Boxster Spyder

[Nick Graves]

The early cars (like mine) were set up like an old British roadster - something like 320 lb ft rear springs, IIRC. They have a tendency to bounce round corners; not good.

A rear chassis brace & the Mugen GPs made mine quite tolerable, but there are better solutions from Nitron. Or the final 08/09 cars, which are said to be the best-resolved - once they've sorted the explodey engines.

The Rotrex is fantastic on the S2000; it fills out the supposedly weak off-cam response nicely & it goes like an NSX. You need to lower the VTEC changeover though, or it is a tad violent.

Ultimately, it is frustrating that Honda never threw any money at the S2000 or the NSX for quiet, continuous development; I'd still have their descendents in production today & not have all the enthusiasts leaving in droves.

[havoc]

Compared to a 997 turbo it's still great value with regard to initial outlay and capabilities.

Reference the S2000, I really liked mine but thought the rear suspension was unresolved on bumpy roads. Could have been seized bushes I guess. Love to try one with the Rotrex though.

1) Possibly. Be interested to see what e.g. 3-year running costs overall are like - I'd imagine the 997 being marginally cheaper to fuel, insure, shod and maintain, and to have better residuals (albeit from a higher starting point, so higher interest costs to factor in too). Plus there's the osteopath fees to consider if you drive a GTR!

2) I agree with Nick - my '03 was like that (and it didn't have any seized bushes), but fitment of a rear cross-brace and softer-sidewalled tyres did "damp" the problem down somewhat, but certainly didn't get rid of it. I think as Nick alludes to it was a slight mismatch between spring and damper rates which only manifested itself under heavy corner loading with sharp transients (i.e. blatting down a bumpy road).
If I get another one ('04-05, most likely - cable throttle and cheaper RFL) I'll probably go down the Nitrons route...and possibly a rotrex if budget and brave-pills permit!

[jaytip]

The GT-R's anti Darwin bonnet costs 11 large to replace.

And you think an NSX will be cheaper to fix in the event of a front impact ???

[jaytip]

The GT-R's anti Darwin bonnet costs 11 large to replace.

And you think an NSX will be cheaper to fix in the event of a front impact ???

[Nick Graves]

And you think an NSX will be cheaper to fix in the event of a front impact ???

Yeah, I think we worked out the front closing panels only came to £25,000 all-in. Mind you, it doesn't have anything so anti-Darwinian and being completely of ally, is more pro-evolution.

The point still stands; the NSX's service costs are actually quite good compared to any of its rivals. The GT-R's are up there with the costliest, belying its cheap purchase price. And some of its silliest fashion gewgaws (such as launch control as described by Havoc) are positively destructive if you are fool (or rich) enough to use them.

That's not to say I dislike the big Insane GT-R at all; far from it - IF I needed such a car, I suppose I would.

[Nick Graves]

1) Possibly. Be interested to see what e.g. 3-year running costs overall are like - I'd imagine the 997 being marginally cheaper to fuel, insure, shod and maintain, and to have better residuals (albeit from a higher starting point, so higher interest costs to factor in too). Plus there's the osteopath fees to consider if you drive a GTR!

2) I agree with Nick - my '03 was like that (and it didn't have any seized bushes), but fitment of a rear cross-brace and softer-sidewalled tyres did "damp" the problem down somewhat, but certainly didn't get rid of it. I think as Nick alludes to it was a slight mismatch between spring and damper rates which only manifested itself under heavy corner loading with sharp transients (i.e. blatting down a bumpy road).
If I get another one ('04-05, most likely - cable throttle and cheaper RFL) I'll probably go down the Nitrons route...and possibly a rotrex if budget and brave-pills permit!

Indeed; they fiddled around quite a lot; the '02s returned to a more 'normal' setup with the rears around 250 & the fronts upped to 300 ish. They then buggered about every couple of years 'til they ended up (IIRC!) with roughly 300 all round. Despite the remote reservoirs, all years suffer from rear damper fade. If you're a maniac...

I also agree with the 'no one car is ever enough' theory, so I have the NSX instead of a Rotrex. I'm a NA whore at heart...

[Geraint]

And you think an NSX will be cheaper to fix in the event of a front impact ???

My understanding is that the Datsun has a load of electronically-controlled explosives that are specifically designed to cause it to self-destruct and generate revenue *cough* I mean protect pedestrians in the event of an impact, which can be activated at speeds well below that at which a NSX starts to need aluminium.

I don't particularly like the R35 anyway, but even if I did, this sort of 'technological progress' would have it struck straight off the list.

[Nick Graves]

Well, in one case it was set off by the guy cracking its bumper on the car in front whilst lapsing concentration in a traffic jam.

[Ewan]

The GTR story - in the end, it wasn't quite as scary as it started off being... http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/127250-ac...hat-i-did.html

[Nick Graves]

Sorry, I cannot read the GTROC forum for reasons of sanity - although the R35 guys are probably largely OK; I know Crispy through S2Ki.

What WAS the final outcome? Only NSX money in the end?