First post: On a £2000 budget what first mods would you buy for pre/post face-lift S2
01-16-2017, 07:08 AM
#21
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I'd Definitely need more torque to drag a sufficient mount for a 50cal on the bonnet
01-16-2017, 07:21 AM
#22
err... hate to break it to you but this is the car you buy to track and tune... Not so much tune as like lots of people say they are pretty good without anything much being changed.
My car is my daily, my track car and its supercharged just the way it should be
My car is my daily, my track car and its supercharged just the way it should be
01-16-2017, 08:38 AM
#23
For a pure road car, as has already been mentioned, I'd say save your money and just upgrade the stereo. The standard speakers are a joke and the stereo is antiquated in looks and ability. There are lots of choices that offer Bluetooth connectivity, phone and iPod connection, that will also be able to use the factory dash controls.
As an overall package, how the car comes from Honda, it is very nice as standard, with reasonable ride and handling (certainly all you could hope for or expect on the road). But what-ever you do, don't skimp on tyres (try and keep the OEM ones or BETTER and sizes, as these were designed for the car and the S2000 is very tyre sensitive). If you put cheap ones on, I will hunt you down and shoot you, as tyres with inferior side-wall stiffness to the OEM ones will ruin the car
. The OEM Bridgestones do a great job on both road and track and give a really progressive break-away at the limit, where you can balance the car on the throttle (on track).
If you find that the exhaust is too quiet, do the UK mod and de-cat it - gives a good power increase (the de-cat) and combining the two makes it sound more aggressive without the boominess or the "ricer" ness of some of the louder exhausts for very little money.
Setting up the geo is an absolute must and providing it has fully documented Honda history, you shouldn't need to do any "maintenance" work unless the service is about due on the car you have bought. Most of these cars are owned by enthusiasts that love them to bits and providing you buy off one of those, you shouldn't need to do anything until the next service.
If you find it too noisy inside the cabin (from a test drive) a factory hard top will improve things, so try and buy a GT model if funds allow.
However, I am with John - the car is hugely enjoyable on track and half the fun is making the car unique to you.
Edited to add, I would personally stretch to a MY2004 onwards facelifted car, it has revised rear beam geometry to combat the twitchiness that the first generation cars had as part of the anti-dive they tried to build in. The suspension pick-up points have also been strengthened and the ARB and spring rates softened to make the car less prone to snap over-steer. The engines also underwent some revisions on the valve train to prevent valve springs from going down and also the issue with the oil consumption that plagued some of the early cars. Also in my completely biased opinion, the car looks miles better with the facelift body / wheel changes.
As an overall package, how the car comes from Honda, it is very nice as standard, with reasonable ride and handling (certainly all you could hope for or expect on the road). But what-ever you do, don't skimp on tyres (try and keep the OEM ones or BETTER and sizes, as these were designed for the car and the S2000 is very tyre sensitive). If you put cheap ones on, I will hunt you down and shoot you, as tyres with inferior side-wall stiffness to the OEM ones will ruin the car
. The OEM Bridgestones do a great job on both road and track and give a really progressive break-away at the limit, where you can balance the car on the throttle (on track).If you find that the exhaust is too quiet, do the UK mod and de-cat it - gives a good power increase (the de-cat) and combining the two makes it sound more aggressive without the boominess or the "ricer" ness of some of the louder exhausts for very little money.
Setting up the geo is an absolute must and providing it has fully documented Honda history, you shouldn't need to do any "maintenance" work unless the service is about due on the car you have bought. Most of these cars are owned by enthusiasts that love them to bits and providing you buy off one of those, you shouldn't need to do anything until the next service.
If you find it too noisy inside the cabin (from a test drive) a factory hard top will improve things, so try and buy a GT model if funds allow.
However, I am with John - the car is hugely enjoyable on track and half the fun is making the car unique to you.
Edited to add, I would personally stretch to a MY2004 onwards facelifted car, it has revised rear beam geometry to combat the twitchiness that the first generation cars had as part of the anti-dive they tried to build in. The suspension pick-up points have also been strengthened and the ARB and spring rates softened to make the car less prone to snap over-steer. The engines also underwent some revisions on the valve train to prevent valve springs from going down and also the issue with the oil consumption that plagued some of the early cars. Also in my completely biased opinion, the car looks miles better with the facelift body / wheel changes
.
Last edited by Mike RT4; 01-16-2017 at 11:45 PM.
01-16-2017, 11:49 AM
#25
Seats, tires, speakers if your bothered by singing and if you have a fiver knocking about and know how to use a drill and a saw then the rear lower brace.
I bought some reclining corbeau's and they made the single greatest difference.
Tom
I bought some reclining corbeau's and they made the single greatest difference.
Tom
01-16-2017, 03:26 PM
#27
Originally Posted by Chuck S
Honda improved the car every two years with the last generation being 2006. Bringing previous generations up to that spec will provide incremental improvements. Throwing stuff like "coil overs" at the car will not improve it unless you have the knowledge and ability to compute spring rates, etc. Helpful for your local race track where you take the same corner time and time again, but not much else. Most of this stuff is "designed to catch the fisherman, not the fish."
-- Chuck
In theory maybe that's a good thing, but it's not as exciting. The floppy rebound damping infuriated me.
Either get a PFL, an 08/09 (when Honda realised the error of their ways), or get decent coilovers.
01-16-2017, 10:36 PM
#28
Mine is a pre face 03 and tbh the car is very controllable. Yes it does just break loose but once you get the hang of catching it you can hold it on the limit for so much rewarding fun. When your on track with the rear breaking away under braking and same when powering out makes you look like a hero
