The Best "Reasonable" Roadster (formerly "Affordable")

[Swift]

If the region your living in is a mute point, how do you choose the best since they all cost different ammounts over the globe, and the only way to get some of the car's in some countries, is to import them, then you have pay for shipping and import tax, which means the price goes sky high.

heh heh...you said SKY :LOL:

and i would be perfectly happy with an MX-5. i chose that out of the given list, and i would definatly consider one when shopping for a bargain sports car

As would I. 👍

 

[lmracer]

and what about a well equiped sentra se-r spec v for $20,000?

175 hp 2.5 l
torsional lsd
6-spd

edit: realized its not a roadster

 

[Poverty]

If the region your living in is a mute point, how do you choose the best since they all cost different ammounts over the globe, and the only way to get some of the car's in some countries, is to import them, then you have pay for shipping and import tax, which means the price goes sky high. Over here the SOlstice isn't a bargain because the cost of bringing on eto the UK would mean you could have bought a much better car in the first place, but the MX-5 is a great deal. In the US the MX-5 and Solstice seem like pretty close rivals, so it will more likely come down to look, in Japan, I would think the MX-5 si the best deal, in Australia it might be cheaper to get a Solstice, I don't know, but you get the picture. Taking away the idea of doing it by your own location takes away the idea of picking a best from the bunch.

Well we will just have to take that into account. Now I dont know anything much about the MX-5 but id go out on a limb and say thats for a cheap roadster it is the best choice and is a bit of a no brainer. I would say the same about the Boxster S if it wasnt for the Z4M.

I think the best way is to put the cars in a price bracket, then disregard price of each seprate vehidle and then make a comparison. I think we shoudl be able to come to a agreable conclusion for a theory discussion but in real life, someone choosing a car could have a complety different criteria from our ones as other wise wed all be driving BMW 330d's.

 

[Swift]

and what about a well equiped sentra se-r spec v for $20,000?

175 hp 2.5 l
torsional lsd
6-spd

edit: realized its not a roadster

LOL!

Check my sig bud.

 

[lmracer]

LOL!

Check my sig bud.

i assume you mean the "unofficial rules for common sense posting". right. my bad. i clicked it and this is what i get:


lmracer, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.


EDIT: okay, now im def in violation of common sense. nice car buddy..

 

[Swift]

i assume you mean the "unofficial rules for common sense posting". right. my bad. i clicked it and this is what i get:


lmracer, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.


EDIT: okay, now im def in violation of common sense. nice car buddy..

thanks! For both the compliment and letting me know my link pointed to a thread in the recycle bin.

 

[YSSMAN]

...Yet another explanation of cars listed above:

I attempted to use cars that are sold throughout the world, primarily North America, Europe, and Australia.

The Solstice/Sky are exactly the same car as the Opel GT, which will be available for purchase later this year in Europe. I don't know what pricing will be like, and I don't know if it will share the baisic form that includes the 2.4L ECOTEC I4 with 170HP. From what I understand, the GT will share the same engine from the GXP and Red Line versions, the 2.0L DI 260HP Turbo-4...

Other than that, the MX5, S2000, Boxster, etc. is the same across the board, so I don't see why the region would play any difference other than the fact that we have a LHD setup while much of Europe and Australia has a RHD setup.

The only cars on the list that might not be world wide are the Cobra, Wiesmann, and TVR...But I'm sure you can find a way to import them to anywhere in the world somehow...

 

[Dave A]

They'd be different because the price is different, we don't pay the same for an S2000 over here as you would pay in the US or in Japan, the Opel GT will go on sale here for £20k, or 30k Euro's that's a whole £5k more or 33% more than the MX-5. In the US, the MX-5 and the Opel GT equivelents from what Blazin said, I can only guess are a similar price to the MX-5. Over here the MX-5 is quite clearly a better deal than the Opel GT, in the US it might not be the case compared to the Solstice and Sky, because the prices are different.

 

[Joey D]

So basically this whole discussion is voided because of differences in price.

 

[Swift]

So basically this whole discussion is voided because of differences in price.

I don't think so. It's all relative to a point anyway. And with the GM cars, they're everywhere anyway.

So, let's get talking about the big three and what you think they are.

I'm thinking

-MX-5
-Solstice/Sky
-S2000

If we narrow down the selections, price isn't so important.

 

[Joey D]

If you don't focus on price the best one out of those three is the S2000, if you put price into it the S2000 is horrifically overpriced.

 

[Swift]

If you don't focus on price the best one out of those three is the S2000, if you put price into it the S2000 is horrifically overpriced.

Is it really? Granted, it's more expensive, but is it THAT much overpriced?

Comparison of S2000, MX-5 and Solstice I hope that link works for you all.

Now, looking at that, I'd say you're getting a lot for you money. Not the least of which being 60 more hp

 

[Dave A]

It's £10k more expensive than the MX-5 over here, that's 66% more expensive.

You see the discussion is relevant, but only on a regional basis and not a global one. Someone from the UK couldn't possibly tell someone in Japan what the best car is based on the deal's availabe in the UK and vice versa, the same can be said by linking up any two region's.

 

[Joey D]

Is it really? Granted, it's more expensive, but is it THAT much overpriced?

Comparison of S2000, MX-5 and Solstice I hope that link works for you all.

Now, looking at that, I'd say you're getting a lot for you money. Not the least of which being 60 more hp

Still for less I can get a Redline or GXP and have more power. It's overpriced for what it is, granted I still think it's a cool as hell car.

 

[Swift]

L4S, BX, you make good points. Honda's are overpriced just because they're honda's. Kinda funny for a company that started out making lawnmower engines huh?

 

[Famine]

So...

MR-S, anybody?

 

[Swift]

You can't buy that new anymore bud, sorry...

Here's the mazda version of the comparison.

Mazda comparo

 

[Joey D]

L4S, BX, you make good points. Honda's are overpriced just because they're honda's. Kinda funny for a company that started out making lawnmower engines huh?

No it's just the fact I can buy a 260hp Saturn Sky for less then the starting price for a S2000 is something I don't understand. Like I said I really do like the S2000, it's a cool car, but not worth the money.

 

[Famine]

You can't buy that new anymore bud, sorry...

No-one told Toyota Europe...

 

[Swift]

No-one told Toyota Europe...

Oh, cool. didn't know.

But it's old news in the USA.

 

[Famine]

It certainly belongs on the list though - it's affordable (much more so than many of the other options) and some of the other options aren't available in the US either.

 

[lmracer]

looks like MX-5 and S2000 are in a dead heat in the poll. i supose after all this those are two noticably diferant demographics. i would go for the 22K MX-5. others with apparently healthier income would go for the 35K S2000. in reality the mazda is a better deal. im sure its just as thrilling as the S2000 and with the same potential, on an arguably slightly lesser scale (170 hp vs 240) but how well engineered was the new miata? very and how well engineered was the S2000? very. this could go on for awhile..

 

[Poverty]

toyota europe dont sell taht anymore do they. i thought it got discontinued a couple months ago.

 

[Famine]

toyota europe dont sell taht anymore do they. i thought it got discontinued a couple months ago.

Tell it to their website.

 

[Tornado]

No it's just the fact I can buy a 260hp Saturn Sky for less then the starting price for a S2000 is something I don't understand. Like I said I really do like the S2000, it's a cool car, but not worth the money.

So based solely on performance (and I doubt the Sky would be faster on an actual track anyways, because as great as the Kappa arhitexture is, it cannot touch the S2000's chassis), the 260 BHP Saturn Sky is a better car? Right. That's why people snapped up the F-Bodies compared to Mustangs, which cost more and went slower.
On the subjest of the Mazda Miata vs. the Pontiac Solstice, arguing over which of the two cars is better at all is a moot point. Mazda has had 20 years to perfect the car. And GM has had 3 years to completely copy it and make it a little better than the outgoing Miata, and thus equal to the new one (and that alone is praise for GM, who has had 35 years to copy the Honda Civic and only managed to produce the Cobalt). So what? They are equal. Magazines are completely split on it. The Solstice costs less, but a worse interior and weighs a bit too much to be the drivers car the Miata is. The Miata costs more, is more refined and has a better transmission. A straight up draw. Let it go.

 

[Poverty]

Tell it to their website.

Maybe theyre selling left over stock but the factories have stopped making them including the celica. Or thats what I assume going by whatcar.com

 

[Famine]

Well quite, but you can still BUY them new.

 

[Joey D]

So based solely on performance (and I doubt the Sky would be faster on an actual track anyways, because as great as the Kappa arhitexture is, it cannot touch the S2000's chassis), the 260 BHP Saturn Sky is a better car? Right. That's why people snapped up the F-Bodies compared to Mustangs, which cost more and went slower.
On the subjest of the Mazda Miata vs. the Pontiac Solstice, arguing over which of the two cars is better at all is a moot point. Mazda has had 20 years to perfect the car. And GM has had 3 years to completely copy it and make it a little better than the outgoing Miata, and thus equal to the new one (and that alone is praise for GM, who has had 35 years to copy the Honda Civic and only managed to produce the Cobalt). So what? They are equal. Magazines are completely split on it. The Solstice costs less, but a worse interior and weighs a bit too much to be the drivers car the Miata is. The Miata costs more, is more refined and has a better transmission. A straight up draw. Let it go.

Must you argue everything I say? Honestly? Swift asked me why I thought the S2000 was over priced and I told him. The Miata and the Soltice are very similar in fact they are pretty much the same, buy em based on looks mostly.

 

[YSSMAN]

Okay, so add the MRS to the list of forgotten cars. We haven't had one in the US for what seems like almost three years, and I really had no idea that it was still on sale in Europe... My bad...

On the MX5 vs Solstice showdown: I'm calling it a draw, even despite the fact I'm pulling for GM. The Solstice is a great car, and I wouldnt ever say that it isnt, but it just isnt as crisp as the MX5. Its bigger (much bigger actually), heavier, and uses a very American I4 that is better suited to making torque than horsepower. On the other hand, the Miata has gotten too expensive, and isnt quite as comfortable or forgiving as the Kappa twins.

If I'm buying, I'm going to have to drive both to make a solid conclusion, but if my past expririences with Miatas signal anything about the MX5, it is a tough car to beat. Comparisons between the two seem to be finishing in draws in most magazines, usually with the Mazda comming out on top because of it's greater sporting abilities. The Solstice wins votes for looks and comfort, and the ability to drive up to 8/10ths easily, but only 10/10ths if is has to.

 

[Swift]

So based solely on performance (and I doubt the Sky would be faster on an actual track anyways, because as great as the Kappa arhitexture is, it cannot touch the S2000's chassis), the 260 BHP Saturn Sky is a better car? Right. That's why people snapped up the F-Bodies compared to Mustangs, which cost more and went slower.
On the subjest of the Mazda Miata vs. the Pontiac Solstice, arguing over which of the two cars is better at all is a moot point. Mazda has had 20 years to perfect the car. And GM has had 3 years to completely copy it and make it a little better than the outgoing Miata, and thus equal to the new one (and that alone is praise for GM, who has had 35 years to copy the Honda Civic and only managed to produce the Cobalt). So what? They are equal. Magazines are completely split on it. The Solstice costs less, but a worse interior and weighs a bit too much to be the drivers car the Miata is. The Miata costs more, is more refined and has a better transmission. A straight up draw. Let it go.

Why let it go? It's the point of the thread! and a lot of fun to discuss I might add.

The miata is more of a quiet sleeper with potential(like the RX8) and the soltice is more apt to putting everything it has right out there with no apologies and a few hangups(like the GTO).

I think the Miata looks better and is a little sleeker then the Solstice. It also, due to its wight is more of a "drivers" car in it's stock form.

It'll be really intersting to see the modifications that are made for the soltice in a few years.

EDIT: Famine is quite right. If the MRS is still availible it's a very viable option. I wouldn't by one because I think they're ugly. But hey, that's just me.