A real stunner, NSX
Discussion
Had the great pleasure of following a stunning red NSX through Bexley Village in Kent this afternoon.
If its anyone on here then I apologise for the waving and light flashing and the horn bibbing, I really wanted to get you to pull over, but then thinking about it, some nutter in a touran doing the afore mentioned was probably not going to get you to stop!
Shame, its on my list of purchases!
Stu
If its anyone on here then I apologise for the waving and light flashing and the horn bibbing, I really wanted to get you to pull over, but then thinking about it, some nutter in a touran doing the afore mentioned was probably not going to get you to stop!
Shame, its on my list of purchases!
Stu
hallsie said:
It did have an NSX plate, sounded lovely!!
Im seriously considering the green one in the classifieds at the moment.
STU
When it says "Over £7500 spent in the past year with receipts from previous owners (inc a bill for £12k!)" Doesn't that scare you a bit?Im seriously considering the green one in the classifieds at the moment.
STU
I've had two Preludes and I'd love an NSX, but...a bill for £12K on a car worth c. £25k? wow.
Depends.
Regular servicing is S2000 prices, which is to say cheaper than a Boxster. Rear tyres on mine ARE S2000 size/spec!
BUT...they are 10-20 year old cars now...and stuff is starting to wear / need replacement. I've probably spent >£8k* in 4 years owning mine...but it's probably appreciated in value by around half that, so in terms of pence-per-mile it's been cheaper than my (18-mth old at purchase) S2000 was. I've probably still got a couple of £k to spend (coolant hoses and exhaust) before I'm truly happy.
Except of course it's all tied-up in the value of the car, so cash-flow wise it's been worse...if you see the difference. Still not a biggie if you compare to the competition - clutch excepted, most bits are no more than you'd pay on a 993/996, if you import from USA or Japan, and most service items are a lot cheaper. Compared to a 348/355 there's no contest. Compare to a Boxster-S and I'd say it's more even.
Add to which it's ridiculously well engineered - I could have spent half of what I have and I'd probably not have noticed the difference, but I'm not one to skimp on maintenance (most current owners aren't).
So that green one is quite possibly/probably a safe bet with that sort of spend. Find out what HAS been done, check on NSXCB for what the major items are, and see if they've covered all the bases or not. I'm happy to act as a sounding board, but I won't give specific advice for/against a particular car - I don't see that as fair...plus I'm NOT one of the experts on the car - quite a few guys on NSXCB who know far more than me.
* Clutch and engine-out refresh (belts, water pump, valve clearances, lost motion assemblies, plugs, oil seals x lots) being the big two jobs, plus sundry refurbishment of components before they fail.
Regular servicing is S2000 prices, which is to say cheaper than a Boxster. Rear tyres on mine ARE S2000 size/spec!
BUT...they are 10-20 year old cars now...and stuff is starting to wear / need replacement. I've probably spent >£8k* in 4 years owning mine...but it's probably appreciated in value by around half that, so in terms of pence-per-mile it's been cheaper than my (18-mth old at purchase) S2000 was. I've probably still got a couple of £k to spend (coolant hoses and exhaust) before I'm truly happy.
Except of course it's all tied-up in the value of the car, so cash-flow wise it's been worse...if you see the difference. Still not a biggie if you compare to the competition - clutch excepted, most bits are no more than you'd pay on a 993/996, if you import from USA or Japan, and most service items are a lot cheaper. Compared to a 348/355 there's no contest. Compare to a Boxster-S and I'd say it's more even.
Add to which it's ridiculously well engineered - I could have spent half of what I have and I'd probably not have noticed the difference, but I'm not one to skimp on maintenance (most current owners aren't).
So that green one is quite possibly/probably a safe bet with that sort of spend. Find out what HAS been done, check on NSXCB for what the major items are, and see if they've covered all the bases or not. I'm happy to act as a sounding board, but I won't give specific advice for/against a particular car - I don't see that as fair...plus I'm NOT one of the experts on the car - quite a few guys on NSXCB who know far more than me.
* Clutch and engine-out refresh (belts, water pump, valve clearances, lost motion assemblies, plugs, oil seals x lots) being the big two jobs, plus sundry refurbishment of components before they fail.
havoc said:
Depends.
Regular servicing is S2000 prices, which is to say cheaper than a Boxster. Rear tyres on mine ARE S2000 size/spec!
BUT...they are 10-20 year old cars now...and stuff is starting to wear / need replacement. I've probably spent >£8k* in 4 years owning mine...but it's probably appreciated in value by around half that, so in terms of pence-per-mile it's been cheaper than my (18-mth old at purchase) S2000 was. I've probably still got a couple of £k to spend (coolant hoses and exhaust) before I'm truly happy.
Except of course it's all tied-up in the value of the car, so cash-flow wise it's been worse...if you see the difference. Still not a biggie if you compare to the competition - clutch excepted, most bits are no more than you'd pay on a 993/996, if you import from USA or Japan, and most service items are a lot cheaper. Compared to a 348/355 there's no contest. Compare to a Boxster-S and I'd say it's more even.
Add to which it's ridiculously well engineered - I could have spent half of what I have and I'd probably not have noticed the difference, but I'm not one to skimp on maintenance (most current owners aren't).
So that green one is quite possibly/probably a safe bet with that sort of spend. Find out what HAS been done, check on NSXCB for what the major items are, and see if they've covered all the bases or not. I'm happy to act as a sounding board, but I won't give specific advice for/against a particular car - I don't see that as fair...plus I'm NOT one of the experts on the car - quite a few guys on NSXCB who know far more than me.
* Clutch and engine-out refresh (belts, water pump, valve clearances, lost motion assemblies, plugs, oil seals x lots) being the big two jobs, plus sundry refurbishment of components before they fail.
Interesting info, thanks.Regular servicing is S2000 prices, which is to say cheaper than a Boxster. Rear tyres on mine ARE S2000 size/spec!
BUT...they are 10-20 year old cars now...and stuff is starting to wear / need replacement. I've probably spent >£8k* in 4 years owning mine...but it's probably appreciated in value by around half that, so in terms of pence-per-mile it's been cheaper than my (18-mth old at purchase) S2000 was. I've probably still got a couple of £k to spend (coolant hoses and exhaust) before I'm truly happy.
Except of course it's all tied-up in the value of the car, so cash-flow wise it's been worse...if you see the difference. Still not a biggie if you compare to the competition - clutch excepted, most bits are no more than you'd pay on a 993/996, if you import from USA or Japan, and most service items are a lot cheaper. Compared to a 348/355 there's no contest. Compare to a Boxster-S and I'd say it's more even.
Add to which it's ridiculously well engineered - I could have spent half of what I have and I'd probably not have noticed the difference, but I'm not one to skimp on maintenance (most current owners aren't).
So that green one is quite possibly/probably a safe bet with that sort of spend. Find out what HAS been done, check on NSXCB for what the major items are, and see if they've covered all the bases or not. I'm happy to act as a sounding board, but I won't give specific advice for/against a particular car - I don't see that as fair...plus I'm NOT one of the experts on the car - quite a few guys on NSXCB who know far more than me.
* Clutch and engine-out refresh (belts, water pump, valve clearances, lost motion assemblies, plugs, oil seals x lots) being the big two jobs, plus sundry refurbishment of components before they fail.
I've always maintained cars myself wherever practical - is the NSX an easy car to work on? What I mean by that is that my current BMW E46 seems to have been designed with maintenance in mind, but some cars seem to have been deliberately designed to make things difficult...
It's a tranny V6 with performance in mind. It's never going to be anywhere near as simple to work on as an FR straight 6.
If you have the facility to drop the engine to do the above refresh items though, would be daft not making it easier for yourself.
I'd love an NSX. We try to emulate it with the 6'd Mr2's but it's not quite the same package.
If you have the facility to drop the engine to do the above refresh items though, would be daft not making it easier for yourself.
I'd love an NSX. We try to emulate it with the 6'd Mr2's but it's not quite the same package.
dr_gn said:
is the NSX an easy car to work on? What I mean by that is that my current BMW E46 seems to have been designed with maintenance in mind, but some cars seem to have been deliberately designed to make things difficult...
It's a Honda, so everything is logically laid out and you don't need 10 different tools for 1 job, the way you would with a Peugeot or Renault, for example.That said, it's a mid-engine'd V6...the rear bank especially is hard to get to in-situ, you've a lot of rear wing (side body panel, not aerofoil) to reach over to do much work, and of course it's low to the ground. I'd say proper ramps are a must for any real level of DIY maintenance.
It's also got some clever but 'individual' engineering solutions. Clutch is a PITA to do - you DO need a special tool and it's a twin-plate job. So that's definitely one to pay someone to do...
The green manual one has been up for a while, but still looks the best prospect of those available. (Once you've discounted the autos and crash/repaired ones.)
I guess the 109k miles puts people off.
But if you want one, definitely join NSXCB and place a 'Wanted' ad. Quite a few members sell without advertising.
I guess the 109k miles puts people off.
But if you want one, definitely join NSXCB and place a 'Wanted' ad. Quite a few members sell without advertising.
109k is nothing to this car if PROPERLY maintained. And as Havoc has pointed out above, major servicing looks like its been done.
Inter-galactic mileage on these cars are not uncommon. Go onto NSXPrime the US site for NSX owners there is a dedicated thread there for high mileage cars ... cars have gone over 500k with a well maintained NOT stupidly over maintained car.
The engine like any other VTEC unit from Honda is pretty much bomb-proof IF looked after. High mileage on an NSX is nothing to be concerned about. I guess this is the reason why this green example has been on so long as mis-informed people think its a time-bomb waiting to happen when in fact in sounds like a very honest car and has not been tampered with ... if you know what I mean!
anyone interested in a MANUAL variant should definitely look at this car
BTW my NSX will be hitting over 70k in 2014 and she is pampered, gets everything she needs etc and still runs as tight as the day out of the factory
Inter-galactic mileage on these cars are not uncommon. Go onto NSXPrime the US site for NSX owners there is a dedicated thread there for high mileage cars ... cars have gone over 500k with a well maintained NOT stupidly over maintained car.
The engine like any other VTEC unit from Honda is pretty much bomb-proof IF looked after. High mileage on an NSX is nothing to be concerned about. I guess this is the reason why this green example has been on so long as mis-informed people think its a time-bomb waiting to happen when in fact in sounds like a very honest car and has not been tampered with ... if you know what I mean!
anyone interested in a MANUAL variant should definitely look at this car
BTW my NSX will be hitting over 70k in 2014 and she is pampered, gets everything she needs etc and still runs as tight as the day out of the factory
havoc said:
It's a Honda, so everything is logically laid out and you don't need 10 different tools for 1 job, the way you would with a Peugeot or Renault, for example.
That said, it's a mid-engine'd V6...the rear bank especially is hard to get to in-situ, you've a lot of rear wing (side body panel, not aerofoil) to reach over to do much work, and of course it's low to the ground. I'd say proper ramps are a must for any real level of DIY maintenance.
It's also got some clever but 'individual' engineering solutions. Clutch is a PITA to do - you DO need a special tool and it's a twin-plate job. So that's definitely one to pay someone to do...
Not all NSXs have a twin plate clutch, only 3.0 litre NA1 carsThat said, it's a mid-engine'd V6...the rear bank especially is hard to get to in-situ, you've a lot of rear wing (side body panel, not aerofoil) to reach over to do much work, and of course it's low to the ground. I'd say proper ramps are a must for any real level of DIY maintenance.
It's also got some clever but 'individual' engineering solutions. Clutch is a PITA to do - you DO need a special tool and it's a twin-plate job. So that's definitely one to pay someone to do...
Chris.
I owned a 97 3.0 manual NSX a few years back. I'd intended to keep it long term but, after a Polish truck driver span me into a motorway crash barrier, the car was written off by the insurer. Honda quoted £28k for the repairs (body parts are horrendously expensive). It was subsequently sold as salvage and repaired as I saw some photos on NSX Club website. I've not heard of it since.
They are great cars and yes they will do starship miles without complaint if looked after properly - it's a Honda after all. 109k is no big deal, it's just that it has crossed that 100k psychological barrier. I've certainly heard of US cars doing over 250k miles. They are very exclusive (I am lucky if I see 3-4 in a year when I'm driving) and they have appreciated in value. Indeed, I'd only paid £20k for my car and the insurance paid out £26k. Supposedly, they are not quite as good as a Ferrari 355 but better than a 348. It was certainly much better than the Boxster I replaced it with although I suspect a 996 would have been a better car to drive (although not a head turner like the NSX). The interior is good quality but somewhat dull. The stereo will likely be rubbish and who uses cassettes these days?
Personally, I wouldn't bother with an auto, although I haven't actually driven one; they may be better than the figurework suggests. Basic maintenance is cheap, less the clutch which can be £2k. Cambelts are every 60k miles and will come in at less than £1k.
Would love to have another NSX but prices are now too high for me as a second car to an AMG that I don't actually need. I have thought about a damaged repaired car but those that are around tend to be shunned by those supposedly in the know (the Club community who, between them, know the history of most of the cars in the UK). I guess it would depend upon how the repairs were done. So I understand, a nice finish on the body work can hide structural damage.
So, if you want to feel special, to drive something that is comparable to a 355, that won't break down or cost a fortune in servicing, then an NSX would be a fine choice.
They are great cars and yes they will do starship miles without complaint if looked after properly - it's a Honda after all. 109k is no big deal, it's just that it has crossed that 100k psychological barrier. I've certainly heard of US cars doing over 250k miles. They are very exclusive (I am lucky if I see 3-4 in a year when I'm driving) and they have appreciated in value. Indeed, I'd only paid £20k for my car and the insurance paid out £26k. Supposedly, they are not quite as good as a Ferrari 355 but better than a 348. It was certainly much better than the Boxster I replaced it with although I suspect a 996 would have been a better car to drive (although not a head turner like the NSX). The interior is good quality but somewhat dull. The stereo will likely be rubbish and who uses cassettes these days?
Personally, I wouldn't bother with an auto, although I haven't actually driven one; they may be better than the figurework suggests. Basic maintenance is cheap, less the clutch which can be £2k. Cambelts are every 60k miles and will come in at less than £1k.
Would love to have another NSX but prices are now too high for me as a second car to an AMG that I don't actually need. I have thought about a damaged repaired car but those that are around tend to be shunned by those supposedly in the know (the Club community who, between them, know the history of most of the cars in the UK). I guess it would depend upon how the repairs were done. So I understand, a nice finish on the body work can hide structural damage.
So, if you want to feel special, to drive something that is comparable to a 355, that won't break down or cost a fortune in servicing, then an NSX would be a fine choice.
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