Hell to everyone. My name is Curtis, I'm 25 years old in live in east Texas. I'm pretty obsessed with cars and especially roadsters. I bought a 99 Miata 6 years ago and daily drove it up until last Friday. My brother totaled my car making a U turn on the highway. Bought the car for 7k and put around 9 in it with paint and a bunch of other mods. I originality wanted a S2K back when I bought my miata, but I was young and in school with limited funds so I got the closest thing to it. Miata was a great car never had any real issues with it, daily drove it 6 years, tracked it, autox, and ended up with 190k on it.

I'm finally able to afford a S2K and I'm looking at a few AP2s. Price range 15-16K. I want a 2004 because of the small upgrade in torque and the number of other refinements. My uses will be a daily/autox/track car. Plans for it will be nothing major, most likely wheels, tires, suspension, intake, and exhaust. I have been reading the FAQ on what to look for on a used one.

I could get a newer miata NC for a lot cheaper with fewer miles than the S2k, but I REALLY want to get the car I always wanted. Any advice from you guys would be greatly appreciated.

 

s2000 > older miata > newer miata

 

and welcome....

 

Was your brother okay? An acquaintance of mine that that had a crx was in a wreck like that (but probably worse). He was stopped at a light when a truck rear-ended him at 60mph. He was in a coma for a while, the rear trunk latch hit him in the back of the head!!!!! I hope your brother was okay.

P.S. The guy now owns a red AP1 S2000.

 

Yikes -- hope your brother is OK. That leftover wreckage looks scary.

I followed a path similar to yours (wanted an S2k but bought a 99 Miata first), and while the Miata was a great car, I've never regretted swapping it for the S2k. IMO, despite the fact the S2k weighs ~500 lbs more than an NB Miata, the S2k feels every bit as responsive, with a much more rigid chassis, more power, more grip, and less body roll. The steering feedback in the S2k does feel a bit numb (esp compared to that of the NB Miata), but it's so direct that I can live with the reduced feedback. I also feel much safer in the S2k than I ever did in my NB Miata -- the low belt line and lack of roll hoops always sketched me out a bit.

I've never driven an NC Miata so I can't offer any comparisons there. But my guess is that the NC and S2k are plenty different and that you'll know which one is for you after test driving each one. Just go with your gut (even if it means spending a few more $$) and you'll be good

 

Thanks guys. Yeah, he's alright, stapled up head and very bruised back. I blame the head injury on my roll bar.

I've already decided it's going to be the S2k, preferably AP2. I'm tired of the old "it handles but needs more power". Yeah, the S2K wont blow me away with speed, but it's plenty to give me a smile. I have my R6 when I want to fly, and mainly love the S2K for the Technology of that engine, style, and it's a Honda.

 

nice, at least you know about the car and decided you want it. good luck finding it!

 

OK, got it finally! love it, can't believe how this car handles in stock form..I see what everyone means by having to rev it out to get power, but it's totally fun. The miata was a whole different feel. I've never driven a car that's so precise, I love it!

03 80K on odo

Wanted a AP2 but this was at a good price and very clean. I wanted this color combo from the start, only in a AP2.

Either way I'm totally loving this car.

 

Grats! It's so purdy!

 

if you don't mind, what did you pay. that's the kind of mileage im looking to get. I owned a miata, and drove a mazdaspeed miata. everything about the s2k just screams MOOORREE than the miata. Its basically just a bigger, better version of the miata, and if mazda built the miata with 240hp, theyd sell a million of them. The whole fun of the s2k is rapping the engine and pissing it off. Congrats, can't wait to join you. The longer I wait, the more I hate my mazdaspeed 3.