Anyone own both an NA1 and an NA2 before?

Hey Prime members
I recently purchased a great 91 NSX with 70k miles about 8 months ago and I fell in love with the car. It was originally planned to be a weekend car only, but the more time I spent behind the wheel, the more I only wanted to drive the NSX. I ended up selling my Daily shortly after and dedicated all my wheel time behind my NSX.

However, being a 91, with no power steering, and a leaky AC unit, I sometimes think about selling the 91 and buying a newer 97+ with a few more modern amenities. Mechanically it drives like a dream and is perfect. But the 6spd, power steering, increased HP and targa sounds good to me

So my question is, anyone own both a NA1 and NA2 before? Is the NA2 a significantly better car to warrant selling my NA1 and spending about 15-20k more to buying a NA2?

I bought my 91 with 70k for about $30k and I want to look for a NA2 around 40-45k. Is it worth the upgrade guys?? The new NA2 would be my DD

I currently own a

1992 6-speed
2004 6-speed
2004 6-speed

as for is it worth it? I say no.

after I did my 6-speed upgrade on my 92 the car feels the same.

lalalallala the NA2 engine has more HP so what..

lalalalalla the NA2 has bigger brakes easy upgrade.

lalalalalla the NA2 sounds better than NA1 easy upgrade

is it worth it to sell your love off I say NO.

with a little money you can make your car just as good or better than a stock 97+ NSX

but what do I know everything I say is wrong and will be disputed with facts and pics, and quotes from some obscure service manual

so take what I say with a grain of salt LOL:biggrin:

its my new saying kinda steals their highlight of saying Im wrong if I say it first
LOL

myclue said:

But the 6spd, power steering, increased HP and targa sounds good to me

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Is the NA2 a better car than the NA1? For me - the answer is a clear yes. For others, the answer is no - so it is probably a question of figuring out what matters for you.

Out of your list above, I'd say that 6spd, power steering and targa matter. The increased HP is pretty marginal. If you want a real power boost it is turbo or supercharger IMO.

I have driven a NA1 and I found the lack of power steering to be a real nuisance. I have gotten so used to how my NSX just glides around at low speed, that the clunkiness of having to heavy steer the wheel around a parking lot sucked.

I love cruising with the top off and I find that many other (especially married) car enthusiasts are often most amazed with the targa system on the NSX. Its ability to go on/off so easily is the first bit, but then the ability to have the top off AND still have a functional trunk is the real thing that locks them in. That is a rare combination in high performance "convertibles" and opens up the door for weekend get a way with a reasonable amount of luggage.

I personally dig the 6spd, but of the list it is probably the lowest. My guess is that a 5spd is pretty close to being just as good.

That is a big chunk of change to pay for those small things, but if you are going to keep the car for a long time perhaps the benefits will all add up to a worthwhile purchase.

My NA1 has power steering which makes it totally daily-drivable. It also has a targa. With headers and exhaust I'm probably pretty close to NA2 factory horsepower, or if I'm not, RDX injectors will put me over the edge... so the only piece missing is the 6spd. Which admittedly is a big factor in the difference in feel. I'd prefer to stick with my double-disc clutch, though.

95-96 ftw!

Yeah do the upgrade IMO , but I would get a fixed headlight version which is a more win

yeah I went to the 6-speed added the dual input shaft to go back to my Dual clutch and I should have done it sooner.

but other have said its what you want to do it your car.

I voted with my wallet and made the move from NA1 to NA2. For me it was the right move and I would do it again. I went from a 56k mile 1995 to a 23k mile 1999 and the mileage difference alone made a huge difference. My "new" car feels so much better in every way. Since purchasing my first NA1 I have turned into an even larger NSX fan and wanted the "best" of what the NSX had to offer. For that reason the $15-$20k uplift was worth it to me.

On the other hand, from a logical standpoint it is not a smart move. The NSX is a better $30k car than it is $45k+. I say this because the competition gets much stiffer as the price moves up and logically the NSX looses every measurable category in the $45k+ range.

With that said, sports car buying is not about logic but about feel. I own some illogical cars from modern standards but they feel right to me.

A few years ago I owned a very clean 1994 and my '02. The differences were quite suprising but also very much an enjoyable experience.

The '94, without P/S felt so much more Raw and, in my estimation, a lot more "driver-feel". The sound behind left shoulder, (to me), was more of an angry "sound" above 6k.

Whereas the NA2, (again, IMO), sounds more "symphonic".
The NA2, (to me), feels more Civilized but at the same time faster (slightly), a little more "modern" (per se), the P/S removes some of that Raw - driver-feel but, it's different-enough from the '94 that I absolutely enjoyed the differences; (if that makes sense).

I hope this helps; the NA2 is truly a fantastic car. The NA1, ('91-'94), will forever be that Raw - Drivers-Car that I will always have an affinity for.

I may some day own another '91-'94.....

my .02

Those without power steering:



Those with power steering:

I don't really notice the difference. However my NA1 is modified a bit. The Power steering is only noticeable around parking lots. Something my car spends very lil time at or around. I prefer the car without the targa and fixed lights to me it looks cleaner.

Aaron94T said:

With that said, sports car buying is not about logic but about feel. I own some illogical cars from modern standards but they feel right to me.

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^^Exactly. Everyone feels differently, so it's impossible to say whether an NA2 is worth the additional cost for someone. Buy one of each, and keep the one that stirs your soul more.

91-92 is suppose to be the lightest out of the box/standard issue NSX thanks to it's lack of passenger airbag.

It also has a usable glove box. 93+ NSX, the passenger airbag is an "afterthought".

When people see the acceleration difference between a NA1 and a NA2 they are seeing a cummulation of:

1. A whooping .2 liters of displacement
2. OEM headers
3. wider tires in the rear for better off the line traction
4. 6 speed tranny (later models)

There is no one item on here that will shave any appreciable time off 0-60 or ET numbers.

I don't notice an issue with power steering lacking in the NSX since the front is light compared to other cars.

I have driven NSXs with power steering and didn't like it since it felt diffused on steering feedback. There is more of a "slop" feeling too.

And the expenses, additional weight, and yet one more item to break down just didn't make any sense to me.

imho, NA2's aren't worth trading/selling a NA1 for.
Like shawn said it's a piece of cake to upgrade a NA1 to NA2 power and braking.
Certainly NA1 vs NA2 NSX-T, the coupe is lighter and more rigid.

Most car already partially are there ether in exhaust components and tires.
Next time your discs are worn just get NA2 discs and na2 brackets and your done.

I really like the feel and feedback with out power steering, yes parallel parking isn't as simple but it's a good work out.

When I went NSX shopping, my target list was the years 1998 - 2001 based upon my analysis of the changes that were made over the model years (I ended up with a 2000). If I was starting over again, I would do the same thing. However, if I already had an earlier model NSX, I do not think I would be motivated to acquire a later model unless my car was in poor condition and I was looking to unload it.

Based upon my experience, I offer the following comments on potential down sides of later year models versus the early models:

In my opinion, the single disc clutch - dual mass flywheel is harder to drive smoothly than the dual disc clutch cars. I have not had to do it yet; but, my research suggests that the cost of replacement is also significantly higher.

The targa body style is heavier and has more body flex than the coupe. Not a huge issue unless you plan to track the car or have a very vigorous driving style.

In my opinion, the targa suffers from slightly more wind noise than the coupe (although the coupe is not exactly super quiet). On the wind noise front, if you ever have to replace the one piece section of weather strip around the windshield frame, it is a mind buggering expensive piece of rubber. All of the weather strip parts associated with the targa roof section are $$$$.

I like the targa roof; but, I use it a lot less than expected. On a sunny day, the interior gets really hot really fast with an all black interior! If I had to choose between good AC and a targa roof, I would pick good AC.

While the targa storage is clever, removal, storage and retrieval is not convenient when compared to convertibles with power tops. You do not do this on the spur of the moment at a stop light like my buddy with his BMW does. Also, when you stop the car after a signifcant run, you have to put the roof panel back on within a couple of minutes after stopping, otherwise you will have to wait about 1+ hour for the roof panel to cool down. Once air flow through the engine compartment stops, the radiant heat from the engine causes the panel to heat up pretty quickly with the result that you can not handle it unless you are prepared to wear gloves.

I really like the power steering; however, if anything ever goes wrong with it, I will probably wish I had a manual rack!

In my opinion, the six speed gear box seems a little notchy to shift compared to the five speed, particularly when cold. Also, when really cold, it seems like the six speed synchros are slow (at least on my car) compared to the five speed. However, once the box is hot, it turns into a much smoother shifting transmission.

Wow, BATMANs wrote exactly what I was thinking, but I suspect that is probably because we have similar priorities in what we like in an NSX. The removable top and power steering aren't super important to me. The 6-speed is nice, but not necessarily more fun than the 5-speed in my humble opinion. As mentioned earlier, the NA1 coupe feels more like a raw sports car, and the NA2 NSX-T feels more like a luxury car (I have not driven any NA1 NSX-Ts). I think the coupe is closer to what the original NSX designers intended for the car to be. If I could only have one NSX, I would buy the most pristine coupe I can find within my budget (Zanardi, NA2 coupe, 93-94 coupe, 91-92 coupe, in that order).

I ♥ my DD 93 coupe. Here she is at work today.

A.S. Motorsport said:

Next time your discs are worn just get NA2 discs and na2 brackets and your done.

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What's the price tag for NA2 ABS upgrade + NA2 discs and brackets?

bngl3rt said:

What's the price tag for NA2 ABS upgrade + NA2 discs and brackets?

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http://www.scienceofspeed.com/produ...ts/NSX/ScienceofSpeed/NA2_ABS_System_Upgrade/

bngl3rt said:

What's the price tag for NA2 ABS upgrade + NA2 discs and brackets?

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01+ abs system is $2000 I have them ether in NSX or NSX-R trim
The brackets are something like $200 refurbished.

PHOEN$X said:

I think the coupe is closer to what the original NSX designers intended for the car to be.

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Most certainly!

BUT honestly a Honda 2002+ Coupe is a very very nice car.
Certainly if you have the red two tone interior with contrast stitching.

I've seen Acura NSX-T 2002 vs 2002 Honda NSX coupe a couple of times side by side, there is a difference...

My take (for what it's worth)...

A '91 or '92 (coupe obviously) with the JDM gears and a lower ring-and-pinion (higher numerically - 4.55 on mine), Comptech headers, the '01 ABS upgrade, Bilstein dampers (on the lower perch), 17/18 wheels, Odyssey PC-925T lightweight battery, stiffer anti-roll bars, SS brake lines and Motul RBF600 fluid, air conditioner upgraded to R134A, SS damper-pulley shield and you're done.
A World Class car.
Non-compliance rear bushings & toe links and an alloy coolant tank are nice too. Toss a spare main relay in the glove box just in case.
Done.

NA2 Coupe - enough said.......

We all know that the owner of Prime is all about the 02+

stock vs stock its a substantial difference, don't let all these NA1 guys fool you. Sure you could slap anything on an NA1 and make it just as good if not better than a stock NA2. But take a bone stock NA1 vs NA2: 0-60 and the 1/4 mile, the NA2 will win 10/10 times. But its not about that, or shouldn't be.

I guess what you have to look at is "What do you really want from your NSX?" If you want a targa but more power, then NA2 FTW. If you want to just upgrade for something that feels a little more updated then you might as well go 2002+ and skip the '97-'01. You can either spend $5k-$10k+ upgrading everything, or you can find an early model NA2 for the difference in cost.

The non power steering vs the electronic assisted steering (because the NSX doesnt really have true power steering, which is why it still feels sportier on the steering) is a nice change of pace too. Driving an NA2 on the freeway still is much tighter than 95% of the other vehicles out there, almost as tight as an early NA1 minus power steering. The only really difference is in parking, but the NA2 wheel is still heavy...just not as heavy feeling as the NA1.

Oh, and the .2 liter difference is a substantial difference when dealing with something so small. Now, if it were 6.0 and then 6.2, then it wouldn't be very different. But those things aside...

It all comes down to "Is it worth it to YOU?" This board will be split on Yes/No's.

Larry Bastanza said:

NA2 Coupe - enough said.......

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Larry knows...
Plus one for me there as well.

The 2000 - 2005 ABS upgrade is a great mod for any early car. It cost me $1800.00 and is easy to do. Not much considering how much braking it adds, and no more maintenance.

(On the other side, how much HP does $1800.00 buy you?) All the HP in the world is great, but not so great if you can't stop it.

What are the details upgrading the rotors and brakes to the later design?

to the OP ( original poster )

as you can see you have opinions on both sides.

but one thing has stayed the same its your choice.

there are pro's & cons for both NA1 - NA2 engine cars.

then the interior changes per year, and then body change for 2002-2005 models

you pick. either choice your still gonna have an NSX in your driveway

I think that speaks for itself.

great car keep one forever.