First post here. Sup guys.

Once i get out of college i am pretty sure i will get a s2000.
Ive been looking into it for a while but had some questions for you guys.

The engine originally had a 2.0 then later changed to 2.2L. The 2.2L adds a little more torque. Can you tell much difference between the two?

All ive ever owned is FWD cars so is oversteer a worry in the corners for this car?

How is the acceleration from 20 to 60, smooth or bursting? I ask this becuase the car i own now is a 4 banger and feels sluggish, while my friend has a 4cly turbo and you can feel the push back in your seats.

Any things i should be aware of when looking for one to buy?

Thanks for your answers.

 

2.2L has noticeably more TQ, which makes it easier to putz around in. they run roughly the same quarter mile times, and the older cars have a 9k redline.

yes, oversteer is a worry at first. once you learn the limits--especially when accelerating through a corner--youll be fine. but at first, be careful.

i'd call it bursting, but that's because of the jekyll/hyde hit of vtec. its not the same feeling as a pull-your-face-back like a high torque car.

get it checked by a mechanic

 

Its not torque as much as it is gearing. AP2s have shorter gearing so they have more squirt.

 

gun it from 20 in 1st and you'll be pulled into your seat up to about 90 or 100 though the car keeps on going past that no prob. i just usually let off about there.

 

vtec feels the same, but below 7000 rpms, heck below 5000 rpms, the 2.2 is easier to deal with. And as long as you have decent tread in your tires you should be fine, this was my first rwd car too and im still alive. just be careful in the rain.....

 

I've owned an 2.2L before, and currently own an 2.0L. I would say the 2.2L does make city driving easier.

As far as gearing, the AP2 has shorter effective gearing because the final drive ratio has been shortened on the AP2. So even though the first four gears' ratios remained unchanged, the car's effective gearing is 5% or so shorter.

Oversteer? The AP2s are a bit easier to deal with. But ya, take it to AutoX and/or track and you'll get a better sense of it.

Bursting power? I don't know. I never consider the S2000 as a powerful / fast car. It's okay quick, but definitely not the kinda car that would give you the best straight line performance / feeling for its price.

 

Definitely not smooth. VTEC kicks in at about 6000RPM.

As usual, the recommendation is test drive, test drive, test drive.

 

Isn't the final drive on both cars 4.10:1? I thought that the AP2 had lower trans gearing making 1st -4th shorter and 5th to 6th longer for highway cruising. Am I mistaken?

OP: I prefer the 2.0. It's not really torque defficient. It's torque defficient if you're stepping out of a camaro or a turbo car with a small turbo or something like that. But, honestly, the car has no problem starting from lights even with the AC on in the blazing heat of the summer with illinois humidity. Just wrap your head around the fact that you should use REVS and not throttle position to get the car moving. Shift at 4k - 4.5k for the first three gears. Keep a normal throttle position. You'll move along with traffic and still get great gas mileage that way.

The 2.2 is more torquey, easier to drive, better off the line, etc. It's also got shorter gears, so the torque is magnified further. IMO, the F20C just had more "character"...it was just more fun to drive for me.

Yes, be careful around corners, especially with the earlier cars. They get squirmy, and if you dont know what to do, you could be in trouble. My first car was RWD...so it wasn't a big deal for me. But if you come from a FWD world, it may be an issue.

Go to the track to slowly learn the limits and how to stretch and control them. Dont try anything heroic on the street. You'll most likely end up in a ditch....it seems like a lot of people do.


Test drive it. It's obviously not the same acceleration as a turbo car. It's WAY more progressive. Usually, factory turbo cars will make their power in one lump some in the mid range. Then die off a little on the top end. To me, that makes the S2000 smoother if you're at WOT. It makes progressive power almost all the way to redline. There is a noticeable change at VTEC, and the car just keeps pulling from there. If you shift at redline, you never come out of VTEC or the power band, so it's smooth sailing from there.

From a roll (after 40mph), I'd say it's about as fast as a stock EVO....maybe a little bit slower.

 

[QUOTE=B serious,Mar 21 2008, 09:25 PM] Isn't the final drive on both cars 4.10:1?