Trying To Decide On A Car

I'm just about finished school and when I do I want to get me a nice sports car. I'm having a little trouble deciding tough. To me a nice sports car has to have no more then two seats and the roof has to disappear. I have it kinda sorta narrowed down.

First the obvious choice, Mazda MX5. Love every thing about the car but it's looks. Second is the Honda S2000. I don't have much to say about this one. It's only in my top three because of lack of other options. And third but first on my want list is a Saturn Sky. If I go with the Sky it would be the RedLine version with the turbo. Only thing keeping me from the Sky is the fact that truck space is lacking.

So what do you guys thing? I have posted in forums for each car but of course each forum recommends the car that forum represents ya know? As of right now the Sky is the top runner with the MX5 right behind it. S2000 is in a distant third.

 

s2000 all the way! It has the most fun engine out of the selected cars. 9000RPM!! (only until 2003), regardless. Its a really fun car, but its relatively compact on the inside like the mazda. Another thing is: its most likely the cheaper one, the most reliable, and the best engine! IMO I feel that the interior creature comforts are lacking a bit, but its a car made on the focus of driving.

Personally its my choice as the sky is good looking and has great tunability but the S2000 is just more fun, and thats what your looking for in a roadster.

 

S2000 out of any of those for sure.

 

My S2000 is, hands down, the best, most enjoyable, most fun car I've ever owned. It's probably the best anything I've ever owned. Aaron (d00t) has owned two. Roger (slanguage) has had at least one. I'd buy another one tomorrow.

I find the Solstice/Sky to be nice looking, but didn't care much for the drive. And that convertible top is so fussy. The MX5's top folds down with one hand. The S2000's, with the touch of a button. I think you've actually got to get out of the car to operate the top on a Solstice, and once you've done so, the trunk is gone.

I admit, I'm biased. But of those three, for me, I wouldn't even put them in the same category. An S2000 is faster than both of them, handles every bit as well, enjoys huge aftermarket support if you like mods, and is an absolute hellion on an autocross course. The other two just leave me cold.

If you haven't driven an S2000, give one a chance. They're not for everybody. But a lot of folks who test drive one end up buying one.

(Note - if we're talking about the Solstice GXP with the turbo, I like those pretty well, and would consider one. But...one too many horror stories from an acquaintance of mine at a big autocross last year. I'm sticking with what I've got.)

 

Are we talking all three being used or just the S2K? Because the S2K would have to be used since Honda doesn't make them anymore.

I would get rid of the Sky. It has a manual roof which isn't bad, but you have to get out of the car and take multiple steps to unhook it and lower it, which is just dumb. It's also the only car of the three that doesn't have any roll bars, and that's also dumb, God forbid you roll over in an accident.

The MX-5 just doesn't have the power and the S2K is a very special car so I say S2000 all the way.

The S2K is probably going to be the least livable among the three, but I think the trade-off is totally worth it, particularly if it's going to be a 2nd car.

 

I'm talking used, and if I go with the Sky it will be the turbo version. I did dive the S2000 and owned an older MX5 when I was in high school. Also drove a sky. I do love the after market and plan to do mods. I would slap an after market roll bar on the sky as well.

Maybe I should give the S2000 another drive. The car just seemed so "blah" to me. I still think the Sky is best looking care of the three.

More opinions please!

 

I would say a Honda S2000. I had one for a while, and loved it. I would buy another in a heartbeat if the funds were there. Blah? seriously? You need to DRIVE the car to appreciate it. the fun really begins at 6000 rpm's. It was the best handling car I ever owned

The best years are 2000-2003, commonly known as an AP1.

 

Couple things here. The first of which is something that Roger stated already. You've got to DRIVE an S2000. They reward being flogged. If you're looking for a super torquey motor (like a Solstice GXP's turbo motor), you'll be disappointed.

The second is handling. If an S2000 feels like "blah," it's either been crashed, or it needs a different alignment. The S2000 responds to alignment changes like no other car I've owned. I make changes to my alignment 1/32" at a time. Really. The factory recommended alignment settings are pretty conservative.

That's a matter of opinion. :lol:

Seriously OP, there are two different generations of S2000. The AP1 was 2000-2003; the AP2, 2004-2009. They're different, but similar. Drive both.

 

AP1 all the way! I use to own one, such a fun car.

 

Hey thanks guys, I'll give the S2000 another look.


Krshultz, I think you have it right. About the torque. But they also make superchargers that would help with that problem.

 

Whats your price range?

- out of the three you mentioned the s2000 is going to be the best bet

however, you might want to look at a c5 corvette convertible, easily the fastest out of the three roomiest trunk, best looks (imo although the ap2 s2k does look sweet) hence the whats your price range question

 

C5 might be a bit out of my price range. I'd say around 25k. Plus the C5 will kill to insure

 

you can get a nice used s2k for less than that. I'll PM you a place to look around for one.

 

uhh can i say elise? i think those are great cars but very sparce

and of your 3 the s2k

 

The Elise is a little hard to live with everyday. They are hard to get in and out of.

 

I've always been a big fan of the looks of the S2000, unfortunately I have never driven one, but at least in looks, this one wins in my books hands down.

 

Why not throw them all out and go for a Vette. Power, looks and a kick ass to drive. Good luck with your decision.

 

you can find vert c5's with low miles for under 25k pretty easy, and insurance is surprisingly cheap because only old phogeys buy them and never crash them...youd be surprised... I was

 

heck yeah! I mean my dads friend just got one (mid life crisis deal ) and he pays full coverage 0 deductable only $90 per month! Well here in Canada thats cheap! My dad pays around $120 ish for the RX350. We were both really surprised.

IMO I still feel the S2000 would be the better daily driver. 25k for an S2000 gets you a pretty much near new condition! ex. http://autos.yahoo.com/used-cars/ho...type=used&model=s2000&make=honda&distance=any

 

What about the VW GTI MKV....I used to own one and it hands down was the one of the most fun vehicles I ever owned. Super fast, 6-speed, turbo, sunroof, seats 4, great handling....what else are looking for? :thumb: