RE: PH buying guide: Honda NSX

[Grovsie26]

Awesome NSX Stefan, looks gorgeous. Any mods?

I still think they look amazing. Dated...yes, but way better than anything modern IMO. Love the rear overhang. There's nothing like it looks wise, and it is really really low, it's only 44 inches high isn't it?

[stephen300o]

stefan1 said:

The looks are still great, although the overhangs are a bit dated.

The Aventador also has big dated overhangs..

[AR]

Having had a 3.2 pre facelift, an NA1 NSX-R and a Supercharged 3.0, I feel that I can comment on them. Great cars if you get a good one. There are quite a few non V car registered pranged up NSX around. Do not think that maintenance costs will be like another Honda, neither are parts. At a minimum the NSX needs an good flowing exhaust and some uprated pads, lines and fluid.

Would I buy another one? Not so sure now with all the news about the new NSX. I for one do hope Honda release a new NSX, as an alternative to the 911/R8 if not then I might be in the market for another one.

[Gridl0k]

Seeing how the NSX is perhaps the only car on my dream list that is under £30k, I'm a little disappointed that the PH BUYERS GUIDE for this seems to be more of a family history than 'look out for worn bushes and gearbox whine'

Are they really so superb that they made a very poor choice for an inaugural buyers guide, or should this feature be retitled 'PH BIOGRAPHY'?

[tali1]

Street View B2NSX

[kyep]

I've had three NSX's over the years, a 91, 94 coupe and my current one which is a 98 targa with a comptech autorotor supercharger. These cars as long as they are looked after are pretty much bullet proof. All of mine have been /are used as daily drivers aswell as track days from time to time, the only issues I have had are the well described ones which you will find on www.nsxprime.com ( sun visor splitting, excessive rear tyre wear, door handle breaking, window regulators, climate control issues and amp issues). There is a fantastic community on nsxprime and vendors such as scienceofspeed and drivingambition that are very supportive and can provide anything needed - cheap fixes are available for most of the common issues including the amp's, windows and climate control. There is also a UK owners club nsxcb which has a lot of supportive and very knowledgeable members.

[MrQuick]

Look at that! Just look at it!

This thing was designed 20 years ago and looking at that you can see why Gordon Murray was really impressed by the suspension design and its use of aluminium.
Those control arms are so thin and delicate, stupidly good engineering.

http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2012/02/1991...
Click that link to read more, it goes through the whole suspension design in detail and you can really see why building this car cost so much. Just the R&D that went into this car must have been phenomenal.

Ahh, when Honda used to be awesome.

[havoc]

melvster said:

"while a 3.2-litre manual NA2 with low miles and perfect history will pull in £25,000"

Yeah and the rest, more like 35k +, some examples can fetch 45-50k and an NSX R, well, there is only one NA2 in the UK.

Late-model NA2s are now fetching £40k+ and are frequently heading back east.

Can't remember EVER seeing one at £10k either, even when I was looking back in '09...100k + first-era cars are currently £15-20k depending on history, the best 3.0s are easily over £20k, and you're unlikely to get any 3.2 for <£25k, even a leggy one. Maybe a Cat-C...


As for buying guide - not a lot of info in there that's of any use to punters - even Autocar do better than this guys! Alisdair - wish you'd come to NSXCB before writing this - this is a filler article rather than anything meaningful.

[bigaoi]

[Marf]

havoc said:

Late-model NA2s are now fetching £40k+ and are frequently heading back east.

Doesnt surprise me with the exchange rate being so favourable for our friends in Japan now.

[WhyOne]

What a lazy and unhelpful article.

Very disappointed. Of all people I would have expected Pistonheads to put together a better researched guide which actually assisted people who might be interested in buying an NSX.

Just to declare my interest......

Edited by WhyOne on Saturday 3rd March 13:21

[senninha2]

I met with the owner at South Mimms ... had you been there you could of seen mine aswell ...

E2 had just been fully serviced and was en route back to its home in Southern France ... as for mine, it was as good an excuse as I needed to get out for a drive.

Met a couple of guys on route to Snetterton for a track day today in an EK9 and ACTR ... trust you both had a good day

As for the posts above about wanting a manual 3.2 facelift, if you pop over to www.nsxcb.co.uk and search the For Sale section, you might just be able to persuade a member to sell his stunning Imola Orange 03 plate 3.2T ... just dont expect to buy at the prices in the PH article ...

regards,

VumGarda said:

I saw a silver NSX on the back of a car transporter today, reg' E2 NSX. I can't remember the last time I actually saw another one.

Edited by senninha2 on Saturday 3rd March 16:06

Edited by senninha2 on Saturday 3rd March 16:07

[Dr Jekyll]

How does the NSX compare with a Boxter or Cayman on the road?

[cragswinter]

Dr Jekyll said:

How does the NSX compare with a Boxter or Cayman on the road?

In what way? Subjectively it feels a lot more special, ride quality is better than the boxster (I've only driven boxsters & caymans on 19's mind) & it actually feels smaller-even though it's longer.

I never got the interior jibes either-although a bit dated it's a lovely place to be.

Speed wise it felt slower than an S, but it's one of those rare cars that is so competent that id guess it hides the numbers well, not to mention having such a good ride & being well sized for uk roads that you can carry serious speeds.

[stefan1]

Dr Jekyll said:

How does the NSX compare with a Boxter or Cayman on the road?

I had occasion today to drive my NSX (picking it up from a service) and then a Cayman R. The near 20 year gap in design is pretty evident, it has to be said. The Cayman is just more immediate in all of its responses, but that's no surprise. You can lean harder on the chassis and it stays flatter.

But the NSX has a magical quality thanks to the longintudinal movement designed into the suspension - it glides over bumps where the Cayman jiggles. The steering is a lot slower - and I mean a lot. But mid corner there is enormous feel and in one respect the NSX is a complete match for the Cayman - it is wonderfully adjustable on the throttle.

The engine in the NSX is several leagues more special than the Cayman. I find the modern DFI engines in the 911s, Caymans and Boxsters to be very lacking in character - super smooth and efficient but not spine tingling (you need a Mezger engine for that). By contrast the induction roar in the NSX when the VTEC kicks in at 6,000rpm always induces a smile.

Dynamically, the R is clearly superior. As an event to drive, the NSX wins hands down.

Cheers

[johnpeat]

WhyOne said:

Just to declare my interest......

Edited by WhyOne on Saturday 3rd March 13:21

Wowzers...

[havoc]

stefan1 said:

(you need a Mezger engine for that)

I wonder how long before people are reminiscing about the days that (non-hypercar) engines really struck your soul when on full chat - not just the GT3s and NSXs, but throttle-bodied Caterhams, Lotus Sunbeams, V8 and I6 TVRs, M3s of all manner, proper Alfa V6s (not the bastardised GM they've been using recently). FI was a step backwards vs carbs, in many ways, and DI seems to be doubly so...

[Hellbound]

MrQuick][pic said:

Just the R&D that went into this car must have been phenomenal.

Ahh, when Honda used to be awesome.

I remember reading about this not so long ago.

My question is; how much would it cost to replace all of the suspension parts today?

[VumGarda]

senninha2 said:

I met with the owner at South Mimms ... had you been there you could of seen mine aswell ...

E2 had just been fully serviced and was en route back to its home in Southern France ... as for mine, it was as good an excuse as I needed to get out for a drive.

Met a couple of guys on route to Snetterton for a track day today in an EK9 and ACTR ... trust you both had a good day

As for the posts above about wanting a manual 3.2 facelift, if you pop over to www.nsxcb.co.uk and search the For Sale section, you might just be able to persuade a member to sell his stunning Imola Orange 03 plate 3.2T ... just dont expect to buy at the prices in the PH article ...

regards,

Ah, it would have been great to see 2 together! So the white car in the picture is yours? I can't quite make out the registration plate - it looks like E2 NSX, but the car I saw was definitely silver and I don't think it was on Enkei wheels (although they were black).


~sigh~

I'd love an NSX one day...

[geraintevans]

I thought the article was factual enough, if a little dry. Some owners' perspectives would have added a bit more depth, and been pretty easy to collect, given that there are a few owners on here, and access to NSXCB is only a few clicks away.

Lovely to read all the positive comments about the cars though

While we're all pic whoring, here's my '95 purple targa.