80's Porsche + NSX Owners - Please advise!!!

[inxs]

Been surfing this site, but I would like feedback from owners of Porsche SC and Carrera owners (3.0 and 3.2 engines).

I have always admired the NSX. However, I was not crazy enough to pay brand new, full price....thus a 1996!

How does your NSX compare to the PorSche? I am mostly concerned about handling and braking! Accelaration from 0-60 is all relative (sorry, if I offend anyone). If I want acceleration, I'll ride my R1!

Yes, there is no substitute for cubic inches!
Yes, a Corvette can outaccelerate a Porsche!
Yes, a modded car can outrun an NA car!

I have driven enough miles to realize that roads are not straight; roads curve; when driving, it is never always a straight line; we make left/right turns; we brake. I have owned Camaros, Nissans, Supras, Mustangs,etc.....nowadays, I am a Porsche hobbyist (plus crotch-rockets). Bottom line so far is...

"From an overall standpoint, I am a Porsche-phile."

Being open-minded, I want to add an NSX to my stable! I live in sunny California, and I have mountains and canyon to carve.

Will I be surprised? Disappointed?

 

[jaytip nsx]

Will I be surprised? Disappointed?

you will be pleased.if safe addictive handling is what you are after then the NSX is for you.if tail out sideways out of roundabouts handling and and fear of overbreaking in corners is your thing then stick with the Porche.
put a driver of midiocre skill in both cars on a track,i believe he will have a far bigger grin on his face when he gets out of the NSX(plus faster lap times)

 

[AU_NSX]

I concur Jaytip...

As an owner previously of an '81 3.0SC and Porsche club member for many years... I can say that the NSX is superior in EVERY department... Performance, handling, reliability and maintenance cost are significantly less as well!

 

[inxs]

This is very interesting that my first 2 respondents are non-USA enthusiasts.

So both of you are (or were) Porsche owners, correct?????

By the way, maintenance is a non-issue. I work on my Porsches. I used to buy, fix and sell them (I just sold 3 :biggrin: :biggrin: ) I figured that if I can work on Porsches, I could possibly work on an NSX.

My pending purchase (a 96 with app 62K miles) would need the timing belt.

 

[odenspike]

Good kill, Having owned 3 SS's I would have never thouht either of my camaro's would have beat any of my camaros.

Charlie

 

[jaytip nsx]

i have never owned a Porche,BUT i have spoken to countless owners of Porche's from the 996 back and what i learned was while the 996 is a well behaved car,the older ones are not(though the 993 is said to be good in most cases).
i looked into buying a Porche before i went with the NSX,so i asked a lot of questions at specialist dealerships and people who have owned them,as well as read countless reviews,and what i read was that with the older ones you have to be a driver of some ability to get the best out of a Porche,i'm not,and so i bought the NSX

 

[classic cars]

Hi INSX,

I have had 5 "classic" Porsches

1981 3.3 Turbo (300 hp Euro car)
1975 2.7 Carrera (MFI 210 hp Euro car)
1989 3.2 Carrera (231 hp Euro car)
1992 Carrera 4
1971 2.2 Targa (which I still have).

I'm writing them up not to show off, but because it gives me a big pleasure to remember those dear friends (the cars of course).

Now I also have a 91 NSX with the NSX-R 6-speed box, big Brembo brakes, Taitec headers and Lightweight exhaust, plus 17" wheels all around.
The general performance of this car is absolutely fantastic and will outperform each of my Porsches. It's a big pleasure to drive too.
Having said that....well there is something in a Porsche that no other car has. Something that makes your heart beat a bit faster (no, it's not its handling at the limit :biggrin: ). It's difficult to describe, but you know what it is, don't you?
...and that something you may not find in an NSX. And for that matter surely not in a post 993 Porsche.
IMHO.

The reason why I love my NSX is that it combines high precision engineering, with reliability and still "some" of the heart, so strongly embedded in the old Porsches.

Mike

PS you'll love this site, it's worth 50% of the ownership experience :smile:

 

[nsxtasy]

Good kill, Having owned 3 SS's I would have never thouht either of my camaro's would have beat any of my camaros.

Wrong topic.

there is something in a Porsche that no other car has. Something that makes your heart beat a bit faster (no, it's not its handling at the limit :biggrin: ). It's difficult to describe, but you know what it is, don't you?

A body that looks like one of these?

Makes your heart beat faster, your stomach start to turn, and your lunch suddenly re-appear...

 

[Timbo]

I owned a '85 carrera, and also a '91. It's a bit strange that you would be comparing the '80s Porsches with the '90's NSX, as they are a whole different era (and cost). The '90s Carreras (964/993) were the direct competitors for the NSX.

But to answer - nowadays the 80's Porsches feel like total antiques. They scream out "OLD", whether sight, sound, smell, or feel. The leather dash in my '85 looked like an old rotten football, and the ergonomics were straight out of a '60s VW Beetle. It had plywood under the floormat. The mish-mash assemblage of heating levers was absolutely comical. The Oil Pressure guage read "Druck Press", and jumped around like a bobblehead doll. It often stunk of gasoline. The shifter felt like pulling a mop handle through a barrel of baseballs. On and on it went.

That's not to say the old Porsche was a bad car. It was a great car, tons of fun, pretty fast, very reliable, and always made me smile. And they have lots of open-top options (targa/cab), while the early (91-94) NSX is hardtop only. The cars could not be more different, they feel like products of different centuries more so than decades.

Try one out. But keep in mind, a good used NSX will cost about as much as 2 decent 3.0/3.2L Porsches.

 

[paladin]

By the way, maintenance is a non-issue. I work on my Porsches. I used to buy, fix and sell them (I just sold 3)

Well i'm afraid you're going to have alot of free time on your hands.
Seriously though, for me it isnt a Thunderhill session without seeing one of the older p-cars in the paddock with the owner knee-deep in tools and oil :biggrin:
With the NSX, you'll just be standing there, checking oil and tire temps over and over till the next session

 

[Vegas Boy]

I had both at the same time back in the early 90's (NSX and a 83 911 Carerra Targa). Completely different cars. I still love Porsches, however my biggest beefs are: 1) until recent models, interiors were just so dated looking 2) cost of parts/service 3) creature comforts (AC, stereo, control layout, general ergonomics) were just poor on the 911. I found by SC to be very reliable (sold it with 120K on the odo) and fun to drive. The NSX is just a more comfortable, modern car. Now, the Carerras from the last 5 years or so are much better cars, IMO, but cost 2-3x what a decent NSX would cost you. I had a F328GTS at that same time period as well, and wound up driving the NSX most. I find that even if I can afford more expensive cars, I find alot of satisfaction in the NSX from so many angles. Most of all, I find the NSX owners to be a more fun and down to earth group in general than MB, F, P and other exotic owners. But, to each his own. I was actually thinking of getting a Boxster S in the spring, but not to replace the NSX.

 

[Firesun]

well, here's my story about porsche 911 vs nsx
I had a 1994 C4 3.6 liter factory wide body. I put some h&r springs on it because the car came with factory coilovers on all 4 sides. i didn't set up the suspension for tracking. It was a weekend car. It handled nice but the power wasn't all there. It had great top end speed, but sucky low end. I think it felt sluggish because it was heavy and NA. I sold in 2001
For the last 2 years I wanted to pick up a 993 c4s or c2s. And i wanted to just put wheels on it and a sound system. But one day i went to ride in an nsx that had stock suspension and turbocharged. He took me in a ride around some twisties and the car handled well with stock suspension. I was pretty happy with the looks of the NSX and the drive. I looked at the 993's and NSX. I had a couple of buddies that have NSX and they told me to get one over the 993.
The more i thought about it, the more sense it was to buy a NSX. The look begin to grow on me. I didn't want the NSX at first cuz i felt to many young kids had them in Southern Cali. But i soon realize that these cars are pretty rare. So last yr, i ended up buying a 1993 white NSX. Friends tell me that these cars should hold its value and that if i wanted to sell mine, i shouldn't lose to much on it in the future.
All n all the NSX is a very well hand made car. The only car i want still is a 993 TT. But the price is not coming down a whole lot. So i don't think i'll be getting one anytime soon. :smile:

 

[Steve D]

I owned a 1988 Carrera Coupe for about 8 years and have owned a 1994 NSX for about two years.
Both are great cars in their own way.
The Porsche has a much more mechanical feel, excellent brakes(no ABS), it's like your foot is directly on the brake pad. The car felt sluggish at low RPM, but pulled like hell from 4000 RPM. The cabin was directly from the 1960's, but it seems to have a old world type craftsmanship, I had the full leather option. Ergonomics in the Porsche take some getting used to. Firm ride, noiser interior due to the air cooled engine.

The NSX pulls hard from much lower RPM due to VTEC. Handles much better, more precise, faster turn in. Brakes feel slightly soft but then firm up nicely.
The interior is more comfortable. Better ergonomics. Paint quality better than Porsche. Turns more heads (for what that's worth). Interior doesn't seem to have the detail of the Porsche IMHO. Stock exhaust is quiet when you want and loud when you want it to be. Air conditioning much better.

Both cars are very fun, but very different.

Dion

 

[inxs]

Hi INSX,


Having said that....well there is something in a Porsche that no other car has. Something that makes your heart beat a bit faster (no, it's not its handling at the limit :biggrin: ). It's difficult to describe, but you know what it is, don't you?
...and that something you may not find in an NSX. And for that matter surely not in a post 993 Porsche.
IMHO.

:

I know what you mean. As stated before, I have owned and driven a lot and I am still attached to my Porsches. My unsophisticated explanation is that "I do not enjoy riding, I LOVE DRIVING."

 

[inxs]

well, here's my story about porsche 911 vs nsx
I had a 1994 C4 3.6 liter factory wide body. .... It handled nice but the power wasn't all there. It had great top end speed, but sucky low end. I think it felt sluggish because it was heavy and NA.:

You had the wrong Porsche! You nailed it....it was heavy. The C4's are not well liked for Porsche enthusiasts. Though, they are liked by owners needing to drive in snow.

Now, I am considering the NSX because it is lightweight! I read the "frame specs," and man.....I can't wait! Cant also wait to add a Comptech blower as it is Kali-smog legal!

 

[NsXMas]

Good kill, Having owned 3 SS's I would have never thouht either of my camaro's would have beat any of my camaros.

Charlie

Huh?

 

[AU_NSX]

Wrong topic.

A body that looks like one of these?

Makes your heart beat faster, your stomach start to turn, and your lunch suddenly re-appear...

Brilliant Ken!

Your really throwing the gauntlet down to Neo with that frog "smilie" :biggrin: