Am i upgrading or Down grading???
 

I have a 03 Maxima, mods in sig. i wanna try something new(RWD)...So I am itching for a s2000 and doing minor bolt ons. Am i making a good move?

I'm going to be completely honest with you here...I would do it in a heartbeat. If I had to do it all over again I would have gotten a sporty RWD 2-door car. There is a much broader aftermarket for those cars and they look cool as hell. Most of them with small bolt-ons are just as fast if not faster as Maxima's with bolt-ons so your not losing any performance. They have a huge following and you won't get the "4-door grandma car" BS anymore. You will have a very nice looking car that with bolt-ons will beat that Maxima ;) Oh...they get just as good MPG as well...

I would look at a couple things.

1) S2000's look cool as hell and fast and people expect them to be. But, how many folks do you surprise with a really quick 4 door family car. Makes my day everytime I smoke some young kid with a quick 4 cylinder rice burner.

2) Do you need the room? If I was 20 and single I would go for the S2000. looks cool and you don't have to drive anyone around since they won't fit. I'm old with kids. I need the room to haul the fam,ily and the groceries. yet I want to drive something that is still fun and doesn't make me feel like I'm a grandpa driving a Camry.

S2000 is a great car with lots of potential. Very fun car to drive in stock form, even better with mods...

Like the other guys said, it pretty much depends on what you are looking for. Personally, being 6'-4" I like having a car that is pretty roomy, and has room for friends and some cargo for road trips, but can still be fun to do some spirited driving from time to time.

If you dont have a need for friends and cargo, then go for it. It will handle 10x better than the maxima, and probably be just as quick or quicker with some bolt-ons.

I personally like the s2000, but I wouldnt get one based on experiences from some friends who have owned them.

They all complain about the lack of tourqe. And they all say that they would have been happier in a G35 or a 350z.

id definitely get the s2000 there (i believe) mid 14 second cars ive personally driven one and it was very comfortable, fast and really sporty. keep in mind that in no way im i a fan of hondas so that should tell u something. the one i drove had a magnaflow exhaust and a CAI boy did it sound good. honestly i wouldnt personally buy one id go with something better IMO a new 370z or maybe a convertible g37

S2000 vs. Maxima = comparing apples to oranges.

This seems kind of pointless.

I don't mean that to be intentionally offensive, because you're obviously in a quandary. But you're comparing vehicles who's only commonality are 4 wheels and a combustion engine. The larger picture is why you need outside opinions on a personal choice?

Do what you want, not what other people tell you. Embrace your decision. Ignore regrets.

I am only driving a Maxima becuase I cannot afford a Corvette at this time, and my wife says "where will the kids sit?". My answer... "In your car".

:sprint: Why arent you considering a 350z or 370z???

:sprint:I saved big bucks at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

i have a friend trying to sell his baby blue s2k in Hilton Head

s2000's r sick no doubt.....but if your using it everyday and need more room then obviously dont go with it.....

maxima and s2000 couldnt farther apart from each other, one of my old friends has an s2k and its like going from a comfortable spaceous car into a fitted drivers car and the feel and drive are different as well

There are allot of RWD cars out there... What made you jump straight to the S2K? From what I've seen the most logical step from a maxima is a BMW 5.... Near same power/weight ratio and it's RWD....

i catch myself daydreaming about a rear wheel drive sports car, then reality strikes that you can't carry 2 kids in a s2000 and groceries and the likes. s2000 is not a family friendly car, but if you're single, you should do it in a heartbeat, you can always go back to a family sedan when you get a family.

I drove an S2000. Lovely car, great interior, suspension, sexy, and it sounds good. Feels like a go kart.

...but I matted it in 2nd gear and didn't feel anything till 5,500 rpm and then VTEC kicked in and I was like whoa I forgot I have 4,000 rpm to go :chuckle:

Honestly, drive everything that even mildly interests you. Take a 370Z, G35/37, RX8, STi, Evo, drive them all. See what you can construct from there.

The top-end on an S2k is awesome, but try another VQ just for kicks and see where that gets you. VQ37VHR = low end, top-end, midrange, automatic rev-matching on downshifts, more options, etc. ;)

seems like apples to oranges to me, but the s2k is a blast to drive

My dad has one and honestly, my brother's base model mini is more fun to toss around....I wouldn't get an S2000. They're a ***** to get in and out of and they have NO torque (and yeah my dad has the '08 with F22 engine). He's had it ever since '07 and it only has like 6k miles on it, but he has taken one road trip in it and returned barely 30 mpg...that's not very good and it's because it revs so damn high. At 80 it was over 4k rpms...The engine is very buzzy and since it's a vert it's just a loud car in general to drive. Never would I buy one as a DD.

If you're looking for a car that will put a huge smile on your face for short drives it's hard to beat the S2000. The shifting is THE best out there and I've driven just about everything there is. It's fast enough to be very fun on the street. It's not so fast you can't wind it out through the gears though. You can actually push the car and have fun without being over 100 MPH before you know it.

The handling is great too. Steering responce is instant and precice. It's like driving a razor blade. Just like with the exceleration, it can be enjoyed at speeds under 100. I would say it's a very "pure" driving experience. Maybe a little too pure for longer drives on less than perfect roads though.

I'd love to have one as a second car. The thought of having to spend too much time in that small car keeps me from having one as my only car. I'm not a big guy either 5'9 150 pounds. I'm very comfortable in one. They actually feel like they were made specificaly for my boby but there's no room to move around and stretch on a longer drive. The power tops are very slick but the visibility is poor.

That's my take on it from someone who's driven a lot of cars. It really comes down to what you want to do with the car and if it meets all your needs.

Down grading. Stick with Nissan or Infinity!

My buddy bought an s2000 and it is a beautiful car. On the other hand my buddy has a nice tuned up civic that beat the pants off the s2000... So if you wouldnt mind getting spanked by a civic then the s2000 would be a fun car... not that fast though

your going to miss having the room to fit you & 4 of your buds

QFT

Making the move wouldnt really be an upgrade or a downgrade since the platforms are HUGELY different

S2k's are nice but like somebody said, a lil room is nice, if i was to change to a RWD sports car, i personally would go the G35 route sounds magnificent with mods and performance and luxury is still maintained

Oh yea, Test Drove a s2k. and g35. 350z. i loved the 350z 6sp most. had most fun haha. so next car is either 350z or G35. but for now getting a Bike( 06 GSXR 750 )

As an S2000 owner I voted yes, although as other before have mentioned, it's an apples to oranges comparison. The change from a Maxima is mainly a matter of utility.

The S2000s are relatively inexpensive due to age, where the originals are now 9 years old. The age brings problems with soft top; they are prone to window clouding (small scratches) and tears.

Note the S2000 does not respond to bolt-ons like others. The engine's airflow is fairly well maximized from the factory, and many bolt-ons give little or no power. For example, few aftermarket headers make power over the stock unit and most just remove weight.

Beyond power, the S2000 handles like a dream and will put a big stupid smile on your face.

Change.... it's your call! Then you'll see why it's cool to have a sporty 4-door sedan! I've had sport cars and a sport mini truck and it sucks to not have enough room or to have to put your good stuff in the back of a truck bed cause it won't fit even when it's raining!

If I were going RWD and were looking for a new ride I would be going 2010 camaro 2SS no looking back

If it's pure performance then the S2k is the obvious pick. However, having dealt with a RWD in bad weather myself...make sure you really want it because those cars (even with traction control) tend to slip in inclement weather.

The Maxima is an all-around car IMO. It offers decent looks, room for the kids...and pretty good power to match.

Lotus exige or elise O_O mid engine rwd, thats even better.

Oh I want to put my 2 cents in! :D

I own an S2K, it is the best car I've ever owned. It has really well rounded performance,looks amazing, and mods like nothing else. I sold my 05 Maxima for it back in 06. I loved the Max but dont regret it one bit. If you dont need the space of a 4 door (like me who at the time was 23 and single) then get the driving experience! Oversteer, tourqe steer, and wheel hop are huge downfalls of FWD's and Maximas suffer from this. RWD is always the way to go!

:hide:

Wait ... wait fellow .org's, before you start throwing things at me. I have recently purchased a 4th gen Maxima so that I can use it to carry my bikes and kayaks, while still having something fun and modiable (i just made that word up). So I still have Maxima love and I plan on replacing my GS300 with a 6th gen.

You are comparing apples to oranges

So my advice is S2Ks are a fun, amazing looking car, with a strong aftermarket support. (I use only for the weekends and dont even know if the top still goes up)
Maximas are the Japan option to buying a BMW. Basically a family car that never makes you feel like you sold out to "The Man".
If you need space DONT buy the S2K it is only meant to transport you and one hot chick. If you need space and can't afford to drive an M5 then keep the Max!

of course your downgrading, your going from a Nissan to Honda.

your loss the interior is a horrible design and the car is GINORMOUS it is larger than a 5th gen Maxima