Honda S2000

habitat1 · September 2004

Did your 2001 S2000 have a transmission replacement or "fix"? I owned a 2002 and waited for the 2002 in part because of the glass reazr window and revised transmission design. Pre-2002's were prone to 1-2 gear grinding.

I raise this because, if it is available, I would only get the "Honda Cares" official extended warranty. Aftermarket warranties are notoriously poor at covering serious problems without a fight.

Had I elected to keep my 2002 past the 2.5 years I owned it, I was prepared to pay approximately $1,050 for a 7 year, 75k total mile warranty (I only put about 7k miles a year on it, so the 7/100 wasn't worth the extra $100 +/-). My service manager said that he even had the Honda Cares warranty agree to cover things like clutch replacement, if they occurred early in the warranty period. Not required, but Honda did so under "goodwill". You would never get that from an aftermarket warranty.

P.S. My 2002 S2000 with 18k miles was perfect and never required any repair, other than a convertible roof latch which broke in the first 30 days. I miss it!

toydriver · September 2004

I have all service records since new and reviewed the product recall/fixes for this car and don't find that Honda ever recomended any transmission fix for the '01 S2K. 6sp tranny and clutch work great.
Have to admit the plastic rear window is cheesy for such a nice car.
Thanks to your advice, I did get a quote on the Honda Care Warranty. The 7yr /70K mi quote was $1400 - higher than you mentioned. Maybe it's because mine is 1 yr older and 2K more miles on the odo. Some of my friends who own Hondas are talking me out of buying it, though. The S2K is a "best buy" used car according to the consumer literature.

kyfdx · September 2004

toydriver: Try this for a Hondacare warranty quote.

http://www.curryhondacare.com/

toydriver · September 2004

Thanks.
Internet savings of $340 c/w dealer. Much more competitive. Did you ever have a claim with this warranty, or know of anyone who did?
What a fun car!!
Drove along a windy road in a river valley this afternoon. Sun drenched. Great feeling.
Had it to 80mph with tach reading 3800. What is the top speed of this car? It is a bit noisy to push it much more - probably will soon.

smu1976 · September 2004

Quite frankly in the three plus years I have had my S2000, I have never had a Boxster S come along side me and want to race 0-60? Whats the point? I do like the style of the car though and the air spoiler that pops up on the highway.
In addition I have never raced about 25 kids with other Honda Civics, Mitsu's Suburu's with fart pipes. I just enjoy the ride, .5 seconds isn't any big deal guys, just drive and enjoy the passage of time. Three years ago, its was pretty rare to see a S2000 on the road, but they are getting pretty popular lately.

habitat1 · September 2004

From Edmunds review of the 2002 S2000:

"For 2002, Honda has added a glass rear window with a defroster, an improved transmission and a more powerful audio system. There are also a handful of minor changes that only '00-'01 S2000 owners would notice, such as chrome-bezel taillights, an upgraded center console, door panel net storage pockets, a new shifter knob, an aluminum-accented foot rest and silver trim interior accents."

I'm not sure if there was any official "fix" for the 200/2001's, but my dealer replaced 2-3 pre-2002 transmissions with the newer version after they started experiencing problems. The Honda warranty covered the replacement.

Alos, 3,800 rpm at 80 mph?? Seemed to me that my 2002 would be running at 4,000+ rpm at 80 mph.

smu1976 · September 2004

In 2000 Honda announced only 5000 S2000's to be produced (or distributed in the U.S, I can't recall) in celebration of their 50th anniversary.
In 2001 when I purhased mine, units went up to around 7-8K. Does anyone know how many S2000's are being produced or imported per annum currently? Still nice; NOT to see ads in every car magazine and T.V. spot, verus Nissan, Mazda, Porsche and Corvette, just think how many of these cars would sell if Honda wanted to up production at 33K. I know that S2000 and Acura NSX share the same factory and production capabilities are limited for both cars.

People still ask me,"What kind of car is that?" When I tell them, they say, I never knew Honda made such a thing, but not quite frequently as back in 2001.

ohiocarguy · September 2004

Honda is so secretive it's hard to find much information. The latest information I read about S2000 production (and I can't recall where I read it) was that around 14,000 S2000's were produced each year and 9,000 to 10,000 of those were imported into the U.S.

You are right about the car being well below radar. Whenever I mention to someone that I am scheming to obtain an S2000, they don't know what I am talking about.

OhioCarGuy

clint98v6at · September 2004

I've always loved the S2000, so when I was in Vegas over the weekend I rented one for the day. It was a Spa yellow 2003. This car was everything I imagined and more! What a blast!

My wife and I took it to Hoover dam, and then took a great road north of Lake Mead to the Valley of Fire state park. With fresh blacktop, plenty of twisties and very little traffic, I couldn't get the grin off my face the entire trip.

The VTEC kick at 6,000 rpm reminds me of my CBR sportbike. The car really is a sportbike on four wheels. When I went to the gas station, it took me a good 5 minutes to find the fuel door release! That little black button in the door jamb wasn't easy to find.

Even though the rental cost was more than twice what I would have paid for a convertible Mustang, it was still a bargain to me. I would really like to own one, but with two kids under the age of 5, it's just not practical at this time. Sure was a fun 24 hours though!

habitat1 · September 2004

When I bought my 2002 Spa Yellow S2000 (as a third car), my daughters were 3 & 6. When I traded it earlier this year, they were 6 & 9. Not a S2000 goes by us (especially a yellow one)that they don't both let out a load moan about how much fun ours WAS! I'd occassionally take them both back and forth from school on quiet side streets and by the time my oldest was 8, I could take her on short errands or to soccer games. Never broke about 25-30 mph, but she could care less about the speed.

Unfortunately, the S2000 wasn't practical as MY only car and I could justify keeping it when it came time to replace my sedan. But, depending upon where you live, it's not completely incompatible with kids. Unfortunately, the the 4 passenger convertible that everyone can (temporarily) fit in - the 911 Turbo - costs about $100,000 more than the S2000 and it still doesn't elicit the same admiration from my 6 year old.

At least you got to try one out for a day. I think when I look back in 10 years, I might have wished I somehow kept mine. There isn't much comparable in the fun to drive department, certainly not at the price or with Honda reliability.

clint98v6at · September 2004

My kids are 2 & 5, so I really can't justify spending that much money right now on a "fun car". Right now I'm lucky if I get out on my sportbike once or twice a month. Looks like I'm stuck with the Accord and minivan for a while!

Sure was fun driving the S though. I agree that nothing comes close to that much fun at that price. The lack of torque that everyone talks about wasn't an issue for me. I'm used to that with my motorcycle, and I actually prefer a high redline in exchange for less torque. I guess that's just what I'm used to.

habitat1 · September 2004

I agree - it's a lot more fun driving the S2000 up to 9,000 rpm with it's crisp 6-speed than having a high torque, low rpm "musclecar" IMO. Take care of your kids, they are an "appreciating" asset. As good as the S2000 is, it's a depreciating asset. Just be careful on your sportbike for their sake.

clint98v6at · September 2004

Without a doubt, the kids come first. The S2000 (or something even better) will still be there in the future when it makes more sense for me. For the time being I can stroll the neighborhood streets with the kids in their grandpa's convertible vette.

I hear you about being careful on the bike. Twelve years ago a drunk 18 year old (with no insurance, of course) pulled out in front of me. Spent 3 days on a morphine drip in the hospital with 4 broken bones. My helmet had stress cracks in it, and I'm sure it saved my life.

Now that I have kids, I'm even more careful than ever. I pretty much stick to country roads outside the city, never ride at night, and always wear my helmet, kevlar reinforced jacket, gloves and boots, even when it's 80+ degrees. I try to minimize the risk as much as possible.

ohiocarguy · October 2004

Per October 1 Honda press release, YTD S2K sales through September 2004 are 5,835 vs. 6,297 through September 2003, a decline of 7.7%.

sphinx99 · October 2004

As I recall, 2004 production volume was reduced significantly. S2000 demand has been dropping for a few years now. At the end of the day, Honda's amazing accomplishment is the fact that they can sell minivans at MSRP far more easily than they can sell posh, sexy convertible sports cars.

ohiocarguy · October 2004

I agree with your sports car vs. minivan comment, Sphinx. I'm new to this forum so forgive me if this ground has been covered before, but I find it difficult to understand Honda's near-complete lack of advertising support for the S2k. I can only conclude that they developed it for the engineering exercise and are not interested in selling too many.

BTW, I came to a near stop in my neighborhood this morning when I spotted a Suzuka blue '04 in someone's driveway. The sun was shining, the car was clean, and it looked beautiful even with the top up. I was tempted to pull into the driveway and ogle the darn thing.

OhioCarGuy

habitat1 · October 2004

A decent national advertising campaign could easily run $10-$20+ million a year. That would work out to $2,000-$4,000 per S2000 sold. Honda can afford to advertise the heck out of the Odyssey and Accord, both because of the volume of those cars sold and because, in spite of being good vehicles, they have about 10% of the ground up engineering R&D expense of the S2000. Honda also NEEDS to advertise the heck out of minivans and sedans, because again, notwithstanding their quality, they simply aren't that much different than the myriad of competitive offerings from Toyota, Nissan and the rest of the manufacturers and they need to use advertising to help distinguish themselves. If you decide you want a high performance roadster, you have about 3 choices other than the S2000, the closest of which (Boxster S) sells for $60k+.

I think Honda has made the right decision on the S2000 - put the money in the engineering, forget the advertising and sell the car to those with enough interest (and intelligence) to know the difference between advertising "image" and engineering substance. That's a limited market, but works well for a limited production car.

P.S. When's the last time you saw an ad for a 360 Modena, a BMW M3/M5 or any AMG product?

sphinx99 · October 2004

Auto manufacturers generally do not shoulder the cost of advertising for sports cars. We, the buyers, do, when we buy magazines like Car & Driver for a few bucks each, that give us two to three pages of information on the car. The S2000 won't show up in many ads, but Honda will (like AMG, Ferrari) go out of their way to make it available to as many "enthusiast" magazines, gratis as possible.

pad · October 2004

Anyone know what kind of RPM'S's the 04 turns at 65mph ? Also what kind of mileage does one get on the hwy at 65 mph ? I would not be buying the car for gas mileage, but I'm concerned about hwy mileage and how is the road noise at 65mph. Also if anyone knows the same about the 03's your reply is appreciated. Thanks.

midnightcowboy · October 2004

Big change to 04 (2.2 different gearing) do you mean 05 ?

habitat1 · October 2004

I had a 2002 S2000 that would turn approximately 3,600 rpm's at 65mph in 6th gear. I would average a solid 30-32 mpg on the highway at 70+ mph. In mixed driving, I'd average 22-23. By comparison, my 2004 Acura TL 6-speed gets 16 mpg in mixed driving and 28-29 on the highwy in spite of higher EPA ratings than the S2000.

The 2003 and 2002 are identical gearing, the 2004/5 are different.

ohiocarguy · October 2004

Thanks for the info on your '02, Habitat. Can someone with an '04 tell us the rpm at 65 mph?

OhioCarGuy

toydriver · October 2004

Hi all,
Recently purchased a '01 S2000 with 20K mi and have enjoyed the roadster. Have been experiencing the "VTECH" ! What a rush!!

What I'm interested in knowing is what is the approximate red line speed matched to each gear.

(No, I'm not driving it at red line - just toying with it.)

I understand that these numbers may be lower for the '02-'04 models.

roadstergal · October 2004

just had to take a minute to reply to your post. i have an 04 Suzuka Blue S2000 with 5k on it and i wonder how i ever lived this long without it. i've owned 2 corvettes and loved them - but nothing compares to driving my s2k with top down!

sphinx99 · October 2004

Engine turns about 4,000rpm around 76-77mph. I don't know the exact number off hand but I'd imagine it's around 3400-3500 at 65mph in 6th gear. I'll keep an eye on it next time I go out.

I do not get particularly amazing fuel economy on the S - low to mid 20s in mixed driving.

flas2k · October 2004

My 04 turns 3400 RPM at 65. The noise is no problem at 65. I've made several three hour trips at 75 most of the way. Extended conversation was a little difficult, but the road/wind noise wasn't overly bothersome. That's top down, I couldn't tell you about top up noise. If your worried about it, go drive one. I found a dealer with a used 04, they let my wife and I take it out for thirty minutes. Noise was a big concern of mine, 'till I drove one. I bought my 04 Rio Yellow the next day.

ohiocarguy · October 2004

Thanks for the responses sphinx and flas2k. My wife and I have been admiring the S2k for years, and are getting closer and closer to pulling the trigger. I stopped by the dealer yesterday and discovered they had just received two 2005's: Suzuka blue and Silverstone metallic. The two colors we like best! So I took my better half there today and took a long look. Now I'm telling myself over and over that this is not the time of year to buy an S2000 if you live in northeastern Ohio.....

OhioCarGuy

kyfdx · October 2004

If you look for a used S2000, this is an ideal time to buy one.. Winter is always the best time to buy a used convertible.. It won't help you much with the new ones, though...

toydriver · October 2004

They may be a little more willing to "deal" on a roadster this time of year in the Midwest. I bought an '01 4 weeks ago in MN. (My second car which I use for good weather fun). Here the used S2K prices have been dropping since early September. With most cars, the used market predicts how willing new car dealers are to dicker.
I've managed a few top-down drives so far this fall that were awesome.
Best of luck with your decision.

midnightcowboy · November 2004

Is the timing in the S2000 belt driven and if so when does it need to be replaced and estimated cost?

toydriver · November 2004

Have been noticing increasing wind noise from around the seal above the windshield when driving over 45 mph. '01 with 22K miles. Live in MN, temps going down into the 40s and 50s.

Any ideas on a fix????

Mr_Shiftright · November 2004

Try to soften up the seal with some silicone *lubricant* or other rubber treatment product (NOT sealer!!)

Sometimes cold weather will shrink a seal a bit until the car warms up.

Also check that the top rail of the windshield isn't dirty.

toydriver · November 2004

Thanks for responding. I used the Honda brand silicone spray lubricant on the seal (after cleaning it). Still have excessive wind noise above the top windshield rail and rattle from the top latches when driving over 40mph. Some of this could be cold weather related - but I'm wondering if the latches wear out and need replacing ???

Mr_Shiftright · November 2004

Well when the top is latched can you get any slack in there by gently pushing up on the top? On some cars the latches are adjustable, too.

Otherwise, if no slack and no adjustment you'll have to investigate if the top rail seal is replacable.

Do you actually FEEL any wind with your fingertips or just "hear" it.

the reason I ask is that if you only "hear" it but feel nothing this could be a design flaw of some kind.

Is anything sticking up or out? Loose screw or moulding popping out, on the outside of the car?

Does the top look aligned properly when it latches?

toydriver · November 2004

No slack when latched. Latches not adjustable as far as I can tell. Don't FEEL any wind and the top is water tight - just hear a wind noise that is clearly coming from above the windshield and rattles from the latches, but they are properly engaged. Nothing sticking up or out of the top or near the windshield. (No loose screws - at least none on the car :-). The top looks to be aligned properly and there aren't any signs of damage or prior mechanical work.
Are there any Honda Service Bulletin reports that relate to design flaws or latch problems with the '01 S2000 convertible tops ???

toydriver · November 2004

Spoke with a friend who has a mechanic friend who tells me that the '00 and '01 soft top "strike plates" wear out prematurely and can need replacement. I bought a '01 earlier this summer and didn't notice a problem until I started driving it consistently with the top up this fall. (The symptom is as I have described -excessive wind noise coming from around the top of the windshield and also a rattle from around the top latches).

Has anyone had to replace these "strike plates" and were they improved for later models and how much should I expect to pay at a dealer??

yzfr1n · November 2004

Hi Everyone, I have an 04 s2K and was hoping one of you would have some input, when I engage 1st gear from neutral sometimes I hear/feel a slight "clunk". Never felt it on the 97 toyota supra's manual shifter.

Is this normal?

briham · December 2004

How do these cars compare. I'm leanin towards the RX8 due to styling and handling, what are the advantages of the s2000

Here is VIDEO of the RX8 on a lap around Laguna Seca track which kind of sold me. Check out the stunt at the end.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=- bod&sectionParameter=rx8_activity&bhcp=1

aakretchmer · December 2004

I can't be helpful but I drove an '00 S2 from Chicago to Denver to The Black Hills back to Chicago in July. The mileage was fairly steady between 23 and 25 mpg, and it didn't seem to matter whether I drove 70 or 85.

A more seasonal question: does anyone out there have experience with M&S rated tires on an S2000? With the Potenzas, it's a horror with snow on the ground. Although I have a second car for bad weather, it's sometimes necessary to drive the S. I'm willing to put bad-weather rated tires on for the winter season, but the feedback from people I know is that snow tires won't help a car balanced & powered like ours. Anyone have any experience with this?

kyfdx · December 2004

I don't have an S2000, but my car does have 225/45-17 tires.. and winter tires make a world of difference..

S2000 are powerful, but they aren't necessarily "torquey"... There is nothing to keep the car from realizing the benefits of winter tires..

Low ground clearance will be your biggest problem in snow.

And the post above: The S2000 is a convertible...

regards,

kyfdx

aakretchmer · December 2004

It's not normal, but it's been a problem from day 1. I have an '00 S2, and my clunk was between 2nd and 3rd gear. Honda replaced the transmission under warranty. A friend with another '00 had the problem between 1st and 2nd gear. Honda replaced his transmission. In our cases, it was more of a split-second 'grind' as if you'd mis-shifted, but you hadn't. I don't know any recent S2000 buyers, so I can't speak about anyone's current experience. But Honda has worked on this problem a long time; I'd have thought it was solved by now. Your experience indicates that it wasn't. If I were you, I'd take the car back to Honda quickly to at least get the problem on your service sheet.

gsolman6 · January 2005

I saw on THE mazda miata enthusiasts web site(I know I can't say the name) that several of the S2000 owners race their cars. One went even so far as to say that it was not worth getting an S if you do not intend to race it. So I was wondering how many of you autocross your cars?

sphinx99 · January 2005

I have done a few autocrossing sessions but so far, it has been more of a personal teaser experience for me. I hope to make it a more serious hobby this spring and summer.

I do not believe it is true that the S is not worth getting if it is not going to be raced. The same argument could be applied to the Miata, and in fact to any car more fun to drive than a Ford Taurus. The S2000's gearbox, high-revving engine, and stiff chassis can be enjoyed and appreciated even at legal speeds on public roads, as can its looks, features and overall value as a fairly livable roadster.

toydriver · January 2005

I agree with sphinx99. The S2000 is a "gas" to drive at just about any speed.

There is no law that limits how fast you can get FROM 0 mph TO the speed limit. Freeeway entrance ramps in 2nd gear up to 8000rpm will get your "heart throbbing".

Cruisng at 30mph with the top down on a sunny day in this car is great fun and still turns heads.

Beauty is in the beholder, but for my money the S is more of a true sports car than the Miata.

motis · January 2005

Greetings all - I have been following this forum for some time and recently purchased a 2005 S2000. I have noticed in the past couple of days there is a grinding feeling when shifting from first to second; it's consistent occurrence, not present only if I shift much more slowly, letting the RPM's fall significantly (I don't normally shift quickly). It's not a long grinding, only a quick feeling of 2-3 gunk/grind sounds before it settles into gear.

This always happens when shifting from first to second, and usually - though to a lesser degree - when shifting from second to third. All other shifts are smooth. The thing that bothers me is all the reviews I read praised the Honda shifting mechanism for being so smooth, and there were even changes/improvements made from the 2000 - 2003 models, apparently.

Do other owners have this problem? What should I say to the dealer?

kyfdx · January 2005

"Do other owners have this problem? What should I say to the dealer?"

"I can't get a smooth shift, going from 1st to 2nd, or 2nd to 3rd... It grinds.. something is wrong with my car.. I have to shift like my grandmother, to get the car to work right.. Please fix my car!!"

Or something like that...

regards,

kyfdx

illini7 · January 2005

I think maybe it just isn't broken in enough yet. Mine was really tight and rigid at first, and then it really opened up around 7500 miles. Take it in and have them check it anyway.

yzfr1n · February 2005

MOTIS---The S2000 does take time to break-in, the more you drive it the better the shifter will feel.

When cold my 04 still has a split second "clunk" from neutral into 1st, the transmission gets alot better when the car warms up.

The S2000 doesn't have much sound dampening insulation, coupled with a really stiff body, you'll pretty much hear and feel every last thing the car is doing. This is the most driver oriented sports car with a trunk.

It's the best purchase you could have made, the RX-8 drives like an over-powered Corrolla, the 350Z spends more time getting fixed and changing front tires then a house of cards. The S2K drives like an F1 car and it'll keep up with the best of them over 6K rpm, you'll just have to put up with the stiff and loud ride (I don't mind).

makana1 · March 2005

Are there any REALLY tall S2000 owners out there? If so let me know your thoughts on using the S2000 as a daily driver. I am considering buying a used S2000 as a second car that I would use on a 15-20 mile RT daily commute over good roads in good weather (moving back to San Diego soon). I am 6'7", 225 lbs and for me the limiting factor in any car, space-wise, is not legroom per se but rather the amount of space between the driver's door panel and the steering wheel -- when it's too tight, I can't turn the wheel because my hands bump into my knees! Any ideas, first-hand experiences?

theotherhalf · March 2005

I have a 2001 S2000 and love it. But I hate Hondas decision to use a vynal window that year. Starting in 02 I think they went to the glass window in the back. My question is, can I replace the one I have with and later models rear window. I noticed the back window section zips out on my 01. I would think they should swap. Now for the tough question.
Where can I find just the window and how much should this part cost me. I called 2-3 dealers and they could not find that part in there system and sounded like they didnt even think it was separate. I dont belive replacing say a busted back window is going to require dumping your life savings on replacing a rag top. Can I get some much needed help???????

Honda S2000

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