Hey, NSX owners, how is your car perceived?

Joined
5 April 2007
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8
I am finally able to buy an NSX. It's a car i have admired for years but could never really afford to buy one until now. I have owned only sports cars, but to me the NSX is still able to look like an exotic where as cars like the Corvette, 350Z, RX-7 do not. Don't get me wrong, i have owned a '91 300ZX, '89 Corvette, and a '93 RX-7 and have absolutely loved all of them. They however don't make "gasp" or whatever that feeling is called when you see a true exotic.

While I don't think it has the same presence that a Diablo or a recent year Ferrari might but it still (imo) has the ability to impress the way that only a true exotic can.

So I was wondering, does your NSX still get the looks and double-takes that the more conventional sports cars like the Corvette and 350Z do not. After all these years, does the NSX still have the ability to cause people to stop and stare whenever you drive by?
 
Absoutely not (at least here in the Motor City). I have owned three over the course of 10 years. Almost universally, the car is overlooked, except by 18-24 year old males (in particular, valet parkers) who obsess over the car. Disappointing, but true.
 
I live in Chicago and get looked at all the time. Women don't care....period.



True- 18-28 year old males love it. I get fingers pointed and I read lips that say "Oh sh*t!!" about twice a day. I also live in the city limits where there are a lot of people walking around. I drive my car every day.

There are also a lot of kids with civics/integras/evos, etc that have much respect for the NSX. I get mobbed by employees when I go to the carwash. Even in a larger city like Chicago, I maybe see one or two other NSXs in a year's time. (not including the meets, of course).

I went to an S2000 meet with a friend last week. 30 S2k's and me in my car. The kids were going nuts when I let them sit in it.

I really think it depends on your locale. Many people are just ignorant or simply don't care.

Just remember that you are buying this car for you, and no one else.:wink:
 
It gets tons of looks here in Toronto.

People pull out cameras about 25% of the time Im out in it.

It is not necessarily welcomed attention, but my car gets TONS of it.
 
I have people taking pictures, doing double takes, etc all the time.
It's rare that a week goes by that I don't see a camera phone pointed at my car.

Yesterday a maserati caught up to me on the way home and his wife was checking out the NSX hard as they passed me.

I'm used to it, but I wouldn't want any more attention.
 
I think your question does depend some on the NSX. A lot of people know the car, but few have actually seen the 02+ body. I get comments on that all the time.

I find mine gets more attention when I park it. I can park on the street, and go into a restaurant, and find 90% of people walking by checking it out. Looking in, out and under... mostly cannot figure out what it is. I have a debadged car. What also adds to the attention is when I take the targa off.

The attention does get to be tiring at times. Sometimes you just wanna blend in and in this car, you definitely cannot.
 
i definitly notice the attention at well. i live in new york city. when i park, i notice people would just stop and walk around the car and take a good look at it. or if i'm stopped at a light, i would see the passengers stare at the car super hard. i also get compliments when i fill up at the pumps.
 
Usually if people know about the car they will stare non stop, and if they don't they take a glance and then wonder. I think the color of the car also matters, usually it is natural for people to just stare at a very nice red or yellow naturally.
 
It seems like kids know more about the NSX than older individuals (probably due to video games such as Gran Turismo, Tokyo Xtreme Racer, etc.). A few years ago, I encountered a kid (probably around 12 years old) who knew a lot about NSXs. He even knew the changes between NA1 and NA2 NSXs. Older individuals often mistake NSXs for Corvettes. Even people driving Corvettes think that I'm driving a Corvette and wave at me. :rolleyes:
 
Definitely the under 35 crowd still admires the NSX. I have had 3 over 50 crowd ask me what kind of car is it at the gas station in the last 3 months. The best comment I have had came 2 weeks ago from a college age male in a 3 series BMW (with windows rolled down) who pulled up next to me at a stop light, and yelled out "THAT IS MY FAVORITE CAR IN GRAN TURISMO, AND IN THAT COLOR". I busted out laughing and said thanks.:biggrin:
 
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I was in a car for a demo drive on one i'm considering buying. The car was uninsured so only the owner drove the car. We went thru his neighborhood and there were houses being built and the younger construction workers definitely were staring at the car, one guy couldn't take his eyes off it as we turned around and took off down the street. The owner said it gets mistaken for a Ferrari all the time due to the red/tan colour combo. I can hardly wait to own one but it's for me not for anyone else. Personally I don't care to have others staring at me so it will take a bit of getting used to.
-cheers
 
I agree, Here in the cincinnati area there are people all the time staring, yelling, taking pics, etc... It must be the are but alot of people old and young here really respect the cars! BUT I own a couple businesses in a rather rural area and all the (hillbilly folk) just look at it and go " MAN what year vette is that" haha I just laugh and tell them its not a vette.. I get it atleast once a day when I drive it out there. It hasnt changed I recieved the same attention with my 91.
 
I get a lot of attentions and compliments here in Minnesota but its price less and it is not the point of owning the NSX to me. :wink:

From my point of view, we have a group of people that are not car crazy and just satisfy with any car to go from point A to point B. These people will not care or know much about the NSX (remember its rare!:eek: ). If they're happy driving a Ford Escort and don't care about other cars, I amen to that:biggrin:

NSX is one of my dream car since I was 11 years old and now I'm happy to own and drive the NSX and that's all matter to me:smile:

If you buy the NSX just to get the attentions like celebrity, please I suggest you don't! but be prepare for the unexpected:biggrin:
 
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Now and then I get people checking it out. At the gas station a guy approached me and asked me what kind of car it is. Everyone wants to know how much I paid for it. Sometimes it is the first question they ask. Recently a young kid in a T/C followed me for several miles and I was aware of this and drove to a different neighborhood than my own. He apologized for following me but had to know what kind of car it was and how much I paid. He was in the young 20s age group.

I agree with most posts, young males drool over this car, but most women don't pay attention to it. I did have one young girl try to keep up with me on the freeway and she said "nice car" to me when I eventually let her pass.
 
I see GameBoy/X-Box players...

I am finally able to buy an NSX. It's a car i have admired for years but could never really afford to buy one until now. I have owned only spo?

I can read their lips...<30 years old (inevitably driving Hondas/Acuras), pointing at the NSX and saying to the other person in the car...
"See, see THAT'S a HONDA TOO!!!"
 
The NSX gets very little attention where I live. That's only so because there are Lambos, Bentley's, AMG's, McLarens, F-cars, and every other type of collectible and exotic that you can think of. That's also the reason why I like having my NSX as it gets lost in the crowd.
 
I had mine trailered coming down the I-5 south on Sunday and I had people pointing and giving me thumbs ups and it wasnt even being driven. In my oppinion it is a car that no matter what it is doing ie. (sitting, being driven,trailered) that still turns heads. Couldnt ask for a better more reliable driver.
 
i get alot of good comments everytime i fill up the gas. people were amazed when i told them it is a 16 years old car :-) .

talk about turning head, i myself always admire to see a nsx on the road while i am on my beater. there is something about it when the nsx is in motion.
 
Everything above is accurate, it just depends on where you are. On certain sides of Houston, a F360 parked outside of the right sushi restaurant or what ever is pretty normal. An NSX probably isn't going to overly attract attention in those areas either.

I do agree the NSX has a certain charm or element that a z06, FD, Supra, etc. doesn't have. Like you said, it's not a Diablo or Ferrari but I believe there were more corvettes built last month than NSX's in the last 15 years.
 
"I believe there were more corvettes built last month than NSX's in the last 15 years."

I agree with that 100% The nsx will always be a headturner. A shame the women don't pay that much attention to it but what do you expect...
 
Its a hot commodity here in Calgary - people always stop to look at her - even at the car wash...lol...The NSX is an awesome exotic that will always turn people's heads! I don't drive her as much as I want...as I just do not trust people if I have to leave her for a bit - thus, I use my cadillac as my daily beater...and leave the "X" for golf days and long cruises down the highway.

Dam:cool:
 
My two prevous NSXs got looks, almost always while gassing up. Opening up the engine cover to check the oil is like broadcasting an invitation to everyone to come on over, take a peek and ask questions (especially how much did it cost). Within the first 15 minutes of owning my latest NSX, someone showed up with a camera and asked permission to take photos.
Should I charge for that? :smile:


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