I just passed 10 years on my ownership. I have never spun the car in the rain on the street. I have spun the car at the race track in the rain more times than I kept tabs on.

I live in the burbs of Chicago.

Before the S2000, my first car ever, at the age of 16 was a Nissan 240SX (RWD). I never crashed it in the rain, sleet, ice, or snow. Though I did have a couple of close calls during my learning-to-drive period. In my (and my parents') defense, I didn't know the car was RWD when I bought it lol.

Anyway, even after having a RWD car, I can say that the S2000 is a bit weird and definitely more difficult to drive in rain than a 240SX, which was probably more stble due to a more "normal" alignment and toe bump curve.

Horsepower doesn't make a difference. My right foot moderates HP...and so does everyone else's.

My S2000 has never seen snow in its life. But....for the last few weeks, I've put my daily driven TSX in storage and have been using the S2000 as my only car. It has rained all 8 days of the week since it is now fall in IL. I have track worn, but not bald, 255 71R's all around.

So I just drive sensibly. Reduce speed a little when needed. Pay attention to what you're doing. The S2000 does take slightly more attention to drive than other similar RWD cars (miatas included).

Its not as bad as people make it seem. A 2800 LB production Honda isn't a widow maker.

If you're crashing or losing control, you should focus on what YOU'RE doing wrong. There's nothing in the owner's manual that says "absolutely do not drive in the rain or you will be killed".

 

Hate to play the old guy but I think the population is losing its driving skills.

I grew up in the northeast driving RWD cars with bias ply tires.

You, your parents and your grandparents went on with life when it snowed by using acquired skills.

I stopped using snow tires when radial tires came on.

FWD was a huge breakthrough.

I've driven 240miles through a snowstorm in a RWD 1995 Impala SS with performance tires. A little tedious but not at all scary if you pay attention.

Pay attention and drive the damn car, it won't take of you

 

You are 100% correct. I grew up in the same environment. I'm no spring chicken. I still drive all winter long in the worst imaginable conditions - often at the edge of grip. You get used to it. But - this little roadster took me by surprise in the rain - I wasn't expecting it. I should expected it but I wasn't thinking straight.

 

" it wont take carof you"

 

rant wasn't aimed at you.

I agree, and an S2000 needs extreme caution.

Mine never goes out in the rain, I backed it out of my garage in 2 inches of snow and almost couldn't get it back in.

Rain is bad enough, but the tire compounds don't work at all in the snow. Although, many on this board get it done in snowy conditions.

 

Like all vehicles, tires get very hard at temps under 7 degrees Celsius ( something like 45 F ?) I've never driven my car in winter temps or weather, so I can't comment about how they work in cold weather conditions. I think it would be scary hitting ice with this car, cold dry temps aren't bad but snow or ice would be for me.

 

Thanks Dave, I think the diff did add to the event as I put down a bit too much throttle mid corner and then it started to slide.

 

Some of you guys are too paranoid lol. I know many people including myself that daily drive their s2k in all types of weather including snow and as long as your tires are meaty and you know how to control your throttle you'll be fine. Obviously I wouldn't use summer tires in the snow but they are fine in the rain as long as you pay attention. A few years ago we got rained out of our bear mtn drive but a large group of us decided to still go for the drive through rain and storms and I noticed one ap1 owner was driving on R compound racing slicks cause he said he was running late and couldn't swap tires in time for the group drive. I thought he was nuts since we were taking alot of twisty roads but he was fine but he is also one of the best race car drivers on this forum. I won't mention his name but you all know him lol

 

Anothet old guy from New England here. Driven plenty of rwd bias ply cars in snow. The biggest concern was getting stuck trying to go up a hill, not spinning out.

I've driven the S in snow, on summer tires. A few times. I didn't have any trouble spinning out, but I did get stuck trying to go up a hill. I could get part way up, but a turn mid hill prevented maintaining enough momentum.

I didn't drive in snow on purpose. Drove to work, no forecast of snow, got hit unexpectedly. After that happened a few times, I switched to winter driver sooner in the season.

 

ehhhh people of all ages are having issues.

I've never had any. My wife DD'd her AP2 from spring thru first snow for 3 or 4 years without one single incident. And we're a couple of useless Millenials.

The hangup with driving it in snow was just because salt ruins cars. Nothing to do with "can't".

The issue isn't the car. People have demonized this car by making excuses for poor driving habits by using terms like "snap oversteer" since the car came out.