S2000 Owner Wannabe Old Guy

[Overdrive]

Hello all. I am probably one of the older folks on this forum but have been around performance cars and built many over my life. Had MG's, Healey's (one with 327), Triumphs', Lotus 7, many muscle cars (4-4-2/GTO/Vette/AMX etc), several street rods (currently a 30 and 39 Ford with Chevy power) and recently back to sports car types with a couple of Miatas. A 1993 LE with FMIII turbo system at 300 crank HP with complete autocross suspension and a normally aspirated 1994 with full race suspension for autocross. I'm getting too old to go motoring in the boonies with any of my current crop and have been talking to friends and determined to buy a new Miata, a 2-3 year old S2000 or Sky Redline. I would love any prespective on these options I can get. Some years better than others on the S2000 etc etc. I do not want another goKart race car to drive. I want performance but not at the expense of some degree of comfort. Have I come to the right place?

I am drawn to the S2000 because of the high revving engine and exceptional suspension. Help me to focus where I should please.

[bobby2002S2K]

If your drawn to the s2000 because of the high revs and the great suspension you should just go test drive one and i promise you that will tell you if you want it.As far as comforts and such look at some of our other topics i'm sure you will beable to answer alot of your questions.Just about everything with the s2000 was built for the track"with curves", not the drag.I drive mine daily everyday rain, sleet, snow , winter, summer and its great for me.I'm in the military so every now and a gain i throw a 80lbs ruck sack in the trunk with no problem. I also take road trips in it. I dont really know what you would want to know i hope i helped.Just ask some more questions and some one here will know the answer.

[Java Junky]

Aaay 'Drive, welcome aboard.
Your years of hot-roddin' have served you well. They've led you to li'l Stewie.
We share many things (a small-block 'Healey bein' one of 'em) n' have travelled similar paths. So when you talk about the importance of some semblance of comfort involved in a bit of a hot-rod I understand completely.
We've Miatas in the family too, n' I love 'em to death. Quick, nimble, n' certainly reasonably priced (I've never been one to buy new when there're low mileage cars for sale for gobs'a money less) but I opted for Stewie for the followin' reasons:
1) the tires/suspension: stock it's got damned near as much snot as a Miata with work on it's suspenders, n', as you're obviously familiar with what's involved tryin' to fit serious rubber under the Miatas, the stock rubber allows you considerably more footprint in the corners.
2) the extra power: it's a motorcycle engine n' as such makes it's power upstairs. Not overly useful if you're used to hangin' the tail out with the gas pedal to steer yourself aroun' corners, but it ain't no slouch either. It's an efficient "old school" sports car that still maintains, as you stated, some degree of comfort.
3) on the "comfort", user-friendliness of it: it's got the ability to put a top between you n' the impendin' drenchin' in 5 r' 6 seconds. Until you've had the giddy joy of watchin' the disappointment come over the faces of the hardtoppers aroun' you when you're sittin' at a light n' they're all jealously prayin' for you to get soaked . . well, it's one'a those things that's godda be experienced. I could never successfully convey the satisfaction of that feelin'. N' I'm fast with the Miata tops, but to be able to jus' push the button? Then again . . I'm talkin' to someone who's had the joy of "puttin' the top up in a 'Healey n' the MGs. Breakin' out all the pieces, poppin' the top frame in place n' all those @&#^in' snaps.
I made the decision n' have had mine for almost 2 years now. 'Never looked back. It's the balance of ability n' low maintenance that I was lookin' for at this point in time.
Oh, one drawback: get used to friends keepin' their distance for a while. We all go through it. Without realizin' it you're gonna be wearin' this stupid smile all'a time n' it jus' makes folks uncomfortable.
'Drive, you won't be disappointed.
Be well, n' like the old knight said . . .
Java
Oh, one other thing 'Drive: get a good ride in each of the models. The earlier 2000cc model n' the later 2200cc model. Any serious driver's gonna have a definite preference as the two are distinctly different. And, what I've heard n' read about the Skys, if you drive one you'll probably prefer Stewie.

[gomarlins3]

00-01 will have a 9K red line and plastic rear window.
02-03 will have 9K red line and glass rear window. Improved sound system as well.
04- present will have lower red line, glass rear window, more torque, softer suspension, improved sound system.

Car may not corner like a gokart, but is fairly close. May or may not corner as well as your set up Miata's depending on the improvements you made to the Miata's.

[MattG]

In relation to being an old timer:
- some people find entering/exiting the S2000 a little difficult (certainly not as hard as a Lotus Elise though).
- some people find that the seats do not offer enough support in the small of your back. You can easily slip in some padding from the side of the seats if you require this.
- note this car does not have the low down torque of some of the others that you mentioned.
- some particularly tall people have complaints about fitting into the car.
- some larger people do not like the confined feel of the car

Take one for a drive, with both the top up and down, and try to get in/out of the car with top up. When the engine is warm (3 bars on early models temp gauge) take it over 6000rpm and feel the full spectrum of the engine's ability.

[HONDADDICT]

Originally Posted by Overdrive

Hello all. I am probably one of the older folks on this forum but have been around performance cars and built many over my life. Had MG's, Healey's (one with 327), Triumphs', Lotus 7, many muscle cars (4-4-2/GTO/Vette/AMX etc), several street rods (currently a 30 and 39 Ford with Chevy power) and recently back to sports car types with a couple of Miatas. A 1993 LE with FMIII turbo system at 300 crank HP with complete autocross suspension and a normally aspirated 1994 with full race suspension for autocross. I'm getting too old to go motoring in the boonies with any of my current crop and have been talking to friends and determined to buy a new Miata, a 2-3 year old S2000 or Sky Redline. I would love any prespective on these options I can get. Some years better than others on the S2000 etc etc. I do not want another goKart race car to drive. I want performance but not at the expense of some degree of comfort. Have I come to the right place?

I am drawn to the S2000 because of the high revving engine and exceptional suspension. Help me to focus where I should please.

WELCOME TO THE FORUM. I'M ALSO AN OLD GUY(60). IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE HAD YOUR SHARE OF SPORTS CARS AND THE LIKE, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE SUGGESTED TEST DRIVING BOTH GEN S2000'S. THE S2 WILL KEEP YOU COMFORTABLE FOR ALL DAY DRIVES BUT IT NOT AS CUSHY AS SAY A 350Z, WHICH HAS A SOFTER SUSPENSION AND SEVERAL HUNDRED MORE POUNDS OF HEFT. AS WELL.
IF YOU LIKE THE HIGH REV NATURE OF THE S2, GO FOR THE 02 OR 03 YEARS,WHICH HAVE THE UPDATED STEREO, TRANNY, AND ABOVE ALL-THE GLASS REAR WINDOW W DEFROSTER. BUYING USED IS DEFINITELY THE WAY TO GO. I BOUGHT MY 2002 WITH 29,000 MILES.
I WOULD STAY AWAY FROM THE SKY REDLINE FOR FAIRLY OBVIOUS REASONS. REMEMBER, THE S2000 IS BUILT TO GO FROM THE SHOWROOM TO THE TRACK W/OUT ANY MODS TO SUSPENSION, ETC. I ALSO USED TO OWN A MIATA(02) AND THERE IS NO COMPARISON BETWEEN THESE TWO CARS OTHER THAN THEIR ABILITY TO GO AROUND CORNERS. THE S2000 HAS BEEN RATED BY SOME MAGS AT OVER 1 G IN LAT ACCELL, WHICH IS ON PAR W MANY OTHER VERY HIGH DOLLAR CARS. THE MIATA, WHILE A GOOD HANDLING SPORTS CAR, IS HAMPERED BY ITS LACK OF POWER. I MUST SAY THAT I AM A LITTLE CONFUSED W YOUR STATEMENT ABOUT NOT WANTING A "GO CART", UNLESS YOU ARE USING THAT ANALOGY TO DESCRIBE A BARE BONES, NO COMFORT SPORTS CAR. THE S2K IS VERY DRIVEABLE AND DOES NOT BEAT YOU UP THE WAY SOME SPORTS CARS WOULD, SUCH AS THE LOTUS OR MIATA FOR THAT MATTER.
WELL, GOOD LUCK, I'M SURE A TEST RIDE WILL HELP YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION.

[Overdrive]

Wow, I'm impressed. Thanks for all the responses. I have no complaints about any of my cars and especially the Miatas. They were the result of different objectives. I know for a fact that a stock S2000 will NOT corner like either of my Miatas and wont go like my turbo either. But their performance was at the sacrifice of anything resembling comfort but I knew that going in. Its just time for a more refined approach lets say. I'm not looking for a drag car or a shifter kart, I've got those. I'm looking for a fun, fairly comfortable, top down weekender in the twisties. I was a SOLO guy and a club racer in past lives so I gotta have good corner stick and work the shifter to maintain the power curve etc. Folks I talk to seem to all steer me towards the S2000.

Are there any preferences as to other aspects besides back window, stereo, engine size for the different years. In Miata-land, for instance the 1994 is considered to be a good target year for a variety of reasons but some prefer the 1.6L in the 90-93. I will definitely buy used in the under 30,000 mile range just because I dont need a new one and dont plan on adding a great deal of miles. But, that leaves me open to quite a few years. I know they changed engine displacement at some point but dont know when and they also softened up the suspension at some point as well. I prefer firmer over softer but not bone jarring hard.

Hondaddict, thanks for showing me that my age is not a stigma on here but I'm well past 60 and refuse to give up my toys because I think some of them can keep your outlook on the youthful side. I love the smell of hot oil (although I use nothing but synthetics), alcohol midgets and really hot tires mainly cause I grew up on midgets (the offy kind) when I was young.

Thanks for all the help to date and hints to come. Aint these forums great!

[Java Junky]

'Know I'm repeatin' myself 'Drive (in this group why am I apologizin'? When we repeat ourselves nobody's gonna remember anyway) but if there's a decidin' factor it would be the preference for the difference in handling between the AP1 n' the AP2. Everything else is chump-change.
N' with the Miatas I always thought that the chassis/suspension of the '99 n' up was the better choice, but, that's about as personal as pickin' between the AP1 n' AP2.
It sounds like you've narrowed it down to Stewie, jus' a little more.
Be well.
Java