Review and photos by Chris Chase
Discuss this story in the forum at CarTalkCanada
Photo Gallery: Honda S2000, 2000-2007
You might have called it Honda's mid-life crisis: where some 50-year-olds go out and buy a sports car, Honda celebrated its 50th by building one.
A sporty Honda isn't tough to wrap your head around, but for a company whose most overtly sporty car to that point was a Civic with 160 horsepower, the S2000 was Honda's "and-now-for something-completely-different," with a screaming 9,000 rpm four-cylinder good for 240 horses.
At the time, the S2000's engine boasted the highest specific power per volume of any production motor. That is to say, it produced more power per litre of displacement than any other engine in a car available in a showroom. The motor was mated to a standard six-speed manual transmission (the only one available) and a Torsen limited slip differential.
2005 Honda S2000; photo by Paul Williams. Click image to enlarge
In 2004, Honda made some cosmetic and mechanical tweaks to the S2000. Most significantly, these included bumping the engine's displacement to 2.2 litres by way of a longer piston stroke; horsepower remained the same, but torque increased to 162 lb-ft at 6,200 from the previous peak of 153 lb-ft at 7,500 rpm. The longer stroke resulted in a lower redline of 8,000 rpm.
In addition to the larger motor, the transmission got shorter ratios for gears one through four and taller ratios for fifth and sixth.
In 2006, Honda added a drive-by-wire throttle and Vehicle Stability Assist.
For a full list of differences between 2000-2003 and 2004-2007 cars, check this thread.
Verdict
Highs: Tons of fun and strong reliability
Lows: Pricey for a single-purpose car
In typical Honda fashion, fuel consumption is decidedly palatable for a sports car, with EnerGuide ratings of 11.8 L/100 km (city) and 8.4 L/100 km (highway). Premium fuel is a requirement, though.
Reliability - another Honda strong point - has been solid, too. Consumer Reports notes a couple of trouble spots, though: transmission issues in 2000 and 2003 models (I suspect the car's low sales volume has affected statistics some), fuel system troubles in 2004 and a few assorted body and trim-related niggles here and there.
2005 Honda S2000; photo by Paul Williams. Click image to enlarge
Naturally, CR doesn't list specifics, but a browse of the forums at S2KI.com uncovered a list of DIY fixes, including how to remedy a sticky/rough/squeaky clutch pedal; and there's a fix for a "ringing" shifter.
Check this thread for a DIY fix for hesitation, and check this one for reasons why an S2000 might pull to one side under acceleration.
Here's a fix for water leaking into the trunk. If you do your own maintenance and fluid changes, be careful to put the right kind of lube in the S2000's differential.
Neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has crash tested the S2000. However, the European New Car Assessment Programme (EuroNCAP) crash tested one in 2002 and gave it four stars (out of five) for occupant protection.
2005 Honda S2000; photo by Paul Williams. Click image to enlarge
From a performance point of view, the S2000 is a heck of a lot more desirable than anything else Honda makes, hence its high resale values. A 2000 model that sold new for $48,000 (though you have to know that some early examples sold for more than MSRP) is still worth $19,300, while a 2007 is worth $37,600 against its $50,600 MSRP. German car lovers might argue otherwise, but it's not terribly surprising that a Honda designed to compete performance-wise with the Boxster and Z3/Z4 has held onto its value almost as well as those cars.
What's particularly impressive on Honda's part is that they've kept building the S2000 for this long; many companies would have relegated such a specialized, low-volume model to the sweet-memories pile after three or four years' worth. Honda hasn't said much about the S2000's fate after the 2008 model year, but there are rumours circulating that it will be replaced with another high-performance model, perhaps as early as 2009.
Pricing
Red Book Pricing (avg. retail) February 2008:
Year
Model
Price today
Price new
2007
S2000
$37,600
$50,600
2006
S2000
$33,025
$50,300
2005
S2000
$27,825
$49,800
2004
S2000
$23,875
$49,000
2003
S2000
$22,650
$48,600
2002
S2000
$20,525
$48,500
2001
S2000
$19,950
$48,000
2000
S2000
$19,350
$48,000
Online resources
The forums at S2KI.com were pretty helpful when researching this article, particularly the "Under the Hood" section. My next stop would be the S2000 Club of America; be aware you have to register before you can view the full list of discussion sections. After that, check out S2000.com, and for a Canadian (or, at least, Central Ontario) focus, try the Toronto Honda S2000 Club.
Transport Canada Recall Number: 2004188; Units affected: 6502000: Certain vehicles do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 108. The lens of the side marker lamp and side reflex reflector in the tail lamp assembly were manufactured with incorrect dye that is more susceptible to UV and high temperature decomposition. As a result, the red colour could fade over time. Correction: Dealers will replace all affected tail lamp assemblies.
Transport Canada Recall Number: 2000237; Units affected: 7502000: On certain vehicles, the seat belt retractor actuator can deform and cause unwanted, complete or infrequent, locking of the retractor. As a result, it may not be possible to pull the seat belt out of the retractor, rendering the belt unusable. Correction: Seat belt retractor will be repaired.
Transport Canada Recall Number: 2000046; Units affected: 3902000: On certain vehicles, the seat belts may not retract properly due to interference between the seat and the convertible top cover. This could cause excessive slack in the belts thereby reducing their effectiveness increasing the risk of injury to an occupant in a collision. Correction: The convertible top cover will be replaced with a new cover designed to prevent interference with the seat belt.
Used vehicle prices vary depending on factors such as general condition, odometer reading, usage history and options fitted. Always have a used vehicle checked by an experienced auto technician before you buy.
For information on recalls, see Transport Canada's web-site, www.tc.gc.ca, or the U.S. National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA)web-site, www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
For information on vehicle service bulletins issued by the manufacturer, visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
For information on consumer complaints about specific models, see www.lemonaidcars.com.
