I had a Miata, fun car - very tossable, but seriously needs more power.

I have a C5 convertible - gobs of power and torque, long and heavy, in the shop a LOT.

I am thinking about my next convertible and after the "in the shop a lot" C5 the S2000 comes to mind.

Are they still hard to get (can you say dealer gouging) ? I have seen quite a few used lately so I assume the interest has died down somewhat.

Are there any major problems or design flaws? Will I be happy with only a 2L 4 banger? Does it come with all the goodies you need? Stereo any good and can be easilty upgraded?

Are the seats comfy for a, hum, "larger older gentleman" ?

Seems like I read that they have a new tougher tranny for 2002 and an optional hard top.

I REALLY like my bimmer, so I am also thinking about an M roadster or maybe even a Z3 3L car. The Audi TT looks cute, but it is a bit heavy and is not much more power than a S2000. The Boxter S has ok styling, but price, servicing, and reliability are concerns.

Any info would be appreciated!

Dennis
2000 Corvette Convertible (red)
2002 Honda VTX 1800 (black)
2001 BMW 330i (silver)

 

Your best bet for stuff to read is to do a search using each of the topics you've identified as a keyword - you'll find a lot of opinions previously discussed.

Welcome to the group.

 

The S 2000 has been called "a Miata on steroids". It's very tossable with most, if not all, of the handling excellence of the Miata.

The new BMW M Roadster will be more aligned with your Vette in terms of torque and power. The Bimmers are also excellent handlers, but not as much fun as the Honda with its more sophisticated suspension and lighter curb weight.

I think the Boxster S would be another car worth considering, but pricey for what you get.

My S 2000 has been very reliable, but some people have had problems - look at some fo the messages for references to transmission and engine issues. You've had problems, but I've also heard of C5 Corvette owners with few reliability issues and one of them is a regular on the Road Encounter forum.

As far as space inside goes, the cockpit is snug. Sit in one to find out if it's right for you. There's more room in the Boxster and less room in a Miata.

I cannot think of a single "design flaw" that hasn't been remedied with the MY 2002 cars. The stereo has been improved, but you may still want to upgrade it. Since the S 2000 is $10-20k less than the other cars on your list, you have a lot of upgrade cash to play with. The Z3 3.0 can probably be purchased for just a few thousand more than the Honda, but why would you want that car ?


Now that the initial hype has worn off a bit, it should be no problem to pick one up for MSRP or less. The MY 2002 cars should be hitting the showrooms any day now, and once the initial allotment is distributed to eager buyers, you will have more negotiating power. If you can wait, the time to buy would be between Christmas and New Years, a very slow time in the auto showroom.

Good luck with whichever roadster you wind up with.

 

You may also want to check out what Consumer Reports says about the S2000. It was the highest rated roadster on their list. Just slightly above the Boxter. I've had mine since May and my love for the car has not waned.

 

Being a somewhat larger, older gentleman myself, I must admit that I was a little long getting used to the size/accommodations of the S2000's interior; however, I've gotten quite used to the firm ride and handling of the car and find myself missing it after only a few miles behind the wheel of my Acura CL.

As to your other concern, I have had zero problems with my car, other than a driver's side window regulator replaced under warranty.

 

With the turn of events after 9/11 and consumer confidence on the decline, negotiation will favor the consumer. Shop around and if need be, wait a while. I would think that the auto manufacturers will take a hit on sales of all models. Considering this, plus the S2000 has been out now for (almost) 3 years, and the production of higher level competition vehicles, it will not be unlikely that the gouging will disappear entirely.

If you are not in any rush, take your time and shop around. Here in Mass., 2001 models are still in the lot and need to be turned. Selling for <MSRP

Good luck and keep us posted.

Chaz01

 

I love my S2000!!! I think it is a very comfortable car for a roadster and I have had a few in my years. I did look at most of the competition before I bought my S2000, unfortunately I am a previous Honda owner and a little slited because of the positive experiences with the product. I think the real bonus of owning an S2000 is the uniqueness of the car. The car definately has a profile that IMO is the best, then compare the handling and power package.

Yes, a small number of the cars have had problems, but when you look at these problems you see that American Honda Motors has stood behind the product 1,000 percent.

Personal taste will probably be your final answer and you will really have to do some homework like the rest of us. I hope you find the input from this board useful.

My last comment is:

The S2000 makes me do this =====>

 

Well, the new Z3 and M Roadsters should have an updated rear suspension, making them handle a bit better. I have driven my friend's M roadster a few times and the rear tends to hop around on curves if you hit even the smallest bumps. Hopefully the redesign will cure this.

A lot of money for the S (more than the 'vette) and I am not too sure about reliability and service. For sure, you have to give them a body part or two of out of warranty repairs

If you go to the Corvette Forum you can find lots of guys with problems. Sticking brakes have been and continue to be the biggest. The last time the dealer kept the car 4 days, put 27 miles on it, cracked the dash, marked up the leather seats, and did not fix the brakes. The icing on the cake was the Geo Metro loaner car!

I fit (snugly) in my Miata, so if the S2000 has a least as much width in the "seat" as that I would be OK The 'vette seats are great - long term. They don't seem to provide enough thigh support and don't seem to be as comfy as the BMW seats, but after 750 miles in 3 days I can tell you they did super. I would have been squirming a lot in my Miata seats long before then.

I have driven the 3.0 Z3 and it is not a bad car. Same 225hp as my daily driver - I could live with it. The the rear suspension "fixed" I really think I could. Now a 318hp M Roadster with an updated suspension, now THAT would be even better.

I will probably be in the market NEXT year, but I thought if there were still waiting lists for the S2000's then I had better decide now and get on a list. The original wait around here was bad enough that I could not even score a test drive, all the cars were pre-sold.

Thanks for the info!
Dennis
2000 Corvette Convertible (red)
2002 Honda VTX 1800 (black)
2001 BMW 330i (silver)

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DWynne
[B]

I will probably be in the market NEXT year, but I thought if there were still waiting lists for the S2000's then I had better decide now and get on a list.

 

DWynne,

I agree totally with positive comments on the S2000 made by Joshua and the others. I don't think you will find a car with a better build quality or any more fun to drive. It is no match off the line with the C5, but what a fun, nimble car to take through the curves. It is a mid-engine car, since the engine is behind the front axle, which contributes to a low polar moment of inertia, allowing the car to rotate more easily around a mass concentrated more mid-ship that in the C5, and it has a weight distribution of nearly 50/50 front to rear. This makes for a hell of a lot of fun in the twisties and really makes raw acceleration less important to me.
When I first drove the car I couldn't wait until I reached the break in point of 600 miles so that I could V-TECH the car. I actually waited until 1200 miles. But after a while, I realized that what was really best about the car, for me, was how it handled and found myself V-TECHing less and less. The raw acceleration is O.K. but I found the most fun carving out 35 mph curves at 60 mph or more depending on the curve and 20 mph curves at 55 or so. I too would suggest that you spend some time exploring this web site. You will find a list of dealerships that charge MSRP and some really car savvy folks posting/contributing to threads. My take on the engine problems, be they #4 cylinder problems, loose plugs or rear end problems is that constant V-teching and fast starts could be the culprit. If you are a NASCAR fan, you know that even some of the best racing engines in the world fail in 300 mile races when running at 9000 RPM for several hours. If one V-TECHS the S2000 frequently over 5000 miles, guess what, engines let go too. However the frequency of failures has been low, percentage wise. Bottom line for me is that I am really happy with my S2000 and found enjoyment with it way beyond what I could have anticipated.