S2000

[jonsey77]

Just bought an S2000, drove it bought it, end of, what a car!!

Just a couple of questions, does it have to run on super plus and are there any issues I need to look out for?

[cardigankid]

Get onto S2KUK. You are right, it is a fantastic car.

[puggit]

I believe that the Honda warranty is strengthened by using Super - ie if you don't use it you could be warranty-less.

However we did have to run our's on 95 RON when travelling around Europe occasionally, and it certainly still works

As posted above - head over to www.s2ki.co.uk for lots more info.

[Graham@Reading]

puggit said:

I believe that the Honda warranty is strengthened by using Super - ie if you don't use it you could be warranty-less.

Don't be daft

[s2k_vixen]

Use Shell V-power or sometimes the Tesco 99 ron?? and goes

Doesn't seem to run very well on BP for some reason so I avoid them.


Congrats on your choice of car

[puggit]

Graham@Reading said:

puggit said:

I believe that the Honda warranty is strengthened by using Super - ie if you don't use it you could be warranty-less.

Don't be daft

Swat I read on s2ki

[Graham@Reading]

Wonder who came out with that gem

[Fruitcake]

jonsey77 said:

Just bought an S2000, are there any issues I need to look out for?

Yes. Things like trees and lampposts et al getting in the way of your powerslides, catching your tie in the roof and then folding it and realising that although it revs to 9,000 rpm, there's no need to drive it at that all the time.

Also you might want to start learning the following phrases

"...just shy of 9k then sidestepped the clutch..."

"If only it was as long as it is wide, then oncoming traffic wouldn't be such an issue..."

"...the lock stops..."

"...ears bleeding..."

"Fruitcake can have a go"

and

"...cleaning sick out of the passenger footwell..."

[havoc]

@ fruitcake!

Issues? Depends...how old is the car?

[rebelstar]

I've just put a deposit down on a second hand ('01) S2000. Hopefully not too many issues to worry about...! Finally back to open-top motoring, just in time for winter

[danwww]

if its an import I think it is setup to run on 99RON fuel I prefer shell or tesco BP seems to run bad in mine too

I dunno how well you know rwd cars but this one really spins in the wet so be carefull

[havoc]

On the '01, main thing will be checking the suspension adjustment bolts...some have insufficient rustproofing (designed for Jap climate), and as they're dissimilar metal to the sleeve, any saltwater getting in the bolts acts as an electrode. You don't want to know the replacement prices if they seize. A handful of instances of seized bolts, but mainly 'tight' corroded bolts which need a good bicep to undo, a good clean-up and a generous amount of copperease...prevention definitely rather than cure. Can also use as an excellent opportunity to get the geo properly set up...many are to 'granny spec' to prevent people exiting the road backwards in the wet when they run out of talent, but granny spec lacks sufficient feel and involvement for enthusiast drivers.

Beyond that, the usual rwd soft top things - take care of seals and rear window (will be plastic), and take it easy in the wet until you know the car...it really can be that twitchy (mainly but not exclusively on cold tyres), and in granny spec when it goes it goes quickly...hence my advice to get the geo improved.


Other than that, good call...once you know it it's a better car than the reviews give it credit for!

[RossC]

havoc

Was the suspension corrosion an issue on '03 models, I'm about to pick one up.

If so I may get it straight into my local spanner monkey to take apart and regrease everything before getting it re-geoed. Hopefully won't be a problem as its been garaged all its life and has sub 5k on the clock....

Speaking of geo, any pointers as to a non-granny set-up ?

Regards

Ross

[havoc]

All models, IIRC. But varies from car to car...I don't think the QC on the bolts was quite as robust as Honda normal, and they were clearly made by the lowest bidder.

There are IIRC ~8-10 cases on S2ki of cars with seized bolts, inc. a couple of '04s, and numerous others with partly-corroded bolts (mine had 3 of 20(?) needing wire-brushing clean).

So yes, I'd recommend getting a reliable spanner-monkey to jack it up and take the bolts out one-by-one for a clean and copper-ease, before full geo re-align. Chris Franklin at CentreGravity (Ashby-based but Beissbarth mobile kit) has become quite an S2000 alignment expert...does a fair few Tivs and Porsches as well...look on S2ki (when it's back up) for the next 'alignment meet' near you.


Beyond that there aren't any major issues with the S2000 that I'm aware of...not beyond 'one-off's', anyway.

[RossC]

Thanks,

I'm Essex based and tend to use Supertyres at Maldon for geo, they have two Hunter rigs and really know their stuff so its just a case of getting a recomendation on camber angles etc from someone in the know.

Will keep at eye on the S2K forum when they get it back up

[havoc]

Hunter rigs are pretty decent, so that's OK. As for geo...a fair amount of talk on S2ki about it, but if you know the Honda maxima and minima (there's a .pdf on the Tech FAQ) and how each different setting can affect the car, you can create your own easily enough...it's what I did:-

- 5deg30' castor (min is 5deg15')...way down from the stock...improved steering feel and didn't upset straight-line stability much at all. Turn-in still good.

- No front toe

- Average front camber (1deg IIRC)...not too much as it's plenty as is.

- Minimum rear toe-in (0deg10' I think)...makes the rear break-away sooner but more progressively. Also aids turn-in.

- Less rear camber (1deg30' from standard 2deg)...again, reduce rear grip as I was finding the stock set-up very tricky to unstick in the dry, and when it did it went quick.


Result is a more involving and responsive car in the dry which actually feels like it's working for you. In the wet it's a little twitchy, mainly on cold tyres as above, but it's easy to catch like that. Depends when you'll use it and how confident you are.

[LTB]

Maybe worth PMing Sarren over on s2ki.

He has a lot of data from a few of the geometry meets and will be able to advise you as to what Chris Franklin has been using as his optimum setting based on feedback from S2k drivers.

[AquilaEagle]

Chris uses something set just inbetween the original settings and the dumbed down ones. He'll discuss it with you, how and where you drive etc too

[cardigankid]

Cant help noticing that in Germany You dont just get super you get super plus, and Shell V Power over there is 100 Octane not 98. I feel it makes a difference (but it may just be wishful thinking).

[cardigankid]

I also noticed that the two bolt ends at the top of the wheel wells seen from inside the bonnet corrode and mine was new! Anyway they re now coated with waxoyl I ll obviously have to get under the car as well.