheap to maintain since I didn't daily them. Insurance was around $600 a year, annual oil changes I did myself (easier than an Accord!) for about $50, TB/WP at the dealer was around $2500, but that's maybe ever 7 years, hoses and other items- you'll most likely won't replace for 100k miles (it's a Honda!) tires - your choice $600-1000. The mods aren't that expensive - compared to an exotic car, but they do add up quickly
Compared to my Porsche 993... don't get me started.
Again, this is just my experience of owning two.
Compared to my Porsche 993... don't get me started.
Again, this is just my experience of owning two.
my one owner 96 also is very light on the wallet except that I have always had a "no budget" attitude on the consumables of a track car..I think the higher estimates of money needed for many used cars on the market is based on the sketchy multi owner history and the wide range of condition of rubber parts esp targa seals ...my 96 has all original pieces and they are not torn/tattered and paint is decent because I have been in control since day one:wink:
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One thing to consider is that while cost of entry might be high, your NSX will probably maintain most of it value (unless you heavily modify it in a personalized way) that you will recapture when you eventually sell.
