GotZoom

So....if my wife really wanted a convertible and I wanted to surprise her - and wanted to buy something with a little more zip than the Mini Convertible she is leaning towards.......what should I buy?

Reactionary

There is no doubt you should wait for the new Miata.

DreRX8

yeah--new Miata has 160Hp and comes with a 6spd manual or 6spd auto. Its going on sale this spring. Does she like the styling of the S2000? S2000 is a hardcore ride too--no compromises.

troch

There is NO official word about the power of the NC (next gen.) Miata. 160hp is simply a WAG. Also unknown and even more important to most of us is the weight. If you wait till next week, the power and weight questions will be answered at the Geneva Auto Show. For more info about Miata's than you can possibly stand, go to

http://www.miataforum.com

Mark

GotZoom

We both tried S2000. She wasn't incredibly impressed with the ride - somewhat too "hard" for her tastes. We both drove the Miata - she liked that much more and so did I (from a cruising point of view compared to the Honda). We are going this weekend to actually drive the Mini.

I want to get her what SHE wants; but I do know that I will be driving it too so if I could persuade her one way or the other, without being obvious as to what I am doing, then so be it.

As we men know; we have to keep them happy.

GRT8

For my money, I'd try to find an '05 Mazdaspeed Miata.

Aratinga

Although my preference would definitely be the Miata, please try to find out from her if having that back seat is important to her. Does she ever cart around more than one friend at a time? If that's the case, the MINI might have to be the one.

V_for_velocity

Most people will come away smiling after driving a supercharged Mini.

GotZoom

She has a 2004 Accord 4-door for business (Insurance agent). This will be her fun car; she says since I have my Jeep Wrangler, she wants a rag-top fun car too.

The Mini does look fun - but so does the MS Miata.....

DreRX8

well 160HP must be Autoweek's WAG.

Elara

Mazdaspeed Miata. I think that new Miata is fugly.

ddub

Mazdaspeed Miata

Hard 8

But see http://www.thecarconnection.com/inde...&sid=184&n=157

BlueEyes

S4 Cab makes a good wife car me thinks :D

o_town_racer

Why choose...just get both

rodrigo67

info right off mazda's website...

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...ehicleCode=MSM

of course they may re-announce the hp rating at a later date, but it'll get you $500... :D

get the MS Miata, she'll love it...

therm8

I'd say MS Miata as well. Personally I think it looks better than the new one, plus it's turbocharged :D . I wouldn't recommend the S2000 to anyone who isn't going to drive it like your supposed to (though perhaps your wife would). It has an unforgiving ride quality that you have to want to appreciate :p (not that I'm downing it, I like that kind of ride quality....sometimes, but everyday might get tiresome).

124Spider

Sorry to jump into this one a little late, but I only just noticed it.

When my Toyota I'd been driving for 15 years died last year, my wife told me to buy the car I wanted; I looked around, and bought an S2000. Then, in December, we decided that it might make sense for her to drive something other than a minivan. I love the Miata, and she was expressing an interest in getting a convertible; I was astounded that one could get a new MS Miata for under $20,000, so I steered her toward the local Mazda dealer. I also have always been charmed with rotary engines (we've had two rotary engine cars before), and advised her that the RX-8 was an interesting car, and she should look at it while we were there. Well, she hates driving my S2000--the ride's too rough, the car's not very comfortable otherwise, and she finds it too confining, even though she's pretty small. She didn't even want to drive the Miata, since she wanted more comfort and more rooom, but she fell in love with the RX-8. We went to the MC dealer to look at an MCS, but she didn't like it nearly as much ast the RX-8, so we bought the RX-8.

This is just a long-winded way to say that I could not have predicted how she would have made the decision, despite living with her for 30 years; I personally would be very uneasy about deciding about something so personally quirky as the purchase of a sports car for my wife. It's a very nice thought, but one frought with danger....

Good luck with this!

VikingDJ

I'm gonna have to say the S2000. It's just more car then the Miata. Yes more money, but also more car. It also holds it's value incredibly well. It handles like a dream, and has the power and high rpms to boot. It's almost like getting a convertible RX8. Best of both worlds IMO. I personally love the s2000, and if Mazda doesn't make a convertible rx8, I may end up going that route.

MazdaspeedRx8

I would go for the S2000 and second choice would be the Mazdaspeed Miata.
Reliability and resale value are great.

Performance wise its awesome very similar to the Rx8 if not better.

but then again, get what your wife wants.

124Spider

I love my S2000; there's no other car priced less than the new Boxster (and especially the new Boxster S) that I'd rather have. That said, it is not a car for everyone--a few of us love it; most people would not like it as a daily driver. I would never buy an S2000 for someone as a surprise unless that person had driven the car a fair bit, and expressed a strong desire to have it.

Of course, as I said before, I wouldn't buy any roadster as a surprise (absent strong knowledge that the recipient really liked the car), but if you are determined, I would go with the Miata. The Miata is not as much car as the S2000, but, unless you're really into high performance driving (especially on a track), the Miata can be just as fun, and it's a much more forgiving car to drive.

DARKMAZ8

don't get an s2k......Its fun but beats u up somewat.....my buddy has one and when the roads are smooth it drives like a dream but when it gets just a little bumpy the car is a back breaker....the ms miata might be too stiff as well...never drove one tho.....stick with the new miata...best bang for your buck where conv. roadsters are concerned