Honda S2000 VS Nissan 350Z, Which one is better? And which one is easy to mod?

[Neutrino]

go autocrossing and try to keep a car like the s2000 in its powerband out of a hairpin turn and then talk about how easy its to keep it in the power band....


and if you have any doubts about nissan's capabilities just try and race a GTR....

[FYRHWK1]

Originally posted by hardtutame


Little potential because it was highly tuned from factory. 120HP per liter, something i have yet to see happen for nissan or any other for NA motors. You are comparing a 2.0 with a 3.5 Liter. doesnt mean the 3.5 is better in all aspects.

Bigger is not always better, learn that. The car is not hard keep in the powerband, you just have to learn how to drive or drive it.

the potential is great for power, of course the displacement difference makes a big difference when talking about mods. There is really no tricks involved to make power when you have the displacement. Nissan should try to stuff a 2.0L under the Z making 286HP and see if they will really sell it for under 30,000. What do you think?

They are both great cars but are really different cars. And of course if you want to make more power you have to tear the motor apart, but this applies to any motor any make any mfger.

Yes, it is hard to keep in it's powerband, I've driven one. Any car with a range of 3000 RPM where it's actually drivable is not easy to drive, I prefer motors that have enough power to pull out of a turn in 1st through 3rd at any point in the RPM range because it allows you to make mistakes and not bog or stall out in the middle of a race.

In terms of engine power, bigger is always better, assuming you can fill said displacement you will make more torque, of course there's a million variables but thats essentially how it goes, crank journal length, VE, etc all matter as well but i'm sure you get what I mean.

HP/liter means nothing, zip, zilch, nada. I don't care how much hp/liter it makes, Honda needs some more liters, let's see them make a 4L motor with over 100 HP/liter and then I might be impressed, larger engines are harder to get specific power from so it's not "just a matter of them not doing it" as most would say. Nissan chose to go the better route, a still lightweight engine thats 1.5L bigger then it's Honda competition, it requires lesss RPM which makes it more reliable and causes less wear. Most all of the stress an engine see's is from inertial loading, which do you think does more damage, 7000 or 9000 RPM? I'm no fan of the 350Z, inf act I really don't like it, but it's not a bad car in a technical standpoint, certainly better off then a little motor spinning to sky high RPMs.

[Thepeug]

S2000 all the way. It's not good for mods, but stock for stock, it's just a more fun car to drive. Not very practical, but just more fun. It handles better, it's lighter, and in several respects, it's faster than the Z, even though it has less hp. Read the comparison in Car and Driver. Read the comparison in Road and Track. Read the Superfour Challenge in the newest Car and Driver. S2000 wins over every car in all three of those comparisons, and the 350 is in two of them. It's completely a matter opinion, though.

[hardtutame]

Originally Posted by FYRHWK1

Yes, it is hard to keep in it's powerband, I've driven one. Any car with a range of 3000 RPM where it's actually drivable is not easy to drive, I prefer motors that have enough power to pull out of a turn in 1st through 3rd at any point in the RPM range because it allows you to make mistakes and not bog or stall out in the middle of a race.

In terms of engine power, bigger is always better, assuming you can fill said displacement you will make more torque, of course there's a million variables but thats essentially how it goes, crank journal length, VE, etc all matter as well but i'm sure you get what I mean.

HP/liter means nothing, zip, zilch, nada. I don't care how much hp/liter it makes, Honda needs some more liters, let's see them make a 4L motor with over 100 HP/liter and then I might be impressed, larger engines are harder to get specific power from so it's not "just a matter of them not doing it" as most would say. Nissan chose to go the better route, a still lightweight engine thats 1.5L bigger then it's Honda competition, it requires lesss RPM which makes it more reliable and causes less wear. Most all of the stress an engine see's is from inertial loading, which do you think does more damage, 7000 or 9000 RPM? I'm no fan of the 350Z, inf act I really don't like it, but it's not a bad car in a technical standpoint, certainly better off then a little motor spinning to sky high RPMs.

Hard to keep in its powerband? try an experienced S driver and get back to me. it will be pointless for me to sit here and argue knowing from personal experience that can be done.

And bigger is always better?
Why would you want gobs of torque at 1200 rpm's when I know you are gonna lose the car coming outta the turn?

and why does Honda needs more liters? for what? tell me for what. this is a statement of what Honda can do and much more.

of course theoretically speaking 9,000 RPM's see more wear and tear, but it depends who manufactures the engine. I have seen supercharged S2000 rolling around with 70,000 miles on the odo. thats ok if nissan cant do that and they choose to stay with what they got. I chose for once a more technologically advanced engine different from others. You see, theres nothing new about larger displacement = more torque. thats old school and been there done that. A torqueless car that can even keep up with some torque monsters.

[hardtutame]

Originally Posted by Neutrino

go autocrossing and try to keep a car like the s2000 in its powerband out of a hairpin turn and then talk about how easy its to keep it in the power band....


and if you have any doubts about nissan's capabilities just try and race a GTR....

are you talking about an inline 6 twin turbo charged or single turbo or non-naturally aspirated? vs a 4 banger NA?
how ridiculuous, no comment
else please educate me, please tell me what car you are comparing the S2000 to?

And where in the US can I find that the GTR so I can go race it?

[kman10587]

I'd take the S2000, just because it's one of the funnest cars to drive ever made. If I were buying one for performance, though, I'd take the Z.

[hardtutame]

Originally Posted by kman10587

I'd take the S2000, just because it's one of the funnest cars to drive ever made. If I were buying one for performance, though, I'd take the Z.

Actually myself if I was going for performance I would have chosen the cobra. But to each their own and thats ok.

[publicenemy137]

Originally Posted by hardtutame

are you talking about an inline 6 twin turbo charged? vs a 4 banger NA?
how ridiculuous, no comment
else please educate me, please tell me what car you are comparing the S2000 to?

And where in the US can I find that the GTR so I can go race it?

dude he meant nissan's capabilities, he's not comparing the GT-R to the S2000. Many people doubt Nissan, b/c of high displacement or whatever. He meant try driving the 2.6 liter RB26 Skyline and you will see Nissan is all about engineering excellance.

Anyways back on topic, I'd take the Nissan 350z any day of the week. And no I'm not biased, my cousin and sister own an S2000. It has great balls-out handling, almost no body roll, but as far as speed and taking corners, it's not fun to drive b/c it has no torque and the powerband is at 6k. To feel any power at 6k really sucks for daily driving, who revs it that high every stoplight. The new ones have fixed this problem, which is definetly an improvement, but I'd still take the Z. low-end torque is important for taking corners, something the S2k lacks. Not to mention subjectively I think the Z looks a lot better, S2k is a small, cute, dare I say girl's car. My sister even said if she saw a guy drive one, she wouldn't like him b/c he'd seem girly. Also I've talked to Z and S2k owners, all of them said they prefer the 350z a lot more.

As far as aftermarket support, 350z will get more. Seeing how it shares the same engine as Altima, g35, maxima, you can bet aftermarket companies are going to produce a lot of goodies for the new generation of the Z. Like other said also, 3.5 liters > 2.0 l. That and the Z has always known to be a performance car, also the Z has sold more than the S2k, and that is where the money is at for aftermarket parts.

My choice goes to the Z all the way

[kman10587]

hardtutame: I'd choose the SVT Cobra, or even the Mach 1, over either of those as well, if I were going for all-out performance. But the S2000 is still more fun to drive :P

[publicenemy137]

the mach1's and cobras cost more than the 350z, I'd take the Z over those any day of the week. 350z has a much better suspension, interior, and you don't see them every block.

[hardtutame]

Originally Posted by kman10587

hardtutame: I'd choose the SVT Cobra, or even the Mach 1, over either of those as well, if I were going for all-out performance. But the S2000 is still more fun to drive :P

I'd have to agree with you 100%

[hardtutame]

Originally Posted by publicenemy137

dude he meant nissan's capabilities, he's not comparing the GT-R to the S2000. Many people doubt Nissan, b/c of high displacement or whatever. He meant try driving the 2.6 liter RB26 Skyline and you will see Nissan is all about engineering excellance.

Anyways back on topic, I'd take the Nissan 350z any day of the week. And no I'm not biased, my cousin and sister own an S2000. It has great balls-out handling, almost no body roll, but as far as speed and taking corners, it's not fun to drive b/c it has no torque and the powerband is at 6k. To feel any power at 6k really sucks for daily driving, who revs it that high every stoplight. The new ones have fixed this problem, which is definetly an improvement, but I'd still take the Z. low-end torque is important for taking corners, something the S2k lacks. Not to mention subjectively I think the Z looks a lot better, S2k is a small, cute, dare I say girl's car. My sister even said if she saw a guy drive one, she wouldn't like him b/c he'd seem girly. Also I've talked to Z and S2k owners, all of them said they prefer the 350z a lot more.

As far as aftermarket support, 350z will get more. Seeing how it shares the same engine as Altima, g35, maxima, you can bet aftermarket companies are going to produce a lot of goodies for the new generation of the Z. Like other said also, 3.5 liters > 2.0 l. That and the Z has always known to be a performance car, also the Z has sold more than the S2k, and that is where the money is at for aftermarket parts.

My choice goes to the Z all the way

Its not fun to drive for taking corners? You have not been in one obviously. I can take my corners perfectly well with my car and not lose it and still keep my car straight at over 6K. No more to say on this

And very subjectively, id say also that yeah it is small, nimble, agile, and responsive, something the Z lacked when I drove my friends car.
Girl's car?? lol you and your sister crack me up. A lot of times maybe your sister wanted to go for a ride lol and she couldnt. Yes very subjectively. Lets see, going to places with my friend driving cars, I would be the attention getter by girls, what happened to the so manly Z car that my friend parked next to mine. And dare I say the Z looks like a cute little ladybug? oh yes very subjectively that was.
oh yeah im gonna believe that one, you talked to s2k owners and they preferred the Z, Why the heck are they driving the s2k when they have the free option to buy a Z. Explain that one in detail please, im dying to know.

Of course more compaines are willing to produce more parts for a mass produced vehicle. duh. The s2k is a limited produced car.
Personally another reason why I chose mine is because i dont wanna turn my head and see another s2k next to me. Everywhere I go i see a Z left and right.

[hardtutame]

Originally Posted by publicenemy137

the mach1's and cobras cost more than the 350z, I'd take the Z over those any day of the week. 350z has a much better suspension, interior, and you don't see them every block.

I see a mach1 every where I go just like the Z, cobras not as much but give it another year.

and like we said, we would choose that for all straight performance, tougher rearends to say the least.

[MexSiR]

This shit will never end. Everyone has different opinions.

[kman10587]

Hmm, I almost never see a Mustang Mach 1 or Mustang SVT Cobra around here...everywhere I go, I see a 350Z, though. :\