I have to say when I bought my s2k I absolutely loved everything about it. From the moment I sat down to pushing the ignition to take off its a cool ride. I did buy it used 02 spa with 22,000 miles on it and now have 47,000 miles on it. I changed the oil every 3000 miles and checked the level weekly usually adding a half quart about 2500 miles into it, normal especially when using the mobile one synthetic. At about 39,000 miles it was skipping at idle check engine light came on so I took it to the dealership (not where i bought it i bought it used at a Cadillac dealership) and by the time I arrived it was no longer missing the engine code was an ingnition system malfuction or missfire. But since it wasn't occuring the only sure way to determine if it was garbage (partially clogged fuel injector) or bent valve was to remove the head and inspect the valves and at 1200 without needing repairs that diagnosis was a lilttle expensive and the service writter agreed. He suggested if it happens again to try and get to the dealership right away so a better diagnosis could be made. Off I went a little cautious at first but after a few months with no problems I was back to high-revin fun. Then out of the blue driving at around 45 miles an hour in fifth gear the motor let go, clack clack clack it said, I shut it off and pulled over. I had the car towed to a dealership and without even taking off the valve cover they said the motor dropped a valve and was trashed. 9,600 for a new motor or 6,200 for a remanufactured motor! I was floored didn't know what to say at first. I still owe 16,000 on a car with 47,000 miles and I am faced with a 9,200 dollar repair bill. I towed the car to the house and tried numerously to reach american honda motor company 1-800-993-1009 but after a week of continuous busy signals I have given up. I called three other dealerships and they basically said the same thing a dropped valve ment I had to replace the motor and the area superviser for honda was firm that absolutely no good faith repairs are to be made on the s2k cars. So my next move off to the nissan dealership to get the z I should have bought last year. As for the s2000 I attend car shows regularly and plan on turning my s2k into a lemonade stand. I figure at $1 per glass (thats about 60cents profit) I will have it paid off in about 26,660 glasses!

 

Sorry to hear that man... unfortunately i dont have any advice to help you out sorry... Its out of warranty huh? ****, i hope something works out in your favor.

 

whoever is charging you $9,200 for a new motor is crazy.

Buy a used motor online and swap it out yourself. You'll save yourself $6k.


If you're ready to give up on this, go ahead. Just remember that even if you buy a Z, if something goes wrong with it, and it can just as easily, it's not going to be any cheaper. You've got to pay to play.


good luck.

 

Yea, look online you can find a motor for cheaper, sorry to hear that man.

 

Yeah that repair bill is definitely rediculous. Keep an eye out for a deal, there is always someone selling something. A quick craigslist search came up with this for example:

http://www.craigslist.org/sby/pts/171248818.html

-Todd

 

hardtopguy.com

get ahold of someone

 

lol...if you think the S2000 is a headache, just wait until you own a 350Z...hahah, trust me, i have the heart of one in my FX35 (and have been in quite a few times for service) my brother had a G35, and let's just say it was sold 2 months after he bought it and he went back to BMW...and my friend Lexus, she bought a 2006 model about 4 months ago brand new, she's had tranny problems after only 2-3 weeks. It's no gem as far as reliability...and you rarely EVER hear about S2000's with engine problems, so i wouldnt count them out, of all my friends with S2000's, the only one that ever had mechanical problems was one that installed a turbo kit and was not getting it tuned properly for his setup so he kept running very lean.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hypnosisracing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...and you rarely EVER hear about S2000's with engine problems, so i wouldnt count them out, of all my friends with S2000's, the only one that ever had mechanical problems was one that installed a turbo kit and was not getting it tuned properly for his setup so he kept running very lean.</TD></TR></TABLE>
there are a few people on here talking about engine problems w/ thier s2k. i guy said he was cruising in his s2k at about 45 mph and "pop!!!" something happened with his motor. he said it happened to his friend too. can't remember the thread but it was on here last week. that's the only thing scaring me right now, but besides that thread. i've never heard of s2k's w/ engine problems.

 

^^^ Go to a 350Z or G35 board...lol, the problems with S2000 like this are few and far between...the nissans are much more problematic...i dont dislike them personally, i own the SUV based on their setup, but comparing reliability between the 350z/G35 and the S2000...lol, well...ive said my piece.

 

Aren't the Z's known as the Mustangs of Japan?

They're nice cars. Not for me, though. But I'm sure they'll gain Supra-like popularity after FF3.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by zdghost &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have to say when I bought my s2k I absolutely loved everything about it. From the moment I sat down to pushing the ignition to take off its a cool ride. I did buy it used 02 spa with 22,000 miles on it and now have 47,000 miles on it. I changed the oil every 3000 miles and checked the level weekly usually adding a half quart about 2500 miles into it, normal especially when using the mobile one synthetic. At about 39,000 miles it was skipping at idle check engine light came on so I took it to the dealership (not where i bought it i bought it used at a Cadillac dealership) and by the time I arrived it was no longer missing the engine code was an ingnition system malfuction or missfire. But since it wasn't occuring the only sure way to determine if it was garbage (partially clogged fuel injector) or bent valve was to remove the head and inspect the valves and at 1200 without needing repairs that diagnosis was a lilttle expensive and the service writter agreed. He suggested if it happens again to try and get to the dealership right away so a better diagnosis could be made. Off I went a little cautious at first but after a few months with no problems I was back to high-revin fun. Then out of the blue driving at around 45 miles an hour in fifth gear the motor let go, clack clack clack it said, I shut it off and pulled over. I had the car towed to a dealership and without even taking off the valve cover they said the motor dropped a valve and was trashed. 9,600 for a new motor or 6,200 for a remanufactured motor! I was floored didn't know what to say at first. I still owe 16,000 on a car with 47,000 miles and I am faced with a 9,200 dollar repair bill. I towed the car to the house and tried numerously to reach american honda motor company 1-800-993-1009 but after a week of continuous busy signals I have given up. I called three other dealerships and they basically said the same thing a dropped valve ment I had to replace the motor and the area superviser for honda was firm that absolutely no good faith repairs are to be made on the s2k cars. So my next move off to the nissan dealership to get the z I should have bought last year. As for the s2000 I attend car shows regularly and plan on turning my s2k into a lemonade stand. I figure at $1 per glass (thats about 60cents profit) I will have it paid off in about 26,660 glasses! </TD></TR></TABLE>

where are you located bro? If you are anywhere in the east coast i could tell you couple of shops which are wayyy cheaper.

 

I don't know why but I get real offended when people call Z's the Mustangs of Japan.

Is it necessary to make such comments? Gosh. -_-

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mikeiswaydope &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't know why but I get real offended when people call Z's the Mustangs of Japan.

Is it necessary to make such comments? Gosh. -_-</TD></TR></TABLE>

Is it necessary? Hm. Well, the first thought that you should have engraved in your head by now, after 8 months of membership, is to realize this is the internet. You might run into people who have different opinions and might perhaps hurt your feelings. And it's more than likely bound to happen on this site, especially with all the e-thugs we've got here *cough*hyposisprojektjerknishantbebetc*cough*

Second, to go along with #1, grow some thicker skin. If you get butt hurt by little comments about a car, I'd hate to see how you react when someone makes fun of you.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by h22boy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">there are a few people on here talking about engine problems w/ thier s2k. i guy said he was cruising in his s2k at about 45 mph and "pop!!!" something happened with his motor. he said it happened to his friend too. can't remember the thread but it was on here last week. that's the only thing scaring me right now, but besides that thread. i've never heard of s2k's w/ engine problems.</TD></TR></TABLE>

thats this thread...ADD

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't know why but I get real offended when people call Z's the Mustangs of Japan.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Truely though...sit back and think about it, what aspects does the mustang have that make it popular to the market that buys it?

- Lots of torquie power
- Aggresive exhaust note
- Classic name
- Big beefy stance
- Decent performance stock but ALOT of high horsepower potential

...look at the 350Z's aspects...

- Torquie Power
- Aggresive exhaust note
- Classic name
- Big beefy stance
- Decent performance stock but ALOT of high horsepower potential

...is it any real suprise why that observation has been made about the 350Z? Its almost the japanese cousin of the mustang once removed! lol...

 

http://www.hmotsonline.com
low milage f20c motor trannie and ecu for 4,000. s2k motors are not in high demand like b18c5's and k20's so they are fairly cheep
you can sell your trannie and your ecu and parts off the blow motor for over 1,000

if you have tools and know how to do motor swaps you can have you car running with in a weekend for less than 3k out of you pocket . i know i can

 

is the car under warrenty still? did honda actually tear down the motor and determine exactly what the cause is. because i can tell you honda is very quick on saying its a bent valve or something and to blame it on the owner than to actually figure out what the problem actually is. i would take it to a third party mechanic and see what they think as well.
i personally would first determine what the problem is exactly and then see if that can be fixed or rebuilt before buying a new motor. oh ya i had a friend here have his motor replaced with a another used one for around 3500 so it can be a loads cheaper than the 9k they are trying to steal from you

 

Try these guys. It's a honda salvage yard. I've done business with them on many occasions. They did a motor swap on my Prelude and did a pretty decent job. They will also ship.

Evan's Honda Specialist. (423) 623-8781

Good luck man!

 

dropping a valve is not an uncommon thing to have happen in a high revving motor. All you need is a little bit of valve float at around 9k and a little bit of piston to valve love and viola, you will soon be experienceing the nocking in your engine bay that you've been subconsiously anticipating while reving high and grinning from cheek to cheek.
sorry about the loss and don't give up. Just save up to buy a new heart and transplant it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by riceball777 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">http://www.hmotsonline.com
low milage f20c motor trannie and ecu for 4,000. s2k motors are not in high demand like b18c5's and k20's so they are fairly cheep
you can sell your trannie and your ecu and parts off the blow motor for over 1,000

if you have tools and know how to do motor swaps you can have you car running with in a weekend for less than 3k out of you pocket . i know i can </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

yes you are alot better off buying a used engine or full swap and swapping it yourself, i see s2 engines popping up for a grand here and there becaus there is no demand for them, so if you can do it yourself you could spend anywhere from 700-3000 dollars depending if you buy a whole swap from hmotors(fast and easy) or wait for a deal to come along, or hell even find somebody local to do the labor for 500 but either way dont go spending 62-9600 on a dam motor from honda if you still owe 17k on a car thats worth like 22 or so?

 

if im not mistaken there definitly was a recall for the head dealing with valves or misfiring in which the head had to be repaired inorder to prevent this exact problem. now i dont know what years this was on but i do know a friend of mine had his head replaced because of a bulletin and it was an ap1... i would look into that number one, and number two, you scare me lol, number three- theres definitly cheaper motors layin around, my suggestion? rebuild it... cause every time you see one, your gonna be jealous! no doubt about it. this sucks!

and as said before problems with s2k motors are few and far inbetween. in my oppinion its one of the absolute best motors ever... you just had a little bad luck`

 

I have to warn you with the Z, you will most likely be having similar problems. I currently have one and I'm looking to get rid of it for this reason. There are many problems with the car that have not been resolved since it's debut in 03. You might want to check out http://www.350z-tech.com and take a look at the repair/maintenance forum. You will find a lot of people complaining about all the little problems. This includes everything from replacing engines and transmissions in brand new cars to recalls and TSBs. Several 350zs have been bought back under the lemon law. Mine currently suffers from the oh so annoying rattling throw-out bearing, grease streaking window, clicking rear axle, and erratic idle for no reason.

The best part is that when you bring it into the dealer they say "yeah it's a sports car with a highly tuned engine, it may not idle perfect". Which is funny because my dads IS350 has more HP from the factory with the same size engine and is rock solid at idle. What's even better was when I pointed out the rattling throw-out bearing in the tranny and the guy simply said "I don't hear anything".

I could go on for hours about how bad the Nissan dealerships are, especially Mossy but I won't. Check out that forum before you get yourself into something even worse.

 

Just a quick look and I found a S2000 engine and trans for $4500 here.

http://www.enginelandinc.com/s...ey=81

You could probably use your trans and just buy the engine for less. No way it is as much as they are telling you.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TurboInteg95 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have to warn you with the Z, you will most likely be having similar problems. I currently have one and I'm looking to get rid of it for this reason. There are many problems with the car that have not been resolved since it's debut in 03. You might want to check out http://www.350z-tech.com and take a look at the repair/maintenance forum. You will find a lot of people complaining about all the little problems. This includes everything from replacing engines and transmissions in brand new cars to recalls and TSBs. Several 350zs have been bought back under the lemon law. Mine currently suffers from the oh so annoying rattling throw-out bearing, grease streaking window, clicking rear axle, and erratic idle for no reason.

The best part is that when you bring it into the dealer they say "yeah it's a sports car with a highly tuned engine, it may not idle perfect". Which is funny because my dads IS350 has more HP from the factory with the same size engine and is rock solid at idle. What's even better was when I pointed out the rattling throw-out bearing in the tranny and the guy simply said "I don't hear anything".

I could go on for hours about how bad the Nissan dealerships are, especially Mossy but I won't. Check out that forum before you get yourself into something even worse. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Dude, I would swear that you stood in my shoes during a couple of my Nissan visits with my Z and with my girls' Altima, because you said everything that was on my mind about my personal experiences w/ Nissan. I am a former Z (touring) owner. Love the Z overall, hate the little imperfections, and even moreso hate the service departments' lack of owning up to issues that come up.