Getting rid of my Z. Any recommendations for a replacement?

SouthArk370Z

I've been looking for over a year for an independent shop that can work on Zs (or Nissans, in general). If s/he is out there, s/he is staying well hidden.

For oil changes and such, yeah, just about anybody should be able to do that. If the car didn't sit so low to the ground, I'd DIY. But the car is probably going to need a "real" mechanic before too long.

If I need someone to work on "classic" cars, I have quite a few good options.* Not so much for modern cars.

The S2000 is sounding better all the time. Apparently they hold up very well if not abused. I haven't talked to anyone that has had an S2000 (rare as hen's teeth around here) worked on at the local dealer but most ppl I've talked to are satisfied with the work done on other models. The convertible top worries me a bit; they are getting old enough to start having (expensive) problems. Is there a manual mode of operation (ie, hand crank or "freewheel"), in case something electrical fails?



* One being DIY but I just don't enjoy working on cars as much as I used to. The last "big" job I did was rebuilding a "Ford design four speed" (AKA toploader) about 6-7 years ago and it was getting to be a chore before I got done. I've had my mower apart for 2 months and having a hard time working up the want-to to go put it back together.

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karotZ

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.

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SouthArk370Z

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.

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Ubetit

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+

SouthArk370Z

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.

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