Moddiction

I'm going to be parting out my S2000 after this summer and selling all parts and then the car.

I'm still undecided but I'll either be getting an 06+ low mileage S2000 or I'll go a different route and try out a different car. I've had the S2000 for 7.5 years now and love it but feel like I should try out another fun car sometime.

One of top contenders would be an LS3 (08+) corvette preferably a grand sport or possibly a c6 z06. Budget would be under 40K if possible.

Has anyone made this switch? If so how do you feel about it?

Of course the vette won't have same nimble feel but will have gobs of torque and NA power and be much more spacious etc.

I love the s2k but gets really tiring to drive sometimes with how noisy, harsh and tiny it is. The high revving is great and not so great at the same time for me.

Mine is supercharged making 420+whp but even so under 6k rpm's it feels pretty slow so around town I still have to rev the crap out of it.

I'm sure an AP2 would help some with that though.

JonBoy

I really wanted to make that jump two years ago. I drove a 2011 GS and loved the power, brakes and stability of the car. However, it doesn't feel that engaging to drive. The seats really are as horrible as everyone says. The interior isn't nearly as bad as most people say. The roof squeaked constantly. It definitely corners harder than a stock S2000 and felt very stable as well. Steering response is slower and not particularly communicative. It is way less harsh than the S2000 - very daily drivable on our horrible northern Canadian roads! I don't mind the S2000 in non-wintery climates (like Texas or Cali or Arizona) but up north, the frost heaves and pot holes made it a real pain in the neck to daily drive in the summers. Torque is very, very strong and really keeps it easy to get moving fast at any RPM.

A Z06 sounds better, looks better, goes faster, grips harder and has an extra amount of "mmmm" to it. I still lust for one! That said, you are way into "go to jail time" in a very short time when you put the hammer down. These cars are both very, very quick in a straight line and you can get in trouble in a hurry. That made it fun for about 5s and then it was simply a matter of using caution the rest of the drive to keep from always being 10-20 mph over the limit. They are effortless cars to drive fast.

Moddiction

Yeah the seats really blow and no cheap alternative really for those.

As for power my S now is faster than an LS3 vette but not as fast as a z06 I don't think. So same few seconds of wot and then I'm double the speed limit.
With having an infant now I don't get to drive the S much, especially on fun winding roads so normally only get to have fun on an on ramp or similar so I unfortunately don't get much time for the handling fun with this car.
I think that is a big part of why I've been wanting a more comfortable big ol V8 to try out.

It thought of a ctsv as well for the crazy power but those are a bit more expensive still for a nice supercharged model.

SkiLLeDS2000

I went from 03' AP1 to a 07' Z51 C6 back in 06' and I had no love for the car. I went back to a S2000 in 2012 and added the Viper just recently.

My feelings on the C6 are simple, no feedback and the feeling of not knowing the limits of the car makes it a burden to drive.

Maybe a ZO6 might be different, but from what I read it's even more unpredictable than a regular C6.

Choose wisely.

Btw, cute kid, our kids are only a couple months apart! We have a solution concerning the baby. I take the S and my wife takes the Viper with the baby in tow. Yay for smart airbags!

Moddiction

Does the LS3 model improve steering feel significantly? I thought that was one of the changes for 08+.

I'm sure it won't compare to some other sports cars as it seems it is made to be pretty numbed but might be better than previous C6's.

How are the srt10 vipers? I've seen those for around 35-40k

SkiLLeDS2000

Years back, one of my clients had a Gen 3 Viper that I was able to drive a lot. I always took the car out for lunch and where he lived, I was able to drive it on some twisties and I fell in love with the car. It always reminded me of the S2000 with more power.

The downside to the older vipers are, the cabin gets hot and the interior is God awful. If you can look past those two small aspects, the car is pretty fun if you keep it safe.

I'll never own a Vette in its current platform again. It was my dream car and since I been there done it, I have fallen out of love with it.

Good luck with your search. My advice as always, try and keep the S and add on.

rwheelz

C6Z is superior in just about every possible way. JonBoy is right- it is difficult to have fun banging gears when 1st gear will exceed every speed limit in town, and 2nd gear will exceed every speed limit in the country. I did not find the handling vague at all. Clearly, it is a larger, heavier car with much larger tires, so the handling is going to be different, to say the least. In terms of a daily car or highway traveling, the Vette makes for a superb grand tourer. It gets better fuel mileage despite having 5 extra liters and is quieter, more stable, etc.

In short, DO IT. You can always get another S2000. C6Z's have dropped into a very affordable price range. I sold my 09 with 35k miles for under $40k just a month or two ago.

Grady

I use to care about going faster than stock and building up cars. I pretty much gave that up after driving a 2nd gen viper. When 3rd gear is pulling just as hard as 1st gear it just warps your mind.

Moddiction

How real are the z06 (valve?) issues? I remember reading about some engine issue they commonly have or common enough to take notice of at least.

Not being able to row through the gears could be a big negative. Didn't really think about that. Doubt I'd ever feel a full 4th gear pull lol. S2k I can go through 5th almost. Of course I'll be going fast but not 150+ fast!

Do people change the rear end gearing ever to a much higher final drive?

SkiLLeDS2000

Gear rowing will be a thing of the past if you pick up a C6. 1st, 2nd then 3rd and you are done. Lol. Not like the S2000