Will I get teased if I buy an Automatic NSX?

[Old Guy]

Summer road construction season. Got stuck in a long line of vehicles doing the move 20 feet, stop, move 20 feet, stop dance. An automatic instead of my 6 speed would have been really nice.

Any 1994 NSX with 15,000 miles in excellent condition available for a 'good deal' is pretty attractive, auto or standard. If it turns out that the auto is a disappointment, you can probably off load the car for what you paid for it or probably more. Oh, and while all the 6 speed owners are waxing ecstatic about their transmissions, do a search on nsxprime using the descriptors 'drivetrain clunk' or 'drivetrain lash'. You will get an education on a not so nice feature of the NSX standard transmission drivetrain.

 

[metsn13]

I just recently sold my 97 auto NSX with 30K miles on it. I bought it in 2013 with ~24K miles on it. At the time I also owned a 2012 Cayman R 6-speed. The auto NSX is such a smooth car. It was primarily a car I would take out on weekends and take the targa off and just enjoy driving around Las Vegas. This car, auto or manual gets thumbs ups and pictures everywhere it goes, so be prepared for that. Not once did I run into someone who looked down upon the car for being an auto. Actually the opposite, everywhere I went I had people wanting to buy the car from me. I was shocked at the range of ages of people that admire this car, from dudes in their 60s driving Camaro's and Mustang's to teenagers and guys in their 20s wanting to give me 20K for it, no thanks haha. Probably most in here commenting have never driven an auto NSX, so take their advice and anybody else who hasn't driven one with a grain of salt. It's mid engine and super light compared to the cars of today, so already you know the handling is going to be insane. I ultimately sold it after 2 years because of a combination of factors. First with such low mileage I was always worried about increasing the odo reading which would ultimately affect the resale, and that fact made it less enjoyable to me as I paid a premium when I bought it for its condition and low miles. Secondly, while I loved the balance and handling, at 252HP it was painfully slow compared to my Cayman R (which I consider the modern day equivalent to the NSX).

I picked up a 94 coupe 5-speed NSX last year and fell in love with the gearbox and the rigidity and feel of the coupe. This one had 93K miles on it, and all I do is drive it everywhere I can and don't think about the odo for a second. A couple months ago I picked up a 2000 CT supercharged NSX and all I can say is that it is an absolute thrill to drive a supercharged NSX. The linear powerband and refined/ smooth gearbox of the 6-speed are a perfect match and I will likely never sell either of these cars as I don't think another car built in the past 25 years can approach the look, style, driveability, and reliability that this Honda possesses. I think RYU said it best so far in this thread, what are you going to use this car for? That question will lead you to the right decision. The best thing would be to test drive an auto and manual NSX and then make your decision. If your worried about being teased for an auto NSX, that will never happen in real life, on message boards people say stupid stuff mostly out of jealousy or ignorance, but in real life they will be asking for your autograph. Believe it

PM me if you have any other specific questions about the auto NSX, glad to help you on your search. Good luck with the search!

 

[dquarasr2]

Nice response metsn13. Helpful. Well done.

 

[DocL]

...Probably most in here commenting have never driven an auto NSX, so take their advice and anybody else who hasn't driven one with a grain of salt...

That is probably very true. I bought my 94 5spd after having driven my fathers 97 automatic NSX. Even though the car drove great, the autoshift just wasn't the same, or as good as a three pedal NSX.

 

[mcano]

I promised to give my input into the auto NSX, but again I’m short on time. Here are some of my brief thoughts. First, I currently own a 97 manual. However, I owned a 1995 auto for a little over 5 years and this is what I learned:


1. Auto owners and their cars are considered inferior by some here on Prime.
2. Generally autos are less costly to purchase than a comparable manual.
3. If you are interested in an auto, they are more difficult to find due to the limited numbers produced.
4. Very few NSX's with Level 10 upgrades exist (a rebuilt auto trans meant to increase the ability handle more horse power and spirited driving), so reliability of the upgrade is not yet proven. Several in the Supra Forum detest Level 10 as unreliable.
5. My auto did well on track during NSXPO 2010 and I passed several manuals. However, my auto could not withstand the rigors of the track, resulting in a blown transmission. Note: I did have 106,000 on the clock.
6. It is more difficult to sell and auto in that there are fewer buyers that are interested in an auto. However, those that are interested, are adamant about getting an auto.
7. During spirited driving or track driving, even with "Sports Shift (1995 autos and newer)", the gear ratio is not well suited due to only having four gears. Having less horse power is also noticeable.
8. The auto is a fine car, but if you are into a better performing car, particularly if you plan to track the car, then you need to get a manual.

 

[32york]

can the detuning be undone

Though there is no such thing as a bad NSX, there are a few reasons why I would think long and hard about an automatic NSX:

- The engine is detuned to 252hp, regardless of year.

- Honda has always been known for making good manual transmissions, and the NSX is no exception. Easily one of the best transmissions I've ever driven.

- One of the major reason I chose a NA2 over a NA1 is for the 6-speed transmission. I've driven several NA1s with the 5-speed and I always felt the gearing was far too long (2nd gear tops out in the mid-high 80MPHs). Though I've never driven an automatic NSX, I'd imagine the fact that it's a 4-speed transmission would exacerbate the issue even further.


I bought my NSX to enjoy spirited weekend drives around the backroads where I live, so I wouldn't have bought an automatic NSX even at a substantial discount. For me, if I wanted a car with an automatic transmission to enjoy on the weekends, there are other cars I would rather drive.

Hi DAYTA, I saw your reply to this thread and wondered if the detuning of the auto motor could be undone. What did Honda do to decrease the HP? I have a '91 which I bought as an auto but we swapped in a manual. Thanks

- - - Updated - - -

Though there is no such thing as a bad NSX, there are a few reasons why I would think long and hard about an automatic NSX:

- The engine is detuned to 252hp, regardless of year.

- Honda has always been known for making good manual transmissions, and the NSX is no exception. Easily one of the best transmissions I've ever driven.

- One of the major reason I chose a NA2 over a NA1 is for the 6-speed transmission. I've driven several NA1s with the 5-speed and I always felt the gearing was far too long (2nd gear tops out in the mid-high 80MPHs). Though I've never driven an automatic NSX, I'd imagine the fact that it's a 4-speed transmission would exacerbate the issue even further.


I bought my NSX to enjoy spirited weekend drives around the backroads where I live, so I wouldn't have bought an automatic NSX even at a substantial discount. For me, if I wanted a car with an automatic transmission to enjoy on the weekends, there are other cars I would rather drive.

Hi DAYTA, I saw your reply to this thread and wondered if the detuning of the auto motor could be undone. What did Honda do to decrease the HP? I have a '91 which I bought as an auto but we swapped in a manual. Thanks

 

[alum04org]

I found a really nice 1994 nsx-t automatic with only 15,000 miles and in excellent condition. It runs beautifully and I'm friends with the guy so he will sell it to me for a good deal. Clear title.

But it's an automatic.....



Thank you.

No. Own and well-enjoy them both. Buy it, and perhaps then flip it if you must.

 

[Blackhorse06]

In the end, who gives a shit! It's an NSX! :biggrin:

 

[jeffreygebhart]

In the end, who gives a shit! It's an NSX! :biggrin:

I agree. 15000 miles! Buy it and enjoy it!

 

[hkz286]

you do get less power with the auto than the manual (250bhp), whether that's important to you is your business but thought it was worth a mention