atlas2000

So, although I understand most people say that the S2000 isn't a first car, I have had an obsession with getting one for many years now, and considering that I now have saved enough money to get one, I think there's no reason to waited a few years to get the car when I could get it now. This is a bit concerning for me though, because my family doesn't have a manual car, so I've only practiced on an automatic. I have a fairly good understanding of how to drive a manual, after having spent a year or so on FH3 with my wheel setup, but I realize that this isn't what the actual experience is. I've seen that the most essential part of the pre-purchase inspection is the test drive, but I'm concerned that I would burn the clutch or something else stupid, so I don't know how likely it is that I would get to test drive it. I'm semi-familiar with different mistakes that can cause damage to the car but I'm not sure how common or how difficult it is to replicate. If some of you guys could clear up my concerns about me doing something simple and screwing up the car it would remove a lot of weight on my shoulders about that particular issue. If the general consensus is that under no circumstances should an S2000 be a first car then I will reconsider, but I figured some of you guys might have done the same thing and have some experience to share. If I shouldn't drive the car with such little manual experience, what questions should I ask my parents about how the car feels, questions that a brick could understand?

Would also like to clarify that I'd only get a 2004+ because I've heard about the snap oversteer and other issues of the AP1, that make an already unnecessarily hard first car to drive even more difficult. Being that I haven't ever driven a car, I don't know how common it is, where you go around any corner and oversteer or if it's only if you get on the throttle before you've cleared the corner. Or how common/easy it is to burn a clutch, or overrev the engine. Either way it seems like a burden to test drive a car I don't own and not burn the clutch.

This thread has sort of become me rambling so I'm sorry but I have a lot of questions, mostly from excitement and little bit from nervousness.

Thanks.

atlas2000

I've also been reading around and reading a lot of stories of people getting their car stolen. Now I have another concern I didn't think about before. I've never really heard of people going out of their way to tow a car as a method to steal it. I mostly only would park my car at my high school (which, since it's kind of a snobby high school, has a parking lot monitor who drives around the lot during the day (even though his main job is to catch people trying to skip school) and then park it in my garage, so I don't think I would be affected but all of these posts get me fairly worried. I would also probably make sure the top was closed, since I wouldn't want to take the risk of it starting to rain into the car during the school day. How common is it to have your S stolen?

Chuck S

We're primarily American Males here which means we're expert pistol and rifle shots and can drive NASCAR or Formula One if someone would just sponsor us. No training or experience needed, we're born with it! That said the S2000 might not be a good first car.

These cars handle far differently at the upper levels than family FWD/AWD cars with automatic transmissions. Takes learning. Learning takes training. High school Drivers Ed won't do it. Threads here abound regarding wrecked cars. Excuses run from wet pavement thru frost on bridges to oily pavement in round-abouts. But wrecks are wrecks. The early cars are not dangerous but will put you in the cattails more easily than the later cars if, for example, you lift the throttle mid corner or on-ramp that you went into way too fast. Honda tuned this out progressively every two year culminating in 2006 when VSA (vehicle stability assist) was added. Purists whined even though it can be switched Off.

You can't play the game unless you have the entry fee. For RWD experience a late model BRZ will run roughly $15K. Entry fee for a good, late model S2000 seems to be in the $22K range. I'd start out with the BRZ and if you haven't wrecked it in a few years get a S2000, there will still be plenty available.

-- Chuck

atlas2000

Thanks for the opinion! Perhaps I may just get a BRZ or something along those lines. I would perfectly accept some other cars that I like as well like a Subaru WRX or a Mazda 3 (which I think looks fairly good), but had my eye on an s2000 for many years now. I only believed that I might be able to control such a car because I have a lot of experience with a wheel setup on Assetto Corsa, and would like to think I have some knowledge on controlling uncontrollable cars (most notably the mazda 787b where the back gives out if you even think about touching the accelerator). I definitely probably have more driving experience than the average person of my age, but whether or not experience on AC transfers to the real world is your decision. Nearby to me there is actually a low mile 2005 for 16k which is why I was asking. If you believe that it really in no case should be a first car then I'll just get the BRZ probably. Although it seems like the BRZ is kind of a meta at my school since there are like 4-5 in the parking lot already. I'll probably reconsider, thanks!

_valtsu_

After reading your posts I would recommend to go and test drive a s2000 and if you like it buy it. Just take your time to learn how to drive it. Don't test the cars cornering limits on public roads and will be fine. When you want to really test the limits of the car go to the track. When I got my 2001 model it was first rwd car for me. Before that I only had fwd cars and had almost zero experience of rwd cars and no experience of track driving. I also had driven lot of racing simulators with wheel and pedals. I think it has really helped on track driving. My car is completely stock and never got any dangerous situations with it even on track.

atlas2000

That's part of what I asked about how I would test drive it, I have some experience with a manual car on AC and FH3 but I'm not sure whether that transfers to real life. I'm sure even without a perm driver's license they would let me do a circle around the parking lot, but how much about the car can I figure out from driving around the parking lot?

darcyw

the s2000 is a great 2nd/3rd car. 1st car? er, not so much.

darcy

rokkerkory

Not very comfy for a DD or 1st car imo. It's cramped, not many creature comforts compared to modern cars... It's my 3rd car and only drive it when the weather is right, sunset, etc. I still freaking love it, but for what it is.

I wouldn't worry about over-steer however esp on AP2, there's not that much power for you to get into too much trouble if you're not messing around.

_valtsu_

Driving in parking lot will tell you pretty lot of the car. Also it would be good idea to sit on passenger seat and get some highway speeds. You will notice that S2000 is noisy and there is not lot of space inside the car. Haven't driven BRZ, but it's probably much quieter and more comfy on longer trips. I suggest go and see different kind of cars, then you are more aware of what you want. Of course test drive is all ways best option, but even sitting on passenger seat tells you a lot. I drive mine whenever I can (lack of rear seats and luggage space is sometimes problem), but these thing's are not for everyone.

atlas2000

I've been watching a few videos about the pre-purchase inspection process, and am aware that it's quite noisy because of the bolster squeaking and such. I'm not very concerned about needing to drive friends or anything because most of my friends (who have already gotten their driver's license) have secondary cars that can fit 4 of us, if not more. We're currently working on renting a garage space to work on our cars, since it's illegal in my city to work on your cars on your driveway and none of us have space in our garages. I'm sorry to people giving me seriously critical advice, saying that I shouldn't get it as a first car, because I feel like I'm biasing towards hoping I can get it as a first car. I'll still see if there's good options when push comes to shove but I'll still try to look for an s2000 in my price range, although I appreciate everybody's opinion. I'll definitely drive one around a parking lot and see if it's something that I could daily, considering I'm fairly tall at 6'3" and I know people at that height range have issues in the car. I'm hoping that I'll be able to make it work but if it's too uncomfortable I'll probably settle for a Hyundai Genesis Coupe or one of the numerous other options I mentioned. Got to be something fast in order to hang with some of my friend's cars, like my friend's ZL1, but to be fair I don't think many cars I could afford would be able to stand a chance. But as for it being my DD, the ride to my school is only 5 minutes both ways, so being extremely comfortable isn't exactly necessary, as well as everything in my city being within a 5mi range of everything else. If my knees are crushed into the bolstering then I'll definitely reconsider, but until I get to test drive one I won't know if the comfortability and lack of amenities is a deal-breaker for me. Whatever I decide to do, thanks for the replies.