Acura NSX

An excellent condition 91 or 92 with very low miles can be had for mid-30s. Check out http://www.nsxprime.com for more info and maintenance, which is mostly not too bad.

You will own one of the greatest modern cars ever made.

Also, some interesting reading material if you need more convincing:

http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dggtsppm_6cgtnscht

--Andre

Maintenance - parts are probably on the expensive side, but you're getting Honda quality, so there shouldn't be any issues besides regular maintenance.

+1

Outside of excessive tire wear, and a few small issues here and there, you're looking at one of the most reliable exotics ever made.

This is an excellent choice.... My father had one of these in 96. Everyone that came across the car ended up loving it....

clutches are money, but beyond that, its a great car for what it is. not a speed demon but definitely cool!

Yeah, I've heard that complaint from a number of people. None of them seemed the sort who were hard on the throttle.

I can't quite remember, but I believe it was because of the camber setting of the rear-wheels. They're still very nice cars, I'm especially fond ofthe targa models.

If you are used to modern sports cars, you should definitely test drive one. The NSX ergonomics remained relatively unchanged throughout the years from when the car was first introduced. The first thing you will notice when you step into the car is the school bus sized steering wheel. NSX prices have remained high. I would not buying anything older than a 2002, since the facelifted cars look more modern and have updated interiors with better wheels. In addition, any decent NSX is going to cost you at least 35K, starting for 1991s, with 2002+s with low mileage coming in at 40-50K. That's a negligible price difference, in my opinion, for getting a car at least 11 years newer. The S2000 is a better car in nearly every way, so you should consider one as a fun car, considering you could get a year or two old S2000 for less than a seventeen year old NSX! Unfortunately, it is just not as sexy as the NSX. One thing that people do not mention too often -- DO NOT buy an NSX unless you have a very well qualified independent Acura mechanic within reasonable driving distance. I am blessed to have a sixty year old retired Honda Master Tech in my area who runs a small shop and specializes in older Hondas such as the NSX. These cars are basically unplanned maintenance free -- but the timing belt and other major services (at an increased interval over regular Acuras) should only be performed by someone that really knows what they are doing -- as the timing belt job in an NSX is far more difficult than in an Integra. The mechanics at your local Acura dealership are far too young to have ever worked on the NSX when it was a current car and you stand a good chance of having your car messed up. For 40K I would purchase a 2006 M3 Competition Package with 5K miles on it, with existing new car warranty and existing full maintenance package.

I think it depends on what you're looking for.

The early NSXs are desirable because the steering is completely manual for really unmatched road feel, and hence the larger steering wheel, which I found acceptable in size. They were also probably the rawest versions, compared to later versions which softened and blinged up the car for wider appeal. But for a mid-engined sports car with great feel and suspension tuning, you can't really beat an NSX. You can approach it these days for a lot more $$$ (eg. Porsche Cayman), but I don't think you can exceed it.

There are drawbacks such as the alignment that ate up soft tires, but always remember that the higher performance a car, the more expensive its maintenance will be. Having access to a good, experienced Honda mechanic is very desirable, as many things on an 15-year old, limited-production car can go wrong.

For me, an M3 is like an apple to the NSX's orange. The M3 is a sedan made sporty, while the NSX is a real sports car. The S2000 may not be a good substitute because it's a convertible, and many track schools do not allow convertibles without extensive safety modifications. Again, it depends on why you're getting the car.

--Andre

On my list of $40k cars to buy, NSX would be far higher than the M3

By choosing the NSX over the M3 you'll get more for your money in the $20-$40k range.

The NSX is a nice car but around $40K I'd save my pennies and get a pre-owned Cayman S. You can find some in the mid 40's if you look hard enough and it's a much newer car with great dynamics and a warranty.

The first generation of the NSX has been developed with Senna. That should be enough to qualify, IMO.