RE: Happy 18th birthday Honda S2000: PH Blog
Discussion
Mushroom12 said:
For daily use? Too hardcore and in one hell of a price bracket... 
Pricey for sure but Evora Roadster idea you want would be even more. Lotus tend to be quite compliant on suspension so that aspect shouldn't be a problem. Wider sill, smaller boot and lower to the ground might be more awkward considerations.
I picked up my '99 JDM back in 2010, and have used it as a weekend car ever since. To acknowledge the accolades given so far would be an understatement, it always make me smile when I drive it. It's frantic nature as it climbs through the rev range, or the the fact the car doesn't become settled and fluid until nicely warmed up. (Double de-clutch until the gearbox warms up and then it becomes a sublime shift)
The car is a keeper, and I plan to have the car repainted in its original Silverstone colour early next year. Being quite an early model (VIN ends 159), the paint has shown it's wear over time. I was fortunate to get the the JDM forged BBS 16" wheels which are staying on, but they have received a powder coat under my ownership.
Other than the usual suspects such as a bush replacement, the car has given me no grief over my ownership other than the regular servicing.
Hard to believe it's 18 years old, still feels fresh!
The car is a keeper, and I plan to have the car repainted in its original Silverstone colour early next year. Being quite an early model (VIN ends 159), the paint has shown it's wear over time. I was fortunate to get the the JDM forged BBS 16" wheels which are staying on, but they have received a powder coat under my ownership.
Other than the usual suspects such as a bush replacement, the car has given me no grief over my ownership other than the regular servicing.
Hard to believe it's 18 years old, still feels fresh!
Edited by Badgerboy on Thursday 12th October 17:06
Edited by Badgerboy on Thursday 12th October 17:07
RossP said:
I bought one back in 2012. Kept if for a couple of years and then sold it to my brother-in-law. He wrote that one off on the M1.
However I bought another one last month. One owner and just 21k miles!
Great cars!
And here is my old one
Great find - 21K miles is hardly run in. Lovely colour, it's probably the only reason I'd get rid of mine - to get a newer, lower mileage one. But as I've done all that there is to be done - bar a respray on mine it would have to be in perfect nick....However I bought another one last month. One owner and just 21k miles!
Great cars!
And here is my old one
Edited by RossP on Thursday 12th October 16:30
There is nothing else like it, and they are worth every penny....
S.
I miss mine soooo muuuucchhh
It's the only car I've had that I'd buy again, quite frankly.
The engine let go at 120k whilst pootling up the A1 at 65mph, which was rather dissapointing.
The fact it happened right at the bottom of the market was also a shame - it was only worth 3.5k as a running example at the time.
I had suspension, bushes and geometry done - and it was an absolute hooligan. I've never enjoyed driving a car more.
Now I live in HK and I see a them about occasionally - but when used ones do come up they're 20-35k gbp!
Boxsters start at 3.5k gbp by comparisson.
I don't doubt the baby Porsche is a better steer, but I know which I'd rather have.
It's the only car I've had that I'd buy again, quite frankly.
The engine let go at 120k whilst pootling up the A1 at 65mph, which was rather dissapointing.
The fact it happened right at the bottom of the market was also a shame - it was only worth 3.5k as a running example at the time.
I had suspension, bushes and geometry done - and it was an absolute hooligan. I've never enjoyed driving a car more.
Now I live in HK and I see a them about occasionally - but when used ones do come up they're 20-35k gbp!
Boxsters start at 3.5k gbp by comparisson.
I don't doubt the baby Porsche is a better steer, but I know which I'd rather have.
Couldn't agree more with the comments above. Can't think of many other cars that people have owned 2, 3 or 4 of them... says it all.
I bought mine back in 2011, sold at the end of 2013, went into a Z4MR, but bought the very same car back a year ago, at a £1.5k premium ? Absolutely love it. It’s a 2005 with 53k on the clock, full service history.
Not the best out of the box, but with some minor suspension changes (springs, front and rear braces, sticky tyres and alignment) they handle really well and can be a 10/10ths car. 8/10ths std I’d say.
Add a K&N and the “UK Exhaust mod” and you have all the noise you want. I also upgraded the sound system, fitted heated seats last winter, retrimmed steering wheel… plus much more.
Might look for a Boxster S or F Type in a couple of years, but think I’d be mad to sell the S2000, never be anything like it again. For all it’s worth, best keeping locked up for a few years.
Obligatory picture.
I bought mine back in 2011, sold at the end of 2013, went into a Z4MR, but bought the very same car back a year ago, at a £1.5k premium ? Absolutely love it. It’s a 2005 with 53k on the clock, full service history.
Not the best out of the box, but with some minor suspension changes (springs, front and rear braces, sticky tyres and alignment) they handle really well and can be a 10/10ths car. 8/10ths std I’d say.
Add a K&N and the “UK Exhaust mod” and you have all the noise you want. I also upgraded the sound system, fitted heated seats last winter, retrimmed steering wheel… plus much more.
Might look for a Boxster S or F Type in a couple of years, but think I’d be mad to sell the S2000, never be anything like it again. For all it’s worth, best keeping locked up for a few years.
Obligatory picture.
Edited by scz4 on Friday 13th October 14:54
I don't get what all the fuss is about. I wasn't impressed by mine but I've yet to meet anyone, owner or not, who agrees with me. From a standing start, it was sluggish and you had to rev it like a boy racer to get any sort of performance from it. There aren't even any viable options to improve the performance significantly. The styling is ok but it looks too much like the MX5 to stand out in a crowd. I was happy to see mine go! I'm sure the new owner loves it like everyone else does so maybe it's better that way.
Late response but I missed this thread at the time!
This is, apart from the preceding two comments, the most positive of all PH S2000 threads!
I am ambivalent about mine. It is certainly a good example, a one previous owner, early 2006 car so at the supposed sweet-spot. Delightful when I'm in the mood, the road is smooth and the journey is short, hateful when the DD is in for attention and I have to drive the S2000 the 75 miles to work - or when the road is rough or undulating, unbearably harsh and loud on the motorways (I wear ear-plugs - no loud exhausts or induction kits for me!).
An earlier poster commented on the propensity to pitch on undulating B-roads. That was true (of mine) but fore-aft, not diagonally (perhaps one blown damper? I had that once on another car). I have cured the pitching by reverting to the spring ratios of the earliest cars which were softer at the front and stiffer at the back. This gave the 'correct' higher bounce frequency at the rear relative to front which was mistakenly abandoned in the many attempts to fix the snappy nature on the limit (of which I have not had a problem). I fitted the Swift Sport springs which gives about 7.5% 'flat-ride'. Now I don't have to back off when the going gets choppy whilst following a family hatchback. I might uprate the front anti-roll bar to reset the balance of roll-stiffness.
For all its good points, and despite the above 'improvement', I find it a hard car to love.
This is, apart from the preceding two comments, the most positive of all PH S2000 threads!
I am ambivalent about mine. It is certainly a good example, a one previous owner, early 2006 car so at the supposed sweet-spot. Delightful when I'm in the mood, the road is smooth and the journey is short, hateful when the DD is in for attention and I have to drive the S2000 the 75 miles to work - or when the road is rough or undulating, unbearably harsh and loud on the motorways (I wear ear-plugs - no loud exhausts or induction kits for me!).
An earlier poster commented on the propensity to pitch on undulating B-roads. That was true (of mine) but fore-aft, not diagonally (perhaps one blown damper? I had that once on another car). I have cured the pitching by reverting to the spring ratios of the earliest cars which were softer at the front and stiffer at the back. This gave the 'correct' higher bounce frequency at the rear relative to front which was mistakenly abandoned in the many attempts to fix the snappy nature on the limit (of which I have not had a problem). I fitted the Swift Sport springs which gives about 7.5% 'flat-ride'. Now I don't have to back off when the going gets choppy whilst following a family hatchback. I might uprate the front anti-roll bar to reset the balance of roll-stiffness.
For all its good points, and despite the above 'improvement', I find it a hard car to love.
Mothersruin said:
2006 the sweet spot?
That's why I say 'supposed'. Honda messed with the springs to little positive effect almost yearly since the 1999-00 model and causing it to 'nod' on B-roads. The '04 onwards got reduced toe-change on the rear subframe (always a good thing), upgraded carbon sync rings, stronger diff (I think), stronger valve spring retainers and bigger wheels but up to 2006 avoided the top tax rate.Mothersruin said:
I thought they'd dialed all the fun out of it by then for the poofty Yanks.?.
The changes were for the journos! The progressively heavier front springs may have benefitted American Autocrossers who needed less dive on tight turns (spring changing is not allowed in showroom class). Hardly poofty!The US also got the 2.2 litre F22C, arguably less 'pure' but answering one endless criticism of the 2-litre.
Edited by freeform on Thursday 26th April 15:59
Loved mine. Came from a modded MR2 Turbo.
Supercharged with a few other tweaks (carbon bonnet / boot / wing / diffuser / mirrors / brake ducts, 4 point cage, 3” straight through exhaust, etc.).
Couple of Nurburgring trips, loads of car shows and I really loved that car.
Engine expired racing a 911 up the A33 one morning. Sold the blower to pay for a new engine, and did an engine swap myself. Was never the same after going from ~320 to ~190whp, so sold it.
Supercharged with a few other tweaks (carbon bonnet / boot / wing / diffuser / mirrors / brake ducts, 4 point cage, 3” straight through exhaust, etc.).
Couple of Nurburgring trips, loads of car shows and I really loved that car.
Engine expired racing a 911 up the A33 one morning. Sold the blower to pay for a new engine, and did an engine swap myself. Was never the same after going from ~320 to ~190whp, so sold it.
As per most of the replies on here I miss mine too, should have kept it. Had to sell it to fund a house extension/restoration - replaced with a MK2 Golf GTi which was fun but not quite the same..
Every time one of these threads pops up I scan through in the hope the new owner will appear - stalking it on the web it's still active and only doing around 1500 miles a year between MOTs - so someone's weekend car now by the look of it.
YJ03 FFG where are you!
Every time one of these threads pops up I scan through in the hope the new owner will appear - stalking it on the web it's still active and only doing around 1500 miles a year between MOTs - so someone's weekend car now by the look of it.
YJ03 FFG where are you!
Missed out on this one. Some years ago I tried to fit myself into a brand new S2000 at Ewell Honda but instead ended up jammed under the steering wheels my head still above the roll bars. Hearing all the stories about it's tail-happy rear-end made me want one even more but it was never to be .. :sadface: .. which why I bought an MX-5 on impulse a year ago.
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