# views on a honda s2000?



## jayz_son (Jan 11, 2009)

has anyone here had an experience with a hinda s2000, like ownership or driven one?

a mate of mine is looking to change his for the summer, after a roadster of somekind before he gets a scooby

i quite like the s2000, and the z4m

are they much of a car to drive/own?

some opinons would be good thanks


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## shaneh (Apr 4, 2011)

I haven't drove one but my mate just got one. 
The main thing that struck me was the bright red interior, looks good from a distance but inside it just felt abit cheap and dated. 
To sit in it's quite snug centre console runs front to back. I don't think I'd get on with it and I'm 6'.

I do really like the outside looks aggressive in the rear view. 
Sounds awesome above 6k.

Hope I've helped somewhat :roll:

Shane.


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## dpbayly (Mar 16, 2011)

Ive driven a few with my job as a mechanic, 2 of which have had new new clutches before they were worn out due to an annoying rattle coming from the pressure plate on over run but other than that they are as most Honda car very reliable, that said they are all look and no go in my eyes i was not impressed at all with the drive very nosey inside and as with all V Tec engine you need to thrash it to get it to shift and even then its not a patch on my mapped TT IMO 

But as a reliable every day 2 seater car then its a good reliable choice and it's easy on the eyes.


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## Bikerz (Aug 23, 2008)

I was after one, but went for TT instead. Big factor was £1400 to insure S2k and only £700 for TT.


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## Rich_h (Oct 17, 2008)

Bikerz2 said:


> I was after one, but went for TT instead. Big factor was £1400 to insure S2k and only £700 for TT.


I was also bothered by the short service intervals.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

I drove one on a track day (won it direct from Honda) and also drove the then new current Civic Type R. I have to say, I preferred the Civic.

They're both VTEC so it wasn't the engine, I just didn't find it as much fun to drive.

Aside from that, they are very snap happy and no one but a gifted driver will recover it.


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## Hark (Aug 23, 2007)

Big diffeence in performance between an s2000 and an M. And why then the move to the scooby?


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

As with all the V-Tec engines they have to be thrashed to get the best out of them. They're also a bit of a handful to drive - very tail happy and virtually impossible to recover once you've over-cooked it. A colleague of mine had one and he'd spun and crashed it twice inside 3 months. If you've never had a rear-wheel-drive sports car before the S2000 is probably not the one to start with.


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## hope88 (Mar 25, 2011)

Mark Davies said:


> If you've never had a rear-wheel-drive sports car before the S2000 is probably not the one to start with.


If you never had a RWD car MR2 tubby is probably not the one to start with 

S2000 is a fantastic handling car and plenty of fun in the twisties. Well sorted chassis and plenty of feedback. It's hard to overcook it if you drive sensibly but if you are flooring it around roundabouts on a wet day that won't help  [By this I mean for its asking price...]

It is pretty bland and plain inside but I guess the intention is to let the driver concentrate on driving. In my opinion it is a step up from the MX5 (another great RWD convertible). Power delivery wise I will have to admit it needs feathering to get the most out of it but it is very rewarding when you do. Gear changes are very nice and precise as well. There are blown conversions for the engine if you need more power.

If you are looking for a convertible S2000 is well worth considering. Take one out for a test drive and find out if its the one for you.


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## GINNO78 (Dec 11, 2010)

I owned an S2000 for 2 yrs overrated


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

GINNO78 said:


> I owned an S2000 for 2 yrs overrated


That goes against everything I've heard (a friend had one for a number of years and raved about it) and read. What didn't you like about it?

I guess if you want outright acceleration, you're never going to be happy in one, as they're already tuned to the limit and most 'performance mods' will actually reduce power. They're not a modders car.


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## drjam (Apr 7, 2006)

Haven't owned one myself, but my neighbour did, sold it (because he needed the money and wasn't using it much) and has been regretting it ever since. Lovely car. I'm yet to speak to an owner who's said otherwise.
And I reckon if you bought one now you wouldn't lose money on it if you came to sell (future classic IMHO).
I don't really get this aversion to the fact its power peaks at high revs - it's a sports car; why buy a sports car and then complain that you have to rev it?


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## Survey S2000 (Jul 28, 2009)

I Had one for 3years. Absolutely loved it!! always wanted one and loved the way it drived and the fact that its priorities lie eslewhere to the usually mob of cars. Refinement can leave some abit shock of a nearly 30k new car but thats not what the little honda is about.

I cant wait to get back in one.

I would go for drive when i could and even went to the alps in it.

They can be tricky to drive. Especially on the limit but that where you need to keep them. If your a lazy drive and dont want to get involved in the action dont bother. They are hard to drive fast, no torque and need to be kept at 6k plus revs!! 

But i love driving and the honda made me learn all about it. balance weight transfer and most of all respect or you WILL end up backwards in the rain. When it all come together its great! I remember leaving a scoob for dead at a round about.

Great car!!!!! miss mine [smiley=bigcry.gif]


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## richieshore (May 17, 2010)

Crap on fuel, high tax and not astonishingly quick. I'd also avoid high mileage as by the nature of the engine they've all been ragged to within an inch of their lives!

A friend of mine had one for a few years and loved it, I used to love the noise on it, especially when the v-tech kicked it, great fun.

It'd be worth spending a little more and getting a decent low mileage one rather than just going for the cheapest one possible.


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## Survey S2000 (Jul 28, 2009)

They are very relieable too.

Dont get me wrong they do have issues but its a strong engine made to take the punishment. Its nearly race spec.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

richieshore said:


> Crap on fuel, high tax and not astonishingly quick. I'd also avoid high mileage as by the nature of the engine they've all been ragged to within an inch of their lives!


This may have changed now, but I used to work on Honda's advertising and got to know the brand pretty well. Their head of marketing told me they'd never had a warranty issue on any VTEC engine since launch.

That's pretty impressive.


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

richieshore said:


> Crap on fuel, high tax and not astonishingly quick. I'd also avoid high mileage as by the nature of the engine they've all been ragged to within an inch of their lives!


...speaks a person who clearly knows NOTHING about S2000's.


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## Shipley (Aug 19, 2005)

Get yourself over to here http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/forum/25-uk-s2000-community/ Its a very active forum.

I had one, and kept it for 6 years which is longer than any other car I've ever owned. They are reliable if looked after properly, lack torque at low revs but scream like a banshee when you wring its neck. The only comparison I can make is that they are just like 4 wheel motorbikes.

Great when you are in the mood, but a long journey is tiresome and I ended up buying an old Merc to use for longer journeys.

Fuel is 'normal' 30mpg when you are not in a hurry, its actually more frugal than a TT 225 I found. Insurance is the main issue, they are group 20 which for a lot of people make them stupidly expensive to insure. They are very tail happy in the wet.

Check out the owners forum for 'siezed bushes' which seems to be the main problem with them.


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## richieshore (May 17, 2010)

kmpowell said:


> richieshore said:
> 
> 
> > Crap on fuel, high tax and not astonishingly quick. I'd also avoid high mileage as by the nature of the engine they've all been ragged to within an inch of their lives!
> ...


A friend of mine had one for 2 years, what's not correct? Avoiding high mileage I'll admit was an assumption but his was certainly ragged to hell, it wasn't often he had it below 8000rpm anyway so can't imagine them being great over 100,000 miles... 
He was lucky to get 20mpg and tax is £400+?


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

richieshore said:


> A friend of mine had one for 2 years, what's not correct? Avoiding high mileage I'll admit was an assumption but his was certainly ragged to hell, it wasn't often he had it below 8000rpm anyway so can't imagine them being great over 100,000 miles...
> He was lucky to get 20mpg and tax is £400+?


You'll get over 30mpg on a run and the tax is only £400+ if you get a 2006 onwards... Same as the TT, i think.


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

richieshore said:


> kmpowell said:
> 
> 
> > richieshore said:
> ...


My S2000 had a Mugen CAI and still achieved 30-35mpg when driven normally. 20-25mpg when ragged, and it got ragged!

What you're forgetting is the F20 engine is designed to rev that high, so it's really not a problem. Ring up Honda UK and ask how many warranty claims they have had for failed F20's, then come back to me and still tell me that high milers need to be avoided.

The only thing with the S2000 is the 'twitchy' tail. Some cars from around 2005 could be specced with t/c, but they are rare and limit the fun.

Oh and cars registered up to 23rd March 2006 fall into a lower VED band (K) at only £260 a year.


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## Guest (May 17, 2011)

I wouldn't mind one,but the insurance is double the TT


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

manphibian said:


> I wouldn't mind one,but the insurance is double the TT


Yup - that's the financial downside. The insurance for my S2K was £500 a year more than my TVR!  Jap 'performance' cars all suffer from the same insurance stigma.


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## GINNO78 (Dec 11, 2010)

Had mine 2 years.....

Hideously small inside im 6ft 16stone could barely get my shoulders in the damn thing the TT has a lot more cabin space....

Absolutely gutless at any rpm below 6000rpm if you want to make a quick overtake forget it you have to drop 2 gears wind it up and then it would go but make one hell of a racket in the process!!

The handling in the wet was terrible......I even went as far as spending £450 on professional Geo Set up which did improve things but still dangerous in the wet, also after heavy rain and a bit of standing water on the motorway I had to stick to 50mph because any faster and the car would fishtail and back end would twitch about....which also made my back end twitch!!!

Motorway runs over 1hr are horrid its uncomfortable very noisy and lots of road noise.....

Average MPG was about 27mpg which isnt great

Insurance was more than I paid on my previous car an E46 M3 which is shocking.......

Was great in the summer on a lovely day with the roof down but to live with day to day it is not a daily driver its a weekend car........

The VTEC is great for a few months but then becomes tiresome..........I so much prefer Turbo Power and low down torque....wouldnt get another one unless I was 21 again!

Oh and in the cold it was an absolute ball ache getting it into 1st and 2nd until the gear box oil warmed up.....if you go on S2KI forum you will see that this is Common to all S2000's .....it wasnt a major problem but was annoying for the first 5 mins of any journey


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

GINNO78 said:


> Hideously small inside im 6ft 16stone could barely get my shoulders in the damn thing


GINNO78: I want a Honda S2000.
Friend: You don't fit in it.
GINNO78: But I want a Honda S2000
Friend: Yes, but you don't fit in it.
GINNO78: I WANT A HONDA S2000!!
Friend: Fine.

One week later...

GINNO78: Whoever designed this car is an idiot. I don't fit in it.


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## drjam (Apr 7, 2006)

Spandex said:


> GINNO78 said:
> 
> 
> > Hideously small inside im 6ft 16stone could barely get my shoulders in the damn thing
> ...


 :lol:

GINNO78, 6 months later: stupid car hasn't stretched yet...
GINNO78, 1 year later: and these shoes are killing my feet...
GINNO78, 2 years later:







That one over there looks bigger...


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## GINNO78 (Dec 11, 2010)

LOL you guys should be on stage....Michael Mcintyre has nothing on you lot!!

I liked the S2000 dont get me wrong but it has lots of faults and I think it is highly overrated......Unless your a young hooligan in your early 20's who loves ragging the arse off a car making hell of a lot of noise with minimal progress!! LOL


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

I don't think I'd ever say youi make minimal progress in them, but it's a different driving style.

I did have use of (didn't own) a CRX for about a year and that had the same problem. You have to rev the t*ts off it to keep it in the VTEC zone. So it can be hard work compared to, say, a powerful diesel which is all about the torque it generates.

It's not for me - but then I'm a lazy driver and prefer to be wafted along on waves of torque.


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## SVStu (Dec 11, 2006)

My mates sister had two, wrote them both off, last time was on a straight but wet motorway when the back tried to overtake the front, so understand the 50 on wet motorway comment.

Lad at work wrote his off on a country lane, he said he was driving within conditions but back let go so fast he couldnt save it 

Its your choice in the end. Stu


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

Most people think they're driving to the conditions, right up to the moment they wake up upside down in a ditch.

S2000s have no TC so you need to take that into account with your driving style, but there's more of them still going strong on the roads today than there are in scrapyards, so it's pretty obvious you _can_ keep them the right side up if you try hard enough. I think modern performance cars have so many driver aids that people pick up bad habits (or rather, get away with them so often they don't even realise they're doing something wrong) so it can be problem when these people jump into a car like the S2000 and expect to just boot it everywhere.

My current car has no stability or traction control and I treat it with a bit of respect on wet roads. In return, it doesn't try to murder me. It's a reasonable compromise, I think.


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## Survey S2000 (Jul 28, 2009)

Thats wot they all say!

Ive done more like 80 leptons on a wet motorway with not a twitch!

If the conditions were bad while travelling 50mph and then you start excellerating or braking suddenly or steering while aquaplaning. That could do it though. The LSD can could it to rotate under very hard excelleration even in the dry.

As long as you dont take liberties you will be fine. But always respect physics. Its not got the safety net of FWD or AWD. I used to find it very amusing to keep in a straight line with stone cold tyres in the morning rushing ton the way to work.

It does take alot of getting used to be gentle with the car but get it right and its very rewarding.


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