When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I currently have an 03 and an 05. I swap back and forth from week to week in my commute to work. The 05 is hands down more refined and user friendly on the daily drive. Somehow Honda made the car more comfortable in everyday traffic without sacrificing handling. I actually think the 05 handles a bit better to tell the truth. The power difference between the two is not really worth mentioning, I seriously can't tell a difference in the 8k redline compared to the 9K, both cars are screamers! The only reason I have both is because I think this is the coolest car I've owned in a long time, and I can't see myself driving anything else right now. I think the S2K, either AP1 or AP2 is just as much fun to drive as the NSX. And those are hard shoes to fill! just my .02
Originally Posted by TSuzukaB,Mar 6 2005, 06:37 PM
I currently have an 03 and an 05. I swap back and forth from week to week in my commute to work. The 05 is hands down more refined and user friendly on the daily drive. Somehow Honda made the car more comfortable in everyday traffic without sacrificing handling. I actually think the 05 handles a bit better to tell the truth. The power difference between the two is not really worth mentioning, I seriously can't tell a difference in the 8k redline compared to the 9K, both cars are screamers! The only reason I have both is because I think this is the coolest car I've owned in a long time, and I can't see myself driving anything else right now. I think the S2K, either AP1 or AP2 is just as much fun to drive as the NSX. And those are hard shoes to fill! just my .02
Thanks for posting that. It's nice to hear the opinions of those who have significant experience with BOTH models!
Having said that, I can't help but wonder how much of your impression of the '05's ride and handling qualities have to do with the fact that it's simply a newer car? Of course, Honda did make suspension tweeks in the MY04's that can account for a lot of what you're saying but my general impression from what I've read on this forum is that the day to day qualities aren't that different. Pushed to the extremes, the '04/'05's are supposedly a little more forgiving. How many miles do you have on the '03?
After driving my friends MY04, I can say the only noticeable difference was that the vtec transition was very much less pronounced in the MY04. In addition, the vtec stage was VERY short compared to the amount of time spent in vtec in my MY03.
As that is the only noticeable difference, I would rather keep the MY03 for the more PRONOUNCED vtec transition (more fun factor) and longer vtec engagement time before having to shift (longer fun factor).
Conclusion: In the MY04, after vtec engaged, I had to shift immediately, felt like I got ripped off.
Originally Posted by Intrepid175,Mar 6 2005, 09:42 PM
Thanks for posting that. It's nice to hear the opinions of those who have significant experience with BOTH models!
Having said that, I can't help but wonder how much of your impression of the '05's ride and handling qualities have to do with the fact that it's simply a newer car? Of course, Honda did make suspension tweeks in the MY04's that can account for a lot of what you're saying but my general impression from what I've read on this forum is that the day to day qualities aren't that different. Pushed to the extremes, the '04/'05's are supposedly a little more forgiving. How many miles do you have on the '03?
Just wondering!
Drive Safe,
Steve R.
I just think the 05 is much more comfortable than the 03. Both handle extremely well, it's just that the 05 is more refined and comfortable. I think the 03 is more raw and more of what Honda intended for the car to be. The new S2K's I believe were built to appeal to a broader customer base. BTW....22,000 miles on the 03....704 miles on the 05.
When I read these posts I always count my blessings, having the best of both worlds.
We get all the looks and suspension tweeks etc. of the 04, but the 2L F20C engine (European specs, but left hand drive!) - could you realy ask for more!
it is quite obvious. the suspension tweaks are for the better. the transmission tweaks are for the better.
and it is also obvious that the 2.2L is to appease the American market, whereas the 2.0L is STILL the engine of choice around the world.
the damn car magazines kept bitching about the torque, so honda listened...now its like...wtf, don't listen to the magazines.
because if the 2.2L were TRULY, unequivocally, undisputedly an IMPROVED engine...then the WHOLE world would have the 2.2L. BUT only america has it and the rest of the world still gets the 2.0L. For buyers like myself, I had to rush out and find an 03 before they were all sold out and replaced with 04's.
Originally Posted by jyeung528,Mar 8 2005, 01:18 PM
it is quite obvious. the suspension tweaks are for the better. the transmission tweaks are for the better.
and it is also obvious that the 2.2L is to appease the American market, whereas the 2.0L is STILL the engine of choice around the world.
the damn car magazines kept bitching about the torque, so honda listened...now its like...wtf, don't listen to the magazines.
because if the 2.2L were TRULY, unequivocally, undisputedly an IMPROVED engine...then the WHOLE world would have the 2.2L. BUT only america has it and the rest of the world still gets the 2.0L. For buyers like myself, I had to rush out and find an 03 before they were all sold out and replaced with 04's.
1. the suspension and transmission tweaks are for the better.
2. That the 2.2 is there to appease the American market? Please don't count all of us in that category!
3. Do auto manufacturers really listen that much to what magazines have to say? It's frightening to think that some moto "journalist" speaks for the majority of any of us!
4. The 2.2 has it's strengths. About the only "real" deficit it has when compared to the 2.0 is a lower redline so the time spent in VTEC is shorter. Max power is the same and power below VTEC, which is where all but the most radical drivers spend the "vast" majority of their time, IS better!
To say that "if the 2.2 were really better, the rest of the world would have it" is a fallacy. It's been demonstrated in a number of posts on this forum that there are reasons involving local regulations in some countries that make it less desirable to run larger engines. I don't personally understand these but they apparently exist.
As for myself, I wanted a "new" S2000. It was June of 2004 when I finally got to the point where I was financially ready to buy. I looked around quite a bit and found a number of left over 2003's. Almost all of them had been sitting on the lot for over a year and almost all of them had between 100 and 200 miles of demo driving on the clock. Some had more than that! I was NOT going to choose one of them, especially since the dealer involved were still pretty hard nosed about pricing. I'm sure that's why those cars sat on the lot for so long.
I definitely wouldn't have minded getting an '03 with it's 9k redline but I am also in no way disappointed in my '04!
Since I've already had that experience with the first, I am no longer concerned with the novelty part of obtaining an S. I'm really looking forward to getting a clean used one with a decent extended warranty and a nice broken-in F20C. The first time around, no way I would've went used. Never in a million years...
I keep hoping they'll offer a N.American F20C option before production wraps. I am not fan of the new front bumper or the tail lamps, but I would love to experience the new tranny and it's more efficent power delivery....
the suspension and transmission tweaks are for the better.
the American market? Please don't count all of us in that category!
I was NOT going to choose one of them, especially since the dealer involved were still pretty hard nosed about pricing. I'm sure that's why those cars sat on the lot for so long.