Which Nsx should I buy? NA1 or NA2?

[sjp]

Hey there. I’m actively looking to purchase an NSX. I like the targa version but I am OK with the coupe. I’ve driven at 91’ in the past but it’s been over 15 years ago. My question to those who have owned both . Is one Significantly better than the other? I’ve read some people like that earlier models some people like the increased horsepower and torque in the later models. Just trying to narrow my search down. I prefer to have the pop-up lights so nothing over 2002. Can anyone give me some insights Who have driven and owned both in the past. Much appreciated. I’m not worried about the chassis stiffness and the flex of the Targa model. Just wondering if there is any noticeable difference. I do understand the gear ratios were changed with which might be an added plus.
Thanks

 

[JLCoolman]

Comes down to personal preference.

Depends on if you want to go objective or subjective on the "one significantly better than other" or "noticeable difference" questions you're asking.

Coupe vs. Targa (unless you find a NA2 coupe)
Black roof vs. color matched roof (see NA2 coupe again)
3.0L vs. 3.2L
5 speed vs. 6 speed
exterior and interior color options
weight differences
wheel size and design differences (tire availability indirectly)
brake size differences
exhaust differences
OBD1 vs. OBD2
stock vs. modified

regardless, the NSX is a great choice!

 

[Honcho]

Having driven all of the variants out there, I think the differences are minimal. The NSX experience is pretty much the same for every version of the car, even the AT version! The 2002-2005 cars "feel" the most refined, as they are newer overall and are the most "up to date" in terms of chassis and interior. The 3.2L with the 6-speed is the "best" setup in terms of performance feel. The 6-speed gives you two gears (4th and 5th) for the same rpm/power range that the 5-speed only gives one (4th) and it is noticeable when performance driving. That said, a 3.0 5-speed can be made to feel 90% close to that with headers and JDM short gears. It just goes back to the idea that despite some tweaks, the NSX remained pretty much the same car from 1991 to 2005. From your post, I think you may want to focus on the 1997-2001 targa version. It gives you the ideal 3.2/6MT powertrain with the flip ups and a targa top. If you are more performance oriented, then the 91-94 coupes are hard to beat, as they can be easily modded and are quite rigid.

Hopt this helps.

 

[Old Guy]

Price and condition should probably be primary in your assessment. An older NA1 that has been well maintained may be a better choice than an NA2 that has been beaten up with sketchy maintenance records. The used Ferrari guideline of 'purchase the best condition car that you can afford' should apply. Unless you get it at a spectacular discount, buying an abused car and planning to use the saved $ to fix it up is not a good plan. The NSX is a relatively expensive car to restore and spare parts are becoming less available.
[MENTION=24109]JLCoolman[/MENTION] provides a good summary of the salient changes over the years. To that I would add:

- electric power steering became standard on all versions in 1995 (I like the EPS - some don't)
- in addition to the OBDII, the 1995 cars received drive by wire (the idle control on DBW is much less trouble prone that the EACV on earlier cars which can get flakey when it is dirty). OBDII can be a convenient diagnostic tool; however, my 2000 has never generated a code so I have never had to use it.
- there were a couple of changes to the LSD over the production run - if you don't head to the track you probably would never know the difference
- the 6 speed came with the dual mass flywheel single plate clutch arrangement - significantly more expensive to replace with OEM than the earlier clutch
- 1997 received an ignition mobilizer which is a useful feature
- 1996 received a refined ABS system - I have no idea exactly what refined means
- 2000 received further revisions to the ABS - the 2000+ ABS module is the preferred retrofit for fixing ABS problems on the early cars

I have a 2000. You live in a warm climate, so this may be less of an issue for you. When the 6 speed transmission is cold (below 5C) I find it can be a slow shifter and may balk on shifts. Once stinky hot the shifts are perfect. I never owned a 5 speed; but, I have driven one and my brief take away is that the 5 speed might be a nicer shifting box - particularly when cold. My take is also that the 5 speed seems to have less snatch in the drivetrain. The 6 speed can be a little bit of a drag to drive in stop and go and if you attempt to do smooth take offs by reving the engine and slipping the clutch a lot you will shorten your clutch life ($$$). There was some Prime member from India who posted a year or two ago about driving in Mumbai (I think) and was complaining about having to replace clutches with every oil change. You need to drive both to decide. The 6 speed is nice if you do a lot of highway miles because of the lower engine RPM.

I have a 2000 T roof. The targa top is a novelty. I used it on occasion the first couple of years I had the car. In the last 4 years the top has not been off other than to clean and lube the gaskets. Its heavy and awkward to R&R - you will get a good workout on the back muscles. When the top is off you sure notice the flex in the body going over bumps. The front and back gaskets on the targa are mind buggeringly expensive (about $1500 retail each) and expensive to R&R. Inspect the gaskets carefully on any targa that you look at. If I was in the market again I would go for a coupe - if I could find a 1999 - 2001.

 

[ZX4NSX]

Here is a '95 vs '97 review and comparison:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uebXYuTYrPE

 

[jeffreygebhart]

I don't pretend to have the knowledge that the previous respondents have (especially "Old Guy"!), but I will say that a friend let me drive his CTSC NA2 once, and I was quite interested in seeing how the forced induction felt as compared to my normally aspirated NA1. But when driving the car, it was the 6-speed that impressed me the most. It was easier to drive, especially during a slow drive around the neighborhood, with the gearing of the lower gears. Were I to buy another NSX it would definitely be an NA2, preferably a 1997-2001 car. Having said that, I have been informed by a well-known NSX maintenance guru that the 5-speed transmissions were built better and that he personally preferred the 5-speed. If you are able, drive both, but it really comes down to personal preference, a win-win scenario.

 

[docjohn]

...or you could have both in one car like me.....

 

[drew]

Assuming the same condition

If you are going to drive it: NA1. Easier and lot more simpler to maintain by a lot. Should be black interior too.

Else NA2 as it commands higher appreciation. I can see some of the cooler color combinations skyrocket.

 

[goldNSX]

Assuming the same condition

If you are going to drive it: NA1. Easier and lot more simpler to maintain by a lot.

I don't see a big difference in maintenance between NA1 and NA2. Only maybe OBD2 and the clutch ($$$$) but you don't have to change it very often.

The higher torque of the 3.2 compensates for the higher weight of the Targa compared to a NA1 3.0 Coupe. But the 6-speed really makes the NA2 livelier due to the shorter gears (mainly 2nd and 3rd). My SC/short gears combo might lead me to a biased opinion but I'd not buy a NSX with the long gearing again. Personally, I'd avoid the examples made in Suzuka too.

 

[drew]

>Only maybe OBD2 and the clutch ($$$$) but you don't have to change it very often.

Yes that alone is thousands of extra dollars, significant extra complexity, and additional/HTF parts.

The manual steering is also much easier and cheaper to deal with.... presuming manual steering.


If one is going to drive the car a lot, these small differences can add up to tens of thousands of dollars for not a lot of added benefit.

IMHO a black interior is also a lot easier and cheaper to deal with as well. I would put the value of a black interior to be +$3K over camel or ivory. Whereas a blue, yellow, imola or red interior would add in many thousands over black (prolly worth the pain of not having black).
.

 

[JLCoolman]

IMHO a black interior is also a lot easier and cheaper to deal with as well. I would put the value of a black interior to be +$3K over camel or ivory. Whereas a blue, yellow, imola or red interior would add in many thousands over black (prolly worth the pain of not having black).

Just to burst your bubble, [MENTION=5430]drew[/MENTION].
OP is interested in cream or camel interior.

Good to know I have to try to make that. I’m looking for a black with cream interior or black with camel interior. Prefer a Targa but may consider a coop. Would like to keep the mileage under 40,000 if possible. Na1 or NA2, let me know if you have anything That may fit this criteria.

 

[MJK]

You have a lot of good info here.

For what it is worth here are the things that sit with me after 20 years:

Coupe is noticeably lighter/tighter to drive. If you'd drive a targa with the roof off most of the time, go for it. It is a question of how you'd most enjoy the experience.
6 speed is a big improvement if you are normally aspirated. 5 speed is stronger if FI.
3.2 is a little torquier down low but generally hauling more -T weight vs a 3.0 coupe. With headers a 3.0 coupe seems every bit as quick with comparable gearing.
Brakes feel very similar - I don't notice the difference on the street. The 97+ seems to have better fade resistance on track, but they are still marginal.
manual vs power steering rack - manual feels more direct and is easier to maintain but can be a pain in a parking lot
00+ vs earlier ABS - later is markedly better but can be retrofitted.
I prefer the twin disk clutch of the earlier cars, ideally with a lighter flywheel.
Aesthetics - you do you. I do agree on the camel/ivory vs black interiors.
Some colors just don't photograph well - Kaiser is a Top 3 for me as an example. The 'black top' seems sometimes in this same camp.
Modifications - again you do you but some are definitely no brainers. I don't see where even most purists would stick their nose up a headers on a 3.0, a slightly uprated suspension or tastefully done HIDs after driving back to back.
All pop-ups are made in Togichi.

I know this is common advice, but I'd be buying the condition of the car/mindset of the previous owners as much as anything else. Then I would change/inspect everything you don't have recent receipts for.

Good luck. I suspect you'll be very happy in the end regardless of what you dec

 

[bullithollywood]

The used Ferrari guideline of 'purchase the best condition car that you can afford' should apply.
.

Old Guys advice is very sound and you can't go wrong with any NSX that has evidence it's been well maintained and cared for by a loving owner. A good one, even a high mileage one, should outlive you by decades.

 

[docjohn]

after 23 years in the game...the biggest difference is the aesthetic of the T roof...off is a different experience than the coupe with windows down...the 6 speed is second, the 3.2 motor benefits from the use of true header manifold...the 200 cc extra is lost in translation.I have driven the NA1 T roof cars back to back with the NA2 T and the other differences are slight.

 

[sjp]

Thanks for all the great comments. Very good points were brought up which will help me make a more informed decision. I have a 348 Spider and as much as I love the non power steering, it is a pain backing in an out of parking spaces. I had to daily drive it for about 2 weeks. I was thinking of at least going with a model with power steering as I'd like to drive this more often and it would help with parking. I generally have an open top preferance so I think I'd like a targa. Now I just have to decide on the 6 speed vs the 5 speed. I have read the gearing is much different on the 5 speed to wear you're driving around in 1 st gear all day if your are under 50 miles an hour. I found a 1996 targa black/ camel that I like but wanted to ask the gang here. It looks like this MY may not be liked as much due to the change of the engine displacement in 1997. Thanks for all the comments. Hope to join the gang here soon.

 

[docjohn]

the oem 5 speed with oem tire size allows redline in 2nd gear at 80mph...but of course you wouldn't drive around in 1'st or 2nd all day rather 3rd and 4th...

 

[Arkaid]

I would say based on what you want, a manual NA2 sounds like the right fit for you. Having had two targas before, I don't think you can really notice much of a difference in rigidity with the roof off vs. the coupe (even less so if you add some of the extra bracing to the targa in the form of beefier RSTB, front chassis bars, etc.). I think I took my targa top off maybe 5,6 times in the two and change years I had my first one.

You have a lot of good info here.

Some colors just don't photograph well - Kaiser is a Top 3 for me as an example. The 'black top' seems sometimes in this same camp.

Eh, I'd beg to differ on both counts simultaneously, but, maybe I'm a little biased

 

[MJK]

Kaiser is in my top 3 favorite colors, but with rare exceptions I don't think it photographs as well as it looks in person. Just an opinion. LBB is also spectacular but by contrast seems to photograph that way as well.

Here is a friend's car - which I adore.

 

[bullithollywood]

You should watch the Everyday Driver review, they compare the 5spd 95(same as 96) with a 97- 6 speed. Both testers preferred the 5speed on the canyon roads. And trust me You’ll never, ever drive around in 1st gear w either trans.

 

[drew]

(previous response killed by mobile client. The default should be Delete on tap. Software Gore!)

>Just to burst your bubble, [MENTION=5430]drew[/MENTION].
OP is interested in cream or camel interior.


Yes, he can drive a harder bargain. Many ivory parts are NLA, don't know about Camel. Hrant and I spent months and thousands of dollars reproducing ivory floor mats (NSXshop has a oem set now). I eventually gave up trying to keep the ivory nice and just bought a perfect black interior from a car being made into a track rat.

He apparently also wants power steering, and that pretty much makes the decision for a NA2.

 

[goldNSX]

I was thinking of at least going with a model with power steering as I'd like to drive this more often and it would help with parking.

The power steering is only 'needed' or 'desirable' if you mount aftermarket wheels or spacers. The steering of the NSX is pretty light with the stock rims, even while parking. You didn't wrote so far if you're intending to leave it stock or to go the aftermarket route.

 

[sjp]

I’m going to leave it stock. So I don’t have to wrestle with the wheel to park or. My 348 gives me a workout.

 

[RYU]

If you're keeping it stock here's my $0.02 and honestly everyone has their own opinion on this very debatable topic! p.s. I bought my 91 coupe with the original intent to modify it.

3.0 vs. 3.2 - It's a lot less of the a difference than most think. I'd say this is pretty much a wash
USDM 5spd vs. 6spd - this is where the "power" comes from. The ratios on the 6spd are better for spirited driving... but that heavy dual mass flywheel in the 6spd is a huge buzzkill - it's awful.
Brakes - for street driving they're both the same though the NA2 rotors are slightly bigger and do make a difference in heavy performance driving
Coupe vs. Targa - you said you didn't care so i'll leave this be (I prefer the lighter, stiffer coupe a lot more.. had to sneak that in there!). If you're tall the coupe has more headroom.
Manual vs. Electronic power steering - While i'm actually really happy with my retrofited quick ratio S2000 CR rack... I think if you're city driving this car mostly, you want the EPS. For spirited/track driving, i'm not a fan of the NSX EPS at all but 'it works'. On the skinny stock tires the manual steering, on stock alignment, and stock height, is a lot less of an issue.
Cost? Now that's a personal question. I'm terrible at buying cars as investments so I don't even bother. The guys here can answer this better.
Tires? I honestly don't know if decent tires are still sold in 15/16/17 but might be worth taking a look.

Good luck!

 

[socalx]

I’ve owned three over the last 20 years. 1997, 2005 and 1993.
I started with the exact question you are at today, thinking the 1997 would be best. (6 speed, 3.2l, pop ups, white and targa.

A few years later I added a 2005 along side as the face lift styling grew on me. I then sold both of them and on purpose bought a 1993 coupe (30,xxx miles, all original red paint with black top, and 5 speed). Why? I realized I liked the chassis rigidity of the coupe, didn’t use the targa (it has flex and total wind noise compared to my other convertible cars) and much preferred the manual steering.
Keep in mind while the 1993 was cosmetically and mechically perfect and unmolested, it need to be massaged!
I have since added an nsxr steering wheel / hub for even more feel, nsx r 6 speed tranny with lower final drive and na1 differential / dual disc clutch, factory 1997 tubular headers, factory later model cats, better exhaust, the newer abs, na2 brakes and run either mugen mf 10, type s or sos 02 plus wheels with the better offsets in washi grey and re070 tires,

This is to me like a singer Porsche 911. The original long nose (or in nsx terms pop up / black roof appearance) with all of the better details and driving feel. I have a similar 2000 s2000 that is called pipsqueak. It has 4.44 final drive, with amuse titanium exhaust, jdm headlights, jdm bbs wheels, bilstein coilovers and sticky tires and is a joy to drive.

Honda didn’t make them perfect from the factory. But they did give us all the perfect pieces over the years that we can put together,

 

[Sterling Sackey]

Many great comments here already - I will add that having driven many, the rigidity of the coupe vs. the targa chassis is hugely noticeable to me, and that's with the roof on. Big difference, but I guess it depends on whether you are the type to cruise or really be honed into what the car is doing on backroads and/or the track. The Honda S2000 chassis, for instance, feels vastly stiffer than the NSX targa.

I also agree the 3.0 vs. 3.2 is basically a wash, the 6-speed is where more of the difference comes from on the later cars. But, for me I would rather have the coupe chassis multiple times over before a 3.2 and/or 6-speed in these cars. I don't really mind the EPS steering, I find it has a great deal of the same feel that the manual rack has, just at less steering effort.