Could it be the tires (S02) that's causing all these accidents??
I know there's definitely other factors...
But could it be the tires?? I'm considering buying a s2000 soon
but all these accidents are starting to scare me...

I've heard that S02's have different layer of materials on the tire
where the outer most layer have the best traction.. and inner
the worse... any truths to this?? B/c i'm wondering if this could
be one of the reason for these many accidents....

 

IMO it's the drivers that are causing 99% of the accidents. The OE S-02's are probably the best dry weather street tires available for the S2000. In the wet and cold they respond differently and as a driver you must also. If you don't and crash well that's your fault. Go easy and save your adventurous tendencies for better weather. The S-02's are difficult to drive well. You could always replace them with a less demanding tire like the S-03PP if you don't feel yourself capable of keeping control in lesser conditions.

If you are coming from a FWD car be very careful. It takes a good deal of time behind the wheel before you can master RWD.

Since you understand that the S-02's don't like the cold you are one step ahead. Slow down. Performance cars inspire performance driving which doesn't mix well with bad weather.

My $0.02

 

'Zactly! Ever watch folks drive in the rain?!!! Forget about looking for performance cars...just watch the folks driving Honda Odesseys [forgive me moonpie ]...--or any other FWD car--they drive WORSE than on a dry day. Folks look for outs through traffic 'cuz there peeved that the "bonehead" in front of them is going too slow -- um, s/he's going slow for a reason (wet roads equals less traction). But there's no explaining this to folks 'cuz they simply lose their sanity when the roads are wet.

Back to a point at the beginning. Deliberately watch drivers during rainy/wet times on the road (BTW, that's a good habit in general ) and seek out any "performance" autos and see how their drivers respond to the road. My gueestimation is that you won't see too many Vettes or Stangs owners zoooomin' in and out of traffic. They've tended to learn over the years of ownership that RWD can be unforgiving...many of us are simply being re-awakened to this -- and for some drivers, the S2K is their first foray into the world of RWD...

 

No.

The CAUSE of any accident (not involving a mechanical failure or impact from another vehicle) is the driver failing to make the correct inputs to the car. I find the S2000 to be an extremely capable car in the dry and just fine in the wet. Just slow down when conditions are not optimal. Invest in some driver training! I find it astounding that people will spend thousands of dollars on replacing parts looking for improved "performance" when much greater improvement can be obtained from investing a few hundred dollars in yourself. Drive on an autocross course in the rain and find out just how much traction there is when the road is wet. Go out on the track to see just how amazing the lateral dry grip is from the OEM SO2s. Get your speed fix that way, then go out on the road and slow down!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JT-KGY
[B]I've heard that S02's have different layer of materials on the tire where the outer most layer have the best traction.. and inner
the worse... any truths to this??

 

AAAaaaaah.. Sanity!

 

I get the idea that the members of this board can be placed in two groups:

1. The relatively young, say, under 40, learned to drive with fwd cars, and

2. The relatively old, 40 and up, who learned to drive with rwd.

And I wonder if there's a difference between these groups in the chances of having an oversteer accident.

I'm in group (2), and I developed my car-handling skills with rwd cars including a '65 Mustang, a TR4, an MGA, and a few VW Beetles. I drove them on snow and ice every winter and learned how to detect and control oversteer. I didn't touch an fwd car until I was 30, didn't like it much, and permanently went back to rwd (various BMWs) at age 35.

I'm no driving genius, believe me, but I've had no trouble with the S2000. It oversteers, sure, and it's worse in cold weather and worse still in cold rainy weather, but I've found it to be very catchable. I even drove it on ice once, and made it home, and I won't do that again without Blizzaks.

There are likely two things at work here. One is that I'm 53, and not the fireball I once was (or thought I was). But the other is that I'm very comfortable with rwd. I wonder if early rwd training is the key.

 

I agree with everyones answers so far. Yes "Ahhh Sanity".

I am sure the poll going on will show the younger crowd is having most of the accidents. Combine relativly inexperienced drivers most of whom were weaned on FWD cars with a VERY demanding RWD car like the S2000 and you have a recipe for bent sheet metal.

Toss in a thousand watt stereo system with sub woofers that generate earthquakes and it is almost impossible for them to hear and feel the subtle clues the car is trying to give them before it spins for the trees.

 

stop blaming the tires, suspension, wind, noise, moon, earth, pms or whatever.... it's driver error.

the last time any car lost control on it's own was....NEVER.

stop looking for excuses and start looking in the mirror!!

 

I think the legal phrase is: "Driving too fast for conditions". Five words that sum it up rather well I think.