I first drove an S about 7 years ago back when I was still in college. A friend was purchasing a Honda so we were at a Honda dealership and there was brand new one sitting on the showroom floor. So new that the front windshield sticker was on it. Surprisingly they peeled the sticker off and let me take it out.

Being so brand new and pristine, I gave it a nice long warm-up run and then drove it with moderate aggression below 6k (might have nudged over a time or two). Even then it was absolute love at first drive. We went by an Infiniti dealer and drove a G35 coupe afterwards and I hated it. It felt so big, heavy, and unsporting compared to the S. The amount of vibes coming through the shifter from that VQ were nearly unacceptable to me and it just felt rough and unsatisfying.

In fact, being a car enthusiast I have driven many sports or sporty cars over the years: Porsche Boxster and Boxster S, BMW 3 series and M3, Audi A4, VW GTI, Mercedes C 280 sport and SLK 350 , Honda Civic Si and Prelude, Mazda MX5 and Speed 3, Nissan 350Z, and more.

None has provided that absolutely focused and uncompromising experience of that first drive in the AP1 7 years ago. The Boxster, M3, MX-5, and Civic Si were all very good in their own way and I would have loved to own the first two but cost, maintenance, and reliability concerns have kept me away. Besides, my parents own a newer Boxster for the occasional German car fix (the steering, intake and exhaust noise is absolutely the best thing out there at any reasonable cost). The MX-5, while an absolute joy to drive and highly practical and reliable just didn't seem serious enough. I owned a newer Civic Si for a while and fell madly in love with it's K20Z3, ultra-slick shifter (even sweeter than the S), and sporty handling, but being front-wheel drive it was still a compromise in ultimate performance driving.

So that brings me back to the S. A car I can afford, Honda reliability, and unmatched purity of purpose. Driving an AP2 was actually a slight disappointment given the softer ride, lowered red line, and slower steering response. Don't get me wrong, it's still an S and is no doubt faster and handles better than an AP1 in most situations, but philosophically, the AP1 just feels more uncompromising and undiluted. Almost as if it is the purest expression of the engineers' craft, rather than a car that has been softened for the mass market. They added another cup-holder to the AP2 for crying out loud, made it less dangerous, and lowered the red line. Maybe better for some people but not me!

So 7 years after my original drive, marriage and two kids later, I looked and found a one-owner, dealer maintained, Berlina 2003 AP1 that had been driven 4700 miles a year under Honda's CPO program. It has now been almost a month, and I have driven nearly 2500 miles. I smile internally every time I get anywhere near the thing. One of the best decisions I ever made other than the speeding ticket it got me the other day! 83 in a 65! Must behave....

 

Congrats and I applaud you for your 7 year wait!

 

congrats and welcome to the club!! ... Funny thing is I felt the same way as you did about the G35c, oh well... it's sure does look good though.

 

Haha yeah, I guess we both prefer a less agricultural feel to our engines. Have you driven the latest version of the VQ as found in the G37? I know it makes staggering power and far superior torque to our F20s and F22s, but if they can't get it to feel as smooth and effortless as our cars do ripping to redline, I would not enjoy it. So much of the pleasure of driving a sports car is derived from the aesthetics. The sights, the sounds, the sensations.

 

GOT ANOTHER SPEEDING TICKET!!

I'm not usually a speed demon, but this freakin' S has brought out the hooligan in me . I wasn't even driving the S this time. It was my wife's 2006 Odyssey, 244 horsepower J35 with the father in law riding shotgun. He's always talking about how American cars are just as good if not better than the European and Japanese offerings. The man watches NASCAR and has never owned a non-American make before to give you some idea. So to demonstrate the fierce surge and glorious ripping sounds a Honda V6 can produce higher in the rpm band, I locked the gearbox in second and let the van hit the rev limiter and even bounce off of it softly. As I was slowing down, I was still doing 54 in a 35 when a member of the local constabulary beamed me with his laser unit. Two tickets in less than a month! I guess I should be thankful I don't live in VA.

 

 

OUCH.

And welcome.

 

You need to find your local autocross club or sign up for some track
days, before you can't afford the insurance for you new S. Plus they
will make you a better driver.

R

 

[QUOTE=APwon,Jan 17 2008, 12:21 AM]One of the best decisions I ever made other than the speeding ticket it got me the other day!

 

TYM2FLY, I have a V1 in the S but there's not much it can do against laser , especially when I'm driving like an idiot and being conspicuous . The second ticket was in the Odyssey which has no detector since its a grocery getter that I don't usually drive.

Racemint and TYM2FLY, you're both right about the track days and autocross sessions. I have done a few track days at Road Atlanta in other cars (never in anything this prone to oversteer though).

This S is my daily driver and I like the way it feels so rigid and tightly screwed together. How does it stand up to the occasional competitive session on the weekends and will the chassis age prematurely if I subject it to that kind of use?

I know the clutch and LSD are not the most robust parts on this car and I could easily see a few track sessions necessitating replacement of both not to mention tires and brakes of course. I know it's a sports car and certain items are going to wear out if driven accordingly so there's no .

But overall, are my concerns legit or can the car handle an occasional trip to Road Atlanta and come away relatively unscathed?