Nissan 350Z or Honda S2000 ??
Discussion
can't comment on the 350Z, but have had my S2000 for a year now and love it.
Just got back today from a 2 day session with ride drive (thoroughly recommend them by the way). the police driving instructor i was with said, and i quote, "this handles really well" and "this seems to have plenty of torque" he usually takes TVR drivers out!
Just got back today from a 2 day session with ride drive (thoroughly recommend them by the way). the police driving instructor i was with said, and i quote, "this handles really well" and "this seems to have plenty of torque" he usually takes TVR drivers out!
Exactly which other car does the S2000 look similar too?.... been puzzling me all day! 
Hmmm - I've been reviewing financing options and looking at PCPs.
The Z is about £90PCM more than the S2000 on a PCP. But then the baloon payment is bigger on the S2000, so I'm financing a smaller amount there.
I guess that if I'm looking for a car to ditch at the end of the contract, the S2000 is the one to go for.
Amazingly, even if I drop the annual mileage from 12k to 5k on the 350Z, it's still more expensive than the S2000 at 12kpa.. bizarre.
Incidentally, the S2000 is also less per month than an RX8 231 with leather - the RX8 is predicted to suffer the heaviest depreciation of the three.
Currently the S2000 is ahead by several lengths but my balls still ache for a 350Z.
I'm waiting now to see what my insurance company say about these cars - that could swing the deal.
>> Edited by CarZee on Monday 1st March 13:14
The Z is about £90PCM more than the S2000 on a PCP. But then the baloon payment is bigger on the S2000, so I'm financing a smaller amount there.
I guess that if I'm looking for a car to ditch at the end of the contract, the S2000 is the one to go for.
Amazingly, even if I drop the annual mileage from 12k to 5k on the 350Z, it's still more expensive than the S2000 at 12kpa.. bizarre.
Incidentally, the S2000 is also less per month than an RX8 231 with leather - the RX8 is predicted to suffer the heaviest depreciation of the three.
Currently the S2000 is ahead by several lengths but my balls still ache for a 350Z.
I'm waiting now to see what my insurance company say about these cars - that could swing the deal.
>> Edited by CarZee on Monday 1st March 13:14
I have driven both cars, the 350z is a fine drivers car, the motor has so much more low end punch than the Honda. I would say the chassis is also a little more alive in feel than the S2000, only downside was the horrid vibration up the gear lever over 4000 rpm.
350z would get my vote in this one.
350z would get my vote in this one.
trackdemon said:Lex reckon the S2000 will keep about £2500 more of it's value over 3 years than the 350Z. Second hand prices already reflect this.
350Z all day long... Better looking, nicer handling, better interior, sounds better, more 'grunt', nicely useable, quite new and rare. I'd expect decent residuals too.
trackdemon said:I urge you to elaborate because the S2000 is winning the day for me so far..
Don't get me wrong, the S2000 is a great car but it has it's foible's.
Reasons so far to go for the S2000 over the 350Z:
- The S2000 weighs about 300kg(!) less than the 350Z, giving it a 10bhp/ton edge in the power to weight stakes. The 350Z may be quicker to 60, but I bet the S2000 is quicker 0-100 or 30-70. Also, lower weight means less work for the brakes to do especially on track days.
- better residuals
- smaller wheels + taller tyres = more progressive handling and cheaper to replace tyres after trackdays.
- better combined MPG (28vs24)
- Evo seem to think the stock 350Z is lacking an edge - finding solace in a 105bhp supercharger upgrade. Not something I want to find myself needing.
- I reckon the S2000 will attract rather less scrote attention than the Z.
- My impression so far is that the S2000 is more the balls-out sports car, with the Z half way to being a RWD Audi TT.
If the weather's fine I'll be test-driving both on Friday, so if you're around Basingstoke, be ready to get the fark out of my way
" Lack of oddment space "
Its a sports car! theres enough room for a pair of shades some CD's and a blonde! what more do you want.
lack of space for right arm i agree, however my right arm is usually engaged with steering while my left works it s way up and down that fantastic gear box.
Well, I own an S2000 and funnily enough had a look at a 350Z yesterday (no test drive yet). On the looks front, well, its very subjective, but I would say the the 350Z has more road presence - it needs the rays alloys though. Interior quality is actually better than the magazine photos suggest, but its not any better than the S2000 (which has excellent build quality). There is a lot more cabin space than the S2000, so if you are a salad dodger, then this may be important, however boot space is not great due to the cross brace. From talking to the dealer, the best sellling variant in the GT pack with the rays alloys (£27995 list I think) - delivery is about 8 weeks. Its takes longer to get the basic spec.
If security is an issue, or you do a lot of motorway driving, then the 350Z has a stronger case as its a fixed head. If you are buying a fun car, then the S200 wins hands down as its a drop-top.
As for S2000 "foibles" I would list the following:
lack of torque (compared to a 350Z). Personally I like VTEC engines, but they can be hard work on a road you dont know.
lack of oddment space in the cabin.
so-so stereo
image (bad if you like Porsche and BMW, good, if like me you have owned a BMW and suffered from its -ve image).
On the plus side:
Mad VTEC engine.
Proper RWD handling - requires respect in the wet and has no TC to sort you out - you drive the car and learn, or you dont and have an off....
Cheap to run (servicing and fuel - grp 20 insurance though)
roof drops or raises in 6 seconds.
Reliable
excellent residuals
An excellent online communuity here: www.s2ki.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=5eeff927051efd5ae33ab1188441886d&forumid=25
If security is an issue, or you do a lot of motorway driving, then the 350Z has a stronger case as its a fixed head. If you are buying a fun car, then the S200 wins hands down as its a drop-top.
As for S2000 "foibles" I would list the following:
lack of torque (compared to a 350Z). Personally I like VTEC engines, but they can be hard work on a road you dont know.
lack of oddment space in the cabin.
so-so stereo
image (bad if you like Porsche and BMW, good, if like me you have owned a BMW and suffered from its -ve image).
On the plus side:
Mad VTEC engine.
Proper RWD handling - requires respect in the wet and has no TC to sort you out - you drive the car and learn, or you dont and have an off....
Cheap to run (servicing and fuel - grp 20 insurance though)
roof drops or raises in 6 seconds.
Reliable
excellent residuals
An excellent online communuity here: www.s2ki.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=5eeff927051efd5ae33ab1188441886d&forumid=25
If you are looking at a 52 plate zed, then this is a JDM. The first UK spec zed's arrived in the UK at the end of October 2003 so will be on 53 plates.
The JDM zed is underpowered and does not have the engine tuning tweaks and interior spec that the superior UK car has. (I've had my zed from new since dec last year).
I came from an S2000 and found the zed to be a car that handles better and gives me better performance. Okay, it has a tin top, but I can live with that given the exclusivity of the zed.
My zed was also £100 less to insure.
The JDM zed is underpowered and does not have the engine tuning tweaks and interior spec that the superior UK car has. (I've had my zed from new since dec last year).
I came from an S2000 and found the zed to be a car that handles better and gives me better performance. Okay, it has a tin top, but I can live with that given the exclusivity of the zed.
My zed was also £100 less to insure.
stuart_forrest said:
Got to be the Z car if you ask me. That V6 sounds glorious and I prefer the low down, good old fashioned grunt compared to the rev-the-nuts-off-it VTEC in the Honda. I also think that the handling of the S2000 is much less predictable, especially at high speed. I wasn't convinced about the looks of the Z initially, but the interior is a very nice place to be. The S2000 is too cramped and that digital speedo was last seen on Knight Rider.
Upon what basis are you saying that the handling is unpredictable at speed......I recently took my S2000 to Keevil and was very stable at high speed.....interestingly the S2000 was able to run rings round the VX220 both through the corners and the straights
To be honest it irritates me when people criticise the handling when they are most likely basing it on the spoutings of Autocar and Evo Magazine
mustard said:
CarZee said:
Cheers Mustard. Next question then.
How do I easily identify an import?
One giveaway is that imports don't have headlamp washers (IIRC)
Paul
another give away is the alarm remotes should have honda on them
IIRC you get a back smallish square on which is just remote locking and two bigger grey ones which operate the alarm, most imports are fitted with an after market system
My UK03 has a small Honda remote with two buttons, one of which locks the other unlocks and can open the boot if you have the knack. When they come into the UK they have a proper JDM remote (with 3 buttons) that Honda UK replace with the two button CAT1 alarm unit. Of course, a JDM import could always have had a Honda UK alarm retrofitted, so it's really no guide
Here's a link to the Car & Driver comparison test which included both the S2000 and the 350Z. You may find it useful:
www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=6846
www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=6846
zero_to60 said:
Got to be the Z car if you ask me. That V6 sounds glorious and I prefer the low down, good old fashioned grunt compared to the rev-the-nuts-off-it VTEC in the Honda. I also think that the handling of the S2000 is much less predictable, especially at high speed. I wasn't convinced about the looks of the Z initially, but the interior is a very nice place to be. The S2000 is too cramped and that digital speedo was last seen on Knight Rider.
Upon what basis are you saying that the handling is unpredictable at speed......I recently took my S2000 to Keevil and was very stable at high speed.....interestingly the S2000 was able to run rings round the VX220 both through the corners and the straights
To be honest it irritates me when people criticise the handling when they are most likely basing it on the spoutings of Autocar and Evo Magazine
err, I work for Autocar magazine, so yes it is based on our "spoutings" and more specifically the experience of our editor and road test team. Several of our guys have experienced difficult with direction changes at speed, especially in the wet, that could easily catch a less experienced driver out. Just an opinion. Take it or leave it.
Isn't Autocar the same magazine that is the sister magazine to What Car? The magazine that declared the Renault Megane the car of the year 2003 and the new VW Golf the car of the year 2004?
Clearly there are some strange views regarding which cars are good and which are bad within your publications. I also find it weird that a Vauxhall (excluding the great VX220) e.g. the Vectra manages to win some sort of award EVERY year. How bizarre.
There are probably 50+ S2000 owners that I could find who would 100% disagree with the comments of AutoCar's 'roadtest team' regarding driving in wet conditions, especially the change of direction at speed, something that I am greatly confused about. Is it because your roadtester managed to crash the one he was driving? :P
>> Edited by moff on Thursday 4th March 14:07
Clearly there are some strange views regarding which cars are good and which are bad within your publications. I also find it weird that a Vauxhall (excluding the great VX220) e.g. the Vectra manages to win some sort of award EVERY year. How bizarre.
There are probably 50+ S2000 owners that I could find who would 100% disagree with the comments of AutoCar's 'roadtest team' regarding driving in wet conditions, especially the change of direction at speed, something that I am greatly confused about. Is it because your roadtester managed to crash the one he was driving? :P
>> Edited by moff on Thursday 4th March 14:07
stuart_forrest said:
stuart_forrest said:
Got to be the Z car if you ask me. That V6 sounds glorious and I prefer the low down, good old fashioned grunt compared to the rev-the-nuts-off-it VTEC in the Honda. I also think that the handling of the S2000 is much less predictable, especially at high speed. I wasn't convinced about the looks of the Z initially, but the interior is a very nice place to be. The S2000 is too cramped and that digital speedo was last seen on Knight Rider.
Upon what basis are you saying that the handling is unpredictable at speed......I recently took my S2000 to Keevil and was very stable at high speed.....interestingly the S2000 was able to run rings round the VX220 both through the corners and the straights
To be honest it irritates me when people criticise the handling when they are most likely basing it on the spoutings of Autocar and Evo Magazine
err, I work for Autocar magazine, so yes it is based on our "spoutings" and more specifically the experience of our editor and road test team. Several of our guys have experienced difficult with direction changes at speed, especially in the wet, that could easily catch a less experienced driver out. Just an opinion. Take it or leave it.
Don't get me wrong I wasn't meaning to come across as hostile.....merely that my own experiences with the car don't tally with some of the reviews I have read....although I agree with the last part of your sentence but surely this would be the case with any rear wheel drive car with no traction control?
Interstingly the S2000 is very senstive to tyre pressures.....a drop of just 2 psi allround transformed the handling on track....
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