What do you guys think about the Honda S2000?

[ZacFields]

http://www.fwallpaper.net/pics/cars/Honda_S2000/Honda_S2000_004.jpg

Disclaimer: I'm not in the market for a car right now. I'm a couple years out yet for something like this.

What's your opinion on the Honda S2000 as a fun-to-drive, fair weather car? I'm not going to be looking for a car to build up and take to the track. I'm thinking I just want a car that I can take out on a nice day that's fun to drive. I want something that is relatively rare that I could probably hold on to and maybe take to a car show here and there. Essentially, I want a car that if I held on to it for 20 or 30 years, it would be a "classic" that you don't see around very much.

Oh... and I don't want to spend an arm and a leg. Looking for something in the $20k or less range that wouldn't need a ton of work (some work would be fine, but I don't want to look for a car that'd have to be wrecked for it to cost less than $20k).

I think it was Trevor that first introduced me to this car a few years ago and I've been dying to have one ever since. I want to pay cash for it, though, which is why I'm still a couple years out.

What do you guys think? Any other ideas for something I might like? I've never really owned a real nice car like most of you guys have, and again I'd like to buy one and make it count... something I can keep for the long-haul.

[biohazard]

As long as they aren't too modded and treated fairly well, they are fun cars. I've gotten to drive a few and was relatively impressed.

[ZacFields]

I unfortunately have never driven one but I've read a lot of great things about them. "Drives like a crotch-rocket" is the way I've heard it described because they redline so high.

[c_mart_28]

A friend had one a few years back. Very fun overall. Not overly quick, but fun nonetheless. Snap oversteer can be brutal due to the short wheelbase. I about put his around a pole once..luckily it slid safely into a fareway parking lot..

Other than though, they are cool little car. Carry a little prestige too. I know I usually double-take when I see one.

[AutoMods]

I think the s2000 is underpowered and expensive to make faster. its a highly tuned engine that does well for naturally aspirated but overall it can't compete with a turbo 4 cylinder. You can turbo the s2000 but thats going to be expensive.

If you like roadsters, the pontiac soltice gxp and the saturn sky turbo start with more horsepower and power will come cheaper if you want to upgrade it. These cars share a similar engine to the cobalt ss and is a very good engine design. also some shops make ls v8 swap kits for the cars. put 150k miles on the turbo motor and then swap a ls3 into it 8 years down the road

http://www.theweeklydriver.com/files/2009/12/sky.jpg

[slow ride]

Yea, the lower torque makes you NEED to be in the right gear to use the s2000's power. I'd go for a 350z or what Ryan said. The turbo ecotech had some aftermarket and is a chip away from decent gains. For just crusing around a car with little torque isn't the most fun IMHO. Hell you could get a c6 vette for under 20k in a few years I'd think. I know they are around, but do yourself a favor and drive these cars first and then decide what you want. You'd be surprised how addicting the v8 torque is even in a stock car.

[ZacFields]

Thanks for the input guys. Like I said I've got at least a couple years to think about it but you guys are giving me a lot of good ideas for cars to test-drive between now and then. I've been waiting a very long time to have a nice car so I'm going to do this right.

[85XR7Project]

Friend of mine has a turbo'd S2k and it's pretty peppy.

[Domestic Disturbance]

I've sat in an s2000 and they aren't exactly the roomiest. I think my head stuck out 2 inches above the top of the window with the top down. I like ryans idea, I love solstices.

[85XR7Project]

As neat as the s2000 is I too have to agree that a solstice/sky would be a good stand in. I am 6'5" and have driven both a solstice and sky and fit just fine. Good aftermarket and pretty damn good handling right out of the box too.

[TbTalon94]

Well are you going to modify it Zac? I'm guessing probably not.

So basically it just depends on what styling you like better and which one drives best. Also your a $$ saver so you've got to think on gas meilage too.

-That being said the s2000 is going to be fun to drive, somewhat a rare car, gets good gas meilage, and it's a honda so it'll be reliable as hell.
-Sky/Solstice would be another good option. More power from factory, turbo is always fun, newer car so most likely better taken care of and less miles.
-350z would be comparible. I've heard they are horribly under-powered from the factory though and don't get that great of mpg. Plus suck in the winter.

How about a Hyundai Genesis coupe? Inline turbo motor VERY similar to the EvoX motor. Good gas mpg, great power, and i've heard are a blast to drive.

[JacobS]

s2ks are fun cars. even with the top down you dont seem to get my wind in the cabin like in other convertables. but like stated before, they are NOT roomy at all. im 5'10"ish and i think my head is just barely below the top of the windshield. its definetly got that sports car feel though, nice handling, rwd, and a decent power band compared to other hondas. if it were me, id buy a genesis coupe.

with the s2000s getting older, its going to be a lot harder to find one with decent miles that isnt modded and beat to crap. but on the other hand, its hard to beat the sound of one at 9000rpm haha

[Drifte]

Get a 1g miata if you wanna pimp.

[Ricky]

Get a 1g miata if you wanna pimp.

NO

[Drifte]

http://ll.speedhunters.com/u/f/eagames/NFS/speedhunters.com/Images/Mikehayes/3zoom/013.jpg

[ZacFields]

Well are you going to modify it Zac? I'm guessing probably not.

So basically it just depends on what styling you like better and which one drives best. Also your a $$ saver so you've got to think on gas meilage too.

-That being said the s2000 is going to be fun to drive, somewhat a rare car, gets good gas meilage, and it's a honda so it'll be reliable as hell.
-Sky/Solstice would be another good option. More power from factory, turbo is always fun, newer car so most likely better taken care of and less miles.
-350z would be comparible. I've heard they are horribly under-powered from the factory though and don't get that great of mpg. Plus suck in the winter.

How about a Hyundai Genesis coupe? Inline turbo motor VERY similar to the EvoX motor. Good gas mpg, great power, and i've heard are a blast to drive.

I would modify the car over time. Not with a vengeance like most of you guys, but I would want something I could do some work to. At the same time, it needs to be pretty quick out of the box. Really I've just got to drive these cars because they all sound like really good ideas. I'd love to buy a Corvette... that's a pretty good idea too. I almost bought a 79 Corvette about four years ago but I talked myself out of it because I had just bought my motorcycle. Vettes actually get surprisingly good gas mileage.

I know I kind of sound like a douche asking these questions for something that's two or three years into the future (and most of you probably don't believe that I'll go through with it) but it's going to happen damnit. And if I have to sound like some dumbass teenager to get good info then I'll do it. lol

[slow ride]

I hate to say this, but if you drive a vette the other cars will seem slow. Out of the box it's the best overall sports car for your money and you still get good milage on the highway. You could get a vert vette also and the c6 verts look sweet, but not sure where they will be price wise in a couple years. I hate to sound like a corvette fanboy, but just drive all the cars and see which one really puts a smile on your face and is music to your ears, I'll bet it's the v8 with 350+ hp :)

[McKeever]

Maybe the Toyota FT-86 will be out by then.

[ZacFields]

I hate to say this, but if you drive a vette the other cars will seem slow. Out of the box it's the best overall sports car for your money and you still get good milage on the highway. You could get a vert vette also and the c6 verts look sweet, but not sure where they will be price wise in a couple years. I hate to sound like a corvette fanboy, but just drive all the cars and see which one really puts a smile on your face and is music to your ears, I'll bet it's the v8 with 350+ hp :)

^ I will do that for sure. I really have no bias one way or the other. Which ever car feels right will be the one I go with. I wish I could just go out and buy something next week because I'm pretty excited about it. But I've got all my vehicle loans paid off and I'm going to try to flip the trend here and save up the cash myself and not deal with getting a loan next time.

Thanks again for all the ideas guys.

[Domestic Disturbance]

Out of all the cars listed, you can guarantee the hyundai is the least well engineered car of them all. I don't know a thing about their engine, but not one creditable source (consumer reports, automobile, etc) has said anything good about the quality of those vehicles. It will also depreciate more than anything else listed.

[85XR7Project]

It will also depreciate more than anything else listed.

As a guy who used to sell Kia's (Same bullshit) I can attest to the horrible resale of the Korean made cars, yes they have improved but not enough that I would buy one.

Not to mention you'd be upside down on the loan till the thing took a shit...

[ZacFields]

Good point on the depreciation.

So what kinds of cars do you guys think hold their value the best?

[Domestic Disturbance]

The s2000 and corvette will hold the best. Shit 97 vettes still pull 15k easily cause most of them are so well maintained from old farts. The sky/solstice holds its value pretty well too and both have a rarity about them with their brands being axed, although the long term is hard to tell with them.

[ZacFields]

That's what I've noticed about Corvettes. Based on what I can see within 200 miles of Cedar Rapids (on auto-trader's website), the cheapest Corvette is about $6,000 and pretty much all of them that are under $10k are from the mid-80's to early 90's when (IMO) the styling left a lot to be desired... no offense to anyone who might own one of those. There are a couple that are cheaper than that but they're very heavily driven Corvettes from that same time period with 150k miles or more.

My parents' next-door neighbor has a Pontiac Solstice GXP. I've known them for a long time - maybe they'll let me give it a drive one of these days :)

[Stutz]

Cant beat a vette! The solstice/sky are nice tho, and those lnf motors seem pretty damn cheap to mod.

[boostedsohc]

this video made me want a s2000
this car has since been wrecked and the owner now is almost done with a full out drag s2000 but this on in the vid is badass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUFFudEJnjk