why you keep your NSX

[ralph cerbone]

I have owned my NSX since 2008 , me and wife use it almost every weekend weather permitting . Summer is cruising listening to Yankees , fall checking out foliage , winter if no salt just driving around . I cant count how many times people have asked me if I want to sell it , which I know is meaning less unless they present a serious offer, most times my answer is no ,we really enjoy the car . For the last 2 years I have been I have been following the www.corvette forum .com checking out C8 corvette forum . The amount of problems these owners are dealing with is crazy ,especially with their DCT transmission . the remedy is first change fluid , then change valve body and finally change tranny . The transmission is built by Tremec and its subcontractors , long story you can research , TR 9080 .
Being a GM retiree I personally know some guys working at bowling green plant , I called a friend ,what is going on ? production ramps up quality goes down . We all know about the snap ring problem on early 91"s but Acura ,identified it and repaired it . Be thankful if you own an NSX

 

[docnsx]

to think why I own the nsx. first and foremost it was a car that I thought about since I first started driving. my first car as 1988 integrated and I tried t make it my own with ground effects painted wheels white etc before the special edition was released (my luck) but when I went to see the special edition I remember to this day seeing a new nsx behind the velvet ropes with window sticker and next to a separate dealer stationary letter simply saying the price of this vehicle is 100k. when my life and career become more settled and I had the disposable income I searched out a gpu well pampered and unmolested nsx which took a few years from all over the country. in 2006 I secured one here in north east a 93 with 40k on clock. I couldn't bemire proud that day driving it home with a borrowed dealer plate from a friend , the smile on my face the looks from other people on the road (nervous you bet), pulling pinto my court and my wife and kids super excited to see what dad got.. so I became a symbol to me that hard work perseverance dreams and patience payoff to now own what I thought was unobtainable behind the velvet rope. then in 18 I was lucky enough to find the matching nc1 202 k build in casino white pearl to bring home to be stable mates with the OG . owning both and seeing both on the lift in the garage puts a smile on my face daily. hope I wasn't rambling but on top of the all the emotional reasons I felt that Honda/acura luxury purchase would be a smarter one when it comes to potential repair costs vs other exotics. hope others have the satisfying reasons and life accomplishments to afford and appreciate a fine piece of automotoive history. congrats to all that own one and wishing luck on those still trying to secure one.

 

[LeftyF]

I was looking at the Corvette last year when I bought my '91 NSX. I hadn't gotten as far as looking into reliability issues as I just couldn't see myself in that car. I've always enjoyed Corvettes from afar, but never really bonded with the looks after the early Stingrays. The new ones to me just look too "look at me I'm driving a loud garish supercar!!". Nothing against them, they are amazing cars but I'd feel like I was wearing bright yellow high tops. Also I look like Bill Gates marginally cooler younger brother, so not a good style choice...

With the NSX, most places I take it if someone doesn't know what it is they don't give it a second look. I like that you can be semi incognito * stock exhaust also helps that *.

On the other hand, my other summer car is a ground pounding shouty old '69 Camaro SS that gets an audience most times when I stop for gas. Cool for cruising and car shows, but it's kind of a sledge hammer, where the NSX is a scalpel. It also gets about 9 MPG with a tail wind, so getting expensive to run!

 

[Superhatch]

I had a friend that went to MI Tech as a mechanical engineer. He was doing well in classes and noticed a lot of his classmates were getting Cs and Ds on assignments and in classes also. When he asked how they expected to get good engineering jobs with such low grades many of them replied "Oh, my dad works at Ford/Chrysler/GM. I already have a job lined up". Granted Tremec is a Mexican company, but that statement steered me away from American cars from a young age. They have gotten better recently, say in the last 5 years, but as a traveling tech who rented a TON of them over the last 20 years I for sure wasn't going to own one.

 

[tucsonsx]

I have owned my NSX since 2008 , me and wife use it almost every weekend weather permitting . Summer is cruising listening to Yankees , fall checking out foliage , winter if no salt just driving around . I cant count how many times people have asked me if I want to sell it , which I know is meaning less unless they present a serious offer, most times my answer is no ,we really enjoy the car . For the last 2 years I have been I have been following the www.corvette forum .com checking out C8 corvette forum . The amount of problems these owners are dealing with is crazy ,especially with their DCT transmission . the remedy is first change fluid , then change valve body and finally change tranny . The transmission is built by Tremec and its subcontractors , long story you can research , TR 9080 .
Being a GM retiree I personally know some guys working at bowling green plant , I called a friend ,what is going on ? production ramps up quality goes down . We all know about the snap ring problem on early 91"s but Acura ,identified it and repaired it . Be thankful if you own an NSX

Before I retired I worked in the service department of a franchised European car dealer here in town and those cars had more than their share of problems but seeing the truck loads of pallets loaded with warranty engines and trannies going back to the manufacturer from the GM store next door was mind blowing. Sounds like things haven't changed much since then.

 

[LeftyF]

I had a friend that went to MI Tech as a mechanical engineer. He was doing well in classes and noticed a lot of his classmates were getting Cs and Ds on assignments and in classes also. When he asked how they expected to get good engineering jobs with such low grades many of them replied "Oh, my dad works at Ford/Chrysler/GM. I already have a job lined up". Granted Tremec is a Mexican company, but that statement steered me away from American cars from a young age. They have gotten better recently, say in the last 5 years, but as a traveling tech who rented a TON of them over the last 20 years I for sure wasn't going to own one.

The old simple cars like mine are tanks. Everything in between is questionable. I look at most modern American cars and think "rental car".

 

[bullithollywood]

Besides that I love everything about the car itself (its really is a good CAR in and of itself), I think what would I do if I had cash in hand instead? I always end up thinking I'd probably end up go looking for another NSX and the chances of finding one as good as what I've got is iffy. So until I can't drive it anymore it'll stay right where it is

 

[docjohn]

The nsx is the "thinking" person's car..

 

[RPM217]

The nsx is the "thinking" person's car..

I "think" I'll keep mine!!!

 

[ajmr2]

I’ve been a member of the SCCA for 33 years and road raced an ‘89 MR2 for 20 of those years. I also served on the BOD of the DC region SCCA and was at the same time on the founding committee of the DC Region SCCA PDX (Track Day) that started HPDE events back in 2006. I was also the grid chief for those events for many years.

Among my various other voluntary positions, I also accepted the job of Pace Car Duty at SCCA road racing events at Summit Point, WV. I would have the great honor of driving someone else’s prized baby, usually at moderate speeds, ranging from classic 60s Mustangs, Camaros and even a TV police car to expensive exotics including Ferraris, Lambos, Porsches, Vettes and countless others, and even my own lowly Acura TSX and Infiniti G37s. One day my financial adviser, of all people, brought his ‘92 NSX to the track and offered it to me for pace car duty. It was love at first drive.

Back in 2014 when I hit 25 years without a major racing incident I decided that was a nice round number so I "hung up the helmet" and sold everything. Car, spare parts, van, trailer, etc, etc.

Anyway, apparently noticing my empty stares, my wife said I should find something fun to drive, so long story short, we bought our NSX in 2016, which is an MR2 from another galaxy! And I’m especially lucky to have Ben Schaffer, The NSX Whisperer, a mere 10 miles from my house!

 

[DRIFTER]

I have owned mine since 2001-2002 I remember the first time I seen one it was probably 1993ish a local car dealer had one parked all by itself on a Walmart parking lot. Red with a black top, he purchased it used but it could only be about 2 years old at most. I wasn’t even old enough to drive. But growing up around a car dealership I knew cars and after memorizing R&T statistics I knew exactly what it was. I had to have one. So I set a goal for myself. I would hustle cars till I got enough to buy one. That’s exactly what I did. I bought and sold a lot of euro cars back when everyone was going threw the fast and furious civic lambodoor stage. I preferred the luxury and the all wheel drive winter performance living in the North East. I made good profit off of them and I learned quickly they sold well. Especially high mileage ones. I could buy them local and sell them to people in the city who needed cheep cars for there kids but wanted to keep there image. I did really well flipping high mileage luxury cars. I bought and sold my way till I had enough capital to purchase my NSX. I was 18 at the time and had just sold my 1995 Vette. I found a 1992 with 32k miles one owner and mint so I scraped together my savings from doing construction, welding and fabrication, and purchased it outright. I had to register and insure the car in my Dads name because my insurance was so much money a month, being a fairly new driver and all. The car was a goal for me and I busted my hump for it. I haven’t had to sell it, and probably never will.

I was never a brand loyalist. Other than the S2000 and the early CRX, most cars Honda / Acura put out really didn’t interest me. Still to this day they really don’t. I liked the early Supra, GTR, RX7, and AE86. But Honda were always over priced beat to death rust buckets. Product of there own popularity / resale. They have come a long way from the 90’s cars. But I honestly wouldn’t even consider a new Honda if I ever actually purchased something new. Even the new NSX while nice, don’t do anything for me. Not saying I won’t own one at some point if I find a good deal but it’s not something I got to have.

 

[docjohn]

This thread reminds me of the Good Ol days....prime is back!!
For us car guys it adds so much satisfaction/enjoyment to have a car as well made as this. So many factoids to talk about at car meets/gas stations..

 

[LeftyF]

I would almost sell my house before I'd sell this car

 

[Hass]

My wife won’t let me sell it. I tried it 2 years ago, she gave me silent treatment for 11 days….NSX is still in the garage.

 

[RPM217]

This thread reminds me of the Good Ol days....prime is back!!
For us car guys it adds so much satisfaction/enjoyment to have a car as well made as this. So many factoids to talk about at car meets/gas stations..

I'm going to miss you next week, buddy!!!

 

[ralph cerbone]

The old simple cars like mine are tanks. Everything in between is questionable. I look at most modern American cars and think "rental

Your correct Tremec is a mexican company , the C8 tranys were suffering from a porosity problem in the trany housing , leaks , GM moved the production to their St Catherine plant in Ontario , 22-23 have also unit have also had problems with leaks . These units are cast aluminum , very strange , I also know people there have not heard anything back from them

 

[docjohn]

I'm going to miss you next week, buddy!!!

I'm going to miss yawl..Blows I can't hang with my club homies..

 

[Honcho]

I sold my first NSX and almost immediately regretted it. After trying many of the modern supercars (570S, Gallardo, R8, NC1, GT-R) they all feel "synthetic" to me. It's really hard to describe. It's like you can feel all of the microprocessors working in the background all the time to keep the car on the road. It's super, super subtle, but you know it's there. The NC1 was the most intrusive, as I could feel the SH-AWD system stepping in constantly. All of the cars were ridiculously fast, but I came away feeling like they were numb. It was like video game speed to me.

What this really means is I'm getting old. Outright speed isn't what does it for me anymore. It's more of what @RYU calls "the drama" of driving. Manual steering, manual transmission, hard suspension, the noise and vibration of the engine. No driving aids- just your own talent. There are other supercars of this era that do this (Diablo, F355, 993, Viper), but the NSX just does it so much better and with a lot less maintenance.

I keep coming back to the NSX because it provides the best driving experience of any car I've driven. I drove it to work this morning and it's just sublime.

 

[DRIFTER]

I agree 100%. It’s a drivers car that’s what makes it a blast to drive. There are few cars today built like that. Sure an automatic today is way faster. AwD and launch control is quicker but it takes away the fun of driving. I’m a DIY driver I enjoy the process.

 

[ajmr2]

Ditto, Honcho, except I prefer the term "experienced" to getting "old."
I enjoy the experience of everything working together for as long as I am capable. Eyes, hands, feet, brain, etc. I know what gear I'm in just by touching the shifter with my hand and the sound & feel of the car under my butt. I don't enjoy flappy paddles or looking down at what gear I'm in, but that's just me.

 

[Honcho]

I know what gear I'm in just by touching the shifter with my hand and the sound & feel of the car under my butt.

Same here AJ. What I tell people who are not car people about why the NSX: "All cars talk to me. It's just that the NSX has a lot to say." They always seem to get that.

 

[RYU]

I've had some seriously mixed feelings about keeping my NSX. On one hand i'm a huge fan of not hoarding and finding joy in letting things go - the Marie Kondo Way. It didn't help that all the issues i'm experiencing with my NSX currently is due to my own doing. In pursuit of greatness it's always 2 steps forward and 1 step back for me. As of today, it's like 3 steps back haha.

With that said, I've been looking at replacements. I've also been driving more and more of them. While I may add another vehicle in 2024 I don't think I can actually let the NSX go to replace it. A McLaren and GT3 for example, they are kind of boring to drive slow. They only come alive at speeds my reflexes are starting to become uncomfortable with.

Part of the reason to keep the NSX is due to my older age and outlook in life. In some ethereal way it seems Honda designed this car for my future 50yr old self. I've been spending the last 16yrs of ownership turning it to what I want it to be for that specific time in my life and now the way I like to drive it is nearly how it came stock from the factory. Note, I said "nearly"! I think many of us bought this car because it was the cheapest, best value MR car at the time. I didn't buy because it was "legendary". No one gave two sh*ts about the NSX when I bought it.

I may add a DCT supercar in the future but my use case for that is much more niche. It's not as versatile as my NSX.

 

[docjohn]

I find myself driving old and new about equally..

 

[The Kid]

I find myself driving old and new about equally..

Really? I never drive my old one.

 

[docjohn]

For me getting the new suspension on was a revelation...The Type R is at its best on smoooooth roads, this long stroke Ohlin is amazingly compliant yet provides more confidence..