1. I am curious how the S2000 is as a daily driver, assuming it is your only car?
2. How do you feel the interior space is and how is it on long trips?
3. How is the engine driving in bumper to bumper traffic, or in a parking garage?
4. How is the road noise with the top up, or with a hard top on it?
5. How is the short wheelbase for general driving?
6. How easy is it to get a new S2000 at MSRP from a dealer?

The reason I an asking is because I was looking at stuff on the new Civic Si on Hondas website and then went to the S2000 stuff after that. After playing around for a little bit, I played with the Finance Estimator. I noticed I could get a S2000 for $320 a month on a 36 month lease with a $5000 down payment. Which is more than the amount of equity I currently have in my WRX. And, I pay $450 a month for my WRX on a 60 month Finance. You do not need to explain the pros and cons to a Finance vs. Lease to me. I have real a lot about them, and I understand the general differences. Not, that I know everything.

I have no hard feelings about Honda, and I actually respect them more as a car maker than Subaru and many others, especially American cars. Except for German car makers, which I would put above Japanese. As far as built quality, not reliability. I have owned 2 Hondas, and have no problem getting another.

My daily drive consists of (assuming light to medium traffic):
2 miles from house to interstate, at 40 MPH or less (5-8 minutes)
7 miles from on-ramp to off-ramp of interstate travel at 20 to 70 MPH (10-25 minutes)
2 miles from interstate to parking garage at 0 to 35 MPH (5-15 minutes)
6 floors up the parking garage at 3 to 10 MPH (5-10 minutes)
And, the reverse going home.

The whole drive takes me about 20 to 25 minutes, unless the traffic is heavy on the interstate. Which is can be at times. Depending on when I leave for work.

What do you think?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by daytontp
[B]1.

 

Thanks for the great reply!!

I understand the manual tranny issue with driving in traffic. I have owned a car with a maunaul tranny for the past 7 years. The tires on my WRX suck and as far as tire noise, they are really bad on not so nice pavement. I think this is more due to the lack of insulation in the car, than it is actual tire noise itself. Both of my Hondas were quieter, well the Civic was quieter when I put Dunlops Sport A2s on it. I have also noticed the same thing with nicer seats. The seats in my WRX are much nicer than my past 2 Hondas, the overall support is way better. But, leather would be nicer.

 

Your other Hondas may have been quiet, but the S2000 is not. The transmission is right next to you and there is not a lot of sound insulation. The OEM tires are not especially noisy. That said, I love the car and use it as my daily driver without regret. I've also taken it on several long trips (>500 miles) and find it to be comfortable.

 

Thanks!! The tranny is next to the driver in the WRX as well. It was a sound that I had to get used to when I went from my Civic to my WRX. There is also a slight sound difference when it comes to AWD as well. The sound is a lot different when when you are doing engine braking or to say just taking your foot off the gas at higher speeds.

 

Why is my signature not showing even though the option is checked when I reply? Is it because I started the thread?

 

It is great to be a daily driver. But since you'd be driving it everyday, be prepare to have more litttle damages (dents, rock chips etc)

 

My WRX already has those. My Civic had them real bad after 2 years. Small dents that is.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by daytontp
[B]Why is my signature not showing even though the option is checked when I reply?

 

Hey, that makes really good sense. I also post on http://www.i-club.com/ with things relating to my WRX or anything Impreza related, and on http://www.dpreview.com/ with things that relate to my Nikon N80 camera in the Nikon SLR Forum.