RE: You Know You Want To: Honda S2000
Discussion
Kozy said:
This interests me, I wonder how many people given a budget of £5k would take a DC2 over an S2K. Sounds like you possibly would?
Every day of the week. They are so very confidence inspiring and feel genuinely special. Ultimate speed is obviously nothing to write home about in this day and age of modern turbo'd lumps but the way they turn in and hold a line regardless of the state of the roads is quite something.yonex said:
Kozy said:
This interests me, I wonder how many people given a budget of £5k would take a DC2 over an S2K. Sounds like you possibly would?
Every day of the week. They are so very confidence inspiring and feel genuinely special. Ultimate speed is obviously nothing to write home about in this day and age of modern turbo'd lumps but the way they turn in and hold a line regardless of the state of the roads is quite something.- was quicker in a straight line
- looked better
- was convertible
- felt better built
- was rwd and thus had to be a better driver's car
...the DC2 was the one that engaged you, egged you on, rewarded you and generally got so far under your skin that the only way to sell it was after having it surgically removed...
I liked the S2000, it's a genuinely good car. But it's not a great car...the DC2 is.
Well a couple of years on, I have just re read this whole thread 
I still have my S2000, used it to commute between Cheshire and Milton Keynes twice a week for a year last year, now over 118k miles and still going strong. This year it's mostly being driven to and from the airport as I am once again working even further away. The drive home on a Friday night is the highlight of my working week!
My wife still wants me to buy a more 'sensible' car, especially as we now have two kids, but after all this time I think she is resigned to it staying until I can afford to buy a 'proper classic' (her words not mine) for weekend fun (plus a sensible car). I am searching for the perfect complimentary car for leaving at the airport, cycling trips, bad weather commuting when I am back working within commuting distance of home, and family camping trips. A recent new house is putting all of that on hold and there isn't much point when I am working abroad, though it will happen as I now have a garage big enough for both current cars AND both motorbikes
I still think that the comments about the handling are valid, but the more time I spend in the car the more I like it just the way it is. I had a memorable drive in the peeing rain one night coming back from Milton Keynes, with tires that were a bit too far gone (it was booked in for replacement of them the next morning). Back road stint from Uttoxeter to Stone (such a brilliant road even in the dark with puddles and mud and surface water) and then sliding into and out of every roundabout on the last stretch of dual carriageway (at relatively low speed and without trying to make it slide, the tires were really that bad: understeer on the way in, corrected with throttle which then turned into a drifting exit), still makes me smile to think of it. I think I can safely say that I like it!
As far as the steering feel,it isn't what it should have been, but it isn't as bad as many people will have you believe from reading the internet. The only car I have driven in the past 3 or 4 years that was better was a 911(997 C2S) (though the Elise and Ferrari 308 that I drove on previous occasions were markedly better than that, I never did get to try a DC2), other more modern cars all have even less feel than my 2001 S2000. The feel is there, but you have to be tuned into it to notice, it's subtle and masked to an extent by the electric power assistance, but time and experience lets you appreciate it more.
It is not a car that can be fully appreciated on a test drive, or one that can be mastered in a few weeks, unless you really are a driving god. I just like to think I am someone with moderate skills but who works hard on paying attention to what he's doing. I've been at it over 10 years and 100,000 miles now and I still pay very close attention, but for me that is a lot of the attraction. I'm sure if it was easy to master I would have been bored before now.
I still have my S2000, used it to commute between Cheshire and Milton Keynes twice a week for a year last year, now over 118k miles and still going strong. This year it's mostly being driven to and from the airport as I am once again working even further away. The drive home on a Friday night is the highlight of my working week!
My wife still wants me to buy a more 'sensible' car, especially as we now have two kids, but after all this time I think she is resigned to it staying until I can afford to buy a 'proper classic' (her words not mine) for weekend fun (plus a sensible car). I am searching for the perfect complimentary car for leaving at the airport, cycling trips, bad weather commuting when I am back working within commuting distance of home, and family camping trips. A recent new house is putting all of that on hold and there isn't much point when I am working abroad, though it will happen as I now have a garage big enough for both current cars AND both motorbikes
I still think that the comments about the handling are valid, but the more time I spend in the car the more I like it just the way it is. I had a memorable drive in the peeing rain one night coming back from Milton Keynes, with tires that were a bit too far gone (it was booked in for replacement of them the next morning). Back road stint from Uttoxeter to Stone (such a brilliant road even in the dark with puddles and mud and surface water) and then sliding into and out of every roundabout on the last stretch of dual carriageway (at relatively low speed and without trying to make it slide, the tires were really that bad: understeer on the way in, corrected with throttle which then turned into a drifting exit), still makes me smile to think of it. I think I can safely say that I like it!
As far as the steering feel,it isn't what it should have been, but it isn't as bad as many people will have you believe from reading the internet. The only car I have driven in the past 3 or 4 years that was better was a 911(997 C2S) (though the Elise and Ferrari 308 that I drove on previous occasions were markedly better than that, I never did get to try a DC2), other more modern cars all have even less feel than my 2001 S2000. The feel is there, but you have to be tuned into it to notice, it's subtle and masked to an extent by the electric power assistance, but time and experience lets you appreciate it more.
It is not a car that can be fully appreciated on a test drive, or one that can be mastered in a few weeks, unless you really are a driving god. I just like to think I am someone with moderate skills but who works hard on paying attention to what he's doing. I've been at it over 10 years and 100,000 miles now and I still pay very close attention, but for me that is a lot of the attraction. I'm sure if it was easy to master I would have been bored before now.
The point I always used to make to back up my point around the handling of the S2000 was this; I've been a "member" of a fair few owners clubs and been to quite a few meets and drives but it seemed that every single time the S2000 owners club met at least one car was written off. At the time the S2000 owners club weren't exactly a bunch of hooligans either, just a normal slice of demographic like many other owners clubs. The S2000 guys just seemed to write them off at a rate 100 times higher than even the TVR owners club and that's going some!
I'm not a bad driver but I'm no driving God but I've done my fair share of ring trips and track days etc but I was always too scared of all the cars I've driven to do one in the S2000 as I knew it would just try to kill me all the time, for me it was just a 5/10's car or one to enjoy the noise in straight line on a dry day. Sorry I'm sure many love them, I'm just not one of them, and don't get me started on V-Tec which is basically like having the worlds worst turbo lag by design.
I'm not a bad driver but I'm no driving God but I've done my fair share of ring trips and track days etc but I was always too scared of all the cars I've driven to do one in the S2000 as I knew it would just try to kill me all the time, for me it was just a 5/10's car or one to enjoy the noise in straight line on a dry day. Sorry I'm sure many love them, I'm just not one of them, and don't get me started on V-Tec which is basically like having the worlds worst turbo lag by design.
Much as I like my fast Honda's I never really liked the S2000 I had, I could appreciate the fantastic engine and gearbox but that was all I could praise it for. The guy who bought it from me then had the engine fail within a few months when a conrod exited the block, the S2000 was reasonable mileage under 70,000 with full Honda history.
The best thing to do with an S2000 engine and gearbox is put it in something much more deserving, like this!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Escort-Mexico-Rally...
The best thing to do with an S2000 engine and gearbox is put it in something much more deserving, like this!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Escort-Mexico-Rally...
Had mine over 3 years and i'm struggling to find something to replace it. Been a superb car and there isnt much with a drivetrain to match it even in much newer cars. I don't want to spend 20k plus to replace my S2K so i'm struggling. It's a hot hatch or maybe something like a 370z but thats a heavy GT car not a fun sports car.
havoc said:
yonex said:
Kozy said:
This interests me, I wonder how many people given a budget of £5k would take a DC2 over an S2K. Sounds like you possibly would?
Every day of the week. They are so very confidence inspiring and feel genuinely special. Ultimate speed is obviously nothing to write home about in this day and age of modern turbo'd lumps but the way they turn in and hold a line regardless of the state of the roads is quite something.- was quicker in a straight line
- looked better
- was convertible
- felt better built
- was rwd and thus had to be a better driver's car
...the DC2 was the one that engaged you, egged you on, rewarded you and generally got so far under your skin that the only way to sell it was after having it surgically removed...
I liked the S2000, it's a genuinely good car. But it's not a great car...the DC2 is.
davey68 said:
Had mine over 3 years and i'm struggling to find something to replace it. Been a superb car and there isnt much with a drivetrain to match it even in much newer cars. I don't want to spend 20k plus to replace my S2K so i'm struggling. It's a hot hatch or maybe something like a 370z but thats a heavy GT car not a fun sports car.
Boxster?After selling my S2000, I went on to buy a Westfield. Very fun little car with a sense of occasion like nothing else. I sold that last year and just bought a Focus ST, thinking I wanted plenty of performance but also practicality. Now I have it, i'm missing the top-down experience on sunny days and have had little need for the practicality of a hatchback. I find myself missing my S2000 now but have my eye on a 987 in the not-so-distant future.
RobbyJ said:
I'm not a bad driver but I'm no driving God but I've done my fair share of ring trips and track days etc but I was always too scared of all the cars I've driven to do one in the S2000 as I knew it would just try to kill me all the time, for me it was just a 5/10's car or one to enjoy the noise in straight line on a dry day.
I guess there's a good reason why very few S2000s are used for competition motorsport. However, even for road use, they benefit greatly from well set up geometry and good tyres. I think the 5/10ths criticism is bit harsh for a well set up car. They're definitely not a 10/10ths car unless you're that Japanese chap from that Nurburgring video.RobbyJ said:
and don't get me started on V-Tec which is basically like having the worlds worst turbo lag by design.
... and without the torque of a turbo in return.Boxster is a good shout. Always liked the boxster and cayman. My concern is reliability, there have been a number of cars with IMS/RMS/bore scoring issues some of which have lead to engine failure. I can't afford to drive round with a 10k 'engine fund'. Been spoiled by honda reliability and running costs I think. A good boxster would be nice though, sweet n/a engine, great handling and a nice noise too.
davey68 said:
Boxster is a good shout. Always liked the boxster and cayman. My concern is reliability, there have been a number of cars with IMS/RMS/bore scoring issues some of which have lead to engine failure. I can't afford to drive round with a 10k 'engine fund'. Been spoiled by honda reliability and running costs I think. A good boxster would be nice though, sweet n/a engine, great handling and a nice noise too.
IMS & bore scoring are both a lot less common than Internet scaremongering would lead you to believe. That said, both can happen and will cost a pretty penny if you are one of the few.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff