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nakmuayfarang
nakmuayfarang New Reader
2/21/24 9:05 p.m.

This post has received too many downvotes to be displayed.


roninsoldier83
roninsoldier83 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
2/21/24 9:55 p.m.

In reply to nakmuayfarang :

Again, you're missing the point. My past vehicle ownership isn't anything to "brag" about. I've owned cars from all over the spectrum- I don't need any sort of "confirmation bias". Hell, I started the thread because I was thinking about selling the S2000 to buy a CR Corolla! I don't care who makes a car, if it's good to drive, I'll buy it. 

The nice thing about the Internet is you can search for people's history. If you look back to the 2014-2016 range (I think?), before I bought my 1st S2000, I made multiple "what car" threads here on GRM, related to getting a dedicated sports car... in those threads, I drove everything under the sun over the course of a year (or 2?)... there were 3 cars that put a bigger smile on my face than anything else I drove: an AP2 S2000, an ND Miata and a 987 Porsche Boxster/Cayman S. If the ND Miata had as much room as the NC, I probably would have bought it (it's a bit on the small side for someone my size). So, I went back and forth between the 987 and the AP2... I couldn't hardly find a clean manual 987.2 and didn't want to take my chances with a 987.1 (IMS, bore scoring, oiling issues, etc), as I was planning on tracking the car... so, I went with the AP2. Not because it was the fastest car on earth, but because it put the biggest smile on my face. It had nothing to do with speed, it had to do with Fun. The same reason many people buy Miata's... ironically, my 1st S2000 was also my first Honda. 

I'm not concerned with what a troll might consider an admirable trait. As a matter of fact, I've never claimed to be an admirable person- I have an ex or 2 that might tell you I'm far from it! As far as compensating people for their time goes- I sure have, roughly ~37 times. 

I do think it's cool that Toyota is giving out NASA memberships with the GR Corolla, genuinely. Although it would be lost on me, as I already have a NASA license... not that a NASA license makes something a sports car. The S2000 is dedicated a sports car. The GR Corolla is a tarted up econobox. A very cool, interesting, quick econobox, but an econobox nonetheless. 

It's also ironic that you mention a Civic Type R being cooler... I owned both at the same time: 



^^^The S2000 is still in my garage. The FK8 Type R is not. To be fair, the CTR wasn't sold because it wasn't cool, or great to drive (it was a barrel of monkeys fun to drive!)- but no matter what I did, it hurt my right knee to drive it, otherwise, I probably would have held onto that car.

Although my previous point stands: you're criticizing my review of the GR Corolla, when it would appear you've never driven one for yourself. Well, go ahead, drive one, write a review,"set the record straight" and defend the honor of the GR! Until then, again, you're just being an immature troll.

I see you're a New Member here. I don't know if you'll enjoy GRM very much, as this board doesn't coincide well with folks of your apparent disposition. I wish you luck, sir. 

rdcyclist
rdcyclist GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
2/21/24 11:04 p.m.

In reply to nakmuayfarang :

Does your mom know you're on this forum? If not, it's probably past your bedtime.

BTW, Hot Wheels don't count against "The number of cars I have owned".

It has been awhile since we've had a high schooler on the forum post this kind of "Knowledge". Thank you for that.

nakmuayfarang
nakmuayfarang New Reader
2/22/24 3:27 a.m.

In reply to rdcyclist :

Thanks for this feedback.

nakmuayfarang
nakmuayfarang New Reader
2/22/24 3:47 a.m.

In reply to roninsoldier83 :

I appreciate your well reasoned response.  You make several good points.  I've been reading here since Seth had a tuba and a grosh so I'm pretty familiar with the place.

You're correct that I'm mostly just a reader though and so my disposition may not come across the way I intended.

As I said earlier, I enjoy reading your car reviews and it's obvious you do know quite a bit about cars.  Your other thread was a logical and welcome move on from this one.

 

akylekoz
akylekoz UltraDork
2/22/24 7:43 a.m.

We all base our next car on varied needs and comparisons.  My current needs are that be a dual purpose DD and track car, can haul a couple of grand kids, cheapish to modify and operate, reliable and I like the appearance.   I loved my RX7, E30 M3, G body, Samurai, for different reasons.   The best car for me is probably an ND Miata on sticky tires some day but my current situation dictates what is right for me, I have to find a better option based on my personal reality.  My reality is I'm 5'8" ish, fit in small and prefer to sit close to the steering wheel, I love telescoping wheels and rev happy motors.  OP has a bum knee and a current car or two the he enjoys, comparisons and opinions relate accordingly.   Why the hate for the S2000?  

I have driven an S2000, Z4, Elise, TR4 and Fox chassis Mustang in the same weekend, hard to draw a comparison between them but I wanted each of them for different reasons.   Z4 felt effortless to hustle around and comfortable, S2000 was the fastest but didn't feel like it it because you had to wring it out to get the most out of it, Elise was the most nimble like a new 7, TR4 was my favorite to drive on back roads, it used 90% of its skinny tires and 1" of rear suspension travel just touring around in the sun, the Mustang was mine so it doesn't count but push-rod V8s are just fun.

Ok now back to your regularly scheduled program, and off of this tangent. 

 

roninsoldier83
roninsoldier83 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
2/22/24 8:41 a.m.

In reply to akylekoz :

A few years back, I considered an Elise- I love the idea of those cars, as they're right up my alley! Admittedly, I never drove one. I sat in a couple of them... the act of me getting inside one was a spectacle to behold! I remember it wasn't too bad once I was inside of it, but me trying to shoe-horn my bigger frame into the little Lotus was a comical sight! I passed on the Elise as I felt I wouldn't want to test my contortionist skills every time I decided to take my wife out on a date. And having owned several roadsters in the past, I also wasn't a fan of the multi-minute process it would take an oaf like me to remove the roof. 

I also rode shotgun in an Exige S once... I would like to say it seemed like a fun little rocket, but sadly, the most notable memory I have from that experience is the feeling that my knees were in my chest and that they should invent a new Yoga pose called "the Lotus". Before I got into the passenger seat, I hadn't realized how much they moved the floor/footrest towards the passenger- the driver's side seemed to have more legroom, not unlike the ND, ironically. 

I was disappointed that the beloved Lotus didn't seem to agree with my physical stature and since I knew I wouldn't consider buying it due to ingress/egress, I didn't seek one out to drive. Which is too bad, as I still think they're some of the coolest cars ever made. 

I've also never drove any real classic British (or Italian) roadsters. Every time I see one at a car show I can't help but oogle them from afar! But their reputation for constant maintenance always scared me off... I've owned a few NA Miata's over the years, which is about as close to the concept as I've ever come. 

akylekoz
akylekoz UltraDork
2/22/24 11:02 a.m.

Oh yeah classic British.  I drove an E Type owned by a fella that was 6'4" and very leggy.   With the seat all the way forward I could barely drive it.  Come to find out it was modified with the seat moved back 4-6", watching him get out was like a preying mantis emerging from a worm hole.  Knee to chest, first foot out, rotate a bit, scoot other foot to sill knee under wheel, unfold other leg through tiny door opening, duck under roof if up, then using both arms push up and out to stand way up.  It was BRG with a hot 4.2 litre, it drove amazing but I was nervous driving it, something about its insured value equal to my home value at the time.  I really can't have nice things.

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
2/22/24 6:41 p.m.

In reply to akylekoz :

How does anyone drive sitting that far away from the steering wheel?

rdcyclist
rdcyclist GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
2/22/24 8:25 p.m.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Apparently you have not had the pleasure of driving a 60's (or older) Alfa Romeo.

Datsun240ZGuy
Datsun240ZGuy MegaDork
2/22/24 8:42 p.m.
boulder_dweeb said:

Folks:

My question to the forum: Is roninsoldier83 the new Frenchy??

Rog

I'm waiting for my name to get this tag........

akylekoz
akylekoz UltraDork
2/23/24 7:03 a.m.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

I stuffed some things behind me back.  I like to be close to the wheel.

roninsoldier83
roninsoldier83 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/11/24 5:40 p.m.

To resurrect this thread, again, I haven't really driven my S2000, or my Integra in quite some time. I've been preparing to sell the Integra- not only do I not drive it much anymore, but it has also been kicked out of my garage, as the BMW has become the car I spend the most time behind the wheel of. I'm not a big fan of parking the Integra outside, for a number of reasons- it should really go to someone that will get more use out of it, as I would hate to see it just sit outside and eventually rust. I plan on putting the Integra up for sale within the next couple weeks. I'm currently on-call for work, so I'm mostly just waiting until I'm no longer on-call before putting it up for sale. 

Even though I'm sure I'll change my mind at a drop of a hat, I think I've decided on a new plan of action: 

Step 1. Sell Integra
Step 2. Buy NC Miata (preferably an NC2/NC3 manual)
Step 3. See if I drive the NC Miata substantially more than the S2000; if so, sell the S2000. If not, reassess and consider selling the NC. 

The first time I talked about selling the S2000 a few years ago, it was a few months after buying an NC2 Miata. I found that the same fun factor I found in the S2000, I also found in the NC, except that I was driving the NC all the time, while the S2000 sat parked in the garage. It didn't make sense to have 2 roadsters, especially when I was having a blast driving 1 of them all the time and the other one just sat there for fear of any dings or scratches that might befall it... 

I was doing a lot of autoX at the time and wanted to retire the S2000 from SCCA CS... unfortunately, there was really no class where the NC was competitive... I then found a bone stock 1999 NB Miata Sport- The Car to Have in ES... I only sold the NC in order to pay for the 99 Sport that I built to run ES. I didn't want to sell the NC at the time, but unmolested 99 Sports are tough to find!

Fast forward a few years and I've now decided to take a break from timed competition. I no longer have a desire to have a "car to have" for a certain class. 

So, my logic is as follows: I'm selling the Integra anyway. I can take the funds from selling the Integra and find a decent 5MT/6MT NC Miata. The only car I've driven in the last few months that I thought was potentially just as, if not more fun than the S2000 was the ND Miata... I know the NC and ND are not the same car (by a long shot!), but the premise is the same: lightweight, simple, RWD roadsters, with an emphasis on smiles. Plus, after owning one, I know that the NC doesn't hurt my right knee and I also know it's the generation that fits my big frame the best. 

I figure I can test the theory I had years ago. If I find myself driving the NC all the time while the S2000 continues to sit, I'll know that it's time for the S2000 to go. If the NC ends up mostly sitting parked like the S2000 and Integra, I can just sell it- assuming I buy it private party, I could probably sell it for a break-even situation (assuming I don't start dumping money/parts into it). Either way, it'll take the guess-work out of the equation. In the meantime, I should probably find a manual NC to take for a spin, to make sure my memories of the little NC aren't tainted with rose colored glasses... 

OHSCrifle
OHSCrifle GRM+ Memberand UberDork
3/11/24 9:57 p.m.
roninsoldier83 said:

...assuming I buy it private party, I could probably sell it for a break-even situation (assuming I don't start dumping money/parts into it)...

who dis?

CyberEric
CyberEric SuperDork
3/11/24 10:18 p.m.

Makes a lot of sense to me. I approve. :)

roninsoldier83
roninsoldier83 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/11/24 10:19 p.m.

In reply to OHSCrifle :

Valid point. Something about a road to hell and good intentions? I should probably rephrase: the only money I'll lose is the small fortune I'll undoubtedly throw at the car for my own amusement. 
 

If there's an automotive version of AA, I really should start going to the meetings. 

WonkoTheSane
WonkoTheSane GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
3/11/24 11:29 p.m.
OHSCrifle said:
roninsoldier83 said:

...assuming I buy it private party, I could probably sell it for a break-even situation (assuming I don't start dumping money/parts into it)...

who dis?

I seem to recall FM saying they were coming out with an NC Turbo kit soon..... ... ..

roninsoldier83
roninsoldier83 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
4/18/24 11:09 a.m.

It's been a while, but I figured I would update this thread. I ended up going an entirely different direction. I kept my S2000. The only car I've driven that I've enjoyed as much or more than my S2000 is the ND Miata, which, the ND is just a bit on the cramped side and I'm not convinced it would play well with my knee long term. I'm not going to rule out an NC in the future, but for now, the S2000 stays in the garage. 

After dislocating my right shoulder a few months ago, I found out recently I might end up needing a bit of surgery due to a torn labrum. I've been going to PT to rehab it for a while now and should find out soon what the long-term plan will be. I'm back to doing pull-ups without trouble, but there's still some limited mobility at the end-ranges. We'll see. 

Either way, I might end up not being able to drive a manual for a while, which has weighed on my mind and altered my plans a bit. Up to this point, I've essentially owned 3 manuals (S2000, 128i and Integra) and 1 automatic (Xterra). I rarely ever drove the Xterra- I think I've put ~2000 miles on it in the past 1.5 years. It's a great utilitarian vehicle- an absolute tank in the snow with the Wildpeak tires, but it doesn't play well with my right knee. The knee discomfort in the Xterra is very mild, but still enough to make me generally grab the keys to something else unless I need to pick up a large item or there's a pile of snow on the ground. I've known this for a long time, but it wasn't really a factor given how little I drive it (it was only meant to be a winter beater). The prospect of having to use it as my sole personal vehicle in the event I can't drive a manual for a while hasn't sat well with me. 

Long story short: I sold the Integra. Then I sold the Xterra. I replaced them both with something that has significantly less cargo space: 

I bought this 2021 Soul Red Mazda 3 Turbo sedan: 



I actually used to own a 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo (same color), but last time, I bought the hatchback version. For the record, I'm typically more of a hatchback kind of guy. I only bought the sedan this time for a couple of reasons: 

1. This car was marked about ~$4000 below what these cars are selling for (similar mileage and condition) nationwide. That's hard to ignore. 

2. My biggest complaint about my previous 3 hatch was the absolutely horrendous rear blindspots caused by the giant rear C-pillars. It almost resulted in me getting into an accident on more than 1 occasion. So, despite the fact that I prefer the looks and added utility of the hatch, I told myself if I was going to do it again, I would buy the sedan. It would appear the folks at Car and Driver share my sentiments. 

My last Mazda 3 Turbo burned oil from the day it left the lot, brand new. For that reason alone, I was hesitant about keeping it outside of warranty, long term. Since then, Mazda has issued a fix for any cars affected: as it turns out, it has to do with faulty valve stem seals/exhaust valve seals. According to the Intarwebs, it would appear anyone experiencing this issue now, Mazda will foot the bill to replace the seals, free of charge. So, if I run into this issue again, I'll just swing by my local dealership. 

About the car: it's a one owner, personal use car with only 8000 miles on the clock! Clean Carfax, no accidents. The thing is practically brand new. Based on the Carfax date of purchase, it should still have about 2.5 years left under the powertrain warranty. A few small details lead me to believe the previous owner was likely a female. The car was about $8000 cheaper than the cheapest new one I could find in the country- for a pretty much mint car with 8000 miles on it, I couldn't justify the extra cash for a new one. I want to thank the previous owner for taking the massive depreciation hit. 

Why did I buy it? Easy- these cars are wonderful, AWD daily drivers that can be used year-round. It comes with an automatic that I don't hate. It's still under warranty for another 2.5 years and I can just drive a car for a few years without having to fix/maintain too much on a regular basis, which should give me some time to help my shoulder and back heal up. 

I suppose I should probably review this thing:

Interior: Mazda has really come up in the world in the last 5-7 years. I've always loved Mazda's- I've owned several of them (a plethora of Miata's, a Mazdaspeed 6 and a couple 3's), my wife's daily is a 2016 Mazda 6 6MT and our daughter has a 2010 Mazda 3 6MT- but their latest push to move more upmarket is noticeable. The interior looks and feels more like what I would expect in a modern Audi. The infotainment is a bit of an annoyance to navigate, but the rest of the interior is very comfortable and an easy place to spend lots of time in. Bonus: it doesn't hurt my right knee to drive! Mazda's ergonomics for someone my size are spot on! Dear everyone else: please figure out whatever Mazda does to fit tall drivers comfortably into relatively small cars. The seats, while lacking the sweet thigh extender of my E82, are very soft and appropriately supportive- easy to sit in for long periods of time. 

Powertrain: this engine is not a big fan of revving. It has over 300 ft-lbs of torque from a fairly low RPM, but runs out of steam above 5000rpm. It's the exact opposite experience vs my S2000. When I'm playing sporty car driver, give me a high revving NA motor and the glorious sound of an 8000rpm redline! In traffic? I'll take the low-end grunt from this little 2.5T any day of the week. It can't match the smoothness or the soundtrack of my BMW, but it has an extra ~100 ft-lbs of torque... it's a fair trade. The gearbox is a fairly well-programmed traditional torque converter 6AT- none of that CVT nonsense! It's not the fastest shifting gearbox on earth, but it's pretty responsive/intuitive to my throttle inputs. If you put the car into Sport mode it does a pretty good job of holding lower gears so you can have some fun pitching the car around. While not really a sports car engine, for a daily, I really enjoy the powertrain. 

Handling/ride/suspension: this is not a hot hatch. This is not a car that will set your hair on fire as you dream of sideways rally car glory. It's not nearly as sharp as my S2000... with that said, the suspension is fairly firm and the car is eager to be pitched around! This is absolutely a street car at heart- I think they hit the sweet spot, having just enough body control to make the car a willing dance partner, without going too stiff as to beat you up on the road. The suspension is firm- maybe too firm for folks that like an extremely plush ride- but I had zero complaints and thought it was a very fair trade-off considering it's poise in the corners. Body roll is very controlled, and while I haven't pushed it to 10/10ths in a while (since I owned my old car), it does a pretty good rotating for a front heavy, FWD-based car. Applying a bit of throttle in the corners, you can feel the rear axle is actually part of the equation. The rear doesn't play nearly as much of a role as say a Focus RS, but it's clearly involved in the equation. This little car handles better than it's torsion bar rear end would suggest. 

The steering weight is pretty decent. It's ever so slightly on the lighter end of the spectrum (at least compared to my S2000 and 128i), but not overly so. It feels like Mazda put some thought into getting the weighting correct, as it's light enough to feel playful, without feeling like a video game controller. The feel is not bad for an EPS rack. At the end of the day, it's still an EPS rack- it can't hold a candle to my BMW's steering feel, but for a modern EPS, there's at least something there that gives you some connection to the road (it hasn't been completely muted like most EPS racks). 

The brakes are adequate. The overall stopping power isn't impressive, but it's not terrible. I will give them credit: the brake pedal position is wonderful (cars with wide/awkward spacing don't play well with my knee) and they're very easy to modulate. They suit their intended purpose just fine. 

It's been a while since I've owned a newer car. I had forgotten about some of the modern luxuries folks get these days- these headlights are utterly amazing! My S2000's old school xenons are pretty good, but my other cars all had halogens that felt like I was holding up a lantern in an 18th century fog by comparison! Auto Hold. Oh my word, I've missed Auto Hold (being able to take your foot off of the brake at a stop light). This is one feature I wish every car had. I even used the adaptive cruise control last night coming home- I forgot how much of a relaxing feature that is on a traffic infested highway. While I still prefer mostly old-school, mechanical things, I can't deny that some of these features are very nice to have. 

So, I reluctantly did something I haven't done in a few years since I sold my last Mazda 3 Turbo: I took on a very small car payment. I sold the Integra and the Xterra, but the money I recouped was a bit shy of the cost of the 3 Turbo. I could have dipped into savings, but I don't like to touch my savings account or any investments we've made unless absolutely necessary. Technically, going from 4 cars down to 3, the drop in insurance alone pretty much covers the cost of the payment, so it's pretty much a wash financially. Although I despise debt in pretty much all forms- so, I should be able to pay off the small note over the next few months and be back to being debt-free. 

I considered getting a Ford Maverick, but to find a Maverick in similar condition (low miles, no accidents/clean Carfax/title), with cruise control and AWD, I was looking at an extra $3000-$4000, plus the cost of a fly-and-drive (locally, it's an ~$8000+ situation) for a truck with less features. I couldn't justify it when I really only need a truck about once a year or so. Conversely, the wife and I have regular downtown dates, where the Mazda is the easier vehicle to park. Translation: while I love the Maverick, the Mazda is actually more usable for me, more of the time; with the counter argument being that I technically still have 2 other small cars we could take if we wanted to go downtown (even if I avoid taking my S2000 to places where it might get dinged up lol!). 

I also considered the Mazda CX-30. I drove one a few weeks ago. It's really just a Mazda 3 on stilts. Only one issue: unlike the 3, the CX-30 didn't play as well with my knee. I actually took measurements at a dealership, and found the culprit: the CX-30's seats sit about an inch higher up (at their lowest setting). I considered trying to retrofit the lower 3 seats into the CX-30, but the fact that I also thought the 3 was more fun to drive (undoubtedly due to the lower center of gravity) played into the equation. With that said, if you're in the market, the CX-30 was very good to drive for what it is, and seemingly the market is flooded with them. 

I now have a bit of a debate going on in my head: between the BMW and the Mazda 3 Turbo, which one gets the garage spot? 

roninsoldier83
roninsoldier83 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
4/19/24 7:48 p.m.

I think I'll probably keep the S2000 for the foreseeable future. I might even supercharge it with an SoS kit. 

I did something yesterday that I probably should have done quite a while ago: I switched the S2000 (and the wife's Challenger Scat Pack) over to Hagerty insurance. The new policy is now only $540 a year. I should have done this years ago. I tried to add the BMW to the Hagerty policy, but was told they don't believe it is collectible and as such, declined to insure it. 

At least the S2000 is at least now a bit easier to justify keeping. 

OHSCrifle
OHSCrifle GRM+ Memberand UberDork
5/11/24 5:13 p.m.

Are you happy with the AWD Turbo Mazda after a month?

CyberEric
CyberEric SuperDork
5/11/24 6:52 p.m.

That was an interesting turn! Not what I expected. Thanks for the update. Would like to hear how the 3 is treating you. I wonder if Corksport makes a tune that could make it rip more at redline...

roninsoldier83
roninsoldier83 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
5/11/24 10:57 p.m.
OHSCrifle said:

Are you happy with the AWD Turbo Mazda after a month?

Very much so! The Mazda 3 Turbo is just about the ideal daily. Comfortable, relaxing, plenty of pep, solid handling without beating you up- gorgeous interior with all the gadgets. I have no complaints. It's not as hard edged as my S2000, but it's not supposed to be. I can go through traffic or cruise on the highway without being stressed, but then put it into Sport mode and have fun pitching it around. 

Unfortunately, there's no manual option. Which, I wasn't shopping for a manual anyway, so it's a moot point. I'm very happy with the car. It's a better daily than my 128i. Which will likely lead me to modding the 128i for a bit of track work. 

Puddy46
Puddy46 Reader
5/12/24 10:09 a.m.
roninsoldier83 said:

I tried to add the BMW to the Hagerty policy, but was told they don't believe it is collectible and as such, declined to insure it. 

This is disappointing to hear,  as I was thinking of putting my 128i onto a Hagerty policy.  

roninsoldier83
roninsoldier83 GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/9/24 9:25 a.m.

After a year of test driving cars, my S2000 is finally gone. It's been replaced by a somewhat different genre of vehicle that I will hopefully drive more often: a 2018 BMW M2 6MT. 




For the record, Hagerty insured the M2, no problem. 

After owning the S2000 for 5 years, it did feel a bit odd that it was no longer in the garage. I don't know that I would buy another one, not because it wasn't a great car (it is), but because an NC Miata is 85-90% of the car for a small fraction of the money. If I ever get another yearning for a roadster, I'll likely add an NC Miata to the collection. In the meantime, it's been a while since I've owned a car with solid power- the M2 is a riot to drive in anger! 

CyberEric
CyberEric SuperDork
10/9/24 9:31 a.m.

Congrats! 

I'm hopeful you sold the S2k to someone who will drive it more.

What happened to your Integra?

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