How much to pay?

[Mistercorn]

From the limited number of cars for sale I am finding it hard to judge prices. I don't want to hold out for the ideal car only to find it is out of my budget so I would like the forum opinion on what the following theoretical car might cost.

NA2 pre facelift
Red, black leather
Good original condition
Decent main dealer/indy service history
60-80k miles.

If it is too much I will go for the NA1, the NA2 seems like a 'nice to have' mainly due to the gearbox for me.

MC

[lotusolly]

I would say for the spec you have listed, £35K- £38k but if your lucky enough for one to become available then your also going to need to be quick.
Cars to that spec are very sought after and rare, chances are it will probably have been sold by the time you see the ad

[Mistercorn]

Thanks. I will be happy to go up to those priced but that is about my limit. One of my reasons for joining here was to try to get a sniff of cars for sale before they hit AT / PH.

MC

[goldtop]

For exactly what you want: £34-38k I'd estimate. The last NA2 with pop-ups was £33.5k and that was last Summer. Prices are also a moving target (you only have to see how asking prices for autos have gone up in the last year.)

You're going down a path that so many of us have. :) The more requirements you add, the smaller the pool of cars becomes (and at any one time the whole pool is about 8 NSXs). I'd strongly recommend looking at the >100k manual NA1s that are on the market at the moment (both around £26k).

Happy hunting ;)

[goldtop]

Was editing at the same time and came up with almost indentical figures to Olly. But he's 100 percent right about pouncing quickly.

[nobby]

If you want an NSX, IMO you need to be less specific. As GT says there are NA1 cars out there at mo that will meet your requirements and you have funds to get them in tip top too based on your budget

[AR]

It all depends on you and the seller. You have specified a very narrow market in your search criteria. The pool of cars seems to have increased lately and more will no doubt become available as owners get them ready to sell before the Summer rush. Keep things in mind, 3.0 manual NSX are not that much slower than 3.2 if you change manifolds, intake and exhaust and can live with the missing cog. I have my opinions on the NSX market which I shall keep to myself, but suffice it to say that at the moment the NSX is riding a market high, but if you want one NOW, get it, life is too short to worry about fluctuations and future trends.

[Mistercorn]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not really bothered about the slight difference in power? It is more the better spaced ratios on the 'box. I will see what is available when I am ready but it might well bea higher mileage NA1 by the looks of it. I do love the hunt though, it seems I take months tow buy pretty much every car.

MC

[nobby]

Check out lovely black car in f/s section! :)

[Tokyo-Joe]

I am obviously biased but I would recommend that you do not discount an early JDM NA1 - these are the lightest NSX built (outside of the special editions) and feature the superb Japanese five speed transmission gearing.

[Mistercorn]

I have put down a deposit on a car now, I'll post details up when I get it home. 22nd May.

MC

[goldtop]

Good grief, man. We can't wait that long. Spill some beans now, at least!

:)

[Mistercorn]

YOU can't wait! How do you think I feel?

MC

[Tokyo-Joe]

Haha congratulations- you are going to love it!

[AR]

Congratulations!

Take it easy on the way home!

[Mistercorn]

Train ticket booked this morning, insurance quotations are in (classicline are cheapest), I just have to shuffle a bit of money around and I'm ready to go.
First job will be to fit a tracker / immobiliser to the car, so I am trying to get a car out of my garage for a week or two at the right time to get that done.

MC

[Mistercorn]

I don't want to post full details until I get the car home. But I will say that I am as excited as a 5 year old the night before Christmas and have been since I saw the car. I was told that I might have to compromise on what I wanted, and I only had to compromise on one item. Which was not a big deal. I'm really looking forward to some meets and driving fun. Roll on the 22nd..

MC

[goldtop]

Still on the edge of my seat here. :)

Good that there wasn't too much compromise; it's nice how it works out sometimes. You have definitely bought in a good period for buyers - there are quite a few interesting cars available at the moment. Look forward to meeting you (and it) at some point.

[SHAWD]

I've a good idea which car you bought ( as I was also interested and contacted the seller but due to business commitments was not able travel up to see it in time).
If it is the same one it looks a great car and has been well cared for ( not just by the owner but by a certain well respected individual well known on this forum !).
I'll just have to be quicker off the mark next time, as many members on this site have mentioned.Happy motoring.

Nigel

[Mistercorn]

Well, I'm all set for collecting the car tomorrow. After the nice weather we have had recently it would have been good to pick it up in the dry but it looks like that might not happen. I'm hoping it will be dry by the time I get it home so I can get it in the garage (I have carpet in my garage as it used to be a summer room, if I put cars away wet the carpet takes ages to dry). I promise photos at some point tomorrow. I hope I can sleep tonight, I've got a train to catch at 6:37.

MC

[britlude]

bet it's been an age waiting for the 22nd to arrive!

[sorepaws]

Mistercorn
When you get home make sure to sign up for the Silverstone Classic. Come and meet a few other NSX owners and a chance to ogle a few other interesting machines

[kingsley]

Hi Mistercorn.

Like Sorepaws suggests Silverstone Classic...Great event and is only down the from from Nottingham, get signed up. I lived in Ratcliffe on Trent for a few years so know Nottingham area very well. All the best


Kingsley

[Mistercorn]

As promised, here are some pictures and first thoughts.

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[Mistercorn]

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Apologies for the photos, they were taken in the garage. The roads were dry when I got home and the car was dry so it went straight in, it has been raining ever since. There isn't usually space in there as I have a Westfield SEiGHT in there, but that is off for a few weeks being prepared for the IVA test so the NSX has a temporary home. I'm hoping to get the SEiGHT in my Dad's garage about 10 miles away when it returns, failing that the NSX will be on the driveway for a while.

I have only driven the car for just over 100 miles, that was all on main roads from when I collected it to my house. My comparisons are with my daily driver which is a 2002 E46 M3 cabriolet and my other toy which is a 2004 996 turbo running about 650-700hp. These thoughts are in no particular order....

The gear shift is really nice, there is very little room between the 1-2 plane and the 3-4 plane, but the movement is very precise and clean. It feels more direct than both the BMW and the Porsche, it is shorter than both even though the Porsche has a Manthey quickshift fitted. The BMW is very notchy but that is common on the E46.
The engine is similar in performance to the E46 but doesn't see quite as smooth at tickover, it is over 50hp down and I guess is a slightly older design. The BMW lump is one of my favourites. Straight line performance is a bit better than the BMW but obviously nowhere near the Porsche. It is adequate and will be great fun.
The ride is fantastic, the view over the bonnet and the low seating position and wonderful, it absorbs bumps in the road as if they aren't there, there are no rattles or squeeks (the other two cars both have a few, the BMW is by far the worst). The chassis seems very stiff, similar to the Porsche in that respect but then I haven't exactly been pushing it. At cruising speed it is nice and quiet, the stereo seems pretty reasonable (I can get Radio 4 on it).
The general controls are very dated. Although it is only 2 years older than the M3 it is clearly a much older design. I'll have to break out my tapes or get the IPOD cable fitted. The brakes feel very similar in feel to those of the M3, which were recently overhauled. The servo assistance is of a similar level which is much more than on the Porsche. I don't know what they are like under heavy braking, I suspect the Porsche will be way ahead with 350mm disks and 6 piston calipers with large brake cooling ducts but I doubt I will be testing that. The setup is more in common with the M3 which has single piston sliding calipers, but then the M3 is a few hundred KG heavier.
The sound is very nice. It isn't hugely loud (but then I'm not 18 any more), the M3 and the NSX both sound better than the Porsche, I would give the edge to the NSX, the M3 has a more metallic rasp to it. You can't beat an NA car at 8000rpm for the sound.

This car was bought from a fellow forum member who had taken the car to Kaz for some work, so recently it has had...

Full coolant system refresh including all new hoses
New water pump
Timing belt
Bottom pulley
Top end engine refresh
Driveshafts rebuild
Brake system strip down and rebuild, I think it included new master cylinder but can't remember for sure without checking
Air con capacitors changed
New tyres all round

Mechanically it is absolutely spot on and a credit both to previous owner and to Kaz, with whom I intend to keep the servicing. The interior is in great shape, the only thing I will be giving some attention to is the bodywork which is showing the results of 14 years of cleaning and could really do with a good detailling, I'll start another thread about opinions on that.

I started to look at these last summer when I test drove a car which had been modified to be towards a type-r spec and was terrible as well as being expensive. I wanted an original condition NA2, red with black leather, pre-facelift. The only thing I had to compromise on was the mileage, I was looking for something around 70-80k miles and this one only has 35k, as such it was more than I originally wanted to pay but I feel it is worth it for exactly the car I was looking for. I guess I can now delete the bookmarks for PH, Autotrader and Car and Classic from my phone.


So there you have it, that is my introduction, I hope to meet up with some of you soon, I might make it to the Classic on the Friday but unlikely to stay for the weekend, I'll update closer to the time. Sorry for the long post, but at least now I have something to say :)

MC

[TheSebringOne]

Sorry a bit late on this, but congratulations & welcome.

[Senninha]

Hi MC,

were I a betting man I'd be quids in ... this was so obviously the NSX about to reside with you!

When I last saw the car (2012) it was 2 keepers ago and as you say, a good machine polish would bring the outside upto the condition of the recently refreshed mechanicals.

And with such low mileage you've no excuse not to drive it, lots!!

I'm booked for Sunday at the Classic so wont see you there unless you swap days ...

Well done, its a great example, take your time raising your limits with her, whilst not as spiteful as early 911's for swapping ends it is mid -engined and they can bite, usually with reasonable warning.

Very pleased for you,

regards, Paul

[Lowndes]

OK so now it can be confirmed, as one or two have clearly already guessed, that was my car.

It was originally recommended to me by Paul and bought at the end of August 2011 (not 2012, how time flies!).

Somewhere in the NSXCB archives is a thread on how much to put aside for maintenance etc on a 10+ year old car. I think it fair to say there were differing points of view at the time, which is only natural. For what it’s worth I spent around £12k on planned maintenance in order to get the car into its current good mechanical condition.

At this point I should acknowledge and pay tribute to the excellent, painstaking and meticulous work carried out by Kaz. I was very lucky to have access to his exceptional talents and the car is now all the better for his work.

As for paintwork etc, that never was something I was that concerned about, although I have to say that when the detailer came to apply GTechniq my new 991 turbo S his eyes lit up at the prospect of working on the NSX and it was all I could do to get him to concentrate on the job in hand.

I owned the NSX during a transition period from 964RS to 996 GT3 and it was interesting to compare those two against the NSX. Again somewhere in NSXCB archives is a brief comparison with the GT3. I can’t remember what I wrote but my recollection is that the NSX always felt more compliant and sophisticated with a chassis that could take more power, which is not the same as saying it needs more power.

So a chapter closes and with a 1993 968CS on the drive a new one opens albeit the CS is currently in disgrace for an intermittent starting problem; not something the well engineered NSX ever suffered from.

My best wishes Martin, it was a pleasure doing business with you and I hope you have a lot of fun with the new car.

Nick

[Mistercorn]

Now that I have fitted the tracker I have done my first decent journey in the car. Up from Nottingham to the Lake District for the weekend to see a friend who is really in to his cars. 500 miles later we are back home and it has had a good wash.

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I'm really enjoying driving the car, they are truly amazing machines.

MC

[soddy]

the car looks great mate, very tidy and in really good condition. very interesting to read your comparisons on the porsche and bimmer. someday i'll get a spin in one to see what it is you are all talking about :)

[A.S. Motorsport]

Very nice NSX, very clean.
Enjoy it!