Acura - Honda ?

P

pmartjr

Registered Member
Joined
26 January 2004
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48
Location
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I am curious about the Honda badging versus the stock Acura badging thing. Perhaps those who have changed their badging to the Honda emblems could chime in with the reason one would do this. Is it because the cars are Honda in Japan? Am I missing out on a higher prestige by not changing my emblems to Honda? I can't imagine that an owner of a Lexus LFA would change their badging to Toyota, but I might be missing something.

When people ask what your NSX is, and we all know that happens all the time, do you say it is a Honda NSX or an Acura NSX, made by Honda?

I'm not looking for a flame job here and don't want to start any controversy. I am truly just curious as to why I might want to do this if at all.

Thanks,
Paul
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

I could be wrong, but I think that the only country in the world that the NSX was sold in as an Acura was the US. I have no problem telling people that it's a Honda. JDM as stated..............HONDA. Enjoy the car, don't worry about the badge!:wink:
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

It's a "JDM" thing.. some people crave it, others don't. I view the car as a Acura NSX. It is what it is. If my vehicle was sold elsewhere, then it would not be an Acura. I personally see no logical reason to change the badging to Honda, seems silly and "youthful".

I wouldn't be surprised if there are people overseas paying an arm and leg to change their badging from Honda to Acura just to be "USDM". Fact is, everyone wants something else they can't have or get too.
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

like the Acura TL in japan is called the honda Inspire

lots of people like the show the Honda side of it.

Acura was just badged for the USA
just a way they could charge for options that should be standard.

like you dont see an Acura in the USA without standard leather.

but you can get a base honda with cloth seats.

toyota in the USA you can get cloth seats, lexus leather is standard.

its a sham. like .... I better shut up I dont like getting banned for ranting LOL
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

The NSX was sold as Acura in North America, everywhere else its a Honda.

DSC00229.JPG


I have no problem telling someone it's just a Honda.
 
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Re: Acura - Honda ??????

Maybe if they marked it as a honda they would get less sales, I think acura nsx sounds a heck lot cooler than honda. On the other hand toyota supra sounds cooler than lexus supra.
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

Outside of US/Canada...Hong Kong is the other market that retail Acura as a stand alone dealership. From 89/89? till a few years back, they import RLs, TLs and RSXs but now folded into Honda dealer due to lack of interests/$$ re Acura. Both makes are serviced by the same distributor!!! Dah Chong Hong.
Grey imports from Japan which are plenty are badged Honda and from this year onwards, we will see more earlier NSXs imported due to the Gov't 20 years rule that there will be very lo import duties.
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

I was wondering the something but I have no problem calling it a Honda but would never go the extra mile to switch badges, to each is own
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

Open the door and you will see Honda everywhere.
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

Thanks to all the above comments. Sounds like a personal preference thing. I never hesitate to let people know the connection of Honda as the parent company and Acura as their upscale division. The NSX was meant to showcase Honda technology and it was obvious for the US market to be in the Acura stable I guess. Thanks again.
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

Ya know, about 3 years back I badged it "H" front rear like the others here, and those "H" badges are not cheap. It became more of a headache trying to explain the reason behind my badging. Most new it as an Acura and literally everyone that walked up would pop the "H" badge question. I wound up putting a nice red "A" on the nose and it's been so peaceful since.:wink:
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

I still find it cool that people see "ACURA" on the tail end of the car and then pass me and have to look back to see what emblem is on the front, as if in their minds, it can't be an Acura. Acura in Canada and presumingly the US of A, are the premium models above the Honda models, just as Lexus/Toyota, Infinity/Nissan. Audi/Volkswagen. So I prefer the Acura symbol. Looks better IMO:biggrin:
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

The NSX is not the only Acura the suffers from this (suffers maybe too strong a word). I've seen many Integra"s and RSX's with the same Honda badging. I always think to myself that the person went through a lot of trouble changing things around like that. I really find it interesting when folks change the airbag for the "total transformation" to a Honda NSX.

I was driving the other day and rolled up on a Honda Civic looking ride with Acura badging. I think it was a car from Canada (we get them here in New York from time to time). Remember the Cadillac Cimarron (Chevrolet Cavalier)? I'm just saying.
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

Acura was never used down here in Australia, but I'm rebadging my Aussie Honda as an Acura NSX, mainly because I like the name (it's accurate :-) and it makes three car even more anonymous/unique. Only around 150 NSX were sold here, so they attract many looks, mostly not supecting a Honda. Rebadged as Acura will add to the mystique, and that amuses my small mind :-)
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

It's a JDM thing, just like how people rebadge their Lexus LS to a Celsior, or GS to an Aristo, or SC to a Soarer and such. It is also a bit confusing on the Acura NSX as at least the early NA1, not sure when they made the change almost everywhere you look it says Honda on it. The manifold cover plate says Honda, the glass says Honda, the parts bag all said Honda. I love just telling people all I have is a 19 year old Honda.
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

I like the JDM thing. I changed the air bag, removed the inner tailight sticker and had them tinted to match the JDM rear lights, and added a NA1 NSX-R Honda badge. I did it because I liked how it looks. People get confused when you pop the hatch and it says Honda on the motor and the car is badged Acura.
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

DRIFTER said:
I like the JDM thing. I changed the air bag, removed the inner tailight sticker and had them tinted to match the JDM rear lights, and added a NA1 NSX-R Honda badge. I did it because I liked how it looks. People get confused when you pop the hatch and it says Honda on the motor and the car is badged Acura.
Click to expand...

That's because most people are ignorant when it comes to auto manufactures.
 
Re: Acura - Honda ??????

Well it's a Honda.... Acura is just away to get them sold better...
Take a look at your door sills it says "Honda" if you have a pre '02 your engine also says "Honda"

Acura RL's are often re badged to Honda Legend.

Personally i like the H much better.

I've seen Lexus being re-badged to Toyota's and Infinity's back to Nissan.
On a G35 it looks good (Nissan Skyline) but on a Lexus i find it plain wired:tongue:

On a other note we jokingly call to 911's VW Bug's in the shop and bug's Porsche (bugs where designed by Porsche and a 911 has evolved from the bug)
 
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Ok lets clarify one thing for sure. It's Honda, parts come in a Honda box, but must be bought at Acura, LOL. I've tried.:biggrin:
 
I think rebadging as a Honda is more than a JDM thing.

Think about it, Honda have decades of racing heritage in F1, MotoGP, Super GT, LeMans. It make sense for their sports car to be badge with their red emblem.

The red Honda emblem gives people in the know a sense of racing passion and heritage. Acura invokes nothing to me. Those who followed Honda's activities in various racing venues in the past and present would share the same feeling. Racing is in the blood of Honda, no matter how recent events may lead you to think otherwise.

Acura on the other hand is merely a luxury marque. Some may prefer Acura for the prestige but the NSX and S2000 etc. are "Sports cars". I understand the owners who feel the need to connect to the parent company's racing heritage by rebadging.

To be honest, NSX with a red Honda badge is much more appealing than Acura. Acura to me is purely a prestige thing, but at the same time, your giving up all the heritage that comes with the car. That is like rebadging a Ferrari as something else. Ferrari without its racing history = just another supercar.

Perhaps it was the timing back in the 90s that Americans were not ready for a Honda super car which is why NSX was badged as an Acura. People often criticized for lack of heritage. If roots in F1, MotoGp, LeMans, Super GT + Ayrton Senna is not enough, I don't know what it.

Its the same reason GT-R remains a Nissan in the American market. It wouldn't be the same as an Infiniti GT-R, or a Cadillac Corvette Z06.
 
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The full rebadge to Honda (down to valve stem caps... LOL) is one of the things I like most about my car actually, among all of the mods.

The NSX was Soichiro Honda's baby. Soichiro was Enzo to the NSX. Acura, IMO, is a BS brand hacked together to attempt to capture sales in the US where BMW and Mercedes were so well entrenched.

Personally, I feel zero for the Acura brand and don't like it. I'm really not all that thrilled with Honda for the past 10 years or so either, but at least the Honda legacy is there. Acura is just bleh.

Lexus I put in a slightly different category because, to be blunt, Toyota can hang a "mission accomplished" banner over Lexus for actually creating a brand that has some inherent value of its own.

Infiniti, however, is also a garbage brand (IMO)... Notice that Nissan made sure to sell the GTR through Nissan dealers. Not a surprise I think.

Now of course for anyone who *doesnt* like the rebadge, or prefers the Acura badging, I think thats great too. It is, of course, more "correct" and truly stock since in the US, the car *is* an Acura. I do think that since Honda is on the engine, the glass, the doors, etc... Fully having Honda badging is actually ironically *more consistent* even if *technically* incorrect though.
 
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I won't go to the trouble of re-badging, but the whole Acura thing is a bunch of bs. The manufacturer is Honda, the parts say Honda on them, it's sold as a Honda almost everywhere, but it says Acura on it here, just so some owners can feel they're a little better than a Honda owner. Please.
 

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