Certainly if I was offered an even trade, a Ferrari for my S2000, I'd jump on it. However, I'd sell the Ferrari and replace the S2000.

I suspect some people will think that odd, so I'll explain as I respond to some of your other comments. I'm not debating with you; We all want different things from our cars, and I'm simply defining my preferences.

I too believe that the lure of a Ferrari might get the best of most people, and the same might be true of a Porsche. However, the S2000 brings together a unique package of characteristics that aren't available in any other car, at any price. Hence, I'll be glad to "go on and on about how the S2000 is more this and that."

I will say that some of the cars from Ferrari and Porsche offer up a package that I find every bit as appealing as the S2000 package, but no Ferrari or Porsche ever appealed to me enough to get me to write a check. There are things I love about every Ferrari and almost every Porsche, but Ferrari's are more fun when they belong to somebody else, and Porsche's just don't appeal to me that much.

When I was first exposed to the S2000 (in 2004) we had four other cars and I was not seriously in the market for a car. Granted, I am always looking at cars that are for sale, and when a nice used Ferrari or Lotus goes on sale in the area I generally go take a look, but with four perfectly good cars, all of which I loved, nothing ever stole my heart enough to get me to buy.

I've driven sports cars (roadsters) for most of my life, and many of them have been modified for autocrossing. Lotus cars appeal to me because of their quick handling. I like "sudden" cars, and in general prefer the lowest possible polar moment (so true mid-engine cars tend to appeal to me more than roadsters). I also like motors that scream and have peaky powerbands. I probably drove the S2000 200 feet before realizing that it delivered all the things I liked in a good autocross car, in spades. As an aside, at the time I had no idea that the cars were totally dominating SCCA SOLO B-Stock; A short drive was enough to tell me that this car could win autocrosses, and that's one of the main reasons I bought the car. I beat all manner of Porsche's at every regional PCA autocross, including a few that are running racing rubber or R compound tires. No Ferrari dominates its autocross class either, so in one area the S2000 actually beats the exotics.

The cars natural ability as an autocrosser is due to a combination of handling characteristics, and the particular combination of characteristics are unique to the S2000. Yea, having a Ferrari wouldn't suck, except when it was broken, but no Ferrari can give me what the S2000 does, and the S2000 gives me what I want most from a "sports car." We may yet buy a Ferrari or Lotus (the new Lotus cars appeal to me as much as the S2000), but it certainly won't be a replacement for the S2000.

Actually, I keep the S2000 and the RX300 (that replaced the Jag), and my wife drives a Mercedes Benz. Our daughter drives the MX5.

What are the implications of my wife driving a Benz?

It's better to pay cash for "fun cars" (and other toys) whenever possible. The less you use credit the sooner you'll be able to have a "collection" of cars, all of which you enjoy. Some people think the RX300 is an odd choice, but of all the luxury sport utility vehicles we drove the AWD RX300 could eat up the mining roads I have to drive on quickest and with the most comfort. It was also inexpensive, and relatively cheap to fix, which makes it less stressful when I beat the hell out of it or bang it up.

I don't think any car can really shines until you get it in its environment. The Benz is a joy anywhere except off road, even though it can't do some of the things the Lexus and S2000 do. The changes, between the Tutonic Benz, the cushy Lexus (it drives just like my mothers Buick), and the razor sharp S2000, only serve to excentuate the positive qualities of the each car. I wouldn't want to replace any of our cars with anything else.

A peaky power band helps me behave at the stoplight grand prix, while provoking me the rest of the time. At one time I had both an FJ-1100 and an RZ-350. The FJ had a torque profile that was ruler flat, so blasting away from everyone else at a stoplight was natural. From a standing start it actually took effort NOT to blast away from traffic. In contrast, the RZ had to scream to make power. At low revs there was so little torque that it was all the bike could do to keep up with traffic until the revs climbed into the fat part of the power band. Then if you were in any of the first three gears the bike wanted to stand up, so you'd have to roll the throttle back off to keep the front wheel on the ground. On a bike I prefer to stay ahead of traffic whenever possible, and I always want enough power on tap to scoot me out of trouble, so the RZ had to be reved hard and launched hard just to stay ahead of traffic and feel safe. That of course left me with the choice of modulating the throttle or just letting the bike loft the front wheel, and most of the time I'd end up with the front wheel a few inches off the ground up to the speed limit (45 MPH or less). I enjoyed both bikes; Even though the FJ was a LOT faster, I rode the RZ when I felt like going fast, and the FJ when I felt like relaxing. Grunt takes less effort than a peaky power band, but that effort helps keep me interested. Working a car or bike to extract the power keeps me interested.

A properly equiped Vette is a badass autocross car.

 

Not me. If I wanted a Ferrari I could have one in my garage within 24 hours, paid in full. I just don't see the point.

My S2000 is so satisfactory that I can't think of any reason why I need to own anything else. I know, and will admit, that for some people the badge on the car, the prestiege that comes with the name is more important than the car itself. I have lots of friends like that. And for some, but very few, who will be able to realize the potential of a car like a Ferrari it may be worth owning. But for most of us there is no real reason to own it or fawn over it.

As you get older you come to realize that there are so many other important things in life, and there are so many things other than cars that thrill, that what might seem important, just for the sake of owning, really isn't.

 

I just got my s2k last week. I'm not having kids, or even getting a dog for that matter, until the S is paid off. If I need more space, I'll get a fit or a Civic Si Sedan as a daily driver. If I need a lot more space a TSX or Accord V-6 6 speed. A friend of mine has the later, and it's really not bad for such a large car.
As far as Ferraris or 911s go....sure they're great, but think of not just would you could do to your S with the extra money, think of what you could do with your S. An Extra 100k means a lot of track days, driver's schools, R-compounds, a truck to haul it to the track when it finnally isn't street legal....oh no....what have I just started by buying this car?
I'm constantly janking on my best friend who has a WRX STi. I always kid him about driving a souped up corolla with three diffs and two computers to do all the driving for him. Now he's janking on me about driving a torqueless girly car, with no room, and a star trek dash board. I tell him my car totally dominates its class in autocrossing. He tells me to do a track day with him in the rain.
The thing is we both love our cars and respect each other's choices. To my friend, the STi is the ideal go anywhere, go fast on any road, in weather sports sedan that can carry enough stuff for a week's vacation at the same time. To me, the S2000 is the perfect sports car. It's light, responsive, and fast, yet comfortable enough for a long trip, and easy enough to use as a daily driver. Oh yeah, and one diff is a good enough for me.

 

Your best friend was a car? That's just sad...

 

Whoops! Need to proof read those posts. Now for an edit.

 

I downgraded from an 03 NSX to a 06 S and I'm totally satisfied.. Even though the S2000 wont come close to the exotic beauty of the NSX, the S feels A LOT funner to drive.. The gearbox, steering, and motor to say the least feel great.. way more lively than my previous NSX...

I never thought I would get a convertible. The only downside of the S2k IMHO is the drop top. The hardtop makes it look WAYYYYYYYY better, the price makes me stay away! Waiting to find a good used one.

That being said, I have had 2 IS300's '01 and currently an '05. The IS is a BLAST to drive.. Since I have gotten my S, I drive my IS way less and will sell it soon.

I have never thought about buying a BMW other than a 01-03 M5 but the new 335i coupe just came out and I am going for a test drive in the next few days. This car should be real fun to drive. BMW has a lease special for $529/month on their website which is pretty fair for that car.

Updates soon.

 

[QUOTE=ralper,Sep 17 2006, 10:23 AM]Not me.

 

I bought my S about 4 months ago and I am planning to keep her as long as I can. .So if I had a chance to consider another car, I would go with a Skyline because I've heard that the Skyline is coming to the US but i am not too sure when.

 

I think it's really amazing that a lot of people have "downgraded" from a more expensive, faster, and/or more powerful car (i.e. Viper, NSX, M3, FD, etc) to the S2000, and still enjoy every bit of it.

 

Not to contradict, but I don't find it amazing at all. First, the S2000 is such a fine car that it is very easy to be pleased with it. More importantly, I think we all fool ourselves into thinking that the "grander, more powerful, more expensive" cars are really that much more satisfying. They really are not. For most of us, the difference in performance is something that we will never really be able to realize. Once you get past that, and the false sense of prestiege and status that comes with the higher priced labels, you realize that the simpler, lighter, less expensive cars like the S2000 can be every bit as satisfying to own and drive if not more so.

I always laugh when I hear or read of others drooling over the exotics. I think our "non-exotic" little sportscar is much better suited to most of us.