The S2k and practicality
09-07-2011, 03:40 PM
#1
Thread Starter
The S2k and practicality
I thought I would bring this topic to discussion because I often hear about how impractical the S2k is for this and that. Since I'm a new owner and and just recently went through the "anxiety" of making the purchase of a 2 door roadster and all the naysay that goes with it, I thought I would share with you how I came to my conclusion.
As is well documented I was already in love with the car and it was gonna take something with better pricing, durability, and looks to push me off of it. I did quite a bit of reading while doing the homework to make the purchase, but what the homework couldn't do was reason for me. After hearing all kinds of opinions and ideas about it I realized it really came down to me being logical and trying to put out of my head the bias I had already formed for having the S2k. The following is what I came up with, your results may vary.
I took a look at my own habits first (my opinion about SUV's has always been negative, so that is constantly swirling around in the back of my head when I think of what practical is not). I drive 6 or 7 days a week, 60 plus miles a day and in all those miles I asked myself:
How often do you have a passenger?
How often do you have more than 2 people ride in your present car?
How often do you tow a vehicle or want to tow a vehicle?
Do you make trips to the dump?
Do you move often and need the use of a truck?
What uses do you need from your car or truck?
How often do you take long trips (130 miles plus one way)?
Is snow and ice a consideration? Winter weather?
What I found upon further inspection of my own habits is that the word "practical" in today's use and sense of the word didn't apply to me. I almost never have a second passenger. I can count 3 occasions in the last 6 years that I'd had 2 or more people in my car. I don't tow or have the need to tow. The trash guy picks up my garbage. I'm fairly stable and have moved 4 times in 20 years, and my car in the past has served personal purposes. I don't ferry kids around, and my team dad days are over. I take 4 to 12 road trips a year and love to drive. I go snowboarding 4 to 5 times a year (for that reason I considered a Subaru heavily), but in the end it wasn't enough to push me onto the Subie.
What I've learned along the way is this, when people speak of practicality in many instances its about options. They want the option to pack people in, tow, haul, carry, and hoard in a moments notice, no matter how little it actually happens. During the homework and evaluation phase of finding a car, I drove around and observed people and their cars, and car habits. What I found was that 87 to 90 percent of the time people were in their car alone. Trucks (full size) had empty beds about 97 percent of the time.
SUV's small and large alike are almost never used for "Sport" or "Utility", but they often are Vehicles, and I give that designation begrudgingly. So the actual use of a practical vehicle was practically never used... Ironic.
Many cars are symbols of status, and that in itself could be impractical but its readily accepted in today's society, so we question it little and applaud it much while reaching in our pockets to be like Jones'.
At the end of the day practicality is often relative to your needs and place in life. If I was in construction the S would be impractical for the work and needs of the vehicle. If I work in Silicon Valley in Information Technology a full size diesel truck with a 6 inch lift and 33's could be a bit much.
What I decided:
The S2k met my needs on multiple fronts and was a win win for me and the hatch can do the rest.
I'd rather rent the truck or Uhaul on the rare occasion that I need one, rather than pay the costs of bad gas mileage and upkeep. What I don't pay in those aforementioned costs is a savings.
As is well documented I was already in love with the car and it was gonna take something with better pricing, durability, and looks to push me off of it. I did quite a bit of reading while doing the homework to make the purchase, but what the homework couldn't do was reason for me. After hearing all kinds of opinions and ideas about it I realized it really came down to me being logical and trying to put out of my head the bias I had already formed for having the S2k. The following is what I came up with, your results may vary.
I took a look at my own habits first (my opinion about SUV's has always been negative, so that is constantly swirling around in the back of my head when I think of what practical is not). I drive 6 or 7 days a week, 60 plus miles a day and in all those miles I asked myself:
How often do you have a passenger?
How often do you have more than 2 people ride in your present car?
How often do you tow a vehicle or want to tow a vehicle?
Do you make trips to the dump?
Do you move often and need the use of a truck?
What uses do you need from your car or truck?
How often do you take long trips (130 miles plus one way)?
Is snow and ice a consideration? Winter weather?
What I found upon further inspection of my own habits is that the word "practical" in today's use and sense of the word didn't apply to me. I almost never have a second passenger. I can count 3 occasions in the last 6 years that I'd had 2 or more people in my car. I don't tow or have the need to tow. The trash guy picks up my garbage. I'm fairly stable and have moved 4 times in 20 years, and my car in the past has served personal purposes. I don't ferry kids around, and my team dad days are over. I take 4 to 12 road trips a year and love to drive. I go snowboarding 4 to 5 times a year (for that reason I considered a Subaru heavily), but in the end it wasn't enough to push me onto the Subie.
What I've learned along the way is this, when people speak of practicality in many instances its about options. They want the option to pack people in, tow, haul, carry, and hoard in a moments notice, no matter how little it actually happens. During the homework and evaluation phase of finding a car, I drove around and observed people and their cars, and car habits. What I found was that 87 to 90 percent of the time people were in their car alone. Trucks (full size) had empty beds about 97 percent of the time.
SUV's small and large alike are almost never used for "Sport" or "Utility", but they often are Vehicles, and I give that designation begrudgingly. So the actual use of a practical vehicle was practically never used... Ironic.
Many cars are symbols of status, and that in itself could be impractical but its readily accepted in today's society, so we question it little and applaud it much while reaching in our pockets to be like Jones'.
At the end of the day practicality is often relative to your needs and place in life. If I was in construction the S would be impractical for the work and needs of the vehicle. If I work in Silicon Valley in Information Technology a full size diesel truck with a 6 inch lift and 33's could be a bit much.
What I decided:
The S2k met my needs on multiple fronts and was a win win for me and the hatch can do the rest.
I'd rather rent the truck or Uhaul on the rare occasion that I need one, rather than pay the costs of bad gas mileage and upkeep. What I don't pay in those aforementioned costs is a savings.
09-07-2011, 05:48 PM
#2
Registered User
haha love how you think, I like my friends to have all those extra needs etc, just borrow or rent if needed (rarely).. just like I'd never buy a boat my mates are always needing extra hands. 
09-07-2011, 06:36 PM
#4
Registered User
I know for a fact I couldn't make it with just the S alone due to the wife and I lifestyle, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't feel very comfortable with the S being my only car if I were single. Luckily the wife was willing to sacrifice for a mid size SUV for long trips, grocery getting, etc.
I can say this it feels great to only have one passenger to drive around.
I concur with xoz with agreeing with his statement on your thinking process.
I can say this it feels great to only have one passenger to drive around.
I concur with xoz with agreeing with his statement on your thinking process.
09-08-2011, 08:02 AM
#5
Registered User
I sometimes get into this practicality argument with a friend who has a Civic SI--he tries to find ways to determine that my car is impractical for me when I know it is not. The most recent question he asked was "where do you put groceries?" to which I answered "the passenger footwell/seat" (my trunk is filled 80% with stereo equipment so it's even LESS practical than a stock S2000) and I had to explain how that works fine for me every time.
I also hate driving more than one passenger so the two seat thing is out the window. And I have friends with trucks on the rare occasions that I need to haul something.
I also hate driving more than one passenger so the two seat thing is out the window. And I have friends with trucks on the rare occasions that I need to haul something.
09-08-2011, 11:11 AM
#6
Moderator
Statistically something like 80% of car trips are taken with a single occupant - aka the driver only.
Small cars are about a way of life imo - they are for people that don't lug half their shit with them everywhere they go. For some reason many people think they need to bring everything and the kitchen sink with them when they go places.
My only requirement for space was probably that my suitcase fit in the trunk. Miata, no. S2000, yes.
Small cars are about a way of life imo - they are for people that don't lug half their shit with them everywhere they go. For some reason many people think they need to bring everything and the kitchen sink with them when they go places.
My only requirement for space was probably that my suitcase fit in the trunk. Miata, no. S2000, yes.
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09-08-2011, 11:23 AM
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The best part about the S2000 is that if for that one day I need a truck or SUV to haul anything, I've got multiple trustworthy friends that wouldn't mind swapping for a day.
09-08-2011, 01:04 PM
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I'm about to purchase one and I feel the exact same way. The first thing people say is how small it is or how am I going to drive people places or take a road trip. Well, for starters I have no wife, kids and have a girlfriend. Almost all of my friends have 4 door cars and if I were to go on a road trip, I sure as hell wouldn't be driving my car ever unless it was just me and my girlfriend which the trunk would fit our stuff quite well. Besides, she has a car. I'm not a taxi, so I really don't care about how I'm going to transport multiple people. I've had my Si for 3 years and had 4 people in it maybe 5 times and hated every second of it because of the additional weight and having to rev higher for the car to even move.
I carry very little in my car and anything else that wouldn't fit, probably wouldn't have fit in my Si either. My parents have an SUV if I ever really needed it, and I have plenty of friends who could help me out if I needed to transport something. It fits my lifestyle perfectly fine. Worst case I'll tell them to pretend what it would be like if I did have any car at all.
I carry very little in my car and anything else that wouldn't fit, probably wouldn't have fit in my Si either. My parents have an SUV if I ever really needed it, and I have plenty of friends who could help me out if I needed to transport something. It fits my lifestyle perfectly fine. Worst case I'll tell them to pretend what it would be like if I did have any car at all.