How is this for the "what if" scenario mentioned a few posts above.

I play hard on the mountain roads around me and my VSA kicks in often, does that mean that I would have crashed if I had it turned off and a earlier car without VSA ?

I have 35 years experience on these roads and pictures of a earlier cars underbody as she sat upside down at the bottom of a hill (back in the 70s when I was still learning), but after that one crash in 1974 I have not crashed and that was without VSA. Now I drive the S up there and I think I am going to wear my VSA out, I have to wonder about those e-nannies they have to be tired when we get home, but does it mean that each time it kicks in I would have crashed if did not have it ?

I doubt it, just slid around a little bit and re-acquired control before going offroad is more likely, and yes, i know just because you are sliding a little does not really mean you are out of control. And yes, I have turned VSA off a few times too just to see, car is still in the driveway without a scratch.

I like my VSA, it has taught me some limits of the car by noticing when it kicks in, sometimes I wonder why it kicked in when it did when everything felt good but other times "it saved me", never really sure if it did save me though.

 

Don't have any experience at all with VSA but it definitely shouldn't be your biggest concern when shopping for a S2000. My car has no VSA, I spun out once when I first got the car (20 years old,coming from a POS fwd eclipse and no experience with rwd) but this car has taught me to be a much better driver. IMO Get the car with the lowest miles that you can possibly afford. That's what I did and i'm happy with my 02. (Make sure you buy one in arrest-me-red. Fastest color by far)

 

Which brings up another question, how far from the limit do you think you are before vsa kicks in and how much more do you think it gives you?

 

Actually, I always thought that the VSA gives a fair amount of leeway before ruining any fun. It seems a little more intrusive than a Mercedes with the TC turned "off". (for those of you who don't know, most Mercedes still have some TC after hitting the button.)

 

I like the having the OPTION of VSA. I had 2 2000 s2k's, and I'm very comfortable without it... But I do like having the option.

When it's sunny and warm, I turn it off (hmmm push button... hard )

When it's raining or cold, I leave it on. (who knows, could save my car or my life so why not?)

And there's the end of that discussion.

 

VSA shouldn't be a deal breaker if you live in a place that doesn't have horrible weather. If you're having VSA kick in all the time while driving in public roads, then you're driving too eratically.

I've had an AP1 and now have an AP2 with VSA. The VSA is not obtrusive at all. It only kicks in when you're really doing something really, really stupid.

 

The Honda VSA is pretty good. There's the subtle angle correction that doesn't trigger the flashing light, but still prunes your slip angle... and there's the meat-head "oh boy" correction that gives you the VSA light on the dash.

I wonder how many people have had the first stage of VSA working without even knowing it. It can be pretty subtle.

The Porsche system is kind of like that.

I was instructing a new autocrosser in a Cayman S and I was driving her car. Went to get ~15% slip angle and it wouldn't let me get more than ~10%. Wouldn't let me pivot on the nose.

Same thing on the S2000. If you have the VSA on and you're easing up to ~>15% slip angle, it keeps the car from pivoting. If you just kiss the limit, it steps in without lighting up the dash. The only way to know is matching your known expectation to the actual event. Kind of like sliding a puck over a linoleum floor and running over a patch of stickiness... it doesn't go as far as you know it should have with the input you gave.

 

I had to make the same decision when shopping for an S2000. Now that I drive an 06, I would never buy a pre-06 S2000, only because of VSA. It is so worth it. VSA will save you $$$ even if it catches your one mishap once... No matter how good a driver you are, everyone makes mistakes. Shit happens. During the past 2 years, VSA has saved me twice. Both dry weather...

VSA is not a nanny, it is a highly effective safety device. It can manage individual wheels unlike any human can.

Without VSA, S2000 is definitely more dangerous to drive than my 03 Accord. And that's with the softer stock suspension set-up of 2006 (which is great if you're going to daily drive like I do).

 

to the original topic at hand, get the S2000, I had to trade mine in 20 months ago and I've been really missing it, it's a driving experience more than anything, my friends have 350Z's, STi's, and the like... but none of them are as much fun to drive as the S2000

Stay away from the audi unless you are just looking for a car to drive you, if you are looking for a car you can drive then your decision has already been made - S2000 all the way

and really man wait until you get the color you want, if you are iffy on colors (white or blue or whatever) then don't buy, go to a couple local club meetings and check out all the colors, get up close and personal with all of them and make your pic, then shop until you get exactly what you want, if you just pick any color because you have no preference you'll realize you just didn't spend enough time trying to find what your real preference is.

I am about to scour the forum for some pictures of CKit's Imola Orange I always loved that color!

 

Get the white 06 s2k! That's a very nice car and u live so close to work the mileage won't even matter. Just go for it.