My S2000 has worsened my driving skills (opinion piece by Onehots2k)

Can I spoil your driving skills?? 🙂

I have had my S2000 for almost six years. I quite often feel that it has handicapped my abilities to drive a non-sports car. Many of us on here daily drive our S2000’s. In many cases that means we don’t have passengers.

On a day to day basis we have gotten accustomed to bliss. We value our flat cornering, good balance, and competent braking system. I find that my transition from my S2000 to a non-sports car is often very hard. I sometimes forget what I’m driving. Unfortunately, that isn’t good for my passengers. For example, I had family come to town this weekend. Nobody felt like driving so they threw me the keys.

The vehicle was a 07 Mercedes-Benz E550. It’s a pretty nice car. The seats were very comfortable, sweet sound system, plenty of buttons and shiny shapes that please my eye. Most importantly it has about 380 ponies that are ready to gallop. Even with 4 passengers there was no moment where the car had to think about accelerating.

Mercedes Benz E550

So what’s the problem, you ask? My passengers tend to complain a lot. I end up braking too late and this 3800lb vehicle is carrying too much speed for it not to be noticeable. It does not matter that the brakes are more than decent. The other occupants either get really nervous or feel the urge to yack. I know this because they verbally alert me of this. I end up apologizing and explain that they are aware that I drive a sports car. I’m not use to having three sets of stomachs accompany me. Turning also poses somewhat of a problem as well. I only realize the heft mid corner and have to quickly apply the brakes before the stability system intervenes. One would conclude that I’m speeding. That really isn’t the case. The combination of super quiet, soft suspension and power is what gets me. Come to think of it, it doesn’t even need to be all that powerful. I have the same issues when driving SUV’s. There are a few sedans that I’ve driven that don’t make my passengers nervous. I don’t have the same problems when I drive a 335i, C63 AMG, RX-8, and MINI S.

Am I alone here? I wouldn’t be too surprised if I am.

-Onehots2k

Images courtesy of Onehots2k & RIDGERCR

NOTE: S2KI welcomes the opinions of its members on the S2000 and on all topics related to the S. Should you feel the creative urge to pen a few words then by all means do so and PM Energetic, Aashish2 or Onehots2k OR send us links to what you would like us to write about and we will feature you (or your community) on the S2KI Home Page.