First off, great forum, tons of info, just as I had expected. Now on to the topic at hand. (This is not a "Should I buy one based on your opinion thread)

Let me start off by giving you a brief history of myself, and my auto experience. I am currently in a lease that will be ending within the next six months or so, and am looking into a small convertible, namely the S. I have always had sports cars, or sports coupes until this last one. My first car was a 1994 Pontiac Firebird. It was this car that made me swear off Domestic vehicles forever. I later traded that wreck in for a 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT Spyder(only to realize a little later, it was nothing more than a Dodge Stratus ). I am currently in a 2005 Nissan Altima SE-R. This has been a FANTASTIC car, I just miss the days of my small convertible vs. the "limo" I drive now. The R has plenty of power, 260HP VQ35 V6, and I like the room. I just miss the "zip" of a small car. I also had a 2004 Suzuki SV650S motorcycle. This thing was also a torque monster(like the R) with its 75hp 75ft./lbs v-twin. I traded this off last year for my beloved GSXR 750 .
SO... all this information basically leads up to.... I have had vehicles with mondo torque(Firebird, SE-R, SV), AND vehicles with much less(GSXR, Eclipse). I love the pull of torque, but I have been in the S, and am almost 100% seduced by it. I haven't been in one recently, but its hard to forget. I am a Nissan sales rep, and am in 350Zs almost daily. I like them, but...... eh . So, after a long-winded intro.... Whom of you came from high-torque vehicles to the S? Any regrets?
Discuss.

 

The only torque that matters is the torque that goes to the wheels. The equation: drive wheel torque = flywheel torque x first gear x final drive x 0.85. Just get gears and rev to 9k Anyhow, even stock, the s pulls decently. With lower weight, you don't need as much torque (although it is useful)

 

There's no real way to get significant hp or torque unless forced induction, or stroker kit for NA. But weight reduction through lighter parts can help the power/weight ratio. A light single exhaust will give you power as well as weight reduction. I don't know how much time you spent in a 350z but i think it's safe to say that you won't get punched back into your seat like you might in a Z. Go for a thorough test drive. It's the one and only way to make the right decision - what works for someone else might not work for you. Good luck!

 

I've kind of gotten away from the desire to have my neck snapped everytime I hit the gas. I love running the tach up high, punching through the gears, and just watching the speedometer climb... much like on my 750. Riding a bike has also made me really appreciate that "straight lines are for fast vehicles, and corners are for fast drivers/riders." Not so much into drag anymore, more into having a blast in the twisties. From what I can tell, this is the perfect car for it. Some light, tasteful mods, and I think I will have the perfect vehicle for me.

I guess the only thing left for me is to wait out my lease end, and decide which color I want

 

Yeah man, sounds like you've made up your mind I came out of a Jetta VR6 which isn't really a high torque car per se, but... although I liked the low-end grunt (you could really light that little thing up if you wanted to), I've always had a pull towards high-revving, small-displacement engines. When I first learned about the S2k back when I was 16, I freaked out and was like "man, that is my car right there."

Until I can get my Elise or Exige, the S is my car. And, hell, it probably still will be... You may not feel like you've gotten kicked in the lower back when you dump the clutch but when you're racing someone, they shift, you've still got over three grand left to go and you're only just getting started... hehe. It's a drug.

 

I had a 02 Camaro SS and that thing had lots of torque down low. It was a fun car and I miss it. However, if you are a car guy, it won't matter. The S is a complete package of handling and performance, and I love driving it more than my old SS.

 

I miss my torque... and punching it at 110 and having my 315s hop... (Coming from a Z06, GTO, G35)

but everytime I run Provo canyon averaging 90-95 miles per hour flying by other cars that doing 35-50, I remember why I bought the car Its a completely different machine, even though the other cars handle remarkably well (the Z06 even has a higher skidpad) the feel while carving corners in the "S" and keeping it in the bowerband (6.5-9k) yes 6.5 in Utah, so don't flame me ya'll...

 

My last car was a 01 Carrera which really kicked ass and had nice torque. You can make up for it by slapping some silly turbo kit of your s2k and blow away pretty much everything.

 

I had an 02 Mustang GT with 4.10 gears (from 3.27); it's low to midrange was awesome, but it ran out of breath after 5500rpm's or so. Blame the 2 valves per cylinder + small(er) bore than the LSx's and Hemi's for that one.

 

I had an '04 WRX before I sold it and bought my S. And before that I had a '90 Mustang GT with about $10,000 in mods. That thing was pretty torquey.

But we;re really talking about apples and oranges here. I can appreciate cars with different characters, so I love the racy high-revving nature of the S.

Also, they excel in different venues. The Mustang was great in city and highway driving, but it was utter crap on a twisty backroad.

So, no regrets at all, although when I can afford to, I would love to add some American muscle to my stable.