lappj

Hello New England,

I currently split my time betwee Nashville and Texas. I have a '00 red S200 with 48K miles. Original soft top.

I got a job offer in Back Bay Boston and, although I do not want to live in New England, I will probably accept because it's a great career opportunity. A couple of major factors in the decision are (1) the proximity of tracks to do HPDE and karting (2) whether I can keep the S and still enjoy it despite NE weather.

I think I am good on #1. I don't mind driving to NHMS, Pocono Raceway, Lime Rock, and Thompson, plus Bridgewater and NHMS for karting.

On #2, I really don't know what to expect. Currently, I enjoy my S all year round with very little city driving. If I move to Boston, I am going to need the S to function as my daily driver all year round. My question to the community is: how feasible is this? I'm not worried of driving in the snow, but I am worried driving in the harsh winters will increase wear&tear on her and whether I'll really be able to enjoy her given that I'll live in an urban area. Are there things you do to winterize your cars? Do you need snow tires? How does the soft top hold up? Can you enjoy really your cars in the winter?

Other details: I dont know where I'm living yet so maybe could commute using public transit and only drive the S on weekends. I could also buy a second car and keep the S garaged during the winter but I'd rather not do this because I plan to spend a lot on karting. Or I could sell the S (which is last resort because I love her and it would be hard to find one again like this)

vtec9

I live in Connecticut (same climate), and I've driven my '00 AP1 for the past 8 winters. Winter tires are an absolute must. No way around it. I have a set of 16" wheels that I keep my Michelin X-Ice winter tires on. Performance winter tires are serviceable, but real snow and ice tires are better for the white stuff. All seasons wouldn't get you far. Summer tires aren't getting you anywhere (literally you won't move up a hill).

With snows, she gets around just fine. I've never ever been stuck, but had some close calls. The biggest issue is traction from a stop, and the way our differentials work, the car likes to kick the back end out to one side when trying to accelerate straight from a stop when it's very slippery (slush and ice mainly).

With that said, the car is A LOT of fun in the snow Very predictable and controllable under throttle and around corners, and quick to stop due to being very light. Our ABS works pretty well in the snow.

As far as weatherization for the top, I don't do anything special and have no reason to believe winters have done any damage. After 15 years, 8 winters and 201k miles, my top is still in decent shape. I've used 303 protectant spray on it a couple times, and greased my top seals a couple times over the years, but that's it. The plastic window isn't cracked, the only small holes are in the typical corner spots from putting it down a million times, not anything weather related, and the seals are still supple with zero leaks. My top is in awesome condition compared to some others I've seen on this board.. to the point where I don't quite understand how theirs got in such rough shape, because honestly I do not do much active work to keep mine in good condition.

There is one sticking point though, and that's our suspension bushings. The OEM bushings that have alignment hardware were not installed using anti-seize from the factory, and multiple winters will take their toll. After 6 winters ALL my alignment related hardware had seized to the inside of the bushings, and they wouldn't budge. Had to cut them all out with a sawzall to install new poly bushings. Air tools couldn't remove them. Non alignment bushings have fluted bolts through them that don't seize, but the alignment bolts are not fluted and the increased contact area allows them to seize. The 'simple' solution is to do some preventative work: remove the hardware from all your a-arm bushings and rub a bunch of anti-seize on the bolts. No need to remove the A-arms.


I also have started to develop a little surface rust on the underbody and the rear subframe from the salt. Nothing major, but something to consider..

In the end.. I'm out driving only a handful of times with snow on the ground each winter. Most of the time the roads are clear and it's just cold.

grovefromnh

On #1 Don't forget watkins Glen. Everybody , execpt NASCAR., uses the 3.5 mile long grand Prix course.

DWSs2k

If your going to be working in Boston you will want to use the public transportation (The T). There isn't any reason to drive into the city on a daily basis due to the congestion. For the winter, garage your S and either wait for spring to drive or a nice clear winter day. Just be aware that chemicals will be on the road surface and will be collected by your S. A lot of the S owners in the Northeast have other vehicles for daily travel and store their S's for the winter.
You should also research the differences in housing and other expenses in the Boston area versus where you currently live to gage how great this opportunity really is. Good Luck

boltonblue

Please don't be insulted as I don't know you and your skill lelvel.
The ability of the S2000 as a winter car is tied to two things, the snows you put on and the drivers ability.
If you not used to driving in the snow in general, you have a somewhat steep learning curve ahead of you.
So at the first opportunity of a light dusting go find a parking lot and learn and play and learn and play... you get the idea.
There are techinques for hil starts etc that are really important to "have in the bag" when you need them.
Example is using the brakes at the same time you're releasing the clutch to keep the rears from spinning.
It's awkward at first but with practice becomes easier.

Legal Bill

All depends on your budget. Best thing in my opinion is reasonably priced place in the burbs near a commuter rail station. Store the S in the winter and get a beater for your daily driver for 6 or 7 months.

lappj

Thanks for the replies.

Based on vTec9's comments, I am leaning more towards garaging the S...or storing it in Nashville at my brother's for this winter and bring it up next spring (since I probably wouldn't begin the job until mid-late September, toward the tail end of the season). I'm sure it's a blast in the snow but the car is in pristine condition cosmetically and I want to keep it that way.

@boltonblue - no offense taken. I lived in MA for three years and have a good amount of experience in the snow. That being said, I've only driven a rear-wheel drive manual a handful of times in the snow/ice and only once in the S, so I'm sure I could learn a few things.

@grovefromnh - The Glenn is on the list! Can't believe I missed that one

lappj

Actually, buying a high-mileage second S for the winter even crossed my mind but unfortunately I don't think I can afford it. That would be the best case scenario!

pgss2k

I think this is a smart choice. If you S is pristine it won't be after a winter in NE. Between the salt/liquid salt/sand/rocks that go down the first wax in the spring is likely to lead to tears. RWD beater for the winter Old Subie to brush up your rallycross skills!

NotExactly

I drive my S year round. I have a set of Nokian WRG2 all-season tires on it in the winter, but they are very aggressive tires and basically equal to winters from any other brand. I pretty much only drive on weekends, and I've never had any issues with winter driving. As long as you're careful, it's fine.

My car is far from new and I don't worry too much about it. I bought it knowing it wasn't ever going to win awards and that's how it goes. If you're looking to keep yours pristine, I'd recommend garaging it somewhere and driving something else or just taking transit. If you're working in Back Bay, I'd recommend finding somewhere out west of Boston. You can take the green line in and don't have to deal with finding a place with parking. I've seen spots in Back Bay go for several hundred thousand dollars, and that's just the parking.