To be honest, the car really, really lacks in low-end torque, and pretty much everyone will tell you the same. I guess some can live with it, some can't. I thought it wasn't as bad as people made it out to be because of the gearing, but I soon found out that is just a band-aid for it. No low-end torque is still no low-end torque. The car just doesn't GO when you put your foot down, and downshifting two or three gears can get tiring after a while. Also, high-speed cruising on the freeway is something not too comfortable in the S2000. Doing ~90 for 20 minutes straight really started to annoy me. The engine RPMs (even in overdrive) and road/wind noise are just not comfortable at those speeds...a few things I guess I took for granted after getting used to rock-solid, quiet Benzes beforehand, and I do drive on the highway quite a lot.

Previous times when I had driven the car were strictly half hour or so sessions of wringing the car out and having fun with it. You learn much more about a car when you actually have it for a while, not just a short drive where you are really only seeing the performance of the car. Other characterisitcs come out too after living with the car, such as the car's lack of storage space, extremely poor sound system, and lack of overall luxury. Now I know the S2000 is not a luxury car, but after driving those for a few years then jumping into something that is on the total opposite end of the spectrum is a bit hard to get used to.

But I still think the S2000 is an amazing car for what it is, and THE best car for $33K...but it just didn't have what I was looking for in a car, nor did it match my driving style.

 

15? I didn't even have my license at 15 (16 in Canada)... Consult your insurance broker before you even consider buying an S2000 at 15, you will get slaughtered. (and I mean absolutely mudered for lack of the better term) AE86 is a good idea, hrmm, what did I have back then.. oh well a bike, but it had 18 speeds!!.. but seriously, you can get some good cheap cars (1991ish Accord, very reliable, Older Civic, CRX, 2G RX-7, 1G MR2, etc etc..) not quite beaters, but good bargains.. The S2000 is too much car for a 15 year old anyway..

 

Go with the AE86. First of all, it will appreciate in value (D1 coming to N. America) whereast eh S will depreciate. Secondly (most important) is that you'll learn a lot more driving skills when you don't have the HP to compensate for inexperience. You'll learn a hell of a lot more with the AE86 than with the S2K.

 

Don't listen to JoeD. He is not a true believer, and that will be his downfall! Muhahahaha.


P.S. I may put up with a lot to own an S2000 as my only car, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

I got my S2000 when I was 15..... turning 18 now.. and i probably would not have gotten this car if i waited three years... Going into college i wanna bling bling pimp it car now.. .. time for like a 330Ci.. G35C... or CTS.. I dunno.. your views change after a while. Until I can afford a car that accomplishes both (Luxury/Peformance... i.e. MB ) im gonna keep my eyes peeled for a nice 330

 

No it's not.


Anyway, the S2000 is not the car you want if you want to drift. This car doesn't like it.

But ya, sorry Joe: I disagree. The S2000 is a purist sports car; either you understand it or you don't. If you want a torquey, high-speed cruiser, this is NOT for you. If you want a full-size go kart with motorcycle DNA, then this is the car for you.

The S2000 was aimed at a very specific market; either you're in or you're out - no in between.

 

For me, its either get the 86, and drift...

Or get the S2000, and grip...

I hear all of the time how the S2000's rear end comes out easily, so why exactly would it be a bad candidate?

 

Cause it snaps out with a vengence. Unless your last name starts with Tsu and ends with chiya you might want to reconsider drifting the S. Well, maybe you have a huge open tarmac practice area. I guess that might be okay.

 

Yes it is. The average 16 year-old driver is woefully unskilled, yet thinks (s)he is actually quite exceptionally skilled -- a bad combination. I know that when I was sixteen, I nearly killed myself several times in a 70-odd horsepower, understeering 1984 Jetta. I would almost definitely have killed myself in a 240 horsepower, oversteering S2000. And I had more training than most, including autocross experience.

You won't want to hear it, but the people replying on the thread have been there and done that -- they're not steering you away from the S2000 because they're jerks, but for your own good.

Steve

 

It all depends on the driver. I know of 16 year-olds who were driving Vipers and C5s as their first car, and one that had a 10-second Trans Am before he was 17. None of them were ever in an accident. All those cars have insane amounts of low-end torque, and that's what gets you sideways and loses control. A responsible driver will respect a sports car. An irresponsible driver will kill himself in an 84 Jetta.

The one person who I know of that died from my school from a car accident was driving a non-VTEC Civic. He hit a concrete wall on the freeway doing ~105. From the day he started driving, it was obvious that kid was going to get into a serious accident. It's too bad he lost his life because of it. Maybe a <130 hp FWD Civic is too much car for a 16 year-old?