A friend of mine is contemplating an STi or S2000 purchase, and since I've owned both cars I've been giving him my take on the two. However, I'm just one person, and would very much like your thoughts on the matter.

***Please reply only if you have personally owned both an STi and an S2000***

DISCLAIMER: I fully understand the two cars were designed with different goals in mind, and aren't really competitors in the strictest sense, but there are plenty of people that have owned both (for whatever reason), and that makes a decent thread showing their strengths/weaknesses a good thing, so please be respectful in your posts.



To me, the most important issue is the owners goals for the vehicle, and with that in mind, here they are:

Daily-driver goals:
- 10-20 minute daily drive to work (in-town + Interstate)
- 3-5 snows a year

Performance goals:
- Fun to drive
- Above-average handling
- Above-average power
- Occasional auto-x or drag-strip
- Medium expense to modify

Long-term goals:
- Reliability
- Medium cost of ownership
- Resale

Looking at these goals, a case can easily be made for either vehicle. The clearest advantages I see are the STi's mechanical advantage in inclimate weather, and the S2000's fun-factor advantage (being a convertible) when the weather is nice, although I do believe the STi (at least for him) is quite a bit less expensive to insure. I also think that the STi, being made for off-the-shelf Group-N Rally, is the safer vehicle.

Anyway, what's your take?

 

ok i owned 2 s2000. 2001 ap1 and 2004 ap2. now I own an 07 sti

all 3 cars I DD. all 3 were stock

Handling - sk2 wins,but in rain or bad weather, the STI is the champ. I feel alot safer in the STI.

Power - STI wins, I love the feel of the torque

Style - toss up, 2 seater vs 4 door. its a pick-em

Interior - STI for me alot of room

Reliability - on my 2 s2ks, had one hid blub go out, both had the decel buzz. Both had the CAT replace. both eat oil like crazy. rattles from the conv top. my sti has 7000 miles. still like new, only one changes and tire rotation.

insurance - same for both cars

if honda had a new sk2, i would buy another one, but the current s2k is play out for me. I perfer ap1 vs ap2.

 

2 S2000's and 1 04 Sti

You know, when I look back at them both, they were both a blast and just about equally as fun just in different ways each.

 

I have an 07 Limited Sti @ home and recently lost my S2000 in an accident after 4 years. I have driven both plenty of miles but in your friends situation (weather) I'll stick to the STI. If he can get both that would be great, I cannot live long without my S2000.

 

on that alone i recomend the sti to him. with snow tires the s2k does decent, but its not a fun expiernce.

the Sti is a great car, and a better DD for snowy climates. fun to drive is a toss up as they are both VERY fun to drive.

 

3-5 snows a year is hardly a "snowy climate."

 

snow falls or snow days? big differents

 

With regards to snowfall or snow-days, it's a pretty big swing here. Some years we have snow on the ground for a solid week (total), others it may just be a couple of days that in the morning the ground is covered. Sometimes we get ice, but again, it depends on the year.

I know that without snow-tires my S2000 went exactly nowhere in the snow, and I had to bum a ride to work several times the same year. I really haven't suggested snow-tires to him because he's as fearful as I was about someone crashing the thing, best just to bum a ride...haha.

Excellent responses, I'm very impressed, thank you guys. I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks this is a tough decision.

 

I've owned 2 S2000's, a '00 NFR AP1 and an '04 GPW AP2, now I own an '06 STi.

I modded all 3, but the STi has way more mods than either of my S2000's did. The torque alone was a huge seller for the STi, add in the large amount of cargo capacity and it was a no brainer for me since it is my daily driver and only car.

As far as fit, the S2000 wins hands down. It felt like a perfectly fitted glove for me, and I never got tired if driving it. The tranny was the best I've ever driven with and it does handle great.

The STi is more like a boxing glove filled with bricks. It's very comfortable, even on longer trips. The power delivery is awesome, with my current mods the torque is staggering when compared to the S2000.

I chose to trade in my S2000 for my STi, and I don't regret the swithch.

 

I owned a 03 AP1 and 04 Sti . i lived in Va and could not drive the S normally for 5 months a year.

Cold weather and RWD are a bad combo

if i had to do it all over again, I would'nt choose either of em...