Chibo

Why a Boxster when you can get a Cayman S in the same range?

I've owned a couple Z4M Coupes, wouldn't replace the S2000 with one. They are much more on the GT end of things.
Haven't gotten a chance to drive an ND Miata, but you can pick up a very low mileage sport with the BBS wheels / Brembo package for sub-20k if you are patient.

JonBoy

I much preferred the Z4M to the S2000 as a daily driver, overall. However, the S2000 is more raw but the Z4M engine was significantly better, in my opinion (way more torque, way quicker car, still revved to 8K, sounded great, etc). Much higher consumable cost, though - tires, brakes, oil changes, etc.

Chibo

Eh, different strokes, I guess. It's definitely a much rarer car than the S2000.

jeffbrig

Not as bad as you think. Ive had my turbocharged 06 Cayman S for 5 years and 30k miles. Outside of some turbo related wear items (read: clutch), the only thing I've replaced is the water pump. Most maintenance is DIY in my garage, on jack stands, with no fancy equipment.

I've had the s2000 for 15+ years now too...

jeffbrig

For top down driving. Honestly, owning both an s2000 and a Cayman S, I can see some benefit and simplicity in replacing the pair with a newer Boxster.

blueprint

987 Cayman S.

GT350RS

Something to watch out for here, I bought a '15 like this...Also heavily discounted...Miatas don't hold value like the S2K seems to. Despite paying less than invoice AND getting a rebate (2500 I think at the time) AND having trade equity AND putting a small amount of cash down. I lost all of that when I traded it in on the RS about 2 years later. I ended up about 250 bucks up after a difference of almost 10 grand from sticker on the Miata...Sure I know trading a car in every two years is always a money-loser, I would have expected a better resale value. My car was also a manual...Not many out there available at the time I sold it. I might have gone private and made a couple of grand more at best...

CosmosMpower

that's a 987.2, not gonna happen sub 20 unless salvage title, good looking car though!

Bullwings

ND MX-5 and FT-86 are on my short list of replacements for the s2k.

That said, I'm still trying to source a spare F22C short block and have $4k worth of idle metal assets sitting in the corner of my garage.

Ultimately I'm looking to have a light weight, rwd, 3-pedal manual H-pattern, track car, that I can thrash around without reservation (except for harm to my own health/body) for less than $25k and less than $4k/year running costs for 8-10 track days per year.

Chibo

$4k/yr is doable, including entry fees, assuming you run reasonable tires (200TW, not Rival 1.5 / RE71R). If you're not counting entry fees you can run a lot of more powerful cars for that kind of money.

I've done 10 events this year and I am looking at that kind of money in consumables, entry fees, gas to/from, etc. Granted, I do it cheap and camp in a tent and don't run more than a RT615K / VR1 / etc.
Adding in car prep and stuff to the total I'm about 3x that number. Next year should be cheaper, as long as I can keep the car together and resist the urge to move out of street classing for time attack stuff.

I think an 86 would be cheaper to run than a S2000 (which is already pretty damn cheap, but not Miata or motorcycle cheap).