Targa top/ Tires new owner questions.

[AndyNSX]

I will be buying a 2000 NSX-T next week, and have two questions.

1. Is the targa top easy to operate? Do you need need a seperate tool to open and close it?

2. The current owner just had new tires installed that are 245/45/17 in the back instead of 245/40/17 like they should be, and 215/55/16 in the front instead of 215/45/16. How much will this affect the ride and should i change them as soon as I get the car?

Thanks for the help,

Andy

 

[nsxtasy]

1. Is the targa top easy to operate? Do you need need a seperate tool to open and close it?

It sounds like you're talking about a sunroof... There are latches you release, and then, while you're standing outside the car, you lift it up and out, and place it in the clamshell carrier above the engine.

2. The current owner just had new tires installed that are 245/45/17 in the back instead of 245/40/17 like they should be, and 215/55/16 in the front instead of 215/45/16. How much will this affect the ride and should i change them as soon as I get the car?

The front tires are really, really big (7.2 percent larger in diameter than stock) and you will probably find that they rub on full lock. The rear tires are somewhat big (3.9 percent larger in diameter than stock); they will probably not rub, but they will throw off your speedometer and odometer (they will read low by that percentage). The car's handling and performance won't be optimal, but, depending on how you use the car, you might not care. (Handling and performance are also a function of the make/model of tires, of course.) You can try them, and whenever you get tired (no pun intended) of the rubbing and other effects mentioned here, you can get rid of them and get proper sized tires.

The OEM tires (Yokohama A022H and Bridgestone RE010) offer excellent performance and crisp handling, and of course they come in the stock sizes. If you decide to get some other tires, you will probably find that they are not available in 215/45-16, which is an "oddball" size for this reason, but you can use 205/45-16 with the 245/40-17 rear without any problem.

 

[Mirroredshades]

Just live with the schlep tires. In a couple of months you will probably want to swap on a new set of rims anyway.

:biggrin:

 

[CokerRat]

Some targa-top cars require a tool of some sort to turn bolts/screws that hold the top in place in lieu of clamps. I'm guessing this is where the OP is coming from.

 

[SilverStone05]

Yea, man...the targa is really easy to operate....push a button while you move a lever. Best part is you can store the thing in the clamshell holder above the engine.
As far as tires, i'd wait.....tires are pretty expensive and if the car doesn't ride weird or rub i'd wear the tires out before getting new ones.