Honda S2000

notyou · March 2005

I have an MY04 S2000, and it still chunks between first and second, particularly when the car is cold. Once it warms up, the chunkiness fades away. The behavior seems to be common (see the forums at s2ki.com for more).

wattage · March 2005

I've test driven the 2005 S2000 several times and I've heard from the dealer that 2005 is supposedly the last year for the S2000. Is this true? Has there been any talk about what's next? I've checked all over the web and found zip, not even a concept car. The dealer mentioned that Honda likes to change body styles every 5-6 years. If that's true, then the S2000's due for a facelift soon. Gimme the scoop.

jcool1 · March 2005

Just a query - where did you fit the rear speakers in your S2000? Bought my S2000 a month ago, and tried taking several panels off to put in a decent set of 6x9's, only to find they're as shallow as an eyelid.

And just for info, I bought mine with a hardtop which is why I need 6x9's - can't hear the stereo otherwise...

Ta!

toydriver · March 2005

My sources tell me that the S2000 will be history.
Apparently Honda is making more money selling minivans, SUVs and old "stand-bys" than they can with the roadster product.
I can only hope that they would reconsider.
S2000 is my toy!!

lurking44 · March 2005

Hello Honda roadster enthusiasts. I will be sad to see the S2000 go after this model year, according to toydriver. But, I hope the manufacturer support continues for parts and such.

Getting to my topic, I'm very seriously considering the purchase of a 2002 model with 31,000 miles. I've read about the possible gear griding to look for, and the convertible latch to watch out for too. Anything else I should make special note of before spending 22K on this car? I don't believe in 'extended warranties', so I want to make sure the car is in good shape before it comes into my possession. I plan on taking it to a trusted mechanic to give it a thorough once-over. Just thought y'all might have some pointers on things to check. Thanks in advance!

terpfan2 · March 2005

Looking at purchasing an '05 S2K and am debating whether or not to get the hartop. Anyone have one and can offer an opinion as to pros/cons? Live in Washington, DC metro area.

Thanks,

Tom

heartagram · March 2005

hello s2k forum. i am interested in purchasing an s2k soon but i want to install an indash player that has a motorized monitor. it appears that theres not enough room for operation. do any of you have a monitor or have encountered this problem? any solutions or help is greatly appreciated. VR, grant

s2kmaniac81 · March 2005

I just bought my s2000 its an 01' red 50,000 miles When the top is up there is alot of wind noise where the top meets with the top of the wind shield, I was wondering if any of you veteren s2k owners know any tircks or something I can do to reduce this noise, I would appreciate any help thank

toydriver · March 2005

s2kmaniac81:
I have '01 (also red-best color!)with 22K mi that I bought used last summer. I also noticed the noise last fall when I started driving the car with the top up.

Interestingly, there is a Honda Service Bulletin about this problem #01-037. Honda recommends replacing the striker plates (metal plates located at the upper corner of the A pillars that connect to the soft top) with "hard top" strikers.
Apparently, the hard top strikers are more substantial than the original equipment.

I have scheduled my car with the Honda dealer next week to have this work done.
I will let you know if it takes care of the noise.
(price quote approx. $80 for set of two and $150 labor). If this "cures" the noise, I'll be a happy camper.

In my opinion, the car needs to be driven with the top down anyway.
Great car! Love the VTECH!!

Mr_Shiftright · March 2005

I just posted some photos of a supercharged S2000 built by SRM Performance in San Rafael, California in our new "Speedshop Board" here at Edmunds.

It's a very tidy installation, and the car jumped from a stock HP dyno reading of 174HP to a new dyno reading of 307HP.

Here's the link if you want to take a look.

SpeedShop Forum on Supercharged S2000

toydriver · April 2005

Re: Post # 211
Just had the Honda upgrade for the striker plates done by the dealer and it has CURED the wind noise and rattle from the soft top around the windshield on my '01 S2000.

As I mentioned earlier this is from Honda Service Bulletin # 01-037

The new (hard-top) striker plates are designed differently and provide a latch for the hook on the soft top to clamp to. The OEM part was worn and no longer provided a solid closure. Cost $80 for parts and one hour of labor. Total under $200.
Highly recommend this upgrade done if anyone with older S2K is having this problem.

jimg6 · April 2005

Has anyone purchased the XM radio option? If so, how much did you pay with installation?
Is there a less expensive aftermarket version?

gsolman6 · April 2005

Don't know anything about Honda's XM but I would rather get something like this since you can use it anywhere:

http://www.xmradio.com/myfi/

jimg6 · April 2005

How would this Delphi XM unit hook up to the S2000 which is XM ready. Would the sound quality be the same vs. dealer installed where they mount the XM antenna to the trunk of the car? Thanks.

zelda3 · May 2005

My husband and I have been wanting to purchase a used convertible for a "fun" third car. After much research, we decided that a 2004 Honda S2000 with low miles would probably be our best bet. However, I have now found out that this model will be discontinued by Honda after 2005. My question for more experienced car buffs is this: is it a good investment (or idea) to purchase a slightly used S2000 in light of what we now know? Will blue-book values plummet when the model is discontinued? Should we wait a year or so and see where prices go? Will it be hard to get our car worked on later down the line? We think we will have to pay around $25-26K and intend to keep it for 3-4 years. Please give us your thoughts on this as we are novices - we have 3 kids and this is the first frivolous purchase we have made in MANY years!

buckeye3d01 · May 2005

The S2000 is not being discontinued. Go ahead and buy the car if you like it.

habitat1 · May 2005

I have also heard that 2005 is the last year for the Honda S2000, but that would not deter me from buying the car at all. Honda dealerships are not going anywhere and the company is likely to support the car with respect to parts and service for the foreseeable future.

However, as a former owner of a 2002 S2000 which I kept for 2.5 years, I would suggest you consider going new rather than slightly used for a couple of reasons. First, proper break-in on an S2000 is extremely important, far more so than you're average Honda Accord with an automatic transmission. Second, the prices of new S2000's have come down considerably. In casual shopping, I have gotten offers as low as invoice to $500 over invoice (I paid $800 under MSRP on a snowy day in November 2001, but many dealerships were still getting $3,000 premiums over list). The price of a brand new 2005 would only be $4,000 to $5,000 more than a used 2004. You will make up a lot of that difference when you go to resell a "one owner" car in 3-4 years vs. a two-owner car that would be one model year older with more miles on it. Also, the tires on the S2000 are nearly $1,000 per set and generally only last about 15,000 to 20,000 miles. The clutch, especially if the car has been abused by the previous owner, will set you back $1,000 -$1,500. By going new, you will also have most, if not all, of your 3-4 years of ownership covered under the factory warranty. I had $0 in repairs or warranty claims in my 2.5 years, but I still liked having the full warranty as insurance.

The S2000 is somewhat frivolous, for sure. But my two young daughters still talk about how much fun it was being picked up from school in the S2000 when I could take off work early. Squeezing both of them in the passenger seat was tough, and the speed never got above about 10 miles per hour, but they couldn't have been any happier in a $200,000 Ferrari. My youngest learned the 1st to 2nd shift at the age of 4 (from the passenger seat, of course).

Go for it. You only live once and the S2000 is about the most financially prudent frivolous sports car out there.

kyfdx · May 2005

financially prudent frivolous sports car

Writing this one down... lol.

habitat1 · May 2005

Life is full of contradictions, and the S2000 wasn't my worst!!

toydriver · May 2005

I continue to be amazed at this s2000 engine! I bought a used '01 with 20K mi last fall for my "fun" summer car. Well, I have enjoyed feeling the rush of occasionally driving it above 7500 rpm, love to corner fast and can't get enough of the "top down, wind in the face" feeling. While in VTECH it seems to "drink gas", as I would expect. The original window sticker says 20 city 25 hwy.

So, I decided to check the gas mileage while commuting to work in a metro area with a mix of "stop and go" and highway speed. This tank of gas was meant to get a read on the capability of the engine while not "red lining". I couldn't believe the result. 46mpg; and no that is not down hill coasting.
The engineering built into this drive train is truly amazing !!!

I knew if I labelled this post "S2K competes with hybrids", nobody would read it.

I'd love to hear from others about their gas mileage experience.

habitat1 · May 2005

I think you better double check your math on that one.

My 2002 model, purchased new and perfectly broken in, averaged 22 mpg in mixed driving and got 30-32 mpg with the cruise control set at 75 mph on the highway. I kept a log of every fill-up over 18,000 miles and can state with a high degree of confidence that your calculation of 46 mpg is likely a math error or an incomplete fill up (like half a tank off). Humor me and run the numbers again and on your next 3 fill-ups. If it is getting 46 mpg, I think Honda would buy it back for $50k to do forensic analysis.

kyfdx · May 2005

I'm with habitat1....

Check the math...

toydriver · May 2005

No, the math is correct. 3.174 gallons for 149 miles. Granted, it's only 149 miles but an incredible number, none the less. Believe me, I plan to re-check on the next fill up. Like you, I assumed that the pump didn't completely fill the tank but the indicator light registers completely full and hasn't malfunctioned before. I had been driving cautiously in order to maximize the mpg and rarely exceeded 70 mph, and somtimes with cruise control on, but I was completely shocked.

I have to say that your log of 30-32 mpg with cruise control at 75 mph is very good too. Think what it might have been with cruise set at 50 mph.

I'll report back on the next few tank fills. (Honda's repurchase for 50K sounds good)

kyfdx · May 2005

The math is correct, but that is way too small of a sample to get a good reading..

The main reason.. The pump can kick off at different times.. due to humidity, air pressure, concrete level, pump pressure, etc..

If the car takes a half gallon less to fill up on a whole tank of 12 gallons, then the variance is only 4%... but, if it is off a 1/2 gallon on only three gallons, then you are off 17%....

I woudn't be amazed if you got close to 40 MPG on one single highway run at speeds of around 60 MPH for 2.5 hours... But, I don't equate "constant speed MPG" with "highway mileage". Over an entire tankful, you'll have to speed up, brake, stop..deal with traffic, etc.. What you get on one "constant speed" trip really isn't relevant..

I'm sure if I could find a 150 mile stretch of interstate, and kept it at 55 MPH and didn't have to brake... I could achieve close to 33-35 MPG in my CR-V.... But, in reality, the car gets about 26 MPG on the highway...

So, I'm impressed... but, it really isn't relevant.. when, I'm coasting downhill, I get over 100 MPG

regards,
kyfdx

habitat1 · May 2005

kyfdx is right, the potential variation on a single 3.1 gallon fill-up could be huge. My suggestion is to take 3 consecutive fill ups of 8+ gallons and re-post your average MPG over those three fill -ups. That way, the most you will be off is 3-5%.

As for what I might have gotten at 50 mph vs. 75, I don't think much more if any. In 6th gear, the car wants to cruise at 70+. If you tried to cruise at 50, the engine would be lugging and the torque for passing or maneuvering through ttraffic would be non-existent. You'd need to downshift constantly, ruining any aerodynamic advantage of the lower speed. I suspect most of today's 6-speeds get maximum fuuel economy with the cruise set at about 70 mph.

kyfdx · May 2005

I'm not sure about the whole six-speed thing.. Perhaps on certain cars.. And, of course, I don't have the real-world experience you do with an S2000....

But, most sixth gears that I see have the same exact final-drive ratio as the fifth gear on the previous model car.. IOW, the gears are just closer together, and the sixth gear isn't a "super-overdrive" gear..

I would rather have an ultra-high sixth gear for just the 70MPH+ cruising you describe... but, in my experience, that isn't the way it works..

Either way, I'm guessing that the gas mileage is way better at 50 MPH than 70 MPH, no matter how the car is geared or engine tuned..... The biggest drag on fuel mileage is just that... DRAG..

regards,
kyfdx
(who wishes he had an S2000)

habitat1 · May 2005

The S2000 is hard to compare to relative to it's 6th gear - it runs at about 4,000 rpm at 75 mph.

However, comparing 75 mph my 1995 Nissan Maxima SE 5-speed with my 2004 Acura TL 6-speed, the former is at about 3,100 rpm in 5th gear and the latter about 2,600 rpm in 6th gear. That's a 20% difference. If I'm not mistaken, the TL's 5th gear is about the same RPM, maybe slightly lower than the Maxima's 5th (top) gear. If I were trying to chugg along at 50 mph in top gear in both cars, the Maxima would seem a little sluggish, but the TL would be a dog, with almost no torque available for modest hills, manuevers, etc. It might indeed get better gas mileage at 50 mph on a perfectly flat highway cruise with no obstacles, but it really would be "lugging" along and would not be how I would ever drive any car.

For what it's worth, I have 154,000 miles on my Maxima and I rarely shift the car to a higher gear before 3,000 rpm (usually 3,500+ for normal driving). My Nissan service manager (who is a bit of a car fanatic and owns a 1972 BMW M1) is an advocate of shifting higher in the rpm band than lower. My Maxima shows almost no sign of engine wear. He, among other mechanics and engineers I've talked to, claim the worst thing for carbon buildup and general stress on an engine is lugging it at low rpms. So what might be good for maximizing mpg may not necessarily be good or the long term life of the engine. I suspect that, given my TL, he would be cruising in 4th gear or 5th gear at 50 mph, but certainly not 6th.

kyfdx · May 2005

I'm not sure we can compare two different cars, to see if the sixth gear is higher than what fifth would be...

But, I agree with your Nissan service manager.. Keeping the engine constantly between 2000 and 3000 rpm is not desirable...

Also, brisk acceleration up to cruising speed doesn't hurt gas mileage much.. You get up to the most efficient operating speed that much quicker. (a lot more fun, too!).

I think if I were on the interstate at 50 MPH, I'd be in top gear, no matter what.. I'd just shift, if I needed acceleration..

Of course, I can't think of too many interstates where I would be cruising at 50...

It is all academic... until I trade, I'm driving an automatic...

regards,
kyfdx

toydriver · May 2005

I mentioned that I would re-post after a few more miles.
After 450miles and 14.35 gallons I have averaged 31.35 mpg. This was in "normal" commuting to and from work and weekend pleasure driving. This is a mixture of stop and go and highway speeds (none above 80mph). I thought this was very good.
This is in a 2001 S2000 with 24K miles on the odometer, which I bought used. (Had all Honda recommended maintenance done and recorded when I bought it last fall)
During this test of gas mileage, I have not been driving aggressively. I normally shift between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm. I don't drive below 55mph in 6th gear. I don't "chug" around in higher gear as was suggested as a possible way to increase gas mileage. I had been warned about driving in high gear with low (below 2500rpm) for fear of causing carbon "build up" in the cylinders, that could eventually damage the engine. I have not been driving in VTECH mode (above 6,200rpm) during this 450 miles, because I wanted to check to see what gas mileage I could get with "normal" driving patterns.

I have a question for those of you with more experience and knowledge of the s2000 drive train. If you plan to drive aggressively in high rpm VTECH, is it best to KEEP the rpm above 6,000 while doing this as opposed to allowing the engine to vary between say 4000 and 8000 rpm (in and out of VTECH). (My understanding is that in VTECH the engine is operating with a more aggressive cam lobe and varying in and out of the different cam lobes could cause excessive engine wear)?? Is this correct???

oldsgt · May 2005

No, the S2000 is not discontinued, although the engine has been enlarged by 200cc's, by stroking, for 2005. I traded my 2002 S2000 for a 2005 S2000. You and your wife will fight over who is going to drive, it is that much fun. If you can find a high mileage used S2000. Also you should be able to find one for around $22K . The car will be less expensive and, believe or not, better cared for. Do take the car to an independent mechanic for a look. I do not think that the car will be a bad investment, but I have also bought Ford stock.

vinny1961 · June 2005

Hi Zelda,

I had the 2003 S 2000 and when I traded it in for my 2004 Accord I was sick! I really missed the car. Now I just purchased the 2005 S 2000. This may be the last one they will make because Honda will bring back the revamped Prelude next year. Because of the resale value of the S 2000 you are much better off getting a new one. Pick a dealer with the car you really want IN STOCK. You will be able to get a price around $30,000 for the car if you shop and bargain hunt. This will be better for many reasons. First you will be getting the last year of a limited edition 2 dr roadster Honda classic. Second, when you buy a car this cool, you want it to be brand new. Third, the extended warranty Honda offers (7 year bumper to bumper, around $1,500.00) is a must when it comes to repairs. The first time you ever need any major service, it will pay for itself, and it's totally transferable, and refunded by the dealer. Third, the car has changed for 2005 and each year previous had different features. The car is the best in 2005 since it's introduction in 2000. I love this car, and I'm not alone. It's the best sports car for the money hands down. If you ask me, the only other car worth looking at is the Mini Cooper convertible. But that's really apples and oranges. Good luck with your decision!

Russ.

barefutr51 · June 2005

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to decide on whether to purchase an S2000. However, I'm from Chicago and it will be driven all year round. It will be driven about 30 miles on a daily basis. I'm willing to spend the money on a second set of wheels and tires as well as on the hardtop. Does anyone have any suggestions or put in their two cents? Any owners that do the same thing? How does the car handle, stick to the road with the second set of tires?

Thanks

kyfdx · June 2005

I don't own an S2000, but my co-worker did.. He loved the car, but said it was the worst commuter he had ever owned...

Winter tires/wheels will keep you moving on slick stuff.. your only problem will be with ground clearance, if it gets deep.. Anything over 4" and you will be plowing snow with your front spoiler..

regards,
kyfdx

habitat1 · June 2005

I owned a 2002 S2000 for 2.5 years through three winters of Washington DC.

With any snow on the ground, it sat idle. I'm not sure how it would do with a second set of wheels and snow tires, but I suspect only so-so. It is a light car with RWD. That's good for dry road performance, but not snow. I'd be tempted to go with a second car instead. I had a 1995 Nissan Maxima that I used for the rougher weather and when I needed to take extra passengers.

As far as the hardtop goes, that's an expensive and unnecessary option. The S2000 has a glass window and defroster, and a decent heater that kept the car reasonably comfortable in cold weather. I only know one person who went with a hardtop and they used it a grand total of about 5 times over 2+ years. It's light, but still a pain in the rear to put on, take off and store.

So, for my 2 cents, I would save $4,000+ on a second set of wheels and tires and hardtop. Instead, either keep the car you currently have or get a decent shape used Accord or Maxima for use in the worst of the winter. You will still be able to use the S2000 year round in all seasons, as I did. Just not in the snow and ice. And you can further justify the cost of the second car on the savings in depreciation and wear and tear on the S2000.

P.S. I test drove a 2005 S2000 yesterday and put the odds of me getting one at 50/50. I had traded my 2002 in on a 2004 Acura TL and miss not having a convertible sports car. The good news with the 2005 S2000 is that it is a little less high strung and noisy than the 2002 (engine up to 2.2 liters from 2.0 and redline down to 8,000 from 9,000 rpm). That should make it a little better of a commuter car. I also checked out the new 997 version 911 S convertible at the Porsche dealership. It is truly an exceptional car, but a bit harder to justify at $102,000. The Boxster S at $60,000 is also very nice, but that's still twice the price of an S2000 for not much more in performance. At least the 911 can carry my wife and two kids for short trips.

toydriver · June 2005

I live in Minneapolis, with winter weather similar to Chicago. (OK, maybe a bit colder and longer, but the winter storms, and snow and ice packed pavement is similar as I've lived in both cities). I bought a '01 S2000 last year as a summer roadster and keep it garaged and covered in the winter. What I enjoy most about the car is driving from April to November with the top down at high RPM with as little traffic around as possible. (Sunday afternoon cruises in the country). Frankly, driving with the top up in stop and go traffic is very noisy and confining).

I've never seen a S2000 being driven in Mpls in the winter months. I have several concerns, most of them safety related. The car is light-weight, rear-drive and high horsepower all of which will guarantee fish-tailing on slick pavement. The low ground clearance will mean taking a "snow-day" from work unless you can follow a snow plow. The car doesn't have Vehicle Skid or Dynamic Stability electronic controls. I'd hate looking at my car if it suffered from winter salt and gravel chips in the paint and windshield that can occur after a few years of winter driving in the upper midwest.

Best of luck in your decision. The S2000 is truly a great car for the money. The drivetrain is awesome!!

jlettie1 · June 2005

I've read several postings that Honda plans to cancel the S2000 after this production year. Phoned Honda and they claim that there is no current plans to cancel the S2000. The cars seem to be selling. If this rumor is correct this would make the third convertible to be cancelled. The other convertibles would be the Ford Thunderbird and the Nissan 350Z. I would like to find out how to substantiate this rumor about the cancellation of S2000.

gsolman6 · June 2005

No the S is not being cancelled for 2006. That information probably came from people trying to predict its demise or salesman who want to foster uncertainty and drive up prices.

Also ASAIK there is no new Prelude as a post above alluded to.

As for new vs. used all potential owners should drive both the 2.0 and 2.2 themselves before they make up their mind as some of us prefer the older version not even considering price.

krusemark · June 2005

I'm curious, what changed in the '05 model year??? :confuse:

lovztofly · June 2005

I must say, I love my S2000, it's a guy magnet!!!
Wherever I go there's at least one who will use my car as a topic to talk to me. For an "seasoned" hottie, it's great fun...especailly in So Cal where there's no shortage of hot guys. The only problem is when they ask me whats under the hood????? hmmmmm...What is it again?

kstern01 · June 2005

I bought my new 2005 S2000 two weeks ago. After about 200 miles of driving, when I first start it and it is cold, when I shift into 2nd gear it doesn't want to go in and it either makes a clunking sound or a slight grinding noise. After it warms up, the transmission shifts fine into 2nd gear. I took it back to my dealer who confirmed the issue. They called the Honda tech support line who told them that was a normal characteristic of this car, and until the transmission fluid got warm, it was too thick to coat the gears. I find it unacceptable that that would be a normal characteristic of any new car, especially a new Honda. Has anyone else heard of this issue or have any suggestions for getting Honda to address the real issue here?

habitat1 · June 2005

That certainly wasn't normal on my 2002 S2000. I could shift easily into all gears in the dead of winter long before the engine and transmission fluid heated up.

Did you hear the Honda technical support rep say this or are you taking the dealers word on it? It sure sounds like a line of bull to me.

FWIW, my dealer got Honda to approve transmission replacements on 2000/2001 models that had gear grinding. That's a slightly different customer advocacy position than your dealership is taking.

avionics86 · June 2005

I have an 2002 S2000 and mine does the same thing, is this normal? If not could you please tell me what was done to correct the problem. Thanks

catdada · July 2005

Just got a New Formula Red '05 and so far I love this car yawl! I've owned several Hondas over the years to include an '84 Accord 4-door which I quickly traded for an '85 SEi version of the same. I enjoyed the heck out of my SEi but its poor quality leather interior kinda put me at odds with some aspects of Honda quality at that time. Nonetheless, I followed that up with the purchase of a '97 Accord and currently own an '01 Civic EX Coupe and a souped up '99 DX Hatchback. I'm enjoying my new S2000 so much that it more than makes up for any wrongs I've ever experienced with previous Honda products, which admittedly have been few to say the least. I can hardly wait until the odometer on this baby goes pass the 600 milestone!

In the meantime, the only problem Im having is keeping the convertible top cover (aka by some as the boot) in place at its rear tabs. Ive noticed that it has a tendency, especially at highway speeds, to raise up as if the tabs are not long enough. Is this a matter of my top not being molded to the correct shape yet or is their a trick to this otherwise and somewhat simplistic task that Im not aware of?

demade · July 2005

Catdada had the same problem with the boot. Have an 05 with 6K on it. The boot is a hit or miss for me. It has gotten to the point where I no longer bother with it. Has anyone found where you can get a bra for front end. Starting to get some dings and would like to keep them to a minimum. Like everyone else has said this is a fun car that catches a lot of looks. Most people that I talk to never knew Honda made a car like this.

firsts2k · July 2005

I leased an 2005 S2K one week ago. Just turned 600 miles and loved every one of them. I had been interested in the S2K since inception and just recently convinced myself that this indulgence may be the most financially prudent production car move possible. (I had to rationalize it somehow.) I drove an 02 and was absolutely smitten with the performance and handling. After comparing the 02 purchase for $23K and the lease of the 05, the lease option seemed to be the way to go, primarily because of the three year manufacturer's warranty and the additional two year warranty offered at no charge by the dealer, providing that all routine service is done on the premises. This was truly a bonus because I had every intention of returning the car to the dealer for service. Please forgive the digression---- the transmission. I have noticed a slight grind noted in previous postings when shifting into second and third gears. At this point, I'm not concerned considering the limited driving experience with the car. The glitch seems to be eliminated by using a slight hesitation in the neutral position and giving a shot of gas before entering the 2nd and 3rd gear positions. Fourth, fifth and sixth gear positions are very smoothe and definite. So far, the S2K is everything that I thought it would be and more! After having been in the auto drive world for so long, I forgot how much fun it is to run up and down through the gears in a car that is truly made for performance driving. More later.

steve2000 · July 2005

I also noticed the problem from first to second. In my case it seems that when the car is cold you can not be lazy with the clutch at low RPM (get it to the floor). If I pay attention I do not have the issue and the longer I drive the car (two weeks now) the less I mess up. It is slightly annoying since this is considered to be one of the best transmitions made but I think (in my case) it can be blamed somewhat on the operator. I do not have the problem at higher RPM. Otherwise it is simply fantastic! Once you adapt it becomes an extension or your arm/wrist. I can not describe how much I love this car. I may try in another post though!

toydriver · July 2005

Just replaced my air filter with K&N brand. Engine runs better with possibly a bit more power. Definite improvement.
Anybody else use this brand of air filter ?

sads2k · July 2005

I need a new engine in my 2000 S2k, $10,000. It seems that part of a spark plug (threads from the plug are missing) and coil went down into the 3rd cylinder and destroyed it (I'm not an engine tech so I may use incorrect terms) Has anyone heard of others with this issue? The car has 57000 miles and all maintenance was done.

habitat1 · July 2005

I feel your pain. I had a similar thing happen on an Isuzu Trooper a couple of years ago. It was suspected - but not proven - that the prior service, performed a few months earlier by an independent mechanic, resulted in the spark plug either being twisted, over torqued or otherwise improperly installed. It eventually broke and the bottom half dropped into the cylinder causing all hell to break loose. Our hit was about $7,000 for a major engine rebuild.

In the event that you have had all of the service done by a Honda dealer, I would suggest further investigation into what could have been the cause. Spark plugs don't just break by themselves. Perhaps the Honda dealership or Honda NA will take part of the responsibility and cut you a break on the cost of a new engine. If you had service done by an independent mechanic, you are probably out of luck. We could have tried pursuing a claim, but it would have been difficult to prove and life is too short. The Trooper and the Isuzu dealer were losers from the start, and we are now happy to have an MDX.

sads2k · July 2005

I had a spark plug fail and parts of it and the coil pack went down into cylinder #2 and possible #3 and damaged it/them. The spark plug recall was not done. I need a new engine. This is a 2000 s2k with 58k miles. Has anyone else experience anything like this?

Honda S2000

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