Thinking about purchasing NSX over FD

Joined
25 September 2011
Messages
7
Hello NSXPrimers! I am seriously thinking about getting a NSX over a FD. I have been looking through these forums quite a bit and theres only a few things that scare me. One is cost of parts of course, but thats a given and two is that apparently NSXs have a minor snap oversteer?

I will be tracking the car occasionally, probably like 5 times out of the year and im really trying to see which one would be a better track car for me, the FD or NSX. Im not completely serious about tracking, just to have fun with the car because I dont do stupid stuff on the street. So I am a novice at tracking and was wondering which would be better to have fun in and easier to drive.
 
Parts are pretty reasonable if you compare it to the modern day BMW or Mercedes, however I can't answer your track questions and sure someone will chime in shortly. You will love everything about owning an NSX and the feel of driving it.
 
I would take the NSX over the FD anyday. The FD will be cheaper to acquire initially but reliability of the engine will not be close to what you'll get with the NSX. Once you setup the NSX with the appropriate suspension mods and make sure they engine is maintained(oil changes, filters etc) you'll be good to go for a looong time. Like anything, once you get used to driving the car you learn to control it. I haven't tracked my NSX(not sure if i will) but i know folks that do and it makes for an awesome track car or dual purpose.
 
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Just to remind everyone who wants to join in this discussion to refrain from whipping out IQ, horsepower figures, "my dad can beat up your dad", "my mods are better than your mods", and other irrelevant attributes. On Prime, we ONLY compare penis sizes. So carry on, gentlemen.
Steve
 
not usually one to show off,but here's the first entry in the comparo- is this what they mean by well hung?
 
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But seriously, drive them both. That will yield your answer.

And since your thread goes from "I'm serious about tracking and worried about snap oversteer!"...to...."I just want to have fun and am a track novice looking for an easy-to-drive car", then I'd say an NSX would be your best bet.
 
Yeah im leaning towards the NSX, Drove one and loved it, I havent drove a FD yet but I do know a lot about their reliability, I currently have a RX8 and N/A is much more reliable than the twin turbos. FDs dont right can be quite reliable but no matter what going have to rebuild twice as much as a NSX.

I do get mod bugs quite fast and I dont think the NSX would stay N/A. I would have to DD it for a little bit so NSX would most likely be the better choice for reliability. I should be joining the community soon though.
 
An nsx or the Fire Department? Not sure how well fire trucks are designed for the track.:rolleyes:

Is this a statement that FDs catch fire? Not that many FDs caught fire, most of the time its because people werent smart and never changed the fuel pulsation damper on a 18 year old car.

I am going to go with a NSX, Rotaries are very high maintenance and I dont know if I want to continue to deal with it. Eyeing a few NSXs right now.
 
no thats not what I meant. Everytime someone just says "FD" Fire Department comes to mind. Not at all implying that they catch on fire, but since you mentioned the dampner, good to know. btw, I wasnt trying to offend you.:smile:

Having been around RX-7's I think you will be pleased with the nsx as a duel purpose track and driver friendly car. In addition, I think (could be wrong) but there are more well maintained NSX's around than equally cared for RX-7s. goodluck!
 
Both great driving experiences, very different driving experiences, and different levels of maintenance.

Nsx: dead reliable, beautiful in a classy way, fast but not pin you to your seat fast unless you go fi, smooth and refined (relatively). Not a big learning curve to keep it going for years, even track driven.

Rx7: a rowdier ride, visceral, the thing begs to be driven fast, beautiful in a very sporty way, fast and with minor upgrades its pin you to your seat fast. Overly complex stock turbo control system, insufficient cooling, insufficient engine bay ventilation. PM including some preventative mods are key before the car gets too hot. Find a good one with the 'issues' sorted out and it will be fairly reliable, though still no where near the nsx. Much cheaper initial investment than nsx, cheaper to make fast, bigger maintenance expenses over time.

Both handle incredibly well. Personality: the nsx is a greyhound, the rx7 is a really fast jack russell.

I think the nsx sounds better for you, but in the end drive both - very different cars. One is a drive and forget (mostly), the other is a "project" car. Keep in mind the caveats with the rx7. They often work better with a switch to a single turbo btw.
 
Yeah ill most likely pick up a NSX. Been around Rotaries for so long so I do know all their quirks, I have a RX8 at the moment. Use to have a WRX. Been reading so much on FDs that their issues are easy to sort out, maintenance is a pain for any rotary but a thrill to drive.

No matter what, even if reliable mods are done to FD rebuilds still need to happen around 150k where NSX is roughly 300k or something like that? Although rebuilds are way cheap on Rotaries unless you toss around a apex seal then costs are about the same. FD is a never ending project though. Now im just talking a lot. Ill be getting a NSX, I wonder if its cheaper on insurance than FD though.
 
Unless the FD had an LSx swap I would take the NSX over it any day for a track car. The 13B is just too finicky, I can take the NSX out and rape it all day on the track without fear of breaking anything, event after event. There are tons of members here with well over 100k miles (including myself) that track their cars with zero issues, you couldn't say that much about an FD. ;)


That said, the next car on my bucket list will probably be an LS7 FD.
 
http://nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45175

I had a FD.

FD and RX8 handles very similar, but the FD being a shorter wheel base will be a little more twitchy towards the limits compared to the RX8 (my brother has one).

Both cars handle really great.

Both seem to pull about the same Gs based on this freeway turn that I use on all of my cars/trucks. The carry through and exit speeds between the FD and NSX is about the same.

The NSX seems to inspire a little more confidence towards the limits since you have a longer wheel base and TCS.

FD is all skill. None of the electronic safety net in the NSX and RX8.

The nice thing about the FD's front mid-engine layout is that it's easier to recover the car if you start to tail out than a rear-mid engine car like the NSX. However, the NSX is one of the easiest, if not the easiest rear-mid engine car to drive.

Bang for the buck in terms of power will go to the FD. Either in rotary form or LSx engine conversion.

NSX is better than a none LSx FD in terms of MPGs.

NSX is better in terms of fit and finish and reliability stand point.
 
Maybe asking your question here isnt the best place. 99% of the people are going to say pick the NSX. I have no experience with an RX7. So I cant give you some good advise. All I know about the RX7's is the turbos always seem to go at 50,000 miles. Im just going by what happened to a couple people I ran into.
 
Maybe asking your question here isnt the best place. 99% of the people are going to say pick the NSX. I have no experience with an RX7. So I cant give you some good advise. All I know about the RX7's is the turbos always seem to go at 50,000 miles. Im just going by what happened to a couple people I ran into.

I ran synthetic oils and my turbos lasted 130k miles before I rebuilt it to upgrade the turbos.
 
I owed a really nice Rx-2 with a street ported 12a. Rotary engines are a nightmare in terms of reliability. My last girlfriend had an Rx-8 and it drank oil like crazy and got 18mpg
 
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