When did the S2000 stop being twitchy

[welsh_gaz]

Any Idea which model s2000 they corrected the twitchy nature?

[SlimJ]

2005 here and wouldn't say mine was twitchy at all.

Handling I can only describe as 'fun' in the wet... but its a rear wheel drive car with pelnty of power and no TC, so respect is due.

[ajg31]

2004 was when they alterred the suspension to reduce the seat of the pants drive wasn't it? Still can be interesting in the wet if not driven smoothly.
Making sure the geometry is set up well is very important on these cars.
I have a 2004 and would not call it twitchy either.

[Cathar]

I also think it was 2004.

I have a 2001 model, and I changed the rear toe control arms for "anti-bump steer" ones, which does the same thing and improved handling a lot for me.

[JRM]

The main chassis and suspension changes came in 2002 when they introduced the revised model, with glass rear screen and CD player, I think revisions after that were more cosmetic

[speedtwelve]

2002, as JRM says.

EVO initially were not keen on the S2000, but re-evaluated the 2002 model against the Boxster and reckoned the chassis revisions made the Honda less nervous. The S2000 was 'upgraded' to 4 EVO stars; the 'new' test reckoning the S2k was now on a par with the Boxster as a driving experience.

[P.J.]

Evo recon the best changes made in 2008 with the seven spoke alloys.You can click on the review of car data on evo website.

[welsh_gaz]

Good stuff - Sounds like consensus is on the 2002 model. I just ordered one. Picking it up next sat! :-)

[ajg31]

JRM said:

The main chassis and suspension changes came in 2002 when they introduced the revised model, with glass rear screen and CD player, I think revisions after that were more cosmetic

Thought the revised model was the AP2, which came out in 2004?

[JRM]

welsh_gaz said:

Good stuff - Sounds like consensus is on the 2002 model. I just ordered one. Picking it up next sat! :-)

Congrats and welcome to a great club!

[JRM]

ajg31 said:

JRM said:

The main chassis and suspension changes came in 2002 when they introduced the revised model, with glass rear screen and CD player, I think revisions after that were more cosmetic

Thought the revised model was the AP2, which came out in 2004?

There was a revision in 2004, but I think that was only cosmetic. I have an '02 model with the improvements I mentioned above

[havoc]

A lot of people are right...and wrong.

- The S2000 was never 'twitchy', it just came with the wrong geometry settings...which are completely adjustable by the owner.

- 2002MY saw significant changes to suspension geometry and spring and damper rates, plus glass rear screen. It was this MY which saw evo magazine revise their initial opinion.
- 2004MY saw cosmetic changes to bodywork, plus further changes to spring/damper rates (a little softer to compensate for the...), 17 inch wheels, and a nicer interior. A lot of owners think this was the biggest change to the handling...I'm not convinced (hence why I went for an '03).
- 2006MY was cosmetic except for the drive-by-wire throttle and optional VSC.
- 2008MY was yet more suspension changes which were very well received by evo, plus odd 5-spoke wheels.


My 2p? The suspension rates make less difference (at anything less than 95% on the road, anyhow) than the suspension geometry, which you can change yourself.

None of the suspension rates (MY's 99/02/04 and 06 - haven't driven an '08) are perfect on the road - the car doesn't have quite the in-extremis body control of e.g. an ITR or a Boxster. But bear in mind that its limits are WELL above the legal limits of the roads you'll be driving on.

[Healey73]

2002 was the when the changes came in along with the glass rear screen and a few other bits, the 04 model brought cosmetic changes like new wheels, front and rear end updates and oval exhausts etc. Have fun with your new car!

[ajg31]

Thanks for clearing that up for me

[mikey k]

They stop being twitchy when the geo is set properly, the tyre pressures and tread depths are good!
Based on owning 4 different versions!
The biggest suspension change came with the +04 cars
02/03 cars simply had a different geometry applied

[Cathar]

I have to disagree, I had a properly set up geometry on my 2001, and the rear toe change under load made the car very hard to drive at the limit since it would make the outer rear wheel toe out when you stepped on the thottle or hit a bum mid-corner.

The new toe links sorted this out for good - the change was massive.

[havoc]

Cathar said:

I have to disagree, I had a properly set up geometry on my 2001, and the rear toe change under load made the car very hard to drive at the limit since it would make the outer rear wheel toe out when you stepped on the thottle or hit a bum mid-corner.

The new toe links sorted this out for good - the change was massive.

Slightly inaccurate.

The current system has the passive rear-steer of the fwd 'hot Hondas' (ITR, CTR and probably others) whereby load increases TOE IN, giving more stability to the rear wheels under cornering.

The opposite to this, of course, is to reduce toe-in when the wheel is unloaded, such as when you sharply lift off the throttle. Which in summary means that if you drive the car like a fwd hot-hatch, it'll bite you.


I (now) have no problem with the OE set-up as it means a smooth driver can push harder and quicker than in a car without that set-up. It also can be exploited to change the balance of the car to more oversteer, e.g. by a little bit of trail-braking. In short - if you know how to use it, it's a great idea. If you don't, it can be a liability.

[ajg31]

Over in Aus they have a different toe setting and possibly camber setting to make it even less agressive. I have had mine a year but hardly fond it stepping out. But i drive like a pansy and it is only wet on the roads for 3 months out of 12

[Cathar]

havoc, I'm speaking only about the pre-2002 setup, which toes the rear wheels out under load, thus increasing turn in at the exit of a bend.

I am a very smooth driver, and I've never even owned a FWD car. In my opinion, the stock pre-2002 setup is quite dangerous, no matter how you set up the geometry (except for setting massive toe-in at the rear...).

[havoc]

Cathar said:

havoc, I'm speaking only about the pre-2002 setup, which toes the rear wheels out under load, thus increasing turn in at the exit of a bend.

I am a very smooth driver, and I've never even owned a FWD car. In my opinion, the stock pre-2002 setup is quite dangerous, no matter how you set up the geometry (except for setting massive toe-in at the rear...).

No, it doesn't. Those links didn't change for any MY.

And I really can't think of ANY designer that would design-in rear-wheel toe-out under load...that would make the car virtually uncontrollable.


What you are describing is probably the feeling when you put power through the wheels on the exit of a bend, i.e. the start of throttle-steer.