Rep Power: 528

Aside from price, in which RX-8 is about $6000 cheaper, which one of these cars would you pick, and why? They're both about the same speed in the 1/4. Which handles better, is more reliable, etc. The RX-8 seats 4, which is a plus. And I don't care about having a convertible, so there's some more money saving for me with the RX-8.

Basically, if someone was going to get an RX-8, how would you try to convince them to get an S2000 instead? Or wouldn't you.

 
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id get the s2000.. because its a honda and its an s2000.. haha. but seriously.. i think it would last longer and if something goes wrong with a rotory engine.. its gonna cost a lot to fix.

 
Rep Power: 328

No it wouldn't because the rotary has less moving parts than a conventional engine. The renesis improved everything that the wankel had wrong with it. Personally I'd get the S2K mainly because I can get them for about 23K here in vegas for an 02. BTW RX-8's are selling for around 28-30K for a manual, so ur not saving much.

 
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The only RX-8 I would get is the 6-speed manual one, which retails for about $31,100. So you're really not saving that much money. Past that, I think the S2000 is just a better looking car. From seeing both cars, I believe the S2000 is smaller, which is a plus in urban areas, but I might be wrong about the size. A lot of the RX-8s are still in their first model year, and I wouldn't buy a first model year of anything. The S2000 has been around for a while and I think more of its bugs are worked out.
The convertable top on the S2000 could be a problem though. That plus winter conditions would make me a little learly. Also, the S2000 probably has less cargo room in the trunk. The RX-8 is a lot closer to being a family car w/o being a real sedan.

 
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S2000 and just get the hard top w/ it. Its honda and it looks better and your not dealing with a company that over estimates HP by a crap load.

 
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S2000..... It did beat out the 350Z for best roadster..... just my 0.02

 
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Get the RX- 8. If it does well enough, it may convince Ford to let Mazda build the next RX- 7 for me

 
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S2000 hands down

 
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I think the S2000 looks better.... and i'm prety sure it's smaller too. I agree with white2k2ex that buying a first model year of anything isn't the best idea.

 
Rep Power: 528

Hmm so the manual RX-8's are more expensive? I thought I read $26,000 in Car and Driver but maybe that was for an auto. I know the manual ones have a lot more hp than the autos.

The only thing is I don't really want a convertible and I don't want to pay the extra thousands of dollars that having a convertible warrants.

Hmmm...

Any other similar choices I should consider?

 
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rx8 especially, isn't Ford - is it?

 
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Do your homework before opening your mouth. The RX-8 was only overstated simply for the fact that because of US emissions, there was a reprogramming of the ECU, and an adjustment to the exhaust system. There is a company that sells the ECU reflash to put the car back into spec for about a hundred bucks. Check the RX-8 forums.

 
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S2000, just cause i've wanted one ever since it first came out

 
Rep Power: 528

Yeah that's the one I picked after doing some research. Maybe I can test drive one tomorrow when I get my oil changed. Or maybe not cuz the people at the dealership don't talk to me cuz I look young (22).

 
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S2000, cause they are so damb nice ohh and I want one. Realistically it depends on what you want. Do you want a fast convertible that is a lot of fun to drive. Downside having little to no space for things, but very reliable. Or do you want the RX-8 which is another nice car, having more room, but slower but not by much.

 
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RX-8
Stock altezza tails
4-doors
Are we sure of the HP yet or not?

S-2000
9,000rpm redline
proven itself time and time again
need I go on.....?

 
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there was a bestmotoring battle between miata, s2000, g35 (or japanese skyline GT), the rx8, wrx and JDM integra R (american RSX)

battle took place at Tsukuba, same place as the 350Z battle

on the long straight, EVERY SINGLE CAR PASSED THE RX-8!!!! 'cept of course the miata

s2000 won by a LONG shot, faster through the course than the g35 and even the WRX.

s2000 in my opinion is a true performance car, more performance than practicallity. but it really all depends on what you want. i would go with the s2000. its a honda. plus, rotary engines arent known for their envoironment friendly emmisions and gas mileage. s2000 is an LEV vehicle and gets at least 20+MPG. transmission-wise, the s2000's close-ratio 6-speed has gotten rave reviews, saying its one of the slickest and best transmissions. dont forget that, dont wanna have the power be sucked away by mazda's 6-speed.

i read on s2ki.com or somethin that Honda under-rates the new F22 (correctme if im wrong) in the '04 s2000, which based on one of the members' dyno testing made more horsepower than Honda claims, even with the lower redline.

plus, you cant beat the DOHC VTEC scream at 6000+RPM

oh yeah, rotary engines sound funny at redline, like buzzy. dont want that

 
Rep Power: 346

S2000 all the way!! Looks sick. The RX-8 is gonna be more expensive to repair cuz of its rotary engine. It isnt easy to tune a rotary.

 
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I went to pick up my friend at her work on friday - she works at an automall - and they sell Mazda. So I stopped and looked at the RX-8s. Then saturday night I hung out with my friend Alex who drives a 2002 silver S2000.

In my opinion, the S2000 is a better car all around for the performance reasons everyone else stated, but when I look at the two of them, the S2000 just seems more like a "you've made it" car. It just seems classier.

 
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Yeah the 04 s2000 pushs about 20+hp and 8 ft. pds. torque over the factory claim, as proven by dyno. I would go for the s2000 with hardtop for sure.

 
Rep Power: 377

It all just depends what your gonna use it for...

 
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i've only heard good things about the honda s2k in all car mags. this includes car and driver, and all the import mags. it's great with handling, and beat out some audi's, mercedes, and porsche in a convertible competion. go with the s2k

 
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I'd get an S2000. The redesigned parts on the '04 looks great, the slightly larger displacement will make the engine less herky-jerky and those are only half doors on the RX8. Maybe if you had kids you'd want the RX-8, but the rear can't be really comfortable. Yes, rotary engines had their share of problems in the past, but it is waaaaay to early to determine if that has been fixed since these cars jsut came on the road, THIS year. I also think the S2000 looks much better, but that is a subjective opinion

 
Rep Power: 300

really now? So it's making 260 hp and like 169 lb ft? thats nice to know


anyways i'd say S2000 hardtop. best mass produced gearbox said by car and driver .even though the new ones dont have the 9000 rpm redline you get the power a lot faster (peak is at like 6500 instead of 7500).

So S2000 all the way man.

go on a Subaru forum because then you might not get such biased opinions (if thats whats going on here).

 
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I "owned" (actually drove) an S2000 for 3 months and it was absolutely amazing. Get it - as long as you can afford the payments - buy it NOW. Here are some pics of her before I had to trade it in

 
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There not making 260 now, there still making 240hp and increased torque. The redline dropped and like what littlePman said the hp kicks in about 900rpm low and much needed extra torque (car and driver) around 1000rpm lower and the torque curve is alot better than before. Car and Driver also rated it to have the best transmission

 
Rep Power: 528

You say "4-doors" like it's a bad thing. (just kidding, I know like 95% of people here hate sedans) The only way I want a 2 door car is if it's a 2 seater. I hate getting in the back of a two door car, and I hate making other people do it, too.

 
Rep Power: 295

either way, i would say it comes down to driver skill

I seen rx-8 and s2000 run at button willow, both are wicked fast with a
good driver

i would say go with which ever one u think looks better

i say s2000


p.s. thats me in one of the s2000 crew i canyon run with

 
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I was seriously thinking about a Yellow Rx-8 before I purchased my '04 civic coup. I spend a few months reading the RX-8 forums and learned a lot, especially the "flooding problem" with the rotary. That was the only reason why I decided not to get the rx-8 at this time. May be next year after they fix some bugs . I'm married with children so the rx-8 made perfect sense for me . I also saw a new ligh blue '04 s2k in the show room when I purchased my civic. I have to tell you it look so good in person. My wife told me to get the s2k instead of the civic, but I decided not to . Anyway, both are nice car with different purposes.


Here's a pic of the MazdaSpeed Rx-8 in gray, mine would just be in Yellow ... I just love the way it looks .

 
Rep Power: 528

^ Nice red X

Why is the engine bay so long in an S2000? It's only a 4 cylindar engine... but the hood is so long.