Sounds good to me! Although I've already gotten in the mid 29's in fuel mileage and that's not 100% freeway driving. Given reasonable conditions, I think I might top 30 mpg without too much trouble in this car.

The reason the question came up in my mind is that the gearing on my MY04 seems a little short in traffic sometimes. It's not that big a deal although it's not uncommon for me to wind up in 4th at speeds as low as 28 mph.

As for where the rpms go when you take the car to redline in 3rd and shift to 4th, my MY04 dropped to 6.3 to 6.4k in 4th after taking 3rd up until the redline started flashing. Just FYI.......

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

 

gears are an option on the S2000.

 

Now here's a question... do you think that Honda meant to make the MY04 so similar in performance to the pre MY04's or did it just happen like that?

 

Im sure they intended it. What it seems to me they did, is they took the complaining from the general public, and fixed those supposed Problems.

I think they went to far in some areas (suspension could of been a bit stiffer, and even with the increased torque, I think they should of gone the extra mile to make sure it Still reved to 9k) but they apeased the General public.


So basically the ideal situation for them. "same old performance, but we fixed what u were complaining about..."

 

I would agree that Honda did not intend for the MY04's have be significantly faster than it's predecessors. Having driven a 2.0 (MY02), and I'm not convinced that the 2.2 was necessary but Honda obvoiusly felt differently for whatever reason.

As for the suspension changes. Many folks around here always point to the rear of the car being softened up. They also, inevitably, ignore the fact that the front suspension was stiffened up! Regardless, these changes were not about a smoother ride. Anyone who buys a car like the S2000 and expects a smooth ride, seriously needs to have their head examined.

The changes were about correcting a tendancy of abruptly swapping ends when pushed to the extremes. I fail to understand how anyone would think that making a car "less" likely to loose control, especially in extreme circumstances, is "dumbing the car down" or "appeasing the general public." The fact is, there are enough professed "expert drivers" on this forum and elsewhere that have spun out and put their S2000's into a wall, tree, phone pole, or ditch because they couldn't control the car when things got out of hand. So Honda's trying to improve the percentages. There's nothing wrong with that and BTW, while the MY04's suspension changes may be the most extreme to date, they are "not" the first tweeks that have been made to the car in it's five year production run.

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

 

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. You would think from reading this thread that we were talking about 2 totally different cars, like a 350Z and an RX-8. The difference between a 2003 and a 2004 is so marginal that it amazes me that it keeps coming up. Horsepower in the 2.2 drops off at 7800 rpm. Why have a redline higher than that? Just to say you do? Are we interested in performance or not? If the 1/4 mile times are about the same and lap times are about the same, what exactly are we talking about? In fact, most passengers wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between the two cars.

Put the top down, chill out, and enjoy the drive...

 

All this crap about 00-03 vs 04 is beginning to grate on me a little - you are totally right...what difference does it make?!

But, whilst not wanting to add fuel to the fire, I have to disagree with the statement from you I quoted.

Whilst most passengers wouldnt know the difference, MOST 00-03 owners that have been passengers (and those I have let drive my car) have noticed quite a difference between my 04 and theirs.

 

Im an 04 owner, so dont explode at me.

But do you guys realize...that the people usually saying drop it, are 04 owners...i find it humerous...that is all

 

That is odd that more 04 owners are saying to drop it. As you can tell I have an 04 and I actuall want to continue this convo. I did notice that when I shift fast from 1st to 2nd it stays in VTEC but when I shift a little slower it drops. I think that is not the best thing in the world. It would be better if it stayed in VTEC even if you shift a little slower.

 

Actually I think that the pre-04 vs 04 debate is hilarious.

The car is excellent in either form.

That being said, however, it is an established fact that the MY04 is far superior because Honda's engineers entered into a pact with George W. Bush and the secret cabal in order to summon Satan and his dark minions to sprinkle magic pixie dust on every '04 coming off of the assembly line. This has equated not only in better performance, looks and sex appeal, but the '04 models all have a super secret switch (I'm sworn to secrecy otherwise I would tell you where it is located) which not only bumps the car to 395 bhp at the rear wheels but actuates the aero option which allows it to fly (but only by night). I hope that this clears up any misapprehensions that all of you pre 04 wannabes have about our superiority.