s2sik

^that seems like the most likely route (eventually). They look great on your car.

arsenal

BMW club track day August 6th - just saying

Good excuse to compare how the OEM caliper looks versus the BBK in the paddock x2

RussianHammer

thank you sir, and im speaking from someone who has Spoon Calipers.

If you are going to upgrade, i would do on the low cost end Stoptech with 330mm rotors, or Brembo Monoblocks.
Take advantage, and go big! plus when the rotor fills in the wheel in a 17".

s2sik

Here is my review of the OEM shifter, versus the Axialflow shifter, versus the Moddiction shifter.

I thought I would put this together since it sounds like there might be another potential production run for the Moddiction shifters. I also generally feel that feedback in threads usually exaggerate the pros or cons of a product. Very often these claims also are using a lot of hearsay and not actual user experience.

It sounds like the potential group buy for the Moddiction shifter will be priced at ~$320 shipped. Currently the Axialflow shifter can be had for $281 shipped.

I can still say that my first experience driving a s2000 more than a decade ago, that the s2000 had the best shifter/transmission I had ever driven (and it still is). I remember the first test drive thinking to myself how short, direct, and smooth the shifts were. I really couldn't believe it was all stock. Being that of the tinkering type, you still are never completely satisfied. After purchasing my s2000 back in 2006, one of the first mods I did was to switch to a counter sunk shift knob. It wasn't that I necessarily wanted the shifts to be shorter, but I preferred the knob height to sit a bit lower.

Fast forward through all the various combinations of shift knobs, and at this point, I have tried roughly a dozen different types ranging from size, weight, and material. I finally settled on the Anvil 2 from Moddiction as the one that I found most comfortable, in terms of both size and weight. Keep in mind that the review between all of the shifters were used with this knob, which is ~400 grams in weight, ~2 1/4 inches in height, counter sunk, and made of stainless steel.

After finding the right knob, like usual, I wanted to see if there was anything further I could do to improve the shifting. I came across a used Axialflow short shifter in the classifieds last year and decided to give it a try. For those of you that haven't swapped out a shifter before, the approximate install time is about 15-20 minutes, quite easy. The Axialflow shifter is CNC from 303 stainless steel and uses polymer for the lower housing. The over all fit and finish is very good. Of course, if it had performed as I wanted, I would have never looked to replace it with the Moddiction shifter. I found that the Axialflow shifter was very notchy. In that it was super short, and when sitting in an actual driving position, the shift pattern felt like you had to square it up in neutral before getting it into the right gear. While gears 1-4 were passable, I really did not like the angle required to get it into gears 5-6 and reverse. This obviously defeats the purpose of the short shifter if the goal is for quicker and easier shifts.

Enter the Moddiction short shifter. Roughly a week or so ago (so this review might be slightly premature) Ryan from Moddiction had posted his used short shifter from his personal car for sale. Being that I wasn't satisfied with the Axialflow short shifter, I ended up purchasing this from Ryan and installing it several days ago. The fit and finish on the Moddiction shifter is also very good. I would say that the Moddiction shifter has a more finished and OEM type look to it, since the shifter itself is treated with a black melonite finish; whereas, the Axialflow shifter is left in the raw stainless steel form.

With the seat time that I have had with the new shifter, shifts 1-4 seem very slightly improved over the Axialflow shifter. This likely is attributed to the lean/angle the Moddiction shifter has. The shift pattern as a whole shifts further left than the completely vertical Axialflow counterpart. So in a natural seating position you don't have to reach as far to complete your shifts. Really though, shifts 1-4 seem only marginally better. The difference for me is shifts 5-6 and reverse. The geometry on the Moddiction shifter allows you to go into 5-6 at a more natural 110-120 degree push, versus a squared up 90 degree like the Axialflow. I also found that the Axialflow didn't like reverse very much, this is also improved with the Moddiction version.

Having said all of that, I came to the conclusion that the best shifting setup for me thus far is the OEM shifter with a counter sunk shift knob. In my case, I can definitely recommend the Anvil 2 by Moddiction. If someone was still adamant on wanting to purchase a short shifter, I would recommend the Moddiction over the Axialflow, despite its slightly higher cost. There aren't too many of them floating around, and they are no longer in production (unless the group buy really happens), so I would get in on that group buy if you were really interested. For the record, I have no affiliation with either Axialflow or Moddiction.



Left to right: OEM, Moddiction, Axialflow





Moddiction installed





Axialflow installed




Thanks everyone, happy driving

juntsky

short shifters have never made sense to me in an s2000. I considered one VERY briefly but ruled it out. The throw on an S2000 is already incredibly short as is. Short shifters make a lot of sense in many other cars but they seem somewhat useless in these cars.

andrewhake

Agreed. Even a highly countersunk knob sort of kills the shift throw for me and just ends up with me missing shifts that I normally wouldn't miss.

clarkster009

Unless you track A LOT, I would choose the Stoptech over the Urge. Pads and rotors should last quite a while with both kits. Of course, I am comparing the pricing of the regular Stoptech color which is several hundred less and definitely makes more sense to buy because the cost savings will cover a couple sets of pads and a set of rings...if you get the trophy the up front cost is around the same or more as Urge.

s2sik

This is pretty accurate; for me, my history says I am a person that is open to trying something before I completely rule it out (for the most part). After all, that is a part of the fun


I think for me a counter sunk knob makes it just right. The Anvil 2 is also adjustable, so you really can fine tune the height to your optimal level. Mostly for me though I prefer something heavier. I used a couple titanium knobs, Spoon, OEM, J's, but I feel like I can get through the gears smoother with the added weight. A knob/shifter really comes down to preference.

s2sik

Thanks for the input. I am pretty sure I am going with the Stoptech Trophy kit. Unless something else pops up randomly on a deal I cant pass up.

bouford

good write up on the shifter/knob combo. i too have a anvil 2 in my01 with oem shifter. perfect combo for me as well.
my03 on the other hand has the moddiction shifter with anvil 1. i like this set up since the sr-7 changes my shoulder position