ok let me first say i have had a wide variety of vehicles, from RWD and to the current AWD which i have had the pleasure of owning a couple. My current vehicle is an 02 TT and the original warranty will end in a little less than a year, and I have been considering an s2k. Warranty is not really that important, the TT has been great never had problems, but all the scheduled maintenance has been taken care of by the Audi warranty so far. I've had the pleasure reading up the info and have test drove 05 s2k. Let me just say the interior quality is more than I expected from Honda (didn't mean to affend anyone), the shifter feels great, the car is really stiff compared to the TT but comfortable in my opinion. However I do want to know how the daily drivers feel about that, if there are any. I was pleased with the power however pushing the rpms past 7k was a bit weird coming from a vehicle where at 3k the turbo spools. Never thought of purchasing a convertable, even the m3 conv. i feel doesn't look as good as this car with the top down in my opinion of course.

Just wondering if there are any complaints from owners as far as having to drive such a small car, or does everyone just have a second car. I know the car is RWD, but any thoughts about handling in rain conditions, any one drive the car in mild snow? I use to own a trans am, and somehow i managed to drive that thing in the winter with enough lbs of dirts saks in the back trunk. Also does the vehicle develop annoying clunking noise like the 350z.

Even though the car does not have AWD, and no seat warmers(lol) i'm really considering.

Thanks
opinions appreciated

 

I think having an S as your sole vehicle all depends on your own specific circumstances. I for one could not do it, because my music demands that I have something I can transport my drums in. If you're a homeowner(like I also am) it would be tough also unless you have a friend with a utilitarian vehicle you could borrow for tackling some household chores (I actually managed to get 15 bags of mulch in my RSX one time!).

As for driving the car during inclement weather...I think the S gets a little bit more bad press than it deserves. YES-it is easy to lose the rearend if you push it too much. However, I think you could say the same about any moderately powered FR car. Heck I saw a guy in a early 90's T-Bird do a 180 last week in the rain because he came around a turn too fast.

I can't speak for the winter side really since I live in Florida It seems that a lot of folks do drive them in the snow, albeit with winter tires and wheels.

I haven't noticed any "clunking" noises, but with the top down and the rpms reaching toward 9k I'm inclined to think I wouldn't notice them!

Good luck with your decision.

Craig

 

Thanks, I have a beater that I use as well, however the TT became a daily driver in a way as well.

 

it's my daily driver and I love it, I'm having seat heaters installed for $350 in a week =)

 

Had a TT Roadster for 9 months and then sold it for the S2000! Never even 1 second did I regret that swap in any way! I don't even remember the TT

 

I use my S2000 as a daily driver, even though I have other cars that would fit the bill alot better. It makes the daily commute alot more tolerable. The car definitely gets bad press in terms of handling in poor road conditions. If you respect the car you will have no problems. I drive it in the snow, and it handles quite well.. but snow tires are an absolute must. With 50/50 weight distribution, there is no need to put sand bags in the trunk, and it will only increase oversteer.

The car is definitely a little cramped, but I got used to it very quickly. Also as you mentioned, the quality and finish of the interior is better than one would expect.. but then you have to realize this car was selling for close to $40k when it was released in 00, and now its still around $34k, so a plastic interior was out of the question. It compares well to the interiors in my Audis and Volvos, and is much better than my late Infinity.

I have driven a few TTs, and they cannot compare to the experience of driving the S It does take time to get used to revving the crap out of it.. but thats what it was built for, and the engine loves it! dont be afraid!

This car is the culmination of years of racing and manufacturing experience.

On a last note.. you mentioned annoying noises from the 350z. The S is a noisy car. There are no clunks, or creaks, but there's plenty of other noises. There's nothing between you and the engine, so you're going to hear it all.

 

I use mine essentially as a daily driver through most of the year. As a commuter car it works great. As long as you don't need lots of space, the S is fine. The S's engine requires more attention to oil level than most other cars out there, so that makes fill-ups a little longer.

I'd also mention that unless you have a good place to park the car at work (or you're not the type of person to worry about it), you might not want to do this. That said, since you already had the Audi for the same situation, I assume this isn't a problem.

Oh, as others mentioned, the car is definitely loud. I love it, but my trunk subwoofer is very boomy (not in a good way) with the top up. My solution is not to keep the top up.

 

I've been driving my 05 S2000 daily for the past month - it's comfortable and fun to drive. Recently there have been severe rains and winds in Northern California. The car has handled fine. (I've avoided sharp or abrupt maneuvers when the tires are cold or wet).

The S2000 is fine for daily driving, but it isn't a utility vehicle. That's okay for me - I've knicked up bumpers and interiors of some nice cars thinking I could safely carry things like bikes, tools, hardware and lumber. Not anymore - I either rent, borrow or pay for delivery.

 

The S could not be my only vehicle with the weather I encounter. We have snow from time to time and I prefer to have four wheel drive/ AWD. This is just my personal preference, but you asked.

 

Here's an article from Car and Driver from several years ago comparing the TT, the 350Z, the Z4 and the Boxter with the S2000. may give you some insight into their thinking of the differences between them.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?se...article_id=6846

From my perspective, my S2000 is my second car/summer daily driver because I live in Northern Ohio and we get a lot of snow in the winter and I'm not a fan of RWD in the snow even though some folks drive their S2000s in the snow. It really depends on your situation (where you live and whether the limited luggage capacity is something you can live with) as to whether the S2000 would be a good only car for you (I could envision it being mine if I lived in warmer weather!)
good luck