My S2000... one year later..

[chilicoke]

***12/23/09 SUPER long update on page 3***


The 2001 Silverstone on the left is my sister's, 07 Grand Prix White on the right is mine.

Nice weather this morning so I decided to quick wash my car, well it turned into an unexpected 5 hour long detailing.

I'm sure you all probably known by now, white cars are difficult to take care of, not only do they get dirty fast, but any small imperfections are much more visible compare to other colors and would drive you nuts!


When washing my car today, I've noticed millions of micro sized contaminants stuck to the surface throughout my car, collected from daily driving. Although they were only visible from about 5" away (the windscreen nozzle is about 1/2" long for size reference), they were a total pain to remove. I ended up using clay bar on the entire car, those of you with experience using clay bar would know what a tedious process it was.

On the bright side, I was very happy with the result. I have yet to wax, just a quick wet-wipe and the paint is already glass smooth, beautiful reflections. I will do a few coats of wax later today. Sorry these were all taken in my garage, more pictures to come later.

After clay-bar, filthy:



Rinse, can already see the shine




Drying...




I APPROVE!




225 vs 245, FIGHT!






and finally...

[avanti]

looks great, I love white cars! how come you and the sis have the same car?

[chilicoke]

Because the experience of driving a s2000 is just too damn amazing!

[The Chad]

Nice cars! I'm biased, of course, but white with the red/black is sexy.

[Mark355]

Very nice! I'm SERIOUSLY considering picking up an 04 - 06 AP2 next spring and putting a hardtop on it (northeast four seasons). How do you compare it to the AP1? I'm willing to sacrifice the screaming 9000 RPM redline for the AP2's larger displacement, improved gear ratios, and cosmetic upgrades (17" wheels, restyled bumpers and head/rearlights).

How does the AP2 suspension handle road imperfections? Do you use it daily or only on weekends? Is the small interior comfy for you? I'm 5'8" and 150 lbs. How do you like the clutch?

I'd be very interested in anything you'd be willing to share about your S2000 ownership. I read s2ki.com almost every night now and am dreaming of owning this car!

[Momentum57]

um do you cruise around for guys together

[cvrefugee]

um do you cruise around for guys together

Let's hope that's all they do together

[chilicoke]

Tobias,

I used to be a die-hard AP1 fan. I loved the rawness of the car, nervous handling at the limit, and the sound of the F20C at 9k RPM. I used to think each changes Honda made to the car made it more and more tamed; I hated it when they fitted the F22C in the AP2 and thought the whole world was going to end when the 06s were rumored to have VSA and drive-by-wire installed.

Part of me had always prefer some of the updates (head/tails lights for an example) but I've always felt the car was somewhat compromised. However, overtime I had grown to appreciate the AP2s, not only did Honda made it more livable on the streets without sacrificing any performance, AP2s were reported and tested to be even faster than the original car.

What made me seriously consider an AP2v2 (06+) was when Hondata announced that 06+ ECU are refreshable/reprogrammable. My F20C preference almost instantly disappeared when I realized that with nothing more than a refresh, the F22C not only makes more power/torque, but could also have wider VTEC range then the F20C. Finally, when I had the opportunity to test driven an AP2v2 (06), within the first 5 minutes, I already knew without a doubt that I wanted it over an AP1.

The S2000 is my daily driver, I am 5'6" and fairly skinny. Interior is perfectly sized for me, AP2v2 seats have more lower back support and headrests are actually usable in normal driving position (AP1/AP2v1 seats have helmet holes, if you tilt your head back against it you will be looking up 45 degrees at the visors)

Compare to the AP1, each gears do feel a bit shorter, however engine pick up (especially below VTEC) is definitely stronger. Flywheel is also heavier on the AP2, lift-off deceleration isn't as dramatic as the AP1 and stepping on the throttle in second gear around 1700rpm-200rpm (when making right hand turns) wont cause the engine to stutter like it does on the AP1s.
At the moment my sister's car is ridding on 225s in the rear (should be 245s for non-OEM tires), but from memory, AP2's revised rear suspension feels much more planted when cornering, while AP1 feels slightly bit more agile, both feel about the same on rough roads. Although F20C screams a bit louder at red line, the sound F22C makes is just as exciting.

Edit:
Forgot to comment on the clutch, AP2's clutch is much softer and makes daily driving a bit easier. I personally prefer the AP2v2 (just slightly) because it provides 99.5% of AP1's driving experience while being easier to live with as a daily driver, however I still believe the AP1 would be more fun if it's going to be a dedicated track car.

I highly recommend a test drive if you haven't already, this car begs to be driven.

um do you cruise around for guys together

Sorry to disappoint, but I'm gonna have to say no.

I just realized this thread is 99.9% about my car, so I would appreciate it if mods want to help me change the thread title to "My 07 S2000"

[Vette Boss]

They both look great, someone who clearly takes good care of their cars.

[LeVeL]

No race pics no care

[C53A_4G63T]

What is the other car in the garage?

[chilicoke]

No race pics no care

soon...



hopefully

What is the other car in the garage?

Parents' 2003 Acura TL-S

IMO still the best looking TL, the upcoming 09', Yuck!

[Viper007Bond]

Bah, I hate envy you and your rich sister.

[No Boss]

I always loved the fact that the stereo controls were on the opposite side of the steering wheel. I hate it when people change my songs/stations/etc. That is an ingenious solution.

[Hidden_Hunter]

Shame that it's so expensive here in AU Or I would of been all over one

[fbc]

Great pairing - very nice job on the detailing too. S2000s.

[NooDle]

noice! cool sister you have there

[BlaRo]

You wash inside your garage? Makes sense if you're trying to avoid direct sunlight and prevent swirl marks, but I'd be afraid of making a mess and getting everything wet. Especially in a nice-looking garage like yours with those nice paintings.

[watisdis]

Nice detailing, I myself tried to wax my car once, and ended in complete fail. I also don't have a spiffy S2000 like you and your sis, so I guess It's not worth the effort for me. Also, that's one big-ass garage you got there!

[chilicoke]

Bah, I hate envy you and your rich sister.

Viper I've got my passenger seat reserved for you if you're ever in the SoCal area.

Shame that it's so expensive here in AU Or I would of been all over one

I just check the prices on honda.com.au !!
Is there a reason the S2000 is ESPECIALLY expansive there? While other cars' prices are much closer to US prices.

Your TSX is quite a performer as well, fantastic driving machine without sacrificing luxury and practicality.

You wash inside your garage? Makes sense if you're trying to avoid direct sunlight and prevent swirl marks, but I'd be afraid of making a mess and getting everything wet. Especially in a nice-looking garage like yours with those nice paintings.

I've already did a complete wash outside prior to going through the clay bar process, so I it was just a quick rinse/wipe with a wash mitt and water buckets.

I doubt those paintings on the wall have any real dollar value, my sister graduated as an art major and those were her old assignments.

Nice detailing, I myself tried to wax my car once, and ended in complete fail. I also don't have a spiffy S2000 like you and your sis, so I guess It's not worth the effort for me. Also, that's one big-ass garage you got there!

Car washing is about the closest thing I do to exercising. The garage is standard sized 3 car garage, however they are becoming more and more rare as property value continues to skyrocket around the area.