A somewhat unique perspective.

[Chromatose]

I recently drove a Comptech supercharged NSX for about 10 miles. Now this is coming from someone who bought an NSX, Comptech'd it out to the max, put 100,000 miles on it, sold it, bought a Ferrari Modena 6-speed, put 40,000 miles on that (still have it), then jumped into this NSX to drive it to my house to do a super detail job on it as part of a deal on a used R/C helicopter purchase. So this is a playback from my minds eye of the experience:
(opens door, gets in)
Wow! This car is LOW. This seat is perfect. I am SO tucked in and everything around me is in such a perfect position that I feel like I am an integral piece of the car itself. Sitting in a 360 is like sitting in any other car.
Except for the seats whose high bolsters are so narrow that they hurt your shoulders.
(starts car)
Nice rumble.
(revs engine, scares a couple of people standing next to the car)
This thing revs quick! And is pretty loud at high RPM (aftermarket exhaust)
(takes off, slowly goes through a couple of gears)
Wow! This thing shifts like hot butter. Absolutely no fuss. It practically shifts itself. The 360 is very mechanical, very clunky, shifts great, but takes a lot of effort. I can feel it in my shoulder after a long, spirited drive.
(gets on the freeway, takes it up to redline in a couple of gears)
Great seat of the pants in the upper rpm range! More than my car.
My car has a huge "snap" when you hit the throttle (415 naturally aspirated HP with aftermarket exhaust) but pulls smoothly thereafter) but the supercharged NSX pulls so hard, it really is exhilarating. I can tell that the transmission is stock though, not near as much "pop" as the 4.55 + gears.
(changes lanes on an interchange [corner], almost drifts inadvertently into another lane)
Uh oh - major understeer! Need to be careful. Stock suspension.
(gets off the freeway, stomps brakes, locks up the wheels)
Uh oh! Forgot this thing has AP Racing brakes. Yeah, they work alright!
(makes a tight turn)
This is difficult! I can barely turn this wheel! Oh yeah, manual steering. Great road feel!
People staring at the car, just as much as the 360.
(looks down at the shifter)
No gate. What gear am I in?
(turns on stereo)
Yes. 10 times better than the stock 360 setup.
(looks at guages)
Much nicer IMO than the 360 guages.
(arrives at house)

If I had to do it all over again, knowing what I know now, and I couldn't afford a Ferrari, I'd have an NSX with the IEM, 4.55 or 4.23, gears, flywheel, exhaust, brakes, no supercharger and some major suspension upgrades (beam, swaybars, shocks). Essentially FSTRNU's car.
This is about as close as I think one could get to a stock 360.
Except for the $18,000.00 repair bills (trust me on this one).

 

[Cozmo]

It is never too late! :biggrin:

 

[YellowHaze]

Interesting read. So, you'd choose a stock vs. SC engine?

 

[Greg Z]

Can I post this on F-Chat???:smile::biggrin:

 

[s14_tat]

interesting perspective.

 

[Chromatose]

Interesting read. So, you'd choose a stock vs. SC engine?

I would choose a stock vs. SC engine if I were trying to get as close as possible to the Ferrari experience. Let me qualify that. I would choose a stock engine with the 4.55 R&P, short gears, flywheel and clutch over a SC NSX that was stock otherwise. It is just SO much more fun to drive.
I had such a setup for two years before I went with supercharger, boost kit, etc. The "snap" of acceleration right out of the gate when you hit the throttle on an N/A NSX (with the gears!) is much more like a Ferrari.

 

[Chromatose]

Can I post this on F-Chat???:smile::biggrin:

Absolutely! Any Ferrari owner who does not understand how awesome the NSX is is just plain ignorant.

 

[KooLaid]

Don't forget, they both need the fiam air horns to top it off :biggrin:

 

[Chromatose]

Don't forget, they both need the fiam air horns to top it off :biggrin:

Yes, that's my number one request of my friends right now (ripping off the front bumper of their 360 and installing the horns). I can have a front bumper off of the car in 10 minutes now... :biggrin:

 

[Ponyboy]

I wish you could drive a stroker NSX. It's like a whole other car.

 

[oscar_driver]

I hang out A LOT with the South Florida F-chatters, most have great knowledge of cars, leave alone they are thru car enthusiast and great people, I always hear:

If you want a F360, get a CS if not a F360 is not that different than your NSX, a bit faster, but that's it (that coming from an ex NSX owner and current F430 owner that has own F360's and other ferraris) ... I hear that all the time also from ex nsx owners or Fcar owners ... one thing though, the F360 exhaust, specially on Tubi .. OMG .. amazing ...... nothing wrong having both cars though ... i wouldn't mind hahhaha

Great write up man!
Oscar

 

[troca]

Interesting, but why the "if I could do it over again, and couldn't afford the Ferrari,"? What does money have to do with it? Huge repair bills are nothing to be proud of unless you're really after bragging rights anyway, in which case the NSX probably isn't the car you want. I drive my NSX because it siuts me better than anything else out there and I tested and could have bought almost anything I wanted, including a Red car.

 

[ChopsJazz]

If I had to do it all over again, knowing what I know now, and I couldn't afford a Ferrari, I'd have an NSX with the IEM, 4.55 or 4.23, gears, flywheel, exhaust, brakes, no supercharger and some major suspension upgrades (beam, swaybars, shocks). Essentially FSTRNU's car.

You're funny. Thanks, I love my car too. :wink:

 

[ChopsJazz]

Interesting, but why the "if I could do it over again, and couldn't afford the Ferrari,"? What does money have to do with it? Huge repair bills are nothing to be proud of unless you're really after bragging rights anyway, in which case the NSX probably isn't the car you want. I drive my NSX because it siuts me better than anything else out there and I tested and could have bought almost anything I wanted, including a Red car.

I don't think you "get" the jist of Mike's comments. Certainly none of his post has anything to do with bragging rights. And if you were there for the immense repair bill (I was) you'd know that.

 

[KooLaid]

Yes, that's my number one request of my friends right now (ripping off the front bumper of their 360 and installing the horns). I can have a front bumper off of the car in 10 minutes now... :biggrin:

I remember the first time I met you was at the milpitas 99 Ranch Market meet. I think the one thing that captivated everyone MORE than the car itself, your horn lol.

Interesting, but why the "if I could do it over again, and couldn't afford the Ferrari,"? What does money have to do with it? Huge repair bills are nothing to be proud of unless you're really after bragging rights anyway, in which case the NSX probably isn't the car you want. I drive my NSX because it siuts me better than anything else out there and I tested and could have bought almost anything I wanted, including a Red car.

Price of admission to own the intoxicating sound. Sometimes just revving a car in park, in your driveway is enough lol. F-car is a fine car, and until "we" own one, we won't understand. It's like "It's a Jeep thing, you wouldn't understand", it's true because I think driving around in our lifted wrangler is one of the coolest feelings around, just like driving around in my nsx or shit, my Aprilia SR50 scooter. The ferrari just takes it up a few notches lol

 

[Chromatose]

I have to be very careful what I say on this forum and how I say it. The written word is very subject to interpretation. I work as hard as the next guy and it was a stretch for me to get into a Modena. I will say that it was definitely worth the money though. The performance is phenomenal. A 360 owner told me that if there was any way I could get myself into one, then I should do it. After four years of driving one, I couldn't have said it better.
However, if my Ferrari was taken away somehow and I was told that I couldn't own another, I wouldn't go to a Porsche or a Vette or a Viper or even a Lambo. I would go straight to an NSX.

 

[Dr.Honda]

Thanks for posting.

 

[queenlives]

good post, thx.

 

[YellowHaze]

I have to be very careful what I say on this forum and how I say it. The written word is very subject to interpretation. I work as hard as the next guy and it was a stretch for me to get into a Modena. I will say that it was definitely worth the money though. The performance is phenomenal. A 360 owner told me that if there was any way I could get myself into one, then I should do it. After four years of driving one, I couldn't have said it better.
However, if my Ferrari was taken away somehow and I was told that I couldn't own another, I wouldn't go to a Porsche or a Vette or a Viper or even a Lambo. I would go straight to an NSX.

If I didn't already feel good about owning an NSX, you give one more reason (and a well scripted one at that) to feel good.

 

[EuroBoutique]

Thanks for your post - perhaps you can answer a question for me then.....

Let me first say I LOVE MY NSX - however the stock oem clutch mushiness really bugs me and it takes away the fun of the driving experience. My NSX barely has 12,000 miles and has been babied all her life but I really feel the stock clutch sucks in terms of feel!

I really wish I can somehow transplant my s2000 clutch setup into the nsx. My s2000 has an upgraded clutch / flywheel assembly and it just feels more firm and grabs better. I had to upgrade it because with the CTSC it was slipping.

 

[RYU]

Thanks for your post - perhaps you can answer a question for me then.....

Let me first say I LOVE MY NSX - however the stock oem clutch mushiness really bugs me and it takes away the fun of the driving experience. My NSX barely has 12,000 miles and has been babied all her life but I really feel the stock clutch sucks in terms of feel!

I really wish I can somehow transplant my s2000 clutch setup into the nsx. My s2000 has an upgraded clutch / flywheel assembly and it just feels more firm and grabs better. I had to upgrade it because with the CTSC it was slipping.

Not trying to be a 8==D at all but what's your question?

 

[bfrank1972]

I'd say that was a great summary. My experience line up with OP's pretty much. In a way, the things that are 'less refined' on the 360 are what I think give it a unique character. The gated shifter, aside from being a gated shifter, requires a bit more of a 'grab it by the scruff of the neck and do it' approach. Its somewhat of a hard car to drive gingerly, where the NSX is much easier. Out of the box (for me) the 360 is just right. Out of the box (like OP mentioned) the NSX needs worked over suspension and gears to get the same thing. But once there, it's amazing how close in driving experience an NSX can get to a stock F360.

 

[Deltron Zero]

Thanks for your post - perhaps you can answer a question for me then.....

Try the RPS single disc clutch.

 

[SoCalDude]

I would choose a stock engine with the 4.55 R&P, short gears, flywheel and clutch over a SC NSX that was stock otherwise. It is just SO much more fun to drive.

Hey, that's my car, partially.:biggrin: Stock flywheel & clutch but 4.55 & short gears. Need to do the suspension stuff at some point. Beam and sway bar first.

 

[Meeyatch1]

Hey, Mike! It had been a long time since I have seen you around these parts.

If you do not mind me asking, what repair bill was $18,000 for your 360? I have been kicking around the idea of getting either an F355 or a 360 Modena and have resigned myself to more repair money, but a real world idea from someone who drives their car (like you do) would be a huge help. Thanks!