Survey: Your cruising RPM's? (or how frail is this thing)

[rquintero]

In my short experience with the NSX (6 speed), I find myself generally running at around 5k RPM during normal driving (this means "at the constant speed for the occasion", not "shifting up to").

Seems to be the range for what this car wants for responsive driving.

I know it is ok to drive a Porsche this way (particularly the couple I've had with their VTEC variant, VarioRam), and I assume the same goes for the NSX.

Comments? Am I being unkind to the car or was it designed for this constant range?

When driving at reasonable constant speeds, what do you drive at (RPM-wise)?

 

[Nsxotic]

I don't know what is reasonable,Ralph, but I drive around 2800-3200 rpm normally like the wimp that I am...... ahem

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Todd Arnold
Pls. visit my site w/ lots of info and pics. Brand new classifieds and Message board. It may take a bit to download but it's worth it, I hope @
http://www.modenaenterprises.com/dave/nsx/index.html

 

[NSXY]

I drive my NSX only on weekends, for fun exciting mountain driving, not junk, straight-line, weekday driving like commuting. During this NSX weekend driving, I'm usually crusing around 3K rpms (average) between spurts up to 8K rpms. Overall, however, I am not constantly racing around, but just cruising though the gears at 2-5K rpms. BUT, depending on my mood, when I see a fun part of the road coming up, whether it's curvey or staight, I might gun it right up to the 8K limit in several gears, until I get really scared of dying in a horrible fiery wreck (I'm over 50, so I'm no longer immortal, like some members on this site). However, after this adrenalin rush, I usually settle back into a 3K average crusing range for low blood pressure relaxation and recovery driving (this respite also keeps my wife, who's riding shotgun, from divorcing me for risking her life). Frankly, speed scares the shit out of me too, so I find myself being rather selective about when and where I go for it (Also, I still don't have a V1 radar set up, but I will soon).

The higher rpms (5-8K rpms) are needed for the vtec to kick in with gusto. If you need constant gusto, then you need >5K rpms.

I may be in the minority on this site (my maybe conservative driving style), but I'm still alive, my car is flawless, and my gas mileage is reproducibly at 22-24 mpg, so I'm completely satisfied with the scarey performance/cost/saftey ratio of my investment in this exotic.

Happy revvvvvvvvvvvvvving!!!

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NSXY
95 NSX-T, 5 sp, Red/Tan, Stock, except Dunlaptya SP9000s

 

[rquintero]

Hey Todd, how've you been? I like your site re-design, BTW.

Just to be clear, I don't consider myself a particularly aggressive driver either, I just like the car to be in a "ready-state" at all times.

Driving at your RPM range would make me nuts though!

 

[Edo]

I usually keep it around 4000rpm's...
I guess I'm a speed junkie too....

 

[akira3d]

For the first few months of owning my NSX, I found that cruising under 5000rpm seemed natural. At these revs, the NSX feels conservatively nimble (certainly would leave the general traffic far behind whenever the light turned green, but not to the point of drawing attention from the local authorities), the engine sounds right, and the current cruising gear still has plenty of pull when you find yourself needing a sudden extra burst of speed.

That said, I now cruise under 3000rpm. I changed my driving style when I realized what kind of mileage I was getting. My overall average mileage when shifting at 5K was roughly 16mpg, but improved to 18.5mpg when dropping to 3K. My best highway tank before the change was only 20mpg, but improved to 24mpg afterwards. If I need more pull to accelerate around something, I simply drop to lower gears.

The NSX may feel more like an Integra when cruising at these lower RPMs, but there's certainly nothing wrong with that (especially when caught in stop-n-go rush hour traffic).

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--akira3D ('00 NSX-T red/black #113)
"Reality is better than the dream..."

akira3d.com/nsx

[This message has been edited by akira3d (edited 11 October 2000).]

 

[DocL]

Funny thing that you started this thread. I just finished a little experiment with my driving style and mpg. I usually keep the rpm's around 4k with frequent revs into the VTEC and I average 19/20 mpg with combined city/hwy driving. For the last 2 weeks, I kept the revs under 3.5k and did not blip the throttle on downshifts; I averaged 24 mpg. In my opinion, the 4 mpg difference does not merit the conservative driving. I'm back to my old style and having fun again.

 

[Nsxotic]

Thanks for the compliment on the new site, Ralph. A guy named Dave saw the old one and loved the car, but thought it was a mess.... which it was. He offered to redo it for me and, of course, I said yes. So give Dave the credit for the design. By the way, it is back at the original address now. And slow down......!!!!!!!! What do you think you're driving? An exotic? Ahem.

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Todd Arnold
Pls. visit my newly redone NSX site w/ lots of info and pics. Brand new classifieds and Message board. @
http://www.geocities.com/nsxcessive/index.html

 

[hejo]

Hey Nsxotic - your site looks really good man!

Since I'm one of the few sportshifter folks on this site I find it interesting the similarity in how I drive. I usually try to keep the revs up around 3500 as much as possible. In fact in town it helps keep me from speeding as it's so easy to idle at 35 in a 25 zone. What's really cool is to drop into 2nd at 65 and have the revs jump to 5k ready to just blow by anyone. My mileage is pretty consistent with what everyone else is seeing unless I get it on a lot then I can watch the needle drop.

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Hal Jones
Lake Oswego, Oregon
95T Blk\Blk automatic

 

[NSXY]

My wife and I just tried this driving around at 5K rpms business, and guess what?

It's totally nuts!

It's so loud and continuously abrasive that you can't talk, you can't hear, you can't think, and it'll make you crazy if you're not already. It's just silly for street driving to stay around 5K rpms.

Yes, the car can handle it. Yes, on the track it's a must. Or in the mountains! But 5K around town for regular driving is nuts, and not for us, thank you.

If there are any doubters out there, just try to drive around keeping it at 5K for only 10 minutes, and you'll know. Or maybe it's genetic...?



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NSXY
95 NSX-T, 5 sp, Red/Tan, Stock, except Dunlaptya SP9000s

 

[rquintero]

Thanks for the replies... while I am now aware of the MPG differences (don't care too much about it) I still have the same question: Is the NSX designed for constant higher RPMs?

And NSXY, is your car stock? My Y2K is and there is definitely very little noise / commotion in the 4500 / 5200 range. I would have no problem carrying on a conversation except that I am usually alone, and in any event always drive more conservatively with a passenger in the car.

Genetic? Well, maybe. Guess we enjoy our toys at various degrees.

 

[akira3d]

NSXOTIC, that's a huge improvement over the old site. Mind if I include you in my links section?

As for loudness at 5K rpm, I can't say I know what you mean. I consider my 2000 NSX to be a very quiet car overall, regardless of the revs...it's certainly no Ferrari in terms of sheer volume. I've heard modded NSXs put out some loud grumbles, but my NSX is pretty darn quiet.

In traffic if I revved to 5K rpm, I'd be rear-ending people all the time! So while I love the way the car feels when I go for the quick launches, I have no problem working for the better gas mileage while driving in traffic. Ask me how much I pay attention to these things on weekend drives

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--akira3D ('00 NSX-T red/black #113)
"Reality is better than the dream..."

akira3d.com/nsx

[This message has been edited by akira3d (edited 14 October 2000).]

 

[Nsxotic]

Thanks Akira...... please do include me in your links and I'll do the same. Still working on it.... it will have many more features eventually, like movies, more pics, maybe a pic of the month type of thing etc, and hopefully the message/classifieds board will start to draw some more attention....

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Todd Arnold
Pls. visit my newly redone NSX site w/ lots of info and pics. Brand new classifieds and Message board. @
http://www.geocities.com/nsxcessive/index.html

 

[NSXY]

Yo rquintero:

My 95-T is bone stock, and the high noise at 5K rpms is maybe related to the fact that my T-top is always off, so there's both wind and engine (mostly intake) noise. There's a ton of noise at 5K rpms with the top off. I have not compared the noise levels with and without the top on though.

In an case, the high rpm around 5K (with the top off) is not relaxing and I find it irritating, so I only use 5K when passing through during acceleration. I wouldn't keep it there, because of the discomfort. Personal opinion....

Best rpming.

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NSXY
95 NSX-T, 5 sp, Red/Tan, Stock, except Dunlaptya SP9000s

 

[G-man]

Hey gang, I can't believe this thread. As I look forward to the upcoming drive to Atlanta, GA for NSXPO 2000, I can't believe that some of you out there are actually adjusting your driving styles to address a gain of a few more miles per gallon and better conversation! That is unreal!

Well, let me start with the facts. I have a 2000 NSX-T that is completely stock. I drive around at about 4,500 - 5,000 RPM all the time. I have driven all my cars that way regardless of it being a 1.8L Miata to my 5.0L V-12 BMW and have never had a problem with any of them lasting well over 150,000+ miles with nothing but normal service. I am not sure how long they would have lasted, since I tend to retire then after 150K+ miles.

Let's take a look at the original question: "Will driving around at high RPMs hurt the NSX". I would have to say that 4,500-5,000 RPM when warm should be no problem. After all, the thing has a red line of 8,500 RPM. If you compare that to my 2.7L Porsche 911S, that only has a red line of 6,500 RPM, I would have to say that the NSX is much happier at 5,000 RPM than the 911S is.

Having logged 2,000+ miles of track time this year on 3 of my cars, I would tend to think that the NSX is designed and engineered to run from 3,000RPM to 8,000 RPM all day long and do it with the kind of reliability and durability that only Honda can deliver.

I love my NSX and the more I drive it, the more I love it. I can't believe a few of you are actually complaining about the "noise" of the engine at that 5,000 RPMs. Good thing none of you own a Ferrari, then you would really know what the NSX should have sounded like.

Gordon G. Miller, III
2000 NSX-T #51
Yellow/Black

 

[nsxtasy]

Let's take a look at the original question: "Will driving around at high RPMs hurt the NSX". I would have to say that 4,500-5,000 RPM when warm should be no problem. After all, the thing has a red line of 8,500 RPM.

8500? Do the newer ones have a higher redline? My '91 "only" goes to 8000.

I've got about 7000 actual track miles on mine (in addition 38K street miles). That's a lot - roughly 50 or so track events. And there's plenty of high revving on the track. No problems with the engine at all.