My 2004 S2000 test drive impressions!!!
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Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
My 2004 S2000 test drive impressions!!!
Well, my buddy has a 2004 S2000 for a while, and he let me spend some time behind the wheel.
The comparisons below are to my own 2002 S2000!
When I saw the recently posted pictures, I was disappointed with the rear end. The pictures do it NO justice!!! I really like the look from behind. It seems to have a studly chiseled look about it!! And, it seems lower to the ground from behind. The exhaust tips are larger (which is very cool looking) and the new tail light configuration with the LED lamps is quite nice. The taillights seem very modern and up to date. This car did not have the new factory spoiler. I don't like the way that it looks in those pictures!
The front, while new and improved, looks good and seems to fit nicely with the overall design.
Anyway, the interior is roomier by a bit but, I couldn't tell the difference. What I really liked was the new 2-cup holder in the center console. Not because it holds (2) cups, because to open it you press a small black button and the top glides open automatically while disappearing into the back of the console!!! Very cool!!! (I know, this may seem like a lame thing to get excited about..........but I liked it!!!) The tweeter pods have moved, are no longer round, and look cheaper with no trim ring. The center console is wider with a small shelf like area in front and to the side of the shifter. It's about big enough to hold a pen on either side!!! Seems odd!! I like the way the dash gauges are now arched. I don't like the smaller tachometer. There's a clock now in the center of the dash!
Under the hood, I don't like the gold colored piece that's in the center of the valve cover (the part that says VTEC). It looks much better as it is was, black!!! I understand they were considering using that ugly gold color on the interior!!! Yuck!!!
The fun part....Driving. Well, you'll be happy to know that it still drives like an S2000!!! The new carbon synchro's seem to make shifting a bit smoother. The cars ride feels smoother on the road and less tight & bouncy while at the same time it handled corners as well if not better than my S2000!!! That's a good thing. It was almost as if it was softer at lower speeds and got firmer as it was pushed to the limit.
I definitely felt like I was forced to shift early. Which I did to not go over 8,000 RPM! There's no way to replace the 9,000 red line!!! Sorry!! That's something I think I would miss!!
VTEC seemed smoother. The power felt slightly stronger in the lower rpm range. It's funny, it revved like the way the new tach looks. Smaller! While my car seems to take longer to sweep across the dash towards 9,000, the new S2000's smaller tach seemed to fit the quicker redline feeling!!!
Well, that's about it!!
He is willing to meet a few of you locals one evening next week if anybody else is interested in looking at it!! Let me know.
The comparisons below are to my own 2002 S2000!
When I saw the recently posted pictures, I was disappointed with the rear end. The pictures do it NO justice!!! I really like the look from behind. It seems to have a studly chiseled look about it!! And, it seems lower to the ground from behind. The exhaust tips are larger (which is very cool looking) and the new tail light configuration with the LED lamps is quite nice. The taillights seem very modern and up to date. This car did not have the new factory spoiler. I don't like the way that it looks in those pictures!
The front, while new and improved, looks good and seems to fit nicely with the overall design.
Anyway, the interior is roomier by a bit but, I couldn't tell the difference. What I really liked was the new 2-cup holder in the center console. Not because it holds (2) cups, because to open it you press a small black button and the top glides open automatically while disappearing into the back of the console!!! Very cool!!! (I know, this may seem like a lame thing to get excited about..........but I liked it!!!) The tweeter pods have moved, are no longer round, and look cheaper with no trim ring. The center console is wider with a small shelf like area in front and to the side of the shifter. It's about big enough to hold a pen on either side!!! Seems odd!! I like the way the dash gauges are now arched. I don't like the smaller tachometer. There's a clock now in the center of the dash!
Under the hood, I don't like the gold colored piece that's in the center of the valve cover (the part that says VTEC). It looks much better as it is was, black!!! I understand they were considering using that ugly gold color on the interior!!! Yuck!!!
The fun part....Driving. Well, you'll be happy to know that it still drives like an S2000!!! The new carbon synchro's seem to make shifting a bit smoother. The cars ride feels smoother on the road and less tight & bouncy while at the same time it handled corners as well if not better than my S2000!!! That's a good thing. It was almost as if it was softer at lower speeds and got firmer as it was pushed to the limit.
I definitely felt like I was forced to shift early. Which I did to not go over 8,000 RPM! There's no way to replace the 9,000 red line!!! Sorry!! That's something I think I would miss!!
VTEC seemed smoother. The power felt slightly stronger in the lower rpm range. It's funny, it revved like the way the new tach looks. Smaller! While my car seems to take longer to sweep across the dash towards 9,000, the new S2000's smaller tach seemed to fit the quicker redline feeling!!!
Well, that's about it!!
He is willing to meet a few of you locals one evening next week if anybody else is interested in looking at it!! Let me know.
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 813
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From: Irvine
I live in Irvine and would definitely be interested in meeting up to check this out. I'm pretty sure a lot of the other local so cal guys would be interested too. Shall we get something going? I'll definitely bring out my camera. 
Thanks for the excellent review.
Thanks for the excellent review.
