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New to me - black 1996 NSX-T, the stars have aligned.

Joined
2 May 2005
Messages
249
(long) Story Time!!

This first photo here (http://imgur.com/3pLeuGl.jpg) is a photo I took way back in 2014 - little did I know that 2 years later (today), I would be signing my name on the title!

To give some background - this was when I had my 1991 Sebring Silver NSX, and I had just dropped it off to Jim Russell the NSX guru’s shop in Redwood City. As I walked out of his shop, this black beauty caught my eye - I stopped to admire it, snapped this shot, and went about my business. Fast forward about 10 months and I’ve put my silver NSX for sale - something I’d end up regretting quite a bit.

As some of you may know by now, I’ve been hunting for a stock NSX, not necessarily low-miled - but a well maintained one with all service records, inspected and approved by an NSX guru before purchasing. The red supercharged one in sacramento caught my eye - even though I didn’t care for the supercharger at first, *ALL* service records were immaculately presented, which made me think it might be a good idea to consider. This one: http://imgur.com/vyVDM1T.jpg

I went up there two weekends ago to test drive it myself. Fell in love with how it pulled and whined, and it rode exceptionally well. I figure it’s a done deal, but just to be safe, I requested Jim Russell’s services for an inspection, and he agreed to meet me up there in sacramento to do as thorough an inspection as he is able (what a guy!). I bribe him with money and promises of steak dinners.

Anyhow, Jim Russell is *incredibly* thorough. He found a myriad of issues from some work that was done at an audio/stereo shop - missing trim pieces, badly done stereo wiring pushed through a hacked firewall grommet letting water into the car, cracked door trim on the passenger side, holes drilled in the headlamp covers where a former HID kit used to sit, a binding/clicking passenger seat at the top of its adjustment travel, to name a few. They had the car listed for $75k, and I bargained them down to $66k and got them to give me an extra $5k on my trade, so I thought I was doing great. But after adding up all the fixes I was going to do after Jim’s discoveries, it was a pretty terrible deal for me. It was a real shame, because the performance work done on this car by Shad @ DA was *impeccably* done, and Jim Russell gave a big thumbs up on a well done, proper install for all the performance modifications. And it drove like a beast, Jim kept talking about how hard it pulled afterwards with a big smile on his face, haha. But I just couldn't get past the shoddy audio/stereo work (done at some weird outside audio shop, not DA). And of course, there was those ugly tweeter warts that the p/o installed by drilling through $2k/each door panels. I had already decided to pass on the car, when Jim mentioned this car only passed smog because sacramento county runs an “unenhanced” smog test - just a visual and sniffer - he was pretty sure that this car would fail the dyno sniffer in the “enhanced” smog tests of my area, and that’s *if* the tech skimps on the visual and doesn’t catch the non carb-legal fuel pressure regulator and oversized fuel injectors.

Anyways, later that night I give him a call to tell him thanks, and to schedule a steak dinner for his services. I mentioned to him I passed on the car, and he replies with a “yeah, I’m glad you didn’t buy that car. Want a stock black one? 1996 nsx-t? I’m not sure if he’ll sell or not, but I can ask.” I jump at the chance, of course.

Turns out, it’s the black one I saw in front of his shop 2 years ago. Jim reaches out to the owner to ask if he wants to sell, and is immediately answered with a “nope.” But Jim vouches for me, letting him know I’m not one of those kids who would put giant wings, goofy body kits, neon lights, spinning wheels,etc on the car. He hems and haws a bit and is reluctant. That’s when Jim mentions that I’m looking to sell my Carrera 4S (here: http://imgur.com/C2K1DYl.jpg), and owner lit up. He had been thinking about getting an AWD car to take to his numerous tahoe trips that is still “fun” and sporty, and has been curious about 911s for a while. Bonus is that the C4S is ready to accept a luggage/bike rack (he is an avid cyclist).

Jim completely vouches for this black NSX as one of the most pristine he’s ever seen, and seeing how OCD and thorough he was with the red NSX’es inspection, that meant a lot. His exact words were “This car is a *stud*. Needs nothing. Owner is completely anal, didn’t even drive it in the rain. I’m the only one who’s worked on the car since ’99 or ’00 and he never drives the thing.” I am sold.

So, the past Sunday night, Jim connected the two of us. I gave the owner a call, and we just hit it off. Chatted about what we were looking for, asked and answered questions about our respective cars. The next day, I drove over to his place in half moon bay and we inspected each others cars and test drove them. (his soon-to-be-mine NSX: http://imgur.com/PVEVJOe.jpg) He immediately scheduled an inspection on my C4S for wednesday morning, and with Jim Russell’s endorsement I was ready to buy the black NSX as-is without inspection. BTW, I had a glorious drive home on 84/skyiline back from HMB in the C4S, it was a pretty fantastic parting-ways drive that made me a bit emotional.

The C4S passed its PPI today with flying colors (dealer’s words were “one of the cleanest C4S’es we’ve seen in a while”), outside of finding a torn CV boot on the front left - which I subtracted from the cost of the car to cover for the new buyer. After a bunch of paperwork and cashiers checks, here we are! Mission Accomplished. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I am still stunned at how quickly and smoothly this all went down, and I feel the positive experience makes the car even more special - I didn’t just walk into a dealer and walk out with a car like I have in the past. I made a connection with another enthusiast, and worked with him to make a deal happen that we were both very happy about.

I swap cars often, but I will die with this car. Whether it’s a month from now or 30 years from now, I make no promises. But man, I’m afraid to drive it now as it is completely accident or even blemish free (the paint still looks like you can reach right through it), and pretty much pristine - it’s going to get harder and harder to find another NSX in this condition. Oh - and I took it away for $55k, a steal for an NSX of condition, imo!

Truly, “an eternal sportsmind for me.” Here she is at home in her new garage - sorry for pic quality, it was dark and rainy: http://imgur.com/boOLZle.jpg
 
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Let me be the first to congratulate you K!
I know the quest you have had for this car, and ecstatic you got this. I provided you many leads, but this car surpasses all of them.
This must be the first car swap in NSX history!
Let's meet up soon so I can admire your beauty.
 
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Let me be the first to congratulate you K!
I know the quest you have had for this car, and ecstatic you got this. I provided you many leads, but this car surpasses all of them.
This must be the first car swap in NSX history!
Let's meet up soon so I can admire your beauty.

Thank you! Appreciate all the leads - the red one in tucson was actually really tempting, but I had this lead I was kind of chasing so wasn't ready to commit yet in case this one worked out. Super stoked it did.

Let's do lunch soon :)

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the hardest part of it was driving away in it - trying to balance the ecstatic joy bursting from within, all while feeling the heart wrenching sadness from the empathy of the previous owner standing there, watching his prized baby of 16 years drive away.... it was pretty hard, I'll admit. I felt like a crook...
 
Congrats! I think I heard about this car through other owners or Jim himself. Forgot but the car sounds as perfect as it could be!
 
Congrats on the new car! Fascinating story! I totally understand how you feel. I too will share my story when I finally get my GPW home in a few weeks.
 
congratulations Jim is quite the match maker....what vin number? my black 96 is #259
 
Congratulations!

$55k for a 1996? how many miles?

Thanks! 70k miles. worth every penny in this condition to me. :)

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congratulations Jim is quite the match maker....what vin number? my black 96 is #259

Yes, he is - I would tell him I love him but I don't want to get a restraining order as I'll need his services to keep my NSX in tip top shape in the future...

Mine is JH4NA118XTT000411, so.. that makes it #411 ?
 
yes our cars were 152 apart for that year.what color is the interior?
 
Congrats!! Didn't know you had sold the silver one but great to hear you are back in the saddle with such a pristine example.

Jim is an incredible asset to this community and we are so lucky to always have him going above and beyond for us.

Ask him about his own black 95 NSX-T that he never drives some time... I doubt he will ever sell it either!
 
Congrats, our 1996-T's are supposed to be the least desired ones! LOL. Proof positive, that no matter how old we get we still get excited and giddy about our toys! My wife messes with me all the time about the day I got mine! I still remember the blue Yamaha racing shirt I was wearing when I picked the car! LOL
 
Congrats, our 1996-T's are supposed to be the least desired ones! LOL. Proof positive, that no matter how old we get we still get excited and giddy about our toys! My wife messes with me all the time about the day I got mine! I still remember the blue Yamaha racing shirt I was wearing when I picked the car! LOL

I thought it was the 95 models that are the red-headed stepchild due to it being slow.....
 
here's what pbassjo,an experienced NSX and body shop owner said about this-
Folks need to leave the magazine and the spec sheet behind, climb in and drive to see how a particular car feels. As they have aged and passed through a few hands the NSX can change.
I drove one customer's 1996 red/tan this year and it was a rocket. Faster and tighter than the last three 1991-1994's I had driven. It was a nice car with just a Comptech exhaust. The trans, engine, brakes were all stock and felt in another league compared to many others I had driven including some that were newer.


 
Ask him about his own black 95 NSX-T that he never drives some time... I doubt he will ever sell it either!

Haha, I did! He said the last time he drove it was to get it smogged, and he has to drive it again soon.... to get it smogged!! :highly_amused:

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here's what pbassjo,an experienced NSX and body shop owner said about this-
Folks need to leave the magazine and the spec sheet behind, climb in and drive to see how a particular car feels. As they have aged and passed through a few hands the NSX can change.
I drove one customer's 1996 red/tan this year and it was a rocket. Faster and tighter than the last three 1991-1994's I had driven. It was a nice car with just a Comptech exhaust. The trans, engine, brakes were all stock and felt in another league compared to many others I had driven including some that were newer.




completely agree - my '91 wasn't too well cared for, and it groaned/creaked here and there and had some driveline slack. This '96 feels the same, yet... totally different. tight. solid but smooth at the same time. no flex anywhere, all inputs have zero lag. It's simultaneously the same yet totally different car my '91 was.

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Congrats, our 1996-T's are supposed to be the least desired ones! LOL. Proof positive, that no matter how old we get we still get excited and giddy about our toys! My wife messes with me all the time about the day I got mine! I still remember the blue Yamaha racing shirt I was wearing when I picked the car! LOL

Thanks! Haha, least desireable or not, the joy I've gotten from it is incomparable to any car I've had, even though those cars were faster and newer! Last night I just sat in the car after the drive home admiring the interior, fiddling with my radio presets, etc, etc. Haven't done that with any of my cars since my first ever car, a 1995 camaro z28 I got back at age 20, haha. that was 16 years ago...

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I thought it was the 95 models that are the red-headed stepchild due to it being slow.....


i recall reading that the 95's chew threw O2 sensors strangely quicker than others too, but I don't know if that's an old wive's tale or not.
 
Congrats! What a great story. It's even better that you were able to do an even trade. Enjoy in good health.
 
Congrats, what year and model Porsche is that? Do you like it? How does it compare to a nsx? I'm jelly

It's a 2013 Boxster S (http://img.kertong.com/images/440e2d996e1d.jpg) with sport suspension, PSE, etc - it's the wife's car but I steal it from time to time (more than I'd like to admit, or tell my wife about).

It's an amazing car. The cayman, being the same car but with a roof, is basically a modern german NSX with a flat6 motor, imo. There are a lot of similarities - easy to daily drive, stiff, nimble, very linear power delivery with long rev range, good visibility, reliable.. and in pretty much every quantifiable performance category be it braking, accelerating, slaloming, etc - it'll beat the pants off any stock NSX.

But for me, it's the unquantifiable things that make me prefer the NSX. The low beltline and panoramic view being one. After driving the NSX, and driving the boxster afterwards, it feels like you're sitting in a bathtub. Visibility is good but terrible in relation to the NSX. Steering feels crisper, but not as "organic" as the NSX.

The one thing the boxster S has the NSX beat in hands down though, is the exhaust note, especially through that PSE. No contest. The gap narrows once you put a nice exhaust/headers combination on the NSX though but that flat6 is to die for. If I could have perfection, it would be the NSX with a flat 6 motor!

They're both great cars in their own way though and I feel very fortunate to be able to enjoy both, but the NSX obviously turns more heads. And in the boxster/cayman, driving it day to day you can kind of forget you're in a sports car. But in the NSX with that view from the cockpit, the low slung aggressive seating position, and noticing accords and bmw's absolutely towering over you - you simply can't "forget" you're in a really special car!

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Congrats! What a great story. It's even better that you were able to do an even trade. Enjoy in good health.

thanks [MENTION=32021]neuronbob[/MENTION], will do my best. Glad you enjoyed the story, and yes - I feel like I lucked out being able to trade (though it wasn't an even trade :D)
 
Great score! But an even better story. Soooooooo, pics please! Must show pics!!!
I know a good vendor where you can score some under car neon lights and Cheap fiberglass body kits.:biggrin:
 
Great score! But an even better story. Soooooooo, pics please! Must show pics!!!
I know a good vendor where you can score some under car neon lights and Cheap fiberglass body kits.:biggrin:

:D Before I go all "show" though, I'll need some HP to back it up... so I'd like to aim for at least 400HP. Got any place you can recommend for me to buy 26 stickers? jk

Ask and ye shall receive - I haven't had a chance to take many "proper" pictures of the car but I'll get to that tonight or tomorrow! For now, this will have to do: http://imgur.com/a/i5UFP

just got back with a few photos, but not surprisingly, it was pretty difficult to get a good shot of a black car at night (no tripod either): http://imgur.com/a/b9cgx
 
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