After many years of searching, I finally purchased my dream car, a stock 2006 S2000. After a few curvy road jaunts to get accustomed to the car, I am realizing an urge to stiffen it up a bit already. The car feels very balanced and handles well, but I feel I'm missing that crisp, hard edge to the handling I like. I believe the Lotus Elise I drove for a month a few years back spoiled me on razer sharp handling.
In the S2000's defense it currently sports Kumho all season tires that are about 7 years old but still have good tread. I learned last night that they are scary in the rain. I don't know why anyone wouldn't want traction control. If I was in an early car I may have spun out.
Last night I ordered a set of Bridgestone Potenza S04's from tirerack, so I'm hoping that will help some. I really want to keep this car stock and not go down the rabbit hole of modding, but I'm already thinking a stiffer front swaybar might be nice. I am not saying the car can't keep up with me...lol. I am far from a great driver. Its more about a certain feel that I like. Any tips? How much improvement should I expect from the tires?

 

Start with the tires and see if that works for you. If you're still unsatisfied, you can look into a front sway bar. There is a good thread on here, I think it's a sticky in the suspension section, that goes into detail about the different spring rates for various model years. The gist of it is that the 2006 was more softly sprung, and that you might find what you are looking for in an early model year front sway bar, like from a 2000 model. Check for sale threads for eBay for used ones so you don't end up spending lots of money.

 

Instead of swaybar, I would recommend CR shocks/springs. Or Bilstein pss, which are quality suspension, but have no adjustments for compression or rebound damping. Most dont really know how to adjust these anyway, and the adjustments are often not consistent from one shock to another, even with quality units. So oftwn adjustments just give more chances to mess things up.

But I bet after you get proper tires, you will be Amazed at the difference. This car requires good tires, with stiff sidewalls. It can feel downright dangerous on 'ordinary' tires. Its also sensitive to tire pressure and alignment. Make sure those are also correct.

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Let us know how you like the S04's I plan on buying a set for some larger wheels.

 

Thanks for all of the advice. I will wait until I get the tires installed and see how that affects things. I don't want to get in a hurry because I am just getting used to the car and it is great overall.
One good thing about the softer springs is that our roads here in WV, though winding and fun, aren't always the best maintained. The ride comfort far exceeds my expectations.

 

Should have gone with the RE-71R's. No point in skimping and putting anything greater than a 200 on a sports car like this.

 

It depends if you use your S as a motorcycle, or a sportscar. If its a motorcycle, a 'sportbike', and you drive it only in nice weather, only for fun trips, then extreme performance summer tires are a perfect choice.

If you use it as a car, a sportscar, and use it, not just for fun trips, but to make any trip fun, and you actually drive in rain, and go places, then max performance summer tires, like S04's OP bought, are a perfect choice.

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i'll echo the sentiments above- get real tires. 200 tread wear only. RS-3, Z2, RE71R.

darcy

 

Thanks for the opinions on the tires. Some of you have me thinking I should've gone a little more extreme, but I will be driving the car probably between 6-8k miles per year and sometimes on 3-4 each way trips. In WV where i live, it is like a rain forest. It can be beautiful one minute and raining hard the next. Getting caught in the rain is simply unavoidable if I drive the a moderate amount. Plus I don't want a tire I burn through too fast to where I'm on low tread before i realize it.

 

The 2006 suspension is soft on the rear end, decently firm on the front. I ran a set on my ap1.

Bilstein PSS coilovers would be a nice upgrade, I've been very pleased with mine, a bit stiffer but still very comfy and handling is improved.