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Help me pick my next car!!!!!!?!?!

ATsucks

ATsucks

Active Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2005
Messages
118
Location
Netherlands
Fellow Final Gearers, I need your help in picking my next car, here's a little background info.

I've been a Volvo enthusiast my entire life and since 1997, I fell in love with the C70 HPT Coupe'. Its production was stopped in 2002 but it remains a classic masterpeice none the less. Now, I've always wanted one, but for what I'm willing to spend, the ealiest model year might be 2000 maaaaybe 2001, but then we're talking with over 150K km on the odometer. These cars are fairly reliable, not the cheapest to maintain should something go wrong, but boy is it a looker.

Now, here's my dilema: I've found a new love, and I can't even believe I'm about to admit this: The Honda S2000.

For the same money as for the C70, I can get a newer used S2000, RWD, more fuel economic, not as quiet and refined a ride as the C70, but I can live with that as I'm pretty performance orientated having used to owned an SRT-4. I had a 2005 GTO/Monaro on order but I've decided against that due to fuel costs. I have to make realistic decisions. I drive nearly 20K miles a year and I'm also looking to mod whatever I choose pretty heavily, which is why I favor the Honda more as a project car but I'm worried about getting the ricer rep should I get the S2000, but I dont care too much about that.

If any of you have any prior experience with the S2000, I've love to hear about it, I have to test drive one, I have driven a HPT C70 T5 and was less than enthused about its lack of oomph; a nearly 8 year dream down the tube, and even with expensive mods for the Volvo, it still won't be as fun as the Honda.

I look forward to reading your views and opinion!
TIA!

Following are some images of both cars and how I plan to work them up later...

http://img509.imageshack.**/img509/992/a9gh.jpg
http://img509.imageshack.**/img509/1259/b4vt.jpg
 
The C70 is a classy-looking coupe and would make quite the sleeper. The S2000's you posted all look ricey, but in stock form it's a better car period. Though you'll probably get harrassed by every gangsta wannabe in town, and possibly the cops because it looks fast.

Also, supposedly modifying the S2000 engine is harder because it's so well-designed. I wouldn't know, I've never tried. :mrgreen:
 
Wow the C70 certainly is a looker. :eek:

I would say to shop around for the C70, its a somewhat unique car (more so than the S2000) and you love Volvo's. But I know for a fact that S2000 is a fun car. Period.
 
The Volvo is safe but reminds me a bit of the CLK.

The S2000 looks sportier and is a convertible which is good for sunny days, cruising around.

S2000 gets my vote.
 
BlaRo said:
The C70 is a classy-looking coupe and would make quite the sleeper. The S2000's you posted all look ricey, but in stock form it's a better car period. Though you'll probably get harrassed by every gangsta wannabe in town, and possibly the cops because it looks fast.

Also, supposedly modifying the S2000 engine is harder because it's so well-designed. I wouldn't know, I've never tried. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Here in Holland, I have never seen an S2000 on the road ever! Back in the US, yes, they were as common as pickups on the Texas freeway. I think the Veilside ground effects kit doesn't look too ricey, it adds something for sure, but not so much that it looks over the top.
 
Ignore my post, man i didn't take any effort in thinking about this.

Now I like the Idea of a CLK look-a-like that could be a damn good sleeper.

Overall, I don't know now which I would choose. Work hard and buy both. :thumbsup:
 
ATsucks said:
BlaRo said:
The C70 is a classy-looking coupe and would make quite the sleeper. The S2000's you posted all look ricey, but in stock form it's a better car period. Though you'll probably get harrassed by every gangsta wannabe in town, and possibly the cops because it looks fast.

Also, supposedly modifying the S2000 engine is harder because it's so well-designed. I wouldn't know, I've never tried. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Here in Holland, I have never seen an S2000 on the road ever! Back in the US, yes, they were as common as pickups on the Texas freeway. I think the Veilside ground effects kit doesn't look too ricey, it adds something for sure, but not so much that it looks over the top.
Click to expand...
It's not common in America, either. But one problem American S2000 owners have is that:

1. It's a convertible.
Fatass donut-huffing cops in their Crown Vics will instantly think, "gosh durn, dat dem thang sure looks fast. Betta beef up mah radah gun. I call hah 'Betsy'." Or something like that.

2. It's a sporty Honda.
Hell, even non-sporty Hondas fall into this. Thanks to The Sluggish and the Overly Annoyed, "wiggers" (white people who think they're 50 Cent, every country has 'em) will think that you're a meeeen street racer and will try to race you in their Civic with their huge wing on the back and coffee-can exhaust. It's annoying, to say the least.

I don't know if these problems are the same in the Netherlands, but I live in America, so this is what I've seen and heard before.

Still, in terms of sportiness comparing a C70 to an S2000 is comparing those pieces of chocolate shaped like coins to a box of Godiva. But the C70 makes an excellent sleeper, and nothing is better than wasting people in flashier sporting vehicles in something that isn't. Choose wisely. Use the force. 8)
 
The S2000 for sure. i wouldnt even consider the C70 unless i desperately needed the space.
 
The question of whether the S2000 is a good car or not has been answered by the Top Gear Survey.
Here is the 2005 results.
Here is a link to Top Gear's S2000 page.

If you asked for my personal opinion, I'd go for the S2000 all the way.
It really is one of the best handling sports cars in the market. It also has Honda reliability and build quality.

Compared to the S2000, the C70 will feel like a bus. I mean no offense to Volvos. They are great cars in many ways but they lack the response and feel of its other European rivals.

I personally love to drive very fast. I need a car that can keep up with what I demand out of it.

The S2000 also has LOADS of aftermarket support. If you don't like a particular part of the car or think you want to improve something, there will be an aftermarket part that would fit the need perfectly. Spoon is a famous name that comes to mind . . .
 
Normally I would not ever think of voting for a volvo, but:

A C70 with IPD bits (remember that engine is such a jem) would be _the_ _bomb_. Oooooooh, I feel funny just thinking about it.

Hot Hondas are such a bore anyway.
 
I personally don't like the feel of Volvos. The cars just don't have that precision, exactly what Z Draci mentioned. Also, I find Volvo's electronics are not very reliable; there is always something that bugs you. For example, a light goes on telling you that there is something wrong, but after you take the car to the mechanic everything's OK. Probably I'm a bit biased towards Volvos (my first car was a 1990 Volvo 740GLE 16 Valve), but my experience with all Volvos (yes, all Volvos) are negative, other than the comfortable seats. As for the S2000, all the ones I've seen (in Vancouver at least) are heavily modified. Although the S2000 is not one of my favorites, I have to admit that it is one of the most well-balanced small convertibles available. Of the people I know who own S2000's, most of them say the car is very good. To make the long story short, go for the S2000.
 
you all know well enough what car I would choose... definetly go for the volvo if you want a pretty fast, comfortable and good looking car :D
 
I would definitely say the honda. My friend had a C70 R and he was disappointed with the performance. The volvo is nice, but a little dull. Besides, S2K's are actually easy to mod.
 
S2000 has my vote..nothing but good things I have heard about the S2000. Hell, I even drove one as a car detailer, and I thought it was awesome.

Go for it! :thumbsup:
 
The s2000 isn't as popular here, no. More people would choose the Audi TT or the Z3 in that range. But I wouldn't say they're uncommon. Theres a lovely red one i see quite often.

As for the volvo, I've never seen one, or ever noticed one is more the matter i think. Its more subtile, has a bit more class. But everyone knows the s2000 is a better car, you can't go wrong with it.

On the cool wall the volvo is better :)
 
If I were gonna pretend I were the saint for a day I would probably go for his older volvo, not the new one.

I do think the volvo would be a bit moe practical as a single car. Just seems like a better 20k a year car than a little high reving roadster.
 
Bear in mind if you go for the honda that spare parts are bloody expensive (talking from experience here) and it's not only original parts but noname parts aswell :|
 
Go the Volvo. Respectable performance, strong, reliable etc etc... and nice looking too.
 
Whatever you pick, please come down to Maastricht and give me a ride. :lol:

Kip said it well. Volvo, classy, better on the cool wall. However, you can't go wrong with the s2000 either!
 
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