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Living in Portland, Oregon where it is dry for about 12 days out of the year (ok....thats a little exaggerated ), I can honestly say that there have been no problems what-so-ever. But someone brought up a good point about in cities where it rains more that others, we have better drainage in the streets, so I guess that helps. You should be fine
marshajr1, I also live in Va beach, and have had my S here for about a year. I haven't had any close calls, but I drive the car much differently in the rain (If I drive it at all). Just wait for the S02 treads to dissapear into nothingness. You can feel the rear end hydroplaning in the barely damp conditions. My new tires (which I'll probably get this month) will be S03's. They are reportedly much better in the rain with only a slight decrement in performance. I have gotten 15,000 miles on the SO2's.
I had an issue once, but I will admit - it was completely my fault. I neglected to read enough posts about the dangers of driving in the rain and luckily I didn't kill myself or the person who was with me. Baby this car in the rain regardless of the condition your tires are in.
This car has two things working against it for wet weather use..
1) the rear tires have a minimum of tread voids and can hydroplane more easily than others in standing water.
2) It has LSD without traction control so you are more likely break two rear wheels loose on slippery surfaces.
These factors mean you must exercise more caution and you are still at a greater risk of losing control than with other vehicles. Even so, the majority of us use the car in the rain without problem.
Hmmm? No!, A well balanced uncompromising sports car, that needs a good driver? Yes.
You just need to respect the throttle and lay off the VTEC when cornering in the wet. Then gently add brake, throttle and steering as smooth as possible.
I highly recommend a stiffer front anti-roll bar, it helps a lot. This mod alone likely would have saved many S2KI folks from crashing IMO.
The danger with the S2k in the rain isn't the car. We all spend a lot of time getting "used" to the enhanced capabilities in the dry. Little things like taking those 90 degree corners faster. Or using that extra acceleration here and there. These become habits, and automatic.
However, in the rain, the performance goes down. I'd argue that the S2k is one of the better vehicles in the rain, as long as your tires aren't worn. However, this can cause two problems. 1) if you don't watch yourself, you might have a dry-weather habit kick in and do something your car can't handle in the rain (like accelerating a little hard in a 90 degree turn). 2) because this car "feels" like it has more performance in the rain vs another "lesser" car you might unconciously push it further than you might another car.
It's human nature. A related question:
Does making cars safer and more survivable in an accident increase survivability? Or would life be safer in the roads if every car was equipped with an explosive device next to the steering wheel that was triggered by the merest bump to the car? When people feel their car is safer, they tend to push it further. People speed regularly on the freeways because they feel perfectly safe doing so. If everyone's car vibrated horribly and felt like it was going to fall apart at 70mph, no one would drive faster than 65mph! If everyone had an explosive device set of by contact in their car, no one would cut anyone off or drive aggressively or run that yellow light or do anything that might get them hurt. This is one reason driving courses are very good. It shows you what *can* happen when you lose control, so you feel less safe when driving, and drive more cautiously. The safer people feel in their cars, the less cautious they drive. SUVs are marketed as being rugged, safe vehicles for you and your family. Maybe that has something to do with why SUVs have a reputation of being poorly driven?
Another example was a few years ago the Dallas/Ft Worth area had an ice storm on New Years Eve. Everyone was worried that the number of fatal accidents would rise vs a typical non-icy New Years Eve. However, not a single fatal accident occured that night in the area. Usually a bunch of people die due to drunken driving and other issues on New Years Eve (especially after midnight when the parties go home). But not that icy New Year's. Why? Because everyone was paranoid about the ice, so they were extra cautious.
My point is that since the S2k drives better than most cars in both dry and wet weather, there's the instinct to drive it harder in both situations (or worse, have a dry-weather habit kick in while driving in wet conditions). *That* is why S2ks often wreck in the rain, IMO.
Originally posted by cdelena This car has two things working against it for wet weather use..
1) the rear tires have a minimum of tread voids and can hydroplane more easily than others in standing water.
2) It has LSD without traction control so you are more likely break two rear wheels loose on slippery surfaces.
These factors mean you must exercise more caution and you are still at a greater risk of losing control than with other vehicles. Even so, the majority of us use the car in the rain without problem.
I jumped in my car one early morning last winter, and took off for work. I came into a turn too fast (not on the gas, just coasting) and the back stepped out. Quick corrective action saved it.
Later that week, I found a parking lot in the rain, and chucked the car around at low speeds for a bit.
S02s with medium to high wear are a recipe for excitement or disaster, depending upon your objective.
S03s seem to stick much harder.
When its wet out, drive slower. Not the same way slower that you would if you were driving a Lexus ES300, but slower the way you would if you were behind the wheel of a light, rwd sportscar.
), I can honestly say that there have been no problems what-so-ever. But someone brought up a good point about in cities where it rains more that others, we have better drainage in the streets, so I guess that helps. You should be fine 
