Wow, what a thread. I drove a '98 Electron Blue 'Vette Convertible, owned 2 81's and an 86. The 80's 'Vettes sucked. Really. That's why you can pick them up for $6,000 depending on the miles. (Trader online, Excite Classifieds). The C5 Vette was beautiful (whoever posted about the big round butt though is right, never sat well with me). I drove the 98 Vette a couple of times because a friend of mine was pushing me to get it (who, by the way is 53 years old, what does that tell ya?). I hated the shift nob, it was big and square, it didn't feel as fast as I would have liked (but I've owned a Viper) and the interior was huge and plasticky. While shopping I walked across the street to look at a privately owned yellow S2K that had caught my eye. What did I end up with? A '00 Black S2000. It was more fun to drive, the lines are beautiful, it fit me like a glove and I wasn't compensating.

Bottom line, the 'Vette is a great car but there's a lot of stigma attached to it and it just wasn't right, for me. It seems like a mid life crisis car, bulbous, GM build quality (for the record, the 98 'Vette popped out of gear in first and the headlight was rubbing against the hood when it would go up and down) and they are everywhere.

I love my S2000, there is some intangible thing about this car that makes it better in S2K loyalists eyes than anything else on the road regardless if the other car is faster, better at autocross, more muscle, more refinement, doesn't matter, the Honda S2000 is like nothing else, it's rare, it's beautiful and an absolute blast to drive.

Nomads2000
'00 black/black

 

1) Electron Blue is a new color for 2002

2) About the panel fit... My 99 Coupe had 1 issue with panel fit. The hatch gaps weren't uniform. Well, they were uniform per side, but not uniform to each other. Since it closed properly, didn't leak ANY air, and they were even per side, I didn't want to mess with it... The Vette you mention with the headlight rubbing and the shifter popping out of gear sounds like someone really beat on it hard... I know the T56 isn't a miracle of a gearbox, but it is tough (after all, the Viper uses it too).

I never liked the styling of the C5, but I liked how solid it was and how it performed for the price. Blame the insurance companies on the styling of the C5... they had a large part in the design in terms of low cost. Thats why there is no clamshell hood anymore.

As for huge interior... yes, VERY huge... you can put the seat back so far that you can barely press the clutch... Of course, that was part of the goal in the design of the car, which is why the transmission is in the rear... By comparison, the S2000 is a much more snug vehicle, where you sit with the seat all the way back almost all of the time

What's funny is that as much as people rag on the Vette, the Viper is worse so... talk about a terrible interior and driving position. But it sure goes fast


[QUOTE]Originally posted by NomadS2000
[B]Wow, what a thread.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by S2K_CLS
[B]1) Electron Blue is a new color for 2002

2) About the panel fit...

 

Hehe, true... the American (couch potatoe) buyer...

IIRC, the Viper's pedals are kinda skewed offcenter, no? Its been a while...


[QUOTE]Originally posted by elanderholm
[B]

the viper interior is way worse...and the there is no dead pedal....just the wheel hump..great design dodge!!