Hey guys,

I'm in the market for a new car. I currently have an 05 VW GLI and I have done everything I want with it and I'm looking to move on.

I talked to a friend who had a great s2k that he sold recently. He told me he liked it but after a little while he said he wanted something more powerful, more torquey.

I have narrowed my options down to a STI or a s2k. Turbo is great so my question is this.

How reliable can s2ks be boosted with a conservative tune? How good would it be as a daily driver driven about 50 miles each day.

Take care

 

Very reliable if tuned right. It really comes down to a 4 door AWD car or a 2 door RWD convertible. Once you make that decision, the hard part is over.

 

A stock sti will definitely be much more reliable than a turbo'd S. I would much rather a turbo'd S than an Sti though. I have a supercharged S and has been great and very reliable for me once I finally got it tuned with AEM EMS. I put tons of miles on my car as well. Been putting over 20k miles a year.

 

Don't assume that preferences are universal and definitely get to know the S before you start to mod it.

If you have a torque fetish (as many seem to) the S probably isn't your best choice. As always, test drive, test drive, test drive. Don't rely on spec sheet racing.

Again, highly subjective. Even among S fans not all of them agree on the suitability of the S as a daily driver (FI or NA).

 

I'd say go for the STi if you want turbo, or S2000 if you've got lots of time and/or money. Remember, fast, reliable, cheap, pick 2.

 

A turbo S can be reliable, but it's going to be higher maintenance than either a stock S or a stock STI. You've got to keep your eyes and ears out for problems and catch them quick. The forced induction forum is littered with people having problems with their cars. Granted, most of these are people with turbo kits trying to make crazy HP numbers. The all-in-one supercharger kits are much more hassle free and still offer plenty of power.

 

Turbo s, get the ptuning kit

 

Agreed. Never understand those who own an S and perpetually bemoan the lack of torque. It is what it is.

 

I was a Chevy guy first and foremost. Camaro's were my weapon of choice RS/Z28 (70), and an 88 Iroc. So I know a little about torque and its value. I went from my Iroc to my hatch, and didn't miss the torque a bit, because I gained so much more. Gas mileage and money in my pocket being the largest benefit.
I wandered for just a moment into Subie land recently, and soon there after had a whiff of maintenance costs compared to N/A Hondas. I quickly turned back to my old trusty and much favored Honda's and the S2K. Simply because I wanted to keep my life uncomplicated, and also because I thought, and think now that the S2K is an attractive little number. You have to do what you have to do... I chose the S2K.