While researching a sports car for my girlfriend and I, I knew I wanted it to have the following criteria.
1) RWD
2) Convertible would be nice but not neccesary
3) Prefer to not see it everyday on the road
4) Reputation for reliabilty
5) Relitively inexpensive replacement/performance parts

I hated the BMW Z4 and she didn't like the 350Z. Boxster wasn't enough performance (magazine racing), Boxster S too expensive and not really that unique in So Cal. She loved the Lotus Elise but I thought it was too expensive and too long of a wait. We both agreed that an S2000 would be nice (meet all criteria except #5, but not like servicing a BMW or modding a Porsche). Test drove an 04' but was looking for used. We found a 2002 White w/red interior and knew it was a rare combonation. I test drove it and thought "hmmm.. looks like kinda like a ferrari, (@9,000 rpm) sounds kinda like a ferrari... Best someone my age can do!" We signed the papers and drove home that night.

 

Why?

First day when I see it, I was then only 20years old. Right away I think, this car is my before when I'm 30years old.
I love the car right away!

Some reason also:
- It is HONDA, BIG thing to me
- exterior & interior design
- Engine/ Power

Now I'm only 26 and buy it almost 2year ago, HAPPY WITH IT !
If I living in USA, I could buy 3 when against here I got 1 because prises!
Tehn I have daily driver & Show car for sure.

 

I work for a Dealer group that sells all sorts of imports (including Honda), and one of my coworkers (Hatty Matty) owned a S and also participated on S2Ki. tenblade2001 started a thread in Tell Honda bad mouthing my dealership, where Hatty Matty was losing the argument, so I registered on S2Ki and started duking it out with him. At that same time I had just totalled my 94 Prelude (bald tires + big rain + speeding = 3 bounces off some jersey wall ) and wasn't 4 months into a lease on a 2003 Accord Coupe when I was getting bored with the Accord.

I started looking at a used Boxster S we had with every package available, but my grandfather (owner of the dealer group) didn't want me in a Porsche at my age. I started looking at new TT's, and grandfather didn't want me in an Audi yet. Switched to a new Jaguar S Type R, and grand dad finally said he just didn't want me in a highline vehicle period - I started looking at Supras but the market was stupid nuts at that time, so I could not find one I liked that I felt was worth paying for.

Then Hatty Matty told me to look at the S2000 (and I was lurking on S2Ki), and something clicked in my head - Grandfather won't be upset with another Honda, and this S2Ki thing is pretty cool. So I borrowed Matty's S2000 for a few days and was sold. Took me about a month of searching at all the East Coast auctions (I had too much negative equity to roll into a Honda lease, so new was out of the question - I do not outright purchase new cars ) and after all the searching I finally found one in Connecticut through S2Ki

Been ing ever since!

P.S. Eventhough tenblade2001 always seems to have issues with my shop I still regard him as one of my best friends

 

I have a Z coupe (which I'm getting rid of) and I just purchased an S2000 a few weeks ago.

To me, the big plus about the Z is its torque...however, I drove a Z06 Corvette and then realized what torque really was. The point being....the Z is a nice all around sports car but it doesn't really shine in any one area. It's beat in the twisties and it's beat in a straight line. This is true of all cars...there's always someone faster.

Now, the S2000 in my opinion is more of a purist sports car than the Z, even though it doesn't feel as fast. The engine sounds beautiful (as does the Z's) but so different from anything I've ever heard. And the S puts you in the perfect driving position, holds you there, and is so amazingly tossable. I love the whole experience.

The biggest reason I bought the S though is because of the quality of it's construction. The fit and finish is lightyears ahead of the cheap Z. The Z had an insane number of problems as well (at least mine...I sued for lemmon law) and the Honda is so damn reliable...even as a sports car. Quality and substance is much more important to me than more horsepower....it's why I didn't by that Z06 by they way . To me it felt like a lawn chair duct taped to the most fabulous engine ever....interior not up to par. Now if I could afford a C6...I would be there

The whole driving experience was number one, then reliability/quality, and the price was right....looks were last but it's growing on me more and more.

 

It was getting hard to find parts for my 1989 Turbo Trans Am, and the dealer wasn't always able to fix it any more when I brought it in. I'd also just switched to a contract where I had a significant daily commute, and I anticipated having to continue doing that for a few years. So I looked into possible replacements - my criteria were (1) small so it would be easier to maneuver and park in Boston and (2) reasonable performance. The only cars that looked like they might qualify were:

Mazdaspeed Miata
BMW Z4 3.0
S2000

The Miata was cute and good for what it was, but it was just underpowered relative to what I wanted. The Z4 was really nice from a mechanical and build quality point of view, but the ergonomics were just wrong - the console controls were out of reach, it was too wide and let too much wind in, and the visibility was terrible - even with the top down, the visibility was mediocre.

The S2000 was wonderful mechanically, and it just felt right when I got into it. It felt more like I was putting the car on than like I was getting into it, which I really liked. The build quality wasn't quite as good as the Z4, but then it was $10k cheaper. Plus it reminded me of the Trans Am in the sense that it seemed to be designed with a real purpose (the Turbo Trans Am was designed specifically to pace the Indy 500 unmodified). The fact that my wife liked it best was also a plus.

Funny story - three months ago, I had no idea what an S2000 was. I was on a fairly empty expressway when this cute little yellow Honda convertible pulled up beside me and started revving. I smiled at the thought that anything built by Honda could challenge a Trans Am, shook my head, and they zoomed off.

And now I have one of those cute little Hondas!

 

good story

 

Yea, I know what made me get an S2k....this website...i was obsessed with it after i saw a silver in the 99 DC auto Show, sitting proudly on a rotating platform with 50 people drooling over it...I had a BMW, sold it, got a 99 Vr-4 and after spending every cent i had fixing it up, i eventually sold it and bough a ...drumroll please...my00 silver s2k with 11k on the odo in perfect condition....now the void in my life has been filled and I can TRULY understand what everyone on this board has been talking about these past few years....because to tell you the truth...you have to be an owner to appreciate this car to the fullest.

If i were to change one thing to the S i would add some rear seats, but hey, two aint bad either and you know this....man

 

I had a bit of spare cash and decided it was a good time to get another car.
I had read lots of really good reviews on the S.
There are not too many on the roads.
It's a convertible, with power to go with the looks
It has a boot and was a little bit cheaper compared to the elise I saw at the same time.

 

89 supercharged Mustang started looking kind of dated, wouldn't pass emmisions, kept breaking down and leaving me on side of the road, so it had to go.

Went to all 3 CarMax's in town and test drove 12 or so cars. I had never even heard of the S2000 and though all Hondas were either FWD or minivans.

S2000 was hands down the winner.

The CRX I got from the parents years before was the most reliabe car I ever owned.

You don't see many on the road except here for some reason ?

 

Well first off...I don't even own one. I guess I started to get intrested after watching so many BMI videos. First off my family is a toyota family we have two carollas and a sienna. I never though I would like honda cars, even though they are praised for their relaiabity, it was just the though of all those hondas turned rice burners. I guess the reason I like the s2k is that it's a nice RWD sports coupe, it's cheaper and easier to find than an NSX or supra, has good gas milage.......and its only in M/T. I talked to my bro. in law about the whole A/T vs M/T in a sports car, its just stupid, I guess its for people who want the looks for a sporty car, but don't what the feel. IMO a sports cars should always be M/T.