Mr. Honda strikes again

[gheba_nsx]

I can't wait until they decide to get an ACURA here on the market. I named my company ACURA... I don't know if you know this, but here in Belgium there was a company called LOGO, and HONDA EUROPE had to pay that Belgian company to use the name LOGO in Belgium.

So, why did you forget the "LOGO" only a few topics above?

Ok, I here you all comming : "If you like Honda that much why do something like that??" ; I like Honda, but have some problems with the Honda Europe management here...

I dislike Honda Switzerland too... bunch of morons.

 

[azndng]

If you say I have an Acura NSX, they sometimes say things like "Acura can't compete with Lexus and BMW."

yeah.. i wonder why the just jump to that conclusion? i think its cause the cabin noise issue. every magazine/tv tester always say that honda's have "loud" cabin noises, and lexus always gets "you can't hear a thing in this car even on bumpy roads etc etc.."

 

[blknsxnoc]

Honda definitely needs to work on the "Acura" brand.

When I had my Lexus ES300. People gooed and gawed that it was a Lexus (even though its a glorified Camry). Since I got the X, When friends and acquaintences ask, I tell them that I have an Acura now and most of the time I get "You traded a Lexus for an Acura? why?"

Once I tell them it is an NSX, they understand but ACURA just doesn't hold the clout that Lexus does.
They tell others that I have an X while I tell others I have an Acura.

I remember an article in a magazine once that said something to the effect of:

"When someone says Lexus, most think of the LS400/LS430"
"When someone says Acura, most think of the Integra".

 

[4AU4LIFE]

I could care less who the 'parent' company of my car is. It could say 'slimball' and I would still love it.
BTW, I remember seeing someone of ebay a long time ago selling that very part for something like $60! I hope you didn't pay that much.

 

[gene '96 #178]

I was watching the a Honda commercial the other day and it was showing all the products Honda made.
The last image on the screen was that of a red NSX driving by.....

I thought that was pretty cool

 

[Vytas]

I remember seeing someone of ebay a long time ago selling that very part for something like $60! I hope you didn't pay that much.

I saw someone trying to sell the cassette deck door for $300!!!. I was told by a friend who had done this swap that a '93 Honda Accord SE had a Bose stereo in it. The door was nearly the same as that on the NSX. I luckily found this deck on eBay for about $20 and resold it (sans the door) for about $15. It took some time but I finally found it.

 

[Ben]

This completes my Honda conversion. Not a shred of Acura anywhere on my car.

Nice!

But how about:

- underhood and engine certification stickers?
- valet key
- OEM keyless entry
- CD Changer
- Owner's Manual



Haha, just giving you a hard time. Nice job!

As for the "H" vs. "A" emblem debate, I prefer Honda, because that's what it is sold as everywhere else outside North America and Hong Kong.

IMHO, I think Acura was a marketing ploy by American Honda to convince people that they weren't buying Hondas, because at the time (1986), they were afraid that Americans weren't ready to spend $25K on a Honda badged car.

I am proud of the NSX's Honda heritage, and don't feel I need to hide behind a marketing name to justify the worth of my car.

 

[NSXLuvr]

I could care less if it says Honda or Acura in the front/back.

As long as it says NSX on the door handle.

 

[Bart Geerts]

So, why did you forget the "LOGO" only a few topics above?



I dislike Honda Switzerland too... bunch of morons.

As I said earlier, no-one will take offend in forgetting that a car like that exists...

 

[j14nsx]

Actually, the Acura tranny should be faster from rolling acceleration after 2nd gear. As their 3-4-5 is closer than japanese tranny.

The European tranny is the same as the US one. At least the UK one is. If you can get to 83mph in second, it's the US tranny.

 

[Gerard van Santen]

The European tranny is the same as the US one. At least the UK one is. If you can get to 83mph in second, it's the US tranny.

Yes, you're right. Only the Japanese differs.

 

[mickeylex]

Looks great

Hey Vytas,
I've seen your car and it looks excellent! In addition to being one of the cleanest and best maintained NSX I've ever seen you've done a very classy job of making the JDM conversion. I look forward to actually seeing this final update at next months meet.

 

[Bart Geerts]

Just a detail, but you people who think you changed everything from ACURA to HONDA...
Is the A/C in degrees centigrade??

 

[PHOEN$X]

Although I don't care what the badge on the car says, I think Vytas did a professional job with the conversion. Nice work!

 

[91 X]

yeah!!!

how bout some pics of the whole car???

 

[Da Hapa]

yeah.. i wonder why the just jump to that conclusion? i think its cause the cabin noise issue. every magazine/tv tester always say that honda's have "loud" cabin noises, and lexus always gets "you can't hear a thing in this car even on bumpy roads etc etc.."

From someone who owns both marques (and an S2000) I'll offer my two cents.

Honda/Acura can't or doesn't compete with Lexus on a number of fronts.

1) Lexus has a better warranty
2) In general, there's a marked difference between the avg. Toyota dealership and the avg. Lexus dealership whereas most Acura dealerships (at least those I've been into) could simply be an old Honda dealership with different inventory and badging on the wall.
3) Customer care. Sorry, but I've got to say this from the minute you walk into the dealership to getting your car serviced at the 90K mile servicing (ie. long after its out of warranty), Lexus is hands down better than Acura. Yes, there are exceptions but I make this statement with a straight face.

There are other differences, to be sure, but these are the first that come to mind.

IMO, its a bit of a shame that Honda pioneered the "upbadged" Japanese premium car in the US and has let itself slip to the spot it now finds itself in.

 

[RyRy210]

As long as the steering wheel is on the left side, and the speedometer reads in MPH, to me it will always be an Acura.

 

[greyacura]

DaHapa, let's consider the procut mix.

In Canada, Acura decided they needed a Civic to keep revenues flowing hence the EL. Did Lexus ever introduce a Lexed Corolla?

Honda was very very slow in bringing a V6 to the Accord. Maybe they should have Acked a V6 Accord uniquely as an Acura.

Honda has continually diluted the brand and missed the market after the G2 Legend. ( After Soichiro's passing?)

There are too many riced up Integras and ELs running around to promote an upmarket brand now.

 

[Meeyatch1]

I would love to have all the Honda stuff...I like it that way.

 

[effer]

Honda has continually diluted the brand and missed the market after the G2 Legend. ( After Soichiro's passing?)

There are too many riced up Integras and ELs running around to promote an upmarket brand now.

I think Acura is going in the good direction with the release of the outstanding new TL and very interesting TSX...


Of course I think Honda did a mistake in adopting the alphanumeric designation and letting go great names like: Integra and Legend. But in fact the biggest mistake IMO was to offer less appealing and sporty designs. Let's face it, in the 1990's, Honda was ruling in regard of nice design and fun to drive cars without sacrificing fuel economy. I remember that every Honda at that time was desirable.

I could have find myself owning any of their models.

After 1994 until now, how can the majority of their models became so dull ( if not ugly )???...

I know it is very difficult to improve the almost best and nicest but if you can't radically improve a winning design, keep it and make it evolve slowly but surely.

I would like to know what actually happens to BMW market share with their new ugly designs.

Talking about slaughtering a car design, what about the Z4?

To each is own but IMO this is a ffffugly car.

 

[ChrisK]

Here I can't buy the other acura models. MDX, RL, TL, RSX... they are just not imported here. I wouldn't mind changing my 92 Legend coupe into a new one, just the new Legend is only available in 4-door here. I don't even know what model the new legend is over there? Probably the TL...

The US RL is the Legend. The US TL is the Inspire/Saber, and the US RSX is the Integra. Honda and Acura no longer have a 2 door Coupe version of the Legend/RL. We do have a car called the CL which is more of a 2 door TL.

 

[ChrisK]

As long as the steering wheel is on the left side, and the speedometer reads in MPH, to me it will always be an Acura.

True about the MPH, but isn't some of the European Honda NSX's left hand steering as well?

 

[nsxtasy]

True about the MPH, but isn't some of the European Honda NSX's left hand steering as well?

All of Europe drives on the right, with left hand drive cars, with the U.K. and Ireland as the principal exceptions.

You can read more about which countries do it, and why, and assorted trivia, here.

 

[Ben]

As long as the steering wheel is on the left side, and the speedometer reads in MPH, to me it will always be an Acura.

There are factory left hand drive Honda NSXs in Continental Europe, although their speedometers are in KPH.

 

[Vytas]

how bout some pics of the whole car???

Here are pics of the car and the other Honda parts. I know some of you have seen these before but I'll repost the images since I got a lot of inquiries.