Had two Vipers, and now on my second S2000! Had an 08' and a 15' Viper, and two 08' S2000's, and they both are still my favorite cars!

Thanks for your perspective. It's a fun read. One thing that got people quite a bit was me in my early 20's with an 2008 Viper and people would ask me how I liked it? I would ALWAYS respond that I missed my S2000. People would always be so confused by that response. Also, when I bought my 2015 Viper new, I continued to volunteer that the S2000 was my favorite car.

 

It's funny how that works actually. If you had an S2000 and told somebody in casual conversation at a car show for example..."I could have bought a Viper, but I liked this better"...they would call BS on you so fast your head would spin! When somebody is at the house and they ask me "which is your favorite", as they're all over the Viper looking at everything, really just making conversation as they "know" what the answer is...they're stunned when I point to the S2000 and say "this one right here". It sparks an interesting conversation to say the least, and I'm always happy to be able to discuss the merits of a vehicle that most typically overlook.

You can't have that serious conversation though unless you have both of those vehicles sitting side by side.one another OR if somebody knows you own both, you won't be taken seriously and that's a shame really. I can however understand the thought...you don't cross shop those vehicles, they have nothing in common outside of being "sports cars". So when somebody discusses purchasing vehicles of vastly different prices and they choose the lower, most think you're just blowing smoke...you really would like a Viper or Z06 for instance, but all you could afford was the S2000. There shouldn't have to be "proof" but I get it.

 

Cool review! I enjoyed reading that.
Most fixed roof vehicles that have a convertible option look terrible. Most vehicles that were designed to be a convertible from the beginning look proper. Obviously there are exceptions to these rules.

 

@donkeykong Great write up, mine was a similar situation but vette and s2k instead of viper s2k.

Viper, s2000, Vette; these cars visually remind me of a form of snake/eel like slitherine aquatic animals.

I kept my ap2 04 s2000 for very much similar feelings over the vette even though it was cammed/tuned to 450whp!

Both cars extremely capable and the vette garnered much “ better “ attention. Though in the end the cars are for myself to be enjoyed and not for others to visually, audibly, or psychologically to get off on.

s2000 felt like it had the precision and overall “ magic “ as you describe. Hard to explain without owning/driving one long term.

The vette powerful and awesome as it maybe did not evoke the same feelings the s2000 does. If anything I loved only the audio Galloping of the cammed idle more so than the driving experience.

Perhaps if the c5 had shorter gear ratios and better seats in the vette maybe different but oh well too late now, though the long gear ratios makes for a somewhat more relaxing daily driver experience. Plus the s2000 has much cheaper operating cost and like some of you people are confused when I choose the s2000 over the vette, but as mentioned the s2000 is a car that needs to be lived with for a good duration of time to be truly appreciated. A true driving machine that does not need a lot of power, though would love more power the OEM motor has been proven to last being beat on if stock un opened.



the only picture I have of them together. I should have done a double photoshoot before selling. Both e23s are now gone as well.