2002 Honda S2000 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

A go kart - but detest the soft top

Faults:

Soft top has needed to be replaced 3 times as it has cracked twice and was cut with a knife a third.

I have since bought a hardtop as I am so sick of replacing it.

General Comments:

Real fun - so much better than my old ML320. But NEVER EVER buy a car with a soft top roof - they are nothing, but trouble. I constantly polish and condition it, but it cracks and people cut it with a knife. Also, it looks kinda funny with a black roof and I feel like I have an umbrella on my head when I drive. I hate soft tops with a passion and advise anyone to think twice about them.

The $4000 hardtop is the best investment one can have. Besides, it is too hot here to drive with the roof off.

Car could do with more torque - hardly keeps up with a well driven WRX or 350Z Nissan.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th January, 2004

15th Jan 2004, 22:46

Yeah totally agree - soft tops are a pain and ruin what are truly great cars. Why have them when hardtops like the Merc SLK and SL are so good and more secure?

27th Aug 2004, 00:16

Golden rule for convertible owners: Never, ever lock the car unless you have a hard top installed. Whatever you have left in the car is not worth having the top sliced. And don't lock the glove box or they will tear the dash apart thinking you've left something of value in there.

12th Nov 2004, 07:59

I agree on the softop idea also.. never lock a soft top vehicle - thieves have strange tendencies to look for "stuff" in anything with a lid.

If you're from NZ or Oz.. get a Skyline GTR instead.. we can't get them in Spain (not homologated) or a Scooby WRX.. Try www.trademe.co.nz - loads of great deals on there.

I've got a WRX and I can honestly say I don't need anything quicker or more powerful.. for now anyway.

2002 Honda S2000 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Fantastic drivers car, missile fast, £10000 cheaper than best alternative

Faults:

Front drivers seat has started to wear on raised ridge by door.

General Comments:

In the dry from 0 to 100mph this car beats almost anything on the road.

My mate has a BMW M3 convertible and this car keeps up with it on country roads - he has tried very hard to loose me.

Build quality and ride are exceptional, coupled with my dealer being great and it made my fifth honda the best yet.

Be warned, I've had this in an icy winter, and it's very difficult. I actually didn't go out on the worst days - but in the dry - oh boy is it fun.

Picks up dents in carparks like crazy - don't know why it suffers from this so much, but it does.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th August, 2003

1st Mar 2005, 10:30

I sold my S2000 because I got totally sick of it in the wet. Granted I'm not Michael Schumacher, but I have owned a TVR Chimaera 4.5 and a Caterham 7 JPE so tail happy RWD cars aren't exactly a mystery to me.

The Honda's biggest weakness in my opinion is the engine. Sure it sounds fantastic and gives excellent performance, but when you're on the limit you need consistent throttle response and power to balance the car, not a 100 bhp bonus ball when the revs cross a certain point. To me it felt like it has 100 bhp or over 200 bhp, with nothing in between. Exciting in a straight line or in the bone dry, but on real British roads in real British weather, not exactly a recipe for driveability.

The Honda's chassis is excellent, but throttle control is everything when driving a RWD car hard, and you just cannot achieve that with an engine that gains over 100 bhp instantaneously when you pass a given point in the rev range.

If Honda fitted a slightly bigger engine with more consistent midrange delivery it would transform the car.

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