WHY won't you drive your NSX in rain?

[NeoNSX]

Many members have said they refuse to drive their NSX's in wet weather. Cars are even sold with claims of 'never driven in rain', and i one member here said he'd removed the windscreen wipers (i dont remember who but it was on this site).

I have thought this through with reason for weeks... but I don't understand WHY NOT?

* The NSX's use of aluminium means corrosion isn't a real reason.
* Wet roads are never as safe as dry, but with all the modern-day safety mechanisms it's not a suicidal drive. Surely the NSX will be as safe, if not safer than an average car on the wet roads.
* Stock tires may not have the best reputation in the wet, but they can't be that bad, can they? (and who actually uses stock tires?

)
* Acid rain?

I dunno... i'm hoping you guys can enlighten me.

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by NeoNSX:
(and who actually uses stock tires?)

The great-handling, sticky stock tires that were designed for the NSX? A lot of people do!

 

[Bobby C 01TA]

1.. rear wheel drive and wanting to speed
2.. gets the car really dirty so must do the whole handwash thing in a fashionable way rather than just spraying off the dust off the car..Keep the swirl marks to a limit
3..have a daily driver

 

[Soichiro]

Many folks remove the wipers to improve the appearance. If you live where it rarely rains you can leave them in the trunk and only use them if you have too. Many owners also have other cars and enjoy them as much as the NSX, which also leaves the NSX for special events or people. There are as many reasons as there are owners!

 

[tpearsall]

I bought the NSX so I could have an exotic that is reliable enough that it didn't have to be a garage queen. To me it is the only exotic sports car capable of being a daily driver (360? Maybe? Not in my price range), granted other people's definition of exotic and what constitues a good daily driver will vary.

I do leave it inside when snow is on the ground and until a good rain washes much of the salt away, but typically it's a daily driver. I wash it about weekly, wax it about monthly and 2x per year to a wax strip, clay bar, polish, wax.

For me that's the beauty of the NSX.

- Todd

 

[Zishan]

I dont because:

a) I have a beater
b) My tires are bald, shopping for new wheels
c) My cars black, cleaning sucks

Z

 

[NSXNEV]

I suppose it's just like when your Mom didn't allow you to play in the rain...she didn't want you to get sick, filthy, etc. Over protective behavior to say the least, but it stems from the heart, so who can fault it!

GREAT, now I have to muttle through work just so I can go home and check out what my car looks like without winshield wipers!
Thanks!

Nev

 

[nsxtasy]

If you are going to keep your wipers in your trunk, you will want to keep a small 17 mm socket wrench in your glove compartment.

 

[steveny]

If you spent a weekend here with me detailing my car you would know one of my reasons for not driving in the rain.

I also feel that the handling of the car in the rain does not inspire confidence enough to drive the car in the way I most enjoy it.

 

[mlambert890]

I pretty much use the NSX like an actual car, so I do end up in the rain often enough. The main thing with rain (and I think Ken has brought this up before) is that you have to sloooooow down. Before the NSX I had a C5 Vette that I would drive in the rain as well. If you take it easy, it's not a problem.

As for the cleaning thing, the way I figure it is a spanking new, mirror shiny, beautiful car that never leaves the garage doesn't do me a lot of good... I'd rather have a reasonably clean, generally presentable but still beautiful road warrior!

 

[nsx4fun]

I have multiple reasons for not driving in the rain.

Wet road grime getting on the undercarriage where it isn't easy to wash off.

Wet road grime getting on the paint.

More accidents happen in the rain, which includes idiots running into my NSX. If I don't drive it in the rain, I am reducing the chances of my car being wrecked by others on the road.

And I own 4 cars, so I have the luxury of not having to drive my NSX in the rain.

But when fair weather prevails (which is most of the time in CA, even in winter), it is my daily driver. But only because of where I work & park. My car stays hidden from the road and is parked near our shipping/receiving department whose large back door is always open. I would not park my car in the parking lot at my previous worksite as it wouldn't have been as protected by circumstances (and consequently, occasionally we had cars vandalized, my friends mustang was keyed and there were some other instances during the 14 years I worked there).

 

[Poloman]

I don't know about you guys, but my car really, really, really sucks in the rain! I'm driving on 235x40x17 (Fronts) and 265x35x18 (rears). With Eibach springs and Zenardi Shocks. Now my front rubber is Toyo Proxy T1's and Hankook Ventus plus in for the rears. If I so much go over a painted surface (i.e. crosswalk lines) or some tar fill-in for road cracks, my car's rear end will come loose! I have even spun her a few times no realizing that the road was a little wet. Does anyone else have this problem?

Marcos
'92 Blk/ Red
120K

 

[mikec]

I keep my car finely detailed. Using it in the rain means alot of work for me to clean it. Also, the fun factor is decreased in wet weather, and I have a beater car for that. I also keep my top off for much of the summer. But if I get stuck in the rain, I don't sweat it. I just have more cleaning ahead of me the day after.

Now my Porsche 928 was a different story. I didn't drive that in the rain because the slightest hint of moisture causes electrical problems. I'm not worried about that with the Acura.

------------------
keep the shiny side up
MikeC 01 #46

 

[5inchfatlip]

I agree with most here, its just a pain, especially the fun factor..

BUT- I dont trust other drivers in the rain, just because they are in a full-size pick up or SUV most think they can go 85mph in the pouring rain...I get scared just watching them zoom by...

Chances of an accident are greater, water can tend to get in the interior and leather when you get in and out, and most of all when curbs or driveways are flooded it is not very wise to drive your NSX through it...

 

[cpmoran]

Originally posted by Bobby C 01TA:
1.. rear wheel drive and wanting to speed
2.. gets the car really dirty so must do the whole handwash thing in a fashionable way rather than just spraying off the dust off the car..Keep the swirl marks to a limit
3..have a daily driver

Same here. I also dont drive in rain because then I would dive it every where every day. I also have a 89 civic (the piece) that I drive. That way I look forward to nice days. The sweet aint so sweet without the sour and my daily driver is as sour as a bag of sourpatch candy with lemon souce on top!!!!!!!!

 

[naaman]

5inchfatlip seems to have the "best" explanation as to how driving in the rain could potentially reduce resale value.

 

[Vytas]

Even though I got caught in the rain with my NSX about three times in the last five years, it really doesn't bother me since I just detail it again. I just don't like driving in the rain since the chance of someone else sliding into me is much much greater. I'd rather not risk getting the car damaged in wet weather due to someone's poor driving skills. Not worth it to me. The car has absolutely no body damage and I want it to stay the same. Sure, I could get unlucky and get hit by someone not paying attention on a bright sunny day but the chances are much greater when its raining.

I don't sport wiper blades on the car. Heck, they're somewhere in my garage. I'll have to look for them.

Of the times I did get caught in the rain, it was freeway driving and at night so not having wiper blades didn't make a difference.

 

[I Grok NSX]

I don't like to drive my NSX in the rain simply because the chance of an accident goes up dramatically during inclement weather. I don't take any chances more than I have to.

------------------
1994 Green-black roof/tan, 5 speed
Do you know of another Green-Black roof NSX?? Please email me if you do.

 

[mason@tirerack]

I drive mine in the rain all the time. It is kind of fun to blast along and see a big stream of water and mist as I blast down the highway. I guess I am more liberal with my car usage since I also have driven it in the snow. I just like to have fun with my car and don't really mind the cleaning afterwards on my Berlina Black.

------------------
Mason
Tire Rack sales...contact me for all your wheel and tire needs.
1-800-428-8355
Ext. 619

1991 Acura NSX (auto)
2002 Honda S2000
1996 Acura Integra GSR
1990 Honda Accord EX
2003 Mitsubishi Evolution 8

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by spookyp:
I pretty much use the NSX like an actual car

...even though we all know that the NSX isn't really an actual car?

Originally posted by Poloman:
I don't know about you guys, but my car really, really, really sucks in the rain! I'm driving on 235x40x17 (Fronts) and 265x35x18 (rears). With Eibach springs and Zenardi Shocks. Now my front rubber is Toyo Proxy T1's and Hankook Ventus plus in for the rears.

It's no surprise that your car sucks in the rain. Wider tires are much, much worse in the rain than narrower tires, because they are more likely to hydroplane. Furthermore, using different kinds of tires in front from the rear is almost always a very bad idea because it makes the handling unpredictable. Either one of these reasons will make your car perform poorly in the rain; together, it's that much worse.

BTW, I'm surprised you're using tires that wide in front. Not only are they likely to rub on the fender wells, but those two sizes are really borderline as far as getting the TCS to work (and I suspect the TCS activates on you when the rear tires are more worn than the front).

Originally posted by mason@tirerack:
I drive mine in the rain all the time. It is kind of fun to blast along and see a big stream of water and mist as I blast down the highway.

Driving in the rain is actually quite photogenic. I guess that's why so much of the Acura owner's video is shot in the rain.

 

[PHOEN$X]

Here in the desert our infrastructure isn't equipped to deal with much rain. When it does pour, the streets usually get flooded quickly and takes quite a while to drain. A low profile car like the NSX isn't something you'd want to be driving in under those conditions.

 

[nsx_parts]

The NSX is my only car and I drive it every day in the rain. I live in Oregon, so if I drove it only on sunny days, I would be seeing the road about ... um ... 3... maybe 4 days a year

We just sold our 2001 Passat two weeks ago so I am actually sharing the NSX with my Fiance'! What other exotic can you trust for your sole source of transportation.

I do a huge detail when the weather dries up. The cars do well in the rain if you drive them soft.

My car is Black, much harder to keep clean than the red one I had prior. Funny thing is that every NSX in Portland is BLACK!

I guess I just could not NOT drive the car when it is raining. I have to drive it. Or I can not sleep / eat / function

------------------
Please visit http://www.nsxparts.com. The best place to buy and sell parts for your NSX.

[This message has been edited by nsxparts.com (edited 14 March 2003).]

 

[POWERED by HONDA]

What everyone else said... (higher chance of an accident, washing, etc)

When I first got my car, I swore to myself I would never drive it in the rain. Well, I got caught in a little downpour (here in San Diego??) and I HAD A BLAST. I've driven it once or twice after that time... but damn, I will never (on purpose) do it again. Like everyone said, it's just a big pain to clean!!!

 

[mlambert890]

I will definitely agree that the cleaning part is a big pain... Amazing how filthy a dark car gets after even a light mist (now that I'm in the longbeach blue pearl all of the trauma of my black Corvette is coming back to me

)

 

[Zishan]

Hey, this post reminds me of the first day I bought my NSX. It started raining right after I closed the deal and started driving home with it!

I guess that wasnt a good sign, but all's well so far!!

Z