Hi everyboody,
This is my first post but I have been reading this forum for a few weeks now. All you guys are great and are extremely knowledgeable. I'm 22 and I'm graduating from college in May and I will begin working immediately, which means i've been in the market for a new car. I currently drive a 1992 Toyota MR2 (200,000 miles), which is a blast to drive but is getting worn. The s2000 (silverston/onyx) has been my central focus of attention for some time now. This group has really amped up my anticipation factor I took my first test drive yesterday and I was thrilled but yet somewhat disappointed at performance related issues with the s2K, which i guess leaves me with some questions.
I have read many posts but am still new so some of these may seem redundant:

1) Has anybody had any problems with unlatching the top?
It is still pretty cold in Mass. and the car only had thirty miles on it so it might not be broken in but I could not get the latches to remove from the roof ( neither could the salesmen).

2) Are the technicians at most dealerships informed aboout the technical aspects of this car? The car salesman didn't seem to know anything about technical issues. I asked him if there was anything I needed to know before driving and with 30 miles on the car he did not warn me about not using the VTEC (Buyers beware)

3) With the top down i was disappointed with the cabin space of the vehicle. My MR2 has a seemingly luxurious amount of room compared to the S2K. Since I have long winters around here I was wondering if the hard top provided a more roomy plush interior? {Love the silver s2k hardtop pictures in the snow!!}

Other than that it was overall a pleasureable experience. I'm also looking at a TT Roadster and a lexus IS300 (opposite end of the spectrum but this will be a more practical year rounder). The s2000 is msrp and I plan on getting the rear spoiler. I guess I'm looking for a little help with my decision and this seems to be the best place for some convincing feedback.

Well I guess that's all, I'm looking forward to hearing about the top and think my mind is already made. Top down driving to the beach in my silver/black. sorry about the longevity of this message.

 

I'm graduating in March and getting this thing in June. If at all you have some flexibility with your employer regarding your start date, I HIGHLY recommend some form of outside-the-US travel. You'll most likely never have this type of freedom in your life again. But that's just my thinking.

If I were you, if this S2000 was my daily driver and I lived in a place like MA, I would get the IS300 or the TT since it has Quattro. If not, then totally go for the S2000. I'm from Seattle and it rarely snows around here and if it does, it doesn't last long on the roads. I also have an SUV to drive around that my parents are letting me use. So the impracticality issue doesn't apply.

You're going to be bumming during those harsh MA winters when you got your car sitting in the garage that you've waited so long to get.

As to the technical questions, there are better people to answer that stuff.

Good luck!

 

Congratulations on the new S2K! You should get together with us at the Cape Code meet on 3/17 if possible.

Your roof latches should easily disengage. However, with the temps below freezing, unless you are in a heated garage, you might want to refrain from putting the top down. Plastic can be very brittle at low temps.

There are techs at many dealerships that are trained in the maintenance of our car. I recommend Bernardi Honda in Natick.

The cabin in the S2000 is small but functional. The word "luxurious" does not come to mind. This is a performance sportscar and does not include the extras you would expect to find in a TT or IS.

 

First of all, welcome to the forum.
To answer your questions:

1. Unlatching the top is a little tricky, but not a problem by any measure. You should unlatch the passenger side first. Then use you right hand to press down on the handle thingy (in the middle the 2 latches) and use your left hand to unlatch the driver side one.

2. I have not came across one Honda salesman who knows anything about S2K other than how much market-adjusted $ they added on to msrp. As for technicians, I believe only those who are S2K certified should do any complicated work on the car.

3. The hard top cost 3.5K...are you sure you want to buy one even if it did? Anyhow I have no experience w/ the hard top so I can't help you there. Sorry.

If you are going w/ the IS300, I would suggest to wait for the manual version probably due in August or so.
If you get the TT...Watch Out! My vanity plate is (squashed) BUGKLR and "you will know my name is Lord when I strike my vengence upon thee." - Samual L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

If you want to make friends here, keep a low profile on the TT thing.


[Edited by PsychoBen on 02-25-2001 at 10:51 AM]

 

Did I say TT?
Definitely didn't mean that!!
Thanks for the info.

 

Welcome! Though I'm pretty new here too....
Tons of information and nice guys here.

About unlatching the top,,, the trick is to sharply pull down on the handle located in the center while you are unlatching. I think most convertibles, especially manuals, are made this way to prevent the top from being blown off if someone accidently pulls down on the latches while driving.
Once, a friend of mine pulled down the latch in my elan while doing about 100mph because he thought it was a small (secret?) compartment

Also, I kinda like to small tight fitting interior. Gives me a feeling of security and my body and legs are well supported in a corner. Just hope that the trunk was a bit larger for my golf clubs and the dolly to fit in... ah... but what the heck. Love the car anyway.

 

Do you think there would be enough room to fit an acoustic guitar in the trunk. I can barely fit one in my MR2.

 

We too had an MR2 (91 Turbo) before we got our S2K. The MR2 definately had an edge in the usable space department, esp. in the interior storage area. I would guess that we lost about 1/2 our storage area going to the S2K. That said, there is no comparison in every other area. The handling is vastly better, the S2K is quicker and faster, and, after a short time driving the S2k, the shifter on the MR2 feels like SUCH a piece of crap. THe roof latches should work very easily in warmer weather. As others have pointed out, you should not put the top down in the cold anyway. PM me or post if you have specific comparison questions regarding these two cars. BTW, we kept the MR2 as our "winter beater" so we don't have to drive the S2K in the salt. Based on our experience with the S2K to date and our experience with the MR2 I would have no qualms about using the S2K year round (WITH GOOD SNOW TIRES) but we don't want any premature ageing so if there is any salt on the road the S2K stays in the garage. Hope this helps.

Larry

 

Thanks Laster,
Thanks for the comparison for the two cars, I was a little worried about winter driving but this forum has really helped. I will get new snow tires and I am planning on getting a hard top this year or the next. I figure i'll save the life of the soft top plus I can relieve myself of the blind spot in the winter. Do you think the trunk space in the s2K is reletively the same size as the MR2?

I can't get the PM to work it seems to add extra stuff in the password field when I login. It then fails due to a password error. Any suggestion to what I'm doing wrong?

 

Can't help with the PM problem. Maybe one of our moderators can help? The trunk in the S2K is close to the same volume as the MR2 but the irregular shape makes it hard to fit as much stuff. I think that if your guitar will fit the MR2 it will also fit the S2K. I can get relative measurements if that will help you. Let me know what you need to know. BTW, where in Mass are you? Curry Honda in Chicopee has a yellow and a silver in stock that they are asking list with no options. They might consider less??? I don't know but the yellow has been there for 5 or 6 weeks now.