Colorado has some well maintained roads. Thanks, Greenies, for all those taxes you pay :p

Reliability, or lack of it, aside, Fiats were great cars. Affordable and handled like go-karts. It would be great to have one again. In a way, I guess I did in the Miata and sort of do again in the Honda.



Man, does it bite back. Just Saturday the wife and were rounding a corner. I thought I'd be cute and break the rear wheels free and let them come around a bit. Oh they came around alright ... and kept on coming. Next thing you know we're facing the guard rail. :eek: Why did that have to happen with her in the car :rolleyes:

Man..I can't figure out why some people find it hard to believe that an S2K can be easily SC....go to www.s2ki.com and find out for yourself. I know plenty of S2k owners here in LA that have FI without any problems what soever...only problem is the weak diff. if launched hard.....

I'm a recent RX-8 owner who has converted over to the S2000. I'm loving the car so far. Just wish the break-in period was over and the weather would improve here.

top speed on the S2000 is more like 160-167... I've had mine up to 150 and it was still pulling..others have topped out at 167ish (Speedo Indicated).

Furthermore, I've seen several 1/4 slips showing stock S2K's pulling 13.8-13.9's.
I don't see how you can even run the RX-8 in the 1/4 mile worth a damn with all the wheel hop...
(and yes, I own both cars, and prefer the S2K unless its crap weather, of course... I live in Texas and its nice convertible weather here)

-- Aaron

My brother had an X19, fun cool looking little car, but my god was it a piece of crap.

S2000 vs RX8
 

I'm a bit biased as an S2000 owner, but as a serious sports car enthusiast, I see the good and bad in everything. The S2000 is my weekend car, the top rarely goes up, and it doesnt get to sit in traffic for the morning commute. (Thats what the CL Type S is for).

I've owned a Miata and a Del Sol, driven Z3s, Boxter S, Boosted 20B RX-7 1st gen, RX-8, and the G35 Roadster. If you want pure, fun, driver to car relationship - none of them touch the S2000. With a $700 investment in some 18in rims and Hankook Ventus sticky rubber, a $250 investment in some crossdrilled / slotted rotors to prevent fading, $225 for a nice AEM V2 intake, and $500 for an Invidia Cat/Back - you have a beautiful machine that does exactly what you tell it to, when you tell it to, how you tell it to, and tells you how it's going while it's doing it.

The S2000, now in it's fifth year of production - can be picked up pretty cheap. I bought mine in February for $18,000 with only 40k miles on it.

The engine is a banshee - singing all the way up to 9k. The AEM V2 at WOT with the Invidia catback - if you were to close your eyes and wind it out, you'd swear you were running laps with Alex Zanardi on the F1 track. The cockpit is a perfect drivers cabin. All controls are no more than a finger move away. The tunnel in the center is raised with the lowered seating, so you can comfortably rest your arm and shift with your wrist - yes - wrist - just quick flips of the shifter.

My cousin has an 02 Renesis in that gorgeous Silver / Red leather combo. The interior destroys the S2000 hands down. The flip doors in the back are sick. The stereo is better, and the inclusion of the rotor shape into all the design aspects of the car is just awesome engineering from an enthusiast point of view.

The drivers cockpit on the RX8 isn't as enthusiast oriented as the S2k. Controls are more sedan oriented, shifts aren't exactly tall, but not too short either. The shifter feels nice (unlike that turbo protege I drove, which had the worst sport compact shifter I think I've ever driven). Still, it's adequate, and the seats do a fair job of keeping your ass in the seat at good touring speeds. The S2k's recaro buckets are like glue. You are one with the car. I threw in some five points on the drivers side just to enhance the effect.

Room is non-existent in the S2k. The glovebox, between the seats, has enough room for your gloves, sunglasses, a few CDs, and the owners manual. Theres a nice clip for your insurance card and registration - which I've been fortunate not to need yet. :)

The top end on my S2k, top-up, 18in rubber, intake, exhaust is about 160mph. It will pull at that speed, but who needs to be going that fast on the expressway? 100mph is a short trip to the top of third gear. 4th takes you well past 125, 5th will run you all the way to 150ish - and 6th at about 7K is 160. There is room to accelerate more. This car would be fun on the salt flats.

The potential of the rotary to go well beyond 160 is there. A lil work, and a nice 12000 RPM redline - it could do it.

I think they went a little conservative on the design of the Renesis in some areas. I should hope to see a bosted one sometime soon. I'm uncertain why Mazda invests money in turbo'ing proteges and miatas, only yielding 160/180 horsepower. Put one on the The RX-8, and shove it up into the 300+ HP range. :)
Turbo+Built Wakel = Good Time

Great way to sell cars..........

There going to discontinue the S2000 next year so you better get one now.

Now why would anyone with common sense want to buy a discontinued car?

Just Salesman BS