Want to pickup a s2000 for track car

[Robert]

Any previous s2000 owners here care to chime in how well s2k will be suited for track/autocross. In terms of durability of the vehicle and fun factor?

[tpipta]

awesome had two of them in the past. one was charged and the other was just a prime example of an autox beast. unbeatable performance for the money.

[MediaArtist]

I see S2's all the time at Buttonwillow. They are great performers.

[bavarian19]

Although I have no experience with them, they do have a reputation of being track ready rather easily with a few mods.

[Robert]

thanks for the info guys. I guess I should start on my hunt

[JoosyJoos]

I'd check with your local track. A lot of tracks wont allow you to bring a convertible car depending on the event you are running. Road Atlanta is fairly picky about it. Just something to keep in mind.

[Red Bread]

For what it's worth, I found the pre 2003 cars to be more fun, the smaller 2.0l revved another 1k rpm, and the stock suspension had more oversteer in it. They upped displacement in 2003 (I think) and lowered the redline to 8k while adding a little torque at lower revs and they took some of the edginess out of the suspension, which makes it safer, but less enjoyable. They also added a glass rear window, but that shouldn't matter for a track car, since I assume you'd be fitting a hardtop.

[RENN Spec]

I had one, fun track car

[esqu1re]

Best manual transmission feel in the world.

[mdosu]

Originally Posted by bavarian19

Although I have no experience with them, they do have a reputation of being track ready rather easily with a few mods.

i disagree. I feel the S2000 has more items to prep for as it's more of a sports/street car than a track ready car. You have to at least buy a $2k? hardtop.

My suggestion is to go for an Evo/STi. You just need pads, fluids, tires, and you're good to go. Of course these cars cost more.

Plus if you really mod it heavily, the Evo/STi will give you more bang for the buck. The natural progression for more power in S2000 is boost, and that'll cost you a pretty penny to set up, a lot of the internals needs to be changed to do this and, what, to make 300 crank hp? Give me a car with already 300hp and a turbo and you can see how much more potential you have.


I see boosted S2000s around, and I shake my head. They did all that work and spent all that money to make 300whp, when in my old evo I just had to throw on a slightly bigger turbo, tune it, and I'm already blowing their doors off with a trunk full of cash left over.

[DougLikesBMW]

Originally Posted by JoosyJoos

I'd check with your local track. A lot of tracks wont allow you to bring a convertible car depending on the event you are running. Road Atlanta is fairly picky about it. Just something to keep in mind.

Can you get around that by having a roll cage + hardtop?

[RENN Spec]

Considering the OP is in socal, a lot of the local tracks around here is fine with the roll hoops that the s2 have. You won't need a ht either for the track. Top down or top up is fine. Also, s2 is much more capable than the evo around the track for the $.

[lyndon_h]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

For what it's worth, I found the pre 2003 cars to be more fun, the smaller 2.0l revved another 1k rpm, and the stock suspension had more oversteer in it. They upped displacement in 2003 (I think) and lowered the redline to 8k while adding a little torque at lower revs and they took some of the edginess out of the suspension, which makes it safer, but less enjoyable. They also added a glass rear window, but that shouldn't matter for a track car, since I assume you'd be fitting a hardtop.

The pre 2004 cars (considered to be the AP1 cars) had the 2.0 litter (this includes the 2003). The glass rear window was introduced in the 2003 model. The 2003 model also included a fix to the rare cylinder #3 issue. The AP2 cars were introduced in 2004 and had the 2.2 liter engine, but lower red line. If I were in the market for one, I'd get a 2003.

Good luck OP. They are such wonderful cars that will bring a smile to your face like nothing in their price range.

[Robert]

Was there more mechanical issues on AP1 than AP2? Evo/STi are good recommendations. I will look into them. Main objectives are cheap/reliable/fun track toy. Handling will rank above power right now as a beginner. I will even entertain idea of a Miata. I started with elise but from research on lotus forum they aren't as problem free as their simplistic design suggests.

[lyndon_h]

Originally Posted by Robert

Was there more mechanical issues on AP1 than AP2? Evo/STi are good recommendations. I will look into them. Main objectives are cheap/reliable/fun track toy. Handling will rank above power right now as a beginner. I will even entertain idea of a Miata. I started with elise but from research on lotus forum they aren't as problem free as their simplistic design suggests.

No, they were both very reliable. There was an issue with the #3 cyclinder on some 2000-2002 vehicles, but it was nowhere as widespread as the 335's HPFP issue. The car was/is very reliable, especially given how hard the lil engine works.

[Harlech]

Rev happy fun little cars, I drove an '03 back when I still had my FD3S as I was thinking of getting something newer but it just didn't seem like something that would be as fun as the RX-7 off the track. On the track I imagine it would be a blast!

[blue2fire]

Originally Posted by mdosu

i disagree. I feel the S2000 has more items to prep for as it's more of a sports/street car than a track ready car. You have to at least buy a $2k? hardtop.

My suggestion is to go for an Evo/STi. You just need pads, fluids, tires, and you're good to go. Of course these cars cost more.

Plus if you really mod it heavily, the Evo/STi will give you more bang for the buck. The natural progression for more power in S2000 is boost, and that'll cost you a pretty penny to set up, a lot of the internals needs to be changed to do this and, what, to make 300 crank hp? Give me a car with already 300hp and a turbo and you can see how much more potential you have.


I see boosted S2000s around, and I shake my head. They did all that work and spent all that money to make 300whp, when in my old evo I just had to throw on a slightly bigger turbo, tune it, and I'm already blowing their doors off with a trunk full of cash left over.

This is great reasoning.

Why stop there? Add another 10k to the budget and get a used Cayenne Turbo, 500 HP with no work on your part. The S2000 is not a decontented EVO, more like a mini Ferrari.

[wj4]

I see boosted S2000s around, and I shake my head. They did all that work and spent all that money to make 300whp, when in my old evo I just had to throw on a slightly bigger turbo, tune it, and I'm already blowing their doors off with a trunk full of cash left over.

You can also spend a grand to buy a CRX shell and mod it to rape your Evo with a hatch full of cash left over. The Evo is no doubt a great car, I owned one. But the S2k is also a great car. It has the smoothest gearbox on any car I've driven regardless of the price.

[SfValley335i]

My friend had a boosted S2k that he would track, that is until it rolled... but I remember him saying that s2k's had issues with the rear diff.

[DenverJayhawk]

Don't most legit closed course tracks require a roll cage for 'verts? Does a stock S2k have what is considered a track roll cage?

I've only seen one S at an auto X. Driver was horrible but it was a sweet car.

[BrokenVert]

^ verts are allowed with cages but some tracks have exemptions for s2ks for whatever reasons.

Regardless a cage can be had (or made) for under 1k easy

[b0bab0i]

RX7 FD3S