first impression (suprised to find ...)

leanright · 01-19-2007, 01:23 PM

I've owned Honda's since I was 8 (80cc); many cars and motorcycles (CBRs).
This 2004 S2000 is to replace one-such motorcycle, BUT
I have a few observations ...

1) This car is brutal at 70mph+ (BRUTAL

) - 4000 rpm for 7 hours on the drive home? How about a 7th gear just for cruising on the '08 (or an overdrive button in 6th gear if you're just cruising)?

2) Also, at 33,000 mi., is my clutch the only one that does a little crunching? My '03 Accord is much smother on the transition between gears even when it's pushed. Any estimation on when the clutch needs replacing on these? - it was driven by a 37 year old woman for the three years prior to my ownership (I can't believe she beat on it - it's pristine in every other respect).

3) What a driving machine this car is! I can't believe there's anything else out there (for even 2x the price) that preforms like this car.

4) I like blue, but is it a girls color? I'm a guy and feeling a little insecure about my choice of color after receiving a few comments. Either way I'm keeping it, I just hope it's not like seeing a guy in a convertible VW rabbit!

Java Junky · 01-19-2007, 01:46 PM

Ahhh-h-h-h LR, you're obviously jus' not gettin' out n' drivin' it enough. Sittin' in the livin' room thinkin' 'bout Stewie while it's rainin' r' snowin' outside'll have you analyzin' n' second guessin' yourself (is blue a "girl's color"? If the only way for it to drive like it does was that it they hadda stripe it in pink n' lime green, put a stogie in it's mouth n' a yellow derby on it, I'd take it).
N', not for nothin' . . if the guy in the raggtopp Rabbit's enjoyin' himself . . who cares? You spent the denaro. Ain't nobody but you should be enjoyin' himself, y'know?
(Oh, disclaimer time: while most of us would take a pink n' green striped Stewie that had a cigar in it's teeth n' a lemon yellow derby on it's head . . it's gonna make it kind'a tough convincin' the nice officer that it was somebody else slidin' 'roun' the twisties n' bein' a tad over the limit)
Best'a luck with your new ride LR. Given your track record with Hondas you've godda know that within reason, they're pretty much bulletproof.
Be well n' welcome to the site.
Java
(Sheesh! Another girly-blue one. Ssst! Java! The mike's still live!)

leanright · 01-19-2007, 02:16 PM

Ha - I love the blue (looks classy to me). I tell everybody that I'd take a "no warranty" Honda over a 100,000 mi. warranty on a Chrysler ANY DAY. Honda engineers their cars while the big three spend their money on unions and marketing (which = no-so-great product).

This car is the closest thing to my CBR F4, but with 4 kids, I need the air bags (or that's what my wife says). Have a good one.

Vezna31 · 01-19-2007, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leanright

I've owned Honda's since I was 8 (80cc); many cars and motorcycles (CBRs).
This 2004 S2000 is to replace one-such motorcycle, BUT
I have a few observations ...

1) This car is brutal at 70mph+ (BRUTAL

) - 4000 rpm for 7 hours on the drive home? How about a 7th gear just for cruising on the '08 (or an overdrive button in 6th gear if you're just cruising)?

2) Also, at 33,000 mi., is my clutch the only one that does a little crunching? My '03 Accord is much smother on the transition between gears even when it's pushed. Any estimation on when the clutch needs replacing on these? - it was driven by a 37 year old woman for the three years prior to my ownership (I can't believe she beat on it - it's pristine in every other respect).

3) What a driving machine this car is! I can't believe there's anything else out there (for even 2x the price) that preforms like this car.

4) I like blue, but is it a girls color? I'm a guy and feeling a little insecure about my choice of color after receiving a few comments. Either way I'm keeping it, I just hope it's not like seeing a guy in a convertible VW rabbit!

1) Yeah, the car could use an overdrive. I have the AP1 with different gearing and freeway cruising at 80 is 4400 rpm.

2) I would be a little concerned about a crunching sound. I have 90k miles, had it on the racetrack a dozen times and I have no crunching noise.

3) Can't agree more.

4) Whatever color floats your boat, although I do tease the guys a bit that have suzuka blue.

Bubblerboy64 · 01-24-2007, 01:18 PM

I can't imagine an overdrive for these cars. Just can't see the need. Don't know what others think but the gearing seems ideal to me. These cars are sports cars not touring cars. The trans? Driven by a 37 year old lady? Wander how many gears shifts she missed? That would make me wander and of course clutches are often destroyed by "riding" them and not to pick on the ladies but lets say persons unfamiliar and practiced will ride the clutch. If she was mine I would have a knowing person check first the clutch and then the trans. Color. I think they are all very nice colors. I would drive any color no questions ask. Black is hard to keep looking nice, red's bad enough, white is my favorite followed by the blue and silver. Oh and I like yeller too. Have some one check the clutch. Good luck with this.

Java Junky · 01-24-2007, 03:09 PM

Aaay! LR! 'Meant to ask: is the interior the same blue as the exterior like the only ones I've seen?
I don't know that it even came with the choice of a black interior, but, seems like it'd be a nice combo.
Be well.
Java

leanright · 02-01-2007, 06:21 AM

great responses - thanks. YES, the interior IS blue, but it's such a dark blue that it appears black with the top up. I'm not sure who was in charge of color design on the interior of these cars, but he/she should be fired! Black would have been much better. As to the clutch - you make a great point (no offense, female drivers, but my wife is brutal on my Accord clutch ... I can't drive with her when she's driving).
As to being too-high-rpm at 70 miles per hour, I know it's a sports car, but I don't think it would compromise the sports driving it it had a button somewhere that allowed the driver to kick in to a serious overdrive gear at 65 miles per hour; instead of 25 mpg, we'd be getting 35 mpg on the occasional long trip.

MattG · 02-01-2007, 05:19 PM

Many owners sing the praises of GM Synchromesh in their box. Give it a try and see if it helps with your crunching problems.

5th and 6th gear technically are overdrive as the ratios are higher than 1:1. This does not take into account the final drive ratio.

Yes it can get a bit annoying at 4000rpm over a long straight highway - all the more reason to take the twisty backroads!

leanright · 02-02-2007, 05:42 AM

I googled the GM Synchromesh and I'll give it a try - thanks for the heads-up!

Twisty backroads it is then!

01-19-2007, 01:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
leanright Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bedminster, PA Posts: 9	first impression (suprised to find ...) I've owned Honda's since I was 8 (80cc); many cars and motorcycles (CBRs). This 2004 S2000 is to replace one-such motorcycle, BUT I have a few observations ... 1) This car is brutal at 70mph+ (BRUTAL ) - 4000 rpm for 7 hours on the drive home? How about a 7th gear just for cruising on the '08 (or an overdrive button in 6th gear if you're just cruising)? 2) Also, at 33,000 mi., is my clutch the only one that does a little crunching? My '03 Accord is much smother on the transition between gears even when it's pushed. Any estimation on when the clutch needs replacing on these? - it was driven by a 37 year old woman for the three years prior to my ownership (I can't believe she beat on it - it's pristine in every other respect). 3) What a driving machine this car is! I can't believe there's anything else out there (for even 2x the price) that preforms like this car. 4) I like blue, but is it a girls color? I'm a guy and feeling a little insecure about my choice of color after receiving a few comments. Either way I'm keeping it, I just hope it's not like seeing a guy in a convertible VW rabbit!

01-19-2007, 01:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Java Junky Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Joisey Posts: 5,482	Ahhh-h-h-h LR, you're obviously jus' not gettin' out n' drivin' it enough. Sittin' in the livin' room thinkin' 'bout Stewie while it's rainin' r' snowin' outside'll have you analyzin' n' second guessin' yourself (is blue a "girl's color"? If the only way for it to drive like it does was that it they hadda stripe it in pink n' lime green, put a stogie in it's mouth n' a yellow derby on it, I'd take it). N', not for nothin' . . if the guy in the raggtopp Rabbit's enjoyin' himself . . who cares? You spent the denaro. Ain't nobody but you should be enjoyin' himself, y'know? (Oh, disclaimer time: while most of us would take a pink n' green striped Stewie that had a cigar in it's teeth n' a lemon yellow derby on it's head . . it's gonna make it kind'a tough convincin' the nice officer that it was somebody else slidin' 'roun' the twisties n' bein' a tad over the limit) Best'a luck with your new ride LR. Given your track record with Hondas you've godda know that *within reason*, they're pretty much bulletproof. Be well n' welcome to the site. Java (Sheesh! Another girly-blue one. Ssst! Java! The mike's still live!) __________________ In life-long pursuit of that most mythic of beasts: the ever-elusive perfect corner. Well . . . that, r' at least a whole lodda clear spin-out room.

01-24-2007, 03:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
Java Junky Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Joisey Posts: 5,482	Aaay! LR! 'Meant to ask: is the interior the same blue as the exterior like the only ones I've seen? I don't know that it even came with the choice of a black interior, but, seems like it'd be a nice combo. Be well. Java __________________ In life-long pursuit of that most mythic of beasts: the ever-elusive perfect corner. Well . . . that, r' at least a whole lodda clear spin-out room.

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01-19-2007, 02:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
leanright Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bedminster, PA Posts: 9	Ha - I love the blue (looks classy to me). I tell everybody that I'd take a "no warranty" Honda over a 100,000 mi. warranty on a Chrysler ANY DAY. Honda engineers their cars while the big three spend their money on unions and marketing (which = no-so-great product). This car is the closest thing to my CBR F4, but with 4 kids, I need the air bags (or that's what my wife says). Have a good one.

01-24-2007, 01:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Bubblerboy64 Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 87	I can't imagine an overdrive for these cars. Just can't see the need. Don't know what others think but the gearing seems ideal to me. These cars are sports cars not touring cars. The trans? Driven by a 37 year old lady? Wander how many gears shifts she missed? That would make me wander and of course clutches are often destroyed by "riding" them and not to pick on the ladies but lets say persons unfamiliar and practiced will ride the clutch. If she was mine I would have a knowing person check first the clutch and then the trans. Color. I think they are all very nice colors. I would drive any color no questions ask. Black is hard to keep looking nice, red's bad enough, white is my favorite followed by the blue and silver. Oh and I like yeller too. Have some one check the clutch. Good luck with this.

02-01-2007, 06:21 AM	#7 (permalink)
leanright Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bedminster, PA Posts: 9	great responses - thanks. YES, the interior IS blue, but it's such a dark blue that it appears black with the top up. I'm not sure who was in charge of color design on the interior of these cars, but he/she should be fired! Black would have been much better. As to the clutch - you make a great point (no offense, female drivers, but my wife is brutal on my Accord clutch ... I can't drive with her when she's driving). As to being too-high-rpm at 70 miles per hour, I know it's a sports car, but I don't think it would compromise the sports driving it it had a button somewhere that allowed the driver to kick in to a serious overdrive gear at 65 miles per hour; instead of 25 mpg, we'd be getting 35 mpg on the occasional long trip.

02-01-2007, 05:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
MattG Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 363	Many owners sing the praises of GM Synchromesh in their box. Give it a try and see if it helps with your crunching problems. 5th and 6th gear technically are overdrive as the ratios are higher than 1:1. This does not take into account the final drive ratio. Yes it can get a bit annoying at 4000rpm over a long straight highway - all the more reason to take the twisty backroads!

02-02-2007, 05:42 AM	#9 (permalink)
leanright Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bedminster, PA Posts: 9	I googled the GM Synchromesh and I'll give it a try - thanks for the heads-up! Twisty backroads it is then!