How safe is this car, heard some horror storys about the back end.

would you want your wife to drive it.

live on the south coast of england.

not much snow but loads of damp roads and rain.

I have

 

Wampa,

The car is actually quite safe. The frame on the car has saved many an owner from bodily harm in accidents. Plus, it's remarkably quick in darting around a possible accident. I saw footage of an S2000 and a previous-gen Miata undergoing the same crash testing, and there was no comparison -- the S2000 maintained its shape while the Miata bent its back like an angry cat.

I'm not sure about "just wanting to look good" as being a good reason to get an S, though. It's a driver's car. What we usually mean by that is that it's very engaging to drive, coaxes you further and further towards its limits, and isn't particularly well-designed for extensive baggage or hauling the family around.

In any case, my wife is no race driver, and I offered to buy her one a few years ago, but she didn't want it (yet).

 

Too many stories of people fish-tailing/spinning in the rain/snow to recommend this car to someone who, I'm guessing, lacks performance driving skills. It can be a safe car, with good throttle, brake and steering control, but any little miscalculation in those depts could result in a bad accident...not to mention other little things like LTOS. Plus, for a daily driver, the harsh suspension could take its toll on her.

Get her an accord and get the S for the weekends!

 

It really depends upon your wife, wampa. My wife absolutely loves the car but make sure she understands what she is getting.

I had been interested in the S2K for some time but when it came time to unload the typically unreliable A4 (my purchasing mistake) she expressed an interest in the S2K.

Browsing this site allowed me to understand fairly quickly many of the characteristics of the car, its shortcomings and strong points. I explained all this to my lovely and talented +1 and she was still interested (she has always been a Honda fan for a long time).

After a test drive, we were bitten and smitten. Gave me goose bumps to drive it. Now, after a year, she still loves the car. Yes, she is the primary driver (hence my name, SheDrivesIt). I just wash it, wax it, care for it, modify it, and drive it on weekends or whenever we travel together.

It makes a lousy winter car, though unless you drive with snow tires. Even cold weather has a serious effect on traction with the stock tires. I looked at buying winter tires and wheels but figured that the car could sit in really foul weather and went out and bought an older Ford SUV for a winter beater.

 

I'm pretty much in agreement with shedrivesit. Our S is our 4th ragtop and each was primarily my wifes daily driver. We started with a Sebring, then to a Cruiser, then a '05 S earlier this year and within the last week - a new '06. She had enjoyed them all but very clearly loves the S over any other car she has owned/driven.

We installed a set of Dunlop WinterSport M3's and the S does very well in snow.

Good Luck!

 

Wampa,
My wife doesn't like driving "my" S because 1., she doesn't like the attention. Truckers seem to pull along side and look into the car..., and 2., She just can't get the hang of the long front end. She's constantly smacking the front lip because she wants to cozy up to the wheel stops at parking lots. Then there's her general idea that this is just a car. Wrong!
To make the S safer, I would get a "Euro Alignment" and buy nice road tires like the Yokohama ES-100s. The ES-100s have an excellent rain pattern and in the little time it has rained here in the desert, I've noticed that the ES-100s have great wet traction. However, the stock supplied Potenzas were outstanding - but more expensive.
One thing is for certain, in my honest opinion, if you do supply your wife with an S-2000 at least take her to a skid pad so that she can experience how the car feels when it escapes - because when it does, it snaps and there's little you can do to catch it... especially in wet conditions.
I took my S to a skid pad (my work parking lot) when it was raining and noted that the ABS works fantastic even in corners. However, if I reached escape speed, in a corner, the car would snap around quickly. It seemed that braking in wet corners helped... but you have to be somewhat setup.
On a wet track event last year, with the stock Potenzas at 50% tread, I spun out a couple of times.
This car does command some respect. I do believe that it is relatively safe, but it should be driven with constant thought.
In summary:
If you get her the S, have her take a driving class. That is my final answer.

Have fun.

 

The stook is very safe and some say it is even targeted for women drivers. So I say get her one.

 

Especially consider the MY04 on up. Honda has made efforts to make the car safer and more "driveable". For us tracksters, that equates to softer. Irregardless, for the wife the MY04 on up is safer than the earlier years.

CB