How many NSX owners?

Here's Vince's old NSX. It's in the shop getting the headers and exhaust that came with it put on. I'm also installing the 4:55 rear gears and the short gears in the tranny. The SOS stage 3 NA kit is on the way. This should make the car very interesting as it will add over 100hp N/A power. I have a 95 355 which may be a little faster, but not for long. I also have a moded Viper. The NSX is the easiest to drive and I'm selling the 355 soon until I can afford a 360 or Gallardo.
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Great looking ride. I would personally skip the SOS stage 3, but other than that, looks like you are going to have a very fast car. Where did you get the 4.55? They don't make them anymore.

With the basic i/h/e and short gears +4.55, you won't have any trouble keeping up with your 355.

 

Don't take Vince's comments wrong, he obviously cared for his NSX. The shop where it's at works on all 4-5 in this area and all are much newer, but they say mine is by far the nicest. The thing is like new everywhere you look.

I got the old 4:55 gears from the shop where it's at. They took them from another car. I believe they are Comptech. Do you suggest a different gear size? Please pm me pertaining to the SOS stage 3 before I spend 12K+ on the kit. I can't think of anything else to do N/A to give it more hp. You have become quite the cult figure on the net pertaining to NSX's. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

 

what are the matience costs like on the NSX compared to like 355?

 

I'll help you all I can. I'm PM you.

 

Oil change every 3K miles for the NSX. Mine only has 25K miles and had the belt change and water pump due to it's age. I think you need to do it at about 60K miles normally. Probably cost about 2K.

The same service on the 355 is between 6-8K and needs to be done at 15K miles or about every 3 years they say. My 355 had it's serivce done when I bought it, but the previous owner said that he paid about 8K and it included some other items. It currently has a bad header. The maint costs are huge compared to the Honda, but the 355 isn't that bad if you use an independent shop

 

My guess would be maybe 1/5 to 1/10th. With a NSX, all you do is change the oil. ($40 bucks with mobil 1)

The schedule service range from $600-$1200 depending on mileage. My car probably costs me under $500 a year to run. But I have not had to do a service as they are only at 15K, 30K, 60K, 90K etc.

Of course, you will have other wear and tear depending on if you track it etc.

Clutch is about $2000 for 91-96 and $3000 for 97+. Should be good for 30-60K depending on how you drive.

OEM rotors are about $110 front. $150 rear.
Pads are around $110. I use aftermarket.

Aftermarket support is growing daily. Lots of amazing parts to get. It is not hard to drop $15,000 on i/h/e and a Comptech SC. You are looking at ~350-375 RHWP depending on 3.0 or 3.2L motors. The car will hang with a 360 every bit of the way.

Take a look at www.scienceofspeed.com for all kinds of goodies.

They are wonderful cars. I am in the process of getting another NSX so mine should be going up for sale shorty.

 

Jason,
Looks like you can't control yourself! Some guys do get my comments wrong about the NSX,i have always said, for the price of a nice used NSX, nothing comes close to it, and i still feel that way. I am selling the 355 to do the lambo or the 360 but having thoughts about the lambo as they have fallen pretty far on price and it seems all the ones for sale have really low miles, so does that mean these guys bought the car then didnt like them? still for a used lambo with 1 or 2k miles for 150k still seems like a hell of a car for that money. The 360 has taken a hit but still cost a pretty penny, for the price of a 2002 360 i could get an 04 lambo. Any thoughts?

vince

 

Netviper,

Congratulations on your low maintenance costs. Realistically (and I've never owned a 355) I'd put the maintenance costs of a similar aged NSX--aside from the engine out major--very close to that of the 355. So a mid-1990's NSX would have fully-loaded upkeep costs of perhaps half that of a 355.

In less than 2 years of ownership I have spent about $4500 in total maintenance on my 1995 making it "right"...and this was a medium-mileage car that was inspected by a fellow owner and had a PPI performed by a reputable Acura dealership. (No wrecks, no stories or bodywork). The major (t-belt, water pump, 60K service, valve adjustment) was just shy of $2K. Other things pop up, especially if made of rubber (hey, 10 years is about all you can ask for). Thankfully Acura goodwilled a faulty cat and O2 sensor (probably another $1500 otherwise).

OEM Acura parts are priced more like Ferrari than Honda. For example a new oil pan for my car (installed) was about $500, a 3" plastic wheel center cap = $65 and one OEM power leather seat is well over $4000. You'd be hard pressed to find ANY road car that goes through tires like the NSX. And although hourly labor rates are hard to pinpoint, since most dealers like to keep the actual time to perform a job secret, I can say that it is in the $100/hr vicinity.

I'd agree with you that a 2005 NSX would require nothing but gas and oil. But when comparing one built in the 355 era, I think your estimates are WAY low.

 

I almost forgot. My local dealer quoted me $1430 for rotors and pads all around.

 

Well, I'd say you got ripped off pretty good then. Do you have a NSXCA membership? You can get most parts 30% off.

 

Yes, I do have a NSXCA membership, but my local dealer doesn't honor it. That's why it was just a quote .

 

I normally get everything from either Goodson Acura in Dallas or Neillo in CA?

 

Neillo is good; just got a new antenna mast from them last week.

 

Ive just bought an 02 Y/Y NSX-T. I started off considering 348s and F355s but realized that for my needs (an absolutely reliable daily driver), that the NSX made more sense as it:

1) saved me money over a 10 year old F355;
2) would likely have dramatically improved reliablility compared to a 12ish year old 348 and probably better reliability than a F355;
3) was much newer and has a warranty.

Sorry for the terrible shots, but I snapped these an hour after I got the car and one second before I packed it up in the garage for the winter.
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erm, so you put a brilliant sportscar away for storage one hour into ownership?

 

yes - that is exactly what I did.

The pain is relentless, but such is life in Toronto.

The snow in that laneway is about 2 feet high right now. It is a challenge to get my Sienna in and out. The lane is not plowed.

The NSX has been undercover ever since, with the exception of a 40 minute drive a few weeks ago during a rare dry night after a few days of blissful warmth chased all the snow away. It's gotten ugly again on me.

 

man, that blows.

i've only ever been in snow once, but such is life in Adelaide. it's 5:30am and 22 degrees C here, rather chilly.

 

Car looks awesome! Make sure you going the NSXCA and get on NSXprime.com.

 

MayB1Day, congrats on the car! It's a beauty! Hopefully this miserable weather will relent so you can get out and drive it.

 

Vince,
I've seen Gallardo's for high 130's to mid 140's. The new Gallardo with more hp should send the cars price tumbling even further. Someone who posts here often said they got about 410 2 wheel hp (front drive shaft disconnected) on their stock Gallardo. That seems a little low to me for a 500hp car. The 360's still seem a bit high to me.

I know you only put about 1K miles on your Viper, but you should try a new SRT10. Even Shank on 6 speed bought one and is having a TT installed for about 1,100 hp of pump gas, reliable hp. I think that I will give that a try until the Gallardo or the early 360's get a little closer to 100K.

 

I've got a 1998 NSX-T with 45K on the odo.

Due primarily to the car's age (and not the mileage), I elected to have the timing belt, water pump and 90K mile service done in one shot (plus a few other minor things). That set me back about $4K but I shouldn't (knock on wood) have to put any serious money outside of oil changes and tires into the car for a couple of year.

I originally bought the car as a weekend toy but I've liked it so much that I'm driving it much more than originally planned and even taking it to work some days (like today).

I love it.

The truth is that in my heart of hearts I still lust for a Ferrari. But that wouldn't change if I had bought a nice 328 or 348 (prob. the closest to the price range that I paid for my 1998) as I'd still be lusting after a 360 Modena. For the money, a used NSX is really hard to beat. The car drives and accelerates a lot better than 290bhp should and since I've wanted one since seeing them in 1991, this is somewhat of a dream come true for me.

 

I have found a huge disparity in prices depending on where you look. There is an Acura dealer in San Diego, CA (Escondido to be exact) that has an EBAY store and their prices are even lower than what I've been able to get with my NSXCA discount at Niello and others.

Labor is labor. My acura dealer is $95/hour but a really good local NSX specialty shop (Autowave) is something like $60/hour. Not Honda $45/hour like I enjoyed with my S2000's but a lot cheaper than BMW or Porsche. I've no idea what Ferrari charges per hour but I'm betting it aint cheap.

 

former owner. loved it.

 

Is it just me, or have NSXs popped up in price lately? Was just checking out some adds and didn't see much below $40K. Seems like a year or so ago there were lots of cars available in low to mid $30s.