Hello all,
I picked up my car, a Green/Tan NSX-T, 6 weeks ago from the seller in Gainesville, FL. The car had 79,442 miles on it when I bought the car, and it currently has ~82,800. The service sticker in the window says next service is due at 83,600. The previous owner put ~3,000 miles on the car in the 18 months he owned it. He was the fifth owner of the car. It has lived in Florida for the majority of its life, but has spent some time in Colorado and Washington. I had the car inspected by the Gainesville Acura dealer, which had an NSX trained tech. The seller never used this dealership, and preferred independent shops service his car. The inspection showed that the car has an oil pan leak and a crank case oil leak, and the quote for the repair was ~$2,000. The owner knew about the leaks and said that he never had to add oil to the engine, and never saw more than a tablespoon sized puddle of oil under the car. I have seen tiny puddles occasionally, and can see where the oil has leaked out and dried. Other than that, the car was very clean. The technician thought that the right side body panel and front bumper had been repainted, but I cannot see any difference. There is no evidence of an accident anywhere on the car, nor on the Carfax report. The bumper looks a different shade, but only because it is plastic, I think. None of the body panels look moved, uneven, or anything. On my 900 mile drive from Florida to Indiana I added a half a quart of oil to the engine, and have added another quart as well. I check the oil every ~500 miles. I had the car up to 140 mph and it was steady as a rock, both the chassis and the engine.
The car's service history showed that it went into the shop at least once for a leaking valve cover gasket, which was at one point mistaken for an oil pan leak. I am wondering if this is the case, but I am probably just being optimistic.
The service manager said that a new clutch would cost no extra labor with those two repairs, and I am wondering if that is worth replacing as well, since the clutch has ~30,000 miles on it. It was replaced around 51,000 miles.
I do not know what is normal for the 80,000 mile service to include.
There is a whistle/squeak/squeal that occurs at partial throttle, maybe between 10-15%. It happens very close to constant speed throttle application. It will happen in any gear, at any rpm, at any speed, including in neutral and stopped. The car has a K&N air filter in the stock air box. I checked the filter and made sure all the screws around the box are tight. My dad's mechanic thought that it sounded like injector blowby. I noticed the noise on my drive home from Florida, and have monitored it. I try not to let the noise happen when I drive since I am worried that it is a sign of something bad. I called an Acura dealership on my drive home from Florida and their tech thought it could be a worn timing belt. I believe the belts were replaced less than 10,000 miles ago (but 10 years ago!). I am wondering what I should do about this noise? I have changed the spark plugs in the car, and the set that I removed from the car looked fine. This hasn't changed the whistle though.
The brake pedal fades at slow speed and goes to the floor. The brake fluid reservoir is full, and this doesn't happen at higher speed. Around town, I have to pump the brakes occasionally to keep the pedal stiff. I am wondering if the brakes need to be bled, or if there is a warped rotor? I bled the brakes and this seems to have fixed the problem, except on a rare occasion now. It never happens on the highway.
The car has TSW wheels on it, and Yokohama tires. I am wondering what the best performing size of wheel and tire are. I am not sure if I want to keep these TSW wheels, and would likely sell them. They are 17' fronts and 18' rears, with an inset of about 2.5" for the rear rims. I think they are 8.5" wide in front and 10.5" wide in the back.
The car has Bilstein shocks on it, as well. I am not sure what model, or how old they are. The Acura tech who inspected the car for me thought they looked good, no leaks or anything notable. They are firm and they seem to work well. These is a rattle in the front end of the car going over any size bump/crack for a few minutes when I first start driving that seems to go away eventually, or at least lessen. I have tightened the spare tire nut, so the spare isn't rattling around at all.
These are the only mods that the car has other than the K&N air filter, to my knowledge.
I saw the post of some other user considering this car, and someone recommended that the belts and water pump would need replacing, simply because they were last replaced 10 years ago.
Here is a consolidated list of issues that I have found with the car since I bought it:
-The brake fluid needs to be flushed and replaced.
-There is a sudden, loud increase in wind through the top window seal at 90+ mph.
-It sounds like there might be a misfire at idle and up to 2-3000 rpm. There is a low constant throb that increases with the throttle. When I am revving higher or have floored it, it doesn't really sound like there is a misfire. The car feels fast enough that I don't think there is one, but my dad's mechanic though there might be one, so I am wondering now.
-Whistle at partial (10-15%) throttle.
-Front end rattle over bumps.
-Clicking noise when car is started. Seems to be either the A/C or the defroster. It goes away after a few seconds, but has started increasing in time recently.
-Oil pan (gasket?) oil leak.
-Crank case oil leak.
-I want the injectors/coils inspected to make sure they all work completely.
-I want the valve covers checked for oil leaks.
-I have not checked the transmission fluid myself, but the inspection before I bought the car did and it was fine. I want it replaced.
-There is a small scratch on the passenger side headlight cover, about an inch long, and a small scratch on the passenger side bumper. They are different kinds of scratches and I do not think they occured at the same time.
-The timing belt and water pump likely need to be replaced.
-The rear window seems dark, it is a bit fuzzy to see out of and seems darker than the other windows. I do not know if this s normal, or if the defrost layer is wearing out and discoloring, or what.
-I want the wheels balanced and aligned.
-The shift knob will twist on the stick, if I use even a moderate amount of force, and it happens on accident. This should be tightened.
Thank you all for your support and help! I love the car so far, and am looking forward to learning more about it.
I copied the service history excel sheet but I also uploaded and attached the service history of my NSX, from what I have been able to find out. I would be curious to hear what recommendations You have for me to make sure the car will run well for a long time.
9/26/2015 ~81,500 Changed spark plugs. New plugs are NGK PFR6G-11's $~75 for 6 plugs, I changed them myself.
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I picked up my car, a Green/Tan NSX-T, 6 weeks ago from the seller in Gainesville, FL. The car had 79,442 miles on it when I bought the car, and it currently has ~82,800. The service sticker in the window says next service is due at 83,600. The previous owner put ~3,000 miles on the car in the 18 months he owned it. He was the fifth owner of the car. It has lived in Florida for the majority of its life, but has spent some time in Colorado and Washington. I had the car inspected by the Gainesville Acura dealer, which had an NSX trained tech. The seller never used this dealership, and preferred independent shops service his car. The inspection showed that the car has an oil pan leak and a crank case oil leak, and the quote for the repair was ~$2,000. The owner knew about the leaks and said that he never had to add oil to the engine, and never saw more than a tablespoon sized puddle of oil under the car. I have seen tiny puddles occasionally, and can see where the oil has leaked out and dried. Other than that, the car was very clean. The technician thought that the right side body panel and front bumper had been repainted, but I cannot see any difference. There is no evidence of an accident anywhere on the car, nor on the Carfax report. The bumper looks a different shade, but only because it is plastic, I think. None of the body panels look moved, uneven, or anything. On my 900 mile drive from Florida to Indiana I added a half a quart of oil to the engine, and have added another quart as well. I check the oil every ~500 miles. I had the car up to 140 mph and it was steady as a rock, both the chassis and the engine.
The car's service history showed that it went into the shop at least once for a leaking valve cover gasket, which was at one point mistaken for an oil pan leak. I am wondering if this is the case, but I am probably just being optimistic.
The service manager said that a new clutch would cost no extra labor with those two repairs, and I am wondering if that is worth replacing as well, since the clutch has ~30,000 miles on it. It was replaced around 51,000 miles.
I do not know what is normal for the 80,000 mile service to include.
There is a whistle/squeak/squeal that occurs at partial throttle, maybe between 10-15%. It happens very close to constant speed throttle application. It will happen in any gear, at any rpm, at any speed, including in neutral and stopped. The car has a K&N air filter in the stock air box. I checked the filter and made sure all the screws around the box are tight. My dad's mechanic thought that it sounded like injector blowby. I noticed the noise on my drive home from Florida, and have monitored it. I try not to let the noise happen when I drive since I am worried that it is a sign of something bad. I called an Acura dealership on my drive home from Florida and their tech thought it could be a worn timing belt. I believe the belts were replaced less than 10,000 miles ago (but 10 years ago!). I am wondering what I should do about this noise? I have changed the spark plugs in the car, and the set that I removed from the car looked fine. This hasn't changed the whistle though.
The brake pedal fades at slow speed and goes to the floor. The brake fluid reservoir is full, and this doesn't happen at higher speed. Around town, I have to pump the brakes occasionally to keep the pedal stiff. I am wondering if the brakes need to be bled, or if there is a warped rotor? I bled the brakes and this seems to have fixed the problem, except on a rare occasion now. It never happens on the highway.
The car has TSW wheels on it, and Yokohama tires. I am wondering what the best performing size of wheel and tire are. I am not sure if I want to keep these TSW wheels, and would likely sell them. They are 17' fronts and 18' rears, with an inset of about 2.5" for the rear rims. I think they are 8.5" wide in front and 10.5" wide in the back.
The car has Bilstein shocks on it, as well. I am not sure what model, or how old they are. The Acura tech who inspected the car for me thought they looked good, no leaks or anything notable. They are firm and they seem to work well. These is a rattle in the front end of the car going over any size bump/crack for a few minutes when I first start driving that seems to go away eventually, or at least lessen. I have tightened the spare tire nut, so the spare isn't rattling around at all.
These are the only mods that the car has other than the K&N air filter, to my knowledge.
I saw the post of some other user considering this car, and someone recommended that the belts and water pump would need replacing, simply because they were last replaced 10 years ago.
Here is a consolidated list of issues that I have found with the car since I bought it:
-The brake fluid needs to be flushed and replaced.
-There is a sudden, loud increase in wind through the top window seal at 90+ mph.
-It sounds like there might be a misfire at idle and up to 2-3000 rpm. There is a low constant throb that increases with the throttle. When I am revving higher or have floored it, it doesn't really sound like there is a misfire. The car feels fast enough that I don't think there is one, but my dad's mechanic though there might be one, so I am wondering now.
-Whistle at partial (10-15%) throttle.
-Front end rattle over bumps.
-Clicking noise when car is started. Seems to be either the A/C or the defroster. It goes away after a few seconds, but has started increasing in time recently.
-Oil pan (gasket?) oil leak.
-Crank case oil leak.
-I want the injectors/coils inspected to make sure they all work completely.
-I want the valve covers checked for oil leaks.
-I have not checked the transmission fluid myself, but the inspection before I bought the car did and it was fine. I want it replaced.
-There is a small scratch on the passenger side headlight cover, about an inch long, and a small scratch on the passenger side bumper. They are different kinds of scratches and I do not think they occured at the same time.
-The timing belt and water pump likely need to be replaced.
-The rear window seems dark, it is a bit fuzzy to see out of and seems darker than the other windows. I do not know if this s normal, or if the defrost layer is wearing out and discoloring, or what.
-I want the wheels balanced and aligned.
-The shift knob will twist on the stick, if I use even a moderate amount of force, and it happens on accident. This should be tightened.
Thank you all for your support and help! I love the car so far, and am looking forward to learning more about it.
I copied the service history excel sheet but I also uploaded and attached the service history of my NSX, from what I have been able to find out. I would be curious to hear what recommendations You have for me to make sure the car will run well for a long time.
9/26/2015 ~81,500 Changed spark plugs. New plugs are NGK PFR6G-11's $~75 for 6 plugs, I changed them myself.
| 8/28/2015 | 79,442 | Car purchased by me from previous owner. He shipped original 6 spoke wheels to me. | $39,000.00 | Gainesville | Florida |
| 8/24/2015 | ~79,350 | Vehicle Inspection: Crank Case Oil Leak. Oil Pan Oil Leak. Est. $2000 for both repairs. Spare tire rotted out. | ~$125 | Gainesville Acura Dealer | Florida |
| 9/26/2014 | - | Registration renewed. Title registered as personal vehicle. Color noted as green. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 3/14/2014 | 78,568 | Steering Rack replaced, original rack was rebuilt and reinstalled. Steering Aligned. Rear tires replaced. Rear wheels balanced. Carfax reported tires mounted and balanced, and alignment performed. | $1,526.79 | Ahrens Auto Service Center | Florida |
| 2/6/2014 | - | used Steering Rack purchased. | $1,500.00 | ahparts.com | CA |
| 2/4/2014 | 76,635 | Engine Oil and Oil Filter replaced. 5W30 Synthetic oil used. Clutch Adjusted, was found to be properly set, but a loose pressure plate bolt was found and removed. Steering issue detected. Carfax reported the oil and filter changed, and a noise was checked. | $201.44 | Ahrens Auto Service Center | Florida |
| 1/30/2014 | - | Title updated/reissued, registration renewed/reissued, new owner reported, vehicle registered as a personal vehicle, color noted as green. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 1/26/2014 | - | K&N Air Filter purchased. | $84.79 | Advance Auto Parts | Florida |
| 1/22/2014 | - | Vehicle purchase reported. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 10/24/2013 | 75,896 | Check Engine light on. Diagnosis found MAP sensor too high and loose connection found. Connection was fixed, this cleared the code. Vehicle inspected. Carfax reported maintenance inspection completed, car washed/detailed, and engine checked. | $87.00 | Fountain Acura | Florida |
| 6/9/2013 | - | New Battery purchased. | $ 107.96 | Walmart | Florida |
| 3/18/2013 | 74,410 | Vehicle maintenance inspection completed. Vehicle washed/detailed. Engine checked. | - | Fountain Acura | Florida |
| 3/16/2013 | 74,410 | Vehicle Inspection: Diagnosis found internal fault to rear catalytic converter. Oxygen Sensor replaced. | $187.00 | Fountain Acura | Florida |
| 1/14/2013 | - | Registration reissued/renewed. Title registered as personal vehicle. Loan/lien reported. Color noted as green. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 12/24/2012 | 73,913 | Vehicle maintenance inspection completed. Vehicle washed/detailed. Engine checked. | Fountain Acura | Florida | |
| 12/19/2012 | 73,913 | Vehicle Inspection: Diagnosis found an issue with the catalytic converter, a misfire in cylinder #5, worn spark plugs and a faulty ignition coil were found to be the cause. All spark plugs replaced and Ignition coil #5 was replaced. Catalytic converter not addressed. | $480.08 | Fountain Acura | Florida |
| 10/24/2012 | 73,512 | Vehicle Inspected: Coolant Resevoir was cracked, and was replaced. The windshield washer pump was replaced. Motor oil changed. Tires/wheels balanced and aligned. Right and Left Tie Rod end's replaced. Left axle shaft assembly replaced, new seal installed. Ride height raised. | $ 1,468.84 | First Class Automotive | Florida |
| 11/28/2011 | - | Title reissued/updated. Loan/lien reported. New owner reported. Vehicle registered as personal vehicle. Color noted as green. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 11/08/2011- 11/15/2011 | 70,425 | Bill of Lading. From Dean Sloan to Greg Stillman. Maple Valley, WA to Orlando, FL. Scratches noted on right headlight cover, rear bumper, and rear quarter panel. | $1,100 | Move It Auto Transport, Inc. | Washington |
| 11/8/2011 | - | Vehicle purchase reported. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 10/25/2011 | 70,395 | Oil leak found at valve covers. Found residue from previous leakage that has since been resealed, cleaned and rechecked okay. | $98.00 | Zahntech Import Automotive | Washington |
| 10/24/2011 | 70,333 | Buyer's Inspection: Steering, Suspension, Brakes, Exhaust, Radiator, Transmission, HVAC System, Battery, Fluid levels, Lights and Electric. Front Tires: 9/32. Rear Tires: 7/32. Front Brakes 10mm. Rear Brakes: 8mm. Recommendations: Front valve cover gasket has slight leak. Oil pan gasket has slight leak. Window washer spray not working. Power windows raise slowly. Carfax reported vehicle was serviced. | $137.73 | Acura of Seattle | Washington |
| 10/12/2011 | - | Vehicle emissions inspection | - | Washington Inspection Station | Washington |
| 8/29/2011 | 70,089 | Valves adjusted, valve cover gaskets replaced, PCV valve replaced. Cam end plug replaced. Front brake pads replaced and rotors resurfaced. Both inner CV boots replaced. | $1,306.14 | Zahntech Import Automotive | Washington |
| 8/16/2011 | 69,519 | Motor oil and oil filter changed. Oil drain bolt washer changed. Front Tires: 9/32. Rear Tires: 7/32. Front Brakes: 5mm. Rear Brakes: 6mm. Recommendations: Valve cover gasket leaking down to the oil pan. Fluids topped off. Wheels aligned. Carfax reported oil and filter changed. | $ 55.57 | Acura of Seattle | Washington |
| 9/23/2010 | - | Registration reissued/renewed. Load/lien reported. | - | Washington Motor Vehicle Dep't | Washington |
| 11/12/2009 | - | Vehicle emissions inspection | - | Washington Inspection Station | Washington |
| 5/14/2009 | 62,017 | Oil and filter changed. Four wheel alignment performed. | - | Acura of Seattle | Washington |
| 10/17/2008 | - | Title issued/updated. New owner reported. Loan/lien reported. Vehicle color noted as green. | - | Washington Motor Vehicle Dep't | Washington |
| 10/3/2008 | - | Vehicle emissions inspection | - | Washington Inspection Station | Washington |
| 9/23/2008 | - | Vehicle Sold | - | Dealer Inventory | |
| 5/30/2008 | - | Spark plugs replaced | - | Mile High Acura | Colorado |
| 5/19/2008 | 57,091 | Vehicle offered for sale. | - | Dealer Inventory | |
| 5/14/2008 | 57,021 | Owner said vehicle overheats with AC on, and coolant level looks very low. Coolant drained, and changed, refilled to full. Test driven with AC on and car did not overheat. Adjusted steering to the right a bit, it was off. Spark plugs replaced. Fan control module was found to be faulty, and was replaced. A loose sensor connector was found and reattached. It was noted that the transmission was removed and reinstalled at some point, most like for a clutch replacement. Owner noted the car had a steering issue. Diagnosis found that the EPS had minor kickback. An unattached ground wire was found at the rack connectors, and this was reattached. Outboard connector was corroded due to a torn boot, and this was cleaned and resealed. Steering rack thought to be faulty after two adjustments. | $932.88 | Mile High Acura | Colorado |
| 5/12/2008 | - | Vehicle serviced | - | Mile High Acura | Colorado |
| 4/11/2008 | 56,773 | Motor oil, drain plug washer, and oil filter changed. Wheels aligned. Carfax reported the oil and filter changed. | $167.06 | Mile High Acura | Colorado |
| 2/19/2008 | - | Title reissued/updated. Loan/lien reported. | - | Kansas Motor Vehicle Dep't | Kansas |
| 10/2/2007 | - | Registration renewed/issued. | - | Kansas Motor Vehicle Dep't | Kansas |
| 7/18/2007 | 54,188 | New front tires installed. All 4 wheels aligned. Car detailed by dealer. Carfax reported the car washed, and four wheel alignment performed. | $0.00 | Scholfield Auto Plaza | Kansas |
| 5/30/2007 | - | Oxygen sensor replaced. ECM's checked. Oil and filter changed. | - | Scholfield Auto Plaza | Kansas |
| 5/21/2007 | 53,793 | Oxygen/ Air Fuel Ratio Sensor replaced. Engine oil, drain plug washer, and oil filter changed. Locking Lugnuts reinstalled. | $0.00 | Scholfield Auto Plaza | Kansas |
| 4/28/2007 | - | Valve cover gaskets replaced. Clutch kit removed and replaced. | $734.49 | Modified Performance | Kansas |
| 3/9/2007 | - | Vehicle serviced | - | Scholfield Auto Plaza | Kansas |
| 2/17/2007 | - | Battery replaced | $99.99 | NTB Store | Kansas |
| 10/2/2006 | - | Registration renewed/issued. | - | Kansas Motor Vehicle Dep't | Kansas |
| 3/17/2006 | 51,465 | Master Cylinder (brake?) replaced. Clutch Slave Cylinder replaced. Engine oil and oil filter replaced. | $289.98 | Firestone Complete Auto Care | Kansas |
| 6/24/2005 | 49,653 | Timing belt inspected because of whine. Dealer says a whine is normal with a new belt. Oil drip under engine, dealer found that the oil was coming from aftermarket oil filter. Engine oil, drain plug washer, and oil filter replaced. Inspected: Tires, Wiper fluid, Power steering fluid, brakes, coolant, transmission fluid, wipers, lighting, belts, hoses, battery cables, cv boots, exhaust system. Carfax reported that oil and filter were changed. | $95.04 | Scholfield Auto Plaza | Kansas |
| 5/2/2005 | 48,776 | Timing belt, Alternator belt, Compressor belt, Coolant, Timing belt cover, Head cover gaskets, Drive belts, and water pump replaced. Resealed cam plugs, were leaking oil. | $1,669.56 | Scholfield Auto Plaza | Kansas |
| 3/7/2005 | - | Carfax reported the spark plugs were replaced. | - | Scholfield Auto Plaza | Kansas |
| 11/10/2004 | 47,813 | Wheels aligned. New tires. Carfax reported that rear brake pads, air filter, light bulbs, two new tires were mounted and balanced, and all four wheels were aligned. | ? | Scholfield Auto Plaza | Kansas |
| 10/25/2004 | 46,000 | Title updated. New owner reported. Loan/lien reported. | - | Kansas Motor Vehicle Dep't | Kansas |
| 9/2/2004 | - | Vehicle purchase reported. | - | Kansas Motor Vehicle Dep't | Kansas |
| 12/26/2000 | - | Title updated. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 12/3/1999 | 34,490 | New SOP Center Console cover installer. Replaced trim around center console and radio. Finished pelling(?) | $0.00 | Ferman on Florida | Florida |
| 9/14/1999 | ~33,000 | Engine oil, drain plug washer, and oil filter replaced. Tire pressures, fluid levels, belts, hoses, and front suspension inspected. Electric Steering not working, SOP control unit replaced. | $26.76 | Ferman on Florida | Florida |
| 4/23/1999 | 31,238 | Recommended 30,000 mile service performed: Body hinges lubed. Transmission serviced. Valves adjusted. Inspected belts. Flushed and replaced coolant. Plugs, cap, rotor, brake fluid, a/f, f/f (?). Clutch adjusted. Tires rotated, wheels aligned. Wipers replaced. Battery, antenna, differential, and suspension inspected. Head gasket and cylinder head gasket replaced. Fuel filter replaced. Engine oil, drain plug washer, and engine oil filter changed. | $623.32 | Ferman on Florida | Florida |
| 11/24/1998 | - | Passed emissions inspection | - | Florida Inspection Station | Florida |
| 7/1/1998 | 25,257 | Recommended 22,500 mile service performed: Engine oil, drain plug washer, and oil filter were replaced. Body hinges lubed. Inspected: Parking brake, brake lines/hoses. brake pads, exhaust system, steering system, belts and hoses, antenna, suspension, and emission system. Made sure the clutch was properly adjusted, rotated and balanced the wheels/tires, checked all fluid levels, | $89.98 | Ferman on Florida | Florida |
| 3/10/1998 | - | Title updated. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 3/4/1998 | - | Passed emissions inspection | - | Florida Inspection Station | Florida |
| 2/6/1998 | 21,396 | Right rear wheel bearing replaced. Engine oil, drain plug washer, and oil filter all replaced. Trunk struts replaced, old ones would not hold open. | $104.99 | Ferman on Florida | Florida |
| 1/20/1998 | 20,730 | Car serviced. Wheels aligned. | $167.15 | Esserman Acura | Florida |
| 5/14/1997 | Passed emissions inspection | - | Florida Inspection Station | Florida | |
| 6/10/1996 | - | Title updated. Loan/lien reported. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 6/3/1996 | 2,408 | Odometer reading reported | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 12/5/1995 | - | Title issued to first owner. First owner registered the car as a personal vehicle. Loan/lien reported. | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
| 11/13/1995 | 42 | Odometer reading reported | - | Florida Motor Vehicle Dep't | Florida |
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