Hey, I have been reading s2ki for awhile, but I finally signed up today. Well, I am a resident of Vancouver, and I have always been interested in S2000's. Though I have a question. How do you all cope with an S2000 here? I have read at many different parts of the forum that the S02's are terrible in the rain, and the car in general does not fair too well in the rain. Since Vancouver is such a rainy place... do you guys regret getting an S2000? Seeing the conditions of BC and all?

 

The S-02s are perfectly fine. The people who are complaining just weren't familiar with how a lightweight RWD car behaves. Besides, many of the spun out at over 90mph on wet on-ramps, who can they blame?

The car still handles great and responds to every command in the rain, but of course it's best to drive slow under wet conditions.

And driving the S2000 in the rain sounds like you're on a boat.

 

Don't listen to them yank (j/k)

It's a safe car if driven in a safe manner. Folks out in Calgary and Toronto can live with it, we should be able to

The only time I regret buying the car is when I don't drive it.

 

So even though with no traction control, you guys are fine and feel safe with driving the S2000 in the rain?

 

It doesn't have a whole lot of torque so there's not much to worry about. You really have to stomp on the gas to get it to spin. Like I said it's a safe car if driven in a safe manner. Any car can be unsafe if not handle with care. You can easily spin a Civic in the rain if you're reckless.

 

Totally agreed with u man. Someone can spin around/hit a lite pole/fall into a ditch in any under-powered car if u drive like that.

S2000 is a very fun car to drive indeed without all those fancy electronics stuff to help. Got a ride in a s2000 last year when I went autocross. Man I wish I have one of those......

 

yeah, it's not a problem at all if u drive normally on street.

even if u drive at the limit on wet, just control the throttle smoothly, it's very fun, and still able to go quite fast.

 

Yesterday I drove home from Whistler on cording-bald S02's in the rain. No problems, not even close to sliding off the road.

 

It's the ultra small water channel on special for S2K S02 that makes driving in the rain an adventure. When there is water puddle on the road watch out.

 

We get rain in UK you know

The questions you ask in Van are the same in Britain (and quite frankly, because you are asking the question, you are already going to be a safer driver IMO)

In UK, the SO2 are renowned for being great dry tyres, but "dodgy" in the wet. We did some polls and there was a preference of about 45%-45% between SO2 and Goodyear Eagle F1 (my favorite as the wet handling was amazing and the dry seemed to be little different to the SO2)

The S requires more thought than a FWD or AWD (which are both more forgiving on wet bends), but I really enjoyed my driving more. The only "iffy" bits were on ice (temps in UK of 0 to -10*C). If you remember that the car is a powerful RWD and understand that flooring it on a bend in the wet is not a good idea, you will be fine.

Here is a fine quote from Car and Driver regarding concerns about the handling on an S2000,

"certain owners had discovered inappropriate vehicle rotation at the point of disappearing talent"

I rest my case, your honour ...