Topic says it all, Im looking to pick up an S2K with the intent of boosting to around ~350 - 400 whp . Is there a best year or gen S2K to purchase? years with DBW or cable? AP1 or AP2? Any years have a weak differential or transmission to avoid?

 

2002, Still AP1 with fun of 9000rpm, glass rear window, and engine has the oil jet thing fixed. Just my opinion, plus you can get them for around $10-12k.

 

2004 or 2005

Stronger rearend
Better Transmission
Larger Wheels
Better Front End, tail lights, headlights
2.2L vs 2.0L (There is no replacment for displacment)
No DBW
PNP Hondata


I wish I would have know all this when I bought mine. Hope to see you post about your new build.

 

I say ap1.

The rearend and transmission are going to be torn apart if you beat on the car making some decent tq with FI. So ap1 or ap2 is not going to matter here.

Most s2000 owners change the OEM wheels anyway

I agree about the better looks on the ap2 stuff. That's why I swapped to ap2 tails and front bumper/lip

I beg to differ about the 2.0 vs. 2.2 Have fun raising the rev limit on your ap2, it will produce pistons speeds that are through the roof. The ap1 can spin pretty high without upgrading a damn thing....And with a decent sized turbo, torque won't fall off, so your power will keep going up and up in the top of the rpm range

DBW sucks for any car lol

And hondata vs. AEM thats still a debate on which you personally like better.

 

2004-2005 seem to make a bit more power at least on the greddy kits. Then a close 2nd would be a 2002-2003. I think when going FI, getting a good low milage motor may be the most important

 

2001 or 2002... stay AP1, transmittions better for FI and all the other things most people change anyways. Oh and 9K is PIMP!

 

BB 2004

 

I think this is the first positive AP1 tranny statement I have read in several years.

I have both and the AP1 ratios with the 9000+ redline seem to fit the need perfectly.

 

Its is perfectly set up if its reinforced... i had one self destruct on me. Now i have a cryo'd one.

 

If your looking for an AP1, purchase a 02-03. Avoid the 00-01 even though they are cheap. There are many revisions done to the 02-03 model.

If you want an AP2, as far as turbocharging goes, Id get an 04-05. There are not many plug and play turbo kits designed to work with the drive by wire yet. Hondata has a kit to work with the DBW cars however I think its on the expensive side.

When it comes down to drivetrain, with 400hp its not even going to matter if its an AP1 or AP2, they will both break depending on how you drive. The gearing is pretty much the same no matter what generation S2000 it is. As the years went on, the S2000 got better no matter how you look at it.

If I had to do it all over again, I would have bought a CR