AQA101

Well, I shift a lot, far more than in my BMW 320D (bad example, I know) and I feel I have to if I want the car to move like I want to. Living and driving in Germany, I may have a different expectation, because I drive the car at 120-130 mph if possible according to traffic and occasional speed limits. At "low" speeds (say 80 mph), it's not really important if you're in fourth or fifth gear and you will use sixth for constant speed for mileage's sake and the smooth sound. The 8 has that wide range between 4.500 and 9.000 rpm where it has basically enough power to accelerate in a satisfying manner. Anyway, here in Germany you've got an army of fast cars in front of and behind you if you drive fast, so you'll take it to the extreme from time to time, for rational or emotional reasons - so maybe my point of view is a little biased.

What I wanted to express is that the practical usability of the 8 almost equals a BMW 3 with above average engine (320-325), while it probably even outmatches a 330 in the fun department. The way it develops its power is simply great. But to keep up with a real fast car you will have to shift a lot. Which is probably a problem that's not so important outside Germany, because the 8 has great power even in slightly wrong gear within usual speed limits.

JimW

Torque comes up 1000 RPM earlier on the RX8 compared to the S2K. Perhaps that's the low end power advantage you feel combined by it's most excellent transmission?

TheColonel

Let me tell you something. Unless you're going to actually race, don't concern yourself in the least with real numbers. Your butt dyno, is the only one you need to listen to. I have an '02 Z28 with 400hp. It's a blast to race and also to pull away from lights, but as far as overall driveability and fun factor, I can't wait to put my baby back in the garage and go buy my 8. I've driven alot of cars, the 8 is by far my favorite car to just drive. (Within a reasonable price range... say < $40k) It's a near perfect blend of practicality, sport and just plain fun. If you like driving it, it doesn't matter if some high school senior in his SRT-4 can hit 60 before you can. Don't make the mistake of buying a car for numbers instead of your opinion.

amartin

.... u get points for driving a convertible, however... and thats just a plain ole' fact. Nothing beats wind through your hair (unless, of course, your bald).

-- Aaron

..fwiw-- I own a S2K and Rx-8... best of both worlds.

HeelnToe

At 6'2", it was more like the wind through my forehead, lol...

The top of the window is at eye level for me... found myself constantly ducking to see under it, lol...

Jeffjett

Well said Colonel

trendy26

BTW: S2000 does have glass rear window... 2002 and up Models....

trendy26

Hmmm, I test drove both back to back, and chose the S2000..

For me, the tranny shifts smoother, and I like how the gears are closer together.... To each their own....

Also, one thing I considered was resale value.... RX-8's depreciate at a MUCH quicker rate than S2000's.... Plus, there are too many RX-8's out there... Just not that exclusive anymore....

However, in a year or two, I will look into picking up an RX-8, because they probably will be around $12-15K for a nice used 6 spd....

TODreamer

its too early to tell what resale on an RX8 will be like.....


I don't what its like where you are from but here there are waaaay more stooks on the road than RX8s. Its more like the other way around here...you walk by a stook like it was no more exclusive than any other car.

good luck.

trendy26

Hmmm, 10K S2000's are made per year.....


How many RX-8's are out there?? Probably more than all year S2000's combined......

It just seems wierd that every local Mazda dealership always has alteast 20 RX-8's on the lot....


BTW: Used RX-8's are already going for $20-22K.... A couple years down the road, they will easily be $12-15K...

TODreamer

Is it just me or do many of you agree that the convertible thing just kinda ruins the look of the car. I've not seen one car where its convertible alternative looked better than the hardtop "original" .... not one

The stook should offer a hard top alternative.

TODreamer

well if they only make 10k s2k's a year they must all be in Toronto :D

I really don't know about that figure dude...... anybody? can we have some verification?

as for the RX8's on the lot....I hardly see any.... maybe just a couple per dealer.... and if you want blue or Yellow, your **** outta luck

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

here in northern VA i see more S2000s than RX-8s, by like a 2 to 1 scale at least.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

actually make that 4 to 1, i still get excited when i see a RX-8 on the road, not so much when you see 3-4 different S2000's every day.

S2000

I can verify that number. Honda has always limited it's S2000 production to 10,000 units per year. And they were all hand built just like the NSX in the exact same factory until last month. Now both are built in a new factory in Japan.

As for which you should get, that's your choice. The person who said, "unless you plan on racing the car consistantly, don't go by the numbers", was dead on. Choose on how the car feels to you.

Now, your opinion on how the car felt to you is quite odd to me. The only thing that the S2000 can compare with the RX-8 is the redline. Besides that, the two are completely different cars.

The RX-8 is a very peppy sport sedan that is very fun to drive.

The S2000 is a high strung pure sports car.

Stock for stock with equal driver skill, the S2000 will beat the RX-8 in every performance catagory that there is.

You said that you felt that the S2000 was "straining" at it's extreme rpm limits? I completely disagree. But I do understand what you are talking about. When I first bought mine, the 9000rpm would literally scare the crap out of me. It sounded like the engine was about to explode. But after I got used to it, it sounds and feels like it craves that 9000rpm limiter. As a matter of fact, I bounce of my limiter probably every day because the car feels like it just wants to go higher. In fact, a modified S2000 head with Ti retainers and valves can safely rev to over 11,000rpm with the AEM EMS.

You also complained about shifting in the S2000. Maybe if you are worried about shifting, you should buy a different car, something in an automatic. I find that my S2000 has plenty of torque to easily accelerate on the highway without down shifting. At 80mph in 6th gear, I can easily pass people. Now at 80mph and downshifting to 3rd,............... BUH BYE.

Someone also mentioned the S2000 with the supercharger. There are many people with this combination as their daily driver with over 50,000 supercharged miles. All of them trouble free. Also, a 300rwhp S2000 is on par with the C6 vette in both track racing and drag racing. (Anyone who buys the S2000 for drag racing is an idiot.)

So maybe you should go test drive the S2000 again before you make your final decision. And see if you can keep it for an afternoon to really test it. Beat on it all you want, it's a Honda, it can take it and keep begging for more.

owenxguo

test drive all of the car on mountain, you will feel different, and you will like S2k lol

trendy26

the reason why you see the ratio as 4 to 1 because is because this is the 4th yr of the S2000 and the 1st of the RX-8.....

But hey, this is an RX-8 forum, so there is alot of Bias....

Whether you guys like it or not, the RX-8 is not as limited as you think it is.......

Plus the fact that it's offered in Automatic says alot for its exclusiveness....

But hey, if you guys wanna believe they are more limited, by all means go ahead.... production numbers will negate that theory....

S2000

That also says a lot about what type of car it is and the type of demographic they are marketing it towards.

RX-Hachi

I think both cars are very nice, but I do agree that the Honda will hold its resale value better. Hondas in general just have better resale than Mazdas. But I didn't buy the car to be thinking of selling it, so resale isn't a big factor for me.

On the average most cars will be worth about 50% of the original value in about 4 years. So I think it will be about 3 years or so before one can pick up a good condition RX-8 for $12k-$15k. And you never know, the 3rd Gen RX-7's resale sky dived (due to realiability) after the first 2 years, from a mid $35k-ish MSRP a used 2 year old sample could be had for around $20k in 1995. But then they stopped importing them to the US and the used car prices started to go up.

Over time I do expect more RX-8s on the road vs. the S2K, but for now I also see more S2Ks. They've been selling them for nearly 5 years. Also, the RX-8 has more WOW factor because it's newer and many (non car enthusiasts) don't know what it is yet.

trendy26

good point.....

S2000

I agree.
I agree again. But look at how fast that WOW factor faded for the 350Z. I barely trun my head for them anymore. It has only been out for about a year and now they are on every street corner. Many S2K owners hate the way the 350Z looks, but I love it. I have driven all three, the 350Z, S2000, and the RX-8. I'd still never give up my stook for any of them.

After owning the S2000, I'm afraid that I am only going to be able to move up to something at the Z06 level.

TODreamer

Personally I don't see How one can compare the two (s2K and RX8) when deciding to buy.....their target tarkets are totally different.

I can't imagine considering buying an S2K on the same day I'm considering an RX8.

GeorgeH

iTrader: (2)

I certainly cross-shopped them. Drove an '8, '03 S2000, '04 S2000, and '00 Boxster all on the same day. They are all sports cars (although the '8 stretches the definition, for sure). They each have their strengths.

But yes, the 2-seat convertible vs. 4-seat coup does make some of the differences very stark. But they are all drivers cars, and if you are looking at a used Boxster, all very closely priced.

S2000

Yeah, it stretches that meaning so far that it's not a sports car. I'm sorry, but the RX-8 is a sport sedan.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

i doubt 2 half-doors can be considered a 'sedan' a la bmw 3 series SEDANs...