Hey, one of my concerns before buying an S2000 is how the heck do I heel toe easily when the throtte pedal is so far back from the brake? Can a shop bend the pedals so they're in better places for footwork?

 

The gas is in the right place for it. Heel-toe downshifting wasn't developed for casual downshifts on the street, but for heading down into a corner on a racetrack*, which is important because when you're doing so the level of braking you use brings the brake pedal down to the area of the gas pedal.

*This doesn't of course mean that I don't use it all the time on the street too though

 

Ok, that makes much more sense now!

But I'm still concerned about the pedals, isn't there a way to mod them for more practical street downshifting (I'm thinking so I can practice, get good at it)

And don't you all find those little rubber pokes on the pedals nasty? I don't like them very much (but I don't own an S2000, just a potential buyer). I'm afriad some part of my shoe would get caught on the rubber pads... is there a cheap way to make the pedals the way I want them?

 

I don't have any problems at all with the rubber knobs, but I understand why you might worry about them. My personal feeling is that if you spend some time driving the car you'll adjust your technique to the pedals and you won't have any problem, but of course everyone drives differently so YMMV. Regardless, although I haven't investigated things like pedal sets for this car, I'd be shocked if there wasn't something you could do to bring the gas up further with minimal effort.

What size shoe do you ware, btw?

 

I wear a size 10 and usually wear nimble, tight shoes. I'm not totally familiar with how everyone else heel-toes but on the 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000 I currently drive, I've learned how to do it with the ball of my foot on the brake and the pinky-toe side of my foot on the gas. I wish to do the same with the S2000 but it would require a heavy foot on the brake...

 

Borish73,

Try it the other way around. Use your toes and the pads of your foot just below your toes to apply presssure to the brake peddle. Then use the ball of your right foot to "blip" the gas.

It will feel really awkward at first, but a different car might require a different techinque.

 

I owned a '85 GTV6 for a while and Alfa's pedals are much closer together than on the Honda. I prefer the heel on the brake, toe on the gas on the Honda, similar to the Alfa way, but on the Alfa, you have to mindful of what shoes you wear or you could end up in the ditches quite easily.

I wouldn't fret your concerns because you are going to love the S2000 I can assure you.

 

Every car is different...every technique is different. Watch the Japanese best motoring videos...gives you an idea of all the different technique preferences.

I am 6'3'' and am limited in what I can do with the pedals due to my excessively long legs. I have found that heal-toeing barefoot is much easier than with driving shoes. My driving shoes have a tendancy to slip off the brake pedal...which is not very confidence inspiring. Barefoot gives me that extra 1/4 inch of leg room and a grippier hold on the pedal.

 

its pretty damn easy to do heel and toe in s2k.

 

i usually wear timberlands when i drive but found it pretty easy by using the middle of ur foot on the brake and the rest on the gas. alot of ppl hit there heel on the side panel but this compensates for that