thinking about a used NSX

[wilsonp]

I am thinking about a used NSX and had a few questions. I have an Eclipse GT now, and miss my MR2 SC.

What is under the hood of the NSX? I am surprised there is no trunk space there.

Can someone post the gear pattern of the automatic? I am looking at a 1994, pre-sport shift. I also read the sport shift is slow (like my Eclipse's Sportronic) and it was faster to manually shift the original auto. Does anyone do this? Is there any advantage? (My Eclipse needs it - it doesn't hold low gears when pulling out around corners, but my MR2 always did better - it only seemed to upshift when I wasn't accelerating or hit redline.)

Does anyone know anything about the 1994 Eclipse at Ontario Imports in Geneva, NY?

From the FAQ, etc. it seems like the only expense I might need to worry about (besides tires) in a 1994 auto is timing belt change.
Has anyone else had other problems with a 1994? Do you think it will last me ten more years?

One of the major irritants with the Eclipse GT is its large turning circle. The Acura seems to have almost as large a turning circle - is the NSX hard to drive in a parking lot/park?

 

[Lud]

Under the hood are... two big tires, windshield washer stuff, brake fluid, abs fluid, air conditioning, radiator, spare tire, battery, etc.

I do not understand what a "shift pattern" is with regards to an automatic.

A well-maintained '94 will certainly last another 10 years as long as it continues to be well maintained.

The turning circle is fairly wide but I wouldn't say I've ever had a problem with it.

 

[nsxtasy]

There have been several threads about the automatic NSX vs the manual. (Do a "search" if you want to read them in their entirety.) Bottom line is, if you want a manual, get a manual. Get an automatic ONLY if that's what you really want, and not just because you think you can save a few bucks vs buying a manual. IOW - if you're thinking about shifting it yourself, you're probably better off getting a manual in the first place.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 07 October 2001).]

 

[wilsonp]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
There have been several threads about the automatic NSX vs the manual. (Do a "search" if you want to read them in their entirety.) Bottom line is, if you want a manual, get a manual. Get an automatic ONLY if that's what you really want, and not just because you think you can save a few bucks vs buying a manual. IOW - if you're thinking about shifting it yourself, you're probably better off getting a manual in the first place.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 07 October 2001).]

I know its heresy but I like automatic sports cars - I don't drive a manual.

Playing with the Sportronic on my Eclipse has made me interested in this - but my MR-2 never needed it. The Eclipse wants to up shift too soon under partial throttle (pulling out of intersections) which is why I manually shift to hold the lower gear.

 

[nsxtasy]

Oh! Your "shifting it" comment threw me, sorry.

If you like driving an automatic, the NSX is a nice one, no reason to be shy of it. The '95+ SportShift is a nice feature if you're into that (but obviously it will cost you more than an earlier car.

 

[hejo]

Originally posted by wilsonp:
Can someone post the gear pattern of the automatic? I am looking at a 1994, pre-sport shift. I also read the sport shift is slow and it was faster to manually shift the original auto. Does anyone do this? Is there any advantage?

I think what you're asking around shift pattern is it's inline: D, M3, 2 & 1. I think when you say the SportShifter is slow do you mean in automatic mode?

I have a 95 with the SportShift and I really don't know what it's like in automatic mode as I never use it. But I suspect when the NSX is in this position the ECU is programmed to less agressive so yes it may appear to be slow.

I drive in manual mode all the time and use the sport shift. It snaps into gear fast. In fact my wife who recently had neck surgey doesn't like riding in my car because the gears changes are so solid and I won't drive it in the automatic position.

Personally I don't think I would enjoy the pre-95 automatic because for me the SportShifter makes a huge difference. I'd get a 5 speed if I couldn't afford the 95+ SportShifter. JMHO.

 

[jag]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
There have been several threads about the automatic NSX vs the manual. (Do a "search" if you want to read them in their entirety.) Bottom line is, if you want a manual, get a manual. Get an automatic ONLY if that's what you really want, and not just because you think you can save a few bucks vs buying a manual. IOW - if you're thinking about shifting it yourself, you're probably better off getting a manual in the first place.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 07 October 2001).]

Bottom line is, if you want an automatic, get an automatic. Get a manual ONLY if that's what you really want, and not just because someone pressures you into buying a manual. IOW - if you're thinking about shifting an automatic yourself, you're probably better off getting a automatic in the first place.

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jag


[This message has been edited by jag (edited 08 October 2001).]

 

[wilsonp]

Originally posted by Lud:
I do not understand what a "shift pattern" is with regards to an automatic.

My MR-2 had P,R,N,D,2,L with a four speed automatic. Overdrive was turned on and off with a switch on the shift handle.

My Eclipse GT has P,R,N,D with a manual shift gate to the right of D. In manual it has +,- to shift up and down.

What does the NSX automatic (91-94) have?

 

[jag]

The 91-94 NSX automatic has P-R-N-D-3-2-1 just like most other automatics.

The 95+ NSX SportShift has P-R-N-D-M3-2-1. You can shift into any one of these positions with the shifter. If you shift into D it performs like a regular automatic. If you shift into M3, you are in the SportShift mode. The car automatically starts out in 1st. To shift from one gear to another, there is a little lever behind the steering wheel [same place as you turn signal lever except on the right]. Press up on the lever and you shift to a higher gear, push down and you downshift.

For more check out: http://www.nsxprime.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001862.html http://www.nsxprime.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002027.html


------------------
jag
95T SportShift

 

[nsxtasy]

I drive in manual mode all the time and use the sport shift. It snaps into gear fast.

Hmmm... I test drove a '95 SportShift when they first came out, and my recollection is that the automatic mode adjusted to your driving style. If you accelerated gently, it would upshift at lower revs, but if you floored it, it would go all the way to redline, and then snap into gear fast, presumably as fast as doing it manually. At the time, I was impressed. Is my recollection faulty?

In fact my wife who recently had neck surgey

...due to the NSX's neck-snapping acceleration, right?

 

[wilsonp]

Originally posted by hejo:
I drive in manual mode all the time and use the sport shift. It snaps into gear fast.

I found the article that made me wonder:
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:tUN6vJicxI0:nsx.vtec.net/aw395.html+sportshift+nsx+slow&hl=en

Earlier in the day we had driven a SportShift equipped NSX on a beautifully empty Pacific Coast Highway, south of Carmel. Downshifting on that road was difficult to master at first. On that run with the new transmission, gear changes seemed to take forever. When we flipped the lever down going into a corner, it wouldn't down shift until about halfway through the turn. It was a long, slow change. It felt twice as long as the Tiptronic and maybe a third as quick as the old automatic did when it was shifted manually.

Of course, I'm not sure what the last sentence means anymore... but I know there's a fair amount of lag in the Eclipse manual mode and a lot of interest in a transmission upgrade that speeds the shifts up to about 0.2 seconds.

So, do you feel the manual mode is about 0.5 seconds lagged behind flipping the lever?