Possible Replacement for the S2000?
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Possible Replacement for the S2000?
After selling my ’08 S2000, I have been struggling to find a proper replacement for the car. I wanted something similar to the S2000 that was engaging to drive, offered a visceral driving experience and a true sports car feel. My search took me all over the place from C6 Z06’s to Caymans and even the M3. After spending extensive seat time in each one of those cars, I did not find that they filled the void that both my S2000’s left. I began to give up on finding a replacement and came very close to purchasing a low-mileage S2000 CR which (unfortunately) did not happen because of the poor timing.
After a lot of debating, I decided that it was time to try a different car I have never considered in the past. I have always been a fan of Hondas and their “fun” cars which led me to the NSX. Even the V6 / VTEC growl in our Pilot can be a hoot to drive at times.
Many of you may remember that I never had a strong interest in the NSX. I always felt that the NSX did not fill in the “super car” role very well with a shortage of horsepower and dated technology. On paper, the car did not make much sense at all compared to the competition… even to modern “normal” cars like the WRX STi and 370Z. This often led me to a fair share of flames; even here on S2ki. I also did not believe the car could be that much better than the S2000.
After a few months of searching, I finally located a NSX that was reasonably priced and in the condition I was looking for. I had to fly all the way across the country to Florida to inspect the car and give it a proper test drive. The car is a 1998 NSX-T with 28,700 miles.
My initial impressions were as follows:
1. The car is very low. Even at the stock SUV height, it feels like you are sitting just inches off the ground. It definitely has the feeling that you are sitting in an exotic car.
2. The interior feels outdated. Then again, you cannot expect much from an interior designed for the 90’s.
3. I did not find the seats to be as nice as my AP2 seats. They did have a slightly more GT feel to them, though.
When driving the car around town, I noticed that the car does draw a lot of attention… something I could live without. The ride was as stiff as the AP2 and the steering felt heavy. It did feel better than the S2000’s electronic steering, but it did take getting used to. The shifter also felt a bit lacking compared to the S2000’s shifter. Then again, I always found the S2000 had the best shifter feel of any car I have ever driven. Also, the S2000 has noticeably better brakes that I felt a lot more comfortable with which was fine because the car did feel a bit… slow.
It was only when I was able to drive the car more spiritedly on an open road did it begin to make more sense. All of a sudden, the numbers (290 HP, blah blah) was thrown out the window and became so insignificant. While I am a HUGE fan of the F22 engine in the AP2, the growl of the NSX’s C32 is very addicting. When the car is moving at about 3,000 RPM and you step on the gas, the engine lets out a very throaty growl all the way until VTEC engages. From there (6000 RPM), it screams like what you would expect from a higher performance Honda engine. Much like the F20C, it’s the sound of the engine that makes the car so addicting to drive. It is quiet when you want it to be, but when you stomp on the gas, you get a lot of noise.
The car also handled very beautifully. My car sits on Bridgestone RE050’s so they were the same tires that came on my AP2. It did not feel as “tossable” as my S2000, but the car felt very solid and planted through higher speed turns. I already commented about how the brakes did not feel as confidence-inspiring as the S2000, but it was more than sufficient for a sports car. However, if I were to choose which car I would want to drive on a nice back road in the mountains, I would pick the S2000. I believe the NSX would fare better on the track where higher speed turns are more abundant.
In conclusion, I am relatively happy with my decision. The car arrived safe and sound with the service of InterCity Lines. (Great service, definitely recommended.) I will need some more seat time in the NSX to really learn more about the car and what it has to offer. If I were to do it all over again, I think I would give more thought to the Cayman S. What I do know for sure is that I miss the S2000 dearly and I must pick one up in the near future again. While the NSX is great, it still does not quite fill in the void left by the S2000… The two cars are just too different and neither can replace one another.
Summary: I find that the NSX lives up to its reputation and name of being a great sports car for people who enjoy driving. However, the S2000 is still the overachiever in that category.
After a lot of debating, I decided that it was time to try a different car I have never considered in the past. I have always been a fan of Hondas and their “fun” cars which led me to the NSX. Even the V6 / VTEC growl in our Pilot can be a hoot to drive at times.
Many of you may remember that I never had a strong interest in the NSX. I always felt that the NSX did not fill in the “super car” role very well with a shortage of horsepower and dated technology. On paper, the car did not make much sense at all compared to the competition… even to modern “normal” cars like the WRX STi and 370Z. This often led me to a fair share of flames; even here on S2ki. I also did not believe the car could be that much better than the S2000.
After a few months of searching, I finally located a NSX that was reasonably priced and in the condition I was looking for. I had to fly all the way across the country to Florida to inspect the car and give it a proper test drive. The car is a 1998 NSX-T with 28,700 miles.
My initial impressions were as follows:
1. The car is very low. Even at the stock SUV height, it feels like you are sitting just inches off the ground. It definitely has the feeling that you are sitting in an exotic car.
2. The interior feels outdated. Then again, you cannot expect much from an interior designed for the 90’s.
3. I did not find the seats to be as nice as my AP2 seats. They did have a slightly more GT feel to them, though.
When driving the car around town, I noticed that the car does draw a lot of attention… something I could live without. The ride was as stiff as the AP2 and the steering felt heavy. It did feel better than the S2000’s electronic steering, but it did take getting used to. The shifter also felt a bit lacking compared to the S2000’s shifter. Then again, I always found the S2000 had the best shifter feel of any car I have ever driven. Also, the S2000 has noticeably better brakes that I felt a lot more comfortable with which was fine because the car did feel a bit… slow.
It was only when I was able to drive the car more spiritedly on an open road did it begin to make more sense. All of a sudden, the numbers (290 HP, blah blah) was thrown out the window and became so insignificant. While I am a HUGE fan of the F22 engine in the AP2, the growl of the NSX’s C32 is very addicting. When the car is moving at about 3,000 RPM and you step on the gas, the engine lets out a very throaty growl all the way until VTEC engages. From there (6000 RPM), it screams like what you would expect from a higher performance Honda engine. Much like the F20C, it’s the sound of the engine that makes the car so addicting to drive. It is quiet when you want it to be, but when you stomp on the gas, you get a lot of noise.
The car also handled very beautifully. My car sits on Bridgestone RE050’s so they were the same tires that came on my AP2. It did not feel as “tossable” as my S2000, but the car felt very solid and planted through higher speed turns. I already commented about how the brakes did not feel as confidence-inspiring as the S2000, but it was more than sufficient for a sports car. However, if I were to choose which car I would want to drive on a nice back road in the mountains, I would pick the S2000. I believe the NSX would fare better on the track where higher speed turns are more abundant.
In conclusion, I am relatively happy with my decision. The car arrived safe and sound with the service of InterCity Lines. (Great service, definitely recommended.) I will need some more seat time in the NSX to really learn more about the car and what it has to offer. If I were to do it all over again, I think I would give more thought to the Cayman S. What I do know for sure is that I miss the S2000 dearly and I must pick one up in the near future again. While the NSX is great, it still does not quite fill in the void left by the S2000… The two cars are just too different and neither can replace one another.
Summary: I find that the NSX lives up to its reputation and name of being a great sports car for people who enjoy driving. However, the S2000 is still the overachiever in that category.
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If you are looking for an older NA1, then you can expect to spend about $30,000 to $40,000 depending on condition and mileage. Many of these are higher mileage and easier to find. Though after driving a NA1 myself, I did not feel very satisfied with the car coming from a S2000. But I always said, if the car was good enough for Ayrton Senna, then it's more than enough for a novice like me.
If you are looking for a '97 to '01 NA2 (flip up headlights, 6 spd, 3.2L), then expect to spend between $45,000 and $52,000. Mine was closer to the bottom end of that spectrum so I believe I found a good deal on mine. However, I do have some maintenance to catch up on which will run me about 2 to 3k out of my pocket. Prices for these NA2's are steady because they are relatively rare and very few come on sale. I was lucky to find mine because a NSX Prime member took the time to reach out to me about the car.
If you are looking for the newer NA2's, then you can expect to spend about $58k and up depending on year, mileage and condition. These are the trickiest to price because they are still limited, but depreciating at the same time. For many people, these are also less sought after because the flip-up headlights is somewhat of a defining characteristic of the NSX.
If you are looking for a Zanardi edition (think CR model for the NSX), then prepare for an outright bidding war for the car... especially against people with deep pockets.
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The nsx always did well in best motoring tests against much faster cars and Keiichi has owned one so you know it's an a awesome car. It's odd how the car seems so slow on paper but then on the track it seems to come alive. One thing I noticed when watching best motoring is the nsx's always had cooling issues before the others.
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Nice pick up, congrats! I still can't get over how expensive these cars are 15-20 years later. I have never driven one, but I fear my expectations are way too high, because if I'm dropping $50K on a car I want certain things that I don't know the NSX has. Still, as a Honda fan, this is a car I respect and appreciate even if I don't plan on owning one. 
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Price is what you pay, value is what you get.
A 91 NSX is a prime (excuse the pun for those in the know) example - it's been worth ~30k for the last 10 years. Many (certainly not all or necessarily even the majority) people who bought NA2's 8-12 years ago paid less than what they are worth today.
A 91 NSX is a prime (excuse the pun for those in the know) example - it's been worth ~30k for the last 10 years. Many (certainly not all or necessarily even the majority) people who bought NA2's 8-12 years ago paid less than what they are worth today.