I dream of S

Question for all the former ITR owners,who now have S2000s. Do you ever wish you would have kept your R? How would you compare the S to the ITR? I have decided it is time to move on from Civics and the S2000, ITR and RSX type S are on my maybe list. Thanks for the opinions

Speedracer

I've driven the Type R and it handles better than the S. However, with suspension mods. the S can handle better than a stock R.

Speedracer

It's also a lot faster

turbo_pwr

R faster then S? or S faster then R?

Talk to Scot he's owned both at the same time. He wasn't to impressed with the R.

mrkim019

R handling better than the S?

RWD > FWD

Discussion over.

I dream of S

Big things going for the S in my book:

Handling
drop top
2 seater(don't have to haul friends around)
HID
RWD
and of coarse reving to 9k is always fun

I have never driven a Type R, but I know I like the S when I got to test drive on. It just felt like it was built for me, everything was right were it should be. Most of the time it takes me a couple of shifts to get used to the cluctch in a car I have never driven before. Not the case with the S, it was like I had been driving it for years. After that I was hooked. Sorry just started thinking of those few moments of heaven

Scot

i bought a 1997 Type R with 5k miles on it (i did not test drive it because it was in florida and I am not).

Anyway.... i pretty much hated it from day one. I already had the S2000 and was totally spoiled by it. The Type R was slower - a fair amount..... i raced my dad a bunch of times from a roll and got beat every single time by at least a car legnth or two....plus my dad is old

the body roll was much more pronounced, steering not as quick...with only 5 speeds the thing died in 5th gear... (1-4 are about the same as the S2000....4th tops out at about 120mph just like S2000....but 5th is same as S2000 6th....).

I took me almost an hour one day (joking) to finally hit 145mph on flat.......I lost to a 1995 E36 M3 in a drag race, I got crushed by a mustang....etc...etc...

At the track, a slick equiped modified ITR was turning about the same lap times as a stock S2000.

I think at Auto-X they are fairly close (look at the national's for comparisions)....but besides that the ITR needs alot of mods to keep up.

Scot

Chris S

Don't forget, you can't leave an ITR alone for 30 minutes w/o someone stealing it, and insurance is priced accordingly.

steve c

I did as well (a 01 which according to some is quicker than the 97's)-- and liked the R more. My R was about as quick as the S2k -- 14.5's vs low 14's for the S and provided a more visceral "raw" driving experience than the S. However -- only one is a convertible.

No, it's not that simple. The R for instance transitions weight better -- this is indicated in the faster slalom times for the R. The R also brakes a bit better. My R tipped the scales at 2558 sans driver but with everything else in it -- and with a perfect 50/50 side to side distribution. Less weight is always good.

Your's needed new shocks. I bought the R and S2k within 2 months of each other and stock for stock the S2k has more body roll.

In my experience tracking both a slick equipped R with me driving is 3-5 seconds faster than a stock S2k at SIR. With slicks my S2k was able to best the R by 1-2 seconds. I have passed every slicked S2k I have ever run with at SIR and PIR -- and was asked at least once per event if the car was supercharged or turbo'd.

There are stock motored R's with the rear seat removed and power steering belt removed breaking into the 13's. I hardly consider that alot of mods.

80 bucks a month full coverage 250 deductible in Seattle. I heard lots about R thefts but never had any problems.

Many of you seem to think that you must hate one in order to like the other. Don't you think that's silly?

WRS2K

Scot, you crack me up. I dig your honesty. As for you steve c, it'd be real cool to have you run up against RT and other locals at our local track and see how you stack up against your local "competition." I can see how so many S supporters love to hate you.

Here's what sets the S apart from the R and vice versa in my eyes:

1) The Type R is going to be a much more rare car than the S. With that said, you're going to have to worry about theft much more so than with the S especially since R parts work with a plethora of other Honda cars out there. But this is out of your control, so don't put too much weight into this unless you straight live out in the slums.

2) The interior in the S is freakin' tight. People say that it's too plain, but it's so purpose-built I can forget about the auto climate and other whiz bang interior features most cars in the $35K price range have. From the steering wheel to the curves of the dash, the S makes you feel at cockpit. The R interior looks outdated, but is simple enough to keep it cool for a long time. I do like its analog gauges.

3) People say the R and the S are similar in performance in the straights. BS. On the curves and at the track: completely driver dependent. I've heard of too many Miatas kicking the shit out of S times so you can imagine what the battle would be like between two similar drivers in fairly light cars with perky 4-bangers. But in terms of the feel of the car, the S will always take the cake here. Like Scot said, there's definitely more power and a more raw-edged feel when behind the wheels of the drop top and you'll feel the lacking of the extra ooomph in the R. I've yet to drive a car that makes you feel as one with the car like the S. The 993 C4S came pretty close and I'd take that car over the S anyday given its extra power, engine sound, and timeless design (much like the reasons why I'd take the S over the R on any given day). 9K. Six speeds like all sports cars should have.

4) Image: This counts for a lot of people and for me as well. The Type R's got too much of the import-racer image going on for me. I like the universal appeal of the S's style. With the right exterior mods, this car looks wicked now and will look killer many years down the line. The drop top part is a fun option.

You will be happy with both. But you may be happier choosing one over the other. Good luck with your decision. I hope this helps.