My S2000 review
Discussion
The purchase:-
I bought my S2000 from new in April 2008.
The car is a burgundy black with tan brown interior. The current mileage stands at 7200 miles.
Costs:-
1st service at Honda Colindale was £180, 2nd year service was £180 at Honda again.
Issues:-
An air sensor which was sorted which was out by Honda warranty.
Also the latch on the roof squeaks and needs adjusting again by Honda.
Overall impressions:-
When I bought it, I bought it using an accountants head. It’s cheap to buy new and low depreciation and low costs and good reliability. Indeed I am right about all these things!
Indeed I was less keen over the interior; I found it a right put off and wanted to sell it within 6 months. I found the car very mechanical from new, lots of clunks and metal noises from the car. Clearly the car needed to be run in a bit. I made sure the engine was run I properly in accordance to vtech specialist in Japan.
2 years on I love my S2000. It looks fab, the interior is brilliant in terms of functionality. The seats are comfortable and the interior is quite nice and precise… there is a distinct difference between the interior in a TT and a S2000. I can only sum it up as wearing a Tag steel watch and then wearing a slim Rado watch. Function over form but also in its function the S2000 has form too! I suppose it’s similar to what 911 owners talk about; it takes time for the car to get under your skin.
The engine is a gem once you get it past 5k on the revs, the engine purrs and through tunnels oh my god. Love it. I have to say it is a sports car and so it is quite tiring driving it at vtec level for a long period of the time, i.e. when racing the car. Your heart definitely pounds faster. The steering is precise and light. The back end of the car is definitely lively, push it hard on wet roads and you will definitely have a lot to handle. My advice is be very careful on wet roads; I use to think what is the big deal about S2000 and the rear wheel stories. Hmmm I am living proof of the dangers of pushing a bit too much and it does not take much at all!! Brakes are good in the dry but be careful in the wet; standard Honda tyres are not that great and the car does skid under wet heavy braking. It’s not so much a put off but it is important to learn the car and its limits. The roads should not be a test track for S2000 pilots.
I was thinking of selling my S2000 this year to get something bigger to accommodate my son. Hmmm I love my car so much it’s going to stay with me till next summer. Maybe a bit longer… ;-) I simply can not find something as good to replace my car with. There are S5’s, M3’s, 911S, TTS and TTRS, RS4 Cabs but all have either issues with engines, suspensions, commonness, or high depreciation and running costs.
I bought my S2000 from new in April 2008.
The car is a burgundy black with tan brown interior. The current mileage stands at 7200 miles.
Costs:-
1st service at Honda Colindale was £180, 2nd year service was £180 at Honda again.
Issues:-
An air sensor which was sorted which was out by Honda warranty.
Also the latch on the roof squeaks and needs adjusting again by Honda.
Overall impressions:-
When I bought it, I bought it using an accountants head. It’s cheap to buy new and low depreciation and low costs and good reliability. Indeed I am right about all these things!
Indeed I was less keen over the interior; I found it a right put off and wanted to sell it within 6 months. I found the car very mechanical from new, lots of clunks and metal noises from the car. Clearly the car needed to be run in a bit. I made sure the engine was run I properly in accordance to vtech specialist in Japan.
2 years on I love my S2000. It looks fab, the interior is brilliant in terms of functionality. The seats are comfortable and the interior is quite nice and precise… there is a distinct difference between the interior in a TT and a S2000. I can only sum it up as wearing a Tag steel watch and then wearing a slim Rado watch. Function over form but also in its function the S2000 has form too! I suppose it’s similar to what 911 owners talk about; it takes time for the car to get under your skin.
The engine is a gem once you get it past 5k on the revs, the engine purrs and through tunnels oh my god. Love it. I have to say it is a sports car and so it is quite tiring driving it at vtec level for a long period of the time, i.e. when racing the car. Your heart definitely pounds faster. The steering is precise and light. The back end of the car is definitely lively, push it hard on wet roads and you will definitely have a lot to handle. My advice is be very careful on wet roads; I use to think what is the big deal about S2000 and the rear wheel stories. Hmmm I am living proof of the dangers of pushing a bit too much and it does not take much at all!! Brakes are good in the dry but be careful in the wet; standard Honda tyres are not that great and the car does skid under wet heavy braking. It’s not so much a put off but it is important to learn the car and its limits. The roads should not be a test track for S2000 pilots.
I was thinking of selling my S2000 this year to get something bigger to accommodate my son. Hmmm I love my car so much it’s going to stay with me till next summer. Maybe a bit longer… ;-) I simply can not find something as good to replace my car with. There are S5’s, M3’s, 911S, TTS and TTRS, RS4 Cabs but all have either issues with engines, suspensions, commonness, or high depreciation and running costs.
Edited by Lostprophet on Tuesday 8th June 21:15
Lostprophet said:
MoonMonkey said:
Nice write up. Shouldn't it be Berlina black though..??
I miss mine quite a bit. Here's a tip take the airbox lid off and then hit vtec
Is Berlina black a redish black? If so then yes!I miss mine quite a bit. Here's a tip take the airbox lid off and then hit vtec
MoonMonkey said:
Lostprophet said:
MoonMonkey said:
Nice write up. Shouldn't it be Berlina black though..??
I miss mine quite a bit. Here's a tip take the airbox lid off and then hit vtec
Is Berlina black a redish black? If so then yes!I miss mine quite a bit. Here's a tip take the airbox lid off and then hit vtec
Lostprophet said:
swannynhb said:
glad you like it, im on my 4th, keep selling them and buying something else, boxster, elise, civic type r, im now back with another s2000, very underrated cars imo
How did you find the Boxster and Elise and Type R?
swannynhb said:
Lostprophet said:
swannynhb said:
glad you like it, im on my 4th, keep selling them and buying something else, boxster, elise, civic type r, im now back with another s2000, very underrated cars imo
How did you find the Boxster and Elise and Type R?Have a look on 911uk.com for issues with the 997's and boxsters. They just seem like a pile of junk but i am strangely attracted to the 911S.
Once you have had Honda build quality it is hard to find something similar! Maybe the TTS and TTRS.
The other good thing about the S2000 is it hardly loses any money! Demand keeps prices firm.
The S2000 is a great car and i am quite happy to have owned one; the next car has a lot to live up to and so the choice is a hard one for me.
Glad to hear how much you are enjoying the car, I've had mine for 8 years now 
and despite now having 2 kids I'm just going to keep it forever, I still love driving it, I've done 48k and it's worked perfectly, never let me down and the only thing that's going to cost a bit is a new roof at some point, but it's lived outside all it's life so it's a bit faded and I have the shoulder tears now.
Once I buy a garage it'll get a new hood and be tucked up safely forever!!
I toyed with alternatives, and I love the Boxster S, but couldn't help thinking I was not getting much more for a great deal more money in initial cost and servicing.
Realistically I concluded that i'd only swap it for a 911 or a Maserati 4200/GT because I could put the kids in it then and use it more, but they are both a hell of a lot more money to buy and keep, so I may just as well keep the Honda forever as it's hardly worth selling now.
and despite now having 2 kids I'm just going to keep it forever, I still love driving it, I've done 48k and it's worked perfectly, never let me down and the only thing that's going to cost a bit is a new roof at some point, but it's lived outside all it's life so it's a bit faded and I have the shoulder tears now.Once I buy a garage it'll get a new hood and be tucked up safely forever!!
I toyed with alternatives, and I love the Boxster S, but couldn't help thinking I was not getting much more for a great deal more money in initial cost and servicing.
Realistically I concluded that i'd only swap it for a 911 or a Maserati 4200/GT because I could put the kids in it then and use it more, but they are both a hell of a lot more money to buy and keep, so I may just as well keep the Honda forever as it's hardly worth selling now.
Lostprophet said:
Mark-t said:
Nice read. However, can I just say one thing.... How come you've owned it for 2 years and dont know this: 
Its VTEC not vtech
Spell check on Word must have done its auto replace! Good spot though. Its VTEC not vtechJRM said:
Glad to hear how much you are enjoying the car, I've had mine for 8 years now and despite now having 2 kids I'm just going to keep it forever, I still love driving it, I've done 48k and it's worked perfectly, never let me down and the only thing that's going to cost a bit is a new roof at some point, but it's lived outside all it's life so it's a bit faded and I have the shoulder tears now.
Once I buy a garage it'll get a new hood and be tucked up safely forever!!
I toyed with alternatives, and I love the Boxster S, but couldn't help thinking I was not getting much more for a great deal more money in initial cost and servicing.
Realistically I concluded that i'd only swap it for a 911 or a Maserati 4200/GT because I could put the kids in it then and use it more, but they are both a hell of a lot more money to buy and keep, so I may just as well keep the Honda forever as it's hardly worth selling now.
To be honest I feel like you. Is there anything worth replacing it with? Hmmm I can not think so... and despite now having 2 kids I'm just going to keep it forever, I still love driving it, I've done 48k and it's worked perfectly, never let me down and the only thing that's going to cost a bit is a new roof at some point, but it's lived outside all it's life so it's a bit faded and I have the shoulder tears now.Once I buy a garage it'll get a new hood and be tucked up safely forever!!
I toyed with alternatives, and I love the Boxster S, but couldn't help thinking I was not getting much more for a great deal more money in initial cost and servicing.
Realistically I concluded that i'd only swap it for a 911 or a Maserati 4200/GT because I could put the kids in it then and use it more, but they are both a hell of a lot more money to buy and keep, so I may just as well keep the Honda forever as it's hardly worth selling now.
Might just replace the wife's car with something better suited to the family. Merc c-estate or a 3 series estate. I don't think I can part yet with the S2000. Maybe when the Gen2 911s are cheaper and their quality is assured by owners; i.e no engine pops, gear issues and coil troubles and god knows what else.
I totally feel like you feel. Solid as a rock and there is little else to give me as much fun as the S2000.
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