My other thread (about skip shifting the s2000, and finding another camaro->s2000 owner) inspired me to post this topic.

I'm curious - if the s2000 wasn't your first car, what car did you own previously? What made you switch to an s2000? And what opened your eyes to it? What was your first drive like?

I'll start with mine.

First car was a 95 z28, which I drove the hell out of, and modded the crap out of. It was down for mods and upgrades so often, that I often drove my roommate's 1993 mazda miata. I felt weird driving such a "girly" car compared to the z28, but I couldn't lie to myself - the miata was a blast to drive, and I loved the small size and responsiveness of the little roadster.

Fast forward a few years, and I'm sick of the z28. It's wheezing, creaking, and sputtering. The speed was getting old, and it was time to retire this lumbering dinosaur. I remembered how fun the miata was to drive, and after some research, bought an MR-S. I liked how it looked, loved how it handled (gotta love the mid engine) - but I hated how sluggish and boring the motor was. If I put it in neutral and floored it, it would take longer to rev from idle to 6000rpms than my z28 revved to 6000rpms in first gear. For a "sporty roadster", it was glaringly obvious that the motor was from a base corolla.

So, thinking I wanted both the handling AND the power of the V8, I went for the c5 z06. It handled great, it accelerated even better - but it just didn't *feel* right.

After I test drove a 1991 NSX, I knew the z06 was ruined for me. Numbers were numbers, but the driving experience and feel of the car is ultimately what I was after. I was set on getting an NSX, which turned into a lotus elise. But after purchasing a house, I wanted to be a little more modest in spending, and bought an S2000. The first drive didn't impress me much, but the more I grew to know the car, I noticed the small things - the ergonomics, seating position, the small nuances the wheel was sending back to my fingertips. The s2000 has really grown on me in the past month, and when I get back in the z06, it feels like such a chore to drive.

I'm selling the z06 now (anyone want?), because it just doesn't do it for me anymore. Well - there's no feeling like getting punched in the chest by 400lb/ft of torque at 70mph and feeling yourself sink 6 inches into the seat - but it becomes such a chore to cart such a car everywhere.

The best analogy I can come up with: if you're going for a jog to pick up milk from the liquor store down the corner at 2am (as well as get some fresh air), would you rather put on some tennis shoes, or lace up your hiking boots?

I am a diehard detroit, big block V8 kind of guy, and I have to admit - the S2000 blindsided me. I still cannot fathom how I of all people, can enjoy driving a little 4 banger S2000 more than driving an american supercar.

Be thankful of your S2000s, fellas. It's one hell of a car.

Sorry about the novel. I just had to share the joy

 

Porsche 944 - still have it, bought the S as a second car, but it quickly became my first car. Porsche is now covered beside my garage.

 

ddonovan: whoa, a fiat x1/9 owner. awesome. what's the fiat like to drive? manual steering rack and mid engined, right?

 

88 MR2 SC -> Air Force -> S2000
all about the driving experience

 

had an '07 g35 coupe 6spd, navi, aero pkg, and sport pkg.

got sick of how heavy it felt. hated the transmission. clutch is night and day compared to the s2k. was never really comfortable in the g35c. the looks were great, but s2k's looks are 100x better. didn't even consider looking at the g37's...

was eyeing an s2k for a while. finally found a decent deal on one and went and test drove it. needless to say, s2k won me over (purchased used '08 s2k came w/hardtop on nov 5). great car by all means. transmission is like no other; smooth and crisp. everything is perfectly placed within reach. love how well the s2k handles. even though there is less torque, it really doesn't bother me at all. plus i get better gas mileage. hard top makes the car look even sexier. hmm.. oh and vtec is simply amazing. best car i've driven.

s2k is a drivers car. s2k has a timeless look for sure. this car is amazing.

s2k > g35c anyday...
s2k > all! haha

 

bmw crapped out on me. test drove my friend's s2000 same day. flew down to florida and picked up a fellow s2ki member's car a few days after.

 

still driving my first car 240sx and 100% set on getting the S as my next car. (whenever that will be, hopefully soon with prices dropping)...the 240sx, i'm sure it handles nice just like the S can and with just a simple T25 turbo set up it can probably keep up with a stock S easily. but it's not the power that i'm looking for (a stock S would be enough for me). i feel like i'm growing out of having a tuner car type, while i love the fact that my car is rare and clean its still old as hell. i love new cars and no matter how well you tear down an old car and rebuild it, it'll still be dated. and i rather have a stock car with a punch than a modded up cheap car since i can't work on my own car it will be an inconvinience for me if the modded car keeps breaking down or something.

what attracted me...hmm i can't say for sure...i will admit i never "loved it from the first time i saw it"...i thought it was just a convertible that looked decent but i wanted a 350z more b/c i guess i was more of a nissan guy back then. one day i went to a dealership just browsing cars and noticed a 07 bb sitting in the middle so i asked for the keys and sat in it. it just "felt" like the car was made for me. i fell in love with it even before i drove it. then i sat in a 350z they had...granted it was a little older it just felt like crap. the interior was crappy and had way too much going on and just didnt' "feel right". i took the S for a test drive and man i was blown away since then. it was such an adrenaline rush taking it to the redline and hearing the engine sing. and since then i am dead set on getting the car.

i'm envious of everyone here everyday i go on to s2ki.com...but hope to join ya'll soon. until then i'll just be a dreamer lol.

 

yay gm guy ftw!

dude, dont sell your vette. seriously..I miss my SS camaro already.

its a nice 'break' from the low torque the s2000 has.

I admit, the s2000 is fkkin insanely fun to drive , but the z06 is also a drivers car, isnt it? racing seats, rails that are customed to seat you where you wanna be sounds like itll solve your problems!

you almost have my dream car.. (i want a C6z06..)

give it to me

what do you not like about the LSx engine?! high revving (decently) + lots of torque & hp, and its not as though the vette is heavy...?

it does feel much bigger though, but I'm pretty sure the corvette and the s2000 dimensions are very similar.

 

I just recently traded my 04 sti for a 08 s2k in september. i wanted an s2k cause i was tired of awd and wanted a 2 door convertible. so far i love it but sometimes i miss the power and space of the sti.

 

oh, btw my 'first time'..

I was in the market, cuz gas prices were going through the roof. I knew it was going to be hard to sell the camaro in a bit, (right now the prices of camaros dropped roughly 3K), so I figured Id sell it, put in a little more money and buy another car, one that I could resell.

I asked everyone i knew..
previous cars they owned (IS250,IS300,WRX, STi, 350z, G35, S2000)

and not one person said a bad thing about the s2000.

I was actually leaning towards the 350z/G35, but the guys who owned them told me 'dont do it, bad build quality'
the guy with the G, who bought it brand new from the factory told me his rear diff was missing half the bolts...and was making funny noises, from BRAND NEW!
the guy with the 350, who bought it sort of used, but still under fac. warranty told me his 350 rattled so bad he had to actually go back to nissan to get all the interior panels ripped off, refitted to try to figure out what was wrong!



& They all just went on about how fun the s2000 is to drive. The first time i drove the s was the one i bought. I drove it and I couldnt believe how much torque it had for a "torqueless" car. I was thoroughly impressed with the handling, the quality, and basically the fun. I didnt even take it up past 3K for my 'test drive'. I just babied it and I could feel the horses asking for more...Didnt want to pull it to 9K though, so I restrained myself. Sold the camaro to a military guy for pretty cheap (for a good condition SS, although it had decently high mileage 130K). saved up a bunch of money and picked up the S. never regretted it, although i do miss the V8 LT1's torque.

I have to say its harder to be 'fast' in the s2000. In the camaro, I just had to drop maybe 1 gear, floor it...and I'd keep up with most cars on the road..or fall back slightly, but catch up as they had to shift (long gears).

In the s2000, you have to really KNOW your car, drop it into the Vtec range (60roll is bad for a AP1...just into the bottom end of 3rd..70roll or 50 roll is good:P).

At first I just wanted a car that would hold its resell value, but I'm seriously contemplating keeping the S til it dies + buying a c6z06 after I graduate college, save up some moeny + DP for house.

I have yet to drive a vette..how does it feel? I've heard from a guy I know who owns both a ferrari and a NSX that his brothers z06 (C5) pulls like HELL and that its also a pretty decent daily driver!
-edit- threadjack with pictures of the camaro