I'm so close to getting an MSRP '02 S2K...but my family keeps telling me "it's such a small car...you'd be safer in a bigger vehicle...either an SUV, or a larger 4 door sedan type.

So here I go, talking my ass off...saying size is not directly proportional to safety. A Ford Excursion is huge, but it's practically made of paper and I can punch in the doors and bumpers.

And of course, I explain the perfect 50/50 weight distribution...how perfect the center of gravity is...how it's built like a Honda...how reliable it is (I have a stock '89 Accord)...how structurally rigid it is...

And then they fear the possibility of a roll-over...and I say an S2K is not any more likely to flip over than a Chevy Tahoe would.

Anyway, has anyone ever gotten into a crash with their S2Ks? (God forbid)?

How did it hold up? I know the hood is aluminum and so it's more malleable than steel or iron...but then again, not may cars are made of solid steel these days (chassis)...

 

I think you'll find it a little difficult to gather crash/safety info on the S2000. It's a fairly limited produciton vehicle and it's still fairly new so I think people are a little less likely to send them smashing into concrete barricades. However, there is some info on crash test stats for the S and it does pretty well all things considered. It has a unique frame design which aids in distributing force on impact. If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably on par with the Z3 in crash testing which is saying alot considering the safety record of BMW. I can tell you that I'd much rather be in my S than any Ford SUV.

 

two crashes in my s2k....two times my car had to be towed from the sight...two times i came out without a scratch. i have to say that the s2k handles superbly in accidents...granted if you fall off the edge of a cliff you're not going to make it out ok. it's not going to be as safe a hummer but hey it's plenty safe in my book.

 

Personally, I prefer to avoid the accident than to get into an accident. If you try to swerve in a SUV, your gonna flip the thing, very unlikely in a S2K.

 

Like Voodoo said. And if you live in LA, you obviously have no need for an SUV, otherwise than to be cool because everyone else has an SUV.

The S2K has a very low center of gravity, I think to flip one you'd really have to be doing something stupid. Will a larger vehicle fair better in a collision? Probably, but if you want to live by that philosophy, as many do, then you should drive a truck.

And the hood on the S2K, as well as the rest of the sheet metal, has nothing to do with how well it stands up to a crash.

Be different! Get the Honda! Go against the SUV herd mentality!

 

I'm guessing your family is not going to be swayed by the facts. People have fixed ideas on "small" and "convertible". You won't change their minds. The question here is are you going to obey or defy your family. Once that's known, you'll know if you are buying an S2000.
(no longer )

 

The S2000 has performed well in all its crash tests. It's lighter than an SUV, certainly, but also more nimble than anything out there, with superb handling and brakes that will let you avoid most hazards other than ones of your own creation. On the latter point: this board has, sadly, witnessed the aftermath of a few fatal S2000 wrecks (do a search), but nothing has indicated that the car itself is inherently "unsafe". By far the most common scenario is a single-car wreck due to overexuberance on the part of the driver. And in the vast majority of those, even cases where the wrecked cars looked quite frightening, the occupants suffered minor or no injuries.

So anyway, it really comes down to your philosophy of what constitutes "safety" in a car.

Good luck,
John

 

I've had a Miata, and its much smaller. Those with MG Midgets have even driven smaller cars. I think it has to do w/your driving experience - I mean that by two points: observation and skill.

Observation: When driving a smaller car, you might drive more aggressively - because you have to stay in view of other cars on the road and you have to stay out of the way of the ones that don't see you - you drive aggressively, but very defensively. I would say observations are 60-80% of what a motorcycle driver.

Skill: Its a rear wheel drive car - not everyone has driven one before and if you want to push it like a sports car, I will tell you to take driving courses at a local track (its very educational and you push the car to the limit as well as your own limits).

 

I believe the S2000 performs better than any other car of the same approximate weight and size in a crash due to the features mentioned by others here. Remember this; the safest car is the one well driven.

But... if I knew I were going to have a wreck today, I'd borrow someone's Excursion. 6,000 plus lbs and a full frame is something I want on this day!

 

I completely agree with Voodoo. I just got in my first wreck a month ago. If I was driving anything else, I would have ran straight into the SUV. But because I was in my S2K, I was able to avoid it and jump a curb and come out unscratched.
-Brandon