steve c

For my father -- it's his surprise gift for my mother.

Perhaps not too exciting, but I will have 300 miles of driving to do before dropping it off.

A friend and myself are interested to see if the Miata lives up to the image we had of it after 4 months of daily commuting in my 2001 S2000.

I will say this for the S2000, previously I had negative comments regarding it's stock handling capabilities, but I was driving a M coupe with modified suspension and an Integra Type R more often.

After I sold the modified M coupe and purchased a new one I was shocked at how poorly the new stock M's handling was. Upon further evaluation I will now agree with those that believe the S2k is stock for stock a much more capable car than the M coupe / roadster in terms of driver feedback and handling.

I hope the same does not happen with the Miata as I still hold it's capabilities in high regards ... but then it's been two years since I have squeezed into one.

S TWO K

........you just say what I think you said?

Let us know what you think of the Miata!

alexf20c

What has the world come to when steve c compliments the S2000?!?

j/k steve



But seriously, keep us updated on the Miata. 300 Miata miles in a day? Sounds like fun!

VTEC Racer

OOOO....MMMMM...GGGG....!!!!!

steve c

I picked the car up and drove it maybe 20 miles today (as did a friend who happens to own an ITR). Tomorrow will provide a better opportunity for a comparison, but based on this short jaunt my impressions (of the S2k vs. the 99 Miata) are as follows:

positives for the Miata:

It is a lighter car and feels a bit more nimble on it's feet. That said the spring and shock valving are much too soft.
I enjoy the manual top and the glass rear window.
The exhaust note is just about perfect.
The power is good, not great but with the gearing the way it is you have enough oomph around town. Similar to shifting the S2k at 7k and never going beyond 3/4 throttle
The radio is a bit better at highway speeds. I know folks say the 2002+ stereos are better with the tweeters mounted up higher. This is bunk, I have listened to them both and they all sound like ass.
The shifter is excellent, a very close second to the S2000 and better than virtually every other car out there.
The steering is direct.
Brakes are good, pedals are a bit too far apart but not bad.


negatives for the Miata:

The chassis shows it's age, particularly when stepping out of the S2000 and into the Miata.
The ergonomics are just not there, Honda did an excellent job in the S2000. Coincidentally and on a tangent the Honda seems to be a copy of the Toyota Mr2, except Toyota had the whole driver focused cockpit thing down in 85.
Power. Alright so I know I said above that there is enough, but hey a bit more would not hurt. Not 250hp mind you, I don't think the chassis is up to the challenge.
Seats. The seats are straight out of a 1980 Buick. They do not belong in this car. If there is one major flaw with the car, here it is. Not only are they not supportive in the slightest, they are also too high up without the ability to lower them. Add in the fact that the steering wheel almost touches the damn seat and you have a formula maximum driver annoyance during spirited driving. My legs literally won't fit between the seat and the wheel, so I end up in this awkward bowed leg seating position all the time hanging on to the wheel for dear life.

Overall I still think the Miata is a great car, and a considerable bargain when comparing prices new. That said I would gladly spend the extra 6-9 grand and get the S2000 as I believe it offers a more sophisticated chassis with a better motor in arguably a more attractive body. The folks on the Miata board who prefer to spend the saved money on engine upgrades (blowers etc) are IMO missing the point in that the chassis will never be in the same league as the S2k and therefore while the Miata can indeed be made faster for less money it is still not as much car. As a counterpoint, I believe this car is just about perfect for my 60 somthing mother who wants nothing more than a fun "sporty" car for nice days. Somthing as she says "like the MGB she had years ago."

Yeah okay, enough about the Miata, this is afterall an S2000 board and as such I am obligated to praise the S2000 before ending.

From my perspective the S2000 occupies a strange place in the conundrum that is price versus performance. It is clearly worth the added dollars in comparison to the Miata and clearly a bargain when compared to the more expensive and in some ways less capable Z3/4 BMW and Boxster. I guess every once in a while the price and performance axis do cross, and I think this time Honda has done it with the S2000. Is the S2000 perfect? No. Is the S2000 perfect for 32 grand? In my opinion, yes.

alexf20c

VTEC Racer, happy 2-year S2ki.com birthday!



And good writeup Steve.

BTW, mind if I quote you in my sig?

[QUOTE]From my perspective the S2000 occupies a strange place in the conundrum that is price versus performance. It is clearly worth the added dollars in comparison to the Miata and clearly a bargain when compared to the more expensive and in some ways less capable Z3/4 BMW and Boxster. I guess every once in a while the price and performance axis do cross, and I think this time Honda has done it with the S2000. Is the S2000 perfect? No. Is the S2000 perfect for 32 grand? In my opinion, yes.

alexf20c

Heck, I'm gonna go ahead and put that in my sig. Steve, PM me if you want it removed.

steve c

Ha-ha cool.

CG

I often autocross in a Miata and I love them in that setting. They are great fun. I recently drove 1000+ miles in a couple of days in one and found it to be okay but not something I'd want to do often. Still, it's been over three years since I owned a Miata and I'm thinking about buying another one.

Iceman

Miata's are fun driving slow. S2000's are fun driving fast.