I had the opportunity to drive a S2000 last night through the winding roads of SE PA. The car I was driving had 21k miles on it and was in excellent condition. The first thing I noticed is the cabin is cramped. I'm 6'1. Never really got comfortable in it. The gauges are laid out nicely. Everything is close to the driver, but it kind of has to be because there isn't that much room. I love how the car starts...with a push of the button. Now to the driving....the car is very responsive. I, personally, was not a fan of the gearbox. I have heard nothing but good things about it. It is just too short for me. I can still see why it is so liked. I'm a big fan of the Zs though. Perfect for me. If you aren't familiar with the S2000, the engine really kicks in around 6500 rpms. That was cool. Really cool! The one thing I did not like about the S2000 is it noisy. I mean NOISY. If you thought a Z was loud, test drive one of these things. That 4 cylinder engine always sounds like it is working overtime. I might get bashed for saying this, but I feel the Nissan build quality was superior to the Honda's in this vehicle. It was nice to get back into my Z. The Honda had a lot of rattles and just didn't feel like everything was together. Overall a nice car, but now I know I made the right decision.

 

The S2000 looks like a mini dragon

 

very cool Scott. They're cool little cars, but I cant see myself in one. Too small. The one you drove still had the 9000 redline I believe right? That is some serious RPMs.

What did you think of the gauges?

 

Honda didn't drop the redline to 8K till the 04s.

 

I owned a 2001 and I was never impressed with the Vtech kicking in, guess coming from an LS1 engine may have had something to do with it. Car handled great , I loved driving it on backroads but on the hwy I felt like I was in a motorcycle with doors. The Z may not look it but it feels big and solid, only when I pulled upto my atm at the drivethru did I realize how low I was.

 

I test drove an S2K. I don't understand the excitement around the high revving engine. There is only power from 7K-9K. The Z has power from 4K-6K. What's the real difference? To me, it's what isn't there under 5K in the S. The engine is gutless until you get way up there. It is a track car in my eyes. Totally undriveable on the street if you're cruising or in traffic.

The guages suck. There is a digital speedo, and a stupid bar graph for a tach. I couldn't even see them with the top down.

The car is fun to drive, and the shifter is great, but I would have come to hate it driving it on a daily basis.

 

I wanted an S2000 before I bought my Z. I test drove a `01.
I did find the interior a little cramped, and I was trying to convince myself to like the digital layout.
I didn`t really like the idea of having to wind the motor out to get the performance out of it.
My biggest gripe was with the meager 150 lb/ft of torque. Although because of the light weight, it seemed like more.

 

I'm 6'2" more lbs than I care to mention.
But I found the s2k had just enough room for me.
True it's more like wearing a car than sitting in it.

So what if you gotta wind it up that's half the fun
of driving a sports car isn't it?
I was a little skeptical of the digital dash but it grows
on you.

It's a kewl little car but I bought the Z.

I don't think either car is really that fast but the Z is
more user friendly.

If you want something really fast then I would have
to put my vote in the Z06 camp. If I was gonna waste
alot of money on mods why not start out with 400+ HP
instead of 287.

 

I drove a S2000 before buying a Zed. In the UK , the S2k still revs to 9000.

However, way too revvy for my liking (and I come from having owned a lot of Honda sports bikes CBR600 CBR900RR etc). To be honest, it revs to 9k because that was the only way they could extract 240hp from a 2.0litre 4cyl lump. It's a manifestation of extreme tuning rather than a desirable inbuilt feature.

Lovely car, superbly engineered. Gimme a Zed anyday!

 

I was not a fan of the gauges. Reminded me of an 80s 200 SX.

 

I dont think Id totally blame honda for the rattles, Ive never been in a convertable that didnt rattle after a few miles on it. so many moving parts and hinges, its kinda unavoidable.

 

What does it sound like inside of a 350Z Roadster?

 

i like a snug cabin/cockpit. maybe i should test drive an s2000. despite the great seats, my wrx feels oversized to me and that's not exactly a big car. the steering wheel is just a little too far away and too high, the shifter is just a little too far and the roof is much higher than my previous car (240sx). just feels a little unwieldy in comparison. i'm exactly 6'0". it's been awhile since i test drove the z now ... i can't remember how it felt in that regard.

 

I really like the S2k. I think it is a great car, as is the Z. However, when I went to test drive an S2k, I simply don't fit. I'm only 6'3...but there is no way I could live with that car everyday. (Same reason the Elise is out ). But I enjoy the friendly rivalry with the Z, and I appreciate both cars.

 

Former S2k owner here...fantastic car. Mine had its share of probs, but I will say that the S2k was AWESOME to drive when you could keep its revs up. WHEN...because in the real world, you can't spend all day at 7k (the S2k gulps down oil if you push it hard). The handling of the S2k is prob better than the Z...mostly b/c of the Z's heft....but the motor of the Z is 400x nicer than the S2k. Sure 9k is fun, but not if it means trading all power BELOW every other car's 6k redline. ;-) The Z has a lot more storage space, and has proven (to me at least) to be a much more liveable car. I appreciate the electronic assists, the power seats, etc. And I def don't miss that stupid top flapping like crazy! Guess I was meant for coupes. ;-)

NzZ

 

I currently own an S2000, but have driven and am looking to buy a 350Z Track model.

S2000 likes .
1) I love the handling of the S2000 - VERY controllable oversteer
2) The power between 6000 and 9000 RPM's is incredible.
3) I love the shifter - nice short throws and placed in the right spot relative to the driver.
4) The exhaust note is very good for a 4 cylinder (though pathetic when compared to the '93 Formula I had)

S2000 dislikes .
1) Can't hear the #*@&ing radio with the top down (40 Watts??? Where did Honda even find a 40 Watt car radio???)
2) Driving position has my back almost staright up because I have to have the seat almost all the way back.
3) Highway engine drone (over 4,000 RPM in 6th gear at 75 MPH)
4) Low end grunt could be better (although with the close ratio gearing and keeping the RPM's around 3,000, it's not as bad as some have let on)
5) With the seat all the way back and the top up, seeing traffic lights when you're close to them requires Yoga master flexibility.