s2000 vs mx5 vs z3 vs solstice

[blakscorpion21]

what do you think about theese cars? i know the honda and bmw are a little out of the other twos class but what the heck.

[MuscleNRice]

I'm not a huge roadster fan and I find them all not real attractive, but ill rank them in my opinion from best to worst:

Z3, S2000, solstice, mx5

[Zachp911]

Whats the point of this thread? What are you comparing between all 4 cars?

[drunken monkey]

Originally Posted by MuscleNRice

I'm not a huge roadster fan and I find them all not real attractive, but ill rank them in my opinion from best to worst:

Z3, S2000, solstice, mx5

haha...
i find it quite funny that you rank wht is possibly one of the worst roadster cars of the period (Z3) above two of the best (S2000 and MX-5).
have you ever driven these cars or is this just off the top of your head?

[MuscleNRice]

I havent driven any of them, but the z3 gets style points. s2000 is pretty much a tie.

all i hear is good things about the mx5, but i see a lot of pricks driving them and i hate the looks.

Truth is i would never want any of these cars, i would take the z3 first because i could sell it for the most money.

that's my broad feelings, and it wouldnt be fair for me to compare their performance because i havent driven any of them.

lets be civilized

[sv650s]

i have to give it to the Z4(z3 was discontinued in 2002) for performance but the solstice definitely has the style points.

[DinanM3_S2]

The Z3 was one of the best looking roadsters ever produced for under $40,000. It wasn't the best in terms of performance, but I still enjoyed every single one I've driven, and I've driven the 2.5, a 3.0, two 2.8s, a S52 M Roadster, and a S54 M Roadster. The chassis isn't as good as the S2000's, but they have a more usable power band, and a nicer interior. If I really wanted a roadster to go alongside my M3, I would look into a Z3 3.0. They are just gorgeous cars. This is more of an emotional choice then an intelligent one.

The S2000 is known for its handling. It has a great steering feel and a really smooth gearbox. On paper, it is a better value then the Z3/Z4, simply because you get more power and a bit better handling, for a much better price. It looks alright, better then the Miata, but not as good as the BMWs. The biggest problem is the complete lack of torque.

The Miata is a great little roadster. Not the fastest little thing, but very fun to drive. They handle incredibly well, and cost half as much as a fully loaded Z3/Z4. They don't look great, and they suck in crashes, but for cheap thrills, this is hard to beat.

I honestly do not know as much about the Solstice as I wish I did. From what I've read, its pretty good, but not as fun as the Miata. I applaud GM for figuring out the cheep roadster market. This car should do pretty well.

[MclarenF1]

This comparison is a little tough to make just because the motor can make so much difference in the Z3. I have driven one of the very early 4 cylinder models, as well as the 3 liter car. The 3.0 inline six was fantastic, but I really didn't like the 4 cyl. at all.

I really want to hate the S2000 because of all the bimbos and pricks that I see driving them, but just sitting in that car is enough to make you fall in love. I still contend that this car has the best steering wheel- pedals- shifter- driver placement of any car on earth. The engine is a good piece, but the rubber band power curve is annoying to me. Some people say they think it has plenty of power in the lower RPM range- but I'm not one of them. I would have to think REEEEAAAALLLY hard between this car and the 3.0 BMW. I really can't come up with an answer right now.

However, if the BMW is an M model, you better believe my but would be running for its (preferably two tone) seat so fast your head would spin.

The Miata is a good car, and it deserves its loyal following. HOWEVER, I've never been a fan. It handles great, but lacks power (at least in non- Mazda speed form), and the lack of elbow room kills me. That's just a personal preference, though. I have this pet peeve about having to keep my arms right up against my sides. But then again, you have plenty of elbow room with the top and windows down. I haven't even touched the newest Miata yet, so I can't say whether I like it any better than the last one.

As for the Solstice, I haven't even seen one of those in person, so I am reserving judgment. One of the car magazines (was it Car and Driver?) actually seemed to have a better first impression of the Solstice than the newest Miata, but they still haven't done a formal test.

[blakscorpion21]

yea ive always thought the miatas were girly but the new mx5s are much better looking. i think the solstice is kinda ugly though. id have to go
s2000
miata
bmw
solstice

ive never driven any of them but i sat in an s2000 and i was totally hooked by the interior and placement of everything like mclaren said.

[shnailpower]

ya, the solstice is a big step up for GM in the cheap roadster segment, but it still doesn't match the miata. The S2000 is an amazing car 4 the price, and i don't like the bmw's styling (just my preferance). i would rank them the same as blackscorpion,
1. S2000
2. Miata
3. Z3
4. Solstice

[kfoote]

1. S54 MZ3
2. S52 MZ3
3. S2000
4. Z3 2.8
5 (tie). Mazdaspeed Miata
5 (tie). NC Miata (2006+)
7. Solstice/Saturn Sky
8. NB Miata (1999-2005)
9. NA Miata 1.8 (1994-1997)
10. Z3 1.9
11. NA Miata 1.6 (1990-93)

[carbuzzard]

Interesting choice of cars. I'm not sure why the picks. Based on purchase price makes some kind of sense, otherwise a Z4 would be the pick. I've driven all of these except the new Miata, but I'll say that I've always liked the car. It's not always about top speed or raw acceleration, ya know. What I like about the Miata is that it's like an old pair of shoes. I don't have to drive more than a 100 yards and it's like I'm home again. About ten years ago I was able to scam several SCCA races behind the wheel of a SSC "showroom stock- class C" Miata and the thing was just so easy to drive.

I'll have to give kudos to Pontiac for the great job that they've done with the Solstice. It feels slow in a straight line, and really, it's not very fast, but on a race track, its balance comes through. On the road, it's classic roadster where, again, speed isn't the only thing. It's how it all comes together. Neat exhaust note, btw. Could be just a little louder.

The Z3... I depends so much on which motor. When it came out, it was supposed to be a Miata alternative. You know how long that lasted. Could you imagine, though, an "M" Miata! Much maligned, the Z3, but mostly, I think, by those who haven't been able to drive one very much. I've spent significant time in both the Z3 and Z4. I wouldn't kick any out of my driveway. OK, maybe the 1.9...

The S2000: Yeah, no torque down low. Zip. Nada. Makes it hard to drive around town. It draws a bit of attention when you don't let the revs drop below 5000 rpm. But is it fun on the race track. Keep stirring the stick and keep pushing the 9000 rpm redline and what a delight.

But you can get more opinions at carbuzzard.com

[drunken monkey]

all it takes is a semi empty stretch of dry road and the freedom to gun the S2000 through the first three gears is enough to make anyone fall in love with it.

[drdisque]

The Solstice has beautful shifter, wheel, and pedal placement, much better than any miata and better than the Z3 in my opinion.

[Thepeug]

S2000. Superb fit and finish, with one of the best gearboxes in the world. It's the most fun car I've ever driven (though I only have an SR20'd s13 and a CRX Si for comparison).