I am a very young buyer of a used s2000 and I go against ricing up any car. So do all my friends (otherwise they wouldn't be my friends) and I think your comment isn't very accurate becuase the person who owns that car in your picture, and many other people who do that to their s2000 are most likely older drivers with poor taste.

But also, yes I agree that alot of younger buyers are ricing up other cars, I just don't see it happening to the s2000 for various reasons.

Just had to jump at that post when I read it

So lay off the age.

 

Well Rick and Paulie have really done it this time. They seem to have started an insightful, thoughtful thread, that has gotten thoughtful, insightful responses!
It's sort of like the "old days" of the board. Simply amazing, that we can have a discussion without flames these days.

I am not certain that the views established in Rick's post are truly meant to do anything other than to get us to think about our cars.

1. I have done some mods to may car. I do not have a body kit, don't particularly like them, but hey, it's your car....express your personality.

2. This board has changed and I think many of us miss the "old days" when there was little flaming and it was more of a community...but this too has changed.

We have our local forums and that's where many of us find our sense of community. The board has grown up, and I for one thank Rick and Paulie for adding a thread that gets us back to the thoughtful community for at least a little while.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ultimate lurker
[B]If I wasn't such a free speech advocate, I'd be bombarding the mods with PMs to kill this thread.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by YeloS2000ShowGrl
[B]ok i have a few things to say here....
1. i am 19....young and NOT STUPID OR IMMATURE! yes i take part in the color wars but it is all in good fun and i have gotten some great laughs outta some of the photos that have been posted....not all young people are"ricers" i dont have the money to be a ricer, but i do have some things that may consider me to be. RICKS s badges, RICKS console cover....hmmm im seeing a trend here RICKS and rice in the same sentence.....not that i am downing his products for if i was then i would not pay for them, but i am saying that for one who is loudly stating his opinion about rice should check out his own backgroud first.....also i belive that rick himself will be joing US AT HOT IMPORT NIGHT!!! HEAVEN FOR ALL RICERS!!!

 

I'm surprised that no one has hit upon where these aftermarket kits are coming from and maybe that was the factor in the original stylings of them....CWEST, Veilside, etc. They are all Japanese manufacturers, designing Japanese parts and kits for mostly the Japanese market...whose tastes are severely different than the majority of American tastes.

It just happens to be that a few Americans are willing to buy, and mount these things to their "American" versions of the same car.

To me, it's about supply/demand. If there was an American or Italian designer that came up with another design for the S2000, Americans would have more supply...we wouldn't have the thin supply of taste as is now.

But then again, an "American" kit may just try to mold the S2000 lines into that of a Camaro or Firebird (hey, just take a look at Mastergrade's new hood).

That's my observation and hypothesis.

Now my opinion: I too don't really care for the Veilside kit, and kind of like the CWEST kit...but won't do any of those kits (maybe will do a J's lip, or Mugen SS kit). However, why did Rick and Paulie feel compelled to "call out" those that have decided to, or even considered these kits? How must the owners of those cars pictured in this thread feel. Wasn't it immature to make those owners feel little...did it make you feel more like a purist? Is there such a thing as a purist Accord owner? That's how common this car is now...ok, that was a little exaggerated.

My opinion of a stock looking S2000 is that it looks girlie...it needs to look more aggressive for the performance out of the box. I don't demean those owners with my opinions...I just let them be!

Why was it that Rick created various S badges (better known by many as the high quality stickers), high quality colored leather and assoicated inserts, and then "chrome" and paint up the engine bay of his own car?

Isn't the purist creation of this car meant to be the minimalist vision of accessories and maximum of performance (hence the carpet console, no clock, two crappy speakers, 3 light coats of paint, etc)? Isn't that purist vision being blurred by German quality leather accesories, non-OEM fog lights, heavy 17" (or 18") SSR wheels, trunk saddle bags, leather covered sun shades, chromed out and painted engine bay, cleared out headlights/sidemarkers, etc.

Rick, please don't think I'm attacking your tastes or your products (hell, I proudly own many of them), but am suggesting that you monitor your own words. In voicing your opinion of the decline of content on this board due to disprespect is just showing the hypocracy of your first point by showing the disrespect that you and Paulie fling at owners that mod with things you guys don't like.

 

Well this thread certainly got a lot of attention. Enough to get semi-lurkers like me to even post. Then again maybe that was the whole point of starting it in the first place. The thing I find particularly interesting about the original post is how it contradicts itself. The first point is concerned with the bodykits, a point illustrated with two pictures. The second point has to do with the crudeness and insensitivity of the board. I find it more than a little ironic that by deriding someone else's car by showing pictures you are actually displaying the insensitive nature that you complain about in point #2. Perhaps it was intended and perhaps not. Regardless, I find it a little humorous.

Aftermarket bodykits- I don't have one on my car and probably won't ever have one. Heck I don't even care for the OEM spoilers and the clear headlight diffusers, but that's just me and have my priorities elsewhere. I have seen plenty examples on this board of people who have done things to car their S2000 that I never would have. In some cases I thought the job was appealing and in some not. In almost all cases I could see the effort, time, and passion that each person put into their car. It is the effort, time, and passion that I do appreciate because those all the hallmarks of an enthusiast.

I remember one thread in particular where one owner was asking for opinions on part of the bodykit on his S2000. More than one poster asked why he would want to 'deface' his car so. His answer was because he and his teenage son spent time together modifying the car. Personally, that response caused me to do a 180 because that's something I can appreciate, regardless of what the car looks like. He wasn't concerned about changing the Honda designers 'perfect' lines, he had other priorities. Priorities that in in my book are in order. I would be proud to have that car parked next to my stock looking S2000, spoiler and bodykit be damned.

As to the second point, yes the board has changed. It's inevitable. Some parts are better, some parts are worse, life goes on. If it really concerns you then take the extra minute to be constructive when you post. When someone asks about Tire X, instead of just saying 'Do a search' do like many users and reply 'I don't have that tire, but there was a thread here about them a couple weeks ago and most folks seem to like them. Send username a PM and ask about them he/she has them on his/her car.' A little goes on a long way folks.

Now back to semi-lurking mode.

 

FWIW, I'm 41-years-old and happen to like some of these kits, wings and all. My dad is 69 and just spent a chunk of change on a Jaguar XJR and the first thing he did was put aftermarket wheels on the car.
There's a difference between growing old and getting old. You can have a 19-yr-old who plans on keeping his S2000 bone stock and you can have a 57-yr-old shopping for a good deal on a Mugen wing.
Damn it fellas...labels are for soup cans.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cbj
[B]
As to the second point, yes the board has changed.

 

I've got to admit I wince sometimes when I see new posters greeted with a terse.."Do a search" I think we need to remember that many of the newbies are newcomers to the whole internet thing, this BB may well be the first one they've joined, and we're responding to their first tentative, and somewhat nervous post anywhere!

I know it gets tedious aswering the 'Which Oil' question over and over, but I try to offer at least a partial answer with a more gentle nudge in the direction of the search facility!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cbj
[B]I remember one thread in particular where one owner was asking for opinions on part of the bodykit on his S2000.