sounds like your talking about the miata when it first came out... only difference is mazda sold 50,000 the first year with insane dealer mark-ups and long waiting lists

 

This may well be correct, but reading Road and Track describe sales as lackluster made me think differently. I don't have the data that prompted them to choose that description, so I have no solid proof that it's correct. My gut feeling is the S2000 is probably selling less than they could at maximum capacity at the factory. No real surprise here, the 350z is a fine car with broader market appeal. The RX-8 is also in the same segment with more practicality and a fresher design. I still prefer the S2000, but I understand why others would choose a newer more practical car. I do hope the s2000 has the ability to hang on like the NSX has relatively unchanged since launch. I just don't see the market dictating premiums over msrp like they did at launch like they probably still would if they were selling like hotcakes.

 

Ya, and whats the depreciation value of the miata? You could almost trade a pack of gum and two new quarters for the used ones. If I wanted a heavily mass marketed cheap car, with high depreciation I'd buy a miata.

I'll take my limited production, value maintaining, S2000 any day of the week. The s2000 maintains 57% of its resale value or whatever its called. It retains it value better than almost any other car under $100k. The 350Z and especially the RX8's and miata's are loosing their value sharply compared to the s2000 after leaving the lot.

Personally, I'm not sure why anyone would want something 50000 other people a YEAR are buying. Call me elitist, but I prefer to be a member of a more select, tigher knit community.

 

stitos2k, you obviously know more about the s2k than me. can u tell me how much they were selling for with the dealer mark-ups when they first came out?

 

This thread started out pretty weak and it's only become worse. Straying from a semantic debate to who's penis is larger. Yikes.

I'm not sure what to add except that some of you s2k guys embarass me. I spend a lot of time auto-xing and I have an earned respect for miatas. The C-stock miata's times are usually very close to the A-stock S2000s.

... and how could any S2000 owner call a Miata a chick car? Dayum. Talk about fanboi.

 

[QUOTE=LiQiCE,Apr 21 2005, 03:57 AM]I think its funny that some people consider the Miata more of a sports car than the S2000 because it lacks power windows, power top, etc ...

 

As far as sales goes. The S2000 is the halo car for Honda. It isn't meant to necessarily be a huge success or a huge seller. Its what gets kids interested in Honda, and ultimately when they can't afford one, gets them into a Civic or Accord.

Acura has the NSX as a halo car, and while a lot of you may think it doesn't work ... I felt very differently when I went to the NY Auto Show in March. Adults and kids were surrounding the Honda S2000, which was open with top down and hood open for all to enjoy. People were staring at the car stunned ... It brought them over to the Honda area and got them talking and looking.

Sales of the S2000 has been slipping recently, but so have a lot of the sales in the roadster market. Honda has also stated that as long as the S2000 continues to sell well, they will continue to make it. YTD (as of March 2005), Honda has sold 1,516 versus 1,831 for 2004, down 16%. However, the winter months are typically bad sales months for roadsters. I can't predict market trends, but sales will probably pickup during the summer months, although it may end up being a down year for sales of the S2000.

In any case, this isn't really an arguement about which car sells better ... Its difficult to compare sales of two cars like the Miata and the S2000 since like others have said, Mazda produces more Miatas than Honda produces S2000s so its an apple to oranges comparison.

Here's what I was talking about at the NY Auto Show though ... makes me feel good to own an S2000 to see so many people oogling over it ...

 

and most people have never heard or seen of one!

 

[QUOTE=glagola1,Apr 21 2005, 12:01 PM] This thread started out pretty weak and it's only become worse.

 

[QUOTE=UNC04SuzukaBlue,Apr 21 2005, 12:31 PM]It's not really "you guys". It's mostly just Helios8. He's a real hard-liner when it comes to what defines a true sports car.