the s2k blog

When I moved out to Dallas from Los Angeles a few months ago, one of the first things I did was get my insurance in order for my vehicles. I had been with Farmer’s ever since I turned 16, but figured with a new start in a new place, I might as well shop around for insurance as well. Finding the best rates on car insurance can be easy at carinsurancelist.com. I saved hundreds of dollars by switching to another insurance company with better coverage than I had before.

The weather is pretty different and can be a lot more extreme here in North Dallas, than anything I ever experienced in Los Angeles. Strong winds, tornadoes, and more commonly hail can do a lot of damage to a vehicle. It’s also getting pretty cold here and snowed for the first time this year. I’m not really sure what kind of damage hail does to a convertible top, but with as long as the hood is on the s2000, there’s plenty of surface area to do lots of damage. Dallas doesn’t get much snow that sticks, but when the temps are low enough, ice can make for some hazardous driving. I keep the s2000 garaged and have been taking the civic to work when the weather is bad, but it’s nice knowing that it’s insured in the event I ever get caught out in it.

I’ve got a few mods planned for the Spring, including a new top (maybe a hardtop?) and some new suspension. I figure I’ll wait until after my first Winter here to see how bad the weather gets and what, if any damage it does to the car.

Rumors abounded that for the 10th model year and as a celebration of the company’s 60th anniversary, Honda would re-conceptualize its two-speed convertible, the S2000. Concept drawings appeared on the Internet and hopes ran high, but alas, Edmunds confirms the truth. “There are no significant changes to the 2009 Honda S2000.” But is that necessarily a reason to dismiss an affordable sports car that knocks off zero to sixty in under six seconds?

Look at the sleek aerodynamics of the 2009. Take in the chiseled nose and the high x-bone monocoque frame. Are they dated or pleasingly familiar? The individual consumer will have to decide, but everything that has ever communicated speed and power in the S2000 is still there. Under the hood there’s the usual 2.2 liter, 16-valve VTEC engine and it still producing a more than pleasing 237 hp in a RWD vehicle that starts at a base price of roughly $34,300 (six-speed manual transmission.) Step up one trim level to the CR and pay $36,300; add AC and Audio and the sticker reads $37,300. Those numbers alone are more than enough to make a would-be sports car owner think twice about the S2000.

The CR or “club racer” trim features a removable hard top, track-ready sport suspension, and additional body cladding. Safety features available include an anti-skid system, traction control, and ABC. In safety crash tests the S2000 earned perfect five-star scores for side-impact and rollover crashes. (For front impact crashes, testers awarded four stars.) However, don’t expect these results to help any when looking for the cheapest car policies. Consumer Guide does point out a lack of over-the-shoulder visibility with the top up and there is no switch to turn off the passenger side front airbag, making the car potentially unsafe for children. But this is still a sports car that can do commuter duty Monday through Friday and live the high life on the weekend. Expect fuel economy of approximately 18 city, 25 highway. (Estimates vary.)

First introduced in 1999 for the 2000 model year, the S2000 has consistently won accolades from reviewers for excellence of handling, weight balance, and impressive performance under the hood. Forbes described the 2008 Honda S2000 as “an exhilarating concoction of race-bred technology and sleek styling.” AutoWeek said, “This S2000 need not worry about its soul getting exorcised. Indeed, there is much left as it heads into its ninth model year, and it is unlocked in the new CR (Club Racer) edition.” Is it disappointing that the company didn’t offer anything new for the S2000’s decade year? Absolutely. Does that mean the S2000 itself is disappointing? Absolutely not.