Which NSX would you likely have the most trouble free ownership?

[bnrgator]

I'm looking to get an early NSX (I'm 6'3" so want fixed roof) and there is a lot of cars that still appear to be in really nice shape and have surprising low miles.

Some very pristine examples have less miles than I would put on in a year (probably 4k at most). While the idea of having an "almost new" car from the early 90s seems appealing, I worry that a car that spent decades idle could have a lot of problems in the future. Even if it worked, I can hear Indiana Jones saying "it belongs in a museum!" as I drove it.

Am I right in thinking this? Would a car with 40k or more miles actually be a safer bet?

The actual cost of the car isn't my primary factor since I think all of these cars are going to hold their values or go up if treated well.

 

[Old Guy]

Coupes are available right up to 2000; but, harder to find in the later years and now are probably commanding a premium price.

Check the Wiki to find the TSBs covering the initial problems (snap ring etc.) and other known issues. With the exception of the snap ring failure and some issues with water pumps and hoses, none of them qualify as lemon makers. You can also see the year by year model changes. OBDII can have a lot of advantages from a maintenance diagnostic perspective and some people enjoy power steering (me for one) and some people hate it. You also have the 5 speed versus 6 speed decision.

As to ageing, clearly original tires on a 1991 museum piece with 3000 miles are a no go. Beyond silly things like that I would judge the car on the basis of the physical examination / PPI and the maintenance history. The only big upside I see to super low mileage is that the car is less likely to have cosmetic issues. If you really are planning to drive 4000 miles per year, you probably do not want to pay for a Haggerty condition 1 or 2+ car since driving it 4000 miles per year will turn it into a 2 or 3+ car. Consider purchasing a car from a cooler climate. Elevated temperatures combined with age lead to earlier failure of the electronics (capacitor leakage) although the failures are generally repairable.

 

[Albert86]

I was going to buy a $50K+ car when I bought mine (5 or 6 years ago).
I was discouraged from the car folks I work with.
The question is is if you want to buy a museum piece for museum piece prices and then let it sit in the museum, or are you going to want to drive it?
I opted for a much lower price car with 65K miles I could drive and not sweat the deprecation so much.
With it came a car that required some work of a more immediate need, some to provide reliability, and some to provide personal touches I wanted.
What I ended up with was a car I don't (well mostly) look at the odometer and say there goes another $xyz bucks when I hop in and go for a spin.
Now that I reflect I am glad that I ended up with a 94; I think a 93 would have been OK too.
You just have to be a bit more aware with the 91/92 cars and the trans issue and the small improvements after those years.
Learn, search and watch; one will come up.
PS - I am just shy of 6'3" and have no problems.

 

[bnrgator]

Thanks for the replies. Reading some of the threads on tall drivers, it looks like there are workarounds for tall Targa owners so I'm going to include those in my search.

I wish there were some local to try on, but I haven't seen any close by (North Alabama, Huntsville area). I posted in the local forum a while back and got no replies.

I fit comfortably in a Miata RF with a tiny bit of room to spare so hopefully I can make this work!

Owning an NSX has been a personal dream since they first came out. I was in high school at the time. I'm finally in a position to make it happen. Now or never!

 

[Old Guy]

My son is 6' 2". Its a tight fit for him in my 2000 targa. It will depend on whether you are long in the upper torso or have a long in-seam. His in-seam is around 34" which puts him long in the upper torso and short in the legs for someone of that height, hence the problem with his hair always brushing the roof. I think the NSX is probably more accommodating of long legs than a long upper torso. Only a test fit will tell the tale.

 

[Blackhorse06]

I have a 94 coupe and I am 6'2-6'3 on a good day! I needed to get a new lower cushion so that I was completely comfortable. There are several options to do this. One is to have your existing one cut down by a couple of inches or the other is you can look for some of the old Dali or other lowered cushions. It is doable without this but you will sacrifice a bit of comfort in my opinion. Good luck in your search.