Hey all, I'd like to introduce myself, and ask a couple ?s..

[kertong]

Hi, everybody!

warning: long, rambling post ahead.

I've been lurking on this site for a couple months now. At first, it was more of a cursory glance, but each subsequent visit lasted longer and longer.

Just a bit about myself: I was born in korea, but moved to southern california (torrance/PV) when I was 6. I came up to Nor. Cal to go to school at UC Berkeley, and just last year, graduated. I went back down to LA, took a crap-tastic job at the democrats. I hated the job. I left, and moved back up to silicon valley, and landed a job with google. Not the best pay, strangely - but more than enough to live on.

I'm sorry, but I don't have an NSX (yet). I'm still driving a 1995 camaro z28 that I bought when I was a junior in college. It's been through quite a time. I went through a phase, and slapped on some headers, intake, exhaust, hi-flow cat, 1.6 roller rockers, a more aggressive HOT camshaft, 1.6:1 roller rockers, computer tuning, what not. I nicked 12s.

But this car rattles, is large, brakes badly, and doesn't have much lasting appeal. It was fun to have 350ft/lbs of torque at only 2400rpm, but.. now that I'm older (25) and working full time, I need a more sensible, but fun car. Which is why I've set my heart on an NSX - I've loved the design ever since I saw one first when I was 15.

So, I do plan to purchase an NSX in about an year (gotta save up ). I'm planning on getting a 91-93ish NSX, and I've been reading up on the usual snap-ring, window regulator problems, as well as the FAQ, but there's a couple of other areas of NSX ownership that I am unclear on.

1) Attention.
Although the head-turning factor is definitely one appealing aspect of the NSX, it's probably lower on my list of priorities. The occassional thumbs up, wave, or even questions are ok - but I'd like to ask the NSX owners: "Is it ever too much"? Do you get tired of fielding questions? The constant stares, maybe some jealous glares? Everyone and their mother trying to race you? I'm also afraid of attracting gold-digging, materialistic girls.

2) Security.
I live in Mountain View, and I haven't been here long enough to get a grasp of the city's safety and crime, but it isn't a ghetto or anything. Are thefts for NSXs high? I plan on parking it on a covered parking garage (can't afford a house with a garage at the moment). How do you guys handle leaving your NSX in an open parking lot, say, when you're shopping at a large mall? Or the theatres?

3) rain/low traction driving.
When driving in the rain, is it easy to lose traction? I feel I'm reasonably experienced when it comes to low traction (300+tq@2400rpm going to a front-heavy, rwd car can be fun ), but this is a front-engine, rwd car. How differently does a mid-engine NSX react?

4) Lack of power steering in early NSXs.
I know the NSX has a little more weight in the rear than the front, and there isn't a heavy engine sitting on top of the two front wheels, but nonetheless: how much effort does the non-power-assist steering take? Would I be able to handle searching for parking in a crowded mall for 20+ minutes with my scrawny, girly arms?


I have more questions, but this post is getting so long. Thanks for reading this far.

So yeah - a warm "Hello!" from my end, and it's great to see a mature crowd on the internet. (I used to be a camaroz28.com regular until it was overridden by 18 year old hicks in their 80s camaros )

Looking forward to my first NSX! The itch is unbearable, and I haven't even driven one yet!

- Kyung Park

 

[Bart Geerts]

If you can stop the courtcase from google to the flemish satiric "Hoehel"-site I'll answer the questions....

1/ It's not that bad... People look at the car, most of the times because they have no idea what it is. But I can still drive around. No gold-digging girls juming in front of it. Where are they? Maybe my wife has a too angry look on her face when the 'blondes' show up :biggrin:

2/ Theft doesn't scare me, vandalism does!

3/ one way to loose the NSX sooner or later ==> drive at +100mph in the rain, one day or another you find yourself without an NSX.

4/ Since all weight is farely at the second half of the car powersteering isn't really an issue. It feels light.

drop that case! :frown:

 

[nsxsupra]

2) Mountain View is a nice area, It is part of Silicon Valley after all. Chances are you will see more 360 Modena, SL55s on the street than NSXs.

At malls, just make sure you park fairly far with no cars around it. At Steven Creek shopping center that should not be too hard.

You are so lucky to be in Mountain View. Biggest mistake in my life so far is moving out of Bay Area, hopefully I will be able to move back soon.

4) This is a non issue, you will get used to it in a hurry. Worst case scenario, you will get a good workout and end up with stronger arms. It is not that bad at all.

 

[hlweyl]

Welcome to the site. These cars do seem to attract some vandalism. I would never consider owning one without a garage but that choice is yours. I am on the paranoid side, but that's me.

Rain and power steering are non-issues IMO.

Best of luck

 

[0ctan3]

4) how much effort does the non-power-assist steering take? Would I be able to handle searching for parking in a crowded mall for 20+ minutes with my scrawny, girly arms?

don't buy cheap tires.
my car came with dunlop 9000sp's and I had to all but wrestle the wheel when parking... I recently switched to S-03's and the difference is night and day. almost feels like power steering now compared to how it felt previously!

 

[NSXROX]

Since when is attracting gold-digging, materialistic girls a bad thing? lol You'll learn to deal with the attention. Just be polite and friendly. For each person that mistakes the car for a Corvette, as many will think its a Ferrari. Get yourself a Valentine One, because the cops will take special interest in your car for sure.

 

[nsxtasy]

"Is it ever too much"? Do you get tired of fielding questions?

No and no.

Are thefts for NSXs high?

No.

How do you guys handle leaving your NSX in an open parking lot, say, when you're shopping at a large mall? Or the theatres?

I park away from other cars, in a space where other cars won't be too close. I worry about door dings, not theft.

When driving in the rain, is it easy to lose traction?

Yes, if you drive too fast or if your tires don't have much tread depth. Which is pretty much the same as any other car.

how much effort does the non-power-assist steering take?

Not too much, just the right amount.

 

[kertong]

Hi everyone,

sorry for the late followup, but I've had a pretty crazy monday.

I posted this thread on sunday night. By monday morning, I had gotten some good replies and info (thanks guys!). But monday afternoon, I was IM'ed by a local board member (joon/yaawn i think).

He was a fellow korean cal alum like me, and he IMed me to talk about the NSX and the questions I had about it. He even offered to let me drive his NSX to experience the sublime experience first hand. That blew me away - offering his NSX to a complete stranger he had just met on the internet - showed incredible trust and good will. I offered to let him drive my camaro, but somehow, I don't think that evens the playing field much at all.

I invited him over to google for dinner, where we had a nice meal, then went up to san bruno and stopped by opak racing to see his NSX. Wow. I don't get to see many NSX'es up close and in person, so it was a great experience. I've always been a domestic, smallblock chevy kind of guy, but being in opak racing and seeing the friendly guys working away on their passion, was very inspiring.

Thanks for all the good info, guys. I can already tell that the NSX owners are a very tight, exclusive, but open and friendly community.

I can't wait to join you guys. Thanks again! (PS - Bart, sorry, I don't work in the legal department. Why is there a case against the site anyway?)

 

[Bart Geerts]

..........! (PS - Bart, sorry, I don't work in the legal department. Why is there a case against the site anyway?)

Don't worry, it was meant jokingly anyways. The Belgian site is a parody on google in a local accent(language). They never meant anything wrong, they even linked everything to the real google. But I guess the boardmembers of google have a problem with humour.

 

[kertong]

Don't worry, it was meant jokingly anyways. The Belgian site is a parody on google in a local accent(language). They never meant anything wrong, they even linked everything to the real google. But I guess the boardmembers of google have a problem with humour.

d'oh, sorry to hear that, Bart.

On a tangent - have you heard of booble.com? Funny. They also parodied google and shared the same interface and site design - but I guess after some legal riff-raff here and there, they now have their own interface.