Help! Do NSXs have trouble turning in?

[ConorNZ]

Hi Guys

Need your expert help real quick. I test drove an NSX today (that yellow one that's been on the market for a while as I've given up hope of finding a facelift targa) and overall it was great, but the steering was really odd. Every time I turned into a corner, I had to adjust and turn the wheel a bit more. For some reason, I couldn't get the amount of lock right every time - it just wasn't intuitive. It felt like understeer, but it happened at any speed.

I've driven the first NSX without power steering and it was all perfect, so I'm slightly concerned there's something off with the geometry? It has a momo wheel - don't know if the smaller diameter would have any impact?

Or maybe it was just me...? The car is near B'ham and I'd be happy to pay an expert to go check it out for me.

Cheers
Conor

[AR]

Any chance the steering wheel was not centered?

[NoelWatson]

Hi Guys

Need your expert help real quick. I test drove an NSX today (that yellow one that's been on the market for a while as I've given up hope of finding a facelift targa) and overall it was great, but the steering was really odd. Every time I turned into a corner, I had to adjust and turn the wheel a bit more. For some reason, I couldn't get the amount of lock right every time - it just wasn't intuitive. It felt like understeer, but it happened at any speed.

I've driven the first NSX without power steering and it was all perfect, so I'm slightly concerned there's something off with the geometry? It has a momo wheel - don't know if the smaller diameter would have any impact?

Or maybe it was just me...? The car is near B'ham and I'd be happy to pay an expert to go check it out for me.

Cheers
Conor

Mine occasionally feels like that after driving a car with higher geared steering.

[Hagasan]

I was previously driving a Porsche 964RS, a Lancia Delta Integrale Evo and a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. When I got my NSX I was slighly shocked at how much wheel twiddling was required to turn the 90 degree low speed bend in my street. Driving at speed etc is fine once you get used to it...it is a little lower geared than you might expect it to be but I wouldn't say the car has a ploughing on understeering tendency. I think it's more of a slower in/faster out kind of car when it comes to cornering. You kind of feel the balance point and work with it rather than just chucking it into corners. The car does have surprising high levels of grip when driven properly...Of course any car can feel completely wrong if the geometry is out. Have a good look to make sure nothing is bent or damaged causing any weird handling....

[NSX 2000]

Were the tyres of all the same make and type?

[NoelWatson]

I was previously driving a Porsche 964RS, a Lancia Delta Integrale Evo and a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. When I got my NSX I was slighly shocked at how much wheel twiddling was required to turn the 90 degree low speed bend in my street. Driving at speed etc is fine once you get used to it...it is a little lower geared than you might expect it to be but I wouldn't say the car has a ploughing on understeering tendency. I think it's more of a slower in/faster out kind of car when it comes to cornering. You kind of feel the balance point and work with it rather than just chucking it into corners. The car does have surprising high levels of grip when driven properly...Of course any car can feel completely wrong if the geometry is out. Have a good look to make sure nothing is bent or damaged causing any weird handling....

Agree with that. One thought is that it could be the LSD being slightly tighter in the more recent cars giving slight push - I notice that sometimes, but tends to be when I have got on power too early coming out of a corner. Get it right and you feel the attitude of the car shift slighly as the rears scribe a slightly wider line.

[ConorNZ]

Thanks guys - all the tyres were the same and pretty new (Bridgestone Potenzas). Hagasan - what you said sounds rigt - it does feel like the steering rack is just slower than what I'm used to. It wasn't a plowing on understeer, just that I had to constantly turn the wheel another 5-10 degrees once I'd entered a corner to actually turn sharp enough. Was definitely more noticeable on the sharper corners, but the sensation was present whether I was pushing the car or driving normally.

Can anyone recommend a specialist in Birmingham to have a look at the car? Just in case anyone doesn't know which one I'm talking about, it's this one:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1995-Honda-NSX...45443985208452

[TheQuietOne]

Thanks guys - all the tyres were the same and pretty new (Bridgestone Potenzas). Hagasan - what you said sounds rigt - it does feel like the steering rack is just slower than what I'm used to. It wasn't a plowing on understeer, just that I had to constantly turn the wheel another 5-10 degrees once I'd entered a corner to actually turn sharp enough. Was definitely more noticeable on the sharper corners, but the sensation was present whether I was pushing the car or driving normally.

Can anyone recommend a specialist in Birmingham to have a look at the car? Just in case anyone doesn't know which one I'm talking about, it's this one:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1995-Honda-NSX...45443985208452

Hi,

I knew Steve in Tamworth who owned the car for a few years and had the story of who he bought it from and what he spent on it, in case the bills haven't followed with the car. I will PM you my mobile number if you want a chat. I work about 5 minutes from where the car is now, I owned one for 4 years but I'm not a mechanical expert. I have driven about 6 over the years, including a '96 targa so I'm happy to have a look with you if you like.

Cheers,

Matt.

[ConorNZ]

Hi matt - thanks for your time earlier. I think guys that, as this was my first experience with the power-steering NSX, I was just not used to the slower steering rack. Now just have to decide what car to buy...

[Nick Graves]

It's probably too much caster on at least one side. That's something I've got to get sorted (seized adjusters), but braking deeper into left-hand turns gets round it for now.

Another thing that makes it worse is cross-toe at the rear; it creates a thrust angle & makes the car more oversteery one way than t'other. That might be your problem if initial turn-in seems consistent.

I'd recommend a good alignment (an often relatively inexpensive 'fix') if you otherwise like the car & see where you go from there...