Hmmm...the car isn't that slow.

Last night I raced my friend's WRX 4 times...I pulled ahead in 3rd gear each time if not beating him on the launch at initial takeoff. And I did the race with my crappy 245/35/18 T1-S tires also (I loose a car length to a stock S2000 with those tires by the way). In two of the races...he got a good launch and pulled ahead about a half a car lengh...but that's all he got before I hit 3rd gear.

My other friend also has a WRX...not being a experienced shifter...I also won races against him.

I have also been able to beat a modded 99' M3 coupe. The owner of the car is a skilled driver and was able to beat me a couple times too.

 

I learned long ago not to trust even my well calibrated ass - I sure as hell won't trust anyone else's.

We're far more adept at noticing changes in slope of the torque curve. A flat torque will feel slower than a peakier one, even if it isn't.

I have another car that traps about the same as my S2K. It is lighter and makes a lot more torque. Feels faster. It isn't.

As for the all conquering comment, funny how I can't recall ever seeing an owner say that or even imply it - only the outside, "disinterested" observers with no point to make and nothing to prove ;-)

UL

 

SilverR2,

UL said it the best..
S2000 doesn't *feel* fast... but it is really not that slow..
When I took a short drive (20 miles of freeway)... I couldn't even
feel the vtec kicking in... (compare to the slightly torquier E36 M3)
but very soon I was doing triple digit speed... it was very
deceiving... but it surely not a slow car...

Phantom,
You must have some very good launches going against those
WRXs... aren't they doing 5.8-5.9 to the 60s... and with AWD,
they should be easy to launch...
(And with 5k on them, they will do high 12s with street tires)

 

Hi Rob:

Since you are in the Boston area, come on by (I'm in Waltham) and I'll give you a demo ride Then you'll see what the car is all about. Or if you join us this weekend at the BMW autocross (even as a spectator), I'll give you a ride then (and you can also compare times of the S2000's against S4's that are there).

 

Silver, I would strongly recommend this. When I test drove my S2k, it had 63 miles on it. I was intent on getting it as I just love the look and have found that if Car and Driver gives a car a positive write up, I usually will like it too. Since Car and Driver placed it as #1 against the Boxster, SLK, and Z3, I was sure I would like it.

Anyway, I was not impressed with the engine performance at my test drive, but bought it anyway. I can say that after break-in, it just changed dramatically. I have 1300 miles on it and the engine is smooth and way more responsive and quick than at my test drive.

I would imagine you will see a significant difference between the one with 12k on it as opposed to the new one you test drove. Give it a try.

 

FWIW, I test drove a S4 and a S2000 in the same week, and the s2000 felt a LOT faster than the S4. Of course the s4 had the huge torque advantage, but once you got past that, you were just waiting for power, power that never came. The s2000 on the other hand ( a used one with 5000 miles), just kept pouring it on, and it did feel just about as fast as a 96 cobra that we borrowed from a co-worker for the weekend (in trade for a sportbike). I sold my YZFr6 to get a 02 s2000, and trust me, if it wasn't fast enough, I wouldn't have sold the bike...

 

When I first got my S2000, I waited until I had the recommended 600 miles and then put the boot to it. It was a slug. I was very disappointed. I posted my impressions and got a lot of heat from fellow owners. For me, it was not until about 7,000 miles when I got my car back from the TSB work (and changed back from Mobil 1 to Castrol GTX) that my car finally "woke up." The dealer said they did nothing that would account for the improvement. I thought maybe it was a result of their disconnecting the battery and allowing the ECU to reset, the dealer thought this was unlikely. Anyway, my car is now very quick. It does not have a lot of torque at low rpms, but is quick up to VTEC and from VTEC transition to red line it pulls with hilarious ferocity.

The S2000 will not pull from low rpms like a big block, an M Roadster or even a Boxster S, but if you keep it in its sweet zone it will pull hard. Low 14's are easy, once broken in, with a competent driver.

2x6spds

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SilverR2
[B]

 

I agree with the statement that the s2k doesnt feel fast, but in reality is quite fast. The car is definitly capable of high 13s. I highly disagree about the difficulty of launching this car. How hard is it to drop the clutch. I have never been so consistent with launching a car than this one. Drop the cluth at whatever point you have to so you spin your tires until you are in v-tech when your tires catch. Shift at redline, and that is good for a 14 flat at 99 or so. Want 13s. Never lift your foot off the gas throughout a run (powershit) and you will see high 13s at 100. This car is one of the easier cars to drive in a straight line. But if you want good times in the 1/4 or to 60, and you dont want to lose to 99 m3s, mustang gts, and so forth, drop that cluth so when your done spinning your are in v-tech (that is key). On some surfaces like black top, it may only take 6k, on others, clean concrete, you may need 7k+. Since i have had the car i have never lossed a race. This may not seem believable, but i have beaten a 93-96 vette to 90mph, a 97 vette to 90mph(he had a horrible start and he never caught me, but he was gaining), several new gt mustangs (no cobras), two M3s (one was an auto, very slow car), a boxter (not an s) and the most unbelievable was a f355 convertiable (guy did not know how to drive (took off with no revs, as he thought he would catch me), beat him to 100mph. My point is the s2k is not slow in a straight line. Its not that hard to drive the car to its max in a straight line. When you do learn, you will have a huge advantage over others as most people cant drive there cars well, as evidence in the vette and 355. An average driver takes a mid 13s car and turns it into a 14 second car. Drive hard and you should beat many cars that you thought you had no chance at. However, if you dont want to loose, i suggest you to not race a vette auto. As any moron in that car can hit 13s. Sorry so long but had to vent a little.

 

Might want to try again, or take s2ktaxi up on his offer.

 

I don't get the point of this post. And why do you fellas feel you have to prove that the S2000 is "deceptively" fast?

Let him think what he wants to. If he is an S4 type buyer and he doesn't understand that some cars have flatter torque curves, blah blah, and you can't always base speed with the butt dyno, and if he goes on the test drive the S2000 without knowing jack shit about the numbers behind it, allow him to be his clueless self.