Zzyzx

Yes once again we discuss the S2000, this is a wright up of the S2000 by one of my Regons SCCA autocrossers. he has autocrosst for several years and with his DM CRX he often puts down the Top time of the day. so here it is the S2000 from an autocrossers perspective.


Car: '03 Spa Yellow S2000
Mileage: 1700miles
Mods: Bug guts on the front windshield, otherwise, bone stock to the tyres
Event: Hawthrone North-South Challenge Autocross Event
Some background, I normally drive a D-Mod CRX...it has roughly 140whp, weighs around 2150lbs with me in it, and is FWD. In terms of RWD cars, I've autocrossed a tail-happy '86 300zx turbo two runs, a virtually stock MR2-Spyder for two runs, a '82 Porsche 911 non-turbo for one run, and an extremely powerful '93? 300zx TT like twelve times (and open track it for a 20min session).

So, my experience in RWD racing is limited. However, he's my view of the $32K Honda.

Styling: Well, what can you say? It's a good looking car. People look at you and you get a lot of compliments. This is easily a car that will get you noticed by women (and cops). Even if you're a personality-less elephant man, driving this car will increase your chances of getting laid by 300%. I believe Honda offers this guarantee in writing.

Interior: Dash molesting. All the plastics are very nice and soft. The trunk release is in the glove box. The glove box is above the arm rest to the rear. The gas release is in the door jam. The AC/radio controls can all occur without moving your hands very far. The gauge cluster can get irritating (i hated how the tach crosses over the top of the entire cluster, but some people might like it). The shifer is very close to the steering wheel allowing more two hand-steering. My friend's MR2-spyder is far more spacious inside though. The seats aren't comfortable for 4hrs of driving.

Drivetrain: With the convertible up, you hear the drivetrain and it makes you kinda nervous. But, with the top down, you can't really hear the engine...making driving it harder (i drive/shift by engine noise more so than tach/gauge). However, the S2K has the absolutely best transmission I've ever driven. absolutely beautiful. This is simply the best thing about the car. However, if any gear above 3rd is pointless since you can't accelerate in it unless you're flying.

Engine: It's true, torqueless wonder. The power delivery sucks. I hate the engine (F20 blows). Honda should have stuck a V6 in it. Who needs a 9000rpm redline when anything below 7000rpm is pointless? On the flip side, the power delivery is pretty linear, making you think the engine is in the powerband when it's not. the VTEC switch over is at 6200rpm i believe... it doesn't quite kick in like my B16A does (which can be good or bad). The VTEC switchover is rather addicting. The engine does sit right behind the front axle, making it for good handling...

Handling: Second best thing about this car. It's well sorted out from the factory. Handling is extremely neutral. You can toss this car into a turn and feel completely confident in it. The stock tyres are pretty sticky and offer little road noise. They are also pretty forgiving. I would be afraid to lower it/mod it in fear of losing it's handling prowess, it's really that good.

Brakes: Honda, take note... call Toyota, ask them what they are doing with their brakes. I think the Toyota echo has better brakes than the s2k...even though the echo has some very response and strong brakes. The S2K stopped, just didn't feel very confident, even with the relatively sticky stock tyres. I still haven't found a car company, short of porsche, that has better stock brakes than Toyota.

Likes: The drivetrain, absolutely beautiful. I love the gates, the throws, and the engagement of the clutch.
The handling is nearly perfect. stickier tyres would do wonders (explains it's conquest in BS)

Gripes: That engine is a POS. So what if it has 120hp/litre, it's still only 240hp/153tq moving a 2900lb car. F30C, blah. I hear it's pretty responsive to mods. This engine needs to shift it's entire powerband down 2000rpm.

Overall impression: I don't think i could live with this car day in/day out. I guess that's good since it isn't my car and i don't ever plan on owning one. The luggage space is rather petite, the engine is pathetic, and the price is what hurts me the most... but the car handles like a champ and the transmission would benefit more from a better engine, and you can't ignore the sheer "look at me" styling. In comparison to a MR2 Spyder... if we're autocrossing, give me the mr2, if we're planning on going to the club, s2K...if we're road racing, it'd be tough between the two (i think the MR2 would still have brakes after 20mins of running).

Thanks to Karim for being kind enough in allowing me to beat up on his car during the event. I had a fun weekend.


Please note that it is not me(Zzyzx) who wrote this I have not had the pleasure of driving an S2000 as of yet.

SlammedBlueEM2

iTrader: (2)

The S2000 shares the same 60-0 braking distance as a Honda Civic EX. 7th Generation.

Spa Yellow has to be the coolest color for the S2k IMO.

Finally, a Honda's fastest gear (in most cars) is 3rd gear.

Interesting perspective none-the less. I was expecting a lil' praise for it's high end power but everyone views it differently through their various experiences.

sadboy916

great post

sadboy916

someone should tell honda not to be affraid of v6+ engines.
imo it should be like this

nsx=v10 (imagine a v10 vtec)
s2k (or replacement) = v6
accord = nice 4 banger like the one in the 2sk
civic = bring back the b16 just for the modders as long as it gets the same mpg buyers wont give a shyt

krayziebonet4l

iTrader: (2)

nice review. tell your friend i said nice review.

SlammedBlueEM2

iTrader: (2)

With the displacement of a v10, who needs VTEC?

I personally wouldn't mind a faster NSX. The NSX R has incredible handling and low-mid-range power but that 290HP V6 starts to show how slow the car is compared to other exotics when it comes to long straights on a race track. It can definitely hold it's own overall though.

S2000man01

iTrader: (1)

Good post except this spot right here. It's fine if in his opinion he thinks the engine is a "torqueless wonder".....

But he says one thing, then says the EXACT OPPOSITE right after that. First he says power delivery sucks and anything below 7000rpm is pointless. Then he says "power delivery is pretty linear".

WTF? Make up your mind! And if he thinks it doesn't kick in harder than the B16A2 engine, he HAD to have been driving a brand new S2k with hardly any miles.

So he kinda lost some respect from me there. He says one thing that is negative about the car, but the praises the exact thing he just said was negative?

Zzyzx

This is the car he nomally drives




the S2000 was this one

Zzyzx

OH ya and here's the MR2 he was taking about it, the guy who drives it is absolutly amazing.
He outruns Corvettes regularly.

usafstud

iTrader: (2)

test drove a S2k about a month ago

BEAUTIFUL piece of machine, if u ridden a motorcycle before, u'll have no problem with the high revving engine

the sales man let me drive it up to 105 mph on the freeway and it got there quick

i buck my civic from the same salesman and he knows i'm serious about getting a S2k next year at this time so he let me push the engine

the transmission is truly beautiful, luving the sound of a high revving engine( reminds me of yamaha R1, 14.5K rpm redline)

all my friends(girls) dig the car

p.s. don't ask me which dealership, i don't want the salesman to get into trouble with bunch of people asking for a test drive

Voiceofid

iTrader: (3)

mmm.. mr-s...

they say the mr-s is faster than the mr2 in corners, stock for stock...

maybe the buyers won't give, but i am sure honda and it's image will, remeber, they are a "clean" company

and i swear i have to agree with the toyota brakes part, my friend's girlfriend's echo can brake better than mine can... sometimes it seems...

SlammedBlueEM2

iTrader: (2)

That's because the Echo paper, while the Civic in comparison is paper weight.

Ok, maybe not like that but I think you know what I mean.

Zzyzx

I agree about the brakes, I ended up with a Ford Focus as a rental onece. Handled like a sponge. But the brakes were oh so much better then my civic.

From talking with the 3 people who ended up driveing that car at the event, they all pretty much agreed that you have to be VERY carfull to not Hit VTEC mid corner. It has the Nasty habbit of trying to make the car spin if you do. All in all it seems that the S2000 only needs a set of racing tires to be very competitive in B-Stock.

S2000man01

iTrader: (1)

Totally agree. the VTEC hits hard, and if you do so mid turn, you'll find yourself spinning into the ditch.

It's a GREAT car for Auto X and is one of the best handling in stock form there is. (better tires do help) But it is NOT a forgiving car. It takes skill to drive it at its limits.

Pharoh

iTrader: (8)

I had one for a week when I got married curteousy of the brother - in - law who owns a Honda dealership.
I loved the car with a passion! Although I agree that the engine lacks take-off from dead stop. Having said this I had the pleasure to drive a friends last summer with a Vortech kit installed and all I can say is "HOLD THE F**K ON!"

The dealership model that I drove did have the factory tires on it and they lack alot of stick and take too damn long to heat up. My friends model is riding on Michelin Pilot Sports and if there was a ever a tire made for a car that's it!

Anyway, my 2 or 3 cents!

Boilermaker1

iTrader: (16)

S2K autocross has gotta be fun... those guys can stay in 1st longer than anyone else out there and that sound is just awesome...

Anyways... what ever happened to the S2000 Type R concept with the 3L straight 6.... the article was posted on here last fall... 350 or so HP... now THAT would be a fun car.

Civic2k1racer

yea i remember that car, i was like maybe it was just a concept and its not gonna come out

Zzyzx

There is one engine that can rev higher then an S2000, and thats ROTORY. you can rev the crap out of those engines. Just like a piston enging, there is a point where Hp and Tourque starts to drop off. but in autocross, there are times where up shifting is not worth it, so its better to leave it in a lower gear and get through that part of the course, then shif up.

Rotory powers Spitfires Kick ***!!!

S2000man01

iTrader: (1)

yup, rotary engines are a marvel. now if they can just work on fuel effiiency and reliability.

SlammedBlueEM2

iTrader: (2)

Hm... I'll keep that in mind. It would suck to experience one of the funnest parts of the car and end up wrapped around a tree. So I'm guessing if one wanted to accelerate hard in a turn, they need to make sure they have some better tires than stock, or not have your foot floored to the ground entering 6,000 RPMs?

Zzyzx

You just need to make shure that you dont hit VTEC untill after the apex of the corner , that way you will allready straightining out the wheel and be less suseptible to power induced oversteer.

HondaLuver

iTrader: (17)

instead of a S2000 just get a brand new ex civic, then k20a2 swap and then a turbo kit, then fix the suspention

lets see thats 16,000+7,000+4,000+2,000= 29,000

you will have something faster, looks better, and more room to upgrade... such as brakes and engine components and tires and rims

KeNsHiN

iTrader: (1)

good way to look at it HONDALUVER

S2000man01

iTrader: (1)

Well why stop there? Instead, how about an old CRX hatch for 10 grand, and dump 20k into the engine. OR BETTER YET! Get an old 5.0 Mustang for 5 grand, and dump the other 25k into the engine! Whoa now that'd be cool. Get my point?

ALSO, Number one, MOST people FINANCE their cars, and don't buy a car with an extra $11,000 sitting around to do mods. Number two, sure you'll have a fast civic. But IMO, no it won't look better, and you don't have a convertible RWD roadster with classy appeal and turning-head looks.

S2000man01

iTrader: (1)

no.. bad way to look at it

sadboy916

kenshin shut up rice boy lol j/k man lets blaze some time.

prawdigy

Seriously.. if Honda made the civic or any of its line an inline 6 (much better than 'v') v10 or 2 inline 6's on a 12 cylinder block it would run circles against anything and everything out there. S2000 thats a bad *** carr!!

BlackSI

thats a good take on the s2000, i agree 100%

Diemos

A competiant racer would not have to worry about VTEC causing them to spin out, and Ford focus brakes are not "oh so much better" infact they are worse. Civics brake better than Focuses, dont believe me? Look it up, civics brake 60-0 in 127 feet. So do Corvettes, and corvettes have rear + front disc brakes. So before you come on adding to the clutter on this already cluttered forum get the facts

sadboy916

thats just what i would do if i had some control on what honda does . if you need to keep buying hondas buy a rsx or integra or si or whatever and pretend there fast.