Honda S2000 for daily driving - good idea?
Discussion
We will soon be buying a new roadster, which in general my other half will use most of the time, for commuting to work and general pottering around.
She's owned a 330ci for last 3 years, so is used to rear wheel drive, albeit helped/hindered by the DSC. I've had a mk1 Eunos (also a newage Impreza) for last 3-4 years and we've decided to buy something newer & more comfy to replace that, and the 330.
She's always liked S2k's, but after a test drive of an MX5 NC, she was pretty much set on one of those, but the S2k itch has came back to her, and she was searching on AT last night!
I wanted to go down the 986 Boxster route, but she wasn't keen. The mk3 MX5 was actually a lot better than I thought it would be (after my mk1), handled nicely, felt fun, nice inside but lacking a bit of straight line oomph. Tbh, ideal of her to use as a daily and for me to tweak a little for more fun!
The trouble I have with the S2k, is whether it would be a bit of a handful for her. As I say, she's used to rwd, but just moans that occasionally a little light on the dash starts flashing!!
Neither of us have driven one yet, but comments on the early ones is that they are very snappy on the limit. Is that true for one that's not having it kneck wrung?? At what year did the suspension improve?
I'd like to think that off Vtec there's not really enough power to get you too far out of shape, but after getting caught out myself the other day in the lowly Eunos, I know it can happen (far too much enthusiasm on just rained roads!).
So really, would like to hear from a few owners on whether the widow maker stories are reality or the usual rwd scare mongery!!??
She's owned a 330ci for last 3 years, so is used to rear wheel drive, albeit helped/hindered by the DSC. I've had a mk1 Eunos (also a newage Impreza) for last 3-4 years and we've decided to buy something newer & more comfy to replace that, and the 330.
She's always liked S2k's, but after a test drive of an MX5 NC, she was pretty much set on one of those, but the S2k itch has came back to her, and she was searching on AT last night!
I wanted to go down the 986 Boxster route, but she wasn't keen. The mk3 MX5 was actually a lot better than I thought it would be (after my mk1), handled nicely, felt fun, nice inside but lacking a bit of straight line oomph. Tbh, ideal of her to use as a daily and for me to tweak a little for more fun!
The trouble I have with the S2k, is whether it would be a bit of a handful for her. As I say, she's used to rwd, but just moans that occasionally a little light on the dash starts flashing!!
Neither of us have driven one yet, but comments on the early ones is that they are very snappy on the limit. Is that true for one that's not having it kneck wrung?? At what year did the suspension improve?
I'd like to think that off Vtec there's not really enough power to get you too far out of shape, but after getting caught out myself the other day in the lowly Eunos, I know it can happen (far too much enthusiasm on just rained roads!).
So really, would like to hear from a few owners on whether the widow maker stories are reality or the usual rwd scare mongery!!??
Well - didn't expect to get such a response!!
Well to sum up, her daily drive will be a 20 min journey to & from work for the usual 9-5pm slog, mainly B roads. Then general weekly stuff like going to the gym, shopping, etc - then at the weekend could be anyhting really. So being a little noisy or cramped is fine, it's not going to be a mile muncher.
I 'think' the main reason she didn't want a Boxster, is because she didn't want a Porsche. Work that one out, but that's women for you! I took a 3.2S out (one of the late special edition ones) and liked it a lot, sharp throttle response, weighty steering and lovely noise - but I was surprised how noisy it was with the roof up. An MX5 sure, but you'd expect a premium german roadster to be quieter.
Then we looked at a 2.5 Boxster together, again nice enough car, but salesman was a total prick which ruined it even more!! So I think the Boxster is out. Z4 is a maybe, she isn't that keen about the Z4 looks, preferring the Z3, but I think she's coming around to them.
I can certainly see an S2k having more grip than an MX5, a bit more weight, wider & larger tyres - and I'd agree that a car that in your mind you know you should respect, you will drive carefully if the roads dictate - just didn't want her to have something that causes her to panic everytime it drizzles!!
Ditto on the insurance, £270 for us (both 31), which was £30 more than a mk3 MX5 2.0 Sport.
Hopefully this weekend we will take one out for a spin to see what we both think.
She's generally careful in her BMW, but has often seemed surprised when the DSC light is flashing, so maybe she's not fully clued up what is going on with the car, etc - although tbh, I do find the E46 a little numb in that sense.
Certainly in higher powered rwd cars I've had, I am always pretty careful in the wet or cold. It was almost comical that I (felt like) nearly ditched my Eunos the other day. This is a car that in the dry, doesn't have the power to twitch, and feels like you can literally corner like a go kart. I'd had the car off the road for 18 months, first drive in a while around some back roads, it had started raining but nothing major and I just turned into a sharp 90 degree bend pretty quick without even thinking - but then when I felt it go, it felt like I was going to spin, I over countered and it snapped back. No harm done, but I really didn't expect it - yet with a more powerful car I know I would have been much more careful & smooth, in fear of stepping out under power - which is funny really as sliding due to power is probably easier to correct than due to weight shift. Lesson learnt there!!
Well to sum up, her daily drive will be a 20 min journey to & from work for the usual 9-5pm slog, mainly B roads. Then general weekly stuff like going to the gym, shopping, etc - then at the weekend could be anyhting really. So being a little noisy or cramped is fine, it's not going to be a mile muncher.
I 'think' the main reason she didn't want a Boxster, is because she didn't want a Porsche. Work that one out, but that's women for you! I took a 3.2S out (one of the late special edition ones) and liked it a lot, sharp throttle response, weighty steering and lovely noise - but I was surprised how noisy it was with the roof up. An MX5 sure, but you'd expect a premium german roadster to be quieter.
Then we looked at a 2.5 Boxster together, again nice enough car, but salesman was a total prick which ruined it even more!! So I think the Boxster is out. Z4 is a maybe, she isn't that keen about the Z4 looks, preferring the Z3, but I think she's coming around to them.
I can certainly see an S2k having more grip than an MX5, a bit more weight, wider & larger tyres - and I'd agree that a car that in your mind you know you should respect, you will drive carefully if the roads dictate - just didn't want her to have something that causes her to panic everytime it drizzles!!
Ditto on the insurance, £270 for us (both 31), which was £30 more than a mk3 MX5 2.0 Sport.
Hopefully this weekend we will take one out for a spin to see what we both think.
She's generally careful in her BMW, but has often seemed surprised when the DSC light is flashing, so maybe she's not fully clued up what is going on with the car, etc - although tbh, I do find the E46 a little numb in that sense.
Certainly in higher powered rwd cars I've had, I am always pretty careful in the wet or cold. It was almost comical that I (felt like) nearly ditched my Eunos the other day. This is a car that in the dry, doesn't have the power to twitch, and feels like you can literally corner like a go kart. I'd had the car off the road for 18 months, first drive in a while around some back roads, it had started raining but nothing major and I just turned into a sharp 90 degree bend pretty quick without even thinking - but then when I felt it go, it felt like I was going to spin, I over countered and it snapped back. No harm done, but I really didn't expect it - yet with a more powerful car I know I would have been much more careful & smooth, in fear of stepping out under power - which is funny really as sliding due to power is probably easier to correct than due to weight shift. Lesson learnt there!!
Good response to this question, thanks to everyone who has contributed.
Sounds like they're not as bad as reviewed, just need a bit of respect and sensibility, as most performance cars do. We're both 31, and had a good few performance cars between us now, three of which were RWD, so I'm pretty confident that she'll be fine. To be honest, the risk is there with any RWD car, just sounds like these need a little more care/concentration in slightly off conditions.
When the weather gets really bad I'll use it!!
Sounds like they're not as bad as reviewed, just need a bit of respect and sensibility, as most performance cars do. We're both 31, and had a good few performance cars between us now, three of which were RWD, so I'm pretty confident that she'll be fine. To be honest, the risk is there with any RWD car, just sounds like these need a little more care/concentration in slightly off conditions.
When the weather gets really bad I'll use it!!
OK, so we took one for a test drive on Saturday.
Was a 2003 model, in a fetching baby blue with blue interior (which my missus hated!) and 38k on the clock. Seemed like a nice straight car, was a bit overpriced imo at £8k, but guess they were trying to push the price up based on low mileage.
Anwyay, the drive, I thought it was quite nice, nowhere near as frantic as some make out. I would go as far to say that out 330ci is more fidgety over rough roads, and certainly my stiff, coilovered Eunos is far more fidgety. Off VTEC torque wasn't too bad I didn't think, especially for the type of driving you'd be doing out of the VTEC zone, i.e. pootling around in traffic, or maintaining speed on a motorway, etc - not as torquey as bigger NA motor, sure, but it wasn't as gutless as some make out.
Once in VTEC it was nice, sounded good and pulled well.
I thought the interior, although basic and a bit 90's Jap, was well thought out, driver focused and efficient. It's nice in a way that my Eunos is, i.e. it's still cheap Jap, but it's not too in your face like some of the modern jap interiors are.
My other half liked it as well.
For me, out of her choices - mk3 MX5, S2k, Z4 I would take any of them, and would also throw in a 2.7 or 3.2S Boxster - but she's still not too convinced about the Porsche. Shame. But I think they all do different things well, yes the MX5 is a little outclassed here, but mainly due to being a bit down on power, if they'd given them 180-200bhp from factory I think it would be a far closer battle.
Hopefully we can sell one of our cars soonish and get our bums in a new roadster before the summer disappears, lol!!
Was a 2003 model, in a fetching baby blue with blue interior (which my missus hated!) and 38k on the clock. Seemed like a nice straight car, was a bit overpriced imo at £8k, but guess they were trying to push the price up based on low mileage.
Anwyay, the drive, I thought it was quite nice, nowhere near as frantic as some make out. I would go as far to say that out 330ci is more fidgety over rough roads, and certainly my stiff, coilovered Eunos is far more fidgety. Off VTEC torque wasn't too bad I didn't think, especially for the type of driving you'd be doing out of the VTEC zone, i.e. pootling around in traffic, or maintaining speed on a motorway, etc - not as torquey as bigger NA motor, sure, but it wasn't as gutless as some make out.
Once in VTEC it was nice, sounded good and pulled well.
I thought the interior, although basic and a bit 90's Jap, was well thought out, driver focused and efficient. It's nice in a way that my Eunos is, i.e. it's still cheap Jap, but it's not too in your face like some of the modern jap interiors are.
My other half liked it as well.
For me, out of her choices - mk3 MX5, S2k, Z4 I would take any of them, and would also throw in a 2.7 or 3.2S Boxster - but she's still not too convinced about the Porsche. Shame. But I think they all do different things well, yes the MX5 is a little outclassed here, but mainly due to being a bit down on power, if they'd given them 180-200bhp from factory I think it would be a far closer battle.
Hopefully we can sell one of our cars soonish and get our bums in a new roadster before the summer disappears, lol!!
Clearly!!
I have the roof top at all times in my Eunos, unless raining. And even the sometimes I drive through it if light rain.
The new roadtser will be treated the same.
Funnily enough, I look at all the convertible drivers that keep their hoods up on a fair day, and think - knob!! Why buy one if you don't use it as intended!!?? Might as well buy a tin top otherwise.
I have the roof top at all times in my Eunos, unless raining. And even the sometimes I drive through it if light rain.
The new roadtser will be treated the same.
Funnily enough, I look at all the convertible drivers that keep their hoods up on a fair day, and think - knob!! Why buy one if you don't use it as intended!!?? Might as well buy a tin top otherwise.
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