Well this is my 2 cents worth.
GTO 5.7L 9 weeks 7500 miles 10 states 78 Pontiac dealerships, Hold the road very well indeed. Cornering exceptionally good (but that depends on the driver) Acceleration and braking topnotch. I did not want to give it back and the seat are the most comfortable seat that I have ever!! sat in....
Get the GTO.....
Honda S2000 4 moth ride n drive. It was a competitive car for the Pontiac Solstice....... Horrible under-steer, poor weight balance. This is one car that is all show no go... 240 hp 162lbs of torque. So to have some real fun with it (in the right hands) your rpms are up around 6-8k and the fact that your are cramped into the car....

But each to their own, i wish you best of luck and happiness with what ever car you get....

 

The S2000 simply doesn't do it for me.

 

I've driven a huge variety of other cars and none of them give me the all-around enjoyment and fun, plus hauling of stuff ability, as the MINI. Best wishes to you with whatever you get next! Bet you'll be back in a MINI within two years!

 

For the last few months I've been in the same boat, toying with the idea to release the MINI from my clutches... and try something else. I started test driving a few cars over the last few months. Everytime that I went to a dealer and finished a test drive... then got back in the MINI-- it was a comfort and fun drive. I still wanted to get rid of it. The only problem is, I can't imagine not having a MINI. I think that it's like a relationship-- you have to work at it. I'm falling back in love with my MINI... I need some new bits on the car and that will help. Thanks for your story though, it really helps!

I wish you the best of luck on your journey... hang in there with the MINI, you won't regret it.

 

 

ONASLED has a video where he races a S2000...

lets just say the S2000 was embarrased so bad he basically pulled aside to let the MINI past. It was quite a joke.


Keep. the. MINI.

 

I recently drove an S2000 just to see what all the hub-bub was about. I was disappointed. I'm 5'8" tall, and getting in and out was a chore. Once I was in, it was pretty comfortable. On the drive, it just felt sluggish. I mentioned that to the salesman. He told me that I wasn't driving it right...that I needed to rev it up to make it run. So I revved it up a little more....and sure enough, it flies! Problem is, there's NOTHING below 6000 rpm, then it's like somebody pressed the ON button. No doubt that it's ultimately faster than my MCS, but it's another one of those "all or nothing" cars. Maybe this type of behavior is great on a track, but it gets old on the street (to me). I was raised on V8's, and the MCS is the only 4 cyl car I've ever liked. The Subaru STi is too peaky for me too, but not nearly as bad as the S2000 in that regard.

Both are actually nice cars, I just can't deal with their power delivery.

Rawhyde

 

Hey, that good lookin' OTHER group is West Coast MINIs!! Wanna know what the most popular comment among WCM about the GTO group was... "Where are the girls???" By the way, we're lovers, not fighters.

 

OK, I'll be honest. I just can't deal with FWD anymore.

What the S2000 had that I liked was a very nimble chassis and a great interior. It's not going to blow the doors of anybody, but around a track it's incredible in the right hands.
Plus, it'll turn the wrong way on you if you don't respect it. And I like that. The GTO is a great car in a straight line, but I was already planning on installing a $2000 suspension to make it manageable. That's cutting into my motorcycle money in a big way.

My only real standards for my new car are that it be rear driven and fast on the track. You'd think that'd have lots of options, but if you don't like the 350z or RX-8 and can't afford a clean 'vette, you've only got so many options.

Edit: and no I'm not a fighter either, butI think the conversations I'd probably have brought up about which cars were better would be pretty sensitive. The 2 cars define "fun" in very different ways

 

I SAY HERE HERE FOR JJ...right on girl...and dont u remember what we also said that day...."Our girls arent there for show, they're here for to drive!" besides GTO is a lead sled, sry but retooled Grand Am's just arent my thing...if they wanted something to carry on the great GTO badge, make it look like a freakin muscle car!

 

I've had a lot of cars in my 55 years. I usually moved on because I wanted something different. There's an undeniable rush of a new car, whatever it is. I might forget some but I started out with a 69 RoadRunner, 383 Mag Hurst 4 ect, went thru a few junkers then it was a 70 Dodge Challenger, 383Mag Hurst 4 ect some more junkers then an 86 RX7, 5spd stick of course, had it a few years, wanted something different, got a 92 1st gen Eclipse, not a bad car but it didn't take long to want something different. Grand Cherokee v8 of course for a while but then the third gen Eclipse came out so I wanted something different for a while. Well along came the Infiniti FX35, Great SUV but then gas went crazy. Same dealership carried MINIs and then I really got something DIFFERENT, MCS40 still have it but It's the SO's now and I've got my PW/B (#1by the way) and the only thing I want different now is a loaded 06 JCW. I'm done with different now. I'm a MINI guy!!!

 

If you love the car so much then why are you selling it? For the money, I cannot think of any car that offers such a rewarding driving experience. Unless you've had some life altering event such as the birth of triplets, why would you want to get rid of it?

Once you get over the rush of the GTO's acceleration you won't find a lot there to get excited about.

 

Have you considered a Solstice or Sky? If you can catch the GRM issue with the comparison between the Solstice, 06 MX-5 and 99 Miata it's an interesting read.

While these cars may not have all the go you're looking for, I think the chassis makes them strong contenders.

Good luck man!

 

I'm not a big fan of any of the 2006 roadsters - the solstice and sky are both way too heavy and not terribly well built for handling, and the miata is apparently a bit of a pig. They'd all need some work to be real contenders.

I haven't sold the MINI yet, so I'm still open to ideas if there's anything better out there. Looks are the least of my priorities, though.

I think the S2000 is the closest to a sports car I'm going to find in this price range. I'm still happy with the choice.

I'll always love the MINI, too. I'll probably be upset in 30 years that I let her go for under 20k! When I'm 50 these things will be almost priceless

 

What exactly is your price range? Do you track a lot? I'm just wondering how much of your decision is based on the track-ability of the car. I may be a little biased, but an 99/00 M Coupe, or even roadster, might fit the bill for you. Good ones can be had for the low 20s and its a nice 240 hp torquey engine (or if you have more cash the 315 hp 01/02). Would be best with some upgraded suspension. Anyway, if you are interested lots of info can be found on 368s.com, and the roadfly/bimmerfest boards. (Sidenote, the M Coupers are a cool bunch and many track their cars.)

The SO had an S2k back when they first came out and really enjoyed the car. Beautiful shifting and steering feel, and yes it required lots of revving to hit the sweet VTEC zone, but that had its own type of enjoyment. Didn't have the car very long though as it was really a placeholder until the car on order came in, but it was enjoyable sports car nonetheless.

Or you could get a classic E30 m3

 

How so?

Supposedly it's about as fast as last years Turbo Miata, handles same or better, has more room, tilt wheel, rides more comfortably, etc....aspects the last generation didn't have.

Prior to buying our MCS I test drove the turbo Miata and loved it....I just decided that the practicality of the MCS was a better choice...and its character. Performance-wise they were about the same.

 

It has been a couple of years, but I drove an M Roadster with the 240 HP engine. That is a fantastic car, and the 315 HP version would have to be even better! I've driven an M3 with the 333 HP engine and although it'll rev up like a chainsaw, it STILL has plenty of low end grunt. They are so well mannered that it'll never be a pain in the daily grind. At least try one before you commit to the S2000. They aren't that easy to find, but it's well worth the search.

Nothing beats an inline 6 for smoothness and torque delivery.

Rawhyde

 

I just want to say to everyone in this thread, even those who are long gone, who said "Don't sell your MINI" - you were right. 100%, no caveats, absolutely right.

I saw her the other day and she still had the 2 little stickers I had in the rear windows... and she was filthy. And I missed her. I liked my GTO, I really like my S60R, but I LOVED Sonja.

Enjoy your cars, guys, because I'm jealous and a MINI shouldn't be wasted. Now I'm going to go drive home in my Swedish beauty that I never bothered to name and hope she doesn't notice I'm pining for another.

Oh well, tomorrow is a new day and I'm looking at 996s so I can't complain. :D My next car will be one I Love or it will be one I've sold and that's that. After a MINI it's tough to settle.

 

Definitely, do get a car you love, time behind the wheel is not very tolerable, much less enjoyable, otherwise - sorry to hear you replacement was not all that you had dreamed, I hope your next is more fulfilling and fun. If you don't try owning new cars you'll never really know though, I sort of see it as an adventure you pretty much have to immerse yourself with ownership to really experience and know all the details of.

That said, as for us, we did sell our MCS and, much as it was loved, the current rides are adored (and named) as well

 

I keep meaning to ask, the "R" doesn't stand for Ronaldo, does it?

 

It all comes down to the simple fact: Drive what you love or love what you drive.
Otherwise the car is just transportation.
-skip-
been driving this little red bumblebee for 6 years now, and wouldn't have anything else.

 

I will never sell mine
just upgrade him...
his name is patrick
and i had a gto great highway trip car.
dont bash it it had nice seats
its for a diffrent purpose than the mini
it realy was a great car

 

GTO. Boring. Any other car not worth the new payments.
Why step backwards? Save your money, you'll still have the ultra cool MINI and take more of those beloved canyon and coastal runs.
Don't go backwards.

 

The GTO is history and now Pontiac will be selling another Australian (Holden) import as the 4 door Pontiac G8 which should remedy most of the issues the old GTO (Monaro) had. However with $4 per gallon gas in the horizon, who wants to feed a thirsty V8 monster these days?

 

Yes, however, the new G8 GT has one nifty feature...