New motor wanted... RX-8, S2000 or 350z?

[R322]

Looks like TVRs are unreliable then, yes they sound awesome, very different!

A lot of the Civic Type R EP3s get supercharged with decent results, so the S2000s will be the same, would be a fast car being so light at 300 bhp+

[JTJUDGE]

The s2000 is heavier than the type r, but it looks better.

[R322]

Are they much heavier? Still light cars though, a Japanese white one would look very slick! My favorite Honda though is the DC2

[Jim27]

The TVRs need constant upkeep. It's not that their unreliable per se, but what you basically have (in the Cerbera and later models such as T350 and Sagaris) is a race car that's road-legal.

My Cerbera was a '97 4.2 V8 and I ran it as an everyday car for nearly a year. It had a few niggles (rattling rear brake pads, useless handbrake, leaks, etc.) but most of these are things you have to accept when buying what's effectively a race-spec kit car.

The V8s tend to be much more user friendly as daily drivers and there are quite a few out there with 100,000+ miles on them. You don't see them for sale because their owners simply won't part with them, and keep on top of maintenance and servicing, so the cars just keep on going.

If everyone serviced and cared for their cars in the same way that a TVR needs servicing and caring for in order to be a reliable regular daily car, then you'd see many, many more cars happily racking up 200,000-300,000+ miles.

But back on topic, don't bother to supercharge the S2000. It's a daily driver, not a track weapon. Use the car as it was designed and if you're going to fiddle with it then fit a decent induction kit and a larger throttle body - leave the factory exhaust AND catalytic converter in place.

But my recommendation is still a 350Z. Commuter driving is about point, squirt then cruise. It's not normally about high-speed twisties and wringing an engine to the limits. The former suits the 350Z, the latter suits the S2000.

[JTJUDGE]

Yeah but you also want to shake off the hot hatches. Even the 350z will struggle.
Agree with you on the tvrs. Keep on top of the services and maintenance and they are ok....they also look amazing and show up just about anything.
The v8 sound is like god farting while sitting in a bath.

[wangan_wannabe]

Thanks for the advice guys!

Been looking at 350s and S2000s over the weekend and getting in potential insurance quotes.

I'm definitely err-ing towards a s2k at the moment but insurance quotes are coming in depressingly steep compared to the 350 and rx. Anyone know why there's hate towards the honda insurance wise? As soon as a mention "Honda S-two" they cut me short and try and scare me away with crucifixes and holy water... I was under the impression that the car was very much an enthusiasts as a opposed to a typical boyracer motor but I've even come across specialist websites that pretty much say they'll insure any sports car but a lotus exige and s2000.

Any recommendations on who else to speak to? At 24, I thought I would waste my cash on a nice car as opposed to something sensible but I don't want to compromise my choice due to insurance prices!

[Sidious]

Wait till you're atleast 25, insurance will come down.

At the mean time, a 350z is still worth a punt.

[boyband6666]

S2000 is apparently the most expensive car to insure (based on value of car) due to the number of crashes they have. Simply put they are cute convertibles, but some people buying them don't realise they are also mad quick RWD sports cars. This is not something you speed round a corner with in the wet.

I had a CRX though (spiritual predecessor) and from that can only heap praise on Hondas.

The RX-8 a friend has, it is very good. Not much more to say than that. A good car, good on track days, and fine. Only caution is it seems to also be engines they go through, not just oil and petrol - only a few people and friends of friends, but they do seem to disproportionately need the engine replaced!

The 350z I had a test drive in, and nearly bought... But I agree with the comments on here it is more of a barge you drive around, much bigger and heavier than the s2000 which you should get ;-) Especially since because of the crossbar you don't actually get a lot more bootspace than even the s2k

Ultimately though these are three very good cars, any of which will be a joy to get in to in the morning. When I got my CRX even driving to work on a cold miserable February, I got out of the car with a smile. Any of them will do that.

Oh and you should also get a bicycle, and cycle when it is nice, good for your health :-)

[Miguel - Newera]

I've driven all of these models and owned an S2000 for 2 years, aside from other V-tec Hondas (Mugen tuned CR-X, Feel's prepared DC5. Also have an endurance race prep'd Prelude Type S.
V-Tecs are great engines. Especially the red topped ones .

First off, despite being an RX-7 nut, I have never taken much of a liking to RX-8's. They handle OK, but don't go very well (Even with low pressure bolt-on turbo conversions). I remember the first time I drove an S-Type (245 bhp JDM model) when new. It felt much like a normal small saloon. Competent, but not really exciting. Nice design features, but not enough go. I really wanted to like it, but at the end of a spirited drive I knew I'd never want to own one so it's not a car we've ever taken much interest in since.

Also drove a lot of Supras over time when we used to export them for dealers in UK and couldn't help feeling the 350Z seemed a lot like an N/A Supra. 6 Cylinders, front heavy, not particularly powerful. OK for a bit of fun, but not all that inspiring, really.
Having worked on them in recent years I don't really like how they're built either. Quite a lot of plastic inside too. Door panels are a pet dislike...

After driving several I knew the S2000 was a car I did like. Enough so - I bought one to use daily. Mine was virtually brand new (2002 model) at the time.
The gearbox is one of the nicest production manuals ever made. Very short but accurate throws, you can flick it between ratios with just a flick of the wrist, very quickly. Very satisfying car to play heel & toe tunes with. The 2 litre model revs to 9,000 rpm and makes 245 bhp, but it's not just power - the long rev range makes this a very quick point to point sportscar. Sounds fantastic with a decent exhaust system (HKS' twin silencer system was what I fitted to mine & loved the sound, especially inside tunnels when using the V-Tec range!).

It's got it's engine set well back, to give a more equal weight distribution and so it handles very well.
Standard suspension is OK, but not really well suited to sliding the rear end.
Lowering it with suitable coilovers can make it nicer to slide the rear with.
With quite a short wheelbase, it's not really a car for going sideways, anyways although the back end will play given enough encouragement.

The 2nd revision model has a glass window that's heated. A useful feature as you can see out of it better and it won't crack from age / UV.

The roof goes down in about 6 seconds, so you can open / close at a red light. Switchgear is just right in feel & weight. Not too much interior plastic either.

Space for shopping, etc. isn't all that much - but this is a sports car after all!
I sold mine in 2004 just before getting married as I wouldn't be able to carry our medium sized dog and wife together in the car. Was sad to see it go, really. The subsequent 2.2 litre model has more torque but not the banshee 9,000 rpm rev limit, so the smaller 2.0's are considered better by some. A lesser rev limit would put me off (But it's possible to overcome it with an ECU swap )

Quite accident prone cars, which is probably why they're expensive to insure - so if you do go for one, make sure it's all straight, or have a good bodyshop inspect it if you aren't able to discern for yourself. Underside rust will be a problem in the UK with early models of higher mileage, so be mindful of that too.

S2000's definitely the best choice as a driver's car of the three you've been considering. Unfortunately that tends to hike insurance costs too, but if you shop around you might find someone who will cover you. Try Peter best Insurance. Have been quite impressed with their quotes for customer's cars recently. Does need to be low annual mileage mind.

[SkyInsurance]

Originally Posted by boyband6666

S2000 is apparently the most expensive car to insure (based on value of car) due to the number of crashes they have. Simply put they are cute convertibles, but some people buying them don't realise they are also mad quick RWD sports cars. This is not something you speed round a corner with in the wet.

Correct, they carry absolutely horrendous claims loss ratios.

Edit, personally speaking, I'd still take an S2K over the 350Z or RX8.

Ollie

[boyband6666]

Originally Posted by SkyInsurance

Correct, they carry absolutely horrendous claims loss ratios.

Edit, personally speaking, I'd still take an S2K over the 350Z or RX8.

Ollie

Good to see I'm not talking rubbish :-)

Also have a personal anecdote about this - a guy I work with. His brother got one because it 'looked cool'. He isn't much of a driver i.e. not a car nut, just goes to and from work and the shops.

Long story short he went a little sideways and put the back end in to a tree. Had no idea how he did it (or even that the car was RWD, or that might affect how it handles)

[gtrlux]

Three different types of car, for different matters:

1) S2000:
Later Type-S is the best choice obviously, thought JDM only and rare-expensive. Can achieve great corner speeds on racetracks . . . thought a car for real drivers. 2 seats only, no space. . . . but cabriolet

2) 350Z:
Many versions to choose: Nismo version being the best at 350HP. You can have a cabriolet too, much torque, great sound. Handling depends on the versions.

3) RX8:
Complete different from the other two, as you get 4 seats and a real trunk. So considering this, the SPIRIT R final version had better handling then any 3 series Bimmer or M3 could have . . . . just not the power to enjoy straight line sprints.

My opinion is that RX8s are bang for the buck, so cheap at the moment and not many cars can offer same handling and variability.