Any updates yet? I think I would have to go with the NSX as well. Good luck.

I say, if you want the NSX, get it. You will be much happier driving the car that you want.

Okay, here's the scoop after a week of thinking about it. When the seller of the '95 in my first post gets back to town this weekend I'm going to tell him 'no'.

That doesn't mean I'm giving up but my wife threw a wrinkle in the situation - she's decided she wants the SLK if I get a different car. At first glance this seemed kind of crazy but in all fairness it is her turn to get a new ride (she's been driving the Ford Escort after all) so here's what I'm thinking.

The reason I wanted a '95 or later was because I wanted the Targa roof. But, if we're really going to keep the SLK then we have a convertible in the stable and maybe I'd be just as happy with a '91 NSX with a solid roof and for $15,000 less money. Really, the only differences between a '91 and '95 NSX is the Targa roof, a passenger side airbag, and different wheels. So I've been asking myself if those three things are really worth $15k to me and the answer is probably 'no' especially if we're keeping the Mercedes.

Anyway, I've started the money part of the thing going. We've got a ton of equity in our house thanks to stupidly inflating property prices the last couple years and I'm going to take some of it out for this. Within a couple weeks I should have enough cash in the bank to buy whatever car I decide upon. I'm going to try to keep it to less than $30k which should get me a really nice '91 to '93. Who knows, maybe I'll even have some bucks left over for a mild supercharger so my horsepower-head friends won't have to be embarrassed for me driving a mere 270 hp 'exotic' (it can go to 350 or so pretty easily). :)

Trust me when I say I'll keep y'all informed. It *is* happening - just a matter of weeks now. :thumbsup:

she's been driving the Ford Escort after all


Ouch....no offense but I simply can't fathom those two cars being in the same garage.
But smart move. SLK AND NSX. Can't argue with that one. Good luck.

damn, Your wife KNEW you were shopping for an NSX WHILE driving an SLK while she tootles around in an ESCORT?! And you're still ALIVE!? You must have better 0-60 times than your cars!

If I could swing that as far as my finances go and the car was in that good of condition then hell yeah! Go for it man. You only live once!

But there's no way MY wife would let me get away with me in the sports car and her in a escort.

Ha, talk about an understanding woman! way to get a good wife!

Holy crap! That would never happen in my house.

Anytime I start getting the slightest idea that I want a new ride, I always walk over to the wife and ask her what she wants for her new ride. She responds, "So, you want a new car, huh?" I say "Yes, so figure out what you want." Then, we go buy hers, and I feel comfortable knowing that in three months I can get mine. Two to three months later, I get mine. :thumbsup:

You don't want the airbags anyway, those things hurt big time. I guess they fixed them now but they used to come out and hit you hard back in the 90's.

HAHA, the oil changes for the SLK cost more then her car. Yeah, that would so not happen.

"Thats why you put a twin turbo on it"


...or get the comptech supercharger

Thanks for reviving my thread. A couple of things...

1) The Escort isn't that awful a car. It's a 99 we bought in 2000 and it's taken us where we needed to go. Could have been worse, we almost bought a Neon instead.

2) I should be fully funded for the NSX search next week. I have deliberately not spent much time looking the last month because I can't take the disappointment of finding what I want and not being able to get it. Once the money is in the bank I am going to draw a 1500 mile circle around my house on a map and start looking for my car in that area.

3) There is no '3'. ;)

Bodypainter, you're doing the right thing. The Targa is heavier and less rigid than the coupé NSX. With the roof, a better drive all round. Oh, and steer clear of the tiptronic box if you can.

The NSX is a true exotic. Its introduction in the early '90s caused Ferrari to raise its game hugely with the 355, the Ayrton Senna-developed NSX having stomped all over its contemporary, the 348. The Honda remains highly relevant today and is, for example, the daily transport of one Rowan Atkinson - Mr Bean - owner of among other cars a Mclaren F1, a Mclaren Mercedes SLR...

Driving cars such as these is about so much more than speed. The Honda has speed, but what really counts to the person behind the wheel is the delicacy of response, the homogeinity of the various controls, the balance (in the right conditions an all-day driftability). The NSX is a thoroughbred. Any attempts to compare this rhapsody on bridgestones with a Vette or Viper is like trying to compare an axe with a samurai sword.
Sorry if this post sounds like I'm on my high horse, but the car is special.

You only live once..get what you want

Update - went to Tampa this morning and test drove this one. It's a '95 with 50K miles but $12K cheaper than the first one I looked at (this one is a true daily driver where the other was a garage queen).

http://shallowleisure.com/gallery2/m...rowngrnnsx.jpg

This one is a strong possibility. I made myself stay alof and calm and walked away. If I'm still strong on it Monday I'll make my move. Wish me luck!

Good luck, great looking ride

Bodypainter: I gotta admit I love your approach to buying the car, it pays to nitpick and look for the right one. I would think you should able to find something within your price range. I'm sure you'll be more than happy with what you will chose. Don't forget that if you get one, take plenty of pics :) Sadly to say I don't have a friggin clue to what the interior looks like in one of them. Though one of my friends told me an interesting fact about nsx engines. I guess they don't make any sort of replacement parts for the engine...if you blow it up you have to buy a new one. I guess the engines are so well built they figure you shouldn't have to replace parts...not sure if it's true..but I wouldn't doubt it.

Today is decision day for the green '95 I posted above - I told the owner I'd call him and tell him one way or the other.

About the only thing holding me up on that '95 is that it's right at the top of my (self-imposed) budget range, leaving me no room for accessories or repairs. I can live without accessories for now (new stereo eventually though) but the car is due for a timing belt and that's going to cost $1200 or more to have done.

NSX engines... That's an interesting subject. There's a looonnng thread over at nsxprime.com right now about a guy to took his car to a Jiffy Lube and they forgot to put the drain plug back in so now he's looking for a new/used/rebuilt engine. Apparently a new NSX engine == $20,000 or more but it's almost unheard of for one to die outside the race track. I guess those titanium connecting rods add up quick. :)

Anyway, I am being picky as hell. This isn't like buying a new car for the same $$$ amount. Financing is much harder and there's no warranties. But I drove this car Saturday and GODDAMM it was smooth! Much nicer than the '91 I drove most recently.

The seller sent me some more pictures (I can't believe I didn't have my camera with me).

Interior is perfect:
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m...2/DSCF0815.JPG

Exterior is very good:
http://sarasotadetail.com/gallery2/m...2/DSCF0848.JPG

And yeah, I remember I said I didn't need the Targa roof but this one comes in at the budget where the others didn't and even if not the roof I will appreciate that the '95 has power steering where the older ones don't (my wife will appreciate that too). Really, I think this car is something of a bargain -- underpriced by maybe $5000 or more. The guy hadn't advertised it at all but saw my post on nsxprime.com that I was looking and emailed me to check it out. Might have been my lucky day. ;)

More news tonight or tomorrow!

Well I found out one thing about NSX engines, jasper automotive actually sells rebuilt engine for around $7 for a 1995, pretty spend compared to most rebuilds the the NSX is not to common. Plus you could trust that company, my dad has bought about 4 engines and about 3 transmissions for various makes and models of vehicles..plus the 3 year or 75,000 miles warranty kicks ass.

And on the other note, If I owned a NSX I would definately be the only one that gets to wrench on it :cool: or if i wasn't mechanically capable or wasn't this young I would probably take it to a dealer.

I love how it looks. That green looks so pretty :)

Deep breath... Ahhhhhhh.................

Okay, I'm buying the green '95. The bad news is the very first date the seller and I can get together to finish the deal is next Tuesday so I have to wait a week for my new toy. But we have firm verbal commitments all the way around and we are all grown up old farts who take shit like that seriously so it's really happening.

Big sigh... Damn I hate to wait.

Now I just have to shut my fuck'n mouth for a week so I don't bore everyone to tears over my new big fuck'n deal whatever. :D

8 days to go.

8 days has to be a killer. When I traded in my WRX for an M5 (my dream 4 door sedan) I had to wait part of Saturday, Sunday and until lunch on Monday and I couldn't sleep at all from the anticipation of getting the car.

The NSX is pure sex :D .. Awesome cars... no point turbo'ing them either, a lot of work would have to be done to the engine as they are very high compression engines to my understanding.

Yes
 

Sell it, NSX's are so awesome looking. If you can afford it, go for it

LOL! Okay, you talked me into it.