I've decided to sell my '68 Datsun 2000 and modernize my taste in sports cars. After reviewing the market, the easy decision has been to buy a Honda s2000. I'm driving every one I can get my hands on to discern the differences between model years, etc. At a dealership here in Dallas last night, the salesman told me that the Honda is unique in that the engine is hand built. True or not? For the record, I think I'm going to be a 2.2L. The decision really has nothing to do with the engine. I can adapt my driving style to either the 2 or 2.2L and think both are fantastic variations on the same theme. What I like about the newer cars are (in no order of preference: 1) glass window, 2) softer rear suspension, 3) upgraded interior 3) xeon headlights. I'm now waiting to drive an '06 (yea, I like the Laguna blue) to see if the drive by wire, speakers in the headrest, and stability control are worth the extra cost. Anyway, I would appreciate hearing from the group on the issue of whether the engine is handbuilt and what factors led to your selection of the model year you chose. Thank you!

 

From what I have gathered here at S2KI, the entire car is hand assembled and the engine is assigned to a single tech for assembly, along side the NSX. In fact, I have seen pics of both cars going down the assembly line together. It sounds like you are making a well-informed decision as to which model year to choose. Basically the older the car, the sharper (rougher? ) the edge, but all are a blast and put up similar numbers. They seem to get the same job done, they just go about it different ways with the older models being less tolerant of mistakes. I chose the 03 for the AP1 chassis, 9k redline, glass rear window, and all the updates that came with 3 years of real world debugging. I couldn't be happier, good-luck.