manisandher
18-11-2015, 03:39 PM
It’s coming up to 6 months since I let my 2004 LBBP go, and with a bit of spare time on my hands, I thought I’d give my honest thoughts about my NSX.
Before the NSX, my daily driver of 9 years was an S2000 AP1 – bought from new in March 2003. What a car. And what a handful in the wet! But a great learning platform. My main recollection is the snugness in the driver’s seat, the feeling of being totally encapsulated by the car (even with the roof down). The seating position was pretty much perfect for me. I don’t think I’ve ever felt ‘as one’ with any other car that I’ve owned. But for me, the real highlights were its 9k redline and its incredible gear shift – the best I’ve ever come across, bar none. The steering was also a very good – fast and precise (with perhaps a little less feedback than a good hydraulic system).
I’ll limit my thoughts on the NSX to when I received it back from its first service with Kaz, which included a brake overhaul, new sticky tyres and wheel alignment (to Kaz’s specs). There were four areas in which the NSX totally trounced the S2000: the view from the driver’s position, the overall performance, the composure on the road, and of course the sound of that V6 right behind your head.
The forward view is almost shocking if you’ve never experienced it before. The road is right there in front of you. I found this so addictive that I could now never own a car with a long bonnet ever again.
The NSX was a lot more rapid than the S2000. I never had it measured accurately, but if the S2000 were 0-60 in around 6 seconds, I’d say the NSX was about the 5 second mark – maybe not so quick by today’s standards, but let’s face it, definitely quick enough for UK roads.
And this brings me on to my third point – composure on the road. It really felt planted on the road at the sorts of speeds I was confident to take it.
That view (with the front wheel arches telling you exactly where the car is), that performance and that composure on the road made the NSX a pretty fast car in practice. And the icing on the cake of course was the noise above 6k revs – such a sweet free-revving engine. Totally, totally addictive.
And the downsides? Well, even after four years, I never got used to the slowness of the NSX’s steering, especially compared to the S2000. And the size of the steering wheel itself – not quite classic-Mercedes size, but it always felt way too big to me. I just didn’t understand – why didn’t Honda switch to a faster ratio and smaller steering wheel when they introduced PAS in the later models? I have to admit I found the NSX’s steering really frustrating.
The second thing that bothered me was the gear shift. But when I say “bothered”, I only mean in comparison to the S2000 – the NSX is the 2nd best gear shift that I’ve ever experienced. Great though it certainly is, it doesn’t have the absolute precision of the S2000 gear shift. (I suppose this must have something to do with where the gearbox itself is located.) In the S2000, Honda got it absolutely bang on. The NSX simply can’t match it.
And the final downside was the look of the back-end of the car. I loved the front and side profiles, but always felt the rear-end looked so dated. Not a big deal by any means, but a consideration nevertheless.
And that’s it really.
I let the NSX go because it was important for me to have a weekend car that the whole family could enjoy together – rear seats (even if only small) were essential. I’m happy with my decision, made a little easier in the knowledge that I would always have felt frustrated with its steering, and a little embarrassed with its rear-end.
Mani.
Before the NSX, my daily driver of 9 years was an S2000 AP1 – bought from new in March 2003. What a car. And what a handful in the wet! But a great learning platform. My main recollection is the snugness in the driver’s seat, the feeling of being totally encapsulated by the car (even with the roof down). The seating position was pretty much perfect for me. I don’t think I’ve ever felt ‘as one’ with any other car that I’ve owned. But for me, the real highlights were its 9k redline and its incredible gear shift – the best I’ve ever come across, bar none. The steering was also a very good – fast and precise (with perhaps a little less feedback than a good hydraulic system).
I’ll limit my thoughts on the NSX to when I received it back from its first service with Kaz, which included a brake overhaul, new sticky tyres and wheel alignment (to Kaz’s specs). There were four areas in which the NSX totally trounced the S2000: the view from the driver’s position, the overall performance, the composure on the road, and of course the sound of that V6 right behind your head.
The forward view is almost shocking if you’ve never experienced it before. The road is right there in front of you. I found this so addictive that I could now never own a car with a long bonnet ever again.
The NSX was a lot more rapid than the S2000. I never had it measured accurately, but if the S2000 were 0-60 in around 6 seconds, I’d say the NSX was about the 5 second mark – maybe not so quick by today’s standards, but let’s face it, definitely quick enough for UK roads.
And this brings me on to my third point – composure on the road. It really felt planted on the road at the sorts of speeds I was confident to take it.
That view (with the front wheel arches telling you exactly where the car is), that performance and that composure on the road made the NSX a pretty fast car in practice. And the icing on the cake of course was the noise above 6k revs – such a sweet free-revving engine. Totally, totally addictive.
And the downsides? Well, even after four years, I never got used to the slowness of the NSX’s steering, especially compared to the S2000. And the size of the steering wheel itself – not quite classic-Mercedes size, but it always felt way too big to me. I just didn’t understand – why didn’t Honda switch to a faster ratio and smaller steering wheel when they introduced PAS in the later models? I have to admit I found the NSX’s steering really frustrating.
The second thing that bothered me was the gear shift. But when I say “bothered”, I only mean in comparison to the S2000 – the NSX is the 2nd best gear shift that I’ve ever experienced. Great though it certainly is, it doesn’t have the absolute precision of the S2000 gear shift. (I suppose this must have something to do with where the gearbox itself is located.) In the S2000, Honda got it absolutely bang on. The NSX simply can’t match it.
And the final downside was the look of the back-end of the car. I loved the front and side profiles, but always felt the rear-end looked so dated. Not a big deal by any means, but a consideration nevertheless.
And that’s it really.
I let the NSX go because it was important for me to have a weekend car that the whole family could enjoy together – rear seats (even if only small) were essential. I’m happy with my decision, made a little easier in the knowledge that I would always have felt frustrated with its steering, and a little embarrassed with its rear-end.
Mani.