Discussion
I am looking to buy a 90-93 SE or a 94 up S4. It is going to come down to this or a NSX. I am scared about the things I hear like the gas tank leaking and costing major bucks to replace and things like that. Also how modible are the cars, where can I get aftermarket parts, and does the gas tank problem and other problems happen in the S4 and things.
Flexer
Flexer
Oh cmon guys. No one wants to help. Let me explain more then. I am pretty good with cars. I would say that I am a pretty avid mechanic. Knowing this I am looking to either buy a Acura NSX or a Lotus. I love the look of both cars. But, in riding in both I would rather have a Lotus, but if it is going to cost me major $$$$ and I am probly not going to be able to fix the problems and have to take it to a specialist I will probly pass. Knowing this....does the gas tank problem happen to both the SE and S4 models?? What other problems should I look out for?? I like both cars but one thing I want is performance and the NSX just doesn't cut it. SOMEONE PLEASE RESPOND. CALVIN I see you posting all the time yet left my message alone. Would someone please atleast respond and just say "I don't know" ??/ :-)
Sorry about that I didn't even see your post there for a minute. On weekends I don't spend much time on the computer, I work and drive my car whose driving season grows short. I spend a lot of time on the computer at work if one calls it that, almost feel guilty taking the money (nah okay so I don't feel guilty taking the money
). It's nice to be paid for browsing the web most of the day. Most of the problem areas like the gas tank will happen to just about all the models unless one knows how to prevent it. It just happens to the older ones first, the S4/S4s are not old enough yet unless they have been kept outside or under the harsh sun. Happens more to the ones that are about 12+ years old or so. Depends if the car has been left to the enviroments or garaged. The rusty tanks happen when the rear quarter windows seals fail and water seeps down to soak the foam pad that the tanks rest on and then rust over a period of time. The symptoms were either ignored or they did not realize how severe a leaking water problem could escalate. You must fix problems immediately and save huge $$$. Fail to change the timing belt in time and it's 8K+. Fail to adjust valves and you will burn them, fail to adjust bearings and they will prematurely wear and fail, fail to check and lube the floating brake calipers and they will stick and wear down your pads. Fail to change pads in time and your rotors are shot. Fail to take care of your clutch hydraulics and your will grind your gears/syncro's and you will need new ones. Do you know how to perform rudimentary pre-drive checks and do what is nessesary to correct out of specification parts? If so, you will spend very little. I spent about 1k in parts for 2 years doing various things. Others who send their work out, wait till a part totally fails and very possibly takes out other parts along the way. Those that wait till parts failure pay dearly for the privilage of owning a Lotus sometimes 6-7-10K in repairs. What would you rather do. Go get the service and parts manuals, do your weekly or twice weekly check of the car and go for a nice drive, out accelerate and out turn just about everything except the most powerfull of exotics. Learn under what circumstances and conditions you can win against even the most exotic, then you can best those exotic machines and sport bikes, make them look stupid for even thinking they could even challenge you in contest of speed. I like doing that
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Calvin 90 SE
). It's nice to be paid for browsing the web most of the day. Most of the problem areas like the gas tank will happen to just about all the models unless one knows how to prevent it. It just happens to the older ones first, the S4/S4s are not old enough yet unless they have been kept outside or under the harsh sun. Happens more to the ones that are about 12+ years old or so. Depends if the car has been left to the enviroments or garaged. The rusty tanks happen when the rear quarter windows seals fail and water seeps down to soak the foam pad that the tanks rest on and then rust over a period of time. The symptoms were either ignored or they did not realize how severe a leaking water problem could escalate. You must fix problems immediately and save huge $$$. Fail to change the timing belt in time and it's 8K+. Fail to adjust valves and you will burn them, fail to adjust bearings and they will prematurely wear and fail, fail to check and lube the floating brake calipers and they will stick and wear down your pads. Fail to change pads in time and your rotors are shot. Fail to take care of your clutch hydraulics and your will grind your gears/syncro's and you will need new ones. Do you know how to perform rudimentary pre-drive checks and do what is nessesary to correct out of specification parts? If so, you will spend very little. I spent about 1k in parts for 2 years doing various things. Others who send their work out, wait till a part totally fails and very possibly takes out other parts along the way. Those that wait till parts failure pay dearly for the privilage of owning a Lotus sometimes 6-7-10K in repairs. What would you rather do. Go get the service and parts manuals, do your weekly or twice weekly check of the car and go for a nice drive, out accelerate and out turn just about everything except the most powerfull of exotics. Learn under what circumstances and conditions you can win against even the most exotic, then you can best those exotic machines and sport bikes, make them look stupid for even thinking they could even challenge you in contest of speed. I like doing that. Calvin 90 SE
You are welcome. I see you ride a bike that I pounce upon when driving sometimes. I can not best the GSX-R750/1000 off the line but it can take them out on the hwy in the 60-150 mph range especially when they have open jackets or gear. As they are pulling up smoothly shift down to 4th, then as they throttle down and down shift getting ready to take off, punch it wide open and the turbo will fire with very little lag and they are behind from the start. They will give a valiant effort but everytime they shift they fall behind 20' or more the Esprit on the other hand the Esprit will not need to shift till 140+. By that time the wind will be buffeting him something fierce if he has an open jacket and he will back off. As you slow down he will then give you a thumbs up and you will have the respect of one more bike rider. On twisty turns it can hang with the best of bikes, You may not be able to pass them but they can not loose you either and you will right up their rear. Many a time after a spirited run up and down the hills a bike biker will pull over, give a thumbs up and ask hey you want to try do that run again? Sure is my answer just about all the time unless I have to be somewhere. I think it is one of the few cars that a bike rider may be truly satisfied with and have respect for. It is nice when bike riders gives me the thumbs up as I respect their acceleration and agility as awesome. I refrain from off the line contests with bikes as I know what the results would be unless I have a long stretch of road where I can come up to speed. I know some of these bikes have a high top speed but it must be scary as heck on regular street/hwy conditions. After all it is not as smooth as well kept up track.
Calvin
Calvin
As alway's Calvin is spot on! I for one will not play with bikes... many are testerone overdriven riders on crotch rockets who do not know the concept of what they are riding can do, much less handle it. On the other hand, if your a stupid cage driver and ride my ass as I tend to drive correct { although it kills me with the Lotus } I'll give you an ass whooping that will make you run home to mama. So for those out there, when you see Lotus implanted on the rear bumper, give respect... we don't drive our cars for a challenge... but when prevoked we will defend!!!
Robert
Desperately trying to maintain the speed limit! Unlike
J... you know who I mean... 211 in a 50!
Robert
Desperately trying to maintain the speed limit! Unlike
J... you know who I mean... 211 in a 50!
Calvin,interesting comments on maintenance. I have always wondered what I really should be checking for. I had heard that as long as I do not hear the clicking of the valves I am probably within adjustment. Not So?
And what type of lubricant should I use on the calipers to prevent them from sticking? That probably happened once to my Europa but I did not envision that as the problem. I changed the master cylinder instead.
And what type of lubricant should I use on the calipers to prevent them from sticking? That probably happened once to my Europa but I did not envision that as the problem. I changed the master cylinder instead.
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