Not like the good ole days
 

After a long while away from S2k meets etc, I decided to attend a gathering started by a social media S2K group. On my arrival I am greeted by a HUGE amount of S2000's. Which was really nice to see. Then the fun begins... for some I suppose. Burn outs, throwing donuts, high revs, loud subwoofers, and just out of control driving. One S2000 basically fish tailed all the way down a street and lost control. Good thing that S2000 just spun and stopped. The turn over is most of our loved S2000 are in the hands of 16 to 21 year old now. Out of over 150 S2000 I did not recognize one S2k owner. This meet was worse behavior than my teen Honda Tech days. I'm probably one of the original S2000 owners that held on to this amazing vehicle. No more meets for me.

Ahh, Southern California! Home of the fast and furious (and the pretenders).

-- Chuck

they are still good meets out there, but typically they are private now :)

How do the original S2K crowd find these meets? I'm from back in the days and have owned my S2000 since 2002.

Yeah, it appears we are in the second generation of S2k owners now.

More ugly modifications...

I visit a friend who has a shop, and the average S2k owner coming in is rarely over 30

.

Don't give up yet. Good people and S2K meets still exist.

I have tended not to go go meets for this reason. And for the S2k, you can buy them used for a price that younger people can afford now, so they are getting snatched up more and more by the crowd you describe.

As sickening as it is to see a car like the S2k "Stanced" (aka all the good engineering ruined so they handle like a badly set up FWD) ... that is the reality now.

I will reserve any "meets" for going to regular car shows (and I honestly prefer classic car shows ... as the others tend to be stanced/bagged crap that I do not care about ... and the attitudes seem a lot better with the classic car crowds anyways) here and there and going to autox events :P

I guess I dont say "yo" or "bro" enough and form my hat bills too much to fit in with the car meets crowd

That's a bummer. I haven't been to a meet in a long time. The GripWerks meet was always nice and chill, same with the 626/Cerritos meet. The last thing I went to was the s2ki homecoming 3 a few years ago. I think the GripWerks guys still meet up every few weeks?

I tried to set one up in the South Bay near Torrance 6+ months ago, but only 3 people seemed interested and I didn't pull through.

Times change.... The Original Group some have sold and moved on. S2000 has not been made since 2009, 9 years ago. I've watch prices and there is a lot of salvage title car $8-11k and non for $13-15k. new kid are having fun and we had our fun, its all good.

Yes I know S changes hands as the years go on by. It is as engifineer put it, difficult to see some of the S2000 and the "stance". Some I have to admit does look aggressive but man, times for this car is so different now. My friends whom use to own S2K's, some are now driving Aston Martin's, Ferrari's etc. I still drive and own my original S2000 and perfectly happy!

original owner of 2003 S2000. can confirm i am an old fart now.

You're in TC? We can kick it! I don't live too far away.

Are you the owner of the GPW that has all the vinyl race decals all over with the APR rear spoiler? I see that S all the time in TC when I drive through! jyeung and Ant, man I remember your user names here! Great to see your posts!

no, that's not me, and i've never seen that type of GPW in temple city before.

i have a silverstone with yellow'd headlights and a CR replica wing that's faded from sun exposure, and a loud greddy single exhaust.

yea man, where are you at?

I understand exactly how you feel. 9 of 10 S2000's I see on the road or at the occasional gathering are highly modified, abused and driven in a questionable manner by dilettantes. Mine are stock except for aftermarket wheels (still have both stock sets) and every time someone makes me an offer to buy them. I politely tell them not for sale at any price and they're to be donated to the Honda museum when I shuffle off this mortal plain, the last thing I want is for either of them to fall into the hands of the "Fast & Furious" types.

I bet you just described someone's exact car :D

Monterey Park!

True...but it still bothers me when these cars are cut up. I guess it's because there are only so many of them around. So, if I want another, and I probably will at some point, it's gonna be hard to find an unmolested one. There really isn't another car like it...meaning a reliable pure sports car with an incredible chassis.

Attend a track day. That's an S2000 meet in of itself. :)

For us OGs thats where its at now. Still have my original 02 and only use it for track days. Back in the day meets were truly special events attended bu mature people. I'm not sure there will be a car that will give me the excitement and feeling the s2000 did in its glory days. Dent days in Hunting Beach were my favorite :) Great people great times but even still today, that joy and excitement has shifted to the track scene. 40 years old now..I was 23 when I bought this car!!! lol time flies!

So nice to see the OG's around and driving this amazing vehicle! Nice to see you all visit S2ki once in a while. I'm going to see if can locate some photos from when I first started my S2K journey and going to a few BBQ's and meets. Still some of the best looking S2K's around back then belonged to Duc of Spugen and RedAt9 Greg. Maybe some of you remember their S. Good times!

You might be looking in the wrong places.

*cough cough* EOQ *cough cough*

#EOQDriveGroup

Wouldn't you agree, s2kx2? :)

Same here... The S is used as a track car only, although now I really would like another one to drive on the street haha

I understand, volcomSNOWS2K. I'm on my 3rd S2000 after my first new one in March 2001. Times certainly do change.

I have one that is modified (pic in signature) and I found a rare 2003 UNMOLESTED SSM, all stock minus the head unit. All panels have matching VINS.

The stock AP1 is a blast to drive. I love that car. I've had multiple people asking to buy it. Not letting her go anytime soon.

I left my 3rd S2K in 2014 and last time I showed up at a meet threw by a friend was this Jan. It was ok but definitely not what it used to be. And only 4 years has past. Admittedly, after a bunch of Porsches and an AMG / R8 / 458 I've moved onto Mclaren. I am back here looking for an S2K to mod / track / daily :D Maybe I'll throw us old schoolers a meet where douchebagery isn't allowed.

well, that's quite the list of cars.

how would you compare the turbo s vs. gt3?

i guess throw in a comparison with the r8 and 458 while you're at it.

and then perhaps the mclaren as well.

Sorry to hear that. I just attended my second Tail of the Dragon meet. The average age there was probably 45 at least. Mostly mature owners with stock or lightly modified cars. Must just be a So Cal thing.

Just be happy it hasn't spread to your city lol

Turbo is faster than most people can handle but will leave you wanting more emotion. It's just too damn comfortable. It will make you wish you bought a GT3 - which is exactly what happened to me. I bought the turbo because I got a better deal. I ended up buying a GT3 shortly after and then switched to a new GT3 (better options and color I wanted). Absolutely loved my GT3s. Best handling car under 200k. Period. Problem is for the price it doesn't have the super car looks.

R8 vs 458 - No comparison. The 458 is a beast - love the car but interior was sticky (known Ferrari issue) and was falling apart interior wise. Also had 1st gear / reverse gear issue which is a hit or miss. I like the car but every shift seems like I was shaving .001% off the clutch. It also have no parking sensors or backup camera - for the price it wasn't acceptable to me.

Mclaren I just bought last month. Absolutely beast of a car. It's more go-kart feeling than the GT3 and combined with crazy light weight (carbon tub) with an insanely fast engine makes for a pretty damn good recipe. The car is listed as 3.1 second 0-60 but tests shows 2.8 second times consistently. The dry weight is 2900 lbs (wet is 3170 or something like that) - the door also never get old :D for 220k (msrp 190k plus decent amount of options) you can't beat this car. It'll smoke a huracan, 911 turbo s, gt3, etc. while doing it in style. If you love driving and you're in that price range there is NOTHING that will be better than a Mclaren 570s. I think Mclaren wanted to say f u to Ferrari and Lamborghini. A huracan runs about 30k more (250k) and is slower. For the same price of 220k you could get a specced out 911 Turbo S but it won't look as special. With markups a GT3 is about 200k and again, not as special. The second gen r8 is too comfortable and quite boring. I cross shopped all these cars and spent months researching before pulling the trigger. Wouldn't have done it any other way.

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cannot argue with that review. thanks for the details.

Superjenn screen name looks very familiar...

Long time old friend!!!!

If the NSX ever goes for sale, please do find me. :)

:hello:

It does but I can't remember details! :argh:

What the fck, you're still alive? Did Oregon turn you into a Liberal hipster?

You're 40 years old? I though you were younger... I was 26 yrs when I bought my first s2k, in 09.....now I feel old...... :(

visiting Socal this weekend. No more S2k for me. Thought I check in to see any meets and saw this thread.
wonder if back cracker is still around.
:hello:

something about working at a car parts store.

I'd fly down to Cali for a good old skool meet.

Meh it happens. Me too!

I'm in Seattle, just a property owner in OR.

Anddddd Hell no!!!! lol

Whoa, randomly popped in here and I see Pete posting. Sup dude! I still remember when we all went fishing with Duc :)