hey guys hows it going? my names arman, just wanted to say a quick hello.. my current car is a 06 stage 2 sti basic bolt ons makes about 320whp and 350tq. i bough her all stock with 37k miles and only has 48k miles today.. Anyway its my 3rd subaru and I've only had the sti about a year but i might be looking for something a little different. I test drove a ap1 s2000 a few weeks ago for a buddy and the vtec,9k redline and top down all in a go-kart type car was an awesome experience, really got to open it up and on the back roads was a blast. but id buy a 06+ for easier financing and the small boost in power. I just wanted to learn and ask a few questions about them real fast, and lmk what you guys think thanks...

i know the ap1 99-2003? i think has the 9k redline with the f20 motor and also weaker clutch or diff than the ap2?

i was looking into an 06+ with under 45k miles, what would be some things to look out for besides basic mods?

how do you guys like the power? and everyday drivability? its gonna be my only car but i never have anyone besides me and a friend usually.

I know honda has amazing reliability but do the ap2 s2k's experience any issues? i know the diff blows out or the clutch but i think thats about it

i would just appreciate some general feedback about the car and things i should know or look out for when possibly coming to buy one thanks guys!!


Some pics of my sti btw! lmk what you think k

 

good looking sti you have there. i had a wrx before i bought my second s2k and i wouldnt go back. the torque was nice but something about a high revving motor gets my adrenaline going.

as rosario mentioned, these motors dont just die on their own, it is usually the fault of the owner. these motors are pretty damn stout from the factory and they can pump out more power than an sti on a stock block.

the soft top is known to rip but if you patch up the key areas where they tend to rip, they should last a long time.

before you settle on an ap2, you should go test drive one, it is much more civil than the ap1.

 

Don't dump the clutch or try to do burnouts. The AP2 flex plate won't put enough pressure on the clutch/flywheel and you'll just smoke your clutch.

 

Or you could be a complete wild child and get an AP1...

 

Sounds like you're replacing the STi with an S2000, not keeping both. You will miss the STi for it's practicality, modability, AWD, torque... unless you're not bothered by those whatsoever.

Practicality: you're missing two doors, a usable back seat, tilt-steering, and a decent sized trunk.
Modability: swap the VF39 for a 20G + E85 + 1000cc DW injectors and you'll be at 400WHP easily. The S will be much much more costly to reach these power levels, and parts are not cheap.
AWD: the S, while fun being RWD, will be a white-knuckled mess compared to the AWD in the Subaru in the snow. Again, not sure if you're in area where you have snow.
Torque: the S2000's gears are pretty short, and the 2.2L moved the torque curve more to the right, so the S isn't bad at all in DD'ing. However, it will never compare to a fully spooled VF39@3500rpm.

All of the above mattered to me, so I kept my Subaru.

Good luck!

S

 

^

When you get into modded vs. modded it's just as easy to point out that the F20/F22 motor will be able to hold more power than the stock STi block can, and so it depends entirely on what power level you are happy with.

AWD is nice, but it's also numbing. I loved having it when I did with my 3000GT, but now that I've owned my S2000 I don't miss the AWD one bit. The S2000 is far and away more fun than the other cars I've owned/driven. The only other cars I've enjoyed as much so far are an Elise I rented in Vegas (still preferred the S2000 just because it has a real interior) and a Tesla (ok, the Tesla was way more fun...that 0-60 is just ridiculous).

 

search function is pretty cool. all the info you asked for has been posted again and again.

 

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/775...-a-used-s2000/