I agree with Nastinupe too. There will be so much comparison/fighting between the two factions. It'll be exactly what he said.

The current owners who trade to get 04's won't be so bad, but a few will start. Then newb's who got in with 04's will start talking trash and then it'll be WAR!

Any arguement from an 00-03er will be considered as jealousy from an 04er.

SO from hence forth we should call the 04+ owners doubledeucers because they have s2200's.

 

I also agree with Nastinupe's comments. That's exactly how it will be. And you only thought you were sick of the MY04 threads already! They haven't even started.

To me, the MY04 will always be known as "True Sports Car Lite". All they did was to soften so many of the edges that made the first gen S2000 what it is.

I'm sure that it will be a nice car, but you'll find me in the first gen camp. That's because my MY00 S2000 would want it that way. First Gen, First Year, First Love!

 

That was uncalled for...

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We used to get this question raised at the Corvette, the Cobra, the NSX, the Acura TL-S, and every other car forum I have ever joined. I never got it - why would car enthusiasts want to rag at each other? There are always those who reject a change in "their" car as if it were an attack on them - why should any of the rest of us have to deal with their neurotic behavior?

And if I end up buying the MY04 I have ordered, I am secure enough in my own sense of self to not care a ratzazz if someone looks down his nose at me for "only" having a , say, 8500 rpm redline. It is so ludicrous and childish as to be inconsequential.

The World has enough anger, ill will, and hatred - I drive sports cars in part for the freedom to escape from that reality, if only for a few moments.

Why, In Heaven's name, would any of us want to add one more nanogram of rancor to that World?

 

I actually think the MY04 would be better for me, more soft for daily driving, more torque for bumming around town, and 8300rpm since I don't see 9000 that much.

 

You should be banned from the Forum (kidding, get it?)!

I read a very good online analysis at Compact Sports Cars online on the RX-8. They commented on its great handling on "real" roads, in part because of softer spring tuning (they forgot to mention anti-roll bar mounting points and rates, and shock tuning). The point is that "softening" the spring rates does not mean the car will necessarily be cushy or fat - it might pull different numbers on a ski pad, or on billiard table smooth roads, but have better roadholding. That is the Euro model for handling.

BTW, I saw my first RX-8 yesterday. Fit n finish were very nice, and the rear doors are a design and mechanical engineering tour de force. But the car, esp some of the design details in the tailights, looks over the top, like the last Mitsubishi Montero's. I think that in 10 years the RX-8 will look like most Japanese cars - very dated (ditto for the 350Z). The S2000 is a much more handsome and lasting style IMHO.

BTW, the current model looks too much like an Accord from the front (just to keep the Us vs. Them theme of this thread cooking).

 

If the '04 proves to be faster in competition, will you still call it "True Sports Car Lite"?

Steve

 

Yep, the '04 will be better for me too. I won't have to worry about such a stiff, responsive suspension and that nasty "kick in the pants" around 6400rpm. And the whine of that engine at 9000rpm is enough to make any serious enthusiast want to trade......up?

 

i too agree with natsinupe....this is going to be interesting!

 

Funny how the tone of this tread changed. When I read Nastinupe's thread, I had to agree with him. Some of us will MIGHT view 04 owners has "watered down". But when I scrolled down, a couple of people initially jumped on him. Scolled down further then more people started to agree.

The probability of agreement is directly proportional to the amount of scroll.

 

Given that, even in this thread, people are pissing on the '04 despite never having seen or driven one, I'd say yeah, nastinupe1's completely right that there are nasty flame wars ahead of us.

Steve