I pick up my S this week, not sure what day, and the wait is absolutely killing me...
Friday (payday) at the latest, but probably Weds or thursday (waiting on stoopid checks to arrive).


Ordered a Valentine-1 radar detector today ...

I've never been so excited in my life ... my maturity has gone out the window!

Any advice?

 

Congratulations!

Are you buying new or used? If used, what year is the car? That makes a big difference in what advice I would offer.

 

Heh
Been there.

 

[QUOTE=CBeyond,Oct 25 2005, 03:46 PM] Congratulations!

Are you buying new or used?

 

The only thing that comes immediately to mind is to suggest that you get yourself very familiar with the shifter movement before you do any hasty downshifts.

One of the comments in the owner's manual goes something like this: "IF YOU RUN THIS SUCKER WAY PAST REDLINE AND IT BREAKS (WHICH IT MIGHT WELL DO), YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN". While the rev limiter will work when you are upshifting through the gears, it will not do anything if you exceed the redline on a misplaced downshift.

One of the things that makes the S2 such a pleasure to drive is the short throw of the shifter. In addition, the close coupled shift pattern makes both upshifts and downshifts a bunch of fun. However, there are plenty of references on this site to people thinking they are going from 6th to 5th only to end up in 3rd or 2nd instead of 4th (in the heat of battle). While it eventually becomes relatively intuitive to quickly "feel" that you have hit the wrong gear, some folks have released the clutch before getting that "feel" and (so the stories have gone), have seriously over-reved and hurt the engine.

My advice is to almost pretend that you are breaking it in for awhile and always be sure that you have hit the right gear when downshifting at spirited road/engine speed and you will be OK. The feel will come.

 

Check the tires and read this thread:

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=48572

If the car does not have OEM 16" wheels and OEM Bridgestone Potenza S02 tires, then check the size and condition of the replacement tires. Aftermarket rear tires should be 245/45/16, NOT 225. The thread above will explain why.

I'm not going to predict how it will harm the handling characteristics of the car if you have aftermarket 225s in the rear, because I've never experienced it. I will say it's not something I would want to risk, particularly with winter and wet weather approaching.

 

Fluid changes ASAP. Congrats on your purchase.

 

Mine came used from a Honda Dealership and it had brand new 225s in the rear. Let me tell you from experience, the back end like to get loose with those. Never crashed, but went sideways enough (sometimes on purpose).

Of course when I upgraded the wheels I put 265s in the rear and 225s up front and I love the traction I get now. I have to hit a right turn real hard to get even a little slippage, like 38mph. Havent pushed it hard enough to get sideways yet.

I didnt think about it (or know about it) but maybe you can convince the dealership to put 245s on if it has new 225s.


Also, find the secret compartment, its very handy and probably has the manual in it.

 

Thanks for the advice guys.

I bought it from private party, original owners... they had just replaced the front tires for the first time, and the back tires are original...

Female driver, obviously she didnt push it much.

I'm fairly familiar with the car already, test drove about 6 of em, I appreciate the advice about the back tires, I was gonna get standard replacement, but now may rethink that

 

Just oil right? Anything else?

She has all service records, and the oil was changed at Honda about 500 miles ago..