- Joined
- 1 September 2001
- Messages
- 4,123
Greetings and salutations, NSXers. In an effort to put on a clean shirt and present myself digitally, I thought it best to start a thread, and celebrate my first post in style. Here is my rant and rave as to how I got here, I've been lurking around this site for some time now. I am on my second red on black NSX. I purchased my first in March of '95, a new leftover '94 coupe no. 472. I had the salesman figure out the difference I saved in price, between mine and a '95 targa, and it came to $18K. I had the roof, moldings and door handles painted red for $1800. Seemed to give the car a more Lotus type of look.
I moved back to New York City, from FL, in January 2000 and had the car serviced upon arrival. I was informed that the gasket between the transmission and engine needed attention and the clutch was half fried. Only 15K miles (?!), it cost $5300 to do the two at once. That evening, the fifth time I parked it on the street for a couple of hours, it was stolen. I heard the alarm, but I was getting laid at the time, and by the time I got on some pants and shoes, it was history. Normally (?), I would have run outside in my birthday suit to defend my car, but the wind chill factor was 20 degrees below zero. (Ever drive on cold tires on a brutally cold day? It is like riding on four bowling balls.) Hey, I actually don't have the right to do any physical harm to someone doing property damage, so all I could have done is ask him to please get out of my car. I have held people until the Police showed up before, and it isn't fun.
Well, actually alarms were going off all over the neighborhood, it was around 9:00 PM. The Sheriff was towing cars in the area and had a fleet of flatbed tow trucks with him. All I can say is that I heard my alarm for a few seconds, before it was silent. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I had a bad feeling. The Sheriff made me wait until he was finished with all the angry car owners, before checking to see if my car had been wanted, or taken, by any of his men. (He didn't seem to have any control over what cars they might have taken.) He told me to go to the nearest Police Station and make a report, since it was an out of state car.
The station was only a mile away, and I passed eight cars worth of officers hanging out in front of a local park taking a donut break. I walked into an empty Police Headquarters and explained my story to someone, who explained my story to someone, and so on. Twenty minutes later 'the man' in charge comes out of his office, hands me my paperwork, and tells me to check with the Sheriff, maybe it was towed. I tell him that I already did, and he says I should go to where the car was stolen, and dial 911. So, I do. One hour and forty minutes later, they show up, hand me a dozen affidavits to sign, stating that I haven't allowed anyone to use my car, or to damage my car. They get annoyed with me when I try to read the things I'm signing. In any case, when they go back to the precinct at the middle of their shift, they will file the papers. I say goodbye to NY's 'Finest' more than four hours after the car was stolen. "Welcome back to NY."
Feel bad for me? Don't. I'm NYC born and raised and I've seen it all. I left NY in '96 after my house was defaced, my business broken into, my Grandmother terrorized by someone that cut her telephone wires and tried to break into her house, and my car was torched, all in the same week. Well, that's another story. Soooo, Allstate takes forever to decide that my car is worth $33K, even though the dealer told me I could get $50K, since it was clean and maintained. After much back an forth, I determine that they made a typo, and are basing the value on a car with 150K miles, I settled for $44K. That works out to 8.1 cents per mile.
What to drive next? I felt the only step up would be a Zenardi Edition, and I located the prototype. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't '99 number 00, but instead it is '98 number 70. (From what I understand, the Japanese are into numerology, and having a 7 in the serial number is done for luck.) Mechanically, it is just like the 99 production run models, except that it has power steering, which, according to Road & Track, may just make it the best handling car in the world. (Yay for me!) Cosmetically, it doesn't have the plaque and the roof was black. I had the roof painted, without the door handles and moldings this time, by the same Mercedes dealer as the first, and it now cost me $2100, for less work.
It was a showcar/prototype with 800 miles on it, and I was rear-ended after only 700 miles. Just a scratch. At 2300 miles, I was clipped by an out of control panel van that had hit a puddle, $2300. On the way to the bodyshop, I almost T-ed a parked car, due to some invisible slime deposited on the road. (I'm normally good at reading the road, having ridden motorbikes my whole life.) On the way back from the bodyshop, someone in an hour-old Lincoln Navigator steps on the wrong peddle and plows into the car next to me, while I am waiting for a red light. I can still taste the paint chips, and I got covered with bits of grill and light lenses.
FYI-I've driven 20-40 highway miles on a rear flat, and you'll be happy to know you can get another 5-10 miles even after the sidewall tears. Good to know. Aside from that, New York now considers anything over 23 mph over the speed limit reckless driving, and seizes the vehicle.
The car is still stock. I've considered all the options available over the years, and mechanically, I like the Comptech headers, exhaust, air-box upgrades. 10% more power, and the drivablity and reliability should remain close to stock. If I hate the next NSX, I think I'll do those. I'm not keen on doing any body mods, but a larger wing and the see-through engine cover look like sensible cost effective upgades. I wonder about the drag caused by a larger wing. Does anyone know if the see-through engine cover causes any problems with dirt, heat or moisture? Fixed headlight kits are cool, but doesn't lexan scratch?
Anyhoo, I'm happy with my car (again), and wouldn't trade it for any other car. We make a good team. I wonder what the next NSX is going to be like. Road & Track says it will be steel, cheaper, and have a V-8. Car and Driver claims exotic materials, V-10 or V-12, and a $150K price. My belief, based upon what Honda has done with exotic motorbikes, is a more mass-produced type of vehicle, closer to what R&T state. Production methods have changed, and the exotic motorbikes produced by Honda have gone in that direction. If you remember the S2000 press release, they claimed that the higher costs of exotic body materials, in production, repair, and insurance, simply doesn't justify their use. Using new production techniques, steel bodies can be made with aluminum hoods and trunks for about 15 pounds of weight over an all aluminum body.
Anyone like the new RSX? I prefer the old Integra Type-R myself. While I don't like the pop-up head lights on my NSX, I think all cars look the same nowadays. Ever since they invented a computer program to design headlights, cars are looking boring. I thought Honda would do away with them by now, but why would they change them now after 10+ years, for a two year run until the new model debuts? As far as the all new model is concerned, the factory where the NSX is built is running at capacity making two other models, and they can't recoup any investment if they introduce an all new car that sells less than the current NSX. It takes about 200 million dollars to design a car, more for a world-class exotic. Honda isn't known for big-horsepower engines, but small fast engines. 354 horsepower is needed at the very least.
I'll leave you with this thought. I've had modified sports cars all my life (formerly a Porsche lover). I gave a lot of thought as to what car to buy, and I decided that the happiest times in my life were when I was a kid on my Honda mini and motorbikes. If you want the fastest car, go buy a Mercedes with the biggest engine you can afford. If you want a light aircraft for the street, it is the NSX. Accelerates twice as fast as a 911 over 100 mph, small wonder Porsche still plays with turbos.
I moved back to New York City, from FL, in January 2000 and had the car serviced upon arrival. I was informed that the gasket between the transmission and engine needed attention and the clutch was half fried. Only 15K miles (?!), it cost $5300 to do the two at once. That evening, the fifth time I parked it on the street for a couple of hours, it was stolen. I heard the alarm, but I was getting laid at the time, and by the time I got on some pants and shoes, it was history. Normally (?), I would have run outside in my birthday suit to defend my car, but the wind chill factor was 20 degrees below zero. (Ever drive on cold tires on a brutally cold day? It is like riding on four bowling balls.) Hey, I actually don't have the right to do any physical harm to someone doing property damage, so all I could have done is ask him to please get out of my car. I have held people until the Police showed up before, and it isn't fun.
Well, actually alarms were going off all over the neighborhood, it was around 9:00 PM. The Sheriff was towing cars in the area and had a fleet of flatbed tow trucks with him. All I can say is that I heard my alarm for a few seconds, before it was silent. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I had a bad feeling. The Sheriff made me wait until he was finished with all the angry car owners, before checking to see if my car had been wanted, or taken, by any of his men. (He didn't seem to have any control over what cars they might have taken.) He told me to go to the nearest Police Station and make a report, since it was an out of state car.
The station was only a mile away, and I passed eight cars worth of officers hanging out in front of a local park taking a donut break. I walked into an empty Police Headquarters and explained my story to someone, who explained my story to someone, and so on. Twenty minutes later 'the man' in charge comes out of his office, hands me my paperwork, and tells me to check with the Sheriff, maybe it was towed. I tell him that I already did, and he says I should go to where the car was stolen, and dial 911. So, I do. One hour and forty minutes later, they show up, hand me a dozen affidavits to sign, stating that I haven't allowed anyone to use my car, or to damage my car. They get annoyed with me when I try to read the things I'm signing. In any case, when they go back to the precinct at the middle of their shift, they will file the papers. I say goodbye to NY's 'Finest' more than four hours after the car was stolen. "Welcome back to NY."
Feel bad for me? Don't. I'm NYC born and raised and I've seen it all. I left NY in '96 after my house was defaced, my business broken into, my Grandmother terrorized by someone that cut her telephone wires and tried to break into her house, and my car was torched, all in the same week. Well, that's another story. Soooo, Allstate takes forever to decide that my car is worth $33K, even though the dealer told me I could get $50K, since it was clean and maintained. After much back an forth, I determine that they made a typo, and are basing the value on a car with 150K miles, I settled for $44K. That works out to 8.1 cents per mile.
What to drive next? I felt the only step up would be a Zenardi Edition, and I located the prototype. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't '99 number 00, but instead it is '98 number 70. (From what I understand, the Japanese are into numerology, and having a 7 in the serial number is done for luck.) Mechanically, it is just like the 99 production run models, except that it has power steering, which, according to Road & Track, may just make it the best handling car in the world. (Yay for me!) Cosmetically, it doesn't have the plaque and the roof was black. I had the roof painted, without the door handles and moldings this time, by the same Mercedes dealer as the first, and it now cost me $2100, for less work.
It was a showcar/prototype with 800 miles on it, and I was rear-ended after only 700 miles. Just a scratch. At 2300 miles, I was clipped by an out of control panel van that had hit a puddle, $2300. On the way to the bodyshop, I almost T-ed a parked car, due to some invisible slime deposited on the road. (I'm normally good at reading the road, having ridden motorbikes my whole life.) On the way back from the bodyshop, someone in an hour-old Lincoln Navigator steps on the wrong peddle and plows into the car next to me, while I am waiting for a red light. I can still taste the paint chips, and I got covered with bits of grill and light lenses.
FYI-I've driven 20-40 highway miles on a rear flat, and you'll be happy to know you can get another 5-10 miles even after the sidewall tears. Good to know. Aside from that, New York now considers anything over 23 mph over the speed limit reckless driving, and seizes the vehicle.
The car is still stock. I've considered all the options available over the years, and mechanically, I like the Comptech headers, exhaust, air-box upgrades. 10% more power, and the drivablity and reliability should remain close to stock. If I hate the next NSX, I think I'll do those. I'm not keen on doing any body mods, but a larger wing and the see-through engine cover look like sensible cost effective upgades. I wonder about the drag caused by a larger wing. Does anyone know if the see-through engine cover causes any problems with dirt, heat or moisture? Fixed headlight kits are cool, but doesn't lexan scratch?
Anyhoo, I'm happy with my car (again), and wouldn't trade it for any other car. We make a good team. I wonder what the next NSX is going to be like. Road & Track says it will be steel, cheaper, and have a V-8. Car and Driver claims exotic materials, V-10 or V-12, and a $150K price. My belief, based upon what Honda has done with exotic motorbikes, is a more mass-produced type of vehicle, closer to what R&T state. Production methods have changed, and the exotic motorbikes produced by Honda have gone in that direction. If you remember the S2000 press release, they claimed that the higher costs of exotic body materials, in production, repair, and insurance, simply doesn't justify their use. Using new production techniques, steel bodies can be made with aluminum hoods and trunks for about 15 pounds of weight over an all aluminum body.
Anyone like the new RSX? I prefer the old Integra Type-R myself. While I don't like the pop-up head lights on my NSX, I think all cars look the same nowadays. Ever since they invented a computer program to design headlights, cars are looking boring. I thought Honda would do away with them by now, but why would they change them now after 10+ years, for a two year run until the new model debuts? As far as the all new model is concerned, the factory where the NSX is built is running at capacity making two other models, and they can't recoup any investment if they introduce an all new car that sells less than the current NSX. It takes about 200 million dollars to design a car, more for a world-class exotic. Honda isn't known for big-horsepower engines, but small fast engines. 354 horsepower is needed at the very least.
I'll leave you with this thought. I've had modified sports cars all my life (formerly a Porsche lover). I gave a lot of thought as to what car to buy, and I decided that the happiest times in my life were when I was a kid on my Honda mini and motorbikes. If you want the fastest car, go buy a Mercedes with the biggest engine you can afford. If you want a light aircraft for the street, it is the NSX. Accelerates twice as fast as a 911 over 100 mph, small wonder Porsche still plays with turbos.
This must be some sort of record for digging up the oldest thread... 5.5years!
