Hey Guys, (BTW - Happy New Year to all my buds and everyone on Prime!)
Haven't posted in a good while but I have been reflecting on my old 91 NSX and how it compares to the F430 I drove at the new Motorsport Park in Dawsonville recently! Before I get into that story, I want to first say that buying and owning an NSX is one of the best car experiences I've ever had and i've had a few. The car is rock solid, handles incredibly and has good power and I know there are those here that believe the NSX is "anemic" - I'm not one of those. It makes good power and for the time it was introduced it made very good power! But the magic is not merely in the engine bay although that sound coming from the engine when it's in the Vtec range is amazing, but it's that great suspension and the way the car handles. It handles better than my 993 and that car was the second best sports car experience I've ever had. But there is another even more important part about the NSX and that is the something that takes it beyond any sports car and into super stardom above all the "exotics" - what would this be???? It's the fact that it has the most bullet proof engine and drive train of any sports car built since it came out and most likely of all time.
Yep that one thing sets it far and away from all others, it's a scalpal, a fine precision auto, a great track instrument I suspect and just an all round great car and it has the most comfortable seats ever! Now why have I written to you guys with renewed gusto for this marque? It's because of my track time in the F430 and also on the same day track time in the new 991 911 Carrera S. Yep both cars on the same day. Drove the Ferrari first after a bit of schooling by the instructor and a couple of laps with him at the wheel to show me the ropes of the track, where to brake, how to find the line on this new track. The track is not a real fast one because it doesn't have long straights and is up and down and very twisty...lot's of elevation changes - but a good track all in all I'm sure. Not as good as the track in Birmingham or Road Atlanta though. So when I got behind the wheel of the F430 first thing I noticed was the way you sat down in the car, hmmmm, seems a bit familiar - then the view out the front windsheild - hmmm a little more familiar with those fenders rising on both sides but the view was not as good as the NSX - that was my first comparison. Then driving it off - it was not manual - but I shifted the "F1 like" tranny in manual mode and it was very responsive - it felt heavy and yet quite powerful with over 500 hp! The steering felt a whole lot like the NSX - mmm must be what they did when they built the NSX - take a Ferrari apart and figured out how to make a car handle. The F430 had that raw feel - hardly felt like it had power steering - kind of like the 91 NSX i had but the NSX was more nimble - not as powerful of course - but more nimble and easier to handle than the F430 - at least in my humble opinion. The F car was fast but it didn't handle as well in the corners as the 991 - the 991 handles better and takes the corners better but the F430 is faster in the straights but it should be with over 100 hp more power. But it still had to be man handled around the track unlike the 911 which has too much power steering input.
I enjoyed my track time in both cars - I really did - I have to say I liked the F430 better than the 991 - and if given one I would take the F car at least for 6 mos and then I'd sell it before I had to do any maintenance. Would I then buy the 991? Well even if I had the money I think I'd pass. The 991 didn't have that solid build feel - sure it did everything right and it gets good gas mileage too! It has great performance and is very high tech but it lacks something - after you've had older 911s you'd know what I mean by this - it feels a bit cheaply made and I don't know how else to put it - the steering felt numb compared the F car - and it felt numb compared to my NSX too.
So what would I buy - given the opportunity - I'd buy the last gen NSX - I mean the gen 3 - yes I call it gen 3 and I know that is not quite correct cause they didn't do anything but cosmetic tweaks but still that's the easiest way to refer to the 2002 - 2005 edition. Anyway, that's what I'd buy and in the end that's what I'll look for - when the time comes. It is uncanny how much the NSX feels like the Ferrari - not as heavy, certainly not as powerful, but it feels better in a way cause it's lighter and more nimble and on that track in the right hands could outdo the F430 in less experienced hands. The other thing is this - it is so far beyond the F car in the fact that it requires so much less maintenance. Now the NSX isn't cheap but by F car standards it is like a Volkswagon - the old beatle - by comparison. And guys that is what makes it the greatest sports car in a comparo if everything is considered. The 3.2/6 speed will ring everything it has to offer and it does it with natural aspiration like the Ferrari.
When I owned 911s everytime it made a funny noise I wondered how much that was going to cost me. What was that - oh - and when you replace the brake pads you replace the rotors or they squeel like crazy. You can't believe that my old 91 with just less than 50k on the odometer had the original pads and rotors! AND when you replace them you don't have to replace the rotors either. Even though I intend to buy a 2009 911 Targa with the new 9A1 engine to tour the country in because of the roof, all glass, and the fact that it has storage capabilities that the NSX just doesn't have and you can take 2 sets of clubs and luggage and tour. But when I get thru with that after a couple of years I'll be back in the latest model NSX I can afford with the lowest miles and drift off into the sunset and old age driving that car because it is the best performer for the money unless the new NSX in about 10 years is affordable and it may be - who knows.
So all of you guys here on Prime that have the NSX in your garrage don't feel like you have a less than exotic super car because there are a lot of ways to define that. NSX may they roll on forever! Hope you all enjoy them and you sure don't see yourself coming the other way very often if ever. Great cars! Amazing that they were ever built! Be happy, happy trails and Happy New Year!
Haven't posted in a good while but I have been reflecting on my old 91 NSX and how it compares to the F430 I drove at the new Motorsport Park in Dawsonville recently! Before I get into that story, I want to first say that buying and owning an NSX is one of the best car experiences I've ever had and i've had a few. The car is rock solid, handles incredibly and has good power and I know there are those here that believe the NSX is "anemic" - I'm not one of those. It makes good power and for the time it was introduced it made very good power! But the magic is not merely in the engine bay although that sound coming from the engine when it's in the Vtec range is amazing, but it's that great suspension and the way the car handles. It handles better than my 993 and that car was the second best sports car experience I've ever had. But there is another even more important part about the NSX and that is the something that takes it beyond any sports car and into super stardom above all the "exotics" - what would this be???? It's the fact that it has the most bullet proof engine and drive train of any sports car built since it came out and most likely of all time.
Yep that one thing sets it far and away from all others, it's a scalpal, a fine precision auto, a great track instrument I suspect and just an all round great car and it has the most comfortable seats ever! Now why have I written to you guys with renewed gusto for this marque? It's because of my track time in the F430 and also on the same day track time in the new 991 911 Carrera S. Yep both cars on the same day. Drove the Ferrari first after a bit of schooling by the instructor and a couple of laps with him at the wheel to show me the ropes of the track, where to brake, how to find the line on this new track. The track is not a real fast one because it doesn't have long straights and is up and down and very twisty...lot's of elevation changes - but a good track all in all I'm sure. Not as good as the track in Birmingham or Road Atlanta though. So when I got behind the wheel of the F430 first thing I noticed was the way you sat down in the car, hmmmm, seems a bit familiar - then the view out the front windsheild - hmmm a little more familiar with those fenders rising on both sides but the view was not as good as the NSX - that was my first comparison. Then driving it off - it was not manual - but I shifted the "F1 like" tranny in manual mode and it was very responsive - it felt heavy and yet quite powerful with over 500 hp! The steering felt a whole lot like the NSX - mmm must be what they did when they built the NSX - take a Ferrari apart and figured out how to make a car handle. The F430 had that raw feel - hardly felt like it had power steering - kind of like the 91 NSX i had but the NSX was more nimble - not as powerful of course - but more nimble and easier to handle than the F430 - at least in my humble opinion. The F car was fast but it didn't handle as well in the corners as the 991 - the 991 handles better and takes the corners better but the F430 is faster in the straights but it should be with over 100 hp more power. But it still had to be man handled around the track unlike the 911 which has too much power steering input.
I enjoyed my track time in both cars - I really did - I have to say I liked the F430 better than the 991 - and if given one I would take the F car at least for 6 mos and then I'd sell it before I had to do any maintenance. Would I then buy the 991? Well even if I had the money I think I'd pass. The 991 didn't have that solid build feel - sure it did everything right and it gets good gas mileage too! It has great performance and is very high tech but it lacks something - after you've had older 911s you'd know what I mean by this - it feels a bit cheaply made and I don't know how else to put it - the steering felt numb compared the F car - and it felt numb compared to my NSX too.
So what would I buy - given the opportunity - I'd buy the last gen NSX - I mean the gen 3 - yes I call it gen 3 and I know that is not quite correct cause they didn't do anything but cosmetic tweaks but still that's the easiest way to refer to the 2002 - 2005 edition. Anyway, that's what I'd buy and in the end that's what I'll look for - when the time comes. It is uncanny how much the NSX feels like the Ferrari - not as heavy, certainly not as powerful, but it feels better in a way cause it's lighter and more nimble and on that track in the right hands could outdo the F430 in less experienced hands. The other thing is this - it is so far beyond the F car in the fact that it requires so much less maintenance. Now the NSX isn't cheap but by F car standards it is like a Volkswagon - the old beatle - by comparison. And guys that is what makes it the greatest sports car in a comparo if everything is considered. The 3.2/6 speed will ring everything it has to offer and it does it with natural aspiration like the Ferrari.
When I owned 911s everytime it made a funny noise I wondered how much that was going to cost me. What was that - oh - and when you replace the brake pads you replace the rotors or they squeel like crazy. You can't believe that my old 91 with just less than 50k on the odometer had the original pads and rotors! AND when you replace them you don't have to replace the rotors either. Even though I intend to buy a 2009 911 Targa with the new 9A1 engine to tour the country in because of the roof, all glass, and the fact that it has storage capabilities that the NSX just doesn't have and you can take 2 sets of clubs and luggage and tour. But when I get thru with that after a couple of years I'll be back in the latest model NSX I can afford with the lowest miles and drift off into the sunset and old age driving that car because it is the best performer for the money unless the new NSX in about 10 years is affordable and it may be - who knows.
So all of you guys here on Prime that have the NSX in your garrage don't feel like you have a less than exotic super car because there are a lot of ways to define that. NSX may they roll on forever! Hope you all enjoy them and you sure don't see yourself coming the other way very often if ever. Great cars! Amazing that they were ever built! Be happy, happy trails and Happy New Year!
