S2000 vs. Miata

I own both an '08 S2000 and a '96 Miata.

If you can only have one, buy a miata, then give it to Keith to make it awesome...r!

In all honesty, you can't go wrong with any Miata. Buy the best you can and go from there. All of the changes that happened in the later model cars can be swapped onto the earlier ones. As an example, mine has the bigger brakes and better shocks/springs from the NB cars. The upgrades didn't really cost that much more than the stock size replacements.

I started reading this thread thinking that there's no comparison. Thinking that the S2000 is the clear choice. Now I'm thinking about selling all my cars and getting a Miata. Thanks guys! Somebody here should start a service for finding and vetting good Miata's for sale. Kind of like Bring a Trailer, but just for Miatas. That would be a really big help for those of us who aren't as familiar with the car as a lot of the people here are.

Hmm, that's an interesting idea. Miatas are a hot button on BaT, so there's room for both in the market...

GRM published a buyer's guide for the car. My only recommendation would be to go with a 1.8 (1994 or later) because that gives you a stronger rear end and a bigger (ha!) engine. But there are a lot of happy little 1.6 Specs out there.

What about values? Or are there any weak areas? I suppose that info may be in the GRM article, which I read, but totally forget now.

bravenrace wrote: I started reading this thread thinking that there's no comparison. Thinking that the S2000 is the clear choice. Now I'm thinking about selling all my cars and getting a Miata. Thanks guys! Somebody here should start a service for finding and vetting good Miata's for sale. Kind of like Bring a Trailer, but just for Miatas. That would be a really big help for those of us who aren't as familiar with the car as a lot of the people here are.

The great thing is that the only bad miatas are broken frame miatas. Anything short of that can be fixed and can even encourage you to do crazy fun things (blown engine, = have FM build you a turbo 2.0, blown shocks = woot new coilovers, slashed soft top = begging for hardtop and rollbar). When you break the car down into its components, its incredibly simple compared with most contemporaries. There is no reason why I can't keep refurbishing my '96 to whatever I want to do with it, all for reasonable prices.

Are all 1.8's rated at 140hp? they used that motor for a long time, but i thought i read that 99 had some magical head or something that was better in some way, and that 99 model motors were better... i could be dreaming though

bravenrace wrote: What about values? Or are there any weak areas? I suppose that info may be in the GRM article, which I read, but totally forget now.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/mazda-miata/ I got you covered brother

bigbens6 wrote: Are all 1.8's rated at 140hp? they used that motor for a long time, but i thought i read that 99 had some magical head or something that was better in some way, and that 99 model motors were better... i could be dreaming though

'94-95 1.8 (OBD I) - 128hp.

'96-'97 1.8 (OBD II) - 133hp.

'99-'00 1.8 (new head) - 140hp.

'01-'05 1.8 N/A (Variable timing) - 142hp.

'04-'05 1.8 turbo - 178 hp.

that's my rough memory.

Pretty much it. The compression ratio kept creeping up from 8.8 to 9.0 to 9.5 to 10.0 to 9.5 (turbo car), but the 1.8 bottom ends are all pretty much interchangeable and those are the power numbers. The VVT cars aren't a lot more powerful in stock form, but they're a lot cleaner which is important to an OE. The California 1999-00 cars had an extra cat which choked off another 3 hp or so and is currently presenting a lot of 1999-00 CA Miata owners with expensive replacement costs. VVT allowed this cat to be deleted.

Personally I would look for a NA with a 1.8 (1994-1997 or an early NB depending on budget) that is already modded, in good condition, and has a torsen LSD. There are some guides over on miata.net that will walk you through which cars and option packages came equipped with an LSD.

Note that the presence or absence of an LSD will have a significant effect on how the car is classed at the SCCA (STR vs STS)

bigbens6 wrote: Are all 1.8's rated at 140hp? they used that motor for a long time, but i thought i read that 99 had some magical head or something that was better in some way, and that 99 model motors were better... i could be dreaming though

I must add that you do not need power to go fast. Come to Mid Ohio this weekend as NASA is running there this weekend. You could run a miata on 2 cylinders in HPDE 1 and not be the slowest car on the track. I seriously recommend signing up for a NASA weekend on whatever car you have. You will learn that going fast has more to do with the driver than the car OR modifications to said car.

All of this is counter-intuitive but trust me you will be better off to forget horsepower and learn how to drive as it will make you faster in EVERY car you drive going forward. Otherwise you can spend $$$$ chasing power and get passed by someone who can drive. I must add that you do not need power to go fast. Come to Mid Ohio this weekend as NASA is running there this weekend. You could tuna miata on 2 cylinders in HPDE 1 and not be the slowest car on the track. I seriously recommend signing up for a NASA weekend on whatever car you have. You will learn that going fast has more to do with the driver than the car OR modifications to said car.

All of this is counter-intuitive but trust me you will be better off to forget horsepower and learn how to drive as it will make you faster in EVERY car you drive going forward.

Otherwise you can spend $$$$ chasiv power and get passed by someone who can drive.

Has anyone thought of looks? Looks can play a big part to me. There is a hell of a lot more you can do to tweek the looks of the Honda vs. the Miata. I can only think of one bumper (Racing Beat type II) that looks good on a NA. As for Honda, the skys the limit.

I can't see much of the Miata from behind the wheel. Though I do like the looks of the barn doors. That said, if someone gave me a RB Type II body kit, I wouldn't throw it out. I'd store it in the attic until I needed a new front bumper.

mattm wrote:

bigbens6 wrote: Are all 1.8's rated at 140hp? they used that motor for a long time, but i thought i read that 99 had some magical head or something that was better in some way, and that 99 model motors were better... i could be dreaming though

I must add that you do not need power to go fast. Come to Mid Ohio this weekend as NASA is running there this weekend. You could run a miata on 2 cylinders in HPDE 1 and not be the slowest car on the track. I seriously recommend signing up for a NASA weekend on whatever car you have. You will learn that going fast has more to do with the driver than the car OR modifications to said car. All of this is counter-intuitive but trust me you will be better off to forget horsepower and learn how to drive as it will make you faster in EVERY car you drive going forward. Otherwise you can spend $$$$ chasing power and get passed by someone who can drive. I must add that you do not need power to go fast. Come to Mid Ohio this weekend as NASA is running there this weekend. You could tuna miata on 2 cylinders in HPDE 1 and not be the slowest car on the track. I seriously recommend signing up for a NASA weekend on whatever car you have. You will learn that going fast has more to do with the driver than the car OR modifications to said car. All of this is counter-intuitive but trust me you will be better off to forget horsepower and learn how to drive as it will make you faster in EVERY car you drive going forward. Otherwise you can spend $$$$ chasiv power and get passed by someone who can drive.

agreed.. hp only helps in acceleration. as a momentium car.. if you do not slow down, you do not have to accelerate

Appleseed wrote: Has anyone thought of looks? Looks can play a big part to me. There is a hell of a lot more you can do to tweek the looks of the Honda vs. the Miata. I can only think of one bumper (Racing Beat type II) that looks good on a NA. As for Honda, the skys the limit.

There are body kits for both. The question is - how many of those body kits look better than stock? The answer is, as usual, very few. The Honda does aggression better, I think the Miata works better with function-driven modifications. I'm not sure this is a major factor in most people's "I want a good track car" decisions though.

I sold my 99 Miata at the start of summer and really miss it. Can a S2000 do open track days without a roll bar? That was one problem I had with the Miata - I didn't want to have a roll bar in my street car. I did a ride along at Mid Ohio in the school S2000 and it did not have a roll bar.

The other thing to look at is resale. If you bought a $10k S2000 or a $5k Miata and put $5k in mods, which is going to be worth more? Generally mods are a poor return on investment and can make a car harder to sell.

My Miata had a lot of mild performance, suspension and appearance mods. I was able to buy most of them used off of eBay or Miata.net. I got lucky, the first guy who test drove my car bought it and I got about $2200 more then the "experts" on Miata.net thought my car should fetch.

You mean like these Miata's?

They do look better with the top down

I love the look of this miata

So far this is how I've set up my Miata. Still need a rollbar and gotta play with the suspension a bit more.

"The great thing is that the only bad miatas are broken frame miatas. Anything short of that can be fixed and can even encourage you to do crazy fun things (blown engine, = have FM build you a turbo 2.0, blown shocks = woot new coilovers, slashed soft top = begging for hardtop and rollbar). When you break the car down into its components, its incredibly simple compared with most contemporaries. There is no reason why I can't keep refurbishing my '96 to whatever I want to do with it, all for reasonable prices."

HHMMmmm Change the car name, and this sounds like a Triumph/MG discussion site..

racerfink wrote: You mean like these Miata's? They do look better with the top down Look like pedal cars.

mad_machine wrote: agreed.. hp only helps in acceleration. as a momentium car.. if you do not slow down, you do not have to accelerate

Funny, this is how I always feel about my S2000

mattm wrote:

bigbens6 wrote: Are all 1.8's rated at 140hp? they used that motor for a long time, but i thought i read that 99 had some magical head or something that was better in some way, and that 99 model motors were better... i could be dreaming though

I must add that you do not need power to go fast. Come to Mid Ohio this weekend as NASA is running there this weekend. You could run a miata on 2 cylinders in HPDE 1 and not be the slowest car on the track. I seriously recommend signing up for a NASA weekend on whatever car you have. You will learn that going fast has more to do with the driver than the car OR modifications to said car. All of this is counter-intuitive but trust me you will be better off to forget horsepower and learn how to drive as it will make you faster in EVERY car you drive going forward. Otherwise you can spend $$$$ chasing power and get passed by someone who can drive. I must add that you do not need power to go fast. Come to Mid Ohio this weekend as NASA is running there this weekend. You could tuna miata on 2 cylinders in HPDE 1 and not be the slowest car on the track. I seriously recommend signing up for a NASA weekend on whatever car you have. You will learn that going fast has more to do with the driver than the car OR modifications to said car. All of this is counter-intuitive but trust me you will be better off to forget horsepower and learn how to drive as it will make you faster in EVERY car you drive going forward. Otherwise you can spend $$$$ chasiv power and get passed by someone who can drive.

You must feel strongly about this as you took the time to write it TWICE! ;)

I know power isnt everything, and as i stated this is a tool to make ME a better driver not set fast laps, I would LOVE to go to a track day and get in my buddy joes g35 (coil overs adjustable sways, volkt76's, re11's few poer mods) and turn equal or better lap times than he does... thats the goal, hence why i want a less powerful car so im not depending on HP to make up for a bad corner exit!

On the same note, I'm used to 300+hp an something that turn 13-9 1/4's so I figure SOME power is needed to keep me entertained as well, hence the 99-00 model year catching my eye :shrug:

I figure 5 or so years with my miata, and ill either upgrade to a s2k/350z/rx8 type platform OR ill turbo it or v8 swap it... but only after i feel i have mastered (or improved greatly) the miata at near stock power levels.

I've seen one kit I like on a miata, and it was a bumper that looked like an Aston Martin. Don't know where I saw it, but I haven't been able to find it after searching for it.