kreuznach

Fri night I traded my RX8 in for an 04 Honda S2000. I am ecstatic to be in a convertible again. I knew the day I sold my Miata I'd be back in a convertible again, but I didn't know it would be this soon.

The '8 is a great car. In-fact, in many ways, it's a better car than the Honda. Both are high revving engines, but the '8 revs much smoother and has better power delivery. To be fare I have to admit I'm still in the break-in period and haven't had the S' above 5500 rpm. So my opinion could change, but I don't think it will. The rotary is just an incredibly smooth operator. The RX8 is one of the easiest cars to drive fast and drive well that I have ever driven. It does everything perfectly. The Honda is going to take some time. It's not a car, like the '8, that you can get into and drive with ease and set a fastest lap in. You've got to learn it first. It seems to require more attention than the Mazda. The '8 is far more roomier than the Honda. I need a shoe horn to get in and out of the S2000. Highway driving won't be as comfortable.

The Honda has it's plusses though. Like, it requires more attention. You have to be involved in what's going on. I never liked the sterilized feeling of the RX8's controls and handling. There isn't much communication between the driver and the road through the tires and steering wheel. No feedback. There are with the Honda conviences as well. My drive back from the dealer was all highway. I got 30 mpg!!!!!! THIRTY!!!! The best the '8 ever did was 20. My gas card bill $400 last month. That's just 30 days of charges. The Honda will help reduce that. And I can now back my car out of the garage. Shut it off. And know with reasonable certainty it will not flood when I start it again. And the biggest plus of all ... THE TOP FOLDS BACK :D :D :D That was the real reason behind the trade. I had a brain fart when I traded my Miata for a fixed top car. I am a convertible man. Last night it was 35 degrees F and I didn't care. I pulled my collar up, put on a hat and gloves and went topless under the starry Wyoming sky and I knew I had made the right decision.

Ike

Grats on the S2K, they're verry fun cars and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you are able to redline it. It's not smooth and sounds like the engine is very stressed it out they're damn fun when you wring them out. My only problem is you got the wrong interior color! If the weather didn't such 6 months out of the year where I live there's a good chance I'd be driving an S2K right now.

Ike

Just saw you're in Cheyenne, what's the weather like there, and do you plan to drive the S2K year round?

PaulieWalnuts

Congrats. Nothing like a midnight run on a warm summer night with the top down.

BlueEyes

Grats man, I love those things. A blast to drive.

kreuznach

Ike, the weather isn't that bad here. It gets cold and is damn windy, that's for sure, but we don't get much snow or rain. I'll drive it year round and will put the top down every chance I have. The Miata owners manual warned not to put the top down if the temp was below 38 degrees F. Anything above that was top down weather to me. And it will be same with the Honda.

A small confession, I have had an S2000 up to redline. It wasn't mine. It was on a test drive. The rotary spins much more willingly at those revs than the Honda. And man is it loud. By the time I was done with the test (dealer let me take it out for about an hour) I used to the VTEC engine and how it responded at those revs. Required a lot more effort, but was loads of fun.

Ike

Yep, it's almost like a small turbo spooling up when you hit vtec. I hope none of the Honda fanbois from other forums hear me say that :p

Revolver

Glad to hear you're happy with it.

Each to his own I guess. Personally, I find the styling of the S2K a little sterile. I also much prefer the rotary, mainly for the reasons already mentioned in this thread.

Have you noticed a change in body rigidity going from the fixed top 8 to the soft top S2K, or haven't you been able to drive it hard enough to really tell?

kreuznach

Revolver, at first I felt the styling was bland as well. You have to really study it and move around it to find it's subtleties. Take a look at the pics below. I'm not a professional, so exuse the quality. But I tried to pick some of the highlights out in the design.

As for the rigidity, I haven't had the chance to really drive it yet. My Miata had shudder over bumps and would twist badly over slopes, but that's life with a conveertible. I can accept that.

shaolin

Good job. I always loved the S2K ever since I first read about it back in 1998. I've test driven them several times, and came very close to buying one, however, I didn't because I need the back seats...The RX-8 to me seems like an S2K with a hard top, back seats, and 4 doors. Just what I needed...

Make sure you do a good brake test on that thing...I don't know if you did it in your test drive, but when I test drove the S2K, I slammed on the brakes while going about 55, and lemme tell you, it feels like you hit a brick wall...

Navybeardbb

For the amount of money you saved on gas you shold have it doubled with insurance. At least in CA. Mine is about 150 less then the s2k was per month.

rx8wannahave

Sad to hear you traded in your 8 but as a fellow "sports car" guy...it does not matter so much what car gives you the thrill as long as the thrills and smiles come. I can appritiate pretty much all sports cars (sports sadans) and I've never understood the hate some people have for certain cars.

I'm not a convertible fan but Honda makes pretty good cars to say the least. It would have been cool if they also made a hard top...I wonder how that would have looked...

Enjoy your new baby!

DreRX8

S2000 is cool--I'd definately get one if I wanted a convertible that was not much more than a Miata but faster. I wish its exterior/interior color pallete was more extensive like the 350Z or RX8--but nice purchase.

truemagellen

move this to the 'General Automotive' or the 'Lounge' would be more appropriate

BlueEyes

ha, why, so nobody sees that someone traded their 8 in on the s2000?

truemagellen

not really 'discussing' the 8 anymore on to the S2000

really I don't care that much especially since I've driven the S2000 and didn't like it whatsoever (mostly because I didn't fit in the thing :p)

dmp

You made a wise choice, my brother-from-another-mother...

th1rd3y3

Nice choice, I too would be sporting an S2k if it weren't for snow in my area

msrecant

I like your attitude to "top down" driving. Similar to mine when I had my Miata.

IMO the manual writers are wimps ... whats a little wind burn and frostbite between friends? :D

dmp

I think it had more to do with the plastic rear window on some cars...

:D

Get a good wind-block, roll up the windows...and crank the heater!

zoom! :D

Aseras

how much did your insurance change?

Speed-ER doc

Did you consider the Corvette? I would have looked for a deal on a C5 if I didn't need four seats. V8s rule. :D

I missed my Miata too (traded it for the 8).

rx8wannahave

Well...cause it's up to him not us. I would have told him...dont' do it, the 8 looks better and fits 4 but it's still up to him.

I'm with Doc, I would have gotten a C5 over the Honda any day of the week. More power and almost the same highway fuel economy...oh, and that American V8 is just sweeetttttt.

But again, the Honda is a very nice ride too.

G8rboy

Same here. As for the manual's recommendation, I guess you never saw vinyl crack like a saltine before : ). I used that as an excuse just to keep my Miata's top down most of the fall. Driving top down in the snow is actually a lot of fun...

And to kreuznach - beautiful choice... I love the S2000 in that color. Enjoy it... and we'll miss your avatar around here

PPen131

man, i was hedging back and forth between a used 2001 s2k and a new rx8. in the end, i wanted the new car and back seats. i also wanted at least an 04 model s2k, so it was more than i could spend anyway. as much as i love the 8, i still wonder sometimes if should have gone the other way.