SDeuces

Hey everyone! I'm new here and I don't know if I'm supposed to post on this thread or not but here goes. Right now I have a dilemma of what I want to get first. I could buy a forbidden usa mugen replica hard top or get a cusco roll cage and Potenzas or Hankooks with 85% to 90% thread. I want the top because it would make the car look more aesthetic because the soft top wasn't taken care of by the previous owner and has large multiple slashes. I want to buy the roll cage and tires because I want to go to Buttonwillow and have my very first track day since I'm only a couple minutes away. If you were in my situation what option would you go with?

dc2-2-ap1

Do you enjoy the convertible aspect of the car?
If no, buy hardtop, if yes, have a new softtop installed.

Check with the tracks you plan on running about roll bars. The Cusco rollbar(4 point) and cage(6-7 point) are not authorized at several tracks throughout the nation because chromoly steel is a safety hazard. Cages are not a good thing for street driving, especially in a car as small as this. Your chance of hitting your head in the event of a side impact is almost guaranteed. The structural integrity of the windshield frame almost eliminates the need for a full cage. Look into roll bars instead of a cage. Harddog and Rockstar Garage have great options that are approved for racing events.

Tires are a great first mod. This car can be scary and/or dangerous on sub-par tires. Especially with a driver not familiar with the car or rwd platforms. With that being said, saying Potenza or Hankook means nothing. The Potenza line has a few good tires, but most are not designed to this type of car. The same can be said for Hankook. The Hankook RS-3v2 and Potenza RE-71R and RE-11 are great for track and weekend duties. Hankook V12-evo2, Potenza s04 and RE760 are good for daily use.

freq

OP, if your car sits outside, get a hardtop or get the soft top replaced or repaired.

It sounds like you're on strict budget. Go to the track and spectate, maybe ask for a ride-along.

Along with tires, are your fluids fresh? Your brake pads have 1/2 life left? The track will be there, get the car in tip top shape first.

Have the valves ever been checked for cracked retainers / clearance?

Chuck S

I want the top because it would make the car look more aesthetic.

I place non-functional items like "looks" at the bottom of the list where they have little chance of sneaking on the car. Especially if I'm short on cash.

-- Chuck

FlyingTR

Track days are expensive make sure you account for all the expenses such as fluids, brake pads, tire life, etc.
I would say the get a roll bar, get some tires, get the car prepped and go to track.

BUT

People will tell you what they think is the best according to their own preference.
There are 2 basic groups on this forum,
one is the elitist garage queen club with expensive JDM parts who would drop 10k on mods per year and expect to sell their cars in 10 years to become millionaires(they didn't get the memo that said "Its just a Honda"),
and the other group is "track day bro!" group who would sacrifice their first born child to satan for more track days per year approx. spending the same amount of money as the other group trying to chase 400hp cars.

Which one do you want?

SDeuces

Thank you everyone, I appreciate your response. The top is going for $900 with all the hardware. I'm not completely sure if it's a deal or not. Since all tops I see are I just checked the hard dog roll cage and is going for about 600. My friend in Orange County was offering me RE11s for $200 altogether. I forgot to mention the model of the Potenzas and the type for Hankooks since I didn't bookmark the Craigslist ad. I have $1,200 and would like to have some money left over to do other things. As for the car there are no cracked valve retainers and all fluids were replaced by the previous owner who sold the car to me about a month ago. The car sits outside when I go to school and work. My high school's parking lot is relatively safe since there are security guards who check the lot between periods. As for my work my car is out in a lot where I cannot see my car unless I exit myself. I don't intend to make it a garage queen because cars are meant to be enjoyed and driven and would rather take it to the tracks than the streets because I knew people who died from opposing the latter. I'm not looking to dump a lot of my money into my S as I am going to university next year. The tires are on generic all season comfort tires but that isn't an issue since I've driven RWDs even before I got my driver's license. I want both but I have trouble deciding what I want first.

FlyingTR

I am with freq on this one, go to track its like 15$ for spectators to get in for Buttonwillow. You can talk to any s2k owner there and get some opinions, see for yourself if you would like to take your car there.
In any given track day at Buttonwillow at least 2 s2ks will be there but I have counted 15 once, and I have never seen someone there that wasn't friendly or not willing to talk about cars. And for the pricing, call the shops or places that sell these stuff, even better go there, you might be able to get a better deal.
Also I bet some of the s2k owners there might have a hard top you can check out, or you might get a deal from one of their friends.