I know there are several car buff here, but anyway
I am thinking of buying a new car, well, new for me. the choice is obvious, convertible and there are two that I really fancy..
1. Brand new S2000
+ current model, lots of hp, HID, low maintaince, better interior than SLK, more of sport car than SLK (which is a plus since I am an aggresive driver) and it’s NEW
- soft top, low torque, 4 cycl (I drive a 4 cycl now, so prefer to go to 6 cycl), not luxury
2. 2002 SLK320
+ HARD TOP, benz name, 6 cycl, luxury
- old model (I like the newer SLK350 but can’t afford it at this point), less hp than S2000, may come with HID or not (depends on the car, I prefer HID), might cost more for maintaince, used car, not a really sport car (especially compared to their competitor such as boxter, Z4, S2000)
I have driven both (both hard and average driving) - S2000 more of drivers car, well balance, easy to throw around and good perdicatibility, plus 8k redline(screeeeeeeeeeeeeems…..very nice engine tone). Suspension could be a bit tighter but overall is good - plus 6 speed. http://www.s2ki.com
Benz, more relaxed, http://www.mbworld.org for some more reading on the car - its nice, but lacks some jam for a 6, but is very smooth. Maint. will cost alot more than S2000.
If it were me - S2000 hands down for pure driving, if you want more of a relaxed look/feel/styling - then benz.
i always thought that gen of SLKs were fugly. and i’m not sure the Benz name is worth much nowadays. that gen of cars were plagued by low reliability (just like my mom’s CLK430).
S2K all the way. lighter, faster, prettier, slicker manual.. g’luck! i may be looking at an 02+ S2K soon myself…
I can’t decide on the style. I have seen some really good S2k (of course with body kit, wheels, etc) and some good SLK. This is the part where I am still undecided. The SLK looks classy, S2K looks sporty if both are modified the right way…
I plan to mods my car, body kit, wheels, performance, etc and I know modifiying SLK is gonna cost a lot more than S2K.
Just be careful if you buy the benz…I got mine brand new and the dealer messed up the BOSE AMP install…cost MB over $7,000 in repairs to fix the damage they did…the car had 120 miles. Labor is $100/hr and every part costs an arm and a leg.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy an MB without a Starmark warranty.
The S2000 has the best shifter I have ever used…it’s sooo buttery smooth. If you go with a stick benz, it will be rough and notchy.
That being said, I personally would take the S2K…I had the SLK, got tired of it quickly, and I am totally in love with the new one…of course they don’t offer the color or options I want, so I am going to wait it out.
[quote author=“gameson”]what is a Starmark warranty?
It’s a warranty that goes beyond the factory one. It’s not given by a 3rd party company, it’s direct from MB.
I paid I think $2,500 to extend my warranty from the stnd. 4/50,000 to 7/100,000.
Almost everything in the standard warranty is covered…sans cloth tops and some various components. Generally 3rd party warranties are junk and since labor + parts are so expensive on a benz, this is a no-brainer.
Most MB dealers only sell used cars that are ‘Starmarked’ and if you are going to buy private, and they claim they have an extended warranty, ask to see who it’s through.
just test drove S2000. wow, it felt like i was born to drive it. Now I am thinking about it, a lot and try to broaden my options. How about 2002 Boxter S ? Is that comparable with S2000?
At this point, my preference are
1. 05 S2000 or 02 Boxter S
2. 02 SLK320
3. 04 350Z conv
I don’t like Z3 or Z4, also MR2 spider is underpowered. Solara sucks, miata sucks, what else do I miss?
IMO the S2k is still the car with the most fun of the bunch. I was thinking about getting a boxster until my friend got one…not impressed at all. They have a new one coming out that’s a hard-top only…it has a new name, one that I can’t remember at this moment…its like a mini-911…more practical.
I remember reading that the S2000 is near the end of its run - maybe another year or two. Honda has no plans to update the model. Can anyone confirm that?
I had 1999 SLK230 for 4 years and liked it, but I certainly agree it is much more of a cruiser than a sports car.
The s2000 is definitely a solid car.. Can’t go wrong with a Honda. Japanese quality, Japanese quality, and Japanese speed… what’s not to like? European cars have fallen behind the Japanese for sure. Buy a Benz and you’ll pay a premium for the MB name, you’ll pay a premium for parts and labour and the build quality just isn’t the same as the Japanese anymore.
Only problem is it’s probably the tiniest car you’ll find… A sports car through and through though.. and not many people have them - so you’ll have the unique factor as well.
