S2000 and MR2 Spyder owners - how has your experience been?

[catscratch]

Yeah, it's new car time again. Well, not exactly. Next spring will be, though.

I'm at the point where I'm old enough to actually have a sports car and not pay through the nose for insurance, but young enough and immature enough to still want one. I've got it more or less narrowed down to these 2. The Spyder is mid-engine and handles superbly. Straight-line power is pretty weak, but with a stage 2 turbo power flies up to 260hp, and in a 2200lb car, that make a lot of fun things possible. The S2000 has that aggressive VTEC, as well as a wealth of after-market parts availbale. It's heavier, doesn't handle as well, but it has more straight-line power when stock, and I do like high-RPM engines. I wonder what a stage 2 on that engine would do

I know there are some S2000 owners here, and I hope there are some Spyder owners as well. I'm looking at spending $15k, which basically means a 2000 S2000, maybe a 2001 if I'm really lucky, and no money for mods for a good while, or a 2000-2001 Spyder for $12k, and $5k for a stage 2 kit in the not too distant future.

How has your reliability been with these cars? Have you done any mods, and how much power can you reasonably get out of each without sacrificing too much reliability? Fuel economy is not an issue, but I tend to drive quite hard, and I'd want the car to last.

Is there anything else I should take a look at in that price range? I don't really want a pure muscle car, I want something that can handle well, is reasonably fast in a straight line (14 seconds is not reasonbale IMO), and yet isn't going to need repairs on a weekly basis.

 

[lumanogin]

great choices. i'd go with the s2k because i find the spyder hideous. and the s2k looks a lot better with a hardtop

and um..both those are 14 second cars last time i checked. stock at least. maybe high 13's for the s2k.

look into the last gen corvette. you can score a 97 or 98 for that 18k.

 

[vagarach]

A miata maybe? I realise there is this belief that the miata is a girl's car, or a girly man's car, but it is a proper roadster, and it handles well too.

I'd say of the two, the s2000, as the mr2 reminds me far too much of a porsche boxter. That brilliant 9000rpm (on the old one) engine is a nice addition, too

.

 

[Rassilon]

I went through the same comparison this may.
I drove an MR2 spyder several times, and then bought a 2003 S2000 (after driving a few of course).

Plainly put, the MR2 spyder feels like a cheap toy compared to the S2000.
I wouldnt say that the MR2 handles at all better (in fact, the S2k has better skidpad and slalom #s. of course that doesnt tell the whole story..), and the power delivery and transmission (shifting the S is automotive sex) on the S2000 are worlds ahead.

Clearly they are in a different class (pricewise), and the S2000 does everything better than the MR2. I like the light weight and i LOVE mid engine cars, but its still not even close.

The S2k is a Honda. reliablitly is top notch. Toyota has good reliablity as well, but adding a turbo to the MR2 throws the reliablility right out the window.

 

[roastpuff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch Is there anything else I should take a look at in that price range? I don't really want a pure muscle car, I want something that can handle well, is reasonably fast in a straight line (14 seconds is not reasonbale IMO), and yet isn't going to need repairs on a weekly basis.

14 seconds is more than reasonably fast... Both of those cars should be solid (Honda & Toyota after all) unless they were abused by their previous owners. I'd pick the S2000 myself, because it should be a better daily than the MR-S due to the bigger trunk etc. And because I'm a Honda fan.

 

[ls20]

my s2k has been a bastion of reliability. howevre, as far as ive heard, the ap2 (mine) is much different from ap1.

i would nevre consider the mr2 - looks too small, ugly; cant take it serious. id rather have a vintage roadster

 

[RYCeT]

Miata is a good alternative. I read somewhere if you want to learn track driving, miata is the best car for that purpose.

 

[VR6ofpain]

I will never again add forced induction to a car not designed for it. It was fun, but the problem and worries outweighed the fun in the end. I went back to naturally aspirated. So I would recommend the S2000 if you need the extra power. With a turbo, you will have a whole handful of new concerns, not all are good. Don't think it is simply $5K and you are done with it. Maintenance is much more involved with a FI car, especially a turbo.

[/my 2 cents]

 

[euclid]

if you are capable and willing to build the MR-2 it has the potential to be a very fast car with amazing handling. the F20C motor in the S2000 is absolutely tapped out, it will take boost or a full engine build to get more horsepower which will require alot more $ in comparison.

the third gen MR2 uses the same motor as the Celica GT, it makes about 140hp which is pathetic for 2200lb+ car. stock MR-2 will run low 15s in the 1/4 which is over a second slower than stock S2000. if you are going to boost a stock MR-2 1ZZ-FED you will at minimum need forged rods and pistons, but a full sleeving and bore would be ideal i would not advise you to go that route. it would be best to swap in a 2ZZ-GE from the Celica GT-S, its a better motor which makes about 200hp with basic intake/header/exhaust mods, it mates to C64 Transmission which is close-ratio 6 speed. Lotus also uses this motor/tranny in the (US)Elise. the MR-2 with this (stock)motor may be faster than the S2000 in straight line and with decent shocks/srpings and comparable tires it will handle better, remember its mid engine and 600lbs lighter... bolt-on Jackson Racing Supercharger and that car is serioulsy in buisness with no weight penalty.

if you are more concerned with stock-for-stock comparison, IMHO the S2000 will embarass an MR-2 or Miata , its built better, and it also looks better.

also, FWIW if you can get past the styling you should very seriously consider the Mazda RX-8, they have depreciated alot and you should be able to find an '04 with under 30k miles that meets your budget. Rotary revs to 9k like butter.

 

[plus_c]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RYCeT Miata is a good alternative. I read somewhere if you want to learn track driving, miata is the best car for that purpose.

If you ever want to race your car on the track, GET A MIATA. Mazda supports grassroots racing to an incredible extent, with a great contingency program and even a race series especially for Miatas. Spec Miata is probably one of the cheapest and easiest ways to get yourself on the track and competitive (the only series I can think of that's cheaper is Spec E30).

But of the choices you're presenting, I'd go for the S2000.

 

[Ampersand]

They totally sucked the balls out of the mr2 when they took away the turbo. huge mistake toyota.

 

[Otto]

With a little suspension work the MR2
can be very quick on a twisty canyon road.

S2000 doesn't really need any mods.
Stock it's about as fun a car as there is.
With one of the best 4 cylinder/ 6-speeds ever made.

I could be happy driving either one.

 

[harkamus]

You don't want an MR2 Spyder IMO. They are not very fast cares compared to the engines they have. The S2000 is a fast car, provided you give it the RPMs. The S2k compensates for a low torque curve by having higher RPMs.

Ask any MR2 fanatic and he will tell you the worst MR2 is the Spyder, and the cream of the crop is the 95 MR2 turbo which IIRC had 280 HP and about 275 foot pounds of tq. THAT was a nice MR2.

If you ask me, before getting an MR2, I'd get a Mazdaspeed Miata. Handles better, looks better, performs better, has more upgrade potential in terms of power mods.

As far as power mods are concerned, the S2k has a lot more potential. There are a number of turbocharger and superchargers on the market for the S2k. Not sure on the 'MRS'. Reliability...that depends on how tough you build the engine. You can make it as powerful as you want by raising the boost, but if you shoot a piston out of your hood it's not gonna help you much. Also, even after making it bullet proof things can go wrong.

Trust me...I speak from experience. We're in the process now of swapping a Japanese turbo charged engine derived from one of their older generation rally cars into their civilian counterparts. There are lots of things you have to take into account for doing any power mod.

You could always do simple mods. Intake, exhaust. But you won't get a great increase in power.

 

[daycart1]

I thought pretty hard about both of these before getting a different roadster (new). I don't need much trunk (the M Roadster is now my only car), but I had to drop the Toyota from my list because it has almost no trunk!

 

[Ampersand]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harkamus Ask any MR2 fanatic and he will tell you the worst MR2 is the Spyder, and the cream of the crop is the 95 MR2 turbo which IIRC had 280 HP and about 275 foot pounds of tq.

Umm, ... you might want to knock off about 80 hp there. I believe the stock 95 turbo was right around 200hp.