How do you rate a "good/great" engine?
I know you buy a whole package not just an engine.
But did you ever say "If only the Elise has a 240hp 2.0L Honda engine..."?
Did you ever think of the RX-8 "If only it had a 9000 rpm piston engine instead of a rotary .."?
But did you ever say "If only the Elise has a 240hp 2.0L Honda engine..."?
Did you ever think of the RX-8 "If only it had a 9000 rpm piston engine instead of a rotary .."?
Originally Posted by Chris Stack,Dec 26 2005, 07:18 PM
Hard to say, because you buy a car, not an engine. And I'd rather have an S2000 than a glorified fast Neon anyday. I happen to like the characteristics of the F20C, but I like the small, RWD, relatively lightweight roadster aspect of the S2000 more. I appreciate the engineering and rally heritage of the STi and Evo, but they are just not my kind of car (I like my sports cars sleek and topless), thus I don't much care about their engines.
But to answer your question on how I "rate" engines, the following characteristics are important to me (in a sports car)
1. Power
2. Sound
3. Eagerness to rev
4. Smoothness
But the last two can be easily outweighed by the first two; an old teacher of mine had a Cobra replica, and its 427 was neither smooth nor particularly rev-happy, but goddamn, you literally went weak in the news hearing its bark when he started it up and did a burn-out in the high school parking lot.

But to answer your question on how I "rate" engines, the following characteristics are important to me (in a sports car)
1. Power
2. Sound
3. Eagerness to rev
4. Smoothness
But the last two can be easily outweighed by the first two; an old teacher of mine had a Cobra replica, and its 427 was neither smooth nor particularly rev-happy, but goddamn, you literally went weak in the news hearing its bark when he started it up and did a burn-out in the high school parking lot.

but to add one more on your list which Honda IMO does very well...Reliability.
Its kind of funny, I was like most of you when I had my S2000's and other DHOC VTEC models. I though that the engine was the greatest thing since sliced beef. But, I think at some point you will be like me, moved on to a new car and thinking back. Its a fine engine but when I compare it to the Sti engine, it does not put up in really any way. When it comes down to it, its actually really rough for a Honda engine (takes a long time to warm up) and not as "sophisticated" as other Honda engines I have had in my Pilot/MDX/TL. Those things you could fire up and they are ready to go. I'm pissed at Honda now.. I want a Honda with a real engine.. an engine with torque. Keep it small with a turbo. Ill take a 300 hp / 300 fp torque TSX over my Sti any day of the year. There
Originally Posted by y2ks2k,Dec 27 2005, 07:33 PM
Are you an S2000 owner? VTEC lag is VERY similar to Boost lag...





