J3 NSX / SB 120 - Anyone know this car please?

[MattS]

Hello,

I'm thinking of buying a red 1991 NSX which has had (as far as I know) 2 registrations in its life J3 NSX and SB 120...

I was wondering if anyone knows this car, and if so, if there is anything that I should be worried about as a prospective buyer?

Thanks in advance,

Matt

[MattS]

Went to look at the car yesterday. Seemed very nice....however....it's missing 7 years / 15000 miles worth of service history!! The stamps in the book jump from 1997 to 2003, and there aren't any receipts that have turned up as yet.

Who buys what was probably a £40k car and doesn't have it serviced for 7 years?

[Kevin]

I have my car serviced but the dealer doesn't stamp the book. I keep receipts. If you can ask where the car has been serviced a Honda dealer will have the records on computer.

[MattS]

Thanks Kevin,

That's what I'm going to do next week. I've got a feeling that the oil changes (minor services only) have been at a 'normal garage', possibly Sylvesters of Guildford, although I havn't seen the paperwork yet, let alone been able to track down this garage. I would guess that the car didn't have a major service for that 7 year / 15000 mile period..

Thanks again,

Matt

[Kevin]

You could look it this way. 15,000 miles in 7 years! Average car does that in one year.

My car has averaged 4000 miles a year. The service items have been done based on time rather than miles. The cambelt should be done every 6-7 years or 60,000 miles. Apart from that, the car hasn't done the miles to warrant doing anything.

Apart from changing oil there's not much a dealer does.

If the car is at a Honda dealer get them to do a major service, or, budget for one if you get the car. Cambelt change is £500 or so. Take it to one of the recognised NSX dealers though.

[MattS]

I see your point Kevin... The penultimate service (1997) was a Major service (with a cambelt change), then nothing for 7 years. It then had another major service (2003) and the cambelt was changed at what seems to be a TVR specialist..

It still worries me greatly that the car may have gone for 7 years /15000 miles on short school runs etc. without an oil change. Surely this won't have done it much good? I hear a new engine costs about £20k!

[tommy]

if you are that worried dont buy it. what happens when you come to sell it, the missing service history might put them off too. but if it drives ok and has just had a decent service then what the hell just go for it. you cant just go to the next garage down the road and look at another one, there aint a lot of these cars in the contry. so do you want one now or wait till the next comes along which might be weeks or months, but remember one day you might want to sell it and they might say the same as you 'where's the missing history'.

[mcibuk]

I can understand your dilemma as i too would be very concerned about the possibility of the same oil being used for 7 years, no matter how low the mileage! The oil that circulates through the engine collects products of combustion in the process and even though the particulate is taken care of via the filter the acid elements are not which means that if the oil is not periodically changed, the oil just becomes more acidic which may possibly effect valves and rings etc..... That's why low mileage cars should have their oil changed regularly (IMHO)
If the car has had 2 cambelt changes, has been with the same owner in that time and has had 2 major services at the time of the cambelt change, then that sounds like someone who has probably taken care of the car so why can't he/she provide additional support info - receipts/garage conatcts etc that will allow you to confirm that at the very least the oil has been changed.
Hopefully you will get a positive result - good luck :)

[MattS]

Thanks for all your advice.

A friend who already owns an NSX drove the car in question and in his opinion thought it was in very good nick - there was certainly no evidence that the car has been neglected in any way.

The sellers are adamant that it was serviced regularly, but have yet to come up with the proof... My heart says 'yes', my head 'no'! It's the resale question that's potentially the biggest problem, rather than the car per se - I would like to have the option of an easy resale if worse come to worst.

I'm going to see if the seller comes up with any more info, then check this info with the garages who supposedly did the work...If it's all in order, then I'll buy the car.

Thanks again for your thoughts,

Matt

[Nick Graves]

Would it be possible to pay to get an evaluation by an NSX specialist?

I don't beleive an AA inspection is worth a carrot on something that specialised.

Maybe an endoscope into the sump, plug holes might reveal something?

I have known cars where the MOT tester's looked askance because of the very low mileage between annual tests, so it might be genuine.

The lack of FHSH throughout is very concerning, but given the poor reputation of many Honda (Incl. NSX!) dealers, it could be explicable.

[MattS]

Just so I don't confuse anyone - they couldn't come up with any SH for the missing 7 years. This isn't the car I'm referring to in my other post asking about SH