Avorik

Hey Everyone,

I currently own a 94 3000GT and Im planning on selling to get a s2000 or a 350z. I've always been a fan of s2000s and I was wondering if all you s2k owners could share your experience. Advantages and disadvantages, fun to drive, etc. Anything would help!

Thanks a lot


my 3000gt

NoBottleJustThrottle

Spend a few moments looking through the forum and you will quickly see how passionate people are about our beloved S2000's. The emotions that you get while driving the car are really inspired. There was obviously a lot of thought put into the car pre-production and you quickly realize it when you start driving. How light the car feels, how confident it makes you feel through a turn, the precision feel of the transmission as you row through the gears, the noises that the engine makes (especially top down) - it all contributes to why after owning the car it is such a hard car to let go of. There are very few cars on the market (especially for the money) that compare to this car. That isn't to say that the 350Z isn't a capable car - it is. The 350Z is just a very different kind of car. I almost treat the 350Z more as a GT car while on the other hand I consider the S2000 to be a road legal go-kart.

Disadvantages? It's not the fastest car straight line. HP/TQ numbers are left to be desired compared to current cars. VTEC is addicting which will have you at the gas pump maybe more than you want. Then there are the little, finicky things that are known about the S2000 (common tears in the soft top, the rear differential isn't the strongest, etc.).

Bottom line is that the car is absolutely wonderful. Take care of it and it will take care of you. If you can find a clean example then I wouldn't hesitate to purchase. It's more reliable than a lot of comparable cars, it's cheaper to maintain then a lot of cars and it will reward you with a smile more than you think it would. Go drive one and see what all the hype is about. I think after driving one you will feel as though the 350Z is lacking.

Avorik

Thats the best way to make my decision. I never driven one before but that should change soon. I should get behind the wheel of one first to understand what the car is about. Thanks a bunch man! I appreciate it

Avorik

Thats the best way to make my decision. I never driven one before but that should change soon. I should get behind the wheel of one first to understand what the car is about. Thanks a bunch man! I appreciate it

Trackforged

If your looking for a RWD car to daily the Z is more comfortable (softer) has more torque and longer gears (revs lower on the highway), but if you want a car that is going to be a blast to drive every time you push beyond 6k rpm, a car that you will set the bar for you in terms of fun and performance/$ then get an S2000

I've daily'd my S2k for 5 years now

Evan

Syn

Nice 3000GT. I had a '92 VR4 for about 2 years.

You will definitely want to drive both and determine what your priorities are. When I went from my Trans Am to my S2000 I had only three cars on my list: LS2 GTO, 350Z, S2000. I drove each and regarding the two you are considering, these were my thoughts:

350Z: Drove one with the "rev-up" motor (a little more powerful than an older one one). The car didn't feel fast. I could see the speedometer moving but it just didn't do anything for me in terms of straight-line performance feel, and I kept thinking to myself "this is the only place where the Z would have the advantage." I hadn't driven an S2000 yet so I wasn't exactly sure. Taking the 350Z around turns it again did nothing for me. It turned fine but you could feel the weight of the car. I pushed it a little and it didn't feel much different than my Trans Am. I'm sure with more seat time and confidence it would be better of course. And the last thing that bugged me about the 350Z: the interior was atrocious. By far, the single worst interior I've sat in for a car made in the 2000s. This includes my dad's Toyota Echo. There were a couple of spots on the doors where it was just painted metal and it literally scraped off by just touching it, exposing the bare metal and looking like total shit.

S2000: Drove it once, and now I own it. This should be enough to let you know what I think, but I'll add some detail. The car actually felt faster than the Z. Probably because of the lighter weight. It also took corners amazingly and it was apparent how much engineering was put into the chassis development. Vtec was not fun, but instead annoying. The first few months I owned it, I was flooring it everywhere (once I got in a straight line) in order to get up past 6k and into the power. I would have to shift stupid fast to keep it in the powerband from 1st-2nd. I have since fixed this with a custom tune and exhaust mods that allow for a 4200rpm engagement, and the car is much more livable putting around town. So I've already solved my only real complaint about the car with a few cheap mods.