RE: Honda S2000 | PH Private Area
Discussion
I had a facelifted car in 2006. It was in Royal Navy Pearl & when it was clean & polished it looked fantastic. There is definitely something special about these cars & I’d love another at some point. The engine & gearbox are the highlights but I really liked the cabin & seating position too. Never ailed or had any issues in the time I had it, servicing was reasonable.
Lairy ? They can be, much to do with worn rears, mine was still on the original Bridgestones (??) that although looking ok were past their best & a swift 180 spin on a motorway slip road was enough to swap them out. Never had an issue after that.
Lairy ? They can be, much to do with worn rears, mine was still on the original Bridgestones (??) that although looking ok were past their best & a swift 180 spin on a motorway slip road was enough to swap them out. Never had an issue after that.
On my second S2000, sold the first one and regretted it instantly so got the opportunity to buy a better one which is a late 2005 (last ones before the insane tax hike) Moonrock Grey GT model. These cars hook you in as soon as you drive it, they offer a unique experience and one you won’t find again. The prices are only going up year on year too. I would urge anyone to have a go in one. I wouldn’t be without mine, I love it each time I look at it let alone drive it. The classic looks, the 9000RPM red line, the masterpiece of an engine, the open top experience, the driver focused interior, the precise gearbox, the typical Honda reliability and the rarity that you won’t see another on your travels, it has it all. Absolutely Fantastic.
Edited by shuthan_b on Wednesday 15th May 09:28
Edited by shuthan_b on Wednesday 15th May 18:43
Perhaps someone could explain why Honda never fitted the 240 motor in the Civic? I'm sure it would been a proper beast. And outgunned the MK1 Focus RS of the same era?? I had both an RS & a Civic. The Honda was just to frantic for me, needed 5k on the rev counter to get any decent momentum out of it.
MrGeoff said:
What a cracking car the S2000 is, the likes of which we will never see again. It's an itch I really do need to scratch before prices go bonkers although I fear that's already happening.
Agree - I think prices have stayed pretty steady for the last 2 years, especially nice one's in good condition. The US prices are more eye watering, seem to have a bigger S2K following out there and clearly the market is bigger.G
Firebobby said:
Perhaps someone could explain why Honda never fitted the 240 motor in the Civic? I'm sure it would been a proper beast. And outgunned the MK1 Focus RS of the same era?? I had both an RS & a Civic. The Honda was just to frantic for me, needed 5k on the rev counter to get any decent momentum out of it.
If you thought the K20 was frantic and needed to be wrung out to get any momentum, I'm not sure the F20 would have changed your mind much. Would still need to be in the high powerband to get anywhere quick. In standard form the EP3 was only maybe about 10bhp off of the Mk1 Focus RS? What the Focus had on it's side would be the torque from the Turbo. No amount of VTech goodness can mimic that.It's also a bit unfair to compare the 2 in my mind. RRP of the Focus was about £20k, and the EP3 CTR was £16k. That's a 25% difference. Even the Focus ST170 of the time was priced higher than the EP3.
I had a 2002 "GT" model (hardtop) in Monte Carlo Blue 10+ years ago. Loved it, it was a great car, extremely reliable, my first convertible.
However, I never gelled with the engine, oddly enough. Yes, it is amazing how it revs, but personally I didn't want to be always driving like a lunatic to 7~9k rpm. VTEC kicks in at ~5500 rpm and below that the engine is relatively "meh" IMHO. And I can confirm its very twitchy in the wet (running on Toyos, which were supposed to improve things). All reasons for which I sold it and never looked back.
They still do look lovely though, 25yr old design!
This isn't a 2009 as the article says, it is a 20 year old pre update 2003.
Why people are paying this for them is crazy! I had an S2000, supercharged it etc etc. It was great. Then I got a standard one after having to sell the first to get a house. They are good, but not great. They never make 240, more like 210 (confirmed at an s2000 rolling road day where my charged one made 410 and na ones were all about 210).
I went off down the wondrful lotus rabit hole, inlcuding a honda s1 elise, exige v6.
But I now have a modern s2000... 200kg lighter, it has mid range (unlike any s2000, you need a K20 with iVTEC for a bit of midrange, not the old F20C with basic VTEC) and it has a genuine 220bhp thanks to the BBR super 220 na tuning kit. It absolutelty screams along at just under 8000 rpm.
If you want a car that beats the S2000 and is also much much newer, then get one of these instead.
Why people are paying this for them is crazy! I had an S2000, supercharged it etc etc. It was great. Then I got a standard one after having to sell the first to get a house. They are good, but not great. They never make 240, more like 210 (confirmed at an s2000 rolling road day where my charged one made 410 and na ones were all about 210).
I went off down the wondrful lotus rabit hole, inlcuding a honda s1 elise, exige v6.
But I now have a modern s2000... 200kg lighter, it has mid range (unlike any s2000, you need a K20 with iVTEC for a bit of midrange, not the old F20C with basic VTEC) and it has a genuine 220bhp thanks to the BBR super 220 na tuning kit. It absolutelty screams along at just under 8000 rpm.
If you want a car that beats the S2000 and is also much much newer, then get one of these instead.
Edited by robinandcamera on Wednesday 15th May 16:20
I had a 2003 GT along side my Z4M Coupe about ten years ago. The Zed was mostly a track car at that time, so the S2000 was my daily driver. It was a handful but easily controlled if you grabbed it by the scruff of the neck. That said, I do agree that predictable and controllable handling was highly dependent on having good tyres and the geo set up properly.
I replaced it with a B7 RS4 because I needed a more practical car and I’ve since bought an S2 Exige, so I must enjoy high-revving NA engines!
I replaced it with a B7 RS4 because I needed a more practical car and I’ve since bought an S2 Exige, so I must enjoy high-revving NA engines!
I had a New Imola Orange facelift S2000 for a while until a dry stone wall drove into me. Delicious colour.
While it was a bit too much like hard work as a daily commuter car, and getting the best out of it presented license-losing risk, it was definitely the most charismatic, exciting, interesting, and all-out 'best' car I have had.
While it was a bit too much like hard work as a daily commuter car, and getting the best out of it presented license-losing risk, it was definitely the most charismatic, exciting, interesting, and all-out 'best' car I have had.
I've lusted after a New Imola Orange S2000 for years and years, but the timing has never quite worked out - and when it did, I decided my commute would be better served by a 3.0 Z4. I'll always have a tinge of regret over that one.
I remember a similar article on PH several years ago about a pristine low mileage S2000 in New Imola Orange. It could even have been this one (although I think that might have been a facelift). At the time it was ~£12k, back when you could get a scruffy S2000 for £6k or less and a really quite decent one for £9k.
Just the other day I saw an S2000 in New Imola Orange for the first time years, and now this article... Must be a sign!
I remember a similar article on PH several years ago about a pristine low mileage S2000 in New Imola Orange. It could even have been this one (although I think that might have been a facelift). At the time it was ~£12k, back when you could get a scruffy S2000 for £6k or less and a really quite decent one for £9k.
Just the other day I saw an S2000 in New Imola Orange for the first time years, and now this article... Must be a sign!
forzaminardi said:
I had a New Imola Orange facelift S2000 for a while until a dry stone wall drove into me. Delicious colour.
While it was a bit too much like hard work as a daily commuter car, and getting the best out of it presented license-losing risk, it was definitely the most charismatic, exciting, interesting, and all-out 'best' car I have had.
This post simultaneously vindicates my Z4 decision and fills me with deep regret at my bad/sensible choice.While it was a bit too much like hard work as a daily commuter car, and getting the best out of it presented license-losing risk, it was definitely the most charismatic, exciting, interesting, and all-out 'best' car I have had.
jwwbowe said:
Had a facelift UK car. Fantastic things, 9k rpm with the roof down then snatching another cog from the best manual gearbox ever (it’s up there) proper 
They are a bit lairy in the wet though
My old boss had an early AP1 which he used as a daily. They are a bit lairy in the wet though
Best car he'd ever owned at the time , sadly it got stolen and was found burnt out.
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