I am very close to possibly purchasing a 2005 Honda S2000

http://www.eliasmotorsinc.com/VehicleDetail.aspx?wsid=30&dlr1=241&stk1=6948&frm=3&mk=12&md=S2000&

Any of you guys or gals here have experience with this car? Anything to look out for etc.

Thanks
Robert

A co-worker owns one and he loves it. Actually goes for Sunday drives in the thing (and here I though we motorcyclists were the only ones who did that)

Quote from: Drunken Monkey on November 24, 2008, 06:18:06 PM
A co-worker owns one and he loves it. Actually goes for Sunday drives in the thing (and here I though we motorcyclists were the only ones who did that)

I have heard that other than the Lotus which is out of my price range if I keep my S4R the S2000 is the next best handling car and is the closest thing I will get to a motorcycle feeling with 4 wheels. I can only hope.

PM Scott Nelson. He owns (or owned) one.

I was behind one on the freeway and he kicked it down a gear and took off, and I really had to work to keep up with him. So it has cajones.

Be careful giving it the boot when you're in a corner.... they can come on the cam pretty hard, and then suddenly the car isn't pointing in the right direction. 

If you like twisties, how's about a Cooper S.  Not that I'm biased or anything, but my modded '05 gives me perma-grin when I get it going down Redwood Rd. or similar roads.  Also, four seats instead of two.....also available in convertible, also easily modifiable (is that a real word?)  The S2K is a great looking ride.  Would look real nice w/ some rims other than the O.E. ones.   No consideration for the STi?  A previously loved one would be in the same price range and outperform 90% of the rest of the cages out there.  Anyways, have fun either which way you go. 

Later

Re-read your post, I don't think there's any particular issue to watch out for w/ these cars.  It's a Honda after all.  The couple of people I have known that owned them, love them.  They also sound great w/ a full exhaust.....better than your run of the mill Civic w/ a coffee can bolted on.  See ya.

Go w/ some black wheels on that thing....maybe black w/ a polished lip....17's w/ some real sticky Bridgestones, some bigger diameter sway bars and lower it just a skosh.  Now it's ready to fling around 

Later

Quote from: Blake on November 24, 2008, 08:42:59 PM
Re-read your post, I don't think there's any particular issue to watch out for w/ these cars.  It's a Honda after all.  The couple of people I have known that owned them, love them.  They also sound great w/ a full exhaust.....better than your run of the mill Civic w/ a coffee can bolted on.  See ya.

Go w/ some black wheels on that thing....maybe black w/ a polished lip....17's w/ some real sticky Bridgestones, some bigger diameter sway bars and lower it just a skosh.  Now it's ready to fling around 

Later

Yeah those stock rims need to go for sure if I pick it up =)

Quote from: Speeddog on November 24, 2008, 07:10:21 PM
Be careful giving it the boot when you're in a corner.... they can come on the cam pretty hard, and then suddenly the car isn't pointing in the right direction. 

Ah, the VTEC is a major grin.

My Dad has one. It has been reliable, though he doesn't really drive it like he stole it.  Except for that one track day... On a FHE note(during that track day when I drove it like I stole it): the car has a limited slip diff and is difficult to manage at aggressive levels, it'll come around on ya quicker than you can say OH SHIT. Ask me how I know. On the other hand it was savable. That said, I much prefer a car with a torsen diff. Like my 3rd Gen RX7!!  Much better control of handling/splitting/managing the power.

The one thing that hurts the S2K in the real world is the engine, of all things. Ya gotta wind the piss out of it to get it to go! The car is anemic at anything below 5K rpm. Granted you may be able to "mod" it to help alleviate that but then you could start out with a better platform and not have to "mod" just to fix something.... But hey, some guys swear by em and not at em.

I've looked into gettting one as well and have enjoyed driving one and being a passenger in another--yes, we did get sideways.

You're lookin' at an '05, which has the 2.2L that they introduced in '04 to replace the original 2.0L motor.  This dropped the red line from 9K down to 8K, but the motor's got more torque now.  It also got a little face lift from the original '00-'03 production...larger wheels, LED tail lights & a different front and rear bumper.

FYI, 2006 models got the Drive-By-Wire throttle system and Vehicle Stability Control system...

I say go for it!  And I'm incredibly jealous.   

Just got one for my self...
I think the monster was more comfortable... No gloves box, super noisy, no torque, a real pain....
BUT YOU'LL LOVE IT!
On my AP1 (S2000 from 2000 to 2003) The red line is at 9000rpm!!!!!!! the V-tech kick at 6000rpm, like a turbo: super impressive. Mileage is excellent and dam'it: it's Honda so you won't have to worry about anything... My next car will be another S2000.

It's really a bike with 4 wheels...
If you want to test-drive mine, we may arrange something. PM me...

Ummmm......did ya get it    

Later

Quote from: Le Piou on November 25, 2008, 07:37:18 PM
Just got one for my self...
I think the monster was more comfortable... No gloves box, super noisy, no torque, a real pain....
BUT YOU'LL LOVE IT!
On my AP1 (S2000 from 2000 to 2003) The red line is at 9000rpm!!!!!!! the V-tech kick at 6000rpm, like a turbo: super impressive. Mileage is excellent and dam'it: it's Honda so you won't have to worry about anything... My next car will be another S2000.

It's really a bike with 4 wheels...
If you want to test-drive mine, we may arrange something. PM me...

WOW

What a Amazing Car.

The seats fit you like a Glove. The shift is so short and sweet. The Car feels like a motorcycle. It Revs high and right when you think there is plenty of room for rpms the needle flings right into the Redline.

I think I am in Love.

I think I may go pick it up in the morning if all works out right. 

I've looked into this for years.. DONT get the 9K redline models. They have significant clutch problems. Apparently people were launching the car off high rpms. The clutch was not designed to take even one launch and many had their clutches fail after the first agressive use. This was one of the reasons they dropped the redline on the newer models..

Other than that its an awesome car. If you get a short ram or cold air intake on it, those things sound like a banshee right out of hell when the VTEC kicks in. (Much like my rsx)

That being said, a used Elise is about 30k..Bigger grin factor in my opinion..

Also, S3000 is supposed to come out in 2 years (Speculation)