RE: PH buying guide: Honda NSX
Discussion
Charge99 said:
Question, who'd take and decent late NSX over an F355 and why? (note it's not meant to be a loaded question, I'm interested, especially those who've driven both) It's amazing how few NSX's for sale at any time given how many F355's there are, were there really that few built relative to the 355? Having kindly been given a ride in a track focussed NSX at Vmax, it seemed a good car, was surprised that it was quite a bit faster than my S2000, although an extra litre of capacity has to help!
I would take the NSX over a 355. Drove them back to back a couple of years ago with a car club. The reason I drove them back to back was because the 355 broke down. The 355 was a car I was considering at the time. Jumped in the replacement Honda and immediately felt more in tune with it. Felt solid and did not feel like it was going to break down and did not need to look at the gauges constantly. Wife immediately preferred the Honda as well. Gave the Ferrari another chance and had it for a weekend and this time did not break down but tried to kill me instead with a sticking throttle. Dropped to third approaching a bend and it just stuck at 5.5k revs and had to dip the clutch to stop drive to the engine. Yes the interior of the NSX is not a patch on the 355 but for handling,engine noise and feeling of confidence it inspires knock the 355 into the weeds.
Power and grip in the NSX is just about perfect for the road. Many of the 500+bhp cars on the road are great, but the levels of grip mean that a track is the best place for them. Mind you I could not get on with the NSX on the track as sterling too slow.
Anyway there is my tuppence worth.
Edited by rex on Sunday 4th March 20:04
Gompo said:
pacificf1 said:
how come the high mileage silver auto that has been for sale a while has not got a mention?
Because it's an Auto, I expect. I certainly wouldn't want one.geraintevans said:
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.
Hmm, I wonder if I saw this car at the Ring during classic car race early autumn 2010... Looks familiar.Lovely to read all the positive comments about the cars though
While we're all pic whoring, here's my '95 purple targa.
Looks like the Ozzies keep an eye on the UK market too...........
http://www.carsales.com.au/car/brand%20new/dealer/...
http://www.carsales.com.au/car/brand%20new/dealer/...
cragswinter said:
rex said:
Yes the interior of the NSX is not a patch on the 355
I still don't get this?? 
Perhaps it was coming from air cooled 911s but I thought the interior was lovely, certainly nicer than anything in a similar aged dancing donkey.
stefan1 said:
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
rex said:
Charge99 said:
Question, who'd take and decent late NSX over an F355 and why? (note it's not meant to be a loaded question, I'm interested, especially those who've driven both) It's amazing how few NSX's for sale at any time given how many F355's there are, were there really that few built relative to the 355? Having kindly been given a ride in a track focussed NSX at Vmax, it seemed a good car, was surprised that it was quite a bit faster than my S2000, although an extra litre of capacity has to help!
I would take the NSX over a 355. Drove them back to back a couple of years ago with a car club. The reason I drove them back to back was because the 355 broke down. The 355 was a car I was considering at the time. Jumped in the replacement Honda and immediately felt more in tune with it. Felt solid and did not feel like it was going to break down and did not need to look at the gauges constantly. Wife immediately preferred the Honda as well. Gave the Ferrari another chance and had it for a weekend and this time did not break down but tried to kill me instead with a sticking throttle. Dropped to third approaching a bend and it just stuck at 5.5k revs and had to dip the clutch to stop drive to the engine. Yes the interior of the NSX is not a patch on the 355 but for handling,engine noise and feeling of confidence it inspires knock the 355 into the weeds.
Power and grip in the NSX is just about perfect for the road. Many of the 500+bhp cars on the road are great, but the levels of grip mean that a track is the best place for them. Mind you I could not get on with the NSX on the track as sterling too slow.
Anyway there is my tuppence worth.
Edited by rex on Sunday 4th March 20:04
Reference the 355. I think there are very few cars that beat it harmonically. However, I guess it just depends what you consider important.
It seems crazy that there appears to be some kind of romantic notion attached to questionable reliability, complete impracticality and high service costs. That's not a dig at Ferrari specifically.
Only that in our heavily subjective decision making, we often overlook a myriad of sins to own the 'must have' car.
If you like the idea of the NSX, it's a great choice for the informed car enthusiast (I'd like to stress that informed is not another word for boring; I'm seeing neutral handling as a bonus).
The NSX has a number of strengths; fantastic build quality, reliability, incredibly rare, real world usable, dynamics, resale.
They generally do not leave you stranded, try to kill you or vent money.
The 3.2 has similar performance to a 996 or E46 M3 etc. As does the 3.0 litre car with the correct exhaust.
But come service time, cambelt aside (approx. £1000 every 6-8 years) it's very affordable to own.
With regard to criticism of the interior. Compared to it's peers at the time, it was a bloody space ship.
No offense to the 964, 993, 348 etc. But apart from perhaps being a little dark in it's standard UK spec (other colours were available), it's incredibly functional, well made and feels more like a cockpit that a cars interior.
The F cars of the time were a little ergonomically challenged and not particularly well screwed together, especially when you consider the price. The Porsche although classic looking hadn't changed perceptibly since the 70's.
Anyway, back on topic. If the NSX is your thing. You're lucky because it ticks more boxes than any other modern 'semi-classic' sports car.
It seems crazy that there appears to be some kind of romantic notion attached to questionable reliability, complete impracticality and high service costs. That's not a dig at Ferrari specifically.
Only that in our heavily subjective decision making, we often overlook a myriad of sins to own the 'must have' car.
If you like the idea of the NSX, it's a great choice for the informed car enthusiast (I'd like to stress that informed is not another word for boring; I'm seeing neutral handling as a bonus).
The NSX has a number of strengths; fantastic build quality, reliability, incredibly rare, real world usable, dynamics, resale.
They generally do not leave you stranded, try to kill you or vent money.
The 3.2 has similar performance to a 996 or E46 M3 etc. As does the 3.0 litre car with the correct exhaust.
But come service time, cambelt aside (approx. £1000 every 6-8 years) it's very affordable to own.
With regard to criticism of the interior. Compared to it's peers at the time, it was a bloody space ship.
No offense to the 964, 993, 348 etc. But apart from perhaps being a little dark in it's standard UK spec (other colours were available), it's incredibly functional, well made and feels more like a cockpit that a cars interior.
The F cars of the time were a little ergonomically challenged and not particularly well screwed together, especially when you consider the price. The Porsche although classic looking hadn't changed perceptibly since the 70's.
Anyway, back on topic. If the NSX is your thing. You're lucky because it ticks more boxes than any other modern 'semi-classic' sports car.
Edited by Mouser73 on Wednesday 7th March 16:55
We ran an NSX Targa as a hire car for several years and it had clocked over 200,000miles, yes you read right 200,000miles and had never had any engine work done on it at all, wasn't even smokey on startup. It was regularly on track and more often in the red than at idle. Show me anything Italian that could do even half that. Running costs are superb and its good on fuel too. I agree interior is bland, but nothing went wrong...ever! It will go through clutches if driven wrong. This is the supercar you buy with your head and not your heart, it wont rust, it wont breakdown and it wont bankrupt you.
I forgot to mention that despite owning my 348TS for over a year, I was straight away quicker in the NSX at Donington. And if I didn't need money to expand the business at the time I probably would have bought one. I mean, at least all the gears are available from cold unlike the 348 where you couldn't use 2nd and 4th until the oil heated up!
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