Ok, like the good H-T member that I am I tried to look up info on the new 2004 S2000 I got 961 returned results of useless junk after skimming through 6 pages and finding nothing useful I'll now post this:

What advantages does the 2004 S2K have over the previous ones?

I am getting one soon but until I can convince my father that the 2004 is better (other than exterior and the new 2.2 liter) I'm going to end up getting his friend's 2001 S2K with fender, hood, bumper (front and rear) damage and many scratches, not to mention 30k+ miles in which the car has been beat on to 9k redline nearly daily ever since it left the lot

 

Why the hell would you purchase a busted S2k?
If you have the opportunity, get a new 04 model. If not, take your time and find a low-mileage car that was well maintained. Try and find one owned by and adult..

 

lol, your father's "friend's" S2K? That would make me stay even further away..

 

haha, yeah the 01 was abuseda lot by my father's friend AND the guy's son, who made most of the exterior damages. It's either the 2004 or the busted up one, come on guys I need help!

But my question has not been answered
Are there any changes in suspension, etc aside from the exterior/wheels/2.2L engine?

 

either 2004 or be patient and find you a better conditioned one. There are so many in good shape out there...

 

who the hell cares if its beatup! its a free s2k! save your dad some money and go for the 01.

otherwise

get a job, earn some money, and buy yourself a 2004 s2k.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mrmakkk &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">who the hell cares if its beatup! its a free s2k! save your dad some money and go for the 01.

otherwise

get a job, earn some money, and buy yourself a 2004 s2k.</TD></TR></TABLE>

quoting for emphasis. besides, this doesn't account for any maintenance or tire usage that the car will need. I've got 5 bucks that says the used one doesn't have the right tires on it. it really depends how old you are and how much experience you have driving. I don't recommend this car as a first car, nor even a first sports car for most. it will kick you in the butt. so.. dings on an '01 or soon-to-be-dinged in your school parking lot (hs or college) '04 - it's up to you.

p.s. - you didn't search very well did you?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mr. Bagel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

quoting for emphasis. besides, this doesn't account for any maintenance or tire usage that the car will need. I've got 5 bucks that says the used one doesn't have the right tires on it. it really depends how old you are and how much experience you have driving. I don't recommend this car as a first car, nor even a first sports car for most. it will kick you in the butt. so.. dings on an '01 or soon-to-be-dinged in your school parking lot (hs or college) '04 - it's up to you.

p.s. - you didn't search very well did you?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, quit your bitching and take what ever your Dad wants to give you... Until you make the payments you have no leg to stand on.

I actually prefer the first gen. It's more of a sports car and less of an american-ized comodity. It's really all in the reving and suspension tuning.

On a separate but conected note, people talk about how the S is too twitchy and tail happy but I think that's due to their lack of experience. Get some new tires and a good alignment and you'll see that the S really is a perfectly neutral handling car. You can make it oversteer with throttle and you can make it understeer with quick steering inputs. I mainly auto-x my S and even though I use R compound tires with non-stock stager and run a Comptech adj FSB on the next to softest setting, I still wish it would understeer less. Next event I'll have to try the softest setting. Am I crazy? I don't know.

 

The only "major" advantages are what you've already said, motor/power and styling. I don't think there's anything you can say to convince your dad o get an '04 if those two things don't. Be content with w/ the '01. I doubt you're struggling to make ends meet so just be grateful for the '01, and save your money to fix the exterior later. Then save more money trade it in and get an '04. I wish someone would just give me a nicer car like ths S2000. Oh, well. My .02cents.

 

I agree, to be grateful that he has the chance to own a car like the S2k. But he said the guy's son beat the snot out of it. I wouldn't want an S2k that was beat on. I'd look elsewhere for a low mileage excellent condition one..

 

Actually, I've been driving for 3+ years now I've been accustomed driving mountain roads all my life as I have always lived near them. My dad's friend did let us "borrow" the car for a few weekends at a time, I got enough time to adjust to it and all. I'm currently driving a B18C1 swapped EG civic at the moment (had it for 1 year now) w/o PS and AC, Zeal B6 suspension and tons of other goodies...this is going to be a dedicated track car, the S2K is gonna be a daily driver, which would make daily driving much more bearable with AC and PS. I have to travel on mountain roads everyday, so I think the S2K would be just as fun around to drive as my civic. What are the differences in the 2004 and previous years?! I need to know! AHH! Dad doesn't really care about spending money and getting a new one but if I could convince him that the new one has such and such improvements over previous ones he'll go for it. But as far as he can see a face lift and 0.2 liters more isn't exactly a very good improvement.

 

Here you go: http://www.s2ki.com/user/content/view/full/253/ Try this. Should tell you about all the changes to the 04 model. It sounds like you can afford a new one..

 

01 will cost just as much as brand new one. Because replacing, and fixing all the old parts end up costing close to brand new. If that dosn't work get a job!!!

 

Kewl thanks! That's exactly what I needed! I'll let you guys in it when I get it ...one more S2K owner to join you all! And yeah I'm applying to jobs today I've finalyl settled down long enough after I moved...managed to balance out college and I found spare time for a job now..


Modified by THEINTEGRATION at 2:09 PM 3/16/2004

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by THEINTEGRATION &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Kewl thanks! That's exactly what I needed! I'll let you guys in it when I get it ...one more S2K owner to join you all!</TD></TR></TABLE>

You lucky focker...

 

I'll be joining the club soon too! :D

 

errr - drive all the years and see which one u like the best - they all seem to have very VERY noticeable differences. my pops doesnt like the 2004 over his 2002, so says some car magazines - 04 is some what "watered down" DRIVE THEM FOR URSELF

 

Watered down? What do you mean by that?

I've driven the my dad's friends' 2001 one, a 2002 that belonged to a friend and a 2003 one that belongs to another friend. The only noticable difference to me is the shiftknob and rear glass.

 

I'm guessing that since the 04 doesn't need to be revved to 9k, it is considered "watered down".. :shrugs: Unfortunately, I can't comment on driving experience, but as far as the improvements made and dyno #s I've seen for the 04, I'd go with it..

 

Go with the 04!

 

don't base a 30 grand decision on an internet forum.

Test drive them both and figure out what one you like the best

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by THEINTEGRATION &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">car, the S2K is gonna be a daily driver, which would make daily driving much more bearable with AC and PS. I have to travel on mountain roads everyday, so I think the S2K would be just as fun around to drive as my civic. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The S2k is not an ideal daily driver as you think. Two seater (must be able to fit in the seats also), smallest trunk ever, tires last a max. 10k miles depending on how you drive and also did your dad check how much your insurance is going to be. He'll be surprised!!

I just bought an 04 and love it. It's my first S2k so can not compare to previous years but the car is awesome. I've auto-x'ed it twice so far on the OEM tires and the car handle so much better than my old ITR with Mugen suspension. I cannot wait to get some R-tires and really see what the car is made of.

I do not think the 04 is "watered" down. It is just tuned differently to make it a better car and Honda made some great improvements with engine management where the 03' and earlier had a running rich ecu and what I've read is people buying electronic adjusters to lean the car out and bring in some more HP. Honda fixed this on the 04 with a re-tuned ecu.

I would never buy someone elses beater car even if it's an S2k. You'll just be stuck with the problems which there is not factory warranty to cover. Oh, that's a good selling point to your dad. The 04 has a warranty.

 

the o4 has some tranny changes as well in order to make it stronger....and i think the gearing is a little bit taller.....

 

id go with the new 04, only i would chnage the head lights so its got that older, bar looking amber corner

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ak-s2000 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The S2k is not an ideal daily driver as you think. Two seater (must be able to fit in the seats also), smallest trunk ever, tires last a max. 10k miles depending on how you drive and also did your dad check how much your insurance is going to be. He'll be surprised!!
</TD></TR></TABLE>

It's alright, I can make it bearable for daily driving
My civic has a stripped interior first of all (bare metal everywhere and only 2 seats), the only thing in the back are... lots of bars (trunk space is limited also)! I'm sitting in a Zeta III, not reclinable. I have Falken Azenis as tires right now, the only difference I can see between these 2 cars is that the S2K still has a full interior and a better sounding sound system, I'm not willing to tear the interior out ...just yet