The stock S2000 is no longer well suited for "street encounters," IMHO.

Well, unless you like picking on Camrys and Accords.

Still a very enjoyable car, but falling into the old "Miata" niche of "it's fun damn it! F'k off!" That's fine for the emotionally secure, but some people get upset when they get "beaten" by people they think are "beneath them."

Thankfully, those people will move on to bigger, fatter cars with larger engines... leaving the S2000 to people who enjoy it for the car that it is (with or without mods) and not based on how it "competes."

The truth is, there are plenty of cars that are faster and objectively handle better than the stock S2000. And that's okay.

And for those of you afraid to go FI... DON'T be. With a tiny bit of care and a little extra maintenance, superchargers (and some turbos) are very safe. There are plenty of members with 10's of thousands of miles with FI.

Don't let the horror stories scare you away. You'd think the stock S2000 was a bucket of junk with differentials failing and engines self-destructing... but it was rated as one of the most reliable vehicles on the planet! Same thing goes with FI. It suffers from reporting bias. All you hear are the "bad" stories.

20k Supercharged miles here. I have not had any issues that were due to the supercharger, rather than my own driving.

You cannot believe how much fun this car is with 300whp (~350bhp). And all the money you spend in one year is offset by the trade-in loss and first year depreciation of a replacement sports car.

 

Yes. It's more than just adding a sheetmetal top to the car.

Seeing how it's faster than the 997, I'd say yes.


As far as the speed thing, the S2000 has never been fast in a straight line, even from day one. It still has outstanding chassis balance and driving feel, something the Corvette doesn't have, even if it's power-to-weight and handling stats are better. I have a partially-gutted S13 240SX with an SR20DET in it and mild suspension mods (actually it has coilovers and Z brakes in progress with a bunch of other stuff, so it's on jackstands at the moment), and while it's about 1.5 seconds faster in the 1/4 mile and likely faster on any track, the S2000 has a feel that the S13 just doesn't have. It's close, but the S2k is stock. And the S2k has AC, a radio, an interior, and I can put the top down It's really really hard not to shop for mods for the S2k, since it'd take away from funds from the 240SX track car, but it's tempting

 

lol...for one I already have a girl, and two I would never want a girl that wanted me because of my car. My point still stands, a girl that would be ashamed of you driving a Civic is a girl that wouldn't car what kind of Honda it was...and a girl I would not care to be around. That kind of girl wants to see guys with a 911 (and not a 993), a BMW, Mercedes...anything that at least sounds expensive...not Honda.

edit* at least we have the same taste for loving the Cayman

 

I recently traded in my 2002 for an '07 C6 vert...

I hate to say it but after driving the new car for 2 months or so there is no comparison between these two vehicles.

 

let me end all of this. put simply, the s2k is great deal.

the only cars that are faster straight line cost alot more (vettes, m3, 335i), have four doors and look ugly (sti, evo), or are engineered terribly (rustangs).

u cant compare an s2k to a vette at $60+.
why would u want something fast that has 4 doors? nough said.
would u really take a mustang over an s2k? IF mustangs are quicker, its not by much. throw in mpg, reliability, quality of materials, and resale value and mustangs cant touch s2k's.

i'll say it again...the s2k is a great deal.

 

The Cayman is a sick ride. It handles better than the current base 911, but it costs about the same as a boxster.

As far as the convertible thing... the Cayman just looks so damn sexy. It's those back lines, the way the rear wheel fenders curve up and the back slips down in between. IMHO, that's what makes the car look so good.

Don't get me wrong, I still want a convertible, so I have this plan.

Currently I own a 2005 TL and a 2004 S2000.

Step one: In 2009 sell the S2000 and get a Cayman S
Step two: In 2010 payoff and keep the TL and get a 2009 M3 Hardtop Convertible which I will consider a "gift" to my wife. Then I will steal it from her and leave her the TL to drive.

Problem solved, I have three cars to drive, one sports car, one convertible, and one sedan.

I'll be one happy man.

 

I've seen some posts on this thread "hinting" that the car you drive helps you get girls. Let me tell you after five decades of worrying about "getting girls" the kind of car you drive makes no difference so long as it is clean and will run!

I've seen guys spend six figures on cars with the main goal of getting girls. They could have done it better for $50. Here's how. Go to your animal shelter and adopt a nice, friendly dog. Doesn't have to be a purebred, and "size doesn't matter." Just a friendly dog that likes you, ahd you like him/her. The girls will be attracted to your dog, and ignore your car -- even if it is a new Ferrari.

Buy/keep the car YOU like to drive.

If the car you like to drive happens to be a high dollar one, and you've got the money, it is fine for you to buy it if your reason is driving enjoyment. But if your reason is to "get girls" you are buying the wrong thing. Get the dog instead.

 

Some people just don't get the joke, and maybe I like the "kind of girls" who are just interested in my toys and pocket book then some fatty who will always be loyal. If you know what you're in for up front, then who cares if she's shallow as long as she has a great rack.

Plus, my S isn't going to crap all over my yard (and neither will my Cayman in a couple years)!

Lighten up people!!!!

 

Oh, no, you don't understand my comments. The super hot babes will be more attracted to your nice friendly dog than by anything you drive. Now the ultimate "babe getter" is is to own a least a small mansion. But for that to work, you have to get the babe to the mansion, right. In otherwords, you have to make initial contact. And for that, for a real babe, I say the dog will do you more good as an accessory than a Ferrari. Try it both ways. You'll see.

 

everything about the same as what i planning to do in my future...