I had a ap2 cr edition before my evo. Amazing car!!! I've never felt a car that was so tight steering response and hugged the corners so nicely. I would like to have another someday and put a small turbo kit on it. Then it would be a great all around car with a lil more power

 

yepp cost me a lot of $ to swap from my old car to my new one.. worth every penny though. i know totally what you mean though. after tinkering with the evo for so long i lusted at the idea of a car that was light, naturally aspirated, not that powerful, and i could just run and run and not worry about something going wrong. s2k is a good choice

 

Like other that have posted, I owned 2004 AP2 S2K. Fantastic car! I kept the engine stock, lowered it on coil overs , and got a hardtop for it. Received a numerous amount of compliments on the car. Great engine (but like most Hondas, lack torque) and the best tranny I've ever dealt with. Nothing beats driving the car w/ the top down on a nice sunny day in SoCal.

I ended up selling the car because it sucks when it comes to space. I think the car is more of a weekend car. If you want to use it for trips, you better pack real light.

 

bump! Im possibly looking into buying a s2k as well. interested to get more opinions. Concerned about comfort due to one of the previous posts. It would not be a daily, but more of a weekend/roadtrip car. Im more interested in a turbo s2k. Are there certain years or options that are best to look for? what are the negatives? How reliable are they?

 

Theyre cool little great handling rwd drive roadsters but still no comparison to awd imo

 

I wouldn't go s2k route unless you plan on making it a beast. They hold power but are way too small. No torque, def no road trips. Everyone I know eventually gets tired of them and sell. You want something in that area, id go for a 350z.

 

I've driven an S2000 AP2. They're fun, but personally, I'd have difficulty using it as a DD. The steering is pretty sharp and go-kart like, the shifter is smooth and located in a really comfortable spot, but I just felt really cramped in the car, and I'm a pretty small guy.

I might sound crazy saying this, but I actually preferred the way the FR-S drove over the way the S2000 drove. But that's just me, as I've only driven each car once, though ironically through the exact same route.

 

For an every day car, I would consider the 370Z....

A bit more fun, they look good and more room than a s2k for room sake. i have been in a supercharged s2k and i was very impressed but as far as long trips, i dont think i can handle it...

i have been debating the setup on my current evo and i think i am just going to go with what i wanted in the first place and just do a 2.3 or 2.4 with stock evo 9 turbo and some basic bolt ons...

i enjoy the 4 door, i enjoy the trunk space and the handling of the evo. luckily my car is stock so i can be a bit more picky about what i am going to do.

good luck with your choice

 

I owned an AP2 S2000 right before my Evo. You're right that you're going to need to drive one for yourself but here are a couple stories.
My best time in the S2000 was when I took it to the Tail of the Dragon with some friends, and whipped down it. We ended up having the cops at the bottom tell us we were done for the day (rather than tickets) and had to take the Blue Ridge parkway back. Even though it was a lot of fun, spending the whole day in the car was way too much time in it. My wife liked it less, she hated the floor on the passenger side because it'd get hot and contoured weird and not comfortable after about an hour. If the top was up I’d back in to parking spots because of the blind spot the top up had backing out. It was also my daily driver and the trunk though big for the car is shaped strange. If I had to pick up a large pizza I'd have to take my wife's car if I wanted to keep it flat. I'm 6' and a solid 220lbs if one of my buddies went to the gym with me it was a tight fit. On the road you won’t have the dominance you do in the Evo if you want to pass someone and they don’t like that idea you’re stuck behind them unless you get a good jump on them. It’s not a fast car at all. Even the AP2 that has a little more torque is gutless below v-tec. It’s more of a momentum car. In my opinion get good brakes and sticky tires and call it a day. Some people I knew did some bolt-ons but unless you go forced induction your bang for the $ is pretty low, and some cases hurts torque you didn’t have in the first place. I did a lot of track days with it too. One of the reasons I bought the Evo is I was having a fun time at Carolina Motorsports Park until I came up to a SRT8 Wagon that waved me by on the straights and I couldn’t pass him because I was already floored. After a couple laps I just pulled in the pits to get some space. After the session the guy came up to me and asked why I didn’t pass at his wave and when I told him I was already floored we both had a laugh.
For me I’m glad I had the S2000 but I’d never want another one. When I’ve had enough of my Evo I might try a CTS-V or a Raptor and a shifter kart. Good luck and hope this helps.

 

I'm kinda looking into one as well when spring hits lol. I'm not sure yet but I think I'll make the jump over to the s2k after I sell my srt. I'd only be using it from spring to fall anyways.

 

If anyone is interested in a S2000 my buddy is selling a 2007 laguna blue with 20k miles. Get at me for information.

 

I actually sold my ap1 to get my current evo. Personally the only thing I can say badly about the s2000 is the lack of torque. I'm 6 ft 195 lbs so yes it is tight inside but it really isn't all that bad. As said before, the s2000 has one of the best gearboxes I have ever used and thats one thing I do miss. I had done a few things to mine like hardtop, coilovers, 255 square setup, full exhaust, and so on. The car was a blast auto crossing but I can honestly say I enjoy the evo much more.

Heres a picture right before I sold it:

 

That car looks great man! Im just getting to the point of wanting something I can take anywhere. I dont like to drive my built evo long distances. I enjoy it when I can, but like if my wife and I wanna take a trip up north or south, I would love to have something fun to take.

 

Are you also an NBA player?

It's OK, the fuel tank is small enough that you can only go 2 hours anyway.

I can't think of a better weekend toy, to be honest. Turbo or not. Probably better without if you want it to be reliable.

The FR-S is a good platform and a good car. Not sure why you'd think that would be crazy.

I assume you mean the Cherohala Skyway? BRP is a bit of a hike from the tail.


Short rundown... I'm 6'1" 230ish and I've been DDing an S2000 for 7+ years and regularly driving for 5 years before that. My car has 155k miles on it, and other than replacing the engine at 105k (due to a slight design flaw and some self inflicted negligence), it's been relatively good. The newer (AP2) cars are better. Like the Evo, if you neglect it, you'll have to fix it more. I've spent as much as 16 hours in the car in one stretch (**** Texas, that place is huge), comfortably. It's not a big car (the pizza thing is funny but true), but it has a cockpit feel that the Evo woefully lacks. Everything is close at hand and generally in the right spot. The passenger seat/foot area does suck for tall passengers (probably 5'10" +).

It is firm and bounces you around a bit (short wheelbase), but coming from an 8/9 it's a wash. Stock X is more comfortable, but not massively.

I don't really get the "momentum" thing. The S2000 is faster than probably 98% of what's on the road. Yeah, you'll need to shift, but the transmission is among the best you'll ever use. I've never been stuck because of a lack of power. It's certainly not going to blow your mind, but it's plenty fast (at least up to 120).

Driving top up kinda sucks. It's a terrible coupe. Blind spot is huge, the rear window is tiny, and you're fairly low. I try to avoid putting the top up unless it's pouring or below freezing . The hardtop has the same issues, but without the benefit of easily getting rid of it.

Modding? Ugh... stop. Just stop. You're going from one of the best modding platforms, ever, to one of the worst. Other than basic cosmetic stuff (coilovers, wheels, hard top), the price/benefit ratio is terrible, and you'll end up with a generally unreliable car. If you want a project, by all means, but you might as well just do an LS swap.... and have a car that actually runs.

If you're in a situation to have 2 cars, the Evo + S2000 combo is great. They're basically the polar opposites of the sports car realm and each does certain things really well. The S2000 does not do the pedestrian things well. Grocery shopping usually involves filling the trunk and the passenger footwell. CostCo trips with a passenger trip are out. And airplane roller/overhead bag will (sorta) fit, anything bigger and you're SOL. If you want a convertible and are in a 1 car solution, the S2000 really isn't ideal.

The FRS/BRZ cars are worth cross shopping, as are newer Miatas. I've never been a fan of the 350/370 (because ugly), and especially not the convertible (because ugly and goofy), but if you like the looks they're a more liveable car. If your budget supports it, post 2005 Boxsters are great cars and generally better than the S2000. And of course there's various BMW, Audi, or MB solutions that are maybe less sports car but more liveable.

 

nope, only 6'5" 220lbs but I have long legs. I was pumped about getting one too because that was around the time people were first starting to push the stock motor with a turbo and run 10's.