Just got an '02

[Bram]

I imported my car from the US, no issues, just make sure you have the car check out properly, check service records, Carfax etc.

If you like I can give you details, of the process.


Bram

I would love to get an NSX from the US. I think a couple have shown up here in Toronto this week from there, albeit with sketchy histories so you have to be careful.

Problem with going to the US is just that, how do you make sure the car you get is good? Can you imagine the cost of dealing with a lemon NSX? Brrrrrrrrrrrr.

 

[Arshad]

Bram, can you post up details of the import process, perhaps in a new thread? This would be useful for a lot of people who are looking at bringing in a car from the US. In particular, yours is a 95 if I recall correctly, so how did you overcome the daytime running lights issue. Did you have to put in a new wiring harness, etc? Also, any issues with the bumper low-kmh collision requirements or anything else?

Given the relative abundance of NSXs in the US, and the conversion rate, it seems like a steal to pick up a car from the US. Look at this thread: http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44879

2002 for US$56k which is only around $70k canadian! Given that some 91's are still going for $45-50k canadian, and 02's are asking over $100k, that's a steal!!

 

[BioBanker]

2002 for US$56k which is only around $70k canadian! Given that some 91's are still going for $45-50k canadian, and 02's are asking over $100k, that's a steal!!

No no no no no....

I paid much less than that for my 02 from Terrace Gate.

The CDN cars that are forsale, have been forsale for a long long time. Their prices are becoming very negotiable.

I priced my CDN 02 against what it would cost to bring a US car up, and the difference between what I paid for my car and what a US car would cost, landed, was about $5k. Ive got little time for looking for a US car. Less time for having to cart it back to the US should a warranty issue show up. That amount was not worth it to me. Honestly, you will be amazed at how much these CDN dealers want to rid themselves of these NSXs, which have been crowding their showrooms for years.

 

[Bram]

Arshad, I will post the details on the importing porcess on a new thread.

The selection of NSX's in the US are MUCH MUCH greater that those we have up here, especially if you are looking for something newer with colour combo etc.

My car is a 1997 with 12K on it and was purchased for less than what the dealers were asking for 94's.

So it well worth the effort if someoone want's to get an NSX from the US.

Bram

Bram, can you post up details of the import process, perhaps in a new thread? This would be useful for a lot of people who are looking at bringing in a car from the US. In particular, yours is a 95 if I recall correctly, so how did you overcome the daytime running lights issue. Did you have to put in a new wiring harness, etc? Also, any issues with the bumper low-kmh collision requirements or anything else?

Given the relative abundance of NSXs in the US, and the conversion rate, it seems like a steal to pick up a car from the US. Look at this thread: http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44879

2002 for US$56k which is only around $70k canadian! Given that some 91's are still going for $45-50k canadian, and 02's are asking over $100k, that's a steal!!

 

[Bram]

TerranceGate, was asking $109K for this car after having it in their showroom for two years, so I'm sure that you got a great deal on this car.

I believe there are only 4 NSXs imported into Canada for 2002 so that is good, the selection is limited for newer NSXs in Canada anyway.

Segal, does have a few, but as normal he is firm on his prices.

Congrats, and see you when we meet in the Spring.

Bram

No no no no no....

I paid much less than that for my 02 from Terrace Gate.

The CDN cars that are forsale, have been forsale for a long long time. Their prices are becoming very negotiable.

I priced my CDN 02 against what it would cost to bring a US car up, and the difference between what I paid for my car and what a US car would cost, landed, was about $5k. Ive got little time for looking for a US car. Less time for having to cart it back to the US should a warranty issue show up. That amount was not worth it to me. Honestly, you will be amazed at how much these CDN dealers want to rid themselves of these NSXs, which have been crowding their showrooms for years.

 

[NSX2NV]

Hi Dave,

Congrats on the car. For the last year I've been trying to get down to Terrace Gate to look at the NSX you bought. I was going to do the 02 conversion on mine and wanted to see the car with the fixed lights on the Spa yellow in person. Never happened but I did see a few 02's in SY at NSXPO 04. They look awesome. I received your PM I'll add you to the list.

There's an 04 Silver with 3900 kms for $99,000 at Academy of Fine Cars. I haven't seen it though.

http://www.academymotors.com/inventory.html

Johnny

 

[BioBanker]

That 04 is a US car. He also has an 03 Y/Y that was imported at the same time. I seriously thought about the 03, but there was an auction listing on it talking about a major major repaint (essentialy every panel). The carfax was clean with the exception of the car being owned by fleet rental companies, over and over, and half a dozen transactions on the car at a number of auctions all across the US since 2003. The car is suposed to be immaculate with all VIN stickers attached. I decided not to go look at the car because it was $91k, a little more expensive than the 02 I bought. It had a sketchy history of ownership. It *possibly* had damage in the past (although I was offerered to take it to wherever I wanted to verify its clean history) and it has no CDN warranty (hopefully not an issue).

In the end it came down to the 02 I bought probably being a cleaner car for less money with a warranty and a history I was comfortable with. I didnt go see that 04, but the price on it seemed to be firm at $98.5ish. If its history of ownership is different than the 03, which is unclear, and the price can go down a few more grand, THAT could be a great car for someone. I also prefer Spa over Silver, but thats JMHO. Ive also taken the position that a US car should be priced with one year of extra depreciation (I think about C$6k) against its CDN equivalent (the cars are identical though, with the exception of the speedo and lack of warranty in Canada).

If anyone wants what info I have on that 03, PM me. Ive got the carfax, and the auction listing.

 

[Arshad]

You make some good points Dave. I agree that if it's only a $5k delta, and you get a canadian warranty then it's a no-brainer to pick up the canadian car. If it's a $20-30k delta then it's a completely different story.

That 03 sounds spotty. There's the question of the repaint, and I'm very wary of picking up anything that was used as a rental. Most people abuse rentals, don't give a damn about break-in period, and if it's a sports car, even more so. I would personally stay far away from any car that was in a rental fleet, NSX or otherwise.

 

[BioBanker]

You make some good points Dave. I agree that if it's only a $5k delta, and you get a canadian warranty then it's a no-brainer to pick up the canadian car. If it's a $20-30k delta then it's a completely different story.

That 03 sounds spotty. There's the question of the repaint, and I'm very wary of picking up anything that was used as a rental. Most people abuse rentals, don't give a damn about break-in period, and if it's a sports car, even more so. I would personally stay far away from any car that was in a rental fleet, NSX or otherwise.

Yes - $20K, even $15k and a US car starts to look really good as the cars are essentially the same. If you cant find the car you want in Canada, but find it in the US for even $10k less, thats something. Im looking at my calculations again and my difference was closer to $10K than to $5k, but Id have to go down there and dig up a great car as well. Keep in mind that although the cars are identical, if you have two identical cars side by side one US sourced and one CDN sourced, which will you prefer everything else equal? The CDN car. So I would factor in a lower resale value in your choice also, hence me suggesting an extra year of depreciation when purchasing.

I definately did not like the thought of owning an "exotic" that was rented out by the hour like an amusement ride either. So I stood clear once I found that out. I suspect that many of the US auction cars are similar. I would feel pretty good about bringing across a NSX that had sat at the Acura dealer for a long time, or from a prime member that I was comfy with, IF there was a reasonable diff.

I forget the exact import costs, but I think at the end of the day, convert the US car to CDN dollars and add 21.5% to cover duty and taxes. The hassel of having temp permits while you licence it in Canada, and the risk that at the border you're missing something and suddely you're left without an easy means to bring the car across the border is worth something too. For that reason, Id off load the importing to someone else and pay them for it. Buy a US car from them. It will come licensed, smogged and ready for delivery without risk. Hopefully at a good price also.

 

[canuck]

Re: another '02 in Canda for sale

What year? I too love IO. Beautiful!

It is a 2002 IO/O.
http://www.acuraoflangley.com/usedcars.asp

 

[MontrealR]

Hey guys,

Went to check out the 95 NSX today, it has approximately 50,000km on it....which major parts should have changed? timing belt? water pump?
Also, do you know if it's possible to get the maintenace records from a local acura dealership? or do I have to call up Acura Canada/North America?

Thanks guys!
R

 

[BioBanker]

Hey guys,

Went to check out the 95 NSX today, it has approximately 50,000km on it....which major parts should have changed? timing belt? water pump?
Also, do you know if it's possible to get the maintenace records from a local acura dealership? or do I have to call up Acura Canada/North America?

Thanks guys!
R

Timing belt should have been done a few years ago already. That MUST be done asap if the car is still on the original belt - they last 7 years by Acuras schedule. Ive read horror stories of cars with 10k on them, but 9 years old, blowing a belt and needing an engine rebuild. Get a quote on that and the pump and hack it off the price if its not done. Rear tires? Check the FAQ regarding things like window switches and snap ring, Im less familiar with those. Id also suggest that the car could need an entirely new fluids, transmission and diff fluids included.

One showed up in the trader this week with 50k on it for about $40k. Is this the one? If its in good shape could be a screaming deal!

I think you would need to go back to the servicing dealer(s) for what work has been done on the car, but Im just guessing.

 

[Arshad]

Ive read horror stories of cars with 10k on them, but 9 years old, blowing a belt and needing an engine rebuild.


Have you heard of NSX's having their belts snap? I asked around quite a bit and also checked the net for references and could not find a single example of an NSX that has had its timing belt snap. The ones that have been taken off after 7+ years still looked brand new. I'm not saying that it shouldn't be done, just that it may not be critical to have it done right away on a 95. I had mine replaced on my '91 last year as a precautionary measure, as it still had the original belt with 70k km's on it, and it was still in excellent condition after it came off. Regardless, the peace of mind was worth the cost of changing the belt/pump.

As far as I know transmission snap ring and window regulator issues are only on the 91's. Check the FAQ, it should have it all there.

Ryan: Does the seller not have all maintenance records for the car? They should be able to provide this to you. I would insist on it on a car like the NSX. This also gives you an idea of how much the car has been driven. If it sat in a warehouse for 5 years, this will tell you that as a car sitting around for that long can run into all kinds of problems with seals/belts, etc.

 

[canuck]

Belt breakage stories on low KM cars are urban myth, imo. I have seen an MDX with 168K and its timing belt was still intact, no cracks. The belt in the NSX is as good as it gets, very durable. Acura would not have placed a low quality belt on a $25K engine. As long as there is no coolant or oil saturating the belt, you are fine.

If you want the peace of mind, go ahead and get it done. Would be beneficial for you to get records though.

Good luck with your pursuit.

 

[BioBanker]

Belt breakage stories on low KM cars are urban myth, imo. I have seen an MDX with 168K and its timing belt was still intact, no cracks. The belt in the NSX is as good as it gets, very durable. Acura would not have placed a low quality belt on a $25K engine. As long as there is no coolant or oil saturating the belt, you are fine.

If you want the peace of mind, go ahead and get it done. Would be beneficial for you to get records though.

Good luck with your pursuit.

Is it a myth? I did a search and went through the FAQ again, without being able to find a documented story, so maybe Im confusing NSXs with Fcars. BUT that said, Id have to think long and hard about not doing it.

But you should definately bring it up with the seller and say it absolutely must be done asap and, (if its not been done) you're concerned as Acura's schedule clearly says it should have been done years ago. Ask them what else hasnt been done to par.

The buyer has all the power with NSXs, take your time to do a thorough check and then, if its the car you want, take your time getting a great price. Dont worry about that car walking. If it does, there're plenty more out there.

I honestly believe that I was the only NSX buyer in Canada when I bought mine (looking for a 98+ that is). The dealers were all over me - imagine, someone might want their NSX! Too funny.

 

[Arshad]

so maybe Im confusing NSXs with Fcars.


Ah yes, belts breaking on FCars (especially older ones) -- very common problem!


(if its not been done) you're concerned as Acura's schedule clearly says it should have been done years ago. Ask them what else hasnt been done to par.


Exactly. The seller should be able to provide accurate maintenance records that show that the car has been properly taken care of, and making a statement like that gives you the upper hand in the negotiation as well.

 

[MontrealR]

Thanks for the info guys.

The car is actually being sold through a GM dealership. The dealer told me that he does not have the maitnenace records from the previous owner, and that it is not likely an Acura dealership will just give you the maintenance records as there are privacy issues. I am not sure how plausible this is, however, there has to be a way to get the maintenace records from Acura, no?

As for as the 96 for 39,000$, it doesn't seem to hot...there's a couple of things wrong with it and it has been accidented. IMO, it doesn't seem well kept.

As for this 95, i saw it in the showroom and the paint looks clean and interior looks well kept. It has very low clicks, but surprisingly there's no Acura dealership in Oakville so I cant bring it toa close Acura dealer for a quick inspection. Closer one is in downtown Toronto if I am correct. The GM dealer is willing to give me a 3 month warranty on the car and inspect it through their garage.

That's where I'm at....

 

[MontrealR]

oh, just another thing,

Carfax'd it, and nothing alarming. Not much on the car. One owner.

As for the timing belt and water pump, I guess it's the price for security and no worries. I'm not really worried abuot that, I just wanted to see if the car was kept well maintained and not driven 50,000km without at least one proper big maintenance. I will try to ask for the previous owners' contact info and call him up myself.

 

[BioBanker]

The car is actually being sold through a GM dealership. The dealer told me that he does not have the maitnenace records from the previous owner, and that it is not likely an Acura dealership will just give you the maintenance records as there are privacy issues. I am not sure how plausible this is, however, there has to be a way to get the maintenace records from Acura, no?

Ask for the previous owners name and number. If they start talking about privacy, ask them to call the person to get permission, or get that person to call you. If its a good car, most reasonable people would not mind a 2 minute phone call to help someone out. If its a bad car, the previous owner has nothing to loose by spilling the beans. The dealer *should* do this for you. Doing this saved me from making a huge mistake once. The dealer kept stalling on the info after the deal was done. I let that car sit and sit and said Im not picking up, in fact Im cancelling the deal, unless they cough up the guys info. They did, I called, he told me the story and I cancelled the deal immediately. Turned out they took the car back from him as they sold him a lemon and were lying to me about the car.

You can also try calling around to all the Acura dealers. Ive not had a problem getting them to fax service records for cars that were forsale, without the previous/current owners info. Maybe thats against policy, I donno, but they've done it for me after Ive explained the situation. The 98 at Segal's was serviced in Calgary - I learned from those guys that at one point the cats were removed. They sent the full service records to me within minutes.

People will help you out if you explain the situation.

 

[Arshad]

As for this 95, i saw it in the showroom and the paint looks clean and interior looks well kept. It has very low clicks, but surprisingly there's no Acura dealership in Oakville so I cant bring it toa close Acura dealer for a quick inspection. Closer one is in downtown Toronto if I am correct.


Actually, there's also Sherway Acura at QEW + 427, which would be closer than downtown Toronto if you're coming from Oakville.

I would use Carfax as a point of reference, but not as a guarantee about the cars history. I ran a carfax on my own vehicle just for fun and ran across inaccurate information (about owner history). I've also heard of salvaged vehicles in the US with clean carfax reports. A good thorough inspection by a qualified shop is a must.

You may also want to consider getting a compression test done to make sure all the cylinders are in good shape. The GM dealership may be willing to do this at their expense if they're having a hard time moving that car.

 

[Bram]

Hi Montreal R, I'm in Oakville and I can check the car out for you...

Is this the one at Keer...I can get info on this car...

call me 416-819-2287.

Bram

oh, just another thing,

Carfax'd it, and nothing alarming. Not much on the car. One owner.

As for the timing belt and water pump, I guess it's the price for security and no worries. I'm not really worried abuot that, I just wanted to see if the car was kept well maintained and not driven 50,000km without at least one proper big maintenance. I will try to ask for the previous owners' contact info and call him up myself.