S2000 vs 350Z - opinions wanted

[wixy]

I'm just wondering what people think are the pros and cons of an S2000 when compared to a Nissan 350Z?

[damienm]

S2000 seems more fun to drive n 350z is like a heavy muscle car but ill probably choose the 350 ova the s2000, dunno why

[chicken8]

this has never been done before

[joek]

honestly, having owned the s2k for a year or so... i need to admit it has come into my mind more than 10 times that i want to change to a 350z, don't get me wrong, i love the handling and looks of the s2k, however, the road noise and bumpy driving style may not suit my application. But, everytime i saw that so many 350z around when comparing to like one or two s2k per day. I decide to keep the car. This is just my opinion. peace
Joe

[chicken8]

friend has a 350GT. basically same engine and drivetrain as the Z

we swap often. and even though the power in the GT comes earlier and is probably faster than the s2k in a straight line. after awhile it bores me. theres no expectation of more power coming in at 6krpm. feels like your driving something huge rather than something agile and precise

i don't think its anything you'll learn from just a test drive. comes with ownership i think

[chicken8]

best i can explain it is

floor it. revving up. thinking cmon cmon cmon!! hit 6000rpm. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! 9000rpm YES!!!!!!!!!!! change gears. fked up NO!!!!!!!! dropped to 5000rpm. cmon cmon cmon. 6000rpm YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

whereas 350

floor it. yeh ok. change gear (which btw feels like torture going from 1st to 2nd) then same power. yeh ok. and u kind of get bored

[chicken8]

the gearbox on the VQ35 feels like trying to stick your dick in an electric pencil sharpener

[OMG.JAI xD]

theres a fifth gear or top gear episode comparing the both.

s2000>350.

more boot space.
lighter.
quicker around the same track.
better fuel efficiency.
cheaper. (if youre looking at the aussie market)
vtec? =]

[johnprocter]

i reckon now that fuel prices are getting higher etc s2000 would be the way to go

[Nepolian]

I dont think cost of fuel should be so much of an issue if you can afford to buy either :)

Convertible v convertible, I'd choose S2000 anyday. But if it were say the S2000 v 350Z CoupeTrack. I may go with the nissan. Big comfortable cruiser, power on tap. To be honest, I love the S2000 like Johnny Tran does.....but it is a little dated now.

End of the day, they're both very different cars and I'm sure you would be happy with either one, except for the 350Z convertible.....yuck!

[jooboo]

FLY has just bought a 350z lets see what he has to say?

[martin]

ive owned two s2000s and have driven both the 350z and the 350gt, chicken8 is right power wise in the 350s very torquey but its boring as. i just love hitting 6000 in the s2000 air box just opens up and sounds beautiful, s2000s are great cars just gota know how to drive them right. but after owning two s2000s i wouldnt mind a 350z.

imo both good cars

[.::F[L]Y::.]

i was going to write up my impression comparing both cars seeing as i have both in my garage at this point.

This topic has been done to death but here is my take on it.

Both cars are impractical, 2 seater, mainly differences are drop top and engine size....

After driving the zed for about a week now it definately is alot easier to drive on a day to day basis. Interior is so much more spacious than the S2K. It feels more 'secure', freeway driving is alot more comfy, its perfect for long drives.

Handling wise the 350z feels heavy, but its still quite responsive and does the things you want it to do. I have the track model and the VDC is annoying, tends to make the car understeer more which would affect lap times if you were to track the car. 350z have been known to lap wakefield quicker in stock form then an s2000, as its alot easier to drive.

Power wise the 350z has a SHITLOAD more torque than the s2000. But thats about it. S2K engine brings on so much more excitement when driving, 350z has torque but when you get closer to redline it sort of dies out. Very linear! But add an intake and full exhaust system i expect it to be a totally different beast esp with the v6 growl.

Hates about the 350z: The shifting is ridiculous, S2K wins in this department definately one of the best gearboxs around. 350z shifting feels sluggish and its hard to shift quickly without worring about crunching gears, it doesnt feel as direct as the S. Also the rear boot is useless, its very shallow, and without a compartment to block it off from the cabin its very easy to have things from the boot fly into the front of the car if you suddenly need to brake. Cheap ass nissan plastic fantastic interior! for a 70k car they could have done better in this department!

I would say the S2000 at this stage is much more fun to drive, but its only good as a weekend car. If your looking for a car to drive daily then the 350z is the one to get!

End of the day they are both excellent cars i wish i could have both 350z as a daily and the s2000 as a weekend car but unfortunately the s2000 has to go.

[chicken8]

my mate has an Impul exhaust on his 350 and man does it sound good. like a mini ferrari

but driving it makes me want to kill myself because the gearbox is so fking terrible

feels like the box is made from lego and the gearbox oil was replaced with sand

[kongfu]

Y::.;1824610']i was going to write up my impression comparing both cars seeing as i have both in my garage at this point.

This topic has been done to death but here is my take on it.

Both cars are impractical, 2 seater, mainly differences are drop top and engine size....

After driving the zed for about a week now it definately is alot easier to drive on a day to day basis. Interior is so much more spacious than the S2K. It feels more 'secure', freeway driving is alot more comfy, its perfect for long drives.

Handling wise the 350z feels heavy, but its still quite responsive and does the things you want it to do. I have the track model and the VDC is annoying, tends to make the car understeer more which would affect lap times if you were to track the car. 350z have been known to lap wakefield quicker in stock form then an s2000, as its alot easier to drive.

Power wise the 350z has a SHITLOAD more torque than the s2000. But thats about it. S2K engine brings on so much more excitement when driving, 350z has torque but when you get closer to redline it sort of dies out. Very linear! But add an intake and full exhaust system i expect it to be a totally different beast esp with the v6 growl.

Hates about the 350z: The shifting is ridiculous, S2K wins in this department definately one of the best gearboxs around. 350z shifting feels sluggish and its hard to shift quickly without worring about crunching gears, it doesnt feel as direct as the S. Also the rear boot is useless, its very shallow, and without a compartment to block it off from the cabin its very easy to have things from the boot fly into the front of the car if you suddenly need to brake. Cheap ass nissan plastic fantastic interior! for a 70k car they could have done better in this department!

I would say the S2000 at this stage is much more fun to drive, but its only good as a weekend car. If your looking for a car to drive daily then the 350z is the one to get!

End of the day they are both excellent cars i wish i could have both 350z as a daily and the s2000 as a weekend car but unfortunately the s2000 has to go.


whats your next ride FLY?why selling s2k?due to impractical car?

[.::F[L]Y::.]

kongfu- 350z

[kongfu]

Y::.;1824632']kongfu- 350z

?you go for 350z?

[tRipitaka]

whats your next ride FLY?why selling s2k?due to impractical car?

read post #13 CAREFULLY

[kongfu]

Y::.;1824632']kongfu- 350z

damn you already got 350z :eek:

I just drove back from syd...Friend bought a white 350z with full ING bodykit and full amuse exhaust, TE37 etc....

[.::F[L]Y::.]

^^ oh saw that one for sale. Let me know if your friend is parting out any parts hehe

[kongfu]

Y::.;1824667']^^ oh saw that one for sale. Let me know if your friend is parting out any parts hehe

haha...that HK boy back to HK for business...

His 350z is totally sick man! AMUSE exhaust is really nice! On the way back so many ppl ask about the ING kit at petrol stations:)

I will let you know when my friend is parting out.. he just started his new project now...


I got 2 350z mates in my team at the moment, I will let you know first if they got parts for sale...my mate just sold his HKS Super charge kit to a V35 guy.

[.::F[L]Y::.]

yeap. shoot me a pm if they are selling parts. my car is stock at the moment so hoping to give it some life

[kongfu]

Y::.;1824760']yeap. shoot me a pm if they are selling parts. my car is stock at the moment so hoping to give it some life

No worries man..350Z is a totally sick machine:) what color is yours?

silver or black?

[.::F[L]Y::.]

silver. easier to keep clean since its a daily driver

[kongfu]

Y::.;1824798']silver. easier to keep clean since its a daily driver

haha i guess its silver most common and easy to maintain color for 350z

[Zdster]

Have driven the APS single turbo car and if you want power go no further! There are a couple of big number Z33's floating - forge the internals and add boost.

[aaronng]

- forge the internals and add boost.
Doesn't this apply to any other car as long as the block is strong enough?

[fatboyz39]

s2k FTW....350z is like driving a como car. BIG AND FAT...YUK!

[Zdster]

Doesn't this apply to any other car as long as the block is strong enough?

Of course you are right.

The block is quite a good one though (proven to over a 1000hp), but as soon as you get to around the 350-400 mark, the rods just snap like twigs.

[JMSBND]

I have driven both S2000 and the Z Hardtop. The Z was nicer for day to day, but did not really throw down a challenge to me for driver input. It's a nice car though and with exhaust, big brakes etc its a worthy track adversary. The S2000 is not as smooth, but it really demands input from a driver to get it to perform at it's best and it's really satisfying when you get it right in an S2K.

Just my 2c,

James.

[yellows2k]

having owned an s2k for 7 years, and now an evo9, i have driven bel garages haltech ecu tuned 350z a few times (as a loaner).
the 350z, with the haltech ecu is very nice, smooth power delivery, but tends to run out right at the top of the rev range. the gear change wasnt terrible, but wasnt as smooth as teh s2k. the interior is more spacious thatn the s2k, and the bootspace wasnt that bad. it was more practical than the s2k, but then again, i didnt have real problems with day to day with the s2k.
with the evo9, i find it does everything i need, although the buiuld quality is still relatively poor, but livable

[xplod_accord]

S2000 seems more fun to drive n 350z is like a heavy muscle car but ill probably choose the 350 ova the s2000, dunno why

350z a heavy muscle car?

riiiiiight.

[hisoka]

i got a 350z lol~nothing that exciting~feels like your driving a tank through the street, but it turns alot of heads~more than the civic thats for sure lol~i think s2000 is better because it feels so smooth and easily drivable~however the 350z is amazing on highway driving lol so much fuel it killz~mine is silver~got keyed up in a carpark the other night

[evilslug]

are you gonna change your avatar FLY?

[.::F[L]Y::.]

are you gonna change your avatar FLY?

haha yea, been meaning to do that. Must look for a nissan humping a honda one now LOL

[chicken8]

we drove our 350gt home from QLD

used 7L/100km and we were giving it a hit every so often

hit 160km/hr on a few occassions

but yeah. i think the excitement goes quite quickly just because the power is linear and theres nothing more than happens in the rev range

[Euro08Jaz]

the is an awesome car but the power doesn't seem as usable for daily driving as the 350z

[jko2]

The best middle ground is the e46 m3.

slightly smaller engine than the 350z, and still quite rev happy at 8k rpm. best of both worlds! definately not a boring engine - it's very energetic and responsive.

big boot, and decent interior as well.

[.::F[L]Y::.]

yes thats true. But e46 m3 costs at least 65k for a used one.

imo r34 GTR would be a nice upgrade from both cars

[dyljoy]

and u need to consider the cost of maintainance for M3 as well, huge cost from euro vehicle.

[Zilli]

i'd go the M3... but an R34 certainly is tempting

[.::F[L]Y::.]

i'd go the M3... but an R34 certainly is tempting

Yes thats true. But when you look at both cars side by side the R34 GTR seems better value for money.

45k-50k can get you a GTR. 65k-70k will get you a decent m3?

GTR has that aoura, of being one of japans all time best, respected by motoring enthusiasts and with light mods will demolish an m3. Also running costs/maintainance might be cheaper.

Just comes down to how deep your pockets are and personal taste :thumbsup:

[Zdster]

The best middle ground is the e46 m3.

slightly smaller engine than the 350z, and still quite rev happy at 8k rpm. best of both worlds! definately not a boring engine - it's very energetic and responsive.

big boot, and decent interior as well.

And only a small price difference :o:zip:

[jko2]

I went the M3 route - still miss the s2000 for its directness - can't beat the RWD honda for a fun thrash around town.

Yup, correct with the maintenance. It is a killer - $2000 for my last service! on the invoice they put in $400 spark plugs.. must be some good spark plugs

I've put type R badges on my car - i'll get some photos up shortly.

R34 GTR? one reason i didn't go with one of those is the attention! already had enough of that from a yellow s2000.

IMHO the s2000 is the only japanese performance vehicle that doesn't have boy racer and ricer written all over it (at least back in 04). R34 is a super japanese car, but still a fanboy car - which may or may not bother some, but it does put a slight sour taste in my mouth. Still a fan however! just never an owner.

I would have also thought that the majority of owners who went into the s2000 would have done so because of the quality of vehicle, interior, reliability, style, looks, and up beat NA engine.
R34 is a backward step from this, (except for the performance, and practicality).

If you look on the m3 forums, a lot of the new owners come from s2000 - apparently its a logical next step - i agree. It's nice to know that a lot of the fellow m3 members came from the honda s2000 background.
And a number of the m3 owners on m3forum.net still have both cars, and they're all fans on the s2000 (mostly the yanks on that forum).

Take a look - this one is a relatively active thread.. and inside it, theres links to heaps of threads all about our beloved S2000 - notice its fairly positive - which is rare on a car forum, especially when the car in comparison is typically half the price.
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=225525

[ludecrs]

I was going to upgrade to the E46 M3, but I was disappointed by it.

I hated the poor feedback I got from the steering.

How'd you find the conversion?

[jko2]

Yeeaaah.. it's no s20000 - wish I could have afforded to keep both.

It's no where near as raw, but its designed to be able to do everything.
Go fast, corner hard, carry 5 people, have a big boot, drive in peak hour, take it on a track... so you have to view it in that light.

The steering isn't too bad, you probably didn't give it a hard enough go (probably wasn't your car) - what you're referring to is the crappy steering ratio - it's SLOW as - especially compared to the s2000. It's a conventional rack and pinion with a power steering pump - not EPS like the s2k or the other BMWs (the M3 went hydraulic because of under bonnet space issues). Get a CSL if you're really concerned about the steering:) that's the ultimate post s2k upgrade!

As I alluded to in the previous post, it is not as fun if you want a quick stint around the block, or if you want the car to be a pure track, thrash car - s2000 is perfect for that. But the s2k has its obvious compromises.

Which I think a 350z is a poor choice, it has the majority of compromises the s2000 has, and its boring as hell - engine feels fat and lazy, but big enough to move the land mass across the road.

The M3 isn't exactly light at 1550kg, but the engine ability to rev, the response of 6 individual throttle bodies, does make it feel like an energetic car - but not at the s2k level (above 6k rpm).

All in all, the M3 is more suitable for me as I have to do many things with the car. I still miss my s2000 with the 4.44 rear gear, 3.3kg aluminium flywheel. Nothing touches the s2000 for pure thrashing pleasure. It's directness, chassis is so together, and its drivetrain despite its noises is perfect. Could be a little lighter for DD but a higher FD sorted that out for me.
To give you an idea, my boss has 911 (996) turbo. I've driven it, and I'd take the s2000 over that. (he also has a 599 GTB, and a E60 M5 - i'd take the ferrari).
Honda got it right with the s2000, - not a fan of the FWD type Rs - sure they drive fast, but being front wheel drive it feels so sh*t and fake, and EASY.

Keep your s2000 if you don't have a problem with the compromises, and the lack of torque for daily driving.
With fuel prices the way they are, 4 cyclinders is the way to go. The M3, regarded as a relatively efficient performance motor - at 3.2ltr straight 6 with individual throttle bodies - drinks about 13-14ltr / 100km in peak hour start stop traffic - this is tryign to baby it as much as possible.
On the track? try 36ltr / 100km!

[NeoNode]

Yup, correct with the maintenance. It is a killer - $2000 for my last service! on the invoice they put in $400 spark plugs.. must be some good spark plugsI got quoted the same deal to service a 330Ci at stealerships, also same with the Lexus GS300 at home, last service was $2103.52 lol.

If it's out of warranty I would just go elsewhere for servicing, enough DIY's threads out there to make a sound judgement when it really needs to go back to stealerships.

[jko2]

What's with us BMW owners hanging out on ozhonda? We got issues. or we love honda. Vtec yo > Vanos yo.
Nice CSL bumper...

is that your car??? M3 bonnet? M3 mirrors? you did changed the parts on your 330?

[NeoNode]

What's with us BMW owners hanging out on ozhonda? We got issues. or we love honda. Vtec yo > Vanos yo.
Nice CSL bumper...

is that your car??? M3 bonnet? M3 mirrors? you did changed the parts on your 330?Nah not my car, ain't going to pay $800 US to ship a $300 CSL bar lol.

I'll move onto a M3 eventually hehe.

But this is going off topic, so i'll stop.

[.::F[L]Y::.]

nice insight there jko2.

But with regard to the comment of the GTR being a fanboy car thats true and i agree with you on that point. But the s2000 is slowly becoming that way with p platers buying them left, right and center. The S2000 is becoming the next dc2r in my personal opinion. I really love the S2000 (owned 2) and might even buy another one later down the track but the car unfortunately attracts the stigma which you have mentioned you in your previous posts.

[Zilli]

some very good points about the r34 vs m3... i like the all round package of the M3 myself, i screaming high tec n/a motor, rwd, luxuries, and refinement really... getting a bit over rattle boxes, having said that i would really love to keep the dc2 as a track car and have an M3 as something with a bit of class... but thats in an ideal world... gotta start spending money on wiser things :-)

[.::F[L]Y::.]

^^ we only live once :)

[Zilli]

exactly the attitude ive been trying to shake off :-) ^^

[TALEB TYRES]

from what i've gathered,from those 2, the s2k.
wat about the skyline v35, cpv35 2dr luxury edition, hot car.
, or even the new v36...

[EGB18CT]

turbo the s2k, no need for a gtr hehehe.

[JAP-S2K]

Depends on what you want really want. If your into driving your car hard, and want excitement S2K wins hands down, see any best motoring dvd to back the claim. I you enjoy a lasy motor, more interior space and drive your car on a regular basis, the 350 would be easier to live. Me personally i'm not a fan of the 350Z lounge chair. The S2K rules the touges... as it should!

[.::F[L]Y::.]

coming from an S2000 to the 350z, i must say the Zed is alot easier to drive and has more potential. The S2K is an excellent package out of the box. Perhaps add a stroker kit it would be a good compromise, thoughts of buying another one have popped into my head :(

[ROLLED]

To give you an idea, my boss has 911 (996) turbo. I've driven it, and I'd take the s2000 over that.

Did you actually use the throttle Jason?haha I've driven a 996 911 Turbo as well (auto) and I would take that over the s2k or the m3 any day! the Turbo is a rocket ship!

The speed and thrills of the Turbo were also very present in the R34 GT-R (modified) I drove as well...they had similar engine characteristics, very exciting to drive either of them.

I was slightly let down by the Turbo in regards that it felt very "normal" and I thought that for the money you should feel a bit more special driving one...

[y0da]

I went the M3 route - still miss the s2000 for its directness - can't beat the RWD honda for a fun thrash around town.


R34 GTR? one reason i didn't go with one of those is the attention! already had enough of that from a yellow s2000.

IMHO the s2000 is the only japanese performance vehicle that doesn't have boy racer and ricer written all over it (at least back in 04). R34 is a super japanese car, but still a fanboy car - which may or may not bother some, but it does put a slight sour taste in my mouth. Still a fan however! just never an owner.

I would have also thought that the majority of owners who went into the s2000 would have done so because of the quality of vehicle, interior, reliability, style, looks, and up beat NA engine.
R34 is a backward step from this, (except for the performance, and practicality).

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=225525

hahaha Jason buddy you know I have a lot of respect for you but calling a GTR a "fanboy car " is quite offensive.

i'm sure you've heard the saying "courses for horses" I'm sure the GTR was designed for different purposes than what an S2k was. Also in terms of reliability I'm sure that GTR's are very reliable but its unfortunate that many of the reliable ones do not reach Australia as ppl are not willing to pay a little bit more for the cleaner examples.

Anyways I just read that you've owned 2 s2k's??? pm me the story.

[CKEY]

i love all of jko2 comments. calling an R34 a fanboy car, saying he'd take a 2k or a 911. Sure a 10 grand R32 with crap haning off of it is a ricer but a 100 grand R34 (Nur) what fanboy can afford that?

Dude, everyone has strayed from the topic. If your buying a earlier 350Z v 2K go for the Z, but the later Z's have become limp and weak. Any motoring mag judging the BFYB or COY will back this up. the later 2K however still hold there ground.

[IF20CI]

S2000

Pros:
~ Handling
~ Rev to 9000rpm
~ Light chassis
~ Cheaper on fuel
~ A real driver's car
~ Fun to drive compare to 350Z
~ Drift better

Cons:
~ Smaller interior
~ Lack of torque

350Z

Pros:
~ Bigger interior
~ Elegant look

Cons:
~ Cornering capability no where near S2K
~ Drives like a falcon (6500rpm rev cut)
~ Too Heavy
~ Cheap interior