good, now u know this is not the right car for you...

 

Don't buy this car if you want straight line speed. If you were expecting it to be faster than your turbo mr2 or your buddy's m3 you're going to be disappointed.

Exhaust note can be changed with an exhaust easy.

Oh and learn how to drive if you're misshifting 4th.. All you have to do is flick your wrist down. Are you backhanding?

 

Stock MR2 turbo is rated at 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. A couple mods will make it considerably faster than an S2000.

 

Do any of you actually think that torque is some kind of measure of acceleration? If so, explain thrust.

 

If you think that Corvettes do not handle well you should not breed.

 

I was also under the impression that he got a further revised one (didn't he mention a Rev 4 or something?), which means he'd start out at around the same HP as the S2000. People seem to keep forgetting the fact that he's not from the US.

 

I hate the Shelby quote "horsepower sells cars, torque wins races." It's just wrong. Saying HP at low RPM or a broad powerband vs. peak horsepower, sure. But that's not the same as just torque.

And besides that, it's only accurate for those too lazy to shift. Keep it in the right gear and the car is fast.
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Anyways, on topic, sorry the S2000 didn't fit your expectations.

To me, it's a car I have to rev the snot out of and throw around the corners to really enjoy. But I really enjoy it. If you just drive to work and back, it's probably not a good car for you right now. If you can drive it for fun on curvy roads, it's an absolute blast. And it's a car that forces you to be a better driver--that's something I like.

On sound, I really enjoy the sound of the car with just the airbox lid off. Before that, it was ok but not impressive. FI will get you around the power deficit issue, and you can turbo it (as opposed to S/C) if torque is important to you.

But if you drive it again later and find you simply don't enjoy the character of the car, you're better off going with something else. I didn't buy the S2000 because it was the car I initially wanted; I bought it because I drove the one I wanted and didn't like it. The S2000 was the car I really wanted. Maybe that's something else for you.

 

It's funny, I felt exactly the same way about the 350Z that he feels about the S2000.

I love my S!

 

A stock S2K is low on torque, which seems like what you're after.Go for the BMW M3.

 

Sorry I didn't get a chance to read through all of the posts but I have owned an E46 M3 and have sold it and moved into the S2000. In the end, I am completely happy with my decision. I've always liked the S2000 and not being an all out torque, track, racing, etc. kind of guy, I don't miss the torque at all. The car is just beautiful and a true sports car. The E46 M3 is a 330ci with an engine, suspension, etc. upgrade. I couldn't justify the cost of owning one. It's a superb car, but at the $60k new price point and the expensive maintenance, it is not worth it. My much lower maintenance s2000 turns more heads, sounds awesome (with my HKS Hi-power dual exhaust), performs like a sports car should, gets great gas mileage, and cost almost half of my E46 M3. What is there not to like about the s2k!

In regards to the gear box, I love the stock short shifter, although it may take a little bit to get used to. I can't get away from it now, all other car shifters seem way too long. In terms of gas mileage, I don't know how your friend got 25mpg with aggressive driving of the M3 as I drove 70-80mph mostly conservative highway miles and got at best 22-23 mpg. With my s2k, I drive the same and get an average of 26-27mph and all the while revving at 4k+ on the highway.

A car is a personal choice and it seems like the s2000 just isn't what you expected. I acknowledge that you love the car, what it stands for, and its legacy, but go with your heart/instincts, as only then you will be really happy. Good luck on whichever path you take!