Honda s2000 best year?

Honda s2000 best year?

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smallsmalls81

Original Poster:

99 posts

142 months

Friday 4th April 2014
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What is the best year for the s2000? I have seen an 03 reg , 60000 miles , I may change the alloys on it.

Jaska

722 posts

141 months

Friday 4th April 2014
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Hey smalls, bit of a stab in the dark but if that is the one listed in Marlow with the corroded alloy then it's one I test drove - roof fold was very ripped also and the car was also not taxed so keep that in mind.

03 to 55 is preferred because of the glass rear windows and lower tax rate, giving you a choice of whether you prefer the looks pre or post face lift!

cava

157 posts

158 months

Saturday 5th April 2014
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You do get the odd 06 plate with low tax as well - I have one. The cut off is 23rd March 2006.

Riknos

4,700 posts

203 months

Saturday 5th April 2014
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cava said:
You do get the odd 06 plate with low tax as well - I have one. The cut off is 23rd March 2006.
Facelift (early 2004) until Early 2006 (pre tax hike) is the sweet spot really.

If the 03 isn't a facelift, then I would look for one that is, wont be much more and the vast benefits are well worth paying a few hundred more for!

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 6th April 2014
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03 won't be a facelift, but a 53 could be.

See page 29 for model year changes.

http://www.s2kuk.com/technical/faq/s2000_tech_faq_...

Lots of people will say 2004/2005 Model Year was the sweet spot because they had a whole raft of changes to improve the car. From 2006 the cable throttle was replaced by a drive by wire system, and stability & traction control was also added. Therefore some people will say post 2006 cars are not as good. All down to personal preference!

IIRC 2009 cars had some engine problems too.

mikdys

212 posts

234 months

Sunday 6th April 2014
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RenOHH said:
03 won't be a facelift, but a 53 could be.

See page 29 for model year changes.

http://www.s2kuk.com/technical/faq/s2000_tech_faq_...

Lots of people will say 2004/2005 Model Year was the sweet spot because they had a whole raft of changes to improve the car. From 2006 the cable throttle was replaced by a drive by wire system, and stability & traction control was also added. Therefore some people will say post 2006 cars are not as good. All down to personal preference!

IIRC 2009 cars had some engine problems too.
I agree.


Avoid pre 2004 models - might have had high oil consumption/owners who didn't check oil regularly and had weaker valve spring retainers which can start to fracture due to an over-rev and let go catastrophically several 1,000's of miles later.

Avoid 2009 models like the plague - something went seriously wrong with the build of these engines at about this time and there have been instances of catastrophic failure in what should be a fairly bullet proof engine.

Also, IMO engine is only good for a reliable 100k so get a low mileage example (they are out there and worth paying a bit more for).

Chippo1

344 posts

122 months

Sunday 6th April 2014
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There are many pre 04 on high milages way in excess of 100k. And few in the states with strospheric miles , yes oil needs to be topped and checked religously , oil light on , is to late

The over reving issue is a mechanical one resulting from a poor down change into to far a lower gear causing machnaical over rev , the odd bounce of the rev limiter doesent seem to cause a problem . If an over rev has taken place its failry easy to see the bent retianers if one takes the rocker cover off and with a good light and mark one eye balls or a magnifying glass . Theresulting droopped valve is the end of the engine as a rebore is virtually out of the question due to the FRM bores. Although I am after a knackered engine in exactly this condtion and will start a rebuild using Darton Liners

I had a quick look but going back 10 pages i couldnt see the thread on S2ki , i dont recall it being withdrawn , the S2ki boys can be pretty caustic about Honda when they need to be, there not all acolytes unlike the forum's of some other margues , unlike Audi for instance where you are taken to task about being derogotory about the cars

You could always ask the chairman of S2ki about the problem as i think he had some input with Honda or will point you in the rght direction, his avator name is Aquila Eagle

As I recall the 09 engines generally didnt suffer complete catosrophic failure, but started to make nasty noises , some had new short engnes others complete lumps. Some had to wait some time as the Belgum spares operation i believe ran out of spares and there was a wait on new engiens from Japan. As I said beofre I dont think there has been a difinitive reason given for the failures , crank shaft end float has been suggested , and some engines have performed Ok and gone on to normal or above normal millages.

My own car is an 01 and has 75k hard miles , the engine sees the redline on virtually every outing and has often hit the rev limiter , but never suffered a mechanical over rev ,last time i had the rocker cover off the retianers looked fine. From new it used oil now around 800mls per 1000 miles never varied other than as a result of lots of specifc high revs. I suspect my valve stem seals are a source of some of the oil consumption.

Many say the pre 04 cars are the drivers cars although they can be twitchy on the limit , very sensitive to suspension geo , tyres and tyre pressures. 'Joke' many who find field's and hedges will blame S2000 specific deisal but never in appropraite use of the right foot ! Afterall it is RWD with a fare bit of power and especialy in the wet can easily loose traction and grip at the rear end resulting in loads of terminal over steer , in the dry it can at low speed be a touch under sterry unless provoked.

Oh suspension geo bolts , the adjustments are made via eccentric bolts generally on the lower wishbones. These bolts are prone to rusting into the crush tubes of the suspension bushes , Mr Honda San never thought to stick a dollop of water resistant grease on these , but had some pathetic hope the sheradising of the bolt and tube would not corrode , very poor build quality . If they do seize and can be expensive or a lot of DIY to sort out ( My Thread over in S2ki detials this , "A Connundrum" ) some are lucky and they move but at this point remove the bolts if they are free and grease them with some marine water resistant grease , not Copper Slip . I also had 2 split bushes where i believe my bushes were seized and when geo was done the bolt was turned and the bush strecthed to achieve movement ! It would have seemed that the bolts were not corroded when in fact they were and it was just the rubber bush being stretched.








havoc

29,917 posts

234 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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Whilst the comments about the suspension changes over time DO apply, IMHO they're not fundamental...I bought an '03 after test-driving an '04 because it was a nicer example, and I knew I could sort the geo out on either car.
- Glass rear screen to me is a must-have, but a number of 99-01's have had it retro-fitted
- CONDITION AND HISTORY is everything. Including when geo last done / whether adjuster bolts have been greased or not. And whether the owner looks like someone who'll have checked the oil regularly and generally looked after it.
- Interiors ARE slightly nicer on 04+, but that's not major.
- Wheels/tyres - 17"s give a few more tyre options, but the ride is slightly better on 16"s.

TaylotS2K

1,964 posts

206 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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IMO - I think you should try and get a facelifted one. Mine was one of the first facelifted ones on a 53 plate. Generally looks nicer and more modern than an 03, nicer lights, wheels, exhaust tips and interior with nicer damping.

smallsmalls81

Original Poster:

99 posts

142 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
The 2009 problems were only on imports , from what I have heard . UK models were fine. I am still undecided on the gt hard top or soft top version ?

Edited by smallsmalls81 on Tuesday 8th April 17:43

mikdys

212 posts

234 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
smallsmalls81 said:
The 2009 problems were only on imports , from what I have heard . UK models were fine. I am still undecided on the gt hard top or soft top version ?

Edited by smallsmalls81 on Tuesday 8th April 17:43
Definitely UK models were affected including the "last 100 series"........

smallsmalls81

Original Poster:

99 posts

142 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
mikdys said:
Definitely UK models were affected including the "last 100 series"........
Have been shown the figures from honda and all of them were imports, nothing wrong with the 2009.

mikdys

212 posts

234 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
smallsmalls81 said:
Have been shown the figures from honda and all of them were imports, nothing wrong with the 2009.
Thanks - I'll tell my friend who had an engine fail on his 2009 MY "Edition 100" S2000 that it's not a UK model after all then!

smallsmalls81

Original Poster:

99 posts

142 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
mikdys said:
Thanks - I'll tell my friend who had an engine fail on his 2009 MY "Edition 100" S2000 that it's not a UK model after all then!
Damn it!!! I was at the point of buying an 09 reg, have been put right off now , wonder if this is common then.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
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This is a 33 page thread over on S2ki that contains a lot of info on the matter.

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/732353-jenson/

I don't know a lot about the situation, but maybe you can confirm on that thread that the 2008 cars are okay and buy one of those instead?

Also a record type thread, with images.

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/806996-engine-fail...

smallsmalls81

Original Poster:

99 posts

142 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
RenOHH said:
This is a 33 page thread over on S2ki that contains a lot of info on the matter.

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/732353-jenson/

I don't know a lot about the situation, but maybe you can confirm on that thread that the 2008 cars are okay and buy one of those instead?
Thanks for this, makes an interesting read . I am glad my attention has been brought to this . I am shocked Honda said to me there has never been any engine faults recorded. Very disappointed.

mikdys

212 posts

234 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
smallsmalls81 said:
Damn it!!! I was at the point of buying an 09 reg, have been put right off now , wonder if this is common then.
Don't do it!

If you really want an S2000 buy 2004 - 2007.

Re 2009 MY:

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/817572-enging-ratt...st__50__p__19552233__hl__2009+engine+failures__fromsearch1#entry19552233

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/1043913-question-t...p__22772442__hl__2009+engine+failures__fromsearch1#entry22772442

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/886266-new-short-e...st__50__p__20832441__hl__2009+engine+failures__fromsearch1#entry20832441

and so on...

smallsmalls81

Original Poster:

99 posts

142 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
mikdys said:
Don't do it!

If you really want an S2000 buy 2004 - 2007.

Re 2009 MY:

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/817572-enging-ratt...st__50__p__19552233__hl__2009+engine+failures__fromsearch1#entry19552233

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/1043913-question-t...p__22772442__hl__2009+engine+failures__fromsearch1#entry22772442

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/886266-new-short-e...st__50__p__20832441__hl__2009+engine+failures__fromsearch1#entry20832441

and so on...
Thanks guys, I'm glad I have seen this . Thank god I didn't end up spending my hard earned cash on this. In a way I'm pleased that I asked the question . Really grateful .

mikdys

212 posts

234 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
smallsmalls81 said:
Thanks guys, I'm glad I have seen this . Thank god I didn't end up spending my hard earned cash on this. In a way I'm pleased that I asked the question . Really grateful .
S2000 is not a bad car but there was an issue with 2009 (and maybe 2008) engine builds. An earlier car will be fine. Something like this maybe (best get low mileage as the engine is going to be pretty well worn at 100k on this model):

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...

smallsmalls81

Original Poster:

99 posts

142 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
mikdys said:
S2000 is not a bad car but there was an issue with 2009 (and maybe 2008) engine builds. An earlier car will be fine. Something like this maybe (best get low mileage as the engine is going to be pretty well worn at 100k on this model):

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...
£13000 for a 2006 model , over priced, yes low mileage , I would say £10000 tops for that from a dealer.