Again I'm not sure how much of this is driver error vs the car's problem. I live in wisconsin and drive my car year round. My car shifts the same when I start it up in -10 F weather as it does in 70 F weather.

 

Wow, I haven't driven a 2005 911, but if it's anything like the previous models, THE TRANSMISSION SUCKS. 2x as long throws than the s2000 and has that plastic feel to it. NASTY

 

What the heck are you guys talking about? Grinding? Tempermental?

I guess my S2000 was built on a wednesday and yours on a friday.

My S is a 2000 with 83K miles and I have had ZERO problems with it.

No grinding of the tranny, no second gear problems, NOTHING!
Just your perfectly running, typical, 9000RPM 20 times a day Honda.

 

I have never had any problems with the transmission on my MY05 S2K, aside from the 10 seconds that it took to find reverse. Maybe it would have taken 20 seconds to discover that you have to push-down for reverse if I didn't have experience with VW bugs during the 1960s. Mine transmission seems to be as smooth as the S2Ks that have been reviewed in several automobile magazines, so I don't get the problem. Maybe the transmission in the pre-MY04 S2K felt different, although I test drove a few and thought they were great too. I guess that the bottom line is that different people should prefer different cars because of their varied needs, expectations, skills and personal taste. For me, I have found the transmission in my S2K to be crisp, quick, predictable and smooth, regardless of temperature.

As for the clutch, mine is great too. I don't expect to ever encounter "the slipping problem" that is blamed on the "clutch-delay" because I will never abuse my car like what others have described. I believe that the S2K "clutch problem" is more about abuse than a design defective. The S2K was not designed for drag-racing and an 8.2K speed-shift while holding full throttle is more about abuse than skill. Some S2K drivers should be glad that the Honda engineers anticipated that a few would exceed the engineering parameters of the drive-train and took steps that maintain performance, while protecting the drive-train from abuse.

Drive safely and enjoy your favorite car.

 

That's because you're engaging the clutch with insufficient RPM. This car doesn't have a lot of torque at low RPM to get it going. The rattling you are hearing is the engine being lugged along. It has nothing to do with the clutch.

Seeing as though just about every article you can read about the S2000 since it came out in 1999 praises its tranny, I think you're abit outnumbered and may just be missing something.

 

Funny, 911 owners have said the S2K gearbox is better. Do a search on "s2000" at 6speedonline.com and you'll see.

 

I think a lot of people are taking for granted what they have or have abused their own gearbox.

The 6MT in the S2000 is the finest gearbox I have had the pleasure to drive.

 

No matter what comparo you read in magazines the s2000 comes out on top... remember these guys drive everything that is out there so they probably know more than anyone on this forum. It's the best gearbox I have ever driven

 

The shifter/gearbox is my favorite part of this car.

 

There may also be a difference between the older transmissions and the current transmissions.

Buried in technical papers on Honda's site, one can find the following comment about the 2004 transmission:

"The use of carbon synchronizers for all forward gears helps reduce shift effort. Reverse gear uses single-cone brass synchronizer for smoother shifting and quieter operation."

This rather implies that they knew they were accepting less smooth and less quiet shifting when they used carbon for the synchros for the forward gears instead of the normal brass.

I believe they also reduced the number of synchro cones when they went to carbon, though I can't find the reference for that.