Okay guys,

I know this has been talked about a lot...and I have done the searches, but I was wondering if someone could provide feedback on lowering a '02 S2000.

I know that Honda made some suspension changes for '02 (yes, not mentioned in US, but mentioned in europe and some of the suspension part numbers have changed) to address some of the issues with the 00-01's being too fish-tail happy.

I have had my 02 for about a year now and I love the way it handles, I wouldn't mind it handling better, but for the budget I have in mind, I doubt it's possible. I've wanted to lower it since the beginning, but held out because I didn't want to make it more tail happy, expecially when the roads are bumpy...

Long winded question, but just wandering what the feedback has been with lowering the 02's. Thanks,

Ben.

Oh yeah, I would be looking at the KG/MM, probably race if I'm going to do it.

 

subscribing to thread

 

I'm interested too.

 

mee too! the car just works so well with the stock setup, it's hard to see any change (other than maybe rims/tires) actually making an IMPROVEMENT - especially a quantifiable one.

l

 

 

i lowered mine with neuspeed (cheap price!!) and my friend's as well. both of ours are 02's. i've taken mine to the track for the s2000 challenge when it was bone stock and got 2nd place (if that gives me any credibility).

The springs do help CONSIDERABLE in reducing dive and squat. The car FEELS like it handles better in 'spirited' street turns and definitely feels more stable thanks to the reduction in roll, dive and squat. I have not taken the car to the track to confirm any real performance increase (FEELING better and BEING better are two very different things).

If you don't plan on racing your car for competition I would do it. It's cheap (low to mid $100's) and easy (1-2 hrs) and will help the driving feel around town.

If you are looking for a REAL performance increase in handling (for the track) I would pick up some rims (extra stock if you're on a budget, lightweight racing wheels if you got $$ to burn) and race tires. The tires are definitely the weakest link for the S2000 on the track.

The 02 is not tail-happy at all. I've never driven in an 00-01 and I am not aware of any suspension changes between the years. I think my 02 is very well balanced and, at the limit, understeers a bit too much from the factory.

 

i think the 02 has the same suspension setup as the 00-01 models.

 

I don't understand how anyone could lower an S2000 and still drive it on normal roadways; I have an Audi TT and have scraped the bottom on normal roads and it sits a good inch higher than a stock S2000.

Are your roads ruler flat or something and do you not have potholes or speed bumps?

 

i forgot to mention i have hydraulics on my car so I can "hit the switches" for bumpy roads. (j/k).

I live in so cal. I've been driving lowered cars all my driving career. The S2000 is low, but the body it shaped so that it does not scrape much - other than the front speed flaps. I have perfected the art of driving a lowered car

I wouldn't lower the S2000 more than 1.5" though. As it is, I know of speedbumps that are higher than the clearance of my car. I make it a point not to go over those ones.

 

I would NEVER lower any car - especially one tuned like the s2000 - with just springs and no change to shocks.

Unless you match your spring rates with your shocks, an increased spring rate will result in a bumpy ride, which is degraded over bumps, poor handling, and possisbly blown shocks 2 years down the track.

If you are really in it for handling - try playing with your car's alignment settings first - then see if you really need new shocks etc.