Things are starting to come together. Talked to the guy I have looking for the replacement car and updated the list of possibilities. He said he might be interested in buying the Z after all. We're supposed to get together tomorrow or the next day and look at what he has found.

You probably are already aware you can buy a hard top for the S2000 and mount it yourself, right? There's the aluminum OEM, Spoon or Mugen FRP or CF one. It's something extra on the budget but it's worth it if you really like the S2K and just worried about it being a vert.

I was aware but hadn't investigated due to the rarity of that option (I thought they would be very expensive). I did a Q&D search and the hard tops go for $1500-2500 (~$3500 for CF). If I understood correctly, also requires a ~$750 installation kit. My favorite body shop should be able to paint for ~$250. Not cheap but less than I was expecting. Thanks for the tip. :tup:

Whats with all this "work" that has to be done on your car?
Or,for the fact,any new car you will be buying.
I would'nt buy any car if I knew it had to have regular trips
to a dealer.
If you must go domestic,I'd recommend the NEW Mustang or,a Camaro.
If you want a sport fun car,look at a FRS.Its a Scion.Your Toyota guy in town
should be able to work on it.
??Don't you do ANY work on your car?

So far, no major work done, just oil/filter changes, cabin air filter replacement, 30K maintenance, &c. I'm a big believer in Preventative Maintenance - some might say obsessive. When I buy a used car, the first thing I do is change all the fluids, get the alignment checked, &c.

Very little. As I've said before, I used to love working on cars but, nowadays, it's more of a chore. I've done a few very simple jobs such as cleaning the MAFs and pulling the ESCL fuse. I've got a garage full of tools just going to waste. I do check the tire pressure and adjust when necessary. ;)


I feel sure that there are Nissan dealers out there that don't have their heads firmly planted in their rectums, but they ain't near me.

You know, I've been pondering a move to a simpler place to live. I'll move to that neck of the woods, if someone builds me a shop with 3 bays, a couple of lifts and an alignment rack. On my military retirement check, I might do pretty good and I'll work on your Z. Problem solved. :icon17:

Come on down! :)

Things are moving right along. The guy that is looking for a car for me has agreed to buy the Z when he gets back from a mission trip in a week. He's paying a few hundred dollars less than another dealer offered but I like dealing with this guy so it's worth it to me. He has found an '05 Corvette with 26k miles that looks interesting if we can get the price right but I won't know any details until he gets back.

Do your homework on the 05's. That C6 has a few big weak points. If you aren't modding you will probably be fine, if you are, consider looking at an 06+.

Thanks for the heads up. I have a good friend that is a bit of a Vette nut (he's owned several over the years) and I'll be talking to him about the car and hope to take him along for an inspection. He's out of town for the weekend, so I'll be looking on the Web for more info until I can talk with him.

I don't plan on doing any significant mods. All I've done to the Z is add some sound damping material in the hatch area and had some small exhaust dumps (flanged tee with orifice and downturn; my version of the "washer mod" heehee) installed. And pulled the ESCL fuse.

The Vette owner is negotiating with my car guy (he wants it on his lot even if I don't take it) and the price hasn't been firmed up. He did a Q&D search and estimates that he can get the Vette for $23-28k. Possibly less since there is a "minor problem" (I didn't ask for details) with the CD player. I can get the Vette (or any other car) for a flat $500 over what he pays. If he can hit the low end and the car is in as good of shape as described, I may be willing to bust my $19-20k budget. But everything is on hold for a week while he is out of country.


Thanks again to all who have made suggestions/tips. Y'all have been a BIG help. Virtual beers for everybody!

I moderate the FS forums over on S2ki.com. I think you'll find Honda OEM hardtops are commanding a premium these days and are hard to find. $3k+

Did I hear Vette? :excited:

Thanks for the info.

All I did was a Q&D Web search for "S2000 hardtop" so I'm guessing that the ones I found were not OEM. :) My buddy that used to sell Honda parts said it wasn't a common option, so it doesn't surprise me that the OEM part is so expensive.

Update: I drove an '2010 Camaro SS2 w/6.2L engine the other day and was pretty impressed. Good handling (but not great), lots of cabin room compared to the 370Z, decent stereo, and the V-8 sounds very good with more power than I will ever need (IIRC, ~425 per Chevy). Definitely feels "heavier" than the Z but I guess that's because it is heavier. :) Too bad it was black/black (not a good color combo here in S AR). :( Got my car guy looking for one in another color.

I might be in the minority here but I like the looks of the new camaros and mustangs. Just think of the mods that will give you bigger gains for a lot less $, I am jealous :driving: