The track guys

[TURBO2GO]

There are 3 different groups of car owners... trackers, garage queeners, and in-betweeners.

The garage queen guys are very attached to their cars. To them, its a prize that should be cherished... put on a pedestal, and hardly abused (driven). They keep their NSX's really low milage, and sometimes think of the day they will sell the car and how great the car will be and what it will be worth (to the next owner). They have pride invested in how they took care of the car, something they don't want to let go of too easily.

The trackers live a lot more in the present moment than in the future. They want to have fun with their car now, and that's one reason they bought the NSX. I think Honda's original mission, if anything, was to create a supercar that can be driven and enjoyed everyday. The guys that track the car, and know it well, are who would have made those Honda engineers happy. Those Japanese guys, gave the middle finger to all the wealthy car owners whose garages are full of low milage cars.

For the garage queeners, "low milage" itself has become an entity. A thing. Something to nurture and take care of. This kind of belief is in almost 100% of owners of many luxury brands like Ferrari or Atson Martin. An AM with 6K miles is "high milage". Imagine if someone said that about a Honda civic. These cars sit in a garage somewhere, and all these owners do basically is punish the guy that actually drives his car, by making the average milage (that determines the car's resale value) 6K, not 60K.

I don't think they really enjoy the car, just the image of ownership. How can you enjoy a "driving machine" if you never drive it? isn't that what a car is? a driving machine? And the NSX is a good one?

The tracker actually uses the car to get him to something else. A state of uphoria as he uses his skills with an ever higher precision and intensity. The car is just an instrument then, exactly what it should be.

I think in the long run, experiences are priceless and objects are useless. When one is dying, he smiles at the experiences he had in life... if he is thinking about his objects, he is in some amount of trouble. He is about to lose all of them.

Me? I am a 'tweener. I love what people like docjohn, NSXtasy, Titanium Dave, Andrie Hartanto and John@microsoft among others I am not mentioning do. I just haven't walked that way with my NSX yet. I am too worried about damaging my car. Maybe I should get rid of it if it's value in my life has exceeded the value of my experiences. In the end, it is not coming with me.

No offense meant to the garage queen guys, this is just how I look at things. You track guys, you get a big thumbs up from me. You probably hadn't looked at what you were doing in this light, huh? :smile:

 

[stuntman]

www.skipbarber.com -improve the cockpit spacer, it'll be the best investment for your car (and life) you can do.

Car's were meant to be driven, Ferraris were built for the pure joy of driving. GO DRIVE YOUR CAR

 

[latzke]

While I agree with the Ferrari generalization as a generalization, there are certinaly exceptions. There is a guy around here with a F550 who drives the pants off it in mileage and intensity (during 2-day NSX drive he joined the windshield cracked from torsional stress put on it). There is also a guy in Denver with an Enzo who isn't afraid to drive it...it's been seen around quite a bit.

The trackers live a lot more in the present moment than in the future. They want to have fun with their car now, and that's one reason they bought the NSX.

Not 100% sure about this part...the serious trackers' NSXs are dedicated, not-street-legal track cars. Difficult to enjoy such everyday...well, unless everyday is a track day.

 

[L8apex32]

I agree with you mostly. I think there are many objects in life that people cherish - many of which have no function or which are not used for the function it was intented. Diamonds, I believe, are well loved, but don't do much. People collect everything from guns, to books to cars to whatever... and maybe never use them. Its not just with cars.

Many NSX owners drive their cars on the street - and love the car for its use in this regards.

Some of us take them to the track. I only keep my car looking good enough to not be embarraseed as "the guy with the ugly NSX". Mine is just above this criteria, IMO. I'd like it to be nice but after the work keeping it ready for track use... and maintaining other things like my home, I run out of steam.

I think the key point I can add is that the NSX *was* intended to be driven on the track. I base that on how few problems doing so creates with the car, even high mileage ones, and how fast it is compared to the cars of today.

In the end, enjoy it however you can.

 

[nsxtasy]

There are lots of different ways in which people use their cars, including the NSX.

You left out one significant group - owners for whom the NSX is "mere transportation". For some, it's their daily driver, simply their means of getting from one place to another. Some of these "transportation" folks are enthusiasts who appreciate the performance while using it on an everyday basis. Others are not what we would call enthusiasts, just folks who think it's just another car, maybe one they got because it looks sort of cool or their spouse liked the color, etc.

Many of us - trackers and queeners alike - consider owning the NSX a privilege and our ultimate automotive enthusiast dream come true. But not all of us. Different strokes...

 

[BioBanker]

Then there are others, like me, who get to drive this awesome car to work daily, to Home Depot, the grocery and video and liquor store, to the drive thru, to the track, AT THE TRACK, and then back home.

We are the luckiest ones.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Then there are others, like me, who get to drive this awesome car to work daily, to Home Depot, the grocery and video and liquor store, to the drive thru, to the track, AT THE TRACK, and then back home.

We are the luckiest ones.

Yes, you are!!

 

[WingZ]

Then there are others, like me, who get to drive this awesome car to work daily, to Home Depot, the grocery and video and liquor store, to the drive thru, to the track, AT THE TRACK, and then back home.

We are the luckiest ones.

Count me in this group. Don't you love the looks you get at Lowes/Home Depot..LOL If it wasn't for my S2000 I'd drive my NSX 24/7. Great everyday/track. Pound on it at the track and then drive home in comfort with great fuel economy. No squeaks no rattles just doing what it was made to do. Everyday Supercar...uh hem except Silverock then it's for queens as Elton John proved:biggrin:

 

[nsxtcy85]

Then there are others, like me, who get to drive this awesome car to work daily, to Home Depot, the grocery and video and liquor store, to the drive thru, to the track, AT THE TRACK, and then back home.

We are the luckiest ones.

+1 for the DD'ers

 

[JeffShoots]

.........put on a pedestal, and hardly abused (driven). They keep their NSX's really low milage, and sometimes think of the day they will sell the car and how great the car will be and what it will be worth (to the next owner).

And please LET the next owner be ME :biggrin:

And I'm going to drive the crap out of it :tongue: :biggrin:

 

[kenjiMR]

Then there are others, like me, who get to drive this awesome car to work daily, to Home Depot, the grocery and video and liquor store, to the drive thru, to the track, AT THE TRACK, and then back home.

We are the luckiest ones.

Sounds exactly like how it was with mine. Though, prepping the car correctly for regular _hard_ track work takes some effort and dedication... and once you start, its a slippery slope. I doubt many people lose the passion once the y take that first risk.

Although I had no assets to my name other than the NSX, I had to take it to Laguna Seca to see what it felt like. From there I just started to make changes to the NSX so it would be more and more capable on the track. Eventually I realized I didn't want to just lap around and around... so I bought a dedicated race car to do the real thing. Then the NSX was relegated back to the good'ole boulevard pimp mobile. I recently sold the NSX, but I totally miss it. I'm sure I'll have another one, or a similar car someday in the future.

As for my opinion, the NSX was designed to be fast, fun and reliable... so thats how it should be used. Its not a Ferrari, so its practically useless for getting you laid, therefore using it the right way is the only way to go.

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Kenji, this is us you're talking to

Its not a Ferrari, so its practically useless for getting you laid,

Get outta here !!!

Do we have to call Andrie to the stand???? :tongue:

 

[nsxnut]

My car is still street legal. I some times drive it to work or to the store.
last year I hit 100k miles going into turn 14 At Thunder Hill. I just happened to glance down at the speedo as it rolled over...

I guess that makes me a track rat?

 

[nsxnut]

As for my opinion, the NSX was designed to be fast, fun and reliable... so thats how it should be used. Its not a Ferrari, so its practically useless for getting you laid, therefore using it the right way is the only way to go.

Girls don't check out the car, Guys do... The only time I have ever had
any girls check out the car was when I had my dog's with me in the front seat.

 

[NSXDreamer2]

When i first got my nsx, it wasn't supposed to be daily driver, it ends up being on the road 6-7 days a week!

After a year or so, espeically after I've been tracking the nsx, the car saw less everyday traffic, as I don't even see the point of enjoying the car at 4 corners a day. But when the weather's nice, I'll show up at work early and enjoy the drives.

Then I built a car port to protect from tree droppings and such, I pushed my wife's car out of the garage, and all the sudden, with the covering, and garage for nsx, I don't have to wash the cars every day!!! Then the nsx became my weekend car when it's sunny out.

Now that I have a job of selling cars, I don't have time to clean my nsx, I of course don't see the point of parking the car at "off sight lot". I drove my miata to work. NSX? Except for the track days, it will probably seeing 3 days a month at most...

I don't know if it's considering Track car, or garage queen at this point.

Oh, don't know if anyone had the same experience: when street driving, I would avoid any thing flying to me, or pot hole, or avoiding trucks, Hummer, Pick ups, not parking under the tree.. At the track, I kill the cones if they are interfering my braking or my driving line, flying the curb, tail gating that Corvette/Porsche Turbo ...etc etc... Garage queen or Track rat???

 

[Coz]

You bet we are !

Then there are others, like me, who get to drive this awesome car to work daily, to Home Depot, the grocery and video and liquor store, to the drive thru, to the track, AT THE TRACK, and then back home.

We are the luckiest ones.

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: The Kip Olson school of casual driving?

I hit 100k miles going into turn 14 At Thunder Hill. I just happened to glance down at the speedo as it rolled over...

Don, that sounds like the kind of thing you picked up from Kip, arm draped out the window, probably telling a joke to the slack jawed passenger. Man, just think how quick you guys would be if you paid attention...........

Too much power !!!