I also agree that the answer is yes the s2000 is easier to spin and crash compared to many other cars and many other rwd cars.

 

No we don't. It's easier for it to be irrecoverable. It's not any easier to spin.

No one cares. 500 hp sub 2 liter to autox; it must be fun to constantly have to let off the gas before you build boost.

 

The problem with this statement is the S2000 was not initially designed with a neutral balance, it was designed with significant over-steer built in. Perhaps to make the car more fun to drive for those with enough skills. Since few of us and fewer car reporters have enough skills the car rightly obtained the reputation for snap oversteer when first released. First impressions are lasting impressions!

Honda started dialing the oversteer out immediately after the first cars were sold in 1999 and at least every two years thereafter. A glance at the suspension component changes in the tech data (here), including wheels and tires, shows the hardware changes. The older model years spin out easier than the later, the 1999 cars having the most understeer.

As several have noted changes in alignment, tires, etc. affect this, but the typical first time S2000 driver hasn't a clue about these settings nor, I suspect, the majority of drivers here. My car was aligned to factory specs a couple of years ago and I'm running "extreme" performance summer tires (RE-11A at present). Haven't yet experienced a spin so perhaps I'm not pushing hard enough!

-- Chuck

 

Neutral balance refers to weight distribution. A rear engine Porsche will kick out on you with ease.

 

in the hands of someone who doesn't know how to drive, yeah, they are f@#ked. If you learn the car and don't drive over your limits, you will be ok.

 

Its easily addressable on an ap1 buy simply lowering the car, as many do anyway, to 1.5-2" effectively shorting the stroke/toe curve on rebound, wile incorporating the additional adjustable toe correcting rods. This puts you on a normal more leaner suspension trajectory on full stroke with virtually no toe influence throughout.
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This. My ap1 is no more tail happy than any ap2 I have driven. Your don't even need bump steer correctors. If not setup right they can hurt more than help anyway. Want to make your "tail happy" ap1 a pussycat? This:

Ap2 tire, wheel package. This is almost all the handling improvement the stock ap2 has over the ap1.

Less rear toe than oem. Run the cr rear toe specs, should be around .30 degrees total.

Lower the car around an inch. This brings the oem toe curve into a more predictable spot. This with the above is the alignment sweet spot for ap1.

However.....

You need to have at least 1" of clear rear shock travel at ride height. This is before you hit the bump stops. 1" is the bare minimum, should be closer to 2.

 

YES YES YES lol Any car with such a short wheel base will be easy to spin out regardless how experienced you are. The question isn't if you have spun out but rather how the s2k is compared to others and I'll answer with yes. Regardless if youre a pro or not this platform is tons of fun but will bite you in the ass if you don't respect it.

 

I disagree, it's not any easier to spin.. as was pointed out by someone else, harder to recover when a spin/slide is initiated is more accurate. It's a sports car, it is not easier to spin than other sports cars. Compared to a fwd family sedan, or a minivan, sure.

 

Wrong. My 350Z can be ham fisted and it will not spin like the S with the same input... Applies to quite a few others as well.

 

Most important is to have nice tires. I bought the car with "good" tires and spun coming out a turn in my first month of ownership.

After putting on some nice tires and a few years later I can do 110mph+ in rain with no problems.


You get used to the dynamics and limits of the car once you been driving it for a while.