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OUCH- new Miata better than an S2000 ???

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Old 10-14-2020 | 12:42 PM
  #81  
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Originally Posted by dwb993
I also have the luxury of both cars in my garage (wife owns a '19 MX-5 RF GT-S. The GT-S has the Bilstein shocks and some other minor goodies whereas the Club Sport has the Brembo brakes). I prefer the S2K shifter and keep asking her if I can void her warranty with a Craven SS unit! I also find the Mazda cabin to be MUCH smaller than the S2K (along with most everything else about the car). Fun factor is quite high with the new motor (180hp, 7.5K redline) - this car has plenty of power:weight!

Overall, both cars are a lot of fun. I find the RF has a lot of wind noise and buffeting at speed, but she loves the pushbutton hardtop convenience.
I agree on the cockpit feeling smaller. I was never sure how much of that was us running a race seat and usually sitting closer to the wheel for autocross but it does seem a bit more cramped than the S2k. I am an average sized person (5'9" 160 lbs) so I am lucky in being able to fit into any car so probably notice less than some.
Old 10-30-2020 | 07:04 AM
  #82  
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Having read through this thread, not sure I have anything new to say, but here’s my $0.02 as an owner of both:

A couple years ago I bought a '19 MX-5 club (Bilsteins, LSD). It was my only car, and remains my daily driver. I always wanted an S2000, and thought about getting an AP2 as an only car instead, but am glad I went with the MX-5. It ticks the daily driver boxes for me: warrantied, cheap and easily-available parts, back-up camera, and just enough tech like Bluetooth, seat heaters, and blind spot detection to be comfortable. It was also my first manual car and first proper sports car (came from a '16 GTI with the DSG).

I don't do autocross or track days, so my impressions are less technical and more about pure fun. I live close to lots of great driving roads here in Norcal and blast down them often The MX-5 has been a lot of fun. It's an ND2 so it has the power bump and 7500rpm redline. It feels easy and predictable to drive, and has helped me become a better driver and more appreciative of sports cars. For a while I thought it had satisfied my S2000 cravings, but after a while I realized that I wanted to have the S2000 experience. 7500 is less than 9000 after all

A couple weeks ago I bought an AP1 S2000 (and am grateful for the wealth of info on this forum that helped me out). It feels very special to sit in and drive. It's a more raw experience, and it feels in many ways like stepping back in time to a simpler era. Sometimes I get in it in the middle of the day just to hit 9000rpm driving around the neighborhood The shifter feels more analog than the MX-5's, and the suspension seems less hesitant to take corners. I can't comment on which one objectively handles better, because I don't have the driving skills to exploit the cars at that level.

They are two distinct experiences. When I needed one car to do it all, the MX-5 was the clear answer. The S2000 won't be used for grocery store runs or parked on the streets of SF. But it evokes feelings -- from much more than just the way it technically performs -- that I couldn't get from the MX-5, and thus it will probably end up being driven more on the weekends

One more thing to mention: in the first few days of driving the S2000, several random people came up to me to tell me what a cool car it is and to talk about it. The MX-5 mainly gets recognition from other MX-5 drivers, which makes me think the S2000 has achieved some general iconic status.



Last edited by yqorb; 10-30-2020 at 08:11 AM.
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Old 10-30-2020 | 07:00 PM
  #83  
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Why are you hitting 9000 rpm in a neighborhood.
Old 10-31-2020 | 03:19 AM
  #84  
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Originally Posted by TsukubaCody
Why are you hitting 9000 rpm in a neighborhood.
Maybe the neighborhood is in the country.
Old 11-01-2020 | 04:11 AM
  #85  
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Originally Posted by The King
Maybe the neighborhood is in the country.
Even neighborhoods in the country have houses and children and dogs etc, and the people that live there probably aren't to happy to hear a car screaming at 9K down the street. Just say'in.

But, I do agree that the S2k is iconic. The Miata? Not so much.
Old 11-01-2020 | 05:17 AM
  #86  
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Originally Posted by rpg51
Even neighborhoods in the country have houses and children and dogs etc, and the people that live there probably aren't to happy to hear a car screaming at 9K down the street. Just say'in.
*raises hand* Right here. We live near a moderately open S-bend just out of town limits and every Johnny Driftking around just has to give it a red hot go. Only had one end up in our (1,500lb combined weight wrought iron) gates so far, plus one into the corner marker signs on the bend itself, and one into the 5ft deep storm drain, narrowly missing a power pole. It's not so much the sound of the engines that's nerve wracking, nor the loud bang as the car hits something, it's the waiting to hear if there's people screaming and swearing, or just silence. So far it's been all screaming and swearing, so that's ok.

/prudish old NIMBY post
Old 11-01-2020 | 07:28 AM
  #87  
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Originally Posted by rpg51
Even neighborhoods in the country have houses and children and dogs etc, and the people that live there probably aren't to happy to hear a car screaming at 9K down the street. Just say'in.

But, I do agree that the S2k is iconic. The Miata? Not so much.
So what's wrong with hitting redline if you lived on a desolate road where the speed limit is 65mph? Just because you hit redline doesn't imply it's at full throttle, and you won't be breaking the speed limit in first OR second gear. Assumptions will get ya! Just say'in.

Your s2k is only iconic if you roll the fenders. Are yours rolled? They should be as that is how a car gets to iconic status. I suppose the Miata is the better car.
Old 11-01-2020 | 07:54 AM
  #88  
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Originally Posted by ssbfgc
So what's wrong with hitting redline if you lived on a desolate road where the speed limit is 65mph? Just because you hit redline doesn't imply it's at full throttle, and you won't be breaking the speed limit in first OR second gear. Assumptions will get ya! Just say'in.

Your s2k is only iconic if you roll the fenders. Are yours rolled? They should be as that is how a car gets to iconic status. I suppose the Miata is the better car.
Yes, many roads in the US have homes on them and a 65 mph speed limit.

The Honda S2000 is iconic but the most popular sports car in history isn’t.

That people acknowledge to make wheels fit the car in a way that many people like requires rolled fenders makes y’all irate.

Some of the people on this site are just wild.
Old 11-02-2020 | 07:28 PM
  #89  
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Nice looking S2000, yqorb! CLEAN and sharp looking.
Positive comments about your car is great, isn't it?
Hitting V-Tech is a blast, 9 or the 8k version.
It's addictive so keep on redlining brother!!!
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