Ducati Monster Forum

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 (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)

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.  :o

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  ;D

Later

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

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.  [laugh] 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!!  [thumbsup] 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.   [thumbsup]

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 ???    [popcorn]

Later

WOW :o

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.  [thumbsup]

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)

If I pick this one up.... IF   Its the AP2 model so it has the 8200 redline versus the 9k of the AP1.

I was seriously considering a Lotus but I really cant afford twice the money and Insurance for something that is really a track car and in actuallity about 2 seconds faster on the Track for a Lap than the Honda S2000. This car may be used as a daily driver so I cant really see myself driving a elise like that. Plus they apparently bounce all over the freeway  ;D I am not sure if you have been followng the totaled elise thread in the main forum  :-\

Mouahahahahha!!!!! Urban legend... Mine would have broken!!!! Since I am doing ONLY high rpms launches!!!!! ;D

[teasing mode: ON]
AP1 are like '93 monster... they are the real ones.... ROB, you just get a S2R800 with four wheels.....  [evil] [evil] [evil] [evil] [evil] [evil]
[teasing mode: OFF]

 ;)

Well I picked up the Poser Honda S2000 today. To bad its raining =( At least I know the roof does not leak  [thumbsup]

I sat in the parking lot for like 10 minutes going how the F*ck do I put this car in reverse. I am Such a Noob. You have to push down on the Gear Shift.

Congrats on the new sporty cage!  [thumbsup]

They went german-style on the reverse?
That sux, I find it really awkward and tough on the shoulder.
Maybe it's not as firm a push as the german stuff.

Everything about the gear box is easy. The push into reverse is a piece of cake.

Congrats, Rob!

Regarding the shifter, it's also a safety issue.  By having to push down, it prevents you from accidentally shifting into reverse when going into 6th.

Congrats man!

And "Too bad it's raining."???

That's the prefect time to take the new cage out and see how well it does in, um, "reduced traction situations".  I.E. How sideways can you get her.   ;D

Congrats Rob! [thumbsup]  What color did you get?  More importantly, when do I get a ride? ;) ;D

Its the Grey model with the Black and Red Interior. You can take it for a spin anytime you like of course  ;D

This one basically http://www.new-cars.com/2005/honda/honda-s2000-photos.html

Wow, thanks!  8) ;D :-*

  Have fun and enjoy it.

Later

Say it ain't so.
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/mcy/935956891.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/mcy/935956891.html)

Okay after driving the car for the past 2 days I have to say WOW. But it does not replace a motorcycle.

I will probabaly not be commuting on my motorcycle everyday any longer and I may actually pickup a smaller less expensive Ducati like a 620 again.
I threw my bike up on Craiglist to see if I would get any bites... Non yet. I doubt I will sell it in the Winter season anyways.

So don't worry guys. I am not giving up riding but I wont be riding as much and I may downgrade to a smaller bike etc  [thumbsup]

I love the ad.

"Runs great. I hate to sell it but I just bought a used Honda s2000 and I am also thinking of starting a Family =( "


You do know the S2000 is not a family car, no?  [cheeky]

You mean the Baby doesn't go in the Trunk  ;D

I told my fiancee I would try to sell the bike. Once the Add expires I will tell her well I tried to sell the bike but no one would buy it.... whooohahaha  ;)

So....it'd annoy you if I bought it?  ;D

Seriously if someone comes to me and pays what I am asking I will sell it and pickup a cheaper Monster so I would not be to annoyed  ;D

Well I already went through motorcycle withdrawals so the s2000 is sitting in the garage today  ;D

Hey, if it helps w/ the fiancee at all, let her know I've got a bunch of kids and I commute on my bike every day.  My car sits in the garage unless it rains (I'm not that gung-ho) 
Anyways, good luck w/ the sale, it's a good looking ride.

Later

What Blake said.

Two kids, and I commute to work on a bike everyday. Rain or shine.

We all have our excuses for having a death wish  :P

I guess I'm kind of slow to respond sometimes, especially on threads where my name gets mentioned.  [roll]

Yes I owned an S2000 for about five years, but I eventually bounced it off of a tree and wasn't interested in getting another one.  The problem that I had with it is that if I got on a twisty road I couldn't control myself and would always just fly around the corners.  And I loved running the thing to the 9000 rpm redline.  Out on the highway I looked forward to getting stuck behind someone doing about 50 when the speed limit was higher because I could shift into second gear and just blast on by them for the pass.  Second gear topped out at about 65 mph, then third was good for about 95.  Gotta watch the "follow through" into fourth gear.  [evil]

I only tried for top speed once, in Nevada, and saw 150 indicated with the top down.  Faster than I've ever been on a motorcycle.

But as much as I liked that car, I felt the need for something more sensible when I bought its replacement.  So now I have a V-6 Mustang convertible which never, ever tempts me to go fast.  In fact, I'm pretty sure the 1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager minivan I used to own had better handling than the Mustang.  :-\

But the Mustang is great for slow cruising and it holds four people.

Oh, one more thing.  The clutch in the 2000 model year would just burn if you tried a slow release at anything over about 5000 rpms.  And it would smell for days.  The only way to make a quick launch with the older ones was to rev the engine up and remove your foot from the clutch pedal to get the quickest release possible.  There were lots of discussions about that in the early days of the s2ki.com forum.

Now I'm sort of missing that car.  :'(

So last night I had the hardest time starting the S4R up =(
I need Tires, Chain, Prob Brakes, Tune up etc. I guess I shouldn't go 12k between each tune up =)

I guess its time to take it down to Nichols but I am a poor till my next paycheck since I just bought the S2000

I am afraid the S4R might be  put in the garage for a while =(

Same set-up, same uses... Until An idiot rear-ended me... Since that, I have the S2000 ( ;D ), as I can't use my wrist anyway (healing well, though).
That said, I'll think twice before commuting again with a bike.
I don't know... It's not that I am scared now, but... I remember,while I was rolling on the asphalt, thinking to my kids...
I don't know how I'm gonna manage that thought now... [bang]

I am actually glad that now I can't ride. I don't have to think about it...  :-\

PS: a S2000 is a great car for a young daddy: my kid keeps saying I have a "Lightning McQueen" race car...  ;D

Fixed it for ya.  ;D

Of course, when you get an Aerostich suit that's part of the bargain, no? Ride every day, in whatever ridiculous weather presents?

I get into work wearing the 'stich and someone on the elevator asks me if I rode a bike

"No. I'm just a terribly paranoid pedestrian"