simple logic tells me that if the rear outgrips the front by far, you'll get understeer (or less oversteer, at least). this is part of the logic behind using a staggered setup to reduce the tail-happy tendencies of a car.

i only read the opening post, have you had an alignment done?

i'm getting a lot of understeer at the moment, i put it down to too much toe in at the rear, having a thicker than stock front swaybar, and perhaps having newer rear tyres than fronts -the fronts just can't hang on.

 

Sigh all this talk of running low tire pressure on purpose is moronic. OP: fix your allignment, then if you still don't like the way the car feels, start changing suspension parts.

 

I don't think it's something to do with alignment cause it handles just fine on the original 16" wheels.
I will do a more aggressive alignment soon with more negative camber, but there must be something wrong with the other tires (the 17" ones i was using) because it was understeering with them.
When I get my rim back from the sprayer, I will put the front 17" wheels on the back and do a proper burnout to them, maybe they'll be better after a good heat cycle.
Don't want to replace them for now cause they have plenty of thread left, aren't too old, and I don't have the money!

 

The previous owner running 15psi mustve damaged the tires on your 17 inch rims. If the car is running fine on the 16's, but has problems on the 17's and you didnt change the alignment when you put on the 16s then it has to be the tires. If you dont want to replace them now then just keep the 16s on til you have the money to buy new tires for the 17s. Having the car perform better is more important than having it look better imo. But in the end its your car, so do what you want.

 

ye i was thinking somewhere along those lines ... but i will try to "re-face" the front 17" ones with a good burnout to see if it makes a difference.
The difference is really incredible, especially when considering that this is the same make and model of tire!

will post updates when i have them.. thanks all

 

UPDATE -

when i got the rims back from the sprayer, i put the front VOLKs in the REAR, and kept the 16" OEMs in the front. i then got very friendly with a nearby parking lot every night for a week or so lol.
there was like a mini-roundabout and i practised donuts and drifting, at the expense of the 215/45/17 "front" tires.

When they were visibly wearing down (specially the sides), I put them back on the front, and the 245/40/17 (volks) at the back. the car immediately felt much better. most understeer was gone.

now after another alignment (no. 3!!), this time on a state of the art HUNTER machine (with the UK settings), the car handles PERFECT!
I am not (for the first time) experiencing the JOYS of lift-off oversteer and trail braking; the high-speed turn-in is EPIC!! incredible

oh and i played around with tire pressures a lot.
i also am noticing that its best to keep low-ish pressures on local (shiny!) roads. I am now running 28R and 26F. or 26 all round if i'm gonna drive reeally fast. anything over 28 in the back will result in the rear end being VERY nervous. LOADS of oversteer. but then again the roads are hot, slippery and shiny so wuddya expect!

 

Put your tires PSI at per manual indicates. If your understeer is hard it could be that the link of your rear swaybar is off or damage. If you don't know what it is, look in the internet for pictures. Then look under your car from the back and inspect where the bar connects to your car at each side.

 

Also depending on how much you drive track or w/e I had mine at all factory specs and when I was done with a run the rear were at 38 PSI and the front 37.

 

with higher pressures, both understeer and oversteer are increased equally. believe me i have tried it, and i have also asked every other s2000 owner i know. everyone here uses lower tire pressures than the owners manual recommends.
even when local races are organised (in the streets), drivers tend to use low tires pressures to compensate for the lack of grip from the tarmac.
its very strange to understand, in my opinion.
i know someone with a mitsubishi evo.. he said that on local roads it handles much much better on normal road tires than on r888 semi slicks. on a track, different story!

 

Old, overly heat-cycled summer tires harden up and go to shit big time. Order a set of freshies (may I suggest Direzza Star Specs), air them to 32psi, and I assure you that you'll have no complaints about how sticky the car is around those roundabouts. These cars when set up correctly are ridiculously capable, though you do need to learn how to trail brake, left foot brake, and keep your foot in it & countersteer (in no particular order and certainly not all at the same time) to get the most out of 'em. The big, empty parking lot is your friend. PRactice.

And get those tires up to 28psi at least. You only have to roll one off, dig the rim into the pavement and roll the car once to learn that lesson.