The Chad

Hello all,

First, I'd like to introduce myself to the group. My name is Chad and I have a 2004 Honda S2000. I have lurked and posted a little here and there on the forum here, and have searched. I'm looking for some input from 2IS owners about some of my concerns and questions about making the transition.

I've noticed there are several former S2000 owners on here, along with others who own both cars. Why did you give up your S2000s?

I'm looking for a Black/Black loaded 2IS, probably a special order because I want the PCS. No chance of buyer's remorse if you get all the goodies, and I'm a techie at heart and like to have some things just to have them.

I think the S2000 is fantastic, but it is my daily driver and I live in snow country, so several months out of the year I cannot drive the car. (Yeah, snow tires and a soft foot, I could). And, during the summer months when it gets super hot I find myself driving with the top up and the A/C on, and with the top up I notice a lot about the car that I do not like (rattles, tire noise, exhaust resonance), also, it's sacrilige to drive an S2000 with the top up. So last year I probably only enjoyed the car with the top down for 4-5 months out of the year. That's not really "enjoying" the car if you ask me.

I'm content with the acceleration of the car, and seeing the numbers from people's timeslips on the board here, this car is slightly faster than my S, which is a good thing.

Perhaps the thing that annoys me the most about my car is not actually the car, but the response from other people. I did not buy the car to show off, but for my own personal benefit. I like getting the "nice car" comments and talking to true car enthusiasts about cars in general. I never mind that. What I cannot stand is every "wannabe" that revs on me at a traffic light, yell at me while in traffic, and exhibit "tool"-like behavior when driving around me (speeding up, slowing down, tailgating, etc...). I'm 23 years old, but believe that I act much more mature than that, and I just want to on most days listen to my radio with the top down, minding my own business. Not listening to it so loud everyone else can hear it. Keeping the revs below 3 grand (keep in mind, I'm driving in town), and just enjoying a nice car and a nice drive. Or after a bad day at work spend some quality alone time with my baby to make me feel better.

You're probably saying "that's what you get for buying a convertible" or "shouldn't have bought an s2000" and I would probably agree with you at this point. The car isn't pretentious, but it is in the town I live in apparently. I just want to drive down the road like a normal person.

I like general car commadarie (sp), I wave at all S2000s I see. If someone wants to talk to me while I'm pumping gas, or going in to a store and I'm not in a hurry, then I'll gladly sit and bull****. I don't want anyone to think I'm a snob, but what I'm experiencing is excessive, and takes away from my personal enjoyment of the car.

So now that you all think I'm crazy, I have a few other questions.

I know I'll need snow tires in the winter, but is the car a competent all-year round car?

For those comming from more "sportier" cars, does the IS350 have enough grunt for you?

Does the transmission pick the right gears when in city traffic? The thing I can't stand about 4 speed autos is that there is never a "right" gear, but I drove an E90 330i and it seemed to handle the task better because of the extra gears.

Do you seem to get pestered by the kids that want to lose their "I beat a faster car than mine" virginity or from the pushrod crowd that feel that they need to try to race you to prove what they already know, "their car is faster"?

As I mentioned before, I'm looking for a fully decked out model, and I probably will go with the Tein setup with the EDFC. Also, I've seen some nice ones on here with wheels, and I would like aftermarket wheels. Basically, I just want a good looking car that doesn't scream "look at me" but can be appreciated by people in the know.

Also, the S2000 isn't great on long trips. Trunk space is excellent, even with my system in it, but the seats get hard after not much time. Also, creature techni-comforts like satnav and auto climate control appeal to me.

I've read about steering maybe not being as precise as the BMW, but those who made the transition from an S or similar car, what is your impression on steering and response? Also, steering wheel size (doesn't seem to be too big, but I haven't had an extended drive in one yet to tell for sure).

Also, a subjective question (and I'm sure you'll be biased because this is a Lexus forum) but is the IS350 the car for me considering what car I'm comming from and the type of car that I seek? I want something sporty, quick, and fun to drive. Just something more practical and little more low-key than what I drive now.

Sorry for the novel, but I wanted to give you all background information and add to substance to the traditional "Do I want this?" thread.

I appreciate any and all input. Thank you very much.

Tony1

I too am coming from a e46 330cic, and the steerling feel of the IS350
does not compare... I would say the transmissions are about equal..
I find the IS350 engine to have nice power all throughout the rpm range..
However it doesn't seem to pull very hard past about 80-100mph...The exhaust
sound of my 330cic also sounded muchhh better.. But that's about the only
things it had over the IS, (Steering feel & exhaust note)..and oh yeah, the 330cic
def. looked better with the top down

shaolin

iTrader: (2)

i also have s2000. It's better for you to keep both of them and the reason is that you will missed the handle part of the s2000.

nice knowing another s2000 memeber on this board.

is350boy

i didn't get to read your whole post man, but i am coming from a previous 2001 s2000 and 2003 s2000. I loved the s2000 very much and i did fix it up quite a bit. I feel that the reason i switched over was due to two factors. One is was getting into to much speeding tickets with the s2000 becuause it is fun to speed in a two door convertible with stick shift. Another reason was that it was becoming very uncomfortable driving in traffic especially. After making the change over into a the 2is black/black with sports package, i feel that it was very much worth it. The comfort is so much better, and i also love the features of the car. Good luck if you decided to get one. Its worth it!!

human

I just sold my 02 S2000 Suzuka blue and moved to a 06 IS350 SGM/Blk/Nav/ML. I am pretty happy with my decision. I am coming from driving the S2000 daily + track days roughly once a month.

The first day after I got the IS, I was a little disappointed because I felt the steering was really numb, compared to the S2000. After a few more days of driving though, I am starting to get used to the handling of the IS. The steering ratio is definitely not as quick as an S2000 but the lack of feedback is something that I am gradually getting used to, especially after experimenting and adjusting the steering position. After all, I have always felt that the S2000 did not have the greatest steering feedback as well -- the steering is quick but you don't feel the road as well as an E36 BMW, Elise or Boxster. (based on my personal experiences with these cars on the track).

The transmission has 6 gears which definitely helps in having the right gear when you need it. However, in normal mode, the car will tend to select the highest gear possible (usually 6th gear), so when you need to accelerate hard, it will take about 0.25-0.5 of a second for the car to switch to the lower gear needed for you to accelerate. If you use the ECT-PWR mode, the car tends to stay on a lower gear as long as you don't release the gas pedal completely. I think it is a matter of getting used to driving an automatic. I am still learning and hopefully I can learn to drive with the pedal-shifters smoothly as well.

bgarre

You also had a concern for power.... I sold a 2003 Mustang Cobra that was modified to about 500 hp for my IS350. One test drive in the IS was all it took for me to make the change. The Cobra was all about power and speed and would dance all over the IS, of this I have no doubt. BUT.... the IS is not a 1 trick pony , it has enough power (at least until the IS500 comes out). The IS also has so much more. Fit and finish, quietness, smoothness, technology, style, and fue economy were so much better than the Cobra. It was an easy choice for me.

My advice - Test drive the IS.
Best of luck.

S2000toIS350

I had an 00 S2000 since October 99 and it was great.

The reasons for the change were:

I took a new job 40 miles away and drive once a week. As you mentioned, the Honda is a less than wonderful experience in terms of noise and ride. If you add sitting in traffic with a clutch you reach the three strike analogy. I also wanted to be able to take a couple of family members in the car when our older son took the 04 TL beater.

On the the Lexus.

The car is surper comfortable, has all the toys, excellent power (the torque offsets the high rpm joy from the Honda) and predictable, somewhat sporty handling.

The only minus side from the Lexus is no vert, and the paddlyeshifting is so so from first to second, though pretty good from there heading up and very good heading down through the gears. The Honda had way more in the handling category but the Lexus is a real treat to drive every time I fire it up. And the kids are more impressed with it than the bare bones Honda.

Good luck with your decision.

IS_250

iTrader: (2)

funny... ive been thinking the opposite lately. ive been comtemplating getting the s2k and getting out of my IS 250. not that i dont like my 250, but i have no need for a 4dr car, my commute to work is 5 miles round trip, and i just want something unpractical and fun to drive.

The Chad

Slightly off-topic. How do you like the Amuse header? I have the exhaust and love it.

On-topic: I appreciate all your input and yes, I plan on driving the car sometime soon (live 2 hours from closest dealership). Glad to see that people are happy with making the transition. I don't drive at 10/10ths all the time, and the S2000 is great for that. But 6/10ths isn't all that uncommon and I'm glad to see that the IS is apparently good at that level or less.

I'll let you guys know what happens.

ff_

Coming from an '04 S2000 a few months ago myself. I got out of the S2000 because I started needing a back seat (we have 3 kids...).

Going into the deal, I knew that most any sedan was going to fail in comparison to the S. There are some nice sedan choices out there these days (a lot more than there used to be), but ultimately they're each an amalgamation of compromises. I picked 3 that I would consider acceptable/liveable (330i/325i, A4, IS250), and decided that I'd just sit back and wait for the most appealing offer to roll in. It happened to be the IS250. The IS250 won handily based on price, current financing rates, resale value, etc.

If you enjoy your S2000 for the pure visceral appeal, and the precise harmony between driver and the car the way I did, then the move will be a painful one. I promise you that. However, The 350's acceleration potential does count for something, even if you're forced to live with the slush-o-matic transmission. With that in mind, I liken the IS350 to a V8 pony car with luxury and plenty of refinement and "luxurious" isolation thrown in.

pavster

Get a used miata. Class-leading chassis and tranny at bargain basement price. Keep the IS. If the miata doesn't have enough power for you, drop some forced induction on it.

-pavel.

y2ks2k

I also came from 2 S2000's in my past that I used to track.

I actually traded my S2000 in on an Acura TL then an Sti and now the Is350.

My reasons were the same, I started having kids and the S2000 wasn’t fitting the bill. I actually only drove my S2K in the sun so I had an 88 civic hatchback as my work and winter beater. I finally realized that it just wasn’t worth having even though track days were fun.

I moved to the TL and that was well timed because my job had me traveling 32000 miles that year. But It just didn’t kick me in the pants and was to big so I bought the exact opposite, the Sti. the Sti was great for 2 1/2 years. I actually would have kept it. But I started traveling a lot of bumper to bumper traffic and the clutch was burning out my knee

So I chose a car that I felt was a perfect balance of performance, luxo and handling. when I saw the specs on the Is350, I knew it was the perfect combination and it really is. Its by far more luxo and has all the gargets that I want (I am an IT manage who likes toys). It doesn’t have the ***** out perf of the Sti but on the street you cant use it. In fact, when I really stomped the Sti, it was scary, even after 2 1/2 years... damn fun. It doesn’t handle like a S2000 but it handles well enough for any heavy road pushing. I also think the IS350 will be fun on the AutoX track if I can ever get back out.

the Is350 is the perfect balance of it all and I can still move my kids around in a safe application. In rush hour its paradise as is it when I’m free with some open corners.

I would love however to have an S2000 as my garage queen. I’ve considered buying a low mileage 2003.

Jay M

I answered in your quote above. It's just my opinion, but I hope it helps.
~Jay

The Chad

Jay, thanks for your insight. I agree with most of your assessments. Also thank you everyone else for your input.

An update:

On Monday, I went to Lexus of Toledo to test drive an IS350. All they had on the lot was the premium package ones with everything but the PCS. Salesman was driving a black/black demo, and let me take it without him riding along.

First impressions are that the interior seems "small" but the car feels big. Maybe it's just that I'm not used to it, but I was worried about lane changes and stuff because I wasn't completely sure of how much car I had. The side mirrors seem to be a weird shape and when I adjusted them they just didn't seem to cover the same area as my small S2000 mirrors do. The interior though has about the same room as my Honda, and feels nice and comfy to me.

The interior and controls are a little overwhemling at first. Not so much when you're sitting in the dealership, but when you are on the road and you are trying to do some adjustments that you couldn't do in the dealer parking lot and then trying to try out some things and finding which button does what was a little difficult to do. Nothing that couldn't be learned, but driving this car I felt like I was in the controls of a starship and not a car. The Gen 5 satnav just adds to the Enterprise experience.

I only drove with the ECT set in power mode (was set like that before I got in), and I believed that throttle response was excellent. I've never been a fan of computer controlled throttle input because it never seemed too responsive, but at least in this mode it seemed to respond the same way my Honda does.

This car is quick. It doesn't feel like it's accelerating quickly, but it just keeps building speed with little or no fuss. A/C on, radio set low, I couldn't really hear the engine revving but it revs freely and does sound pretty good. The orange ring was set to light up at 80mph, and I was impressed on how quickly I reached it (I'm used to the digital readout of speed, so I was using that as a detirmination of how fast I was going, because it was different for me to focus on a needle on the left side and I was in heavier traffic). No doubt this would be enough power for me, but a V8 version would be something I'd go for.

The transmission was the thing that worried me the most about driving it. The S2000's box is one of the best on the planet, and going to a complete slushbox doesn't necessarily appeal to me. I've driven a DSG-equipped car and it was impressive, with quick and precise shifts.

The IS's box was good. On normal highway driving, a push of the go pedal would queue up a 3 gear downshift and if you keep your foot on the throttle, the downshift was smooth and uneventful. I didn't really play with the paddles, but they seem to be good enough for most driving situations, and only on a track or autocross course would you need something quicker for shifting. In full auto mode at 70 mph in power mode, if I let off the throttle the car would downshift into 5th, and it'd do it kind of rudely too (obviously not a rev-matched downshift) and the car seems to like to shift to keep in a certain power band. It seemed pretty smart and I'd have no problems living with it everyday.

The suspension was soft, and seemed to absorb the crappy Toledo roads pretty well. A lot smoother than my S2000. However, a quick "emergency" lane change the car shows it's weight. I'd definitly need an aftermarket suspension.

Steering was very artifical, but it's the same way in the S2000. The wheel sizes are about the same. Good enough for me.

All-in-all a very nice automobile, and I envy those that already own one. KBB of my S2000 is 25 grand and I think I owe like 22 still on it, so if I can find someone to buy it, I'd buy one right now (well, order an 07). I definitly think it's the car for me.

Jimmyd225

Hello sir.....

i was in the exact same dilema as you. I used to own a 2005 Honda S2000, which i purchased in december of 2005. i got my 2006 IS....at the end of June.....wait...its not that simple.


I loved the S dont get me wrong...fast...sleek.....convertible....six speed!!!! Overall, an amazing machine from honda. However....day to day driving to/from work, short trips, long trips....there was just something missing for me. I missed the comfort, the luxury, the convience of being able to pack more than one duffle bag on trips.... Also, not sure if other S owners agree, but the horizontal space (left to right room ) was rather cramped for me.

If i could have had it my way, i would have kept the S, and purchased an IS. However my age and financial status only let me have one...( I am only 21). So i went for the long term investment. i figured that an IS would come in handy per se i got married, had kids, moved, etc., Where as the S2000 would have only been exactly what it is made to be....A Fun Car!

I hope this helps!!!