S2000 vs. Miata

I too took the jump from a mazdaspeed6 to a miata. for many of the same reason you listed. I love the car, and I haven't had any regrets about picking it up.

Tom's point about consumables is a valid one. If you are really trying to improve your driving, and your out racing nearly every weekend, having cheaper consumables makes life much nicer.

I have driven an S2k once at an autocross, and it was a fantastic car. I certainly wouldn't kick it out of my garage.

Note that in your analysis of a $5k miata + $5k in mods or a $10k S2000, the S2000 requires you to have the full amount up front, where with the miata you can kind of ease into it. (besides you can get a really nice already modified na miata for $5k)

autoxrs wrote: 2zz MR2 Spyder, otherwise called the poor man's Elise. Be prepared for dirty looks and questions about what it is and how expensive they are. But, its all worth the incredible steering and the noise at 8500 rpm. I really miss mine. Everyone and their brother has an S2k or a Miata, in my brief foray into automotive nirvana I saw 0 other Spyders.

A very weak spot for me. I was ->this<- close to buying an MR-S instead of my Miata. I like the S2000 a lot too, but for the uses the OP is describing a Miata is awfully tough to beat.

I love Miatas. They're made of awesome with sprinkles of win on top. There would be no S2000 if Mazda hadn't given rebirth to sports cars. Plus, it's great that the "muscle car" guys don't get it. Makes it much cooler.

I love S2000s too. They're really neat, but the Miata is... the MIATA! It's the car. It is the quitnesential inexpensive sports car of our age. So what do I think?

Buy an MR2. But if it has to be one of the ones you mention, I just like the Miata.

Take care,

Ed

The consumables are not really that much more if you are talking about race quality stuff. Generic rotors are probably twice as expensive on the S (they are ludicrously cheap for the Miata), but race pads aren't much more than for a Miata. Tires are maybe $50 extra per set for the popular Street Touring type tires, R-Comps are expensive no matter what the size. Shocks are a little cheaper for a Miata, but the stock S2000 units are excellent and probably won't need to be replaced unless you are trying to win a national championship. I ended up finding a used set of stock wheels, a Saner swaybar, and a used set of Hoosiers all for under $500. Not bad for what should be a locally competitve BS setup (well, not competitive in NER, but BS in NER has several drivers that could conceivably win at Nationals).

Tom Heath wrote: A very weak spot for me. I was ->this<- close to buying an MR-S instead of my Miata. I like the S2000 a lot too, but for the uses the OP is describing a Miata is awfully tough to beat.

My car the day I sold it. One day I will own another, exactly like it. Black Widow seems like an apt name.

Even based on the OP's needs I claim MR-S. Add a roll bar and do track days. Dave, who owned mine before me, put on 130 miles each and every day. Rain, shine or snow. The car was magnificent in the snow with some snow tires. I've driven many a Miata and S2k, but I'd go straight back to a MR-S with a 2zz and LSD for the OP's price point. You get Toyota reliability in a light weight package that's sort of rare.

great point all around, the MRS HAS crossed my mind, i wont lie, im gonna have to drive all 3 and the real;ity is that the wife WILL have some input in it all, I am sure I would not be dissapointed with a S2K but i think from reading and my dad owning on it is more track day less autoX, the MR and miata seem more geared for autoX with occasional track days, which is where I will be realistically.....

If I lived right next to Mid Ohio (3 hour drive for me) i would go S2K without hessitation....

I've never driven the MKIII MR2, but having owned 3 MK1s and an MKII, I'm a huge fan of the MR2 series.

However, between the Miata and S2000, I think it's an easy choice. Nothing against the S2000, but there is a reason the Miata has won automotive award after award, is a favorite of car forums/racing clubs/GRM, has a monster aftermarket, etc.... It's just a flat out awesome car. When it comes to pure driving fun, you won't get much better bang for your buck. My DD is an '06 Miata GT, and I'm thrilled with it.

Screw people who say it's "girly". I never understood that logic. So just because I like a car whose styling happens to appeal to women, but driving dynamics are near perfect, that makes me girly?? Whatever... I've owned plenty of "manly" V8 muscle cars, and none of them were as much fun to drive as my Miata. If that makes me girly, then buy my ass a skirt.

Which one accepts a V8 easier?

Miata FTW

autoxrs wrote: 2zz MR2 Spyder, otherwise called the poor man's Elise. Be prepared for dirty looks and questions about what it is and how expensive they are. But, its all worth the incredible steering and the noise at 8500 rpm. I really miss mine. Everyone and their brother has an S2k or a Miata, in my brief foray into automotive nirvana I saw 0 other Spyders.

This.

MR-S, then do the relatively simple 2zzge swap and have something IMPRESSIVELY quick, and still have that nifty mid engine feel. Bonus? They're WAY lighter than anything else listed so far.

autoxrs wrote: 2zz MR2 Spyder, otherwise called the poor man's Elise. Be prepared for dirty looks and questions about what it is and how expensive they are. But, its all worth the incredible steering and the noise at 8500 rpm. I really miss mine. Everyone and their brother has an S2k or a Miata, in my brief foray into automotive nirvana I saw 0 other Spyders.

+1

Such sweet, good natured handling. Such awesome steering. The third gen MR2 and the Evo VIII were the two most fun cars I've driven irrespective of cost. That said, due to a long string of weird accidents and bad luck, I've never driven a Miata and therefore can't recommend one over the other.

S2000 Track info: http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles/articletype/categoryview/categoryid/105/project-s2000.aspx

The latest installment deals the track day performance at Buttonwillow...

What's the weight of an MR-S? Miatas run 2120-2500 depending on the year and spec.

Keith wrote: What's the weight of an MR-S? Miatas run 2120-2500 depending on the year and spec.

About 2200.

Keith wrote: What's the weight of an MR-S? Miatas run 2120-2500 depending on the year and spec.

I may have been assuming newer miatas because of the S2000 thrown in there.

MR-S weighs in at 2150. And at 140hp even with the stock 1zzfe, it's a bit zippier than even the early lightest miatas.

1999 Miata is 2299 lbs (at the brochure) and 140 hp. So there's the closest equivalent Miata. Not far off, really.

Keith wrote: 1999 Miata is 2299 lbs (at the brochure) and 140 hp. So there's the closest equivalent Miata. Not far off, really.

Hrm. I consider myself corrected. I always thought the later ones were heavier than that. More like 2500lbs. My bad.

dj06482 wrote: S2000 Track info: http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles/articletype/categoryview/categoryid/105/project-s2000.aspx The latest installment deals the track day performance at Buttonwillow...

Someone please talk to those guys about reading a FEA result - that analysis of the wheel made me throw up.

dj06482 wrote: S2000 Track info: http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles/articletype/categoryview/categoryid/105/project-s2000.aspx The latest installment deals the track day performance at Buttonwillow...

Dude, great site... love reading it thus far, very informative, and finally tech articles on my level of understanding, something I have only found in GRM and that site, I dont need ot be told that a larger exhaust reduces pumping losses to free up HP AGAIN in modified magazine....

A friend of mine sold her daily ride/autocross Miata and bought an S2K. While she LOVED her S2K, it cost significantly more to maintain. So she bought a Spec Miata to track instead, and kept the S2K as her daily ride (until she sold it and bought an BMW M Roadster).

If you want a cheap autocross/track car, go Miata. If you want a fun sporty daily ride that you're only going to ax occasionally, go S2K.

I'll be keeping the speed6 as a DD cause of the car seat, sirrius radio, and just ergonomics...

bigbens6 wrote:

dj06482 wrote: S2000 Track info: http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles/articletype/categoryview/categoryid/105/project-s2000.aspx The latest installment deals the track day performance at Buttonwillow...

Dude, great site... love reading it thus far, very informative, and finally tech articles on my level of understanding, something I have only found in GRM and that site, I dont need ot be told that a larger exhaust reduces pumping losses to free up HP AGAIN in modified magazine....

I think the guy writing most of those articles is a refugee from the wreckage of SportCompactCar. They even have some of the same project cars.

bigbens6 wrote: care to elaborate on why.... I should add that I took the frist stage of The Mid-Ohio school and plan on finishing all 3 of their courses, and I regularly go on 3-5 hour back road rallys, so while I am not gonna call myself a hot shoe, I have begun building a solid base of knowledge. Currently drive a 06 mazdaspeed 6 that i am very comfortable with at 8/10ths just haven't had the opportunity to push it all the way, and i dont see the risk being worth the reward ot push further on public streets....

Low power is better for working on your skills. Take the Mid Ohio courses if you want, but NASA runs there 3 times a year and you can sign up for HPDE1 and get an in-car instructor and more track time than the Mid Ohio schools. (Shameless plug. I am an instructor with NASA.)

Also, miata setup knowledge is so pervasive that you won't spend time worrying about setup and can concentrate on YOU and your skills. Lots of people have been there done that and can get you setup with minimal expense and hassle. The "girly" miata is a great car to learn on and hold there value well enough that selling it as a track car later when you want more power will be easy.

Consumables are cheaper and race take-offs are available all over the place to further reduce the costs. Look for a miata that has been already modified for the track as you can find one for around 5k. You can probably even get one with the spec suspension, extra wheels/tires and rollbar for that price especially and early one.

I just purchased a 2000 Miata to replace my 91 track only Miata (which has the Spec Miata suspension, roll cage, hard top, wheels etc) as I wanted something street legal that I could drive more often and still take on the track once in a while. The track car will be sold to make room at the ranch. This will be my 5th Miata so it is obvious which side I am on

There was a car with full suspension, rollbar and an FM II that sold through the FM website last week. 270k on the chassis, but we rebuilt the engine 72k ago. Asking price was $5995, I'm pretty sure it went for around $5k.

So looking ahead, any year or spec on the miata i should shoot for, certain upgrades in a model year change i should avoid?

Can you tell i made up my mind haha

I really am getting this as a tool to improve ME, anyone can jump in a fast car and be relatively fast because of the car, i wanna be fast in anything im driving....