Planet 9

In my country, there is a law stating that you cannot import in a car more than 3 years old. This is therefore the final year I can buy an NSX from Japan (NSX ceased production 2005) and register it, and it might well be the ONLY manual NSX in the country forever.

Well I found one, after freight and markups by the importer, it would be exactly the same price as a brand new Cayman S.

Year - December 2005
Displacement - 3,200cc
Steering - Right Hand Drive
Mileage - 14,000km
Transmission - 6 Speed Manual
Exterior Colour - Red
Chassis No - ABA-NA2-2000066

This is very very sweet. I've always dreamed of owning an NSX. Because by the time I was in a position to buy a car for myself instead of for my family, 2007, they did not make NSXes anymore and I bought the Cayman instead, which is in itself very much an NSX.

But having been driven in an NSX I felt that the Cayman, is really a modern day NSX, so dreams-wise I sorta got my dream car now in substance if not in form in the Cayman.

I'm not looking to you guys for a decision, but more, some opinions which might make my decision easier.

considering the hassle of buying/selling/licensing etc. that would go with a decision like this I would have said just get the "S" model of the Cayman instead and be done with it... I like the NSX but I think its interior looks dated and its down on torque but on the flip side there are lots of aftermarket parts for it and they seem to have decent reliability.

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K-Man S

I don't lust for more power at all. buying the NSX is like buying an icon but that sound dangerously like vintage car collecting to me and I'm not about to get there. Any owners of NSX and Cayman both, can tell me the driving experience differences?

I am only going to buy on driving experience, nothing else.

I wouldn't do it... a new NSX is on the way with v10 power and new technology. The old NSX design is becoming dated, especially the interior...

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- Suneet

the new NSX is V10, 550HP and front engine 4WD.

And Fugly.

I'd get the GTR NOW for CHEAPER instead of waiting for the NSX if I were into that kinda thing. But I'm not into big power heavy weight 4WD, if I were I'd not have the Cayman. Power is nice, but it is far more satisfying to stretch an engine rather to constrain it in the street during spirited driving. So the old NSX is really the only NSX I want.

The NSX is gone and finished in 2005. The new car is not an NSX.

well it looks like you have your mind set... do it

you should always get the car you want, no-matter what others say... so if the NSX is what you desire, then who cares what if we think you should stick with the Cayman; we're Cayman fanatics so obviously very biased.

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- Suneet

If you are basing on driving experience then drive both back to back, take someone else with you whose opinion you trust who is neutral to both cars and have them drive them as well and see who picks what.

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K-Man S

I'd do it. I have lots of track and street time in stock and modded NSXs. They're great cars and you seem to have a connection with it that may not go away until you own one. Hell, my heart is still telling me to get a 360 even though my head tells me it's probably not the brightest idea!

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2008 Cayman S, Black, Floormats

If the NSX is the car YOU have always wanted I would get it if I were you. There is nothing like fulfilling a lifetime dream or goal. For me, I always wanted to own a Porsche and now that I do I don't think I could possibly be happier with a car. Sometimes I'm not sure if it is because the car is so great or because it is a dream/goal realized. Either way I love my Cayman.

no my mind is not set.

The new NSX will not be considered at all. It's between my current Cayman 2.7 and the 2005 December NSX, the final production month, the last 100 cars.

OK just to clarify, the spirited street driving experience. Track driving experience will all be very differet according to mods and adaptation of driving style.

the trouble is that, though the Cayman was never the dream car, it exceeded all expectations and in my 11 months of owning it, it's like having an arranged marriage and you find that you could love that girl when you got to know her well.

At this time, this is what i feel.

I love the cayman. I have driven very hard in her and I know what she can do.

The NSX is like an old girlfriend whom one had a platonic relationship with,but not free of lust. But I have never tried her before in the more intimate sense. So I don't know how she performs really, but I would expect her to perform well.

so anybody with both a facelift NSX and a Cayman, your valuable comments please?

PS. in Singapore, we have ... ahem... like 4-6 NSXes depending on how many have been written off, and all manual. I hear an NSX-R is coming in within these few months. And that's it. So I can't try any manual one, and if I try the 4 speed auto it is a definite rejection.

In case you haven't seen this yet:

Honda - The Power of Dreams

It may help you decide to get the NSX. (Gordon Murray is the designer of the McLaren F1 road car, probably the greatest car that will ever be built.)

--Andre

They took a work of art a good performing machine and pulled a nissan by putting the engine up front it is not an NSX no matter what they choose to call it. Had a 99 and an 04 supercharged them both Honda did it and stayed under warranty added cold air intake warrantied Griffin exhaust warrantied they screamed and the mid engine design you could do thing in that car you could not do in anything else. Thats why I bought a Cayman as much as I love 911's after 1999 when they stopped making wide bodies the new ones look like aerodynamic turds to me. The Cayman better looking sexy lines and handles better than a 911 Ive owed 8 variants of 911's , 2 Boxsters and my first Cayman
Even my Ferrari buddies are impressed at how responsive it is. they can call it a can of tuna don't make it so! For the $ you can get a 200mpher supeperformance gt40 under Ford warranty with the option to add an additional 2yr. basic 3yr 36k and 2 at unlimited no kit car full production and uses over 90% ford parts

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Flyboy

so LKL, do you think the NSX or the Cayman felt better in spirited street driving?

thank you for that valuable link!

As far as I can remember there are no suitable place for "spirited street driving" in Singapore. Cops everywhere and slow drivers that drifts ( not that kind of drifting) all over the road. Too dangerous - both to lives and to licence!

You are right in not wanting massive HP in that sense. Never driven an NSX or know much about it,but for driving in Singapore, I would take the 2.7 over the 3.4 CS. The power is just right to enjoy the handling i that kind of roads.

I would get it. I have always loved the look of the car. It is timeless.

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2007 Speed Yellow Cayman GT 2.7 (retired)
2008 Guards Red Cayman GT 3.4
"Carpe Cayman"

If you are buying it with your money buy what you really want. Life is short...live, love, enjoy, no regrets !!!

Buy the NSX:
1. You've always dreamed of owning one. Live your dream
2. This may be your only opportunity to fulfill that dream.
3. A Cayman, unlike the NSX, is readily purchased. You can buy one whenever you wish if you tire of the NSX.
4. If you pass on the NSX, you'll forever question the decision.
5. This is an emotional and very personal decision, so don't decide based on what anyone else here thinks, but you asked.

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Dan