RE: And the S2000 is coming back too!
Discussion
Adz The Rat said:
Ive never driven a S2000, are they as good as people say?
Yes, they take a while to gel, you might not get on with one of you only take it for a 20 minute test drive, especially if your used to modern turbo engines as it's a car that makes you work for it. However get one out on a decent road for a few hours where you've got a chance to really work that sweet engine\gearbox combo and there is very little at the price point which will offer the same thrills.Great news, there seems to be a massive gap in the market for this sort of car. With the old S2000 out of production and the Z4 turned GT the only real 'grown up' mainstream sports car you can buy any more is the Boxster and that quite expensive. Hopefully BMW will hurry up with the Z2 as well.
kambites said:
Adz The Rat said:
Ive never driven a S2000, are they as good as people say?
The engine is a masterpiece. Coupled with the chassis, offering near 50:50 weight distribution, the car is very impressive.
Inevitable pic opportunity - owned for 3 very satisfying years:
...and its still on less than 41k miles!
More pics/info here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Edited by ch3tman on Tuesday 11th December 13:05
Adz The Rat said:
Ive never driven a S2000, are they as good as people say?
Yes and no.The S2OOO is a roadster from the old school. Raw and quite basic. They drive exceptionally well.
Lots of mechanical noise from the drivetrain.
Excellent engine (if V-tec is your thing) and gearbox has a rifle bolt action; very precise.
On the downside they can be quite tiring to drive; you'll be up and down the gearbox to compensate for lack of torque
And Honda appear to have cocked up in a rather big way on some of the last cars made (from 08 onwards); engine failures are far too common on these cars.
Guvernator said:
Yes, they take a while to gel, you might not get on with one of you only take it for a 20 minute test drive, especially if your used to modern turbo engines as it's a car that makes you work for it. However get one out on a decent road for a few hours where you've got a chance to really work that sweet engine\gearbox combo and there is very little at the price point which will offer the same thrills.
Well said 
On a daily commute (especially in this time of year) it's a horrible car, noisy, harsh and cramped. But on the right roads with the roof down it's just magic. You have to forget about mechanical sympathy though and just drive the nuts off it, that's when it works the best 
Adz The Rat said:
Ive never driven a S2000, are they as good as people say?
Yes...as said above the engine is a masterpiece. It's just such a rewarding car to drive - you sit low, there are no unnecessary switches around you and the small steering wheel, it has a fantastic gearbox - almost short shift, and you have Honda reliabily thrown in. Oh and the noise when the VTEC kicks in is rather addictive. Roof down, sun out and a deserted country road - don't think there are many other cars I would rather be in.Agree that they do take some getting used to, but I loved it. They have a reputation for losing back end but if you are flooring it at 7000 revs on a bend in the rain then I am afraid I have no sympathy! Treat it with respect and you'll have a ball.
Mine had a "character trait" of being a little jerky at low speeds but that didn't detract.
But for the money I don't think there is anything close - except maybe an Elise, though that is not as much as an all rounder and the roof is laughable. Now put the VTEC engine in an Elise....
HokumPokum said:
can someone opine on the electric steering?
has it been updated since it was produced? It feels lifeless to me.
It is pretty lifeless unfortunately, like most EPS systems. Tyres and geo settings do make a difference, but it will still be electric. You do get used to it after a while, but a good hydraulic system will definatly be better!has it been updated since it was produced? It feels lifeless to me.
Adz The Rat said:
Ive never driven a S2000, are they as good as people say?
Engine and box yes, steering and suspension no. Pretty poor chassis feedback, body control over bumps when pushing on isnt great, balance is quite understeery, snaps quite quickly to oversteer on power.Its a good 7-8/10ths car but falls apart either side of this!
Jurgen said:
HokumPokum said:
can someone opine on the electric steering?
has it been updated since it was produced? It feels lifeless to me.
It is pretty lifeless unfortunately, like most EPS systems. Tyres and geo settings do make a difference, but it will still be electric. You do get used to it after a while, but a good hydraulic system will definatly be better!has it been updated since it was produced? It feels lifeless to me.
Guvernator said:
...there is very little at the price point...
I'm better at geometry than marketing, but shouldn't that be a "price line" for secondhand cars? Price is a one dimensional variable, so anything with a range of values must be a line.Or we could all stop pretending we're in marketing and use the word "price" instead.
RemarkLima said:
That's what always put me off them, love the idea other than that and has all the ingredients to make it happen otherwise.
I agree, I wish it had a bit more feel. It probably wouldn't have the reputation of being snappy, it's now pretty hard to guess when it lets go. But on the other hand it's mostly something you need to get used to and learn how the car reacts. And to be honest, most new sportscars will have electric steering from now on. Sure, they are getting better (like the GT86 and 911 from what I've read), but still not as good as old hydraulic systems. I guess you need to accept it at some point or keep driving older cars for a while
Funny thing is though that I've never seen much complaint about the lack of feel in reviews. The S2000 was in the Dutch car mag 'Autovisie' Supertest a few times and was very well rated by several race car drivers who commented on the handling being fantastic on the track.
Captain Muppet said:
Guvernator said:
...there is very little at the price point...
I'm better at geometry than marketing, but shouldn't that be a "price line" for secondhand cars? Price is a one dimensional variable, so anything with a range of values must be a line.Or we could all stop pretending we're in marketing and use the word "price" instead.
here, have pilchardthecat's post of the week award
RemarkLima said:
Jurgen said:
HokumPokum said:
can someone opine on the electric steering?
has it been updated since it was produced? It feels lifeless to me.
It is pretty lifeless unfortunately, like most EPS systems. Tyres and geo settings do make a difference, but it will still be electric. You do get used to it after a while, but a good hydraulic system will definatly be better!has it been updated since it was produced? It feels lifeless to me.
In fact I'll make a little confession and say I've always been a little confused by some peoples absolute fascination with it, obviously some cars are dire but nearly all of the sporty-ish cars I've driven have been more than adequate and not bad enough to reject a car outright. (should I hand in my PH card now
)ch3tman said:
kambites said:
Adz The Rat said:
Ive never driven a S2000, are they as good as people say?
The engine is a masterpiece. Coupled with the chassis, offering near 50:50 weight distribution, the car is very impressive.
Edited by kambites on Tuesday 11th December 13:56
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