[URBAN SPORTS]

Good to see most people on here are genuine car enthusiasts.

I have owned and drive MX5's and rate them extremely highly, I moved onto an S2000 around 12 moths ago, and contrary to what people say it is a fairly docile car until it's in vtec which is where all of the fun happens.

I love the S2000 like I loved my MX5 they have the same kind of spirit, front engined little or no aids brilliant handling and an open top. The S2000 was the natural progression for me and is very similar to the MX5 in many respects.

It seems strange why people like Glixer(???), (who probably hasn't driven one or he would know) would berate such an iconic and fantastic sports car such as the S2000 when it is essentially a very similar formula to the MX5.

I have done many miles in both and YES the standard S2000 is much faster than my 1.8is was in every respect but that is to be expected in a car that cost a 10k+ premium, but comparing the performance of the MX5 to an S2000 is like comapring the performance of and S2000 to a Carrera S!

On the S2000 forum the MX5 is spoken very highly of as most of the people on there are car enthusiasts like MOST people on here, but to label the S2000 as shite is very narrow minded, maybe Glixer should actually drive one.

The reason why I am here? Word of this thread got onto s2ki where I feel the MX5 gets a lot of respect there are plenty of ex owners on there, as an ex MX5 owner I am gutted that I didn't know about this site, but just felt that some may appreciate alittle reality and perspective!

Urban Sports

 

[Daddy Cool]

Hi mate, welcome to Nutz! We accept all sorts here

One of the women at my local meet has (at least one) MX5 and also now got an S2000. Like you say, in many ways the cars are similar, you just get a helping hand with speed straight from the factory, we have to do it afterwards!

 

[Tybo]

They do seem the most natural progression from a standard MX5.
I'm still thinking of one, and won't be put off by somebody else's negative comments on them.

I seem to hear more good feedback about them than bad.

Some time this year, i will be checking them out

 

[URBAN SPORTS]

Hi mate, welcome to Nutz! We accept all sorts here

One of the women at my local meet has (at least one) MX5 and also now got an S2000. Like you say, in many ways the cars are similar, you just get a helping hand with speed straight from the factory, we have to do it afterwards!

Actually I seriously toyed with the idea of a supercharger for mine at the time but getting married meant I was forced to sell, I always really wanted an S2000 and financial changes allowed me to get one, the only thing I dislike about the S2000 is the insurance costs they are very steep.

Funny how a few of the fellas now on s2ki are going the FI route and are running 350+ bhp, they are seriously quick, although many have just gone for basic geometry alignment in the handling departmentwhich seems enough. The S2000 are like any high bhp RWD car you need concentration.

I would love a go of a 220+ supercharged MX5, very tasty!

 

[URBAN SPORTS]

They do seem the most natural progression from a standard MX5.
I'm still thinking of one, and won't be put off by somebody else's negative comments on them.

I seem to hear more good feedback about them than bad.

Some time this year, i will be checking them out

Bad comments are usually about the handling which you just need to be respectful of, 240 bhp and RWD why wouldn't you respect it, it has load of grip, but no aids thats what catches people out!

Also the peaky engine comes in for critisism, IMO it's similar power and performance as a 1.8 MX5 until 6000 rpm, then you get a healthy injection of around 100 bhp, all the way to 9000 rpm, its a sportscar it's meant to be driven hard, and it is very quick in vtec!

 

[Mr Slow]

Plus, its not fair comparing a factory S2000 against a highly modded MX5 is it?

Dunno so much, my 5 stand me abouyt 9k, what's a half decent S2k go fer?
[/quote]

that's *still* not a fair comparison.

find a 5 the age of the S2k and then compare

 

[URBAN SPORTS]

Plus, its not fair comparing a factory S2000 against a highly modded MX5 is it?

Dunno so much, my 5 stand me abouyt 9k, what's a half decent S2k go fer?
[/quote]

that's *still* not a fair comparison.

find a 5 the age of the S2k and then compare
[/quote]

Seriously do you not get annoyed with the grammar on the website?

Mr Slow well done for working out what he was saying!

 

[CRAIGO]

I've got to say I absolutely love S2000's! I would have one most certainly. I'd also love to see/hear/ride in a 350bhp monster

I've always been a huge fan of the VTEC and since my Dad had his Prelude VTEC written off, I kind of miss being around one.

Welcome to Nutz btw

 

[URBAN SPORTS]

I've got to say I absolutely love S2000's! I would have one most certainly. I'd also love to see/hear/ride in a 350bhp monster

I've always been a huge fan of the VTEC and since my Dad had his Prelude VTEC written off, I kind of miss being around one.

Welcome to Nutz btw

Thank you, is there any way I can register as an enthusiast, which I genuinely am?

The vtec in the S2000 is the most agressive changeover Honda have made, I was really was taken back by it when I had a test drive, have a go of one you won't be dissappointed!

Thanks for the positive responses BTW!

BTW I haven't had a ride in a supercharged S, I'm not sure if I want to from a financial point of view if you know what I mean!

 

[slowpoke]

Seriously do you not get annoyed with the grammar on the website?

grammar? wassat then?

- I just read it like people's accents

Another S2K/vtec fan here, i'd absolutely love a drive of one, one day mebbe - tis in a competetive price band as entry level S2K's are good E36 M3 money or Elise's..

 

[Mr Slow]

Plus, its not fair comparing a factory S2000 against a highly modded MX5 is it?

Dunno so much, my 5 stand me abouyt 9k, what's a half decent S2k go fer?
[/quote]

that's *still* not a fair comparison.

find a 5 the age of the S2k and then compare
[/quote]

Seriously do you not get annoyed with the grammar on the website?

Mr Slow well done for working out what he was saying!
[/quote]

You get to know Mark, he's harmless

I'm a Honda fan too tho tbo and would *love an S2k one day.

I miss my old B16 powered DelSol sometimes

 

[Pheunos]

Thank you, is there any way I can register as an enthusiast, which I genuinely am?

The vtec in the S2000 is the most agressive changeover Honda have made, I was really was taken back by it when I had a test drive, have a go of one you won't be dissappointed!

Thanks for the positive responses BTW!

BTW I haven't had a ride in a supercharged S, I'm not sure if I want to from a financial point of view if you know what I mean!

You're preaching to the choir here buddy

I'm sure you know crisy rice from the s2ki forums? I've been in his car more times than you can shake a stick at, and I think it's superb. I know as an enthusiast he has a similar respect for my 5, so it's all good.

Having had a drive in Chris' car since the supercharger went in, don't even consider going for a passenger ride in one unless you want to blow a gaping hole through your wallet. You'll simply have to get one - it's that good.

Welcome to nutz by the way

 

[Daz]

A mate of mine borrowed his bosses stuka a few years back and took me out for a spin in it. It was winter, he was being careful, and traction was a big problem on a very cold, frosty Glossop afternoon. But it was an awesome drive, it just kept revving and revving. That was an early model though, the one with the higher revving engine (9k redline?) and the twitchy suspension setup. The owner mashed the car on the M65 in bad weather conditions a few weeks later

Don't know if that was his inability to control the car, pure bad driving or the twitchy handling in combination with both the above.

I love Stuka's. I'd have one for sure, it's like a '5 but all grown up

Daz

 

[Gixer]

Hi US,

Welcome Nutz

Yep i've driven a few S2k's now, i don't like the engine the handling or the interior.

To the point where i feel the engine is gutless till 5k, then kicks in way to much.
This coupled with handling that'd sooner spit you off the road than look at ya is NOT a good combination in my book.

The later cars got a fair bit better.

Again this is MY opinion, it just so happens that it seems to be the same opinion as other respected journo's in the car trade.
Obviously Honda also had a similar opinion or otherwise why would they carry out such dramatic chassis alterations?

As i say next time i'm over in the UK it'd be great to get a few 5's and a few S2's together on a decent track and thrash it out.

If using "correct grammar" pisses you off then i'd take a few Valium before visting this or ANY other car forum, the S2k forum being as bad as this one.

Help is at hand though you could always join:
http://www.forumswithcorrectgrammar.com
Hopefully someone on there will meet your expectations.

Cheers
Mark

 

[Lower]

So Gixer, have you actually driven an S2k for any length of time?

I went from an MX5 to an MR2 turbo to my first S2K (now on my second) and loved them all. The MX5 was a great car, but just too small and underpowered as standard for my liking. After the MR2 turbo the S2k did feel gutless because it has a lot less torque, but after you've driven one for a bit you realise that the car is actually far quicker than it feels and using the revs becomes second nature. You just have to change your driving style a bit to keep the revs high. The Vtec changeover is no more abrupt or agressive than when the boost would come in on my old MR2 turbo and when you are in VTEC you've still got a 3k revs power band to play with.

Secondly, the handling is not spit you off the road. I'm on my second S2k and track it regularly. The early cars were trickier in the wet due to the S2k specific Bridgestone S02's that were fitted with very narrow rain channels, but in the dry the handling is no trickier than any other powerful rear wheel drive car. Later cars were softened, and in my view the handling is acutally slightly poorer, but more predicatable to muppets who aren't used to driving a powerful rear drive car. Interestingly enough, on the track biased CR version they now offer in the states, the suspension geometry, damper settings and spring rates have reverted to something very close to the original S2k settings.

Lastly, i arrange trackdays for S2ki. They'll be a day at Rockingham in April/may next year and at Donington towards the end of the year plus numerous days inbetween where a number of us from S2ki will be attending. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is and see if your web-based opinion matches reality.

But i'd be surprised if you actually do because its far easier to slag off a car you know little about from behind a keyboard.

Yep i've driven a few S2k's now, i don't like the engine the handling or the interior.

To the point where i feel the engine is gutless till 5k, then kicks in way to much.
This coupled with handling that'd sooner spit you off the road than look at ya is NOT a good combination in my book.

The later cars got a fair bit better.

Again this is MY opinion, it just so happens that it seems to be the same opinion as other respected journo's in the car trade.
Obviously Honda also had a similar opinion or otherwise why would they carry out such dramatic chassis alterations?

As i say next time i'm over in the UK it'd be great to get a few 5's and a few S2's together on a decent track and thrash it out.

 

[GreddyMX5]

cant say much more

 

[neil]

Before i say my bit i will say one thing, i love s2k's and hope to one day own one, even if it drives shit or not, i just love them, love honda's and love v-tec

The point Gixer is making is that its his "opinion" if you like the car like so many of us do then great, but he doesnt like them, wether he has or has not driven one is against the point, feck i hate any car that isnt jap, if i were given a lambo i would scrap it just to piss everyone off

i have a complete hate of french cars and hate to talk about them, ive never driven one its just my "opinion" that im entitled to same as gixer is entitled to his "s2k opinion"

Spoiler

even though he is wrong and they are great cars

Anyways welcome to nutz and hope this thread does not make you form an opinion on general mx5 owners

 

[Lower]

Before i say my bit i will say one thing, i love s2k's and hope to one day own one, even if it drives shit or not, i just love them, love honda's and love v-tec

The point Gixer is making is that its his "opinion" if you like the car like so many of us do then great, but he doesnt like them, wether he has or has not driven one is against the point, feck i hate any car that isnt jap, if i were given a lambo i would scrap it just to piss everyone off

i have a complete hate of french cars and hate to talk about them, ive never driven one its just my "opinion" that im entitled to same as gixer is entitled to his "s2k opinion"

Spoiler

even though he is wrong and they are great cars

Anyways welcome to nutz and hope this thread does not make you form an opinion on general mx5 owners

Not at all. I loved my MX5 (well technically it was my fiance's but i chose it and drove it a lot more than she did) and they are great little cars. There was one at Donington last weekend, fully stripped out and caged for racing and it was flying round

What's frustrating is when keyboard warriors start slagging off a car based on magazine reviews and a very small amount of real world experience.

 

[Miss 5]

Well If I can afford one in the future it would be a car I would highly consider. It's like the natural progression up from the 5. I'd obviously have to test drive one though but I rarely hear bad things about them and quite a few 5 owners have moved on to them.

 

[Gixer]

Yep i've driven a few S2k's both RHD and LHD.

The S2 is not gutless, it's gutless below 5k and almost useless below 3k.
If you can be bothered and keep it on the boil it's obviously a rapid car (engine wise), the problem is on the road, if you misjudge a corner and turn in in to high a gear you've got a choice of either flooring it at low revs and watching your mate pull away in his 1.1 Micra, or you drop it down 1 or maybe even 2 gears and hold on tight if the vtech kicks in while theres still some angle on the steering wheel.

The interior plastics are absolutely shite as is the layout, again summet mentioned on various S2k forums by beloved owners, do you disagree?
The tops leak water even from new, again taken from various S2k forums. agree/disagree?
Again it is my personal opinion that the S2k has a on/off power delivery, are you saying this is wrong?
I also state that the handling is snappy, again are you disagreeing?

All the above lead me to form my opinion that the S2k is way to finicky, but again i'll say i am not alone in my opinion or even extreme.
Many trusted journo's mag's reviewers feel the same way, even the public in general feel the same.

A quick search around the net and a read through a few forums also back up my opinion, many S2k owners even admitting so themselfs.

Lastly there's the "vote with your wallets" consensus.
From 1999 up till 2004 only 14,000 S2ks sold in Europe.
Compare this to over 18,000 MX5's sold in 2003 alone.
The S2k was out sold by the Boxster and the TT, surely this must tell you summet?

Again without any prompting from me a mate who works in the Auto repair trade mentioned that near on every S2k he's had to repair had damage to the rear, obviously not a definitive test i admit but still bloody interesting.

I understand and admire your loyalty towards your car, but i can't see how any of my statements or opinions would be a surprise to you, a quick chat to motoring mates (who don't own S2k's) and they are ALL aware of these negatives, so i'm fairly sure unless you went into your Honda dealer blindfolded and with ear plugs in that you are more than aware of these criticisms.

Why you single me out as a "keyboard warrior" for pointing out what many believe as hard facts i've no idea

I personally believe that my non stock MX5 would be faster around almost any track compared to a driver of similar skill in a S2k.
What's a stock S2 240bhp?
That's roughly what i guess my 5 is putting out, but i believe the lower weight and more linear power delivery of my SC'd 5 and the less knife edge handling would give me a slight advantage.
Do you disagree?

I think perhaps it would be more productive if you actually told me what you disagreed with in my statements and then wrote your collaborating facts/evidence rather than read into my posts what you want to and disregard the rest, and make sweeping statements without any facts or knowledge of a person.

Cheers
Mark