RE: Honda S2000: Spotted
Discussion
Quickmoose said:
Had my 06' for just over two years now.
Tested a 2.5 and 3.2 Boxster, TTS and Z4.
For me it primarily came down to character. I desperately wanted to have a Porsche badge stare back at me whilst driving and both Boxsters were 'nice'...but for me they, and the other two, were not 'events' in the same way.
As someone else noted a 'flaw' can be a positive thing sometimes....
The fact you have to committed if you want the 'drama... without it, it may as well be a base Civic - which if you're stuck in traffic is no bad thing.
I fitted lower seat rails (I'm 5'11) got the geo done, it already had AEM V2, K&N and a stainless exhaust.
It was/is a weekend, 'roadtrip' car. The boot holds enough to go camping for 2 weeks, job done.
Worthy of note....still...:
How many cars rev to 9k
How many make that much power per litre
Its a very special engine despite being only 4 cylinders.
Add roof off
Add THE best gear linkage (maybe not ratios)
Add what has turned out to be a very gracefully ageing design, inside and out.
none of it's competition ever 'ate it alive' lol.
Mine is probably still worth the £11k I paid for it....but if I sold it, I'd need well north of £20k to think of anything to replace it with, that could offer the same mix of qualities and character.
LeMans again this year...
I’ll second every part of that Tested a 2.5 and 3.2 Boxster, TTS and Z4.
For me it primarily came down to character. I desperately wanted to have a Porsche badge stare back at me whilst driving and both Boxsters were 'nice'...but for me they, and the other two, were not 'events' in the same way.
As someone else noted a 'flaw' can be a positive thing sometimes....
The fact you have to committed if you want the 'drama... without it, it may as well be a base Civic - which if you're stuck in traffic is no bad thing.
I fitted lower seat rails (I'm 5'11) got the geo done, it already had AEM V2, K&N and a stainless exhaust.
It was/is a weekend, 'roadtrip' car. The boot holds enough to go camping for 2 weeks, job done.
Worthy of note....still...:
How many cars rev to 9k
How many make that much power per litre
Its a very special engine despite being only 4 cylinders.
Add roof off
Add THE best gear linkage (maybe not ratios)
Add what has turned out to be a very gracefully ageing design, inside and out.
none of it's competition ever 'ate it alive' lol.
Mine is probably still worth the £11k I paid for it....but if I sold it, I'd need well north of £20k to think of anything to replace it with, that could offer the same mix of qualities and character.
LeMans again this year...
AquilaEagle said:
Just don’t dare to question how good dynamically the S2 is on that website. Strange bunch. 
very typical of a one marque forumThread update: after this article I ended up viewing the car advertised. The owner was lovely and the car had been mechanically cared for but needed more cosmetic work than I was willing to put in and the discs needed changing, overall it was a tempting proposition but I couldn’t commit....I would advise viewing though.
However, I am now on a train to Basingstoke to pick up a slightly pricier facelift model....fingers crossed, although it is wet and grey so not really the right day for this sort of car.
However, I am now on a train to Basingstoke to pick up a slightly pricier facelift model....fingers crossed, although it is wet and grey so not really the right day for this sort of car.
I sold my Elise S1 Sport 135 last year and looked long and hard for an S2000 to replace it with.
I loved the Elise but eventually the impracticalities meant it was not used as much as it should have been.
I wanted a facelift with as low mileage as I could find - for me the sweet spot for the S2000, with the rear suspension changes to make it less twitchy when pressing on, along with 17" alloys which improve the look and help handling at the limit, and the updated front and rear lights and bodywork make a facelift '04-'06 the best looking S2000 in my eyes.
Post March 2006 have the increased road tax, and a drive by wire throttle that to me felt ever so slightly disconnected, later cars seemed to have questions regarding thrust washers and resultant engine issues - without doubt overblown, but I wanted piece of mind.
I was very lucky to eventually find a November 2005 GT with 21K miles last November, after almost 6 months of looking, in Moonrock with red and black leather - for me one of the top combinations.
I adore this car, it's so easy to potter around in with the roof down, absolutely no rattles (unlike the Elise) and the cabin is a wonderful place to be. The design of the interior is so minimal and driver focussed with the radio hidden behind a drop down door, all audio controls along with fan and heating that can be adjusted by the driver with his hands still on the wheel. There's no glovebox (that's in the centre behind the seats) there's really only a single air vent for the passenger to play with.
But then when you press on the engine is an utter masterpiece, intoxicatingly addictive up to 9,000rpm and sounding fantastic beyond 7,000, and the gear change is, as already mentioned many times, so good it's almost imperceptible but so satisfyingly mechanical.
The torque is nothing like a modern day diesel for sure, but in everyday situations I can't remember ever having problems keeping up with traffic, the car feels light and nimble and even after the Elise I really don't have an issue with the steering.
The Elise was great, and I do miss it, but the wife hated it so that reduced the trips possible, getting in and out became tiresome and theatrical at petrol stations, and I was never completely confident about the reliability (although it actually always got me home). But on the right road, in the right conditions, it was a joy.
The Honda feels more grown up, build quality is in a different league of course, there's no rattles, the F20C vs a Rover K series are at completely opposite ends of the engineering spectrum, and it has a boot that you could fit more than a couple of sheets of paper in.
I think the design has aged extremely well, it really is a lovely looking thing.
Also the wife enjoys it too, so it gets used more often which is a bonus.
I know that I would miss this more than the Elise when that day comes.
Investment? I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I won't lose any money should I come to move on.
I loved the Elise but eventually the impracticalities meant it was not used as much as it should have been.
I wanted a facelift with as low mileage as I could find - for me the sweet spot for the S2000, with the rear suspension changes to make it less twitchy when pressing on, along with 17" alloys which improve the look and help handling at the limit, and the updated front and rear lights and bodywork make a facelift '04-'06 the best looking S2000 in my eyes.
Post March 2006 have the increased road tax, and a drive by wire throttle that to me felt ever so slightly disconnected, later cars seemed to have questions regarding thrust washers and resultant engine issues - without doubt overblown, but I wanted piece of mind.
I was very lucky to eventually find a November 2005 GT with 21K miles last November, after almost 6 months of looking, in Moonrock with red and black leather - for me one of the top combinations.
I adore this car, it's so easy to potter around in with the roof down, absolutely no rattles (unlike the Elise) and the cabin is a wonderful place to be. The design of the interior is so minimal and driver focussed with the radio hidden behind a drop down door, all audio controls along with fan and heating that can be adjusted by the driver with his hands still on the wheel. There's no glovebox (that's in the centre behind the seats) there's really only a single air vent for the passenger to play with.
But then when you press on the engine is an utter masterpiece, intoxicatingly addictive up to 9,000rpm and sounding fantastic beyond 7,000, and the gear change is, as already mentioned many times, so good it's almost imperceptible but so satisfyingly mechanical.
The torque is nothing like a modern day diesel for sure, but in everyday situations I can't remember ever having problems keeping up with traffic, the car feels light and nimble and even after the Elise I really don't have an issue with the steering.
The Elise was great, and I do miss it, but the wife hated it so that reduced the trips possible, getting in and out became tiresome and theatrical at petrol stations, and I was never completely confident about the reliability (although it actually always got me home). But on the right road, in the right conditions, it was a joy.
The Honda feels more grown up, build quality is in a different league of course, there's no rattles, the F20C vs a Rover K series are at completely opposite ends of the engineering spectrum, and it has a boot that you could fit more than a couple of sheets of paper in.
I think the design has aged extremely well, it really is a lovely looking thing.
Also the wife enjoys it too, so it gets used more often which is a bonus.
I know that I would miss this more than the Elise when that day comes.
Investment? I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I won't lose any money should I come to move on.
LHRFlightman said:
I love mine, a 1999 car, I'm the 3rd owner and she's got 118k on the clock. Completely standard although I've removed the air box lid.
Took my 14 year old daughter out for a leisurely drive in mine last night. We found ourselves at the Hindhead tunnel, so we went through it. Three times.
Laughing her head off she was. I've had mine 5 years this August, it's staying with me until I can't get in it anymore.
What a nice comment. Slightly put chills through me. I have always loved these cars (albeit never drove one) and it just resonates how special they must be to the owner.Took my 14 year old daughter out for a leisurely drive in mine last night. We found ourselves at the Hindhead tunnel, so we went through it. Three times.
Laughing her head off she was. I've had mine 5 years this August, it's staying with me until I can't get in it anymore.
One of only 2 cars I’ve regretted selling (Corrado VR6 being the other). Had a shortlist in 2009 of Z4 3.0, RX8, Chimaera, Elise, Impreza and the S2000. Drove the Honda first. Straight A-road. Nailed the s
t out of it. 10 mins later I was handing over £10k to the nice man.
I loved the 9000rpm screaming performance, the always-mentioned perfectly weighted gear linkage, the looks, the 80s F1 car LED bar rev counter dominating the dash. The high-geared but numb steering wasn’t the greatest but it didn’t spoil the car. I’m also 5’6” so the driving position was fine!
The only time I thought the Honda lacked a bit of torque was the day I test-drove the Chimaera I ended-up replacing it with. It’s all context...
Incidentally, I so wanted to like the Boxster, but the 986S I drove was competent and efficient in every area. It just wasn’t exciting to drive. Very linear. It felt like my TVR would have handed the Porsche a plate of arse in a straight line, although the on paper stats were similar. BTW I have an RX8 231 as a daily now. Very similar to the S2000 to drive, but with better steering and chassis
t out of it. 10 mins later I was handing over £10k to the nice man. I loved the 9000rpm screaming performance, the always-mentioned perfectly weighted gear linkage, the looks, the 80s F1 car LED bar rev counter dominating the dash. The high-geared but numb steering wasn’t the greatest but it didn’t spoil the car. I’m also 5’6” so the driving position was fine!
The only time I thought the Honda lacked a bit of torque was the day I test-drove the Chimaera I ended-up replacing it with. It’s all context...
Incidentally, I so wanted to like the Boxster, but the 986S I drove was competent and efficient in every area. It just wasn’t exciting to drive. Very linear. It felt like my TVR would have handed the Porsche a plate of arse in a straight line, although the on paper stats were similar. BTW I have an RX8 231 as a daily now. Very similar to the S2000 to drive, but with better steering and chassis
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