Lucky bastid, that car was awesome
which year NSX is best, in your opinion?
- Thread starter fastaussie
- Start date
Lucky bastid, that car was awesome
Maybe if the OP re-phrased the question to read ........... if cost, resale or collectibility were no object, then many of the answers here may suddenly change.
Want to reiterate NA2s are definitely worth the extra.
The 6 speed, the 3.2 liter engine, and the power steering makes the car a much more enjoyable driving machine.
The 6 speed, the 3.2 liter engine, and the power steering makes the car a much more enjoyable driving machine.
There are a lot of guys on here that love the coupes - the early NA1 coupes and wouldn't have anything else. Know what they want and what they want them for! This idea that only the late models are great is total subjective POOP!
Now if you can get a Zanardi or late model NA2 COUPE then you may have a point - that they are worth the extra! Try finding one of them! The coupes offer an experience that cannot be duplicated in the targa with power steering! The driving purist wouldn't have a targa - the track guys wouldn't want a targa! Hell there are guys that search for old 911 "long hoods" with the sunroof delete or take a car with a sunroof and take it out for the track - set it up for racing. You couldn't sell a targa to a guy like that.
Not only that but some think that the dual paint color scheme is IT! They don't like the monotone! They love that F1 original fighter jet look! I love it myself and one thing I really don't like about the targa - actually there is only one targa I would have - the silver cause it looks ok monotone! But the two tone looks better imho. Some like the pop ups and wouldn't have it any other way. Some are willing to sacrifice a little handling and looks for the targa and power steering and the new interior in the latest model run 02+ cars or NA3 as some call them - I personally like that nomenclature.
So you see NSXs the old coupes - you can take them add JDM or short gears and headers and exhaust systems and have a car every bit as fast as the NA2s or pretty darn close. Hey it's splitting hairs anyway - who can tell by the seat of the pants a difference of .2 or .3 seconds under normal street driving. Normal street driving is what most do - ESPECIALLY the targa owners. They are mostly cruising with the top off - not out there beating it down on the track or pressing it on the street late at night I can assure you.
It's all preferrence and all NSXs offer a supererb driving experience. There is something for everyone with the NSX! :wink:
Now if you can get a Zanardi or late model NA2 COUPE then you may have a point - that they are worth the extra! Try finding one of them! The coupes offer an experience that cannot be duplicated in the targa with power steering! The driving purist wouldn't have a targa - the track guys wouldn't want a targa! Hell there are guys that search for old 911 "long hoods" with the sunroof delete or take a car with a sunroof and take it out for the track - set it up for racing. You couldn't sell a targa to a guy like that.
Not only that but some think that the dual paint color scheme is IT! They don't like the monotone! They love that F1 original fighter jet look! I love it myself and one thing I really don't like about the targa - actually there is only one targa I would have - the silver cause it looks ok monotone! But the two tone looks better imho. Some like the pop ups and wouldn't have it any other way. Some are willing to sacrifice a little handling and looks for the targa and power steering and the new interior in the latest model run 02+ cars or NA3 as some call them - I personally like that nomenclature.
So you see NSXs the old coupes - you can take them add JDM or short gears and headers and exhaust systems and have a car every bit as fast as the NA2s or pretty darn close. Hey it's splitting hairs anyway - who can tell by the seat of the pants a difference of .2 or .3 seconds under normal street driving. Normal street driving is what most do - ESPECIALLY the targa owners. They are mostly cruising with the top off - not out there beating it down on the track or pressing it on the street late at night I can assure you.
It's all preferrence and all NSXs offer a supererb driving experience. There is something for everyone with the NSX! :wink:
As personal experience, my first NSX ever driven was a 93, here is how it went.
1) Park the 02 S2000, walk to the NSX, super excitement in the air, my girl happy for me, we take it out the dealer, so much excitement, so low, such wonderful looking machine, so, I floor it, gf and I we look @ each other, that's it?? "wow, is low" said my ex ... me, I was confused, then I blamed on the car, it was a 93 with 45k miles -i believe- but looked beat up, still, that was a 35K car but perhaps not healthy @ all.
We didn't find justifiable to trade my paid off 02 S2k for a car that was perhaps 10% faster and much older ...
2) Second NSX, a 94, that was a more solid car, but again same deal, WHY would I trade a solid, fun to drive as hell S2K for a car that is not super much faster than an already not that fast car? .. that NSX was 36K
3) Another 93, dealer didn't let me drive, I was sad.
4) Then I drove my 97, 58K miles, I floor it, finally our necks kinda snap, one owner = GF and I looked @ each other :smile: = THAT IS MORE LIKE IT, let's sell that S2k! is it worth the extra $? = HELL YES she said ... we I end up with an Na2 instead my original intention that was a silver 91-94 @ 30K limit -we end up paying 40 for mine-
That was my experience.
Oscar
1) Park the 02 S2000, walk to the NSX, super excitement in the air, my girl happy for me, we take it out the dealer, so much excitement, so low, such wonderful looking machine, so, I floor it, gf and I we look @ each other,
that's it?? "wow, is low" said my ex ... me, I was confused, then I blamed on the car, it was a 93 with 45k miles -i believe- but looked beat up, still, that was a 35K car but perhaps not healthy @ all.We didn't find justifiable to trade my paid off 02 S2k for a car that was perhaps 10% faster and much older ...
2) Second NSX, a 94, that was a more solid car, but again same deal, WHY would I trade a solid, fun to drive as hell S2K for a car that is not super much faster than an already not that fast car? .. that NSX was 36K
3) Another 93, dealer didn't let me drive, I was sad.
4) Then I drove my 97, 58K miles, I floor it, finally our necks kinda snap, one owner = GF and I looked @ each other :smile: = THAT IS MORE LIKE IT, let's sell that S2k! is it worth the extra $? = HELL YES she said ... we I end up with an Na2 instead my original intention that was a silver 91-94 @ 30K limit -we end up paying 40 for mine-
That was my experience.
Oscar
Have you tried a 97+ NSX? If not you should ...
I have. I find it no different than my 91 with JDM gears and headers.
Have you tried an early coupe with JDM gears and headers - if not you should! My post still stands as a good discourse on subjective.
As time goes by it gets harder and harder to find purely stock early model NSXs. So it's likely that any 91 found will have a lot of the more popular mods done to it (intake/headers/exhaust). I've seen plenty of cars without the short gears, although, I understand that the overdrive gear is actually taller on the Japanese 5 speed than on the US spec (?).
Also, when we talk about short gears, are we talking about just swapping out the 2nd, 3rd and 5th gears, or are we talking about the 4.23 final drive gear as well?
With the 4.06, Japanese gears would certainly make for a more economical daily driver, as well as providing quicker acceleration for those on-ramp thrills. On the other hand, if you swap out the rear end gear, the individual gears should not be as important to worry about for gaining that extra punch.
Also, when we talk about short gears, are we talking about just swapping out the 2nd, 3rd and 5th gears, or are we talking about the 4.23 final drive gear as well?
With the 4.06, Japanese gears would certainly make for a more economical daily driver, as well as providing quicker acceleration for those on-ramp thrills. On the other hand, if you swap out the rear end gear, the individual gears should not be as important to worry about for gaining that extra punch.
My opinion only?
2001
1) Flip up lights
2) Last production year of above
3) 3.2L
4) 6 speed
5) Targa
6) Exclusivity - lowest production year. 1 of 166
2001
1) Flip up lights
2) Last production year of above
3) 3.2L
4) 6 speed
5) Targa
6) Exclusivity - lowest production year. 1 of 166
Last edited:
Just 2nd, 3rd and 4th. I don't think 5th even changes. It should say in the wiki. The 4.23 final drive is the Type R ratio and usually called such.
I think nsxtasy likes to post the graph every now and then, but there's negligible difference in acceleration times in the lower speeds no matter the combination. The US OEM tranny actually has more advantage in the higher speeds if I remember correctly, and most guys going FI will leave it because it's more time in gear.
The short gears do get rid of that 2nd gear lull though.
Short gears improve 0-60 by around 0.2s and adding 15whp improves 0-60 by about ~0.3s. 4.23 R&P gives an approximate 0.1 improvement. This is paraphrasing research previously posted on Prime.
+1. I agree I have ridden in a 99 around Road Atlanta and then in a 92 with headers exhaust and gears and it felt like the 92 pulled just as hard if not harder than the 99. I have a 91 and loved it. I didn't want the extra weight. Do your research and you'll be fine
its not about 0-60 times. the gearing on the track will make a huge difference because you will accelerate quicker through the gears and you will be in the optimal powerband when you shift.
if you plan to boost, long gears will benefit you better to allow the boost to build... but the reality is if you don't need to go 170 mph, shortening it with the same power would mean you go quicker. my Z is geared for like 215mph, but i don't need that so i went with a 4.10 FD from 3.90... probably would go shorter if they made it. (but they don't) don't know about you, but i rarely go fast anymore...
which year NSX is best, in your opinion?
Easy answer: The year that you own
Easy answer: The year that you own
I agree, my citing it that way was because it was a quantifiable means to say exactly what you said here....
best answer!!
Per the wiki: http://www.nsxprime.com/wiki/Gear_Ratios
http://www.nsxprime.com/wiki/Gears
"Both the 5-speed and the 6-speed do a great job of keeping the revs high once you get above 100 mph (above third gear), by not letting them drop below the high 6200's, so you have the acceleration advantage of the shorter gearing, whereas the Japanese gears force the revs to drop to around 5900 with both of the subsequent upshifts, reflecting taller gearing after the upshift. The numbers show significantly worse acceleration over 100 mph for the Japanese "short" gears than either the stock 5-speed or the stock 6-speed. The 6-speed would seem to provide the best all-around combination, because it doesn't drop revs too badly at any of the upshifts, so it's using nicely short gearing all the time. It combines the faster acceleration under 100 mph of the Japanese gears with the faster acceleration over 100 mph of the stock 5-speed gears."
The wiki says the 6 speed guys have it the best all-around, which is to be expected. I'm sure the shorter gears do keep the car in the powerband better on a more technical circuit, but it says the US gearbox has the advantage around 100mph and on, maybe more of a longer track with sweepers. The data kind of jumps back and forth though.
The short gears would really wake the car up on the street though. At faster speeds, it really gets fuzzy. The NSX could probably use the multiplied torque of shorter gears and a higher final drive.
Last edited:
well i thought VTEC engaged at like 5800rpms... so i don't see any problem with the revs dropping there on a JDM 5 speed... dropping in too high means you simply get less VTEC goodness... the 6-speed certainly has the advantage at the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts though. granted i'm new to the NSX, but in my general experience, i would go with the 5 speed JDM gears... and the 4.23 FD is a straight forward install.
that plus it is easily found as a coupe, the tiny wheels, lighter weight, no power steering, etc. make it the best, in my opinion.
after being forced to have T-Tops on my 300ZX TT (they only came that way in the US), i definitely didn't want them on my NSX. that said, i'd gladly take an NSX-R. :biggrin:
that plus it is easily found as a coupe, the tiny wheels, lighter weight, no power steering, etc. make it the best, in my opinion.
after being forced to have T-Tops on my 300ZX TT (they only came that way in the US), i definitely didn't want them on my NSX. that said, i'd gladly take an NSX-R. :biggrin:
I'd have to go with the folks that said 2001.
popups
3.2
6 sp
targa
newest with above
popups
3.2
6 sp
targa
newest with above
Ah, okay, makes sense now that I looked at it again. I noticed that in the chart, the Japanese 5th gear came in at a lower rpm and I thought it was taller because of that. But it's actually that 4th gear is shorter, so the road speed is lower when you hit the redline in 4th, thereby bringing 5th in at a lower rpm...
Okay this is something that I have struggled to understand and have concluded that all the math equals out at the end, but what you say here makes me wonder.
I understand that that the higher numbers represent a greater number of teeth on the cog and that those numbers are multipliers that affect the wheel speed relative to the engine speed etc. However, if a given rear end gear is used (let's say 4.06) to achieve a certain rate of acceleration or fuel economy or whatever, increasing that ratio (to 4.235 for example) will alter the performance of the car. However, if two identical cars are built with different transmission gearing and different final drive gearing, but the ratios on both cars achieve the same road speed at the same rpm, will there be a difference in performance (one car using shorter transmission gears with a taller final drive, and the other using taller transmission gears with a shorter final drive)?
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it... any examples would be awesome.
Last edited:
I owned a '91 and when I get another NSX it will definately be another '91. I have driven a NA2 but did not care for the chassis flex and there is less headroom. It has been well known that a NA1 with headers and exhaust is just as quick as the NA2.
Other differences of the '91 compared to later years
Single compartment center arm rest. (more room)
No power steering
No passenger air bag
OBD1 (better for engine mods)
R12 in the A/C system uses less pressure
Other differences of the '91 compared to later years
Single compartment center arm rest. (more room)
No power steering
No passenger air bag
OBD1 (better for engine mods)
R12 in the A/C system uses less pressure
well i thought VTEC engaged at like 5800rpms... so i don't see any problem with the revs dropping there on a JDM 5 speed... dropping in too high means you simply get less VTEC goodness... the 6-speed certainly has the advantage at the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts though. granted i'm new to the NSX, but in my general experience, i would go with the 5 speed JDM gears... and the 4.23 FD is a straight forward install.
that plus it is easily found as a coupe, the tiny wheels, lighter weight, no power steering, etc. make it the best, in my opinion.
after being forced to have T-Tops on my 300ZX TT (they only came that way in the US), i definitely didn't want them on my NSX. that said, i'd gladly take an NSX-R. :biggrin:
Yeah I think the short gears would be a fun upgrade. As per the 5800rpm note, you would spend more time in gear dropping to 5.8 and going to 8K, but you would also lose 400-500rpm powerwise which is where the acceleration difference comes in up top.
No argument on the coupe, no matter the gearbox combo. Very visceral car.
What we see as far as "ft lbs" as a torque rating is strictly referring to crankshaft work, power being work over time which is where RPM comes in.
You can have two cars at the same speed and same RPM with completely different gearing like you mentioned. They will produce the same power and torque at said RPM as well.
However, engine torque isn't what the road sees since torque is a force that can be multiplied (power cannot). Put a foot long breaker bar on a bolt you're trying to break lose, put 10 lbs of force on it, and voila, 10ftlbs. Get a two foot long breaker bar, put 10 lbs of force on it, 20 ft lbs. It would depend on the ratios among the gears that met and the final drive as to which car would supply more torque to the road.
My suspicion would be that the final drive, with the ring gear being so large, would have a much greater effect than the more minute ratios between gears in the gearbox.
Two cars at the same RPM, same speed, different gearing...I think the higher final drive would put more torque to the road (but obviously spend less time in gear and have a lower top speed).
2005 was the best year. Only 248 made, 124 sent to the US.
That is 124. Pretty low number!
Mine is one of eleven red/tan sent to the US.
Mint, low miles (15k).
It is always for sale for the right (fair) price!
That is 124. Pretty low number!
Mine is one of eleven red/tan sent to the US.
Mint, low miles (15k).
It is always for sale for the right (fair) price!
Similar threads
