Alez
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 07:41 AM |
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'02 Elise or '92 NSX?
Last saturday there was a small sports cars meeting where 4 cars covered 300 miles of small twisty roads (the cars were: Honda S2000, Honda NSX, Rover
K engined Caterham and my Locost Blade, I shall be posting a few pics soon as I don't have them with me just now).
So one of these cars was a Honda NSX and I kind of fell in love with it, so I've just had a look to its 2nd hand value.
It turns out that here in Spain you can find a '92 NSX with say 80000 miles on the clock at roughly the same price you would pay for a Rover K
engined Elise (say 3-4 years old and few miles, maybe 30000).
I'm buying none of them and anyway they're both too expensive for me but I'm very curious as to which one do you favour??
Opinions?
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marktigere1
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 08:04 AM |
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Honda NSX.
Nuff said.
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nick205
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 08:06 AM |
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Lotus for me
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NS Dev
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 08:12 AM |
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such different cars that you cannot really compare them.....................I'd add both to my collection!
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Hellfire
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 08:12 AM |
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Elise for me (S) too - Honda too refined.
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shortie
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 08:16 AM |
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Definitely the Elise!
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Alez
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 08:20 AM |
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C'mon guys, arguments, reasons!! 
(Reason I put the Elise to compare to is that it costs roughly the same but probably more important is that it's regarded as "THE"
car by many here, including me probably..)
Cheers,
Alex
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Alez
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 08:25 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev
such different cars that you cannot really compare them.....................I'd add both to my collection!
Are they so different? They can't be too far from each other in bhp / ton, and they should both handle very well (at least the Elise does, or so
everybody says, NSX not so sure). Is the NSX not as "pure"? What do you think?
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nick205
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 08:38 AM |
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Alez,
Reasons for my choice of Elise over NSX include in no particular order...
1. Looks - absolutely no contest IMHO
2. Size - the NSX is quite big isn't it?
3. Running costs - I'm assuming a 13 year old semi-supercar with 80k on the clock is going to cost more to run on tyres, servicing parts etc
(Japanese or not)
4. I've driven an Elise on the track and know how much I enjoyed it
5. Looks (did I say that already
)
6. It's a big part of the reason I'm building a kitcar as it's probably the cheapest way to get a car with similar/comparable power
to eight ration and handling (if not looks)
That do you?
Cheers
Nick
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shortie
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 08:40 AM |
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Had an Elise and loved it, only sold it as I wanted to build my own.
Elise will be easier to fix, get parts, cheaper, etc.
Rich.
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marktigere1
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 09:29 AM |
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NSX won't go wrong if looked after. It's a Honda.
LOTUS will spend most of its life in the garage fixing endless list of problems.
I know a guy who works for LOTUS who's job is to fix the problems on the Elise BEFORE they go out the door. Minor things like windows not
fitting or working. Leaks from the engine bay etc, etc. He wouldn't buy one!!!!
Actually I have known a few over the years as I used to live near Hethel and watch them test in the old days before GM put up a dirty great fence!!
Even so, I would still love an Elise myself. Just prefer the NSX.
Mark
If a bolt is stuck force it.
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway!!!
(My Dad 1991)
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Alez
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 09:40 AM |
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Very interesting answers!
> 1. Looks - absolutely no contest IMHO
Agree, no contest. Although the NSX doesn't look bad for its age, and for nowadays it looks a lot better than say the MX-5, mostly thanks to
proportions (it's wide and low).
> 2. Size - the NSX is quite big isn't it?
Yes, it's wide and considerably heavier (around 1350 kg), but rather low and has something like 275 bhp so still good power-weight ratio.
Talking about the MX-5, I'd love to see the NSX engine inside one of those, I wonder if it would fit?
Cheers,
Alex
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ned
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 09:43 AM |
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i'd have an nsx any day of the week.
looks just as good as an elise imho, more reliable, more performance, probably more practical if not easily as good as an elise.
probaby more refined as an everyday car, but unleash it on the track and I'm sure it wouldn't disappoint!
and as far as supercars go they are bargain prices, even if it is a lot of money, it is certainly money well spent.
Ned.
beware, I've got yellow skin
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Liam
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 09:54 AM |
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NSX anytime!! Proper engine!!
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Ian Pearson
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 10:07 AM |
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NSX!
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GaryM
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 11:01 AM |
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NSX
As an NSX owner for the last 7 years, I still love the car because...
It's fast, refined, comfortable and very very reliable so suitable for everyday use.
It still turns heads.
Cheap to service, compared to my Audi A4!!!!
Cheap to run 30+ mpg when driven sensibly. Insurance sub £500.
Reportedly, Honda subsidized each car to the tune of £200K.
I've driven the Lotus and although good fun it's not in the same league as the NSX.
Cheers
Gary
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Hellfire
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 11:40 AM |
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Although the NSX has undoubtably got the credentials to mix it with the rest of the supercars... I always considered it 'a bit girlie'.
You can't deny it is a lovely looking car - although ageing badly now - and it's performance speaks for itself. I've sat in one -
that's about it, but the looks... I just can't get my head around the fact that it looks feminine and as such I wouldn't have one.
Performance aside... it's in the same aesthetic category as MX6, Lexus Soarer, etc... is a 'pretty' car - not a muscle-car.
As for justifying having one because it's reliable. Why on earth build a kit-car of your own? - It's never going to be so relaible you
will never have to touch it again, is it?
All IMHO of course!
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NS Dev
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 12:21 PM |
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The big downside is the lack of power with both cars. I think the Lotus "gets away" with it better though. The honda is pretty heavy, and
275hp in 1350kg just doesn't cut the mustard in my book! To take an extreme example, my mate's old £5000 sierra cosworth would make it
look like it was standing still!! (405hp in 1350kg)
Much as I love Honda engineering, I can't understand the use of the word supercar with reference to the NSX. Bloody good car, but not supercar.
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NS Dev
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 12:28 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Alez
quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev
such different cars that you cannot really compare them.....................I'd add both to my collection!
Are they so different? They can't be too far from each other in bhp / ton, and they should both handle very well (at least the Elise does, or so
everybody says, NSX not so sure). Is the NSX not as "pure"? What do you think?
They are totally and utterly different cars!
The NSX is a GT car.
The Elise is a sportscar. Forget power to weight for a moment. Weight alone counts for a lot in terms of handling, braking etc. A nimble car is light,
that is a simple fact pointed out by Colin Chapman many years ago.
The NSX weighs roughly the same as TWO lotus elises!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I didn't say which "was best" because that depends on the "customer".
If I were 60 and living in Florida then I'd have the NSX.
Living in the UK and being under 30 I'd go for the Elise.
Having said that there are many cars that I would prefer to either!!!!!!!
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Jumpy Guy
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 12:42 PM |
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gotta be an NSX
absolutley murder an Elise, better mpg, never break..
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Alez
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 01:37 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by NS DevThey are totally and utterly different cars!
The NSX is a GT car.
The Elise is a sportscar. Forget power to weight for a moment. Weight alone counts for a lot in terms of handling, braking etc. A nimble car is light,
that is a simple fact pointed out by Colin Chapman many years ago.
Hmm, you seem to imply that the NSX is not too good at cornering.. but it was actually very good in practice. It's also worth a mention the much
smaller wheelbase of the Elise, no?
As for power to weight ratio and supercarness, I understand that's close to what Ferrari had to offer by that time, more or less?
Cheers,
Alex
[Edited on 12/9/05 by Alez]
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marktigere1
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 02:30 PM |
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Worth remebering that it was a guy called Senna that helped develop the NSX.
Nuff said.
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GaryM
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 02:36 PM |
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A little bird told me that the suspension of the NSX and Mclaren F1 bare more than a passing resemblance.
I was also told that the NSX was Gordon Murray's everyday driver when he designed the F1?
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Jumpy Guy
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 03:16 PM |
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Also worth considering than the NSX won EVO magazine drivers car of the decade, i think it was...
against all sorts of trick stuff, including Exige,Elise, M3 etc etc
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sebastiaan
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| posted on 12/9/05 at 03:31 PM |
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How 'bout this:
NSX as a daily driver (hmmmm......), and the Elise for those days when you want to go a bit crazy (or completely bonkers!)
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