Hi, I'm new here.
I'm in the market of S2000. I just tested the 05 at the dealer. The problem I find out is hard to shift to the 2nd gear. Is this a common problem? I heard the Differential is easy to break too.

Can someone list all the common problem of the S in detail?
Thanks

 

The shift into second is temporary. Once the car is warmed up, the hard shift disappears. Your test drive must not have been long enough. The diff is not a weak point per say. When put under constant abuse by launching the car repeatedly, this is where you may have a problem. Mechanically, that is all I can think of. I'm sure others will think of something else.

 

If you're new to the car, make sure you know that:

If you live anywhere with snow, you will likely need snow tires and/or spare rims.

Price your insurance costs before you buy.

There is no traction control, so having some skill with manual and RWD helps a lot.

Tires wear quickly and are ~$150 apiece to replace.

 

If the car will be a daily driver, I'd get something else. Why?

(1) The weather is harsh on the soft top.
(2) It will either get stolen or vandalized as there are many haters.
(3) Traffic jams hurt the clutch and cause heat soak(engine runs sluggishly and may stall)
(4) Mileage wil accumulate quickly and you won't get to enjoy the car as much.
(5) This is a 'maintenance intensive' car. It's not your typical sedan. It's a truly high performance sports car and the operating costs are somewhat high.

This is only my opinion and I make no claims to how it applies to your situation. My S is kept in my enclosed garage and is only driven for PLEASURE.