Hypothetically (of course) would any of you consider trading your MCS for a S2000?

equivalent milage, even up no cash just one car for the other.

 

This is a weird question, since you couldn't really trade a MCS for a S2000 even up. If you did, you could sell the S2000, but another MCS, and use the $10K in change for beer money. So, I guess I'd do it under those circumstances!

And my real answer would be no - I need a back seat for my kid, and the MCS has more personality.

 

>>Hypothetically (of course) would any of you consider trading your MCS for a S2000?
>>
>>equivalent milage, even up no cash just one car for the other.

Please don't tell us MGCMAN that you are thinking about trading in your MCS?

 

No, but I just received a bona fide offer for an even up, no cash trade of my '03 MCS for an '02 S2000.

Don't know whether to or

 

Nope:

1) Its a convertible
2) Its "light"
3) Its the above plus RWD.

It snows here.

 

>>No, but I just received a bona fide offer for an even up, no cash trade of my '03 MCS for an '02 S2000.

 

Hmmm....interesting question. I currently own both (although the S2000 is going to a new home this weekend) and can provide the following thoughts.

The S2000

Pros
- Honda quality...nothing ever breaks and if it did it was quickly taken care of under warranty
- excellent gas mileage (~35 mpg on the highway, 25 around town if flogging it)
- treated like a king when it arrives for service because it is Honda's halo car (at least in the US...In Japan the NSX would be that since there is no Acura brand in Japan)
- fit and finish is excellent
- lots of Honda dealers so that you can get it easily serviced
- still not as plentiful as the MINI. Allocations have been only 5-7K units per year coming into the US

Cons
- No back seat
- passenger side airbag can't be disabled (so you can carry a child with you....or carry kids in my case)
- doesn't go well in snow
- tires can not be rotated as they are different sizes front and rear
- can expect a ticket (although I haven't gotten one in it) because you want to hit VTEC and run it to redline because it sounds like a F1 car at redline
- pre-2004/5 models have twitching handling...power-on snap oversteer


MINI COOPER/MINI COOPER S
Pros
- back seat suitable for two children with a little extra storage space
- eye catching...much more than the S2000 (in the early days the S2000 turned a lot of heads as well but the styling of the car doesn't stand out as much as Electric Blue Cooper S with tinted windows, roof flag, etc :smile That said no one ever spoke to me at a traffic light about it)
- excellent handling...autocross-wise it feels similar but could use a limited slip differential to get the power down. Also it isn't tail happy so you can explore limits in a more comfortable way.
- good resale value (The S2000s, though initially high, have tanked in recent months...I know this a little too well in selling mine)
- can generally be made to fit owner's personality through modifications more cheaply than the S2000. There just isn't much you can do to the S2000 without it becoming very expensive.

Cons
- can not always be easily serviced nearby due to low number of dealerships (in my case I have to drive about 45 minutes to the dealership and usually expect it to take the day...luckily all my services have been short)
- some dealerships (I haven't experienced this at my dealership) have been viewed as providing MINI owners second class service to BMW owners


Personally I have autocrossed both cars and have enjoyed them for different reasons. For a day to day driver (having kids), the MINI gets the nod. For top down driving in the mountains of Colorado during a nice summer day you can't beat the S2K. If money weren't an issue I would have both, but unfortunately I have had to be a bit more pragmatic so the S2K is finding a new home. At the end of the day it really depends on what you want out of a car, what the weather is like in your part of the world, if you have others you need to drive around, and your proximity to a dealership.

Hope this helps...

Mark

 

The S2000 is sweet car, and I hope to get a used one in a few years as a second car. I think they are too expensive brand new. One bad thing I know about them is that you have to always be at red line to really get the most out of the car due to its low tourqe numbers, unless you get the new 2004 model which has a slightly larger engine and more tourqe down low.

Cheers :smile:

 

I own both an S2000 and a JCW MCS . They are too different animals, both with their own unique features and characteristics - apples to oranges. Would I trade an MCS for an S2000? Yes I probably would, but I would have to own another car too. Unless you live in Miami or Phoenix or some other warm climate and don't carry any people or cargo (only sometimes I need the space) I wouldn't use it as a daily driver. My S2K is more of a pampered garage queen . The new '04 only has 8 lb/ft more torque than the '03 which to me (I considered trading up) isn't enough to trade up.

 

The S2000 is one of the nicest cars in Honda's stable. I would not one one just because it is a 2 seater, has very minimal practicality and it is a convertible.

It is too bad that the S2000 platform is not being used in other Acura/Honda models. I just can't begin to imagine how awesome it would have been that the current Acura TSX sedan would have been built on the RWD S2000 platform.

 

I am not all that impressed with the s2000's lines. It kind of reminds me of a glorified miata everytime I see one (with better colors, of course.) Honda's definitely are reliable, but IMO severely lacking in the styling dept. Did he/she have a hurt, bewildered look on their face when you told them "NO!"?

You did tell them no?

 

Thanks for the input, especially Mark and Minicoopermike who own both vehicles. I use my MCS as my daily driver and backup family car for hauling the wife and kids. I already have a couple of garage queen roadsters in my MGs. Winter is coming and we get snow here. Then again it is almost a friggin F-1 engine in that Honda. This offer came completely out of the blue and caught my by surprise. I'm not in the market for any car, let alone the S2000.

Still this is a great opportunity and I'm probably giving it way too much thought. This is my mind as of late:

I can't do this it would be crazy.

Do it.

But then we'd only have one family car, and what if something happened to it?

You'd get a rental until you replaced it.

But I love my MCS.

You'll love the Honda too, trust me on this, just think redline 9000.

AARRRRGGGGHHHH!

I feel like that character in Animal House, torn between desire and civility.

 

>>Hypothetically (of course) would any of you consider trading your MCS for a S2000?
>>
>>equivalent milage, even up no cash just one car for the other.

I WOULD DO IT IN A HEARTBEAT!!!!!!!!!
please take note of the capitalization :smile:...lol

Peace,
D

 

In case you didn't see my 1st post...

YES!!!! would be the answer.


Peace,
D

 

In a heartbeat. I actually paid more for my MCS than a base S2000. I think that the S2000 is an incredible car.

 

I just read this article review in Car and driver on the new 2004 S2000-pretty nice car and better than the older versions. I do see 2002 S2000s for sale in my area at prices not far from MCS prices about $25,000 depending on miles. The new car is $32,000+.
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=7274
For 2004
The result is the same peak output of 240 horsepower, but developed now at 7800 rpm instead of 8300 rpm, and a stronger torque supply that starts and peaks earlier, with 162 pound-feet at 6500 rpm instead of 153 at 7500. Sure, the longer stroke dictated the lower redline, but piston speeds are actually lower in the new car at redline than in the old one. The '03's pistons whiz at 4906 feet per minute at 8900 rpm, whereas the '04's slugs rip along at just 4761 feet per minute at 8000 rpm.

With the same horsepower, the '04 car runs similar 0-to-60-mph and quarter-mile times but aces the '03 model in the 30-to-50-mph and 50-to-70-mph top-gear passes, running 8.8 seconds versus 9.9 and 7.9 seconds versus 9.4, respectively. That's quite remarkable, particularly since sixth gear in the new S2000 is actually now two percent higher. (First through fourth are four percent lower, for better acceleration, with fifth just one percent lower.)

 

You wouldn't have to ask me twice. As much as I love my MCS, she would be a goner and I'd be driving the S2000

 

I would...

 

Would you trade an apple for a orange....Same thing.

 

>>Would you trade an apple for a orange....Same thing.

Yes.... :smile: .... I would :smile:

Peace,
D

 

I wouldn't. The S2000 is a nice car, but you'd have to drive it like you stole it, and the styling, while nice, isn't really all that eye-catching. I often mistake it for a Miata, and sometimes even a Camaro (from certain angles -- no flames please). The MINI, on the other hand, is very distinctive. There are more MINI's than there are S2000's, but here in the Bay Area, I still feel like there's a glut of the Honda.

Stand out. Keep the MINI.

 

An S2000 would be in my stable if I were to have many horses to ride. However, it wouldn't replace my Cooper. I bought my MINI because it was a knockout to look at and performed heads and tails above anything else in it's class and price range. Still does. Before I got the Honda, I'd get a JCW S. I still find the MINI's appeal trumps most other rides out there. Just another$.02 worth.

 

Personally, I wouldn't trade JerseyGirl's MCS for a S2K. The MINI is more interesting and practical. Then again, she also already has a RWD sports car that sits during the Winter... :evil: