Want to buy a weekend runabout, and im torn.

[joemoefro]

Miata would be much cheaper to run, and it wouldn't get you in too much trouble either. Even if the S2000 would be the funnest convertable to drive.

[The_Finn]

Originally Posted by llpc60

miata. cheap, cheap, cheap. more feel than the s2k (lighter), and you can mod the fuck out of it for so little (cheap)

no contest

x2

the miata is so inexpensive. Buy a really nice one for 5k and put the other 10k+ you would spend on the s2k (15k seems about avg price for s2ks on ebay and auto trader) into parts from Flyin Miata zoom zoom

[flyingfridge]

I was about to say IMHO, but considering what I'm about to say, it's not just my opinion.

I think the vote tells the story. The Honda walks it in.

[No Boss]

I said Honda.

[] Reliable
[] Powerful enough for fun
[] Cool Instruments
[] "Engine Start" button
[] Cool seats, wheel, interior in general.

Check all that apply.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

S2000's do cost a fortune compared to the rest of the list though. On my dollar, I'd much rather have the Sky or the MX-5.

[fbc]

Originally Posted by No Boss

[] "Engine Start" button

OT - but am I the only that hates these things?? Especially if you've still got put the key in the ignition first.

[thedguy]

Originally Posted by fbc

OT - but am I the only that hates these things?? Especially if you've still got put the key in the ignition first.

They're just a novelty, but that does make sense.

I was hoping to put one in my bro's BMW, and put "this is only the" at the beginning and "of your problems" after it

[No Boss]

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

S2000's do cost a fortune compared to the rest of the list though. On my dollar, I'd much rather have the Sky or the MX-5.

Yeah they do cost more, but for the car, I could justify it.

[mautzel]

Miata - from what I got from your description, you wanted a car for doing enjoyable weekend trips and not a sort of disguised street racing with a car that revvs higher than even touring motorbikes do.

[jayhawk]

Wow, never expected this many replys!

Funny how one sided the poll is, on a Grand Am site I frequent, 70% of people seem to prefer the Solstice / Sky.

[flyingfridge]

To be honest i'd be really iffy about the Solstice/Sky. don't get me wrong, I'm generally a fan of GM's products, but my sister has a 2001 Belgium-Built Astra (same basic ECOTEC engine as the topless twins) and while it's a great car, she just keeps getting all these niggly little problems with it. I on the other hand 0wn a 1990 Honda, 11 years the Astra's senior and it's been nothing but reliable. I can assure you my car gets a lot more abuse (drivetrain wise ) than the astra too.

Sure that's not a direct reflection on the cars you're interested in, but I'd sure as hell be putting Honda reliability and VTEC over GM's Hit or Miss chance.

[llpc60]

engine start button?

ever heard of modding?

[Redliner]

[OFFTOPIC]
Flame me, but I think starter buttons are cool.
[/OFFTOPIC]

[llpc60]

Originally Posted by Redliner

[OFFTOPIC]
Flame me, but I think starter buttons are cool.
[/OFFTOPIC]

me too, they are awesome. but just because the car doesnt come with them, doesnt mean you cant add one.

soldering irons are CHEAP, so is wire, if you want a starter button, you can add one to any car.


EDIT: in my previous post, I meant meant to say, why think about gettin the s2k just because it has the button, when you can mod any other car to have one too.

[Z Draci]

Originally Posted by fbc

OT - but am I the only that hates these things?? Especially if you've still got put the key in the ignition first.

The reason they got rid of starter buttons in the first place was because it was inconvenient. I have no idea why they are popping up again (other than the "cool" factor). It makes sense when you have those remote sensor keys though. I digress . . .

I voted for the S2000 because it is the best car on the list. It has the most power. It handles the best. And it has a killer interior! If you can afford the S2000 then I'd go for it with no second thoughts. (considering your options are limited to the cars on that list)

Also with an S2000 you don't really need to do any aftermarket modifications. With the other cars it seems like it might be underpowered or doesn't have stiff enough suspension, etc. The S2000 is spot on from the factory (unless you competitively race it).

[The_Finn]

Originally Posted by Z Draci

The reason they got rid of starter buttons in the first place was because it was inconvenient. I have no idea why they are popping up again (other than the "cool" factor). It makes sense when you have those remote sensor keys though. I digress . . .

I voted for the S2000 because it is the best car on the list. It has the most power. It handles the best. And it has a killer interior! If you can afford the S2000 then I'd go for it with no second thoughts. (considering your options are limited to the cars on that list)

Also with an S2000 you don't really need to do any aftermarket modifications. With the other cars it seems like it might be underpowered or doesn't have stiff enough suspension, etc. The S2000 is spot on from the factory (unless you competitively race it).

well the early series 2000-2003 had an issue with Understeer and a lack of low end torque (154ft/lb @ 7500rpm) 2004-present has the 2.2L motor with the lower redline and revised suspension which supposedly takes care of all those issues.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by jayhawk

I WAS going to buy a Toyota Yaris, but my wife came up with a better idea. "How about just hanging onto the Pontiac for commuting and get a car you REALLY want?"

You lucky bastard.

Tough choice, you've got a great list of cars you're looking at. I don't know how many ricers there are in your town, but I'm willing to bet that the Trueno is a prime target for impromptu street races against fucktards in "neon-clad tard rockets". I know the S2000 is, a friend of the family has one and he says he gets annoyed by douchebags in winged-up Civics trying to see if the S2k's VTEC is really all that.

Nonetheless, an S2k would be my choice, with Solstice (better-looking than the Sky) and Miata next. The Solstice is a seriously good-looking car, though:


Then again, I know you like Initial D (who doesn't?), so get a Trueno and live the dream. I was looking around eBay Motors for some and they're dirt cheap, but they're in various stages of decomposition and modification. At the price range of your other choices, you could probably get 3 or 4 and nurse them back to health! Hell, I think I want one now (<- poor soon-to-be college student)!

So basically, after reading everything I just wrote, my advice is: buy everything. You can't go wrong!

[llpc60]

are you buying the car for looks? if so, the sky and solstice might be what you want (lots like the looks, I hate it)

but if you do some researching, you will find that they are no where near as nice to drive as the s2k / miata.

sure the s2k handles better than the miata (stock) but for example, you can get a mk1 (90-97) for around 4k, with 100k miles on the clock. meaning you have at least another 200miles on your side, if you change the oil every 3-5kmiles. and with around 1k dolla worth of suspension, you can set it up in any way you want (can EASILY outhandle a s2k, racing springs are 60bucks a piece.)

so if you spend around 3-4k on it, you will have a car with everything you like (seats, suspension, looks, etc) and still be far below 10k add a supercharger (~2-3k) and you got a real fast car.


OR spend 35k MORE and get a s2k....stock..... just makes no sense to me

the engine is cheap to rebuild too, if you go above 300k miles

the miata is much lighter too. and that means better feel. MPG is high too.

[flyingfridge]

I'm just considering nice weekend cars that fit your genre but aren't on the list. Have you thought about something like an SW20 MR2 with the targa top? Now there's an awesome weekend car.

Or even Blaro's favourite, the 300ZX twin turbo targa. another awesome weekend car. and i can vouch for that because i have a mate who has one. To be honest, the 300ZX is the most awesome car suggested on this thread so far. Although that's my opinion. I've been saying for years that they're the best value performance car on the second hand market bar none. What are they worth in the US?

But then those two are outside your age requirement.

I don't know US car prices that well, so a new S2000 is around 34,000. so what you're looking for is that or under i guess. (so second hand ones would have devalued so will second hand versions of other new cars around that price.....

What about the RX-8? But then it's more expensive than the MX-5, less than an S2000 though. It will use fuel, but then u get rotary goodness....mmm. Between the new MX-5 and an RX-8, it'd have to be the MX-5 for mine.

350Zs start at 27,000ish. I'm sure there are some very very good track spec models on the second hand market by now. the solstice starts at 20,000ish. I looked at AutoTrader, you can get a 2003 350Z for around 22,000 with 30,000 miles on it and it'll be shitloads better than the solstice could ever dream of being. The solstice would be worth that much by the time u optioned it anyway.

Just looking VERY briefly at autotrader, it looks like 350Zs are about the same if not a bit better than the S2000 on the S/H market.

Like I said, I don't know much about the US used car market, I tend to know the Aussie stuff, but there's at least some alternative suggestions for ya!

But as always, go out and test drive them all and see what you like. You might drive an MX-5, an S2000, a 350Z and an RX-8 back to back and find the RX-8 is more to your liking than the others. Don't be prejudiced, just go out and test drive everything you can. You might get an unexpected and/or pleasant surprise.

[tysoe]

I'm get a MX5 miata too. The S2000 is gutless at under 600RPM so you have to thrash it to get the power. It weighs a lot more, and has less feel.

The S2000 makes for a nice track car, but I think the Miata is a better all around fun car. And you can boost it relatively cheaply. It's also a blast to drive around town, you can have fun driving at the speed limit even around the corners without using the brakes.

The miata has a really quick and easy manual top, the old ones have 2 latches that can be done with one hand and you simply drop it. Up or down in aprox 2 seconds.

The doors are tiny and low, so you don't feel like your sitting in the bath.

And like everyone says, they are cheap. I was looking at two black very early 90's ones, buy them both for $2000 each.