"yitznewton" (yitznewton)
09/17/2015 at 01:02 • Filed to: car buying, s2000
2
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"yitznewton" (yitznewton)
09/17/2015 at 01:02 • Filed to: car buying, s2000 | 2
| 8 |
Let me start from the beginning. I’ve had my current 140k-mile Mk4 Jetta since last December, when I had to find a decent car quickly for a new semi-local job. I had previously been commuting via public transit from my North Jersey home to New York. I’ve been spending a lot of time since then thinking about a more permanent and more serious enthusiast car for weekly backroads driving and the occasional autocross.
I was pretty convinced I’d end up either in a BRZ/FR-S, or a Miata. Being that the BRZ didn’t make much of an impression in my stock test drive, I had all my radar going for a solid NA or Mazdaspeed Miata, with the idea that if I couldn’t find a good one by spring, I could always order an ND. I was, of course, aware of the S2000 as a rung above the stock Miata, but I never really considered getting one myself.
That all started to change when I found a 2004 black and red on Silverstone at my local Honda dealer. I thought, hey, I’ve been test-driving so many other cars, let’s take a look at the S2000, for a benchmark at least.
The AP2 made a very strong impression on me. I didn’t end up wanting that particular car, because of an overly-loud aftermarket exhaust and questionable tire wear, but the car got under my skin. The song of the engine, the way the steering talked back to me, the shimmy of the chassis as I hopped back and forth on an S-ramp to get on the highway: all these made for a sensory experience I have not felt in a Miata. We pulled back up in the dealership, and all I could say was, “Wow.”
Fast-forward a bunch of candidate NAs later, to last Thursday. I found this 2006 S2000 on cars.com. It was totally stock, 45k miles with impeccable service history, about an hour and a half away, and the asking price even made sense. I immediately called for photos (none had been posted) and registered my interest; but I wasn’t convinced I wanted to spring for the cut above a Miata.
When the photos came in, they confirmed the outstanding condition of the car, with no obvious exterior defects, minimal seat wear, and no janky aftermarket baubles inside or out. I was feeling a nervous excitement.
I found another local AP2 to drive, stock this time. It turned out to have more ominous maintenance signs than the earlier one, but confirmed my original driving impressions. I thought about it for a good week, and finally this afternoon, seeing the car was still on cars.com, decided to take the plunge and put down a deposit, heading down in the morning to wrap it up.
But the car had been sold.
I can’t say I regret not moving faster, because I really wasn’t ready to commit to the car initially. But I certainly was left with a pang of sadness that I missed out on the opportunity to own this wonderful car. I even had a tentative name picked out.
This Friday, Mazda is hosting a come-and-drive event, where they allow you to wring out the new ND Miatas, and I will be there with bells on. Perhaps I’ll be converted to the ND. But you can bet that at least one eye will remained glued to the listings for the next clean AP2 to come along.
Decay buys too many beaters
> yitznewton
09/17/2015 at 01:31 |
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I’ve had this happen to me many times, just keep the search alive and eventually you’ll land the right car at the right price.
Dunnik
> yitznewton
09/17/2015 at 01:35 |
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I’ve never had the pleasure of driving one, but about the only bad thing I hear people say about it is its hard to find and expensive when you do.
Squid
> yitznewton
09/17/2015 at 02:44 |
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S2ks are fun. But treat them with a healthy dose of respect as they like to snap oversteer. That is one reason for many of them rocking the salvage title. The f20/f22c is a hell of a motor though. Lots of fun and decent amount of power to get in trouble with. They are definitely a lot more lively than the na-nc’s can't say anything about the nd but good luck on your mission of joining the roadster life club.
jjhats
> yitznewton
09/17/2015 at 07:10 |
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Where do I find out about these mazda come and drive events? I see a lot of posts about them but no info how to register. Also to make you feel a little better I never cared for that baby blue color but that's prolly not gonna help haha. Keep looking man
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yitznewton
> jjhats
09/17/2015 at 07:29 |
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I just happened to see it on miata.net - would never have known it even existed.
http://www.mazdausamedia.com/index.php?s=31…
I’m really Silverstone kind of guy, but the car was awesome, and the color was growing on me.
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yitznewton
> Dunnik
09/17/2015 at 08:09 |
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There are quite a few unreasonably-priced ones out there, which continue to sit. Once in a while you’ll see this, a nice low-mile stock example for book value. Now I know to jump on it!
j369
> yitznewton
09/17/2015 at 10:53 |
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This happened to me with an S2000 as well. About a year later I picked one up for $8500 with 73k miles. It was a one owner car and he claimed the salvage title was from a car merging into him on the freeway so I believed him. About a 4k miles later his story seems to hold up, tire wear is perfectly even and the car tracks perfectly straight.
It is a lovely car to drive but demands your full attention, I also have a NA miata and in a way I think that car is still more fun and lighthearted compared to the s2000.
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yitznewton
> j369
09/17/2015 at 11:02 |
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Yeah, I get that impression too, about Miata vs. S2000 demeanor. I think that’s what I’m looking for right now.