^i agree

 

hooked on driving is cool with the stock roll hoops.

 

Only in the beginner and intermediate run groups. Advanced groups require a roll bar.

If the OP wants a non convertible option he might look at 08 Evo MR's which are DSG, and should be available for low to mid 20's. Although the DSG transmission on those tend to overheat on track.

 

I think that to sell and purchase something new from a $$$ standpoint is a money loser. Putting the roll bar in yourself (or at least watching the process of having an experienced tech install it) might let you learn enough to then remove it for resale/aesthetic purposes later. You will lose more from new car depreciation than you would from a roll bar purchase. And my opinion is that the S2000 would be way more fun to HPDE than the VW.

Although you don't say explicitly, my interpretation is that you really would like to be able to run the S2000 at any HPDE without consideration to whether they will let you on the track, yet you don't want to have an S that's ugly'd with a roll bar. The ability to remove a roll bar (yourself) without butchering the car seems to me the key to what you need to figure out. Good luck.

 

Keep the S2000, get the roll bar put in, and enjoy it Or keep it and get a Miata for HPDE, but I think the S2000 on the track will be even more fun.

 

The S2000 is an awesome DE car.

Let me put it this way...my first HPDE weekend I drove both my 460hp Cayman and my S2000 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. I had every bit as much fun in the s2000 as the Porsche. And it was significantly less terrifying, not having an insane amount of power.

Oh, and even though the Cayman is my daily driver, you can have my S2000 when you pry the keys from my cold, dead hand.

 

I already answered this on the GolfMk6 forum!