Honda S2000....
 

Possibly looking into purchasing one (not for myself), wanted to know if any of you guys have owned or have had first hand experience with one and your thoughts.

I've driven but not owned an S2000. Great handling and fun to drive aggressively not good for much else IMHO. The one I drove had a power-band that put me more in mind of a sport bike than an auto, but I'm not sure how modded it was. Lots of aftermarket pieces available for these cars. Trunk is useless.

Drove as well, have not owned. Wayyy too cramped for my tastes, and you cannot adjust the steering wheel. They look stunning though.

I love my hondas, but, i was very clausterphobic and started to get car sick which was a first when i drove one.

S2000's are awesome!
 

I had an S2000 for about 6 years. Wonderful car. Ridiculously cheap to maintain. I think I spent about $2500 maintaining it to 73,000 miles. I spend nearly that much every year to maintain my Boxster.

Pluses -
Amazing Handling
Relatively Quick Acceleration (Similar to boxster S)
Drives like a go-cart

Minuses -
Tiny interior
Loud
Very Little Torque (150 lbs per foot or something similiar)

Would I buy one again? Yes, yes, yes and yes. I think of the cars I've owned, the S2000 is one of my favorites. I regret selling it every day. Once my boxster dies - (and assuming I can't buy a 911/cayman), I'm definitely going to buy another one.

Never owned but driven one multiple occasions. First impression...where is the power? Nothing comes on until your into 6500RPM, zero torque. At 6' tall I have the seat at maximum depth and back all the way in the Box, I fit perfect. Felt cramped in the Honda. Shifted very tight, typical Honda quality all around.

Pretty much the same experience I had. The power band is exactly like a sportbike. Typical Honda, low maintenance. The trunk is just big enough for a golf bag :)

But I'm 6' tall and found it a bit cramped.

I moved from an AP2 to my 3.2S, I didn't like the lack of torque or the lifeless steering, whilst it was awesome in VTEC mode it was extremely ordinary otherwise.


http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/...4/DSC_0076.jpg

Wouldn't go back!

Well, the replies certainly cover the spectrum lol. Like I said, it's not going to be for me and frankly isn't my cup of tea to begin with. What does attract me towards it is it's a Honda. I've got some time to decide and am considering some others so keep the replies coming if you have owned one. Thanks guys.......:cheers:

Search is your friend. I remember running across this before I bought my Box. I know you're not looking into comparisons but there are some stories of people's experiences.

http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/29472-boxster-vs-s2000.html

I beat them in autocrosses all the time, but it takes some work. A S2000 was my second choice for a play car, but hated the low torque vibrator engine. Four cylinder engines belong in motorbikes...

Bought a 2001 new, owned it for 6 years, loved the power and torque. Lacks the finess of my Boxster, much smaller cabin and much sparser presentation. Good car but not a Porsche.

Great autocrosser. Boring to drive on the road as it drove just like my first Honda.

I was friends with a former junior racer who once competed in the same series as a former F1 driver who won Monaco. He bought an S2000. A few weeks later I show up in Boxster S. He nearly pissed his pants. He then proceeds to list every way that makes the Boxster the bar setter. Clearly he was pissed that he did not opt for the 986. Given that the S2000 is no slouch it left an impression on me.

Sorry, but........what torque?

It was the lack of this that made it so frustrating for me on a daily basis

I have driven a few. Fun car when you wind it up. No soul.

Interior is much tighter than a Boxsters. Less trunk space. It accelerates slower than a base 986 but matched the 155mph top speed. It also matches the Boxster S 3.2L 0-60mph time.

My friend had an S2000 and when he drove the 987 05 Boxster base, he said the 987 felt more balanced and quicker than his car.

Honda make some terrific motors but my opinion is that the cars they put them in weigh just that little bit too much to make them quick enough and therefore a viable alternative to the Boxster.

The NSX motors were all great as is the F20C from the S2000, not to mention the K20 series.

If Honda just got a bit more out of the S2000's motor, OR shed some weight from it then the current car could be considered a genuine rival to a 986. Of course the lack of torque from 4 cylinders and 2 (or 2.2) litres is evident in a car that weighs 1250 odd kilograms..

The weight of the S2000 and HP figures are not
 

the reason why the S2000 feels sluggish...it is the torque curve of the motor. The S2000 I think was rated at 240 hp which is on par with the boxster S and the weight is likely very similar. The S2000 was using only a 2-2.2L motor....supposedly one of the highest output's per liter of a NA engine when it was in production. With the peaky Vtec system, it was tuned for top end power only. A friend of mine bought one a few years after they came out and let me drive it. It had one of the best gearboxes I have ever used. The power band was very peaky and I found my self shifting it at 6500 rpm because I did not want to "dog" his new car even though that is where the engine finally starts to come into it's own.

This is exactly right, the S2000 comes to life at 6.5K and you really have to thrash it to get the best from the engine, albeit between 6.5k and the redline it is simply astounding. Outwith that zone however, the engine is coarse and unresponsive and just plain old hard work , there's just no sense of occasion or drama with the car for 99% of a drive.

Day in, day out, the Boxster is a much better car (I would however have the gearchange quality from the Honda in my Boxster anyday!)

In early 2003 after eliminating Corvettes from consideration, that left Boxsters & S2000 on my short list. I had extensive seat time in all new Porsches & Corvettes from my job but had never driven a S2000. I was concerned about Boxster cost of ownership & being a previous Honda Prelude Si owner, I was confident in Honda reliability. So I rented a 2003 S2000 for a day. (unlimited miles) I had a blast! (1st rule of stunt driving, Never use your own car!) Put lots of miles on the car. IMO as a paid test driver Honda's have the best shifters, but I tired of the nonstop shifting this car requires. The spartan interior makes the Box seem like a luxury car. Yada,Yada in the end the S2000 is a street legal spec racer, whereas the Boxster is a practical daily driver & the funnest device ever invented by man.

P.S. During a Media track day event @ Willow Springs I saw a journalist spin & roll a S2000 stopping upsidedown. It took about 15 minutes for the saftey crew to get him out & he walked away unharmed. S2000 rollbar is simular to Boxster's.