kyle

apples and oranges.

the ragtop disqualifies the s2000 automatically. that's the bottom line for me. it's the other way around for others, but hp/tq ratings don't sell everybody on a vehicle. if i wanted a monster performer i'd buy something like a cobra or an sti for around the 30k mark that both these cars weigh in at.

the rx8 will most like be the next car i own (when i get back from iraq in feb04) due to factors that i can explain and some i just can't. some cars you just take a better liking too, quarter mile time or not.

ToRX-8orToZ

Looks wise, I like the S2000... hell I like the S2000 more in just about every way. But the S2000 isnt nearly as practical as the 8. Those two seats are going to sell the car... I'm basically postponing my purchase to give me time to decide if I can handle having to drive someone elses car when I go out with friends... which is frequent.

kyle

not only friends, but little things such as being able to put dry cleaning or a backpack behind me etc. i don't always want to have to open the trunk. these are tiny reasons but in an age where i could easily go several different ways, every pro counts.

s2000's are nice, i just personally like the looks of the 8 a little more as i'm a hardtop coupe kind of guy.

P00Man

yeah...stuff like that just aint right man...

would you mind taking it down?
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BDSM SLAVE

dragula53

That's what a lot of comedy is about. joking about the things in life that suck.

I was trying to make a point about how getting emotional with perfect strangers about completely insignificant issues does nothing but raise one's blood-pressure.

anyway, removed at the request of the masses.

P00Man

thanks a lot man, i know how you feel, about comedy being the thing that lets everyone talk about uncomfortable issues, i dunno, i guesse we just found that one a little more harsh than funny

either way, im sure its removal is appreciated, especially by rx22, and especially in a medium where certain types of comedy can be indestiguishable from harshness/insensitivity/deliberate attacks on a group, like here on the web

i for one, am sure you meant it as a joke, but, being that it is the internet and thus sometimes hard to tell, im sure others weren't
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GANG BANG BRAZILIAN

RX22

Thanks for taking it down. I'm all for a good joke, but I can imagine if a parent of a child like that came to this site what they would feel. Thanks again for the removal.

BillK

FWIW, this is the type of thing I was talking about...

IrishNutter

FWIW, I just traded in a 2002 S2000 (owned for 20 months) on an RX8. I can't see anyone liking the S2K and not liking the RX8: they have a lot of the same attributes: good styling, excellent handling, relatively light weight, perfect F-R balance and low torque high-revving engines.

To summarize my feelings, the RX8 is 90% of the performance of the S2000 (actually I prefer the engine and gearing of the RX8 but the S2000 does have a clear edge in overall handling)....while the S2000 only provides 40% of the comfort of the RX8 (RX8 has better suspension compliance, *much* quieter, better sound system, heated seats, better seats IMHO, etc.).

I'd also say that the S2K has a cleaner exterior design...I think it will age extremely well. Clearly, exclusivity and resale will fall on the side of the S2K also if those are really high priorities for you.

If you want a ragtop, S2K is a great choice. If you don't or you're even noncommital, I think the RX8 is clearly a better overall package and its pricing is just a bonus.

Hercules

That's about how I summed it up, but since the S2000 is loud and impractical for my use... I passed on it and took the RX-8.

I think either route you take, you'll be happy

ToRX-8orToZ

Yeah, both cars are great.... I wish I could buy both.

WRX&RX-8

I test drove an RX-8 last Sat. Loved it, absolutely loved it. Though the headroom leaves a little to be desired. (I am only 6'1") It is time to replace my WRX and I am looking at these 4: Supra, NSX, S2K, RX-8. Yes I am well aware of the massive differences in these cars but those are the choices. The only thing is the Supra and NSX are old. I haven't had a chance to drive the S2000 though I do know people that own them and some people love them and some tired of them very quickly. Also keep in mind that I will never drive a stock car. My WRX is heavily modified and all cars I own will be that way. Also, I heard the rumor that Honda is bringing a true hardtop S2K and they are raising it to a 2.2. Anyone else heard this? Opinions on what I should do?

msrecant

The RX-8 is great. Beautiful, powerful, agile and comfortable. It has a usable back seat and (I never thought I would ever say this about a sports car) great trunk. However, nothing is for free and cars, like the S2000, are probably closer to being a "pure" sports car. However, many people (for a variety of reasons) can't deal with driving a "pure" sports car on a day to day basis.

Check out the RX-8 GT package if headroom is an issue. No moonroof helps a lot and I hear the manual seat will go even lower than the power seat.

P00Man

"Check out the RX-8 GT package if headroom is an issue. No moonroof helps a lot " - msre

WRX, he means the Touring package, the GT is the one with the moon roof, check out the touring and sports packages
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affair Cam

IrishNutter

WRX&RX-8...you might want to check out the forum on s2ki.com for the latest. Last I heard, Honda was going the route you suggest with raising the output to 2.2L and producing both a hardtop and ragtop. The downside, is that I heard they were reducing the redline, softening the suspension, etc. so that the S2K would appeal to a wider audience. That probably also means introducing a slush box for the first time. Civilizing the S2K and mucking about with the exterior shape could result in a less successful gen2 product. I was hoping they would just bring iVTEC to the S2 (giving it slightly better low end torque) and improve the NVH characteristics.

BTW, the '93-'98 Supra Turbo is also a really sweet ride. That car was incredibly fast and I was impressed how structurally solid it was...the 98 anniversary editions were really cool. Interior dash was a little funky/retro but that's a great choice even with no warranty if you can find one with low miles.

WRX&RX-8

I thought about that. All the RX-8's the dealer had all had sunroofs. They also had the leather power seats. Maybe I'll wait until they get one that I want and test it again. Also still want to drive an S2000. But I'm lovin' that rotary sound at 9000 rpms.

msrecant

Oops! Absolutely correct. In Mazda-speak neither the base model, the Sport Package nor the Touring Package have the moonroof and power seat.

The Grand Touring Package, which seems very popular with the dealers, has both.

BillK

OK, just to be **** and correct the record, both the Touring and GT packages include the moonroof.

Only the GT package includes the moonroof and the power leather seats.

So if you don't want the moonroof, in the U.S. you either have to get the base model or the Sport package.

pelucidor

I absolutely love the S2000 - he way it looks, drives, handles, the sound it makes above VTEC, the shifter, the brakes. Everything involving driving it does so phenomenally well. For me the RX-8 is a close substitute but infinitely more practical and I need the rear seats/doors at this stage of my life.

Normally I keep cars three years, but the RX-8 is already so good at 300 miles that I intend to keep it longer - perhaps 5 years or more. But if I could have a Stook I honestly believe I would keep it until I had a Ferrari convertible to replace it with.