1. I "feel" such a difference between my 04 (owned 4 yrs. since 9k miles on it, and now 52k miles on it), and my son's 04 that he bought last August with 77k miles on it, but didn't use it all winter, and it has under 79k miles on it. The last two owners have been on S2ki, and the car seems wonderful, but mine is so much "tighter."
2. He's over at the house doing "Uncle" duty to the visiting sister and her 2 kids from Nashville, so when I went out to put his top up, I took it for a little drive. Then took mine out since he is rarely over at the house and I'd have the leisure to compare them back to back.
3. I've always noticed a difference when accelerating hard, a faint "vibration???" being transferred from the drivetrain, or maybe it's just the difference between his stock size summer tires, a less expensive set, Sumitomo HTR Z III, and my Conti A/S DWS (which don't feel any different than the Michelin Pilot Sport Plus A/S (I think) that I had on), which are the slightly larger 225 and 255. I think tires can make that much of a difference??
4. It really bugs me, and I can't wait till he has to replace tires to see if that makes the difference.
5. The Vtec doesn't feel the same, and never has; his is more sedate.
6. I would strike it up to the extra 30k miles his has on the car, but I've heard of guys talking about their S being just as tight as when it was younger.

7. Just thought I'd process my thoughts, in case it is normal, or I should be on the lookout. I have driven a couple of other Ss with 90k miles on them, and I thought they didn't feel as solid either, but I can't remember the details b/c it's been a couple of years, and I can put my son's car through the paces more heartily also.
8. I will feel better when my son puts 15k miles on it, and there had been no clutch, drivetrain, shocks, or whatever problems develop.
9. I'm probably just being paranoid.

 

Hi Gary I've always wanted to drive someone else's Ap1 to compare to mine in terms of engine and suspension etc., but the only S2000 I've driven has been mine.

Every car may feel different based on how it was driven in the past. Wear increases exponentially with rpms, if the past owners pushed the car harder than you have pushed yours that may explain the difference. Tighter cars are usually ones that have been maintained better or not driven as hard from what I've seen. If his car has the original spark plugs that could make a difference if they are worn and out of spec. Maybe different motor oil and fuel differences ? , etc.

The vibration may be the rear axles starting to wear, it is usually noticeable under acceleration. It could be the tires too. Has the rear diff been serviced regularly with proper fluid ?.

 

1. The last 2 owners have been on this site, and both seemed to be stand up guys in the maintenance department, with the last owner doing things like the Modifry (sp?) straps other preventative things I can't remember.
2. the last owner had it for 3 yrs., and before that, only about a year, I talked to him a couple of times pm, and I had no fears of neglect at all.
3. The car got 30 mpg 3 times driving it back from Raleigh, NC, for whatever that signifies.
4. My son loves the car, and I haven't said a word about my concerns b/c it would not be helpful since there is nothing to repair at this point.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

It doesn't have to be neglect to cause a difference, but just the more you push a car the more it wears, and your car may not have been pushed as hard.

Spark plugs could still be due for a change at that mileage. My factory plugs were out of spec at 55k miles when I bought my car. That would make a difference in terms of engine performance.

Keep an eye on the vibration if it gets worse then the rear axle CV joints may need servicing.

 

Thanks!

 

it really is eye opening to drive someone else's car, especially if they are the same year.

always, always, always buy the best tires you can.

darcy

 

Alignment is VERY big thing with this car too as well as air psi in the tires.
To put this in perspective, I HATE my car when the alignment is off especially the Toe.
I finally bit the bullet and bought a "high end" air psi guage and when I left the store, before
even driving home I checked the psi and when i read what I did (40lbs in the front 36lbs rear) I could not believe
it, I dropped it to 34lbs and 32lbs(what I "thought" it should be anyways) and my car felt I got my money worth already
from the gauge

 

1. One of the first things I did after he got it out after winter, and I told him to check the psi, was to recheck it when he was over at the house a couple or 3 weeks later, and sure enough, some idiot at a place had told him to put more psi in since it was still cold out???
2. It was around 40 psi; I put all the tires back to 32 psi as per manual, and it was better.

 

1. For 20 yrs. I just put on my cars whatever Sams Club had that fit, no research at all (usually on my Corollas).
2. Now I comb Tire Rack so I'm smart , and have bought Michelins for both the Corollas and the S, and this last round I got Conti DWS for the S and my son's Scion tc, but I have read, and been told they have soft sidewalls, so I'm afraid to get another round of them, we'll see how the wear. All of these are A/S.

 

I recently got new tires and put a slightly different alignment on for autocross. In putting Ziis on and the alignment I have an entirely new car. I cannot believe how sensitive this car is to rubber and how it meets the surface of the road. A few psi makes a WORLD of difference!