Honda S2000

[MrH]

Got a new license plate for the S2000.  Was thinking about moving over the LOWD plate to the S2000 and getting something different for the 4Runner, but the yearly cost of customized plates is pretty high.

Instead, just got my Alma Mater logo and a random string of letters and numbers

[MrH]

Fixed the whistling top issue finally. The new strikers did it.

[MrH]

Rear speaker install has been a much bigger pain in the ass than expected.  Chopping up interior panels, and now I've finally got that taken care of on the driver side.  The issue is a small stamped piece of metal blocks where the speaker goes.  Most people just hammer it to bend up a little to make room.  I need to take the seat out to have enough space to have a go at it.  I feel like this is my tenth time ripping the interior apart.

Hopefully I can finally finish it this Christmas break.

[MrH]

Here's the current dilemma:

My RPF1s don't fit (thanks Cale for pointing out that BRZs have 5x100 bolt pattern instead of what I assumed was 5x114.3 ), so I need new wheels and tires for it.  In addition, I have quite a bit of maintenance to do to it.  Also, coilovers are still in the garage.

ND Miata prices are tanking right now bad.  There are two used ND Club trim level with BBS and brembo package.  Both are listed at $24.9k, but can probably negotiate them down slightly.  New ones are probably an extra $2k-$3k over these used ones.

If I keep S2000:
- Buy new wheels & tires: -$1700
- Alignment: -$150
- Sell current RPF1s: +$750
- Misc maintenance stuff: -$500

Nets to around $1600 I have to spend, plus some time in the garage getting it all done before convertible season hits again

ND Price: -$23.5k
Trade in: +$15k
Tax: -$595
Sell coilovers: +$600
Sell RPF1s: $+750

Net: -$7745

So I'm talking about a difference of just over $6k to upgrade to a car that's 16 years newer.  I'm noticing things like weather stripping, bushings, etc are all aging on the S2000.  I'm going to continue to have small, nagging things associated with just having an older car in the S2000 come up.  It's just a matter of do I want to deal with that or not.

Slight savings on gas and insurance with an ND miata too.  I love the powertrain in the S2000, but it's frankly a scary car at the limit.  I guess I should drive and ND and see how I actually like it.  I may hate it for all I know.

[Cookie Monster]

You'll have years to get an ND when they're on the used market. Not so easy to find a nice S2K.

[Char]

Do you Autocross?

[MrH]

No, not really.  I might dabble a little in the future, but no serious plans for it.

[MrH]

No LSD, but wow.  The depreciation is brutal right now.  That was like a $32k MSRP.

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-2016-Mazda-MX-5-Miata-c24783#listing=160327649



And actually, here's a better deal.  Brand new, been on the lot almost a full year.  Better color and actually a club trim level like I prefer. $24k flat might be possible here.

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-2016-Mazda-MX-5-Miata-c24783#listing=139957283

[Raza]

I would normally say "Never sell the S2000", but you have an early AP1, and I'm a little worried that the MX-5 isn't selling well and it may be the death of it.  So I say buy a new one. 

[Raza]

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=19123&modelCode1=S2000&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D19123%26showcaseOwnerId%3D1391103%26startYear%3D2005%26endYear%3D2017%26modelCodeList%3DS2000%26transmissionCode%3DMAN%26makeCodeList%3DHONDA%26transmissionCodes%3DMAN%26modelCode1%3DS2000%26mmt%3D%255BHONDA%255BS2000%255B%255D%255D%255B%255D%255D%26makeCode1%3DHONDA%26firstRecord%3D0%26searchRadius%3D0&showcaseOwnerId=1391103&startYear=2005&numRecords=25&makeCode1=HONDA&firstRecord=0&endYear=2017&searchRadius=0&listingId=444909943&makeCode1=HONDA&modelCode1=S2000

That's getting pretty reasonable, actually. 

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I would normally say "Never sell the S2000", but you have an early AP1, and I'm a little worried that the MX-5 isn't selling well and it may be the death of it. So I say buy a new one. 

Miata fanbois would shit thier pants.........

[12,000 RPM]

You'll have years to get an ND when they're on the used market. Not so easy to find a nice S2K.

He already had it though, and is already getting bored with it/looking at the next thing. Plus as great as the S2K is, there's nothing like a Miata. For me personally I really hated how gutless the AP1 was on the small cam... I feel like the SKYACTIV 2.0 would feel like a V8 in the lil Miata by comparison, especially with bolt ons.

I would probably hold off for another year though and let the depreciation get even worse. They'll still be basically new but even further down the steep depreciation curve. In the meantime stop putting any non-maintenance $$$ into the S2K... I bet the AP1 will appreciate over the same period.

[Cookie Monster]

You keep saying how gutless the S2K is. I don't see how it's bad at all. Then again I think my rotary car is decently fast too.

[MrH]

Yeah, I don't think the S2000 is gutless at all really.  It's geared so short, staying in VTEC isn't difficult to do.

Drove it to work today actually.  If I can fix the plethora of NVH issues and pogo stick ride in the rear, I'll be a lot happier with the car.

[MrH]

Finally got the first rear speaker installed. Huge pain in the ass. Had to cut a 7" circle in a rear panel. I already pre-wired for these. Took me probably a half hour to figure out why my head unit was only playing bass through the rear rca cables.

But man. What a difference. I can actually listen to podcasts with the top down. Totally masks most of the NVH issues too. Just need to install the other side, then adjust the balance and crossover points, and I'll finally be done with the sound system.

Definitely going to keep this thing. Coilovers will go on in the next few weeks, then eventually wheels and tires and I'll be done with the major mods. Then it's just maintenance shit

[CaminoRacer]

lol yes, if you get annoyed by rattles it just means your radio isn't loud enough

[Raza]

Yeah, I don't think the S2000 is gutless at all really.  It's geared so short, staying in VTEC isn't difficult to do.

Drove it to work today actually.  If I can fix the plethora of NVH issues and pogo stick ride in the rear, I'll be a lot happier with the car.

It's not a Corvette, sure.  But it's nice to have to work a little for power, get into a rhythm.  It's not always the best, but it can be very rewarding. 

[Rich]

How's that power top running?  No issues?

[MrH]

How's that power top running?  No issues?

Surprisingly well, considering I had to balance it on my head while I sat on the transmission tunnel to bolt the frame and motors in

The actual top is great.  I bought a cloth one with glass window to replace the stock vinyl with plastic rear window.  The shop I used did a great job installing it.

Had a ton of NVH issues though.  Rattles from the latch system and wind noise along the top of the windshield.  I did the TSB to jam foam into the latches to stop the rattles, and replaced the latch strikers and that fixed the wind noise finally.

This thing has had a ton of nagging issues, but it's finally all coming together.

[BimmerM3]

This thread makes me feel better about the fact that I paid more for a newer one.

[Raza]

This thread makes me feel better about the fact that I paid more for a newer one.

[MrH]

This thread makes me feel better about the fact that I paid more for a newer one.

Yes.  A 16 year old Honda is still a 16 year old car

[MrH]

The only thing that really dates this car IMO are the headlights and taillights.  I think the AP2 headlights and taillights look so much newer.  Unfortunately, retrofit for those is brutal.

I actually kind of like these...

http://www.evo-r.net/product/S2000/LED_Tail_Lamps/index.htm

[MrH]

So it's nice out, been driving the S2000 a lot.

Man, the inputs for this car are great.  Steering is super quick with very little to no "dead zone", mechanical throttle cable, shifter feel.  All are really, really good.

[Rich]

I'm glad someone else enjoys a throttle cable.

Mags just gloss over it now but every new car I drive seems off

[MrH]

It's the lift off lag that drives me nuts.  I hate electronic throttles that lag for a second.

[MX793]

IIRC, rev hang after lifting is not inherent of TBW, but an emissions control "feature".  There's no technical reason TBW should be slower to react to throttle lift than throttle application other than someone programming it to behave that way.  Definitely noticeable with MT-equipped cars and varies from mildly annoying to infuriating depending on the car.  I drove a mk1 Focus that was so bad you could count to 3 between when you lifted and when the revs dropped.  Said car also had a lit CEL, so I suspect that was related.

[2o6]

IIRC, rev hang after lifting is not inherent of TBW, but an emissions control "feature".  There's no technical reason TBW should be slower to react to throttle lift than throttle application other than someone programming it to behave that way.  Definitely noticeable with MT-equipped cars and varies from mildly annoying to infuriating depending on the car.  I drove a mk1 Focus that was so bad you could count to 3 between when you lifted and when the revs dropped.  Said car also had a lit CEL, so I suspect that was related.

I thought the MK1 Focus was a cable throttle? I'm pretty sure mine was.


The Yaris' TBW was the worst.

[MX793]

I thought the MK1 Focus was a cable throttle? I'm pretty sure mine was.


The Yaris' TBW was the worst.

Probably varies by engine.  The Duratec motors were TBW.  Not sure about the Zetec.  The base SOHC motor was probably by cable seeing as that motor family was about 20 years old.

[MexicoCityM3]

I'm glad someone else enjoys a throttle cable.

Mags just gloss over it now but every new car I drive seems off

Really? All my cars are TBW and in the N/A ones throttle response is instantaneous. Both on and off.