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Usually I can talk myself out of buying something as flashy as one of these, but I've wanted one of these since they came out and now they are finally in my price range. This would likely not be my daily driver. I've driven Hondas my entire life and I would be graduating from an RSX Type S. Similar engine, completely different car though. It looks like everything I would want in a car. Small, peaky F-series, RWD, 6-speed, etc. Since the car would probably be my weekend toy I'm not too worried about the cramped interior. I'm 5'10", 170lbs. I would probably never need to carry more than one passenger. At this point I think I'm going to do this, but what are some specific things I should look for on these cars that would indicate a lemon? I had a buddy that bought one and his timing chain tensioner kept loving up, I would like to avoid this. Obviously people love to wreck these cars. A lot of the pictures of S2000s on the internet are of wrecked ones that swapped ends or slammed into a tree. I'm not sure if this has to do with the type of people that buy them or its the car itself. This goes without saying, but I'll be looking at the car faxes. So, aside from the cars being inherently dangerous, what's wrong with buying a used S2000?
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Apr 6, 2014 20:10
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JonReremy posted:what's wrong with buying a used S2000? They aren't turbo Miatas.
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Apr 6, 2014 20:17
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EVERYWHERE 
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I would also go with a Miata over a S2000, but I'm also a raging Honda fanboy so as long as you end up with a cute little japanese 2-seater, it's okay. If you can get one that isn't hosed up, they're good little cars. There is, however, one good reason to consider a Miata: 
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Apr 6, 2014 20:25
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If I were going to get into the aftermarket and do that whole thing again, I would get a Miata. As a stock car, I find them just slow enough to not be fun. Plus I'm a VTEC fanboi anyway.
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Apr 6, 2014 20:26
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The supercharged S2000 I had was one of the most fun cars I've ever owned. And I've owned a Noble and supercharged Elise. Edit: There's also way more interior room than a Miata. My shoulder rubbed against the door in a Miata, no issues in the S2000. I'm not sure why people think they are hard to drive. I think too many kids get this as their first RWD car and end up smacking them into a wall. If you're even a halfway decent driver you'll have no issues. But yeah, there's a lot of wrecked ones out there. Comrade Flynn fucked around with this message at 20:56 on Apr 6, 2014 |
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Apr 6, 2014 20:53
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The interior and exterior of the S2000 is 1000x better than that of any comparable Miata in my opinion, and the engine is far superior as well.
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Apr 6, 2014 21:05
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Uh, buy one. They are great cars but they (especially the AP1) will punish a lovely overconfident driver.
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Apr 6, 2014 21:42
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This is AI, I refuse to talk someone out of a great decision. Go get an S2000. They are awesome cars, and whichever you end up with (AP1 vs AP2) you'll be happy. Huge aftermarket too if you want to play around with mods. Big thing is to get a nice example, as was mentioned lots people had them as their first rwd sports car (especially now that they're coming down in price) and did stupid things to crash them. They were popular so it shouldn't be too hard to find a good example.
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Apr 6, 2014 22:03
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BlackMK4 posted:Uh, buy one. Bajaha posted:This is AI, I refuse to talk someone out of a great decision. Go get an S2000. Buy two.
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Apr 7, 2014 00:49
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You shouldn't buy this car because I'll be jealous... ...and hate you.
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Apr 7, 2014 01:43
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No. Buy an S2000.
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Apr 7, 2014 01:44
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Don't do it. Just kidding. Do it. You won't regret it.
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Apr 7, 2014 01:56
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Since you fit and can deal with the insurance, go for it.
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Apr 7, 2014 01:58
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You should absolutely do it. Just realize that the seats are rather valuable and shitheads will slash your expensive soft top to steal them.
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Apr 7, 2014 02:24
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They sound amazing and are a poo poo-ton of fun. Oh whoops, sorry OP, I did it wrong (but an S2000)
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Apr 7, 2014 02:56
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What's the going rate for an S2000 nowadays? I haven't really seen them dip below 10k. Fully depreciated now? I own an NA miata, btw. Just wondering.
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Apr 7, 2014 03:00
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Comrade Flynn posted:
Depends on your body. I fit no issues in a Miata, but can't adjust the seat enough to use both of my legs in an S2000. I'm not even that big, or long legged, so its weird. Which sucks, because I love them. So buy one, OP.
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Apr 7, 2014 03:04
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Asking AI to talk you out of buying any fun car is a bit like going to TCC and asking for advice on quitting drugs. What I'm saying is you should Terrible Robot fucked around with this message at 03:52 on Apr 7, 2014 |
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Apr 7, 2014 03:49
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Don't listen to anyone telling you to get a Miata over an S2000. I love mine and regret nothing
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Apr 7, 2014 03:56
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Miatas are for people that can't afford an S2000, that's why I drive a Miata  Get the S2k bro.
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Apr 7, 2014 05:02
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Get the S2000. As a miata driver i often wonder how a car costing 4 times what my car does ends up reliably slower on an autocross, than i remember it has a  digital dash and i get very jealous. (This sentence also works for C4 corvettes)
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Apr 7, 2014 05:12
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You really shouldn't buy an S2000, they're too flashy. You know what they scream? I'm rich bitch. People are gonna look at that car and they're gonna say what is that. What are they driving there, is that a BMW? Maybe one of those Lotus things? Everyone's gonna ask you, "How much was that Porsche?" It's really gaudy, that's what it is. You really don't want that in your life. You don't want a two seater, something with classic roadster proportions which is still small and practical. You don't want something that good looking in your life. What will people think? You don't want one of the best inline 4 engine notes ever produced in your life. You don't want the intake noise that sounds like a little F1 car when it's reverberating off the walls of a tunnel. 9000rpm is excessive. You know how many rpms they had in the 70s to work with? Like, 4000. 9000 is too many, you know who has more than 9000rpm? Ferrari. Is your little Honda a Ferrari? No. You need like 7000. Buy something with a Real Persons redline. And that gearbox. Whatever they fitted to that little Honda, one of the best manuals ever made. Do you really need such an spectacular gearbox? Something with such positive engagements and slick shifts. Something you will judge ever gearbox by for the rest of your life? No, it will ruin you. The little short throw snick snick action. Do you know how many cars you will shift and just say ehhhh about? It's going to be terrible. You'll never feel good about driving a mediocre gearbox in your life again. You're going to drive a BMW or Audi and think, "Well this is.. ok" You really don't need that, are you too good for an Audi or BMW? Think about how many mediocre gearboxes there are in life you could be happy with. And the convertible experience? Completely overrated. Being open to the world on a warm Sunday afternoon on a drive isn't really that great. Driving around under the stars on a cool autumn night sounds cool but ho boy you do that a thousand times and well who gives a poo poo anymore if there's a beautiful night beating down on me. You're not gonna want to put that top down at every chance you get after two months. You'll get bored of that poo poo right quick. You wont ever drive a regular car with a nice regular sunroof and think, well this is ok but I wish I could put the top down. It will never happen. You don't need it in your life.
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Apr 7, 2014 05:49
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Blaise posted:What's the going rate for an S2000 nowadays? I haven't really seen them dip below 10k. Fully depreciated now? Those sons of bitches are going back up in price.
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Apr 7, 2014 07:40
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Terrible Robot posted:Asking AI to talk you out of buying any fun car is a bit like going to TCC and asking for advice on quitting drugs. Do acid and be driven through a tunnel in a S2k with ITBs and the top down at night. Yeah, that's a life changing experience right there.
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Apr 7, 2014 08:30
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You're going to go bankrupt on aftermarket parts and modifications for the S2000. You're going to spend a small fortune on detailing products for the S2000. You'll need to shell out thousands of dollars to replace your seats one day, because they'll inevitably get stolen. Buy the S2000
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Apr 7, 2014 10:12
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I went from a 1992 Buick century to a 2006 S2000 back in '09 and I am ruined when it comes to other cars. Nothing has as good a gearbox, as fun and responsive an engine, as firm a brake pedal or as driver-centric a control layout as my S2000. It does have its flaws but I still may never sell it. The only thing I can think to replace it with would be a Cayman and that's just silly.
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Apr 7, 2014 10:53
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Now that you're committed to buying an S2000 (do it no regrets) make sure you check the top condition and listen very carefully for synchro issues. Never skip gears (always downshift and revmatch like a pro racer though) or you will have problems with synchros. They are made of paper. Check that the elastic straps above the driver and passenger seats on the top are tight and not hanging down like your grandma's tits. Check that there is no wear in the common spot behind each seat (just google "common wear S2000 top" and you'll see what I mean). This motherfucker is neutral as all getout. If ever you get in trouble just clutch in, stay off the brakes, and steer where you want to go and it will chastise you for being so stupid while it violently gets back into line.
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Apr 7, 2014 13:00
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Adiabatic posted:Now that you're committed to buying an S2000 (do it no regrets) make sure you check the top condition and listen very carefully for synchro issues. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Just don't let it end up like his S2000
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Apr 7, 2014 13:45
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While we're on the topic, how bad of an idea would it be to sell my practical, low mile, great condition, APR Stage I, 2010 GTI for an S2000 while living in Wisconsin?
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Apr 7, 2014 13:57
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Yeah, you should probably move out of Wisconsin and then get rid of the GTI.
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Apr 7, 2014 14:23
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Residency Evil posted:While we're on the topic, how bad of an idea would it be to sell my practical, low mile, great condition, APR Stage I, 2010 GTI for an S2000 while living in Wisconsin? Everyone asks me "how can you drive that thing in the snow?". I'll tell you a secret, it's easy as piss to control. Easier than you could ever imagine. I live in Massachusetts, so while we have winter we don't necessarily have "real winter" like some of the northern states such as where you are. So while I didn't have a hard time at all using only allseasons, I would get a set of blizzaks where you live. The only thing keeping you from being able to go anywhere will be sheer volume of snow on the ground because you don't have a ton of ground clearance. Elwood P. Dowd posted:I went from a 1992 Buick century to a 2006 S2000 back in '09 and I am ruined when it comes to other cars. Nothing has as good a gearbox, as fun and responsive an engine, as firm a brake pedal or as driver-centric a control layout as my S2000. It does have its flaws but I still may never sell it. The only thing I can think to replace it with would be a Cayman and that's just silly. I'd never get rid of mine to get something else, it would always be I have it and want something else in addition. Like you notice there are only certain cars now that seem "interesting" enough now, and I was already really picky to begin with. I still really want an FD for instance Nodoze fucked around with this message at 16:15 on Apr 7, 2014 |
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Apr 7, 2014 16:04
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrr0YH-dm6k Buy the S2000
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Apr 7, 2014 16:29
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The S2000 is arguably the last mass produced vehicle which placed driving dynamics ahead of other engineering priorities like safety and comfort that cost less than $50k new. It is a link to a bygone era and the remaining examples in the wild should be in the stewardship of people who understand this fact. Starting off trying to be dissuaded from adopting one means you've already disqualified yourself. Don't buy an S2000, because whichever S2000 you would end up buying could have gone to a more deserving owner. Sorry that's the best I can do. Now go buy an S2000.
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Apr 7, 2014 16:35
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You hosed up and should have posted something about how the S2000 is the only car that deserves to drive on my interstate highway system.
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Apr 7, 2014 17:01
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I only wish I could fit in a S2000. I looked at them 10+ years ago with the thought of buying one but I'm 6'5" and my drat knees were in the dash with the seat all the way back. No way to drive it comfortably. But you should just buy one! ShadowStalker fucked around with this message at 23:27 on Apr 7, 2014 |
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Apr 7, 2014 23:08
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Nodoze posted:Everyone asks me "how can you drive that thing in the snow?". I'll tell you a secret, it's easy as piss to control. Easier than you could ever imagine. I live in Massachusetts, so while we have winter we don't necessarily have "real winter" like some of the northern states such as where you are. So while I didn't have a hard time at all using only allseasons, I would get a set of blizzaks where you live. The only thing keeping you from being able to go anywhere will be sheer volume of snow on the ground because you don't have a ton of ground clearance. I went to college in Boston and drove through my share of ridiculous snow. I remember one winter I was driving my sister's old Celica with all-seasons dodging SUVs that had gotten stuck. Volume wise Boston definitely had us beat this year, although the snow removal here is godawful in comparison. You would think Madison, WI of all places would have it together for the winter but instead it's terrible. Guess I'll stick with the GTI until I get out of here in a few years.
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Apr 7, 2014 23:23
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Residency Evil posted:I remember one winter I was driving my sister's old Celica with all-seasons dodging SUVs that had gotten stuck. I have yet to find another car that is as sure-footed in the snow with all-seasons than my old Celica. I never once got stuck, even driving in a blizzard on unplowed roads it was perfectly stable and controllable. Even my Corolla, which has almost the same exact suspension as the Celi, is still more squirrelly.
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Apr 7, 2014 23:29
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Weren't S2000s getting totalled if the seats were stolen?
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Apr 7, 2014 23:59
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MomJeans420 posted:Weren't S2000s getting totalled if the seats were stolen? Yes but then you have a cheap car with Recaros and a new top.
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Apr 8, 2014 00:03
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MomJeans420 posted:Weren't S2000s getting totalled if the seats were stolen? It was a combo of the seats and the top which is quoted as 10k to repair or thereabouts.
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Apr 8, 2014 02:06
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