New Owner 93 NSX

[Stevey629]

So, which car cover should I get? I'm really really on the fence with the SOS and the KHRANT one, and I really want to get one as soon as I can. I just can't make up my damn mind. SOS is 3 layer and looks like it'd offer better protection. KHRANT comes with bandit lock, cable and storage bag but is thinner. How much difference does the thickness/weight really make? Sigh. I live near the ocean, so condensation is a huge problem. I'm worried that a thin one won't protect it from condensing.

I was also looking to fix the trunk struts, and found the columbia ones (prime member carries them) that don't have the correct offset. Can anyone vouch for their fitment? I would seriously think that they would rub/hit the trunk.

Adding to my big complaint list: Small thing perhaps, but my gas door doesn't open unless I press it to open it, while holding the pull flap to release it. Its not a big deal, since i can reach the pull flap and the fuel door at the same time, but it'd be nice to get it to just open after pulling the release flap.

Driver side door panel is kind of loose too. Just the trim piece that surrounds the airvents, and is painted to match the center console. All these little things I find just keep bugging me. I'm super busy all the time, so its tough to find time to work on her. Of course having the know how might help things go faster.

Thanks for reading my rant....again...

 

[HTN]

Congrats Steve.
I would love to have a blk car, but man the paint....
Too anal to make the jump. Meanwhile, I'll just enjoy other members blk NSX.
The little items you mention shouldn't be too much trouble to fix. I also have a 93Z with a couple of minor things as well. Just know that it's an older car and it's not supposed to be perfect.

As to car cover, you want something that is breathable. Trapped condensation would not be a good thing.

Happy motoring.

 

[Stevey629]

Ya. Black is unexpectedly difficult to keep clean. I've owned red, white and blue, and they've all been a breeze to keep clean compared to black. I feel like I have to wash it once a week at minimum to keep it where I want it, not to mention wax it as well. I am looking into the Zaino stuff, and visited their website. Holy crap there are a lot of things that I feel like I need, but thats tricky marketing I suppose. There are so many different products that they have, its tough to narrow down which ones I actually need. So far, I've figured Zaino all in one polish to remove scratches, and Z5 for scratches and swirls. I have mothers claybar, so I think that should work for now.

As for car covers, yeah, I figured one that breathes is a good thing. Maybe I'll get the thinner Khrant one. The SOS one seems cumbersome to store, and has no bandit lock system, but the coverage seems better.

 

[NSXclear]

You can fix the gas door by bending the metal tab.

The tab is near the hinge

 

[HTN]

Steve... if you were near by, I would love to help out with the paint correction. I've been experimenting with paint corrections for the past 3 years. Seems to be working out really well for me. I guess I'm just too cheap to pay the pros. It's also very therapeutic for me to shine my cars.

Btw... I've used many products in the past. I never grab stuff off the shelf from target/walmart. Zaino has been my fav.

 

[BATMANs]

Ya. Black is unexpectedly difficult to keep clean. I've owned red, white and blue, and they've all been a breeze to keep clean compared to black. I feel like I have to wash it once a week at minimum to keep it where I want it, not to mention wax it as well. I am looking into the Zaino stuff, and visited their website. Holy crap there are a lot of things that I feel like I need, but thats tricky marketing I suppose. There are so many different products that they have, its tough to narrow down which ones I actually need. So far, I've figured Zaino all in one polish to remove scratches, and Z5 for scratches and swirls. I have mothers claybar, so I think that should work for now.

As for car covers, yeah, I figured one that breathes is a good thing. Maybe I'll get the thinner Khrant one. The SOS one seems cumbersome to store, and has no bandit lock system, but the coverage seems better.

Take it from me.

I've used Zaino for nearly a decade.

The ZAIO is for daily used cars. It has very mild abrasives for some mild blemishes.

U will need that and Z2 (the stuff that builds layers and really shines like it's wet).

Z-PC is the last call to see if ur that part of the car needs to be repainted.

Z5 is nice, but u probably won't need it if u run ur car through Z-PC, taking out the swirl marks.

After that use ZAIO, wipe it off and then put on Z2 over it.

check out these results:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1245395#post1245395

 

[Stevey629]

Ya! I saw that post, and holy cow! Its an absolutely amazing finish. So ZAIO all in one polish, and Z2? and thats it? After a dawn wash and claybar? I thought Z5 was for black/dark colors, and helps to reduce the appearance of swirls/scratches. This stuff looks like it can get expensive quick, so I want to go as economic as possible.. My paint can definitely benefit from AIO (all in one) polish because of its mild abrasive characteristics, but I think that Z5 might actually help to round out the job. My paint has some spiderwebbing, and swirlies, but I don't think its in need of Zaino PC. Its not nearly as bad as the car in the linked thread.

Car cover advice? SOS or Khrant? These are the 2 that are in my price range. No need for some crazy silk custom fit one.

Another thing, I'm planning on replacing the emblems, but need to heat the center tailight apart so I can remove the acura sticker, and add the red "H". I've read how to do it, but what I'm wondering is this:
Is there a difference between the actual OEM NSX-R red H tailight piece, v.s. just getting another front emblem and sticking it on? I have looked at lots of pictures, but can't really tell the difference. I like the look of the more rounded NA2 emblem as opposed to the squared off NA1 filled honda emblems.

I'm also looking into car alarm systems. Its tough to sit in my office and worry about my car, so I was thinking of getting a viper pager system. My bro just got one for his S2000 and it seems to be pretty decent. Its nothing super fancy, but it works. For those of you who have aftermarket alarms, if you know of something better for the price (150-200) I'd appreciate the advice. I have an old school one currently installed, with a one button remote on a chain. Very reminiscent of the 90's. It sucks because I have to be near my car to confirm that its locked, because the one button toggles arm/disarm. I'd rather just hit a separate lock button a bunch of times to make sure its locked. Pager confirmation is also a cool feature that puts my mind at ease.

Edit: I'm sorry if this thread is getting way too thin, and is dipping into all sorts of different topics. I understand that it's flexing the posting rules, and I probably should post each of my concerns/ideas in the separated categories. Nevertheless, some of my questions are in my opinion a bit trivial, and would be best discussed in a quick Q&A format in one spot. Let me know if I am in error, and I'd be happy to sort my questions/comments out and re-post in the proper sections. I guess its just the thought process for me. I have all sorts of things whizzing through my head about this car, and just like posting/reading about it all at once. Thanks for all of your input guys. It's really been helpful.

 

[BATMANs]

Ya! I saw that post, and holy cow! Its an absolutely amazing finish. So ZAIO all in one polish, and Z2? and thats it? After a dawn wash and claybar? I thought Z5 was for black/dark colors, and helps to reduce the appearance of swirls/scratches. This stuff looks like it can get expensive quick, so I want to go as economic as possible.. My paint can definitely benefit from AIO (all in one) polish because of its mild abrasive characteristics, but I think that Z5 might actually help to round out the job. My paint has some spiderwebbing, and swirlies, but I don't think its in need of Zaino PC. Its not nearly as bad as the car in the linked thread.......

i don't know what ur car looks like, but if the swirl marks are minor then use the following:


ZAIO
Z5
Z2

 

[Stevey629]

Do I really need to use the flash curing additive with them too? ZFX or something? I read that it helps to harden each coat if you plan on doing multiple coats at a time.

 

[BATMANs]

Do I really need to use the flash curing additive with them too? ZFX or something? I read that it helps to harden each coat if you plan on doing multiple coats at a time.

It takes the Z2 no less than 6 hours to fully cure. But this is really only important if u want to start building up layers for deeper and wetter shine.

Since I wash and wax my cars with Z2 every week i don't use or have a need for the ZFX.

U might want to pick and after noon to apply ZAIO, wipe it off and then Z2. Park it over night and the next morning when u get up, apply Z2.

Granted that u don't was it with Dawn after the first wax pplication, u will only need Z2, unless there are some swirl marks that needs to be taken care of.

It's the first time of applying Zaino that takes the most time and expenses.

After that, it's just maintainence......

 

[Cozmo]

I will try shooting some compressed air into it...Doing this really cures the sound coming from deep in the center console behind the radio? I guess the sound of the dirt might radiate to the fans.

Well I usually hear the sound coming FROM those little slits since I don't have any big holes in my console. It is pretty obvious because the sound nearly goes away if you stick your thumb over the holes.

 

[Stevey629]

Interesting. I guess the problem is that I don't have anything in my stock stereo location, its just a wide open hole. Plugging that hole with my thumb doesn't do anything in terms of blocking sound. I hear it echoing through the missing stereo. As for the Zaino stuff, I guess I could just try sticking with Z2 and ZAIO for now. Heck, it'll save me the money, which I do need to do at the moment.

 

[NSXclear]

Tape something over that missing stereo hole and see if the sound comes from the aspirator fan. Cut out a Manila folder or cardboard.

Interesting. I guess the problem is that I don't have anything in my stock stereo location, its just a wide open hole. Plugging that hole with my thumb doesn't do anything in terms of blocking sound. I hear it echoing through the missing stereo. As for the Zaino stuff, I guess I could just try sticking with Z2 and ZAIO for now. Heck, it'll save me the money, which I do need to do at the moment.

 

[Stevey629]

I'll give that a shot, but I really think its coming from somewhere else inside/behind the center console. Not a bad idea though.

I took some pics of my paints condition. I think Z5 is required with ZAIO, and a finish with Z2. What do you think? I have definite swirling.

 

[BATMANs]

I'll give that a shot, but I really think its coming from somewhere else inside/behind the center console. Not a bad idea though.

I took some pics of my paints condition. I think Z5 is required with ZAIO, and a finish with Z2. What do you think? I have definite swirling.

those will just cover it up.

the way I would do it would be to run it through ZPC once and if u still see swirl marks and scuffs (which I will doubt if u do it right), then do the following sequence:

ZAIO
Z5
Z2

 

[Stevey629]

ZAIO has an abrasive in it though...I thought ZPC is typically used on paint that is heavily heavily scratched. Do you think mine is that bad based on the pictures? most if not all scratches seem to hide with a standard wax...but thats one's opinion I guess.

 

[BATMANs]

ZAIO has an abrasive in it though...I thought ZPC is typically used on paint that is heavily heavily scratched. Do you think mine is that bad based on the pictures? most if not all scratches seem to hide with a standard wax...but thats one's opinion I guess.

yes ZAIO does have mild abrasives, but from my experience is more for dried bugs, bird shit, oxidation.

the issue I have with it is that it's also a polish and will probably just hide what u want to polish out in the first place.

U can try ZAIo first and if it doesn't yield the desired results go with the ZPC.

 

[Liquid]

Keeping a black car clean is a never ending battle. When it is clean, it is a thing of beauty to behold.

Lots of good information available on detailing on various forums, including the detailing sub-forum on Prime. Everyone will recommend a Porter Cable random orbital polisher. You can learn all about the techniques on the internet as well. Some forums I've been too:

http://www.detailuniversity.com/forums/
http://www.autopia.org/forum/index.php

And there are how-to videos on youtube as well. Welcome to NSX ownership. You won't regret it.

 

[Stevey629]

The sound does go away after holding my thumb over it. It takes a little while, but it goes away almost entirely. It seems like the fan behind it can't get enough air from me plugging it up or something. So how do I fix this permanently?

 

[NSXclear]

Your going to have to take out your center console to get to it. You might be able to reach it through your empty radio cavity, but taking the center console is also very easy.

I can help you if you need. I'm in San Diego. I can probably do it under 5 minutes now.

After you take out the fan, you have to clean it with compressed air and remove all the debris (hair, string, dust). Hook the fan up to a power source. You will have to tighten the rear screw until the fan doesn't spin any more, then back it off a little bit.

 

[Stevey629]

UPDATE:

I've just been doing the little "cheap" upgrades for now. Here's the list:

So, I've fixed the aspirator fan. It was extremely dirty, wrapped in hair, dirt, dust etc. But cleaning it didn't make the noise go away. What made it finally shut up was a single drop of 3 in 1 oil on each side of the fans "pin" axles. Worked wonderfully. Whisper quiet. Probably one of the more satisfying fixes that I've done so far. Listening to that little thing click was driving me nuts.

Sent my struts out to Strutwise in Canada to get refurbished. Excellent quality. I marked my struts with a sharpie to make sure that I got the same set back. Sure enough, I did. I'd highly recommend Frank at strutwise if anyone is having problems with theirs. Mine had deep scratches on the shafts too. I don't know how he fixes it, but they were perfect when they came back. Its like magic how well they work. Gone are the days of the wooden dowel in the trunk.

Got new floor mats and trunk mat. OEM gray with silver pip stitching. Nice clean factory stuff.

Replaced the emblems/logo with NSX-R emblems on the front and back. Took off the cracked Acura emblem on the front, replaced it. It makes an amazing difference to see a high contrast, high quality OEM "H" emblem on the front. The old "A" emblem was hanging on like a loose tooth. Centering the emblems up was a pain! My method was sorta complex, but I guess it worked. I measured it all up, ran some masking tape with pencil lines like crosshairs to determine the dead center, then did the same on the actual emblem itself. Placing them was just a matter of lining up the masking tape.

*Heating the rear lense apart:
I've read that most people use the boiling water method for taking the lense apart. I employed a different method. I used to do RX-7 99 spec tail light light conversions, and from experience, using a heat gun is much more controllable. The "booger" like heat glues tend to cool quickly, so the heat gun gave me the freedom to heat and pry slowly rather than just rushing the second it comes out of the water. This lessens the likeliness for stress fractures to the lense. Incidentally, mine came out perfect.

Bought an NSX-R shift boot and ARC titanium knob. The old OEM one was ripped, and the plastic was cracked, making the whole thing sag away from the center console. A fun simple mod with high satisfaction; for me anyway.

Thats all for now folks.

 

[BATMANs]

.......*Heating the rear lense apart:
I've read that most people use the boiling water method for taking the lense apart. I employed a different method. I used to do RX-7 99 spec tail light light conversions, and from experience, using a heat gun is much more controllable. The "booger" like heat glues tend to cool quickly, so the heat gun gave me the freedom to heat and pry slowly rather than just rushing the second it comes out of the water. This lessens the likeliness for stress fractures to the lense. Incidentally, mine came out perfect. .....

How do you do the boiling water method?

just pour it on the lens? Or find a pot large enough to take it and simply boil it?

 

[Stevey629]

I guess what people do is find a pot that is large enough to fully submerge the lense, like a stew pot or pasta boiling pot. They boil water in that pot, then put the lense in for 5 minutes or until the glue softens. Next, remove the lense from the water then start prying. People seem to have a lot of success with this method, but I opted for a dry method just to keep everything, well, dry. I also had the added bonus of being able to heat then pry, heat then pry. I didn't have to rush to take it apart, which in my opinion, removes the risk of getting impatient and possibly cracking the lense from stress.

 

[Surreal]

I am a little late on this thread, but could not resist. I too am a new owner of a 2000 NSX after deciding to give up my 94 RX7. I thought I might keep both, but after driving my new NSX for the first time this week, there is no way I could ever go back! I had the FD for 10 years and before that a first gen. I thought I might be buried with a rotary, but now it will definitely be the 3.2L VTEC! I bought my NSX from Mike in Atlanta and had it trucked out here to Roseville. This is the best decision I ever made with respect to cars...

Are there any other NSX owners in the Sacramento area?

Wayne

 

[Surreal]

This is my 94 FD when my wife and I drove it down to Seven Stock in Irvine. Farewell. You were high maintenance, but you sure got the looks....