Ben "The NSX Whisperer" Schaeffer (redbird92) @ Daisy Import Auto Care - Woodbine, MD
To say that Ben and Ian at Daisy Import Auto Care are talented auto technicians would be selling them short. Ben is an elite NSX technician, fellow NSX owner and NSX enthusiast on a level that the vast majority of humanity could not possibly comprehend. To put Ben's passion in perspective: I love NSXs, Ben loves NSXs...I read NSXPrime every day, Ben reads NSXPrime every day...I care very much about the condition and preservation of my NSX, Ben cares about the condition and preservation of ALL NSXs. I honestly believe that Ben loses sleep over the fact that not every single NSX ever produced has received a thermostat replacement (because the newest NSXs are 7 years old).
I purchased my 1996 NSX-T (currently @ 88600) in August 2009 with 78000 miles from a local owner who had routine and major services performed at a local Acura dealership, the documentation included in the sale indicated that the 90k service was performed in 2006 @ 76000 miles. In my possession, the car has not experienced a single problem, save a few O2 sensors, but I felt that it was time for thorough check-up and some preventative maintenance (bleed brakes, flush coolant, air filter, etc). It was quickly apparent that my car required much more than the aforementioned items and what started as a preventative maintenance service turned into a major restoration service. Before even putting the NSX on a lift, Ben reviewed the documentation from the aforementioned 90k service and quickly noted that the belt tensioners were not replaced (along with a bunch of other stuff that should have been replaced as part of the service). Upon closer inspection, Ben could see that the mechanic fought many parts on their way back in and botched the entire job. As another testament to Ben's passion, he was visibly infuriated that the Acura technician would dare to perform a substandard service on an NSX and I think if they ever met on the street, Ben would punch him in the throat for cutting corners. We spent another hour going over the car together, Ben covered every inch and detailed the items and service that would be necessary to make the car right by his standards. Services performed:
Service Item #1
Replace timing belt, T/B tensioner, water pump, cam seals, crank seal, cam end rubber plugs, VTEC gaskets, repair stripped cover bolt holes, add gaskets to center covers that were missing, valve adjustment, repack A/C tensioner
Service Item #2
Replace all 6 coils and spark plugs
Service Item #3
Replace TW sensor, thermostat, all needed rear hoses, all front hoses at radiator, replace o-rings on both radiator vent and drains, Honda coolant, replace cracked coolant resovior tank and hoses
Service Item #3
Replace clutch master and slave cylinder, upgrade to 2005 clutch slave cylinder boot, bleed system w/ dot 4 fluid, replace transmission fluid with Honda MTF
Service Item #4
New fuel filter and replace injector top o-rings
Service Item #5
Replace both inner tie-rots
Service Item #6
Replace both outer tie-rods
Service Item #7
Install braided SS brake lines
Service Item #8
Replace front brake pads (ceramic) and rotors (Brembo), service caliper pins, full system bleed
Service Item #9
Replace rear brake pads (ceramic) and rotors, service caliper pins and bleed system
Service Item #10
Replace leaking oil pan gasket
Service Item #11
4-Wheel alignment
Service Item #12
Replace air filter, clean throttle body (Ben cleans by hand)
Service Item #13
Replace battery (Optima Red Top) and repair positive battery cable (lots-o-corrosion), replace negative cable
Service Item #14
Paint calipers (black)
My car spent a short two weeks in Ben's care and yesterday, I picked up an NSX that I believe is as close to mechanically perfect as it was rolling off the showroom floor 16 years ago. The alignment is flasless, the brakes feel incredible (and the calipers look amazing, Ian's handy work), the motor feels and sounds smoother at idle and through the RPM range (I didn't know what I was missing!) and the most noticable difference to me is in the clutch and shifter feel. Ben took me through four boxes of worn parts and explained why each one needed to be replaced (my rotors and brake pads were embarassing). Performing proper service on these cars certainly requires skill, and Ben has skill to spare, but the qualities that I admire most in Ben are his patience and careful attention to every last detail.
Ben,
Thank you, once again, for the time, effort and care you put into making my NSX perfect.
Jack
To say that Ben and Ian at Daisy Import Auto Care are talented auto technicians would be selling them short. Ben is an elite NSX technician, fellow NSX owner and NSX enthusiast on a level that the vast majority of humanity could not possibly comprehend. To put Ben's passion in perspective: I love NSXs, Ben loves NSXs...I read NSXPrime every day, Ben reads NSXPrime every day...I care very much about the condition and preservation of my NSX, Ben cares about the condition and preservation of ALL NSXs. I honestly believe that Ben loses sleep over the fact that not every single NSX ever produced has received a thermostat replacement (because the newest NSXs are 7 years old).
I purchased my 1996 NSX-T (currently @ 88600) in August 2009 with 78000 miles from a local owner who had routine and major services performed at a local Acura dealership, the documentation included in the sale indicated that the 90k service was performed in 2006 @ 76000 miles. In my possession, the car has not experienced a single problem, save a few O2 sensors, but I felt that it was time for thorough check-up and some preventative maintenance (bleed brakes, flush coolant, air filter, etc). It was quickly apparent that my car required much more than the aforementioned items and what started as a preventative maintenance service turned into a major restoration service. Before even putting the NSX on a lift, Ben reviewed the documentation from the aforementioned 90k service and quickly noted that the belt tensioners were not replaced (along with a bunch of other stuff that should have been replaced as part of the service). Upon closer inspection, Ben could see that the mechanic fought many parts on their way back in and botched the entire job. As another testament to Ben's passion, he was visibly infuriated that the Acura technician would dare to perform a substandard service on an NSX and I think if they ever met on the street, Ben would punch him in the throat for cutting corners. We spent another hour going over the car together, Ben covered every inch and detailed the items and service that would be necessary to make the car right by his standards. Services performed:
Service Item #1
Replace timing belt, T/B tensioner, water pump, cam seals, crank seal, cam end rubber plugs, VTEC gaskets, repair stripped cover bolt holes, add gaskets to center covers that were missing, valve adjustment, repack A/C tensioner
Service Item #2
Replace all 6 coils and spark plugs
Service Item #3
Replace TW sensor, thermostat, all needed rear hoses, all front hoses at radiator, replace o-rings on both radiator vent and drains, Honda coolant, replace cracked coolant resovior tank and hoses
Service Item #3
Replace clutch master and slave cylinder, upgrade to 2005 clutch slave cylinder boot, bleed system w/ dot 4 fluid, replace transmission fluid with Honda MTF
Service Item #4
New fuel filter and replace injector top o-rings
Service Item #5
Replace both inner tie-rots
Service Item #6
Replace both outer tie-rods
Service Item #7
Install braided SS brake lines
Service Item #8
Replace front brake pads (ceramic) and rotors (Brembo), service caliper pins, full system bleed
Service Item #9
Replace rear brake pads (ceramic) and rotors, service caliper pins and bleed system
Service Item #10
Replace leaking oil pan gasket
Service Item #11
4-Wheel alignment
Service Item #12
Replace air filter, clean throttle body (Ben cleans by hand)
Service Item #13
Replace battery (Optima Red Top) and repair positive battery cable (lots-o-corrosion), replace negative cable
Service Item #14
Paint calipers (black)
My car spent a short two weeks in Ben's care and yesterday, I picked up an NSX that I believe is as close to mechanically perfect as it was rolling off the showroom floor 16 years ago. The alignment is flasless, the brakes feel incredible (and the calipers look amazing, Ian's handy work), the motor feels and sounds smoother at idle and through the RPM range (I didn't know what I was missing!) and the most noticable difference to me is in the clutch and shifter feel. Ben took me through four boxes of worn parts and explained why each one needed to be replaced (my rotors and brake pads were embarassing). Performing proper service on these cars certainly requires skill, and Ben has skill to spare, but the qualities that I admire most in Ben are his patience and careful attention to every last detail.
Ben,
Thank you, once again, for the time, effort and care you put into making my NSX perfect.
Jack
