S2000 owners

[davesparky6]

I currently own a 350z and have been toying with the idea of replacing it with an s2k.... Was wondering what current s2k owners thought about thier cars.
Any input is appreciated!
Thanks

[Mibz]

If you don't mind me asking, what don't you like about the 350z?

[davesparky6]

^^^ Actually I really like the car... A lot... Just toying with he idea of a vert, and the honda seems to be the most appealing.:dunno:

[max_boost]

2000-2003 S2000's. I could not live with that car as a daily driver.

[davesparky6]

^^ Max, It won't be a daily. Why couldn't you live with it though?

[Aleks]

Originally posted by max_boost
2000-2003 S2000's. I could not live with that car as a daily driver.

Same. I had a 2000 model. Hated having it as the only car. Sold it in months. Fun weekend car though.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by davesparky6
^^ Max, It won't be a daily. Why couldn't you live with it though?

Just not what I really want in a car but if it's weekend fun you are looking for, can't really go wrong given its price. Mind you I had mine over 7 years ago.

It's great if you like a small little car that's a high revving rocket, wicked handling and still looks sweet. It's just not very comfortable for long drives but that wasn't what the car was designed for. If you want comfort, get any of the other Z4/Boxster/SLK's etc. The S2000 has a huge aftermarket support and you can tweak whatever you want.

The 04+ changed a few things around, lowered the power band, increased the torque and some interior stuff too. Never driven one but those who have say it's not as raw as the previous ones.

[G]

I had a 05 and it was okay for a weekend car. Car got really uncomfortable for longer drives. Blind spot was a huge pet peeve of mine. Backing out of stalls was hail Mary each time with the roof up. Cannot live with it if it was my dd.

[davesparky6]

^Thanks, I haven't driven an 04+. Did find that the earliest ones were a bit slow on the bottom end. That could be an issue as it was one of the thing I didn't like about the '07 si I had for a while. Nothing below 6k rpm.

[Tomaz]

If you are over 5'10", dont buy it! lol

I appreciate the car, but being 6'2", I can tell you that I cannot get in/out of the car not to mind steer or use the pedals.

They do handle great and are fun, but i cant even last 5 mins in the damn thing.

OP, if you like the 350z, why not get a 350Z vert?

[max_boost]

Just get a 97+ NSX-T instead. Roof can come off. Very comfortable as a daily driver, high revving, wicked performance, go-kart handling and exotic looks.

Ya haha :D

[BigMass]

Had an S2000 as a daily for a few years. Biggest issue I had with it that I couldn’t get over was the wind noise. It was unbearable, couldn’t listen to music, couldn’t hold a conversation, and no, a hardtop didn’t help at all. And please, don’t confuse wind noise with road noise. Apart from the wind noise the car was a joy to own and drive. If they made the S2000 in coupe form it would have IMO been the best car I have ever owned.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by Tomaz
If you are over 5'10", dont buy it! lol

I appreciate the car, but being 6'2", I can tell you that I cannot get in/out of the car not to mind steer or use the pedals.

They do handle great and are fun, but i cant even last 5 mins in the damn thing.

OP, if you like the 350z, why not get a 350Z vert?

:werd: If it's the convertible factor the OP wants.

White 350Z still one of my fav cars to look at. :drool:

[arian_ma]

I had an S2000 as my daily for over 2 years. I really loved everything about the car, but I think it's because I knew what to expect...I wasn't buying it to be the most comfortable, most torquey, most luxurious, etc. I bought it because of its raw qualities, and for that I loved it very much.

Other people in this thread are right, the blind spot is huge, wind noise wasn't a problem for me at all even though I took the car to high speeds several times, I'm 6' tall and never had an issue with fitting in the car, it was perfect I found.

I think considering the current market, for the price, the S2000 is probably one of the best bang for buck cars out there, albeit I agree that most people would hate it as a daily driver.

[davesparky6]

Thanks for all the help guys!!
Not a huge fan of the 350Z convertible. Any opinions on a Z3?
I've heard they have problems.

[rc2002]

For myself,

Likes:
Gear box
Brakes
Handling
Headlight beam pattern
Easy convertible operation
Fun to drive.

Dislikes:
Bland exterior
Rough ride
Noise (wind and road and engine)
Cramped interior
High revver (torque was decent for low rpm daily driving but you can't extract any power without drawing attention to yourself)
No frills (not even heated seats or autodimming mirrors)
Wind with the top down. I had to wear a hat when the top was down or the wind hurts.


It's fun to drive once in a while, especially at the track. But it was tough to put up with all the shortcomings for a few track days a year. Even as my second car, I thought it was a waste.

[Tomaz]

i hate to say it, but will a new mustang fit the bill?


2-door
RWD
Vert
300+HP
Feels solid

:dunno:

[rc2002]

Anyone complaining about the blind spot in an S2000 has obviously never driven a 350Z.

[Kartelli]

Originally posted by richardchan2002
Anyone complaining about the blind spot in an S2000 has obviously never driven a 350Z.

haha quote of the year!

[DelSoln]

Originally posted by richardchan2002
Anyone complaining about the blind spot in an S2000 has obviously never driven a 350Z.

I was thinking the same thing.

[95EagleAWD]

Of all the cars I've owned, NSX, Evo8, S2K, DSMs... The S2000 is the only one I truly miss. I will buy another one soon.

I loved mine. I was SO disappointed in how shitty the Evo was. I would've never sold my S2K if I knew.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by 95EagleAWD
Of all the cars I've owned, NSX, Evo8, S2K, DSMs... The S2000 is the only one I truly miss. I will buy another one soon.

I loved mine. I was SO disappointed in how shitty the Evo was. I would've never sold my S2K if I knew.

Haha of all the cars I've owned, the NSX is the one I truly love. It's just perfect (for me) lol

[Skyline_Addict]

The s2000 serves best as a weekend driver/track warrior. If you're looking for a convertible that you can comfortably cruise around town in and take long trips in, look elsewhere. Get it some upgrades for track use, and you won't be dissapointed.

[tawheed]

Originally posted by 95EagleAWD
Of all the cars I've owned, NSX, Evo8, S2K, DSMs... The S2000 is the only one I truly miss. I will buy another one soon.

I loved mine. I was SO disappointed in how shitty the Evo was. I would've never sold my S2K if I knew.

I had two S2000s with an Evo8 in between.. I'm sometimes tempted to get another one except they're quickly becoming the next civic..

[95EagleAWD]

Originally posted by max_boost


Haha of all the cars I've owned, the NSX is the one I truly love. It's just perfect (for me) lol

The NA2 is leaps and bounds ahead of the NA1 NSX though... I'm sure I'd love an '05 as well.

Beautiful car you have, by the way! :thumbsup:

[whiskas]

Originally posted by 95EagleAWD
Of all the cars I've owned, NSX, Evo8, S2K, DSMs... The S2000 is the only one I truly miss. I will buy another one soon.

I loved mine. I was SO disappointed in how shitty the Evo was. I would've never sold my S2K if I knew.

I'm 6'4" and the S2000 is my only car. And I don't see that changing at all in the future. It's a fantastic car and I don't think I could driving anything else without regretting it.

[4doorj]

I DD'd mine for two years. I loved it.
To this day the s2000 is the only car that I really miss.

For me it was easy to take on long road trips, I did it all the time.

The only reason why I got rid of it was because it just sat in my garage. I never got to drive it since I had my kid.
It felt like such a waste just sitting there.

[INeedBoost]

Been summer daily driving an '04 for a few years now. I'm loving it. Power is good enough to get around and pretty quick in high revs. Wish it had some more low end torque though. Handling is awesome. Ride is a bit harsh. Pretty decent trunk space for shopping, golf clubs and so on. Top is easy to use but poorly made.

Its a lot of fun. Sometimes driving is what I look forward to the most when going out. Specially going back home from work!

[Jlude]

I think I've got you all beat... I DD'd mine for a year, but also took it on several long road trips.

San Fran to Calgary - 3 times and then I drove it from Calgary to New Brunswick! After arriving in N.B. I parked it and didn't drive it for a month.

[LUDELVR]

I've had my S2K for almost 2 years now and a year and and a quarter it has been turbo'd. As it stands, it was a blast to drive from the get go and handled amazingly. The only downside was that I hated the lack of power and torque. Coming from driving a turbo'd Prelude, it didn't even compare in that department and that's why the first mod I did was a turbo. That changed EVERYTHING!!

My brother had an '04 350Z and I frequently drove both cars. The Z was way better in the winter because of the weight and the traction control...definitely a bonus! The S was just so light it was scary! Driving down the road and looking out the passenger window is not ideal winter driving!

In any case, the Z was more luxurious and had gobs more torque as a stock rider and a hell of a lot more comfort. It was a bit of a beast compared to the S but still handles alright. I also liked that the Z had tilt!! :rofl:

I put in some aftermarket seats and it's quite comfy now...until you have to get out! The S is a go cart, plain and simple. It is not built for comfort but to be driven. It's not a luxury car so some of the basic things like tilt are not there. I like to drive, I like the look of it and I love having the top off. Enough said. If you want a luxurious car that can be driven fast and looks good, get the Z. If you want a car that revs high, handles amazingly and loves to be driven on windy roads but lacks the comforts of modern cars, get the S.

[Mibz]

Ha, that's the reason I'm looking at 350z/Z4 instead of the S2000, I need a daily driver that doesn't injure me :P

[davesparky6]

Thanks for all the input guys... The main reason I was looking into an S2k as opposed to other roadsters is price. My Z is an '03 and probably worth ~17k. I could probably go straight int an S for similar cash. Although by the sounds of it it's not worth getting the first gen S2k (over the Z) . And the second gen is too pricey.
Does anyone know what year they moved to the 2.2 engine?

[Mibz]

'04 I believe.

[4doorj]

Yup 04 was the first year for ap2

[elusiv]

Daily driven every summer since 2003, no complaints... except for how quickly it chews through tires.