Alright, I need you guys/girls to put my mind at ease.

I have been lurking around these boards for the last 2 months trying to find out as much as I can on the Stook before I purchase. My focus lately has been on potential problems the S could have down the road and this focus has created a paranoia about never ending maintenance and diff. replacements. I know this isn't warranted, but it's so easy to find someone with a problem on this board seeking a solution that's all I can think about right now. I love working on cars so some maintenance is great, but am I worrying about stuff I shouldn't be worrying about? I'm looking at an MY05 Silverstone by the way. I hope this post makes sense. I might go pick it up today if you can set me straight. Thanks.

 

I have a 2002 S2000 with no major problems thus far (knock on wood). My only issue was a spindle nut replacement.

I believe that if you take care of your S2000 and properly maintain it, it will take care of you.

Also keep in mind, you will be purchasing a new 2005 thats under warranty so you have 3 years or 36K miles of worry free driving. If you are still worried, then purchase the HondaCare extended warranty.

Finally problems on these type of auto enthusiast forums tend to be exaggerated. Go to any M3 or 350Z or whatever, and you will end up thinking its the worse car in the world. While shit happens, many of these incidents are caused by abuse or lack of maintenance.

PS - Please don't refer to the S2000 as the "stook".

 

I did the same thing before I purchased my S2k. I learned a lot from the boards, but found myself keying on the problems and issues to a point they become exaggerated over everything else. The same as the television news reports only bad news. I bought the car anyway, and it has been fantastic. Problems are, I think, a rarity. I would have no other car.

good luck..

 

It's true, if you look on forums there are a lot of people that'll only post when they have a problem. Think about it this way:

-It's a Honda
-I'll have a warranty
-It's a 2005, not a 2000, so they've sorted the major mechanical stuff out

Take a test drive, put the top down and stop worrying about it!

 

Well, let me just put it this way. My S is back in the shop right now because the Honda dealer put the wrong fluid in my diff a year ago when they replaced it. And I'm not running to the lot for a different car. This is no Camry when you talk about maintenance, but when things are done correctly and you are careful, the problems are minimal. And honestly, the joy of driving an S SOOOOOOOO outweighs any issues you might encounter, especially buying new.

 

I've owned a number of sporting type cars in the last 30 years, from Porsches, Lotus, and a Camaro Z28... My Honda is the most reliable of the bunch so far. To give you an ex. I have to replace the engine in my Z (95 w/110k miles) which is really annoying me (Car is stock w/no racing).

If you think the S2000 is bad, go on a couple of other sites, esp. the RX-8. You'll find they have ALOT more problems than we do, AND their mileage sucks.. Or check out the 350Z site. Their cars destroy front tires due to a design issue...

I was considering an RX-8, Infiniti G35 coupe, EVO, and WRX. Ended up buying an S2000. Very happy with this decision.

Of all the comments on our cars, I'd boil them down to a few major topics:
--Weak 1-2 synchro (2000-2001 models only?!).
--#4 cylinder scoring. (Again 2000-2001 models only).
--MECHANICALLY OVER REVVED engines. This is the major one. This gear shifter is very close and it's VERY EASY to miss a shift (trying to go from 5-4, but catching second instead). If this happens and the engine is mechanically spun past 9,000 RPM, you will damage the top end.
--Diff/Tranny damage due to turbo or supercharging an engine, then doing high RPM starts while "dumping" the clutch.

So, if you buy this car, learn to shift it correctly, do NOT do alot of high rpm starts and maintain per the book. It should last forever..

 

Sweet, thanks for the replies. I know all this stuff, my focus just needed adjustment. The dealership gave me a 24hr test drive last week and that was the most fun I have ever had driving. I'll probably pick it up this afternoon. Sorry about refering to the S as a "stook", I'm really tired today! Looking forward to joining the community.

 

How many people with perfectly good running S2000s would take the time to post up a NON-problem?

OH WAIT! When asked, they do:
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19490

 

I heard the Alfa Romeo spyder is a lot more reliable than the s2000........

ha ha I'm just kidding with ya. I just picked up an 05 berlina myself.....dont worry about it....you are still looking at a very reliable car....if you go to any car board and start spending time there you will realize every car has its problems....but trust me you can't go wrong with an s2000. There are much worse cars out there in terms of reliability that you could buy.

 

What you need to keep in mind about any car forum is this. All you're going to really read are problems and issues. Very few people post and say "well, drove my S2000 problem-free today".