neuronbob

That's an excellent price for an AP2.

Speaking of winter....I've been driving the heck out of mine before I have to put it away for the winter. Worse, my RL will be an outside car for the winter. I just can't face storing the S elsewhere in the winter....I'd want to bring it out for the annual January thaw we get around here.

alex2364

Get a 2nd set of AP1 rims with winter tires and drive it year round. That's what I'm planning on doing with mine.

neuronbob

You mean allow road salt on my pristine chassis? *GASP* (faints)

Danil ACE

lol Ohio salts its roads like a mofo

alex2364

It's not like you're driving a vintage Ferrari.

mltk53

i want

scribo

so yea, i've been reading this thread for a while and ive been looking to get an ap1. can anyone tell me why cunsumer report gave them fair/poor for transmission, exhaust and engine? From my limited understand of Hondas, the f20c are pretty amazing, what's up with the ratings?

iTimmy

Its consumer reports, not a good automotive source. The transmission complaints are baffling because it is one of the best shifting/feeling transmissions going. I can see how a company like consumer reports would complain about the engine and exhaust, its loud and likes to be revved, which is not desired by most normal consumers. The S2k was designed for a special market and it is fills that niche well, its a car you either "get" or don't.

MeehowsBRZ

How are S2000's in winter conditions. I'd like to pick one up someday but seeing as I live in the Chicago area I need something that can drive in the snow.

neuronbob

Don't worry about the CS rating for this car. The real world experience is much better. The only consistent worry that S2000 owners have is the top tearing on the passenger side.

If you like to do burnouts, plan on a new clutch and differential, too. If you drive normally, you'll get 200k miles out of it, as some owners have. Go to www.s2ki.com and start reading, there's a lot to learn about this car.

iTimmy

I drive mine in winter, but not in snowy/icy conditions. I also don't have snow tires and run the stock Bridgestone's year round. I am told with a decent set of snow tires the car is pretty good in snow, but it would have to be light snow, I just can't see a S2k driving through 8" of fresh snow.

100degrees

iTrader: (1)

Stock bridgestone's are summer tires and can be very tough to drive with when the temperature drops. If you haven't had any experience with RWD, I would take it easy around corners in the rain and cold weather without proper tires. Now the AP1 isn't my daily driver but whenever I do drive it, i always get out of the car grinning ear to ear. The F20 is an amazing motor that gives you up to 9k revs. The short-shifting transmission isn't as smooth as a Civic nor is the clutch as soft but I really have no complaints about both. The exhaust is a little quiet for a sports car but thats nothing an aftermaket can't fix. This is what I moved to after acurazine.........

pmptx

Looking at getting an AP2, prob 2006+.
Do we think that Honda will continue to build the S2K until the proposed S3K is due out in 2011?
Road and Track this month had a nice article on it, with the proposed J30 or J35 motor. Although many speculated on staying with a high revving 4.
Link with nice concept pic

neuronbob

I decided to decisively mod my S2000. So I'm nuts, right? I'm not as bad as Crazy Acura, am I? I just wanted to try something different, and if I don't like it, I can always sell.

So far I've bought

Comptech supercharger with aftercooler (used--cheeeeeep but with relatively new blower)
new Tanabe Medalion Touring exhaust (for the old guy who wants a deeper, slightly louder sound than stock, yet doesn't want the fart can drone)
new 18" Rota D2 wheels in hyperblack, 18 X 8 front and 18 X 9 rear (I don't care if people think they're cheap, they're not THAT heavy and they look good)
Later.....GY Eagle F1 GSD3 tires as I need sport tires that do decently in the occasional rainstorm.

Pics to come after installation, which will be in a couple months.

Should be a fun driving season in 2009!

Trackruner228

iTrader: (1)

Congrats and

chill_dog

^^Nice, Bob. Guess you changed your mind about modding, huh (at least I thought you said you weren't going to mod it). It sounds like it'll be a really nice ride when you get done with it; looking forward to pics.

Crazy Bimmer

Holy crap Bob!! Im not even that nuts!!

Congrats, thats a lot of coin but will soooooo worth it!

neuronbob

I did this in part because I'm putting off my dream of buying a CTS-V, probably permanently, because of the economy and because even with a government bailout, GM may not be long for this world.

Besides, believe me, the cost of these parts is FAR less than I was going to pay as a down payment for a CTS-V. I can't wait to hear that SC whine and that deep exhaust note from the Tanabe Touring.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

I drove yet another S2000 a few weeks back. It was an unsold 2007 with 750 miles on it. I don't think S2000's were ever "demo" cars so maybe a manager drove it for a little while.

I love the car, it is incredible. But at 6'3" and 270lbs I have such a hard time fitting in the damn thing. The leg room is such a problem for me I can't heel-toe downshift properly because I can't move the bottom part of my leg because my knee is in the steering wheel. Even still, I would absolutely love to have one to drive on weekends. Sigh.

Time to go on a diet...

Ken1997TL

Thats the main beef people have with it. I fit like a glove in it at 6' and 200 or so. If I were any bigger I'd have problems with my knees.

Miatas are unbearable unfortunately.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

I've started to lose weight and my goal is to get around 220lbs but even still I don't think that would help with my main problem which is the leg room.

Sadly, the car was designed for your average to drive them.

Ken1997TL

Yup..

Ever see Jay Leno driving his Honda S600? He accurately described himself as looking like a circus bear driving a midget car

Crazy Bimmer

Sounds like you two need an NSX.

Im chubya too and the NSX gives me much more room than the S2k. Width wise that is, not sure about height since i was fine in both.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Oh, funny story about the test drive. My friend was there to test drive a new Accord (which he bought; great car, btw). The sales chick let us drive without her.

As I pull out of the lot, unbenounced to me, the temporary tag she had hung from the rear of the car fell off. I proceeded to take the car on a 15 mile test drive, with speeds up to 110 MPH, with a tag.

When we returned the car and found out we looked at each other with on our faces.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

I really can not decide on a replacement for the CL-S. I was absolutely set on the S2000 but I just can't do it! Climbing out of the thing I have to open the door to the max just to get my legs out. I look ridiculous! But banging through the gears in the car is spectacular.

I'm at a loss as to what to purchase.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Look at this... I fit just fine in my CL-S. My knees are a bit up near the steering wheel but I have no problem...

'97 NSX - 45in legroom
'05 S2K - 44.3in legroom
'03 CL-S - 42.4in legroom

'97 NSX - 53.8in hiproom
'05 S2K - 49.8in hiproom
'03 CL-S - 52.9in hiproom

According to Edmunds, the S2K has 2" more legroom than the CL-S. But 3" less in the hips!

Maybe I fit okay in the CL-S because I sit with a wider stance than is possible in the S2K...

Ken1997TL

Possible. But the CL-S also has an adjustable tilt steering wheel. Plus you have to factor in the enormous transmission tunnel in the S2K.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Steering wheel it set about mid-way for me to be most comfortable.

See here:



The steering wheel is in-front of my knees. Whereas in the S2000 the steering wheel is at my knees. In the CL-S I drive with the seat all the way back but without it reclined hardly at all.

iTimmy

It is a great reason to get in shape!

On a side note, it really depends how you're built and to what proportions. Both my brother and I have 08 S2k's(we bought them on the same day and got a great deal, but I digress...) he is bigger all around then I am, he is 6'1" and about 225 and due to his leg and torso heavy build he not only looks funny, but its a much tighter fit for him then if he were built more balanced. I am 6'0" and about 175 and it could not be much better of a fit, my build is very balanced fwiw.

alex2364

If it's the red S2000 from Koons Manassas Honda, it's been sitting there for more than a year. I offered to buy it over the summer but they wouldn't deal with me so I bought mine somewhere else.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

It was!

The car had not moved in quite some time when I drove it. The brakes were locked with rust. I had to really gas it to even get it moving.

alex2364

Yeah, they moved it to their used car section and it's now certified preowned. I'm guessing they can't sell a 2 year old car as new anymore.

neuronbob

I have long legs and can fit nicely into the S2k even with the tranny tunnel. I don't even feel squeezed (5'10", 190 pounds). I'm trying to trim my growing belly, though, so I don't wear the bolsters any more than they already are.....dang 40-year-old metabolism FTL :thumbsdow .

FiveLiterCheater

Why must insurance be so high on this car

majin ssj eric

Hey Bob nice mods for the S2000 but I think I would have still gone with the CTS-V. I can't wait to snap a used one up in a couple of years....

Ken1997TL

People steal the seats. Sad but true.

Until a couple years ago, the insurance was quite reasonable.

AznX TL

i was quoted $160 a month, which isnt too bad...

Crazy Bimmer

eek thats almost $2k a year! I consider that pricey.

FiveLiterCheater

The TL is almost $300/M, $160 would a steal. But we have it as a company car It would be double otherwise (Allstate) Maybe i'll call up and check on the insurance, I only have 1pt after 2 years.

I noticed a lot of the ones for a sale have really low miles...do people just get tired of them as a dd?

FiveLiterCheater

I thought my friend was kidding about the seats He said its like $8k or something which declares the car totaled...i laughed.