Assistance required

[NSX seeker]

Hi everyone
I've got a heavily modded ZX300TT - have had it three and half years. I'm looking for a change and am considering an NSX, the other choice is an Esprit.
So I need some guidance:

Price range 2nd hand
Sources to find a good one
A passenger ride in one - I'm from Herts.

Thanks,
Geoff.

[Mike_L]

Hi Geoff,

2nd hand prices range from a little under £20k for a relatively high mileage auto and over £20k for the manual, I would not recommend you go much below that as you enter unknown service history territory, not recommended as will cost you a lot more in the end. Although the NSX is extremely reliable as with any Honda parts that fail through lack of care are VERY expensive.

There are only around 400 in the country with only about 10 a year sold in the last few years. Parts are never an issue though as Honda still sells it.

There are a few advertised in the trader and you can strike lucky but if you are not in a hurry I would recommend trying to source one through this the NSXCB owners group.

Something like mine is about the cheapest you should consider which is £85k miles, 1992, auto with FHSH, worth around the £18k mark.

£30k should get you a low mileage late nineties manual and would be my preference when funds permit (much newer and you start hitting big depreciation). Also you can guess from the numbers sold choice is more limited the newer it is.

There are only around 400 in the country although parts are never an issue as Honda still sells it. There are a few advertised in the trader and you can strike lucky but if you are not in a hurry I would recommend trying to source one through this the NSXCB owners group.

I used mine for 6 months as my every day car putting about 6k miles on it and it never missed a beat (I don't know if you could do that with an esprit). Even it being the Auto it out ran an M3 Evo at Goodwood. I have only relegated it to 2nd/weekend car status to keep the mileage from getting too much higher.

We are still trying to agree on our yearly social meet which will take place probably in May. There are usually 10 that turn up to that (the most that you will ever see in one place in this country).

There is also a more general Honda meet (not affiliated to this) at Gaydon heritage centre on the 28th March, I am going along to that and I suspect there will be 2 or 3 others that will attend.

I am in Basingstoke so a bit far away from you.

Cheers,

Mike

[Kevin]

It's not hard to get a drive in one, if you go to a dealer. Depending on what your current car is like, you will either like an NSX or not. An NSX has only 280bhp, and 'modding' it with a turbo and the like is nigh on impossible, definately expensive. If modding is your thing you may be dissapointed.

I agree with everything else Mike said. You need to keep looking for the right one. Some people have spent a year, and still not found one. Good ones don't come cheap, and some will think £25k for a ten year old car ridiculous, compared to other makes/models.

I live in WGC too (maybe you've seen it). I could give you a ride, but understanderbly I am slightly sceptical about a new poster asking for a ride in a car. At the moment my car can't be driven anyway. Maybe we can work out a way for you to see the car, but like I say, it's better to test drive one at a dealer than be a passenger. You'll miss the whole point of an NSX in the passenger seat.

[Welshman]

It's not hard to get a drive in one, if you go to a dealer. Depending on what your current car is like, you will either like an NSX or not. An NSX has only 280bhp, and 'modding' it with a turbo and the like is nigh on impossible, definately expensive. If modding is your thing you may be dissapointed.


An NSX only has a QUOTED 280 bhp. Don't take much notice of that. The Japanese manufacturers have a stated 280 or 286 bhp limit but the view is that they all lie. Remember that an NSX is a lot lighter then your 300TT. Look at the respective power to weight ratios. A later 3.2 would run rings around a 300.

As for a test drive go to a dealer.

As for an Esprit I've never driven one of the V8 engined cars so can't comment. If they are as unreliable as the earlier models you should think twice. The build quality on the NSX is excellent as you would expect from a largely hand assembled car.

As for buying one £30 to £35k should buy you a nice example. Buy only a car with a full Honda service history. Especially make sure that the cambelt has been changed at the earlier of 5 years or 50,000 miles.

Coupe is a lot more rigid than a Targa but my first NSX was a 1996 3.0l Targa and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wouldn't buy an auto. Seems a complete contradiction in terms.

Colour has an effect on value. Blacks, Reds, Silvers are more sought after/easier to shift than Imola Orange or the Yellow or White.

You'll pay a premium from a dealer but recognise that up till last year there were only 4 or 5 authorised NSX dealers in the UK. The rest of them probably aren't qualified to service them or assess their value. There are now 9 authroised dealers. Norton Way or Chiswick (both members of the same group) are probably your closest. Apart from them John Cooper on the South Coast normally has 2 or 3 in stock. then you have Two Mills in the Wirral and a dealer in Glasgow.

Best of luck.

[john]

Hi Geoff, thought you might find the following of interest:

NSX For sale

• 1992 red RHD, UK car manual
• 2 owners (I am the second)
• MOT to August 2004
• 31,152 miles from new (can be verified)
• cherished registration reads one letter, one number then NSX
• Honda alarm and imobiliser
• Both sets of keys are original
• Tool kit in boot has never been used
• Full Honda NSX centre service history, serviced only by Tachbrook Park Honda until 2001, serviced by Two Mills Honda NSX centre from 2001 to 2003
• 2002 - full cam belt service
• every MOT certificate
• every tax disc since new
• all invoices for all servicing, parts and tyres
• Bridgestone SO2s front and rear (rear tyres new Aug 2003, front tyres new Jan 2004)
• all four brake disks are in good condition
• all brake pads changed Sept 2002
• only genuine Honda NSX replacement parts have been used (except exhaust - see below)
• original purchase invoice
• all original factory information stickers still intact and perfect
• un-marked carpets and upholstery
• this car is not only in extremely good condition it can only be described as EXCEPTIONAL
• the car has never had accident damage and does not have any dents
• high quality thick cotton fitted cover - in red (with Honda logo)
• stainless steel TUBI four exit exhaust system and Comptech stainless steel cat pipes which sound FANTASTIC. Passes MOT without cats in
• Original exhaust and cats have been kept and are in very good condition

I purchased the vehicle May 2002, the first owner purchased the car new, registering it June 1992. The previous owner kept this car in a de-humidified garage and since owning it I have kept it in a centrally heated garage and have not taken it out in the rain.

I cannot stress enough how exceptional the condition of this car is. If this has tempted you and you have £22,500 to spend on probably the best early NSX around in this country then email me at

woodystmartins@aol.com

or telephone me on 01905 821510 (office hours) or mobile 07919 053631 (anytime)

Please only contact me if you are a serious buyer

Regards - John

[Welshman]

John

I have copied your for sale message onto the s2ki site since there are a few NSX wannabees there.