Considering selling my 04 S2000 for a MS3

[mmm def]

Hi everyone,

Been doing a lot of thinking. Here's what is going on..My BMW 335 lease just ended, so I picked up a mint condition 2004 Silverstone S2000 with 7,000 miles. Love the car a ton, this is actually my 2nd S2000. Been driving it a lot, you know the deal..handles great, sounds good, and no torque. That bothers me a bit..I'm used to having a lot of power down low..Had an 01 S4, 05 LGT and the 335 so I do love my turbo cars.

Been toying with the idea of selling it privately and moving into a speed3. I actually drove a speed3 twice before I got the S2k and was having a tough time getting back into a FWD car. The power for the $ is such a great deal that I keep coming back to it. I really didn't want to mod the S2k, that's a slippery slope and it takes a lot of $ to get that car quick.

Am I fooling myself? Is the MS3 that much quicker than the S2K? It feels like it around town, but that's the low end torque. The S2k is a screamer on the highway. Anyway, lemme know what you think good or bad. I need to hear it from you owners.

I do have a Honda Fit that I can DD..so maybe the S2k is a good "toy". Don't really need another practical car, but the MS3 does have it all.. i dunno..
Enjoy!! (hi)

 

[1sty]

If your looking for a toy in the 20K range, there has to be something a bit more toy-ish on the used car market. I am thinking 2002 Vette or something like that now that V8 prices are crashing.

I understand about the torque, I have no love for no torque vehicles, even when built by Mazda. Thats the main reason I would not ever consider an RX8 if I were you.

 

[essejkcamraw]

sti/evo? im actually pretty torn, knowing the sti is a good 12k more...im sure the 12k more would be well worth it. but i love my MZ3 and could def be into it with some more power

 

[Kain]

Honestly, if I had a Fit for DD duty and to haul people/stuff, I'd keep the s2000 for my fun car. I think all the positives about that car (topless on nice days, RWD, handling balance and great shifter) outweigh the lowish torque.

 

[gtlaw]

I would keep the s2k, and sell the fit for a down payment on a MS3

 

[Alexsered]

Hi everyone,

Been doing a lot of thinking. Here's what is going on..My BMW 335 lease just ended, so I picked up a mint condition 2004 Silverstone S2000 with 7,000 miles. Love the car a ton, this is actually my 2nd S2000. Been driving it a lot, you know the deal..handles great, sounds good, and no torque. That bothers me a bit..I'm used to having a lot of power down low..Had an 01 S4, 05 LGT and the 335 so I do love my turbo cars.

Been toying with the idea of selling it privately and moving into a speed3. I actually drove a speed3 twice before I got the S2k and was having a tough time getting back into a FWD car. The power for the $ is such a great deal that I keep coming back to it. I really didn't want to mod the S2k, that's a slippery slope and it takes a lot of $ to get that car quick.

Am I fooling myself? Is the MS3 that much quicker than the S2K? It feels like it around town, but that's the low end torque. The S2k is a screamer on the highway. Anyway, lemme know what you think good or bad. I need to hear it from you owners.

I do have a Honda Fit that I can DD..so maybe the S2k is a good "toy". Don't really need another practical car, but the MS3 does have it all.. i dunno..
Enjoy!! (hi)

It depends in what you are looking for. If you want a car to drive to a course, race and than drive home, and you are serious about it, keep the RWD s2000, car handles great and you will learn so much from that car (personally, I would rather get a mx-5) but if most of your fun comes from driving, and than sometimes smoking that mustang or older vette or something beside you, get the speed3. The speed3 definatly has the low end that the s2000 doesnt and personally, it's alot more fun to drive, I have a yamaha r6, so thats where I get my high reving thrill from, i don't want that in a car.

If you want a car to mod and just have fun with, get the speed3. A Cold air intake on the s2000 will give you 5+ peak hp, you could probably see 20+ peak hp with a cp-e cold air intake on a speed3.

Either way, I don't think you would regret it unless you hate fwd, but even than, the mazdaspeed3's handling makes up for that.

 

[FrequentFlyer]

I had a 2004 S2000 with just a single exit cat-back exhaust, so basically stock and although the MS3 "feels" faster, I don't really think it is because the S2000 makes up for it up top. They're close though. If you want that out of the hole torque, then of course the S2000 is going to disappoint you. It definitely a different kind of "quick" than the MS3. I enjoy the MS3's torque, but something about it leaves me wanting more and it's the fact that after 5500 or so, the car falls on its face, which is wear the S2000 wakes up. I have a hard time shifting below 6k in this car after owning an S2000 and an RSX Type S. Don't forget that the S2k has a 4.10 final drive with a 1.208 secondary reduction vs. the MS3's 3.941 in 1st-4th and the S2000 weighs about 300lb less. Honestly, the only reason why I got rid of my S2000 was because I was using it as a DD and that's not what it's for. I really only wanted one car, so keeping it as a "toy" was not an option. If I could have kept it as the weekend "toy", there would be NO WAY IN HELL I would replace an S2000 with a FWD 5-door sport wagon that just happens to be pretty quick. Lets face it, the reason this car sells is because it's practical as well as sporty. The S2000 is just not a practical car and it only appeals to a certain group of people.

 

[Sacrilicious]

as everyone else is saying, if you already have a DD (the fit), there's no good reason to get the ms3 over a RWD dream handler! sure, the ms3 is faster in a straight line, but unless that's all you want to do with the car, the s2k is just a far superior sports car...=/

 

[///M Compact]

NO WAY would I flip an S2000 for an MS3. I wish I had never decided to try a FWD sled, I don't care how "fast" it is. At least I own my MS3 free and clear, so I won't be stuck with it too much longer.
Keep the S2000.

 

[happy and angry]

I've recently turned to your way of thinking, M. I love most things about the car, but it's wrong-wheel-drive and it drives me up the wall. It's a lot of power to put down from the front, and because of the torque/boost limiting in first and second and traction issues, the car is a good 1/2 second slower in the 1/4 and the 0-60 than it could be considering the power to weight. Plus the driving dynamics, while good, just aren't what I'm looking for in a car. I almost wish I'd picked up a used STi or waited a year or two for the Evo's to hit the market in Canada, or maybe even the G8. I guess I really want a RWD/AWD vehicle, partly so I don't feel so restricted by drive train and traction when it comes to speed, and partly because their dynamics are just more balanced.

Of course, while I can afford to upgrade the ride, it would be pretty financially silly for me to do so right now. I own it outright, and I love its versatility. Doesn't stop me from drooling over a 135 or an Evo MR, though.

 

[///M Compact]

Of course, while I can afford to upgrade the ride, it would be pretty financially silly for me to do so right now.

That's the same boat I'm in. Financially I really can't justify getting rid of the blasted thing. Right I'm only using it as my work beater, but I'll be living with the four-wheeled consequences of my moronic decision for some time to come.

 

[intak3_bLkMs3]

keep the s2k and turbo it =D

 

[15min5k]

Yeah the MS3 is pretty much just an over powered FWD POS. Stay with the S2000.

 

[15min5k]

That's the same boat I'm in. Financially I really can't justify getting rid of the blasted thing. Right I'm only using it as my work beater, but I'll be living with the four-wheeled consequences of my moronic decision for some time to come.

Yeah I bet it makes a great work beater.

 

[happy and angry]

That's the same boat I'm in. Financially I really can't justify getting rid of the blasted thing. Right I'm only using it as my work beater, but I'll be living with the four-wheeled consequences of my moronic decision for some time to come.

I don't think my buying it was a moronic decision, I'm just not as happy with it as I'd like to be considering I bought it as a combination toy/DD. I don't have a lot of experience with high-powered FWD rides, and I didn't think it was going to be as hampered by drive train layout as it is.

It's a fantastic car for what it is, I guess the FWD just isn't for me. I'm probably stuck with it for a few years, now, though. Could be worse, it is still a fantastic car.

 

[parkerfe]

I test drove an STi, EVO X, Acura TSX, VW GTI and R32, Infiniti G37 and Honda Civic and chose the MS3 as the better car for my needs, And I came from 15 years of three M5 5s in a row(e34, e39 and e60). I love my new MS3...it is fun to drive, handles great and is much cheaper to buy and operate than an M car...while I have a Ferrari for weekend fun, I will never go back to a BMW as my daily driver...

 

[///M Compact]

I don't think my buying it was a moronic decision,

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that. I was just saying that it was a moronic decision for me. I thought it would be fun to try something different and instead I'm stuck with a car that I don't enjoy driving at all. I have never become bored with a car so quickly. I also thought it might be fun to take the sled to a few HPDEs. Wrong. It's the first car that ever made me look forward to the end of a track session.

 

[Sacrilicious]

I test drove an STi, EVO X, Acura TSX, VW GTI and R32, Infiniti G37 and Honda Civic and chose the MS3 as the better car for my needs, And I came from 15 years of three M5 5s in a row(e34, e39 and e60). I love my new MS3...it is fun to drive, handles great and is much cheaper to buy and operate than an M car...while I have a Ferrari for weekend fun, I will never go back to a BMW as my daily driver...

words cannot describe the jealousy and sadness that i feel...(sad2)

 

[zim]

for everyone that bought the ms3, you knew what you were getting into when you signed the papers, obviously. I don't know how some of you are so disappointed with the ms3. it gets unbelievable traction for the amount of torque it has and it's a great daily driver. yeah so what it's fwd, it still mops the floor with many other cars and it's fun doing it.

I don't understand why people buy these kinds of cars for drag racing. sure, it'll do decent with some good tires and some bolt-ons, but that's not what this car is for in my opinion. people need to realize what they want from a car before they buy them, that simple.

all I know is when I drop down to 4th on the highway it just rolls the hell out.

 

[essejkcamraw]

for everyone that bought the ms3, you knew what you were getting into when you signed the papers, obviously. I don't know how some of you are so disappointed with the ms3. it gets unbelievable traction for the amount of torque it has and it's a great daily driver. yeah so what it's fwd, it still mops the floor with many other cars and it's fun doing it.

I don't understand why people buy these kinds of cars for drag racing. sure, it'll do decent with some good tires and some bolt-ons, but that's not what this car is for in my opinion. people need to realize what they want from a car before they buy them, that simple.

all I know is when I drop down to 4th on the highway it just rolls the hell out.

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