Honda S2000... widowmake

[finchy]

Would welcome feedback from current or previous owners of the S2k

Appears that the S2000 ticks most of my boxes as an all round package, i.e. performance, looks, build quality, passive safety etc.

However have read some horror stories on S2ski.co.uk which has given me some concerns with the handling during wet / winter conditions. Reports of aqua-planing if hitting standing water, and very easy to lose in damp or greasy condtions.

The car would be a 2nd car, but driven all year round(circa 10k)including winter time. Are these cars "widow-makers". Or is it folks going too quick for the conditions, on poor tyres.

Its been a while since I've had powerful rwd car (2.8i Capri back in the day)and I would consider my abilities pretty limited behind the wheel, plus the car would alo be regularly driven by the Mrs who is used to hatches & not fussed about "spirited" driving.

Also apprecaite any comments on practicality (i.e. touring) or any other hints or tips ? One final thing, can you fit golf clubs in the boot?
Thanks
Finchy

Edited by finchy on Tuesday 19th December 15:29

[normalbloke]

"widow-makers"

B@llocks.
We have one,wife's daily drive.It is a rwd car with an LSD,peaky power and that's about it.Learn to drive it as you would any car and you will be fine.I believe a lot of the statistics arise through many people coming from a fwd car, and thinking it's the same game.

Also, the S2ki forum is full of girl's blouses!

(I'll get it in the ear for that one!)

[pugboy]

I pretty much agree with notmal bloke. I've had one for about 18 months and like he said, it's just a case of getting used to the characteristics. It's not as forgiving as a front drive hot hatch, indeed it's possible to get it sideways without too much bother out of a junction in first gear. It just needs respect. I think it has a decent amount of feel and you get used to where the break away points are in different conditions. Providing your missus has an appreciation between the friction differences between tyre/road depending on the weather then you've no problem, otherwise she could be through a hedge, probably backwards. By the way, the models after 2002 are more forgiving (glass rear screen is the giveaway).

Hope this is of some help.

Chris

[finchy]

thanks for the info so far chaps, v helpful, car control course will be the order of the day for both of us if we go for 1.

[so8]

I had one 2 years ago for a year .... and never understood why so many had a problem with them !

I have just bought another and again find it no problem at all to drive. It is like any rwd car - boot it in the wet in a stupid way and it will slide. ... as far as I am concerned they are predictable good easy to drive cars. Then, my other car is a TVR

[rebelstar]

I'm in the same boat, S2000 and TVR. The S2k is easier to "get in and drive" but it will also bite if you're not careful as it does lull you into a false sense of security. The biggest problem that I've found is that it tramlines like you wouldn't believe.

Other than that, it's a great car and good fun.

[graham@edinburgh]

normalbloke said:

Also, the S2ki forum is full of girl's blouses!

(I'll get it in the ear for that one!)

Oi

The general concensus is that the condition of the stock S02 tyres on the pre-04s was responsible for the majority of "moments". Even before they get anywhere near illegal, the compound loses a lot of effectiveness. 3mm is generally a good time to change 'em.

As above, mine's been a daily driver for the last year and a half and 30,000 miles with no problems.

Edited by graham@edinburgh on Tuesday 19th December 19:24

[Rhino]

I've just sold mine because of a company car, use to drive it in all year round. Not a problem, well one that wasn't self inflicted!! just have to drive accordingly.

Cannot echo enough the comment of making sure the tyres (particularly the SO2's) have enough tread on them

All I could add would be, get wheel alignments check for consistent handling, and a driver training day with the car. With the driver training apart from the tuition, you get the opportunity to learn the characteristics of the car in a safer environment than on the road.

I was able to a set of golf clubs in the boot, and I got all my camping gear in the boot for the pilgrimage to Le Mans last year.

[finchy]

Thanks all, most helpful

[eddandsam1]

I get soooooooooooooo *****ed off with hearing this.

1. Its a car
2. It doesn't jump of the road by itself
3. Learn how to drive it - including to the conditions and nature of the road like any light, RWD vehicle with power.


Grrrrrrr

We are on number 2 now and love it and it is the wife's daily commuter!

[cardigankid]

I was worried about this. I tested an S2000 in 2001 and found that if you pushed it into a skid the tail came round pretty smartly. I have also heard that in wet/frosty conditions one should exercise due care and attention.

I understand that in 04 the suspension was modified to eliminate or reduce this problem. I tried it again in the summer and found it very good. Really lovely car to drive, precise steering, brilliant engine, one of the finest manual gearboxes in existence. I then bought one although I got the VSA at £300 extra.

If you are at all sensible you will have no problem. If you are not then you are going to crash anyway.

[n3il123]

Again have to agree with the treat it with a bit of respect and it won't bite you... (bit like a doberman). My Mrs has one as her daily driver, she got caught out on wet road, comming from fwd cars within the first couple of days.. shocked her for a bit but then she realised how to drive its been fine for the last 2 years

Plus I use it at the weekends which is nice

[eyebeebe]

Best advice is to change the S02s for some Avon ZZ3s. I've found it's changed the handling of it in the wet completely. It feels a lot more planted now.

Simple message is treat it with respect and don't do anything silly with the power mid corner. Mine has only stepped out of line once when I hadn't initiated it on purpose and that was on a greasy broken road taking a left hand turn at about 15mph with the S02s.

[danwww]

its not great for the wet but I don't think its much worse than any other roadster

[puggit]

Just be aware that it's a powerful rwd with no driver aids except for ABS. As a daily driver it's a hell of a lot easier and just as much fun compared to drive then a lot of other sports convertibles out there!

We had an 05 and it was as solid as you need. Having said that, Mrs Puggit still ttted ours in to the kerb when she lost the back end

[graham@edinburgh]

puggit said:

Just be aware that it's a powerful rwd with no driver aids except for ABS. As a daily driver it's a hell of a lot easier and just as much fun compared to drive then a lot of other sports convertibles out there!

We had an 05 and it was as solid as you need. Having said that, Mrs Puggit still ttted ours in to the kerb when she lost the back end

And I did a neat 270 pulling out of a side road the other day. However, it was in Edinburgh, in December, with the car having been running all of a minute.

My own bloody fault

[BURNIE]

I have had 2 and never lost the rear!!

To tour its great,two people and enough stuff to last two weeks!!great car,but be carful it will bite! Standing water is a prob the tyres are so wide,it does tend to lift you a little but you just need to see the road ahead!and drive with care!
Go on buy one you will love it!!First chance you get take it to a track .that is where it is best driven.

[havoc]

It's a fairly cheap, aspirational, powerful rwd car without any traction control...and often it's someone's first rwd car. That's all. No better or worse than many others. Well, better than some as it's got double-wishbones all-round and a good lsd. But worse than others as steering feel can be lacking.

A lot of the above advice is good:-
- '02 onwards have a few handy changes, inc. glass in hood. '04 even more, including OEM tyres which aren't hydrophobic*, and nicer interiors.
- alignment crucial...get a good place to sort it out, but decide how you want it to handle first...there are trade-offs between feedback/tramlining and agility/stability depending on how you set it up.

I enjoy mine, but I'd like more feedback, so I'm about to order some strut-braces, which apparently improve things. Otherwise there's not a lot that needs changing...it's a very competent car.


* They're also very dependent upon rubber. The '04 onwards RE050's are supposed to be very good, but on pre-04 cars there's a bit of debate between the dry-optimised OEM S02's and some wet-weather tyres (e.g. Toyo T1-Rs) which are a bit of a compromise in the dry.

[odyssey2200]

WOW everyone hear makes sence!

A number of the dealers I visit a TVR dealers and I hear regular stories about TVRs killing, maiming or having a serious attempt at the above.

One dealer told me that everytime they sell a particular model the guys in the workshop have a sweepstake to guess when it will be back on a low loader or in a bin liner.

All RWD cars and 4x4 can swap ends in the wet if you are a bit unwise with the right foot.
the more power on tap the more self restraint required

Look at the Top Gear satisfaction survey and what came top?

Honda S2000!

Buy a Honda you will not regret it
I have just bought Honda number 70 something.

[BigGriff]

Well I have both an S2000 and a TVR and neither are 'widowmakers'. Yes they require care in the wet and extensive use of the most important part of the car; the drivers brain.

Buy either you wont regret it.

R