No power steering in the Manual?!

[Two Inch Long]

The NSX also had high steering effort when parking with the five-speed manual gearbox because power steering came only with the four-speed automatic transmission model, which cost an extra $4,000.
I got this fro YellowNSX's topics about the 91 NSX. Does the NSX manual still not come with power steering? How do you guys live with it? And is this standard with all exotic sports cars?

[nsxtacey]

I will save you from the forums nazi...

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/General/changesbyyear.htm

[ChrisK]

Originally posted by Two Inch Long
[I] How do you guys live with it? And is this standard with all exotic sports cars?

It is not as bad as you think. As soon as the car is moving just a little you can already steer with one hand. I have no trouble parking and I'm not a big strong guy. I switch back and forth between my wifes Lexus which has a very light steering feel and the my manual steering NSX and it doesn't bother me at all. If I let people drive my car they notice the steering is stiffer than other cars, but they don't think it has no power steering unless I tell them.

[nsxtasy]

I love the feel of the manual steering in my '91 five-speed. It feels very direct and connected. About the only time it's hard to steer is when the car is stopped and you're trying to turn the wheels (which means, almost never). As long as the car is moving, even slowly, it's easy to steer.

It is a characteristic of sports cars that the controls - steering, brakes, gas - feel more connected to the road. Many family cars, and particularly luxury cars, have more isolation from the road and the outside environment.

[Meeyatch1]

When Sport Compact Car did an article (using Steve Riter's NSX) for one of their issues recently, they stated that getting power steering on an early ('91-'94) model manual transmission NSX was an 'option'. I do not remember this being true on the manual NSX. I know power steering is standard on my '91 NSX with an automatic transmission though.

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Meeyatch1
When Sport Compact Car did an article (using Steve Riter's NSX) for one of their issues recently, they stated that getting power steering on an early ('91-'94) model manual transmission NSX was an 'option'. I do not remember this being true on the manual NSX.

It was never available on the '91-94 five-speed NSX. It can only be considered an "option" if you consider the automatic transmission an "option", and those "options" are bundled together, so you have to get both of them in order to get either one.

I think the use of the term "option" in this case is misleading.

[RyRy210]

Originally posted by Two Inch Long
The NSX also had high steering effort when parking with the five-speed manual gearbox because power steering came only with the four-speed automatic transmission model, which cost an extra $4,000.
I got this fro YellowNSX's topics about the 91 NSX. Does the NSX manual still not come with power steering? How do you guys live with it? And is this standard with all exotic sports cars?

Why don't you just drive one and judge for yourself?

[4AU4LIFE]

It is not as bad as you think

Not at all.

I love the feel of the manual steering

Likewise.

Why don't you just drive one and judge for yourself?

Best suggestion yet.

[Meeyatch1]

When we took my '94 NSX (manual) to Florida a couple of weeks back, my friend was complaining that the steering was heavy because it was manual....I told him if he wanted to complain he did not have to drive anymore...he promptly shut up and kept driving.

[Briank]

My NSX steering was heavy when I got it but improved after an alignment. Also the heavyness at slow speed is partly caused by the Caster settings which are more then a normal car.

[ncdogdoc]

Yep, the caster is the culprit.

But without that caster and "heavyness", then there would be less feedback to the driver, and the experience would not be world class. I do get tired of having to "fight" the wheel occasionally, but that just means the car is working hard, and I need to pay more attention to the situation.

[NSXGMS]

How do you guys live with it? And is this standard with all exotic sports cars?

Interestingly, one member who owns a '01 Spa Yellow, I believe (you know who you are!) recently drove an NSX other than his own for the first time.

It was a '91 manual, of course with no PS, and he felt that he would actually rather have manual in his '01 WITHOUT EVER KNOWING ANYTHING ELSE!!

He much preferred the feel and the sportiness of the manual steering to the more refined PS of the '01. He wished he could have it.

I myself, having never driven a 95+, have longed for the power steering until that post!! Now I think I'm happy!!

--BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR; YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT!!