Auto NSX

[Ian Stuart]

Hi all,

Over the last few weeks I've been intending to buy a manual NSX and have talked to a few prospective sellers. Unfortunately, my life's too damn busy at the moment and all weekends are booked between now and the end of Sept, leaving little or no time to view - most disappointing (I realise this info's not overly interesting but bear with me....).

My wife can not easily drive a manual following a skiing accident a few years ago so has suggested that we look at an auto instead. I'm not too sure about the idea but I am at least willing to look into it, therefore:

1. If anyone has been through the comparison process of manual v auto would they be kind enough to give me their honest opinion of the way an auto actually performs. (BTW I've read enough about the F-matic to avoid that option). I realise it's not going to be as 'good' as a manual but how much off the pace is it?

2. There is a chap currently selling an auto which he describes as a Jordan limited edition. The car is miles away from where I live (a good 3 hours drive) so it's not the easiest thing for me to pop down and test drive that one to see how it goes. I've looked extensively on this site, NSXPrime and the internet in general but can find no reference to a Jordan limited edition ever being made; does such a thing exist or am I having my plonker pulled?

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds to this post,

Regards

Ian

[BrownBear]

Hi Ian,

Can't help you with the Auto v Manual comparison, sorry...

However, IIRC there were some cars sold as 'Jordan'-models - however the only 'special' thing about them is that they are yellow. That's it. They're not a limited edition in the normally accepted sense of the word.
Since you could get Yellow cars in other years too, it's not 'rare' (especially). So he's not lying, but it's not a massive bonus either..

They did a Jordan Civic and a Jordan CB600 Hornet (bike) in the same year as well.

Cheers

[Mike_L]

The 0-60 times quoted by Honda are unrealisticly slow for both manual and auto, a realistic figure for the auto is around 6.5 sec with 100 in around 16. (The 3.0 manual is more like 5.3 and 13.5). So if it is outright pace then the auto is a quick car but quite a bit down on the manual.

Having only driven the auto, I can say that the handling is suberb all the underpinnings are the same and I believe every bit as good as the manual. Some comment on the power steering all autos have as taking away feel but is introduced into the manual after a few years anyway.

The auto is only 4 speed and is detuned about 10% down on power to allow the torque to be better matched to the auto box. Even with this adjustment, the loss of a gear means it is still outside of the VTEC power band more than a manual would be. At least the auto box allows you to lock into a gear and keep it there, by that I mean if you put it into 3rd it will stay there even from stationary, it wont select 1st through 3rd like normal autos.

The only time I get frustrated with the auto is around the 25-35mph zone and I want to go for it - 2nd is not quite high enough up the revs and it wont drop to 1st. (2nd will take you to >85mph). Even then it is still quick - just not supercar quick.

If you are just cruising then the NSX auto is suberb and an incredibly easy drive and in reality fast enough on the public road for most people when you do want to drive quick. "Most people" are not on this forum though and this is not enough for them.

Not sure why you differetiate between the auto and the f-matic. The latter is the same but with paddle shifts. I suppose it is becuase when they upgraded to the 3.2 manual, Honda left the auto with the same detuned 3.0 and the performance difference is shown up even more.

[Martin]

I tested a '91 auto from the passenger seat when a dealer was trying to sell me their car, and it came out at a shade over 6 to 60...and I would have thought it is faster than 16 to 100?

I know the new (at the time) '94+ manual in some magazine road tests has come out with 5.2 to 60 and 12.6 to 100, with approx 0.5 seconds off the time to 60 and 100 when it has 20,000 miles under its belt (when the engine is sweeter and it revs up quicker).

My 96 reg 87,000 miler is now coming up with approx 4.3 to 60 (when I get it right!) and 10.7 to 100, with more off the time when I take more bits out of the car...who needs a passenger seat anyway!

[UltraViolet]

Ian - why not pop over to Two Mills, they are not far from you and always have NSXs in. Grab a test drive of a manual and an Auto and then decide if you are happy with the Auto.

I have heard good things about the auto (and like you bad about the F-Matic, plus of course all the quoted stats being much slower for the F-matic compared with the normal auto). Having said that, I wanted manual and wouldn't have bought an Auto. But you have another consideration - if your partner won't be able to drive the car unless it is an auto, then I would seriously consider it - partly so she can enjoy it too ... but also so if you go touring on a long distance european jaunt, you can share the driving......

[Greybloke]

Ian
If its the same one, I have looked at this "Jordan" car. It's at a small dealer located near Stevenage. It is a nice looking car, with a quoted low mileage. I was told the roof was originally black, but sprayed to match the body colour. The interior in a strange tan colour. The biggest problem for me was that it's an import. I took some photos which I can send you if you are interested further?

[Ian Stuart]

Hi all, thanks for the replies to my query.

Mike L - That's great info re the performance figures and interesting you can lock in a gear right thru the rev range - I didn't know that; very unusual.

Martin - I'm very impressed that your 0-60 is now sub 4.5 seconds - I had forgotten the fact that times improve as an engine loosens (I now recall Top Gear did a feature on it a year or two ago).

UltraViolet - You're of course correct that Two Mills is near me but I don't think they have an auto I can test (admittedly I haven't spoken to Guy there for around 6 weeks). Annoyingly, I went over to the Honda dealer in North Notts to test drive the auto they have for sale only to turn up and be told 'sorry Sir, the ABS light's come on when we started it this morning so you can't drive it'. What a waste of time although I did take a look at the car when I was there and decided I didn't want it anyway - the interior was very shabby.

Greybloke - You're dead right, the Jordan is indeed the one for sale by the guy in Stevenage. Very interesting that you discovered it is an import; he was trying to tell me he'd owned himself for around 6 years as his personal car. He got rather vague on the subject of service history etc 'I just had it done when it was MOT'd each year but I don't have the receipts'. 'Well, now you ask, it's not a Honda history, it was done by a local specialist' etc etc etc. I knew I could smell something a bit fishy so that's one to avoid.

To further complicate the equation my wife has spotted a 6 cylinder auto DB7 in our local Aston Martin garage.....

Ho-hum, will consider my options further.

Cheers all

Ian