The Official Honda S2000 Thread
 

So my friend is looking at a S2000 as a weekend/track car.

He found an 04 with 13k miles for $19k. Is that a good deal?

Or is the AP1 the way to go, if so WHY?

i have heard the AP2's burn LESS oil, but its a common thing on the s2k's. also i heard the drive by wire motors in the newer models are less modd friendly.

-both of those are just hear-say things. i have no personal experience with them. i just happened to read a lot about those topics when i was shopping for one.

AP1 because 9>8 :D

What do I know though... I only go up to 6. :sad:

Any other specifics? Immaculate paint and interior or what? How does it drive? It seems like a pretty good deal, some AP1s with more mileage than that cost $19k.

Oh yea the paint looks great he said and it has a K40 radar.

AP1....that car was made for higher revs.

13k miles for 19k? Fuck...if he doesn't take it I will...

However, I heard the same thing about the Drive-By-Wire being less mod friendly, so if thats the route hes thinking about going it might be smart to get the AP1. Plus, like others have said, the AP1 has a higher redline. I think the 06+ have VSA though, not sure about the older ones....might help out in Chicago.

^ It wont be his daily driver so traction control isnt a big deal.

What kind of mods we talking? I figured the car cant get much out of it unless you went FI?

Depends what you want the car for, yes the AP1 revs higher but for around town driving its harder to enjoy because it has less low end torque. From a modding stand point maybe the DBW is less attractive, but from a driving perspective its not detectable, it was very well implemented. Unless your planning on going with FI, basing the purchase on mods is foolish. AP1's all have the same 16" wheels, there are a few different 17" wheels that were used on AP2's - there must have been some alignment change because AP1's are more known to chew through tires then AP2's. I can easily see liking both, but for different reasons, if it was a weekend/nice weather car I would probably lean towards an early(tail happy) AP1. As my only car I would want 06+, even though they have made the car more neutral over the years its still very sketchy at its limit and VSA can be a life saver in cold or wet weather.

AP1
pros:
-9k redline
-more "pure" of a drivers car, more tail happy
-easier and cheaper to mod, but still not much for easy gains
cons:
-early AP1's are very tail happy
-dated, cramped interior
-less attractive headlights

AP2
pros:
-more usable power for driving around town
-updated interior
-more balanced, neutral handling
cons:
-8k redline

Oh so the 04 wasnt AP2? Thought it was....

Mom and Dad going to buy it for you?

When's the FMC for the s2000?

There is a reason they are called Spin2000s on the autocross course :D

Oh and its Suzuka Blue hes looking at? Kinad girly color, no?

Suzuka Blue fTW!!!

Good deal... Low mileage AP2's like that usually go for low $20's...

AP2 is 2004 and up...

Sweet spot for the S2000 seems to be the 02-05 IMHO... like the others have said, it's a toss up between a ap1 and ap2... but any s2k from 2005 on back can be had pretty cheaply.

Srika posted a nice break down of the issue by model year:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...87&postcount=5

:rofl: right after the next nsx comes out :tongue:

It appears that even honda doesn't know the answer for when the next s2k is going out :snicker:

Ah i stoopid, I always thought all AP2 had traction control.

I think there's a Hondata reflash for the AP2 which raises redline to 8600. Above that its not very safe due to the increased stroke for the F22. Its either Hondata or some other company like that, I read it on s2ki a while ago.

Yeah, but that's only my opinion... I like Laguna Blue Pearl much better (2006 and up??), but that's me... Sarlacc likes suzuka blue, but he's a big gay girly black man :D

I don't like suzuka blue, but I hate the fact it comes with a blue interior - its the lowest value color the S2000 comes in.

I think Suzuka Blue is a sweet color. :annoyed: There really isn't an S2000 color I don't like though. I will agree that LBP is mucch better though.

HAY SAILOR!!!! :ghey:

2 of my friends have 03 (AP1) and another has an 07 (AP2). I prefer the AP1 just because it rev's to 9k.

AP2 is where I would go, almost did before I bought the 968.

Updated interior, much less tail happy, 17" wheels are stock, better low end and midrange.

9000 rpm redlines are all well and good, but Motor Trend did a 0-60 with an AP1 back in the day shifting at 5,500rpm. It took 10 seconds.

Food for thought.

'06+ are the drive by wire, traction control versions.

-Mirror

P.S. as long as the car in question hasn't been wrecked or isn't a Katrina car, that's a fantastic deal. Caveat emptor...

It all depends on the person. :shrug: I couldn't afford an AP1, so an AP2 was definitely out of my range. It gets to 9000 pretty quickly anyway, and its too much fun getting there.

My Z28 redlines at 6000rpm, and even though it doesn't exactly have a "tame" cam profile for street driving, I think if I shifted at 3500rpm it would take quite a while to get to 60 too. ;)

Well, maybe not 10 seconds, but it would take a while. Plus wouldn't 5500rpm be right under the VTEC engagement threshold, meaning the engine doesn't even use its full potential?

Another thing worth mentioning about ownership, make sure you have good insurance. Seat theft is all to common, and often will total a car, seats are over $4k each from the dealership and usually they slice your top open to get them, which also will need replacement, in addition to anything else the screw up trying to get them. Most seat thefts result in $12-15K in damage. This is a huge problem in Florida, Cali and all other major metropolitan areas, not so common in the 'burbs.

Buy a hardtop! Looks great too.... and yes it is expensive, but I think its worth it.

I like the look, but if I wanted a hardtop I would have bought a different car, I know it can come off but I like a roadster to be a roadster. I live in a nice neighborhood, the car is always garaged, so I don't worry about it, but its worth mentioning.

If the insurance company totals the car a lot of guys buy it back, fix the top and buy aftermarket seats for a fraction of the cost and pocket the difference - you can get a bad ass aftermarket seat for $2k

S2ki.com should have more info

Yes indeed, all very much true as well. Very much agree that it depends on the individual tastes. On a side note, I guarantee the Motor Trend hacks planned it exactly that way....

I once tried to drive my '88 Mustang 5.0 Police Interceptor for an entire month shifting before 2000 rpm. I made it about a week, still jumped along at a pretty good clip.

Does Vtec engage at the same RPM on the AP1 and AP2? Or does the AP2 kick in sooner?

6k for both

I drive an 04.


I would tell your friend to go for it as long as there were no issues with the car itself. I use mine as a daily driver. I've had it for 4.5 years now and I still have as much fun today as I did when I first bought the car.

OK i bought it, err I mean my friend did. :ninja:

Got them down to $18,500. Picking it up tomorrow.

I forgot to mention, VTEC engagement is much more pronounced on the AP1 then the AP2, no one an agree which one is better :shrug:

So whats a must have mod for the S2k?

Hondata reflash for the 06+ DBW models is bad ass. 05 and previous dont have flashable ECU.

Toda Stroker Kit....

Im hopefully getting a 01 or 02 s2000 next year for graduation to replace the tl. I can't wait but thats only if insurance isnt killer =(..

Maybe gears :shrug: they are the best bang for the buck, but it means your turning even higher RPM's when cruising on the highway, currently my AP2 is 3k RPM's at 55 and 4k at 75, I wouldn't want it to be any higher.

Unless you want to go FI there is no easy power, most intakes lose power, headers on a stock AP2 do nothing. Hondata's reflash increases redline, and lowers VTEC engagement when it senses WOT, which creates more power in the midrange, but generates no more peak HP or torque. Hondata offers a different reflash for those with a header which has better gains, but it is not safe to use on a car without a header.

The only thing I am doing to my car is a basic stereo upgrade, the factory system is really terrible.

If this is going to be a track dedicated car....learn to drive it stock for a little bit. Once you get to know the car, then start in the with the mods.

You start modding right away and you are going to be racing in a class with drivers that will mop the floor with you.