S2000 in winter?

[Tik-Tok]

Anyone driving theirs in the winter... I'm looking at them, but couldn't afford to have it as a weekend car. I've driven high power rwd in the winter before, controls not a problem for me, but am curious about the roof upkeep, and warmth.

Any help?

[euro_racer]

their great winter cars, awesome heating too, just get some good winter tires :thumbsup:

[Weapon_R]

Perfectly fine in every aspect. Try and avoid bringing the top down during the winter to avoid unnecessary wear.

[BigShow]

Haven't done it yet, but damn the heating in the car is crazy...I've never made it past 2 notches.

[xviper]

There are a few of us in Calgary and many, many of us across Canada who daily drive the S2000 all winter long in every kind of road conditions imaginable. Prerequisites being that you must equip it with good winter tires and learn some winter driving finesse.
In fact, we even drag race in the snow and ice. Here are some vids:

http://forums.s2kca.com/showthread.php?t=19625&highlight=winter+vids

[Graham_A_M]

If you care about the condition of the soft top, you'll never even think about driving it without a hard top in the winter. Nothing DESTROYS the canvas roof quite like the consistant freezing & thawing of a damp roof, or the salts involved.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
If you care about the condition of the soft top, you'll never even think about driving it without a hard top in the winter. Nothing DESTROYS the canvas roof quite like the consistant freezing & thawing of a damp roof, or the salts involved.

Yeah, that was my biggest concern, how bad the softop would get toasted. Mind you I do wash my vehicles on a weekly basis, even in winter, and have a garage to park in, my only real outside parking would be at work.

[Graham_A_M]

^ if you can get a hardtop, sure go ahead. Otherwise dont bother, as a new softtop is about $1,400 or so. After about 3-5 years of winter use, you can pretty much count on having to replace the canvas as it'll look like worn out shit. :dunno:
A decent winter car isn't that much, I'd go that route way before using your S2K in the winter ;) For both the rust & soft top reasons alone.... if nothing else
my Z4 Roadster is staying parked until the snow is off the ground for good.

[ragu]

Obviously you can get a hardtop for it but I was in a friend's S2000 about 2 weeks ago when we got the massive dump; he uses his car as dd, ride wasn't fun. It was pretty harsh and he there wasn't a road when he didn't scrape snow. With all said, I would go for it!

I feel bad for his front bumper....

[xviper]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
If you care about the condition of the soft top, you'll never even think about driving it without a hard top in the winter. Nothing DESTROYS the canvas roof quite like the consistant freezing & thawing of a damp roof, or the salts involved.
You really have no idea, do you? :banghead: The S2000 soft top is NOT canvass. It is vinyl. It does NOT get damp. If anything, it gets DRY. Speak all you like about your BMW, but don't speak on behalf of the S2000 if you don't know.
With any soft top, care and feeding of it is vital to it's health and longevity. There are many examples of S2000s with NO hardtop and being driven through winters for several years WITHOUT any issues whatsoever. I personally know of 2 in Calgary that's gone over 6 years and it's not the winters that create any problems with the soft top. I've also interacted on S2000 forums with many other owners who run theirs in the cold and snow with the same outcomes. Only the stupid ones who don't know how to take care of it or how to treat it, end up with soft tops that get damaged. Only the stupid ones who do not heed the warnings in the owner's manual to NOT operate the top in freezing temps, end up with cracked tops. Hell, they'll even take having 2 feet of snow fall on it and piled on top of it without any issues.

If you care about an S2000 soft top, you will learn what it takes to treat it and look after it. A hardtop will aid in sound insulation and cold insulation and just to give the car a different look, but extending the life of the soft top is in the hands of the owner, not because it's covered by a hardtop.

[whiskas]

Winter tires are a must, with an near empty gas tank and all seasons in the rear it was mighty sketchy driving it through any form of snow/slush/ice.

I also gotta give a :thumbsup: for the car being able to blow warm air so quickly after a cold start, granted it isn't able to blow air as hot as the neon did, you could literally burn your hand if you held it too close to the vent.

[95EagleAWD]

Originally posted by whiskas
Winter tires are a must, with an near empty gas tank and all seasons in the rear it was mighty sketchy driving it through any form of snow/slush/ice.

I also gotta give a :thumbsup: for the car being able to blow warm air so quickly after a cold start, granted it isn't able to blow air as hot as the neon did, you could literally burn your hand if you held it too close to the vent.

Glad you're enjoying it. :thumbsup:

[canuckcarguy]

We had a big dump of snow in Edmonton last week, and I passed an S2000 idling about 20 feet into the ditch.

I know this can happy with any combination of bad driving and bad weather, but I'd say winter tires are a must...

[nbaker00]

I just took an S2K out for a rip today in some snow to see what it's like... Not the best car, but don't drive stupid and you'll be fine. :)

[JAYMEZ]

^^ LOL my old S2k doesnt have winters. I am sure the S2k would be fine in winter weather.... Tires..tires..tires , that is all.

[nbaker00]

Haha, your car is so fun man.
I'm considering it myself for next summer.
Such a fun toy!!

[xviper]

Originally posted by canuckcarguy
We had a big dump of snow in Edmonton last week, and I passed an S2000 idling about 20 feet into the ditch.

I know this can happy with any combination of bad driving and bad weather, but I'd say winter tires are a must...
S2000s aren't the only vehicle on the road that is susceptible to ending up in the ditch. I routinely see 4X4 trucks, big SUVs, all kinds of FWD cars stuck in ditches, high centered on ridges of snow and spinning and crashing into barricades. It's not the car. It's the drivers and their inability to equip their cars for the driving conditions of the season. The same can be said in the wet season when idiots run on worn tires and hydroplane into a wall, then blame the car, saying it can't be driven in the rain.
Anybody who actually thinks they can drive safely in an S2000 in winter conditions without winter tires or too fast in the wet with worn performance tires, is in for a real surprise. They should be prepared to back their manliness off a couple of notches. You look like a total dumbass when you smack into that hard object that just happened to jump out in front of you.

[redblack]

i thought about buying winters and driving the ap1 year round but im worried about the ride height and rock chips

[792171004]

all rwd cars n are bad for canadian winters, also personal driving varies ive seen people driving rhd twin turbos in winters and a s2000 cant be that bad

[xviper]

Originally posted by redblack
i thought about buying winters and driving the ap1 year round but im worried about the ride height and rock chips
I have a buddy who daily drives a lowered S2000. He's just very smart about where and how he drives. For rock chips, he's got 3M film. If driving it worries you that much, then don't. It's not worth having that on your mind every time you go out. It ruins the fun so why bother? But remember, the guy with his $100K+ Porsche Cayenne S is driving out there. What do you suppose he thinks about rock chips? It's just a car.


Originally posted by 792171004
all rwd cars n are bad for canadian winters, also personal driving varies ive seen people driving rhd twin turbos in winters and a s2000 cant be that bad
I wonder what life was like before the days of FWD, when almost everything on the road were RWD cars. How did those people get by in such tough times? I guess life came to a grinding halt whenever winter came. :nut:

[ragu]

If I had S I would drive it every day of the year; its a car, they are meant to be driven.....don't buy a car to make it your garage queen.

[Tik-Tok]

Man, you people really don't know how to read a question do you?

For everyone who owns one (or had owned one), and commented on the ragtop/heating capability, thank you for your responses.

[xviper]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Man, you people really don't know how to read a question do you?

For everyone who owns one (or had owned one), and commented on the ragtop/heating capability, thank you for your responses.
As with any topic, one subject leads to another. That's human nature. I suppose I could have responded immediately as follows and then you would have a 2 post thread. Done.

Winter upkeep of the S2000 soft top is no different than in the summer. Wash it as you would the rest of the car. Treat it with something like 303 Protectant 2 to 3 times over the winter. In fact, the summer's heat will do far more damage to it. When it gets snowed on, carefully brush it off without pushing down on it between the frame tubes. As for warmth, the S2000 has one of the best interior heaters of any car. It will do just fine to keep you warm on the coldest days. Even on the coldest day, you will get to a point when you will have to turn it down.

There, you can close this down now. In future, I will endeavour to read your question and only answer what you ask, but then, I may remember just how impatient and impertinent you are and just say, "Fuck it! Somebody else can answer it."

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by xviper

There, you can close this down now. In future, I will endeavour to read your question and only answer what you ask, but then, I may remember just how impatient and impertinent you are and just say, "Fuck it! Somebody else can answer it."

I only mentioned it, because I was very specific in my OP, about having driven high hp, rwd vehicles in the past. I knew someone would start talking about the handling, which would completely railroad my original question.

[xviper]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


I only mentioned it, because I was very specific in my OP, about having driven high hp, rwd vehicles in the past. I knew someone would start talking about the handling, which would completely railroad my original question.
I think then the moderators here should come in and slap our dumbasses silly. :whipped:

[SilverBoost]

The only two things you need to drive pretty much ANY car in winter:

1. Winter tires.
2. The ability to be smart about it.

I think it's a shame that some of these performance oriented cars don't get to see all seasons. There's a ton of fun to be had with the right conditions and the right equipment. Get out and enjoy it.

[whiskas]

How do you deal with salted roads? I assume most of us garage our cars, and in above freezing temperatures salt water is a catalyst to corrosion. Especially since the paint on our cars is pretty thin. How often and under what conditions do you guys wash your cars in winter?

[xviper]

Originally posted by whiskas
How do you deal with salted roads? I assume most of us garage our cars, and in above freezing temperatures salt water is a catalyst to corrosion. Especially since the paint on our cars is pretty thin. How often and under what conditions do you guys wash your cars in winter?
Worrying about salt is a needless exercise. Believe it or not, modern day cars, especially the most successful brand names, rustproof their cars amazingly well right from the factory. Only if you sustain damage and breach the rustproofing, would you need to be concerned about rust. As for the paint, it's not as "thin" as you may think, particularly on each brand's high end products. There's several layers of color with 2 to 3 layers of clear. And as a responsible owner, you do put wax or polish or some kind of protectant on the paint on a regular basis, don't you?
I've run cars all year long for as much as a decade without aftermarket rustproofing on Calgary streets and none have produced any rust that was of any concern. The holes we put in the cars from our mods are the most susceptible to rust.
In the fire dept. it has always been tradition to wash the trucks every day whether they needed it or not. The last few years, smart thinking has prevailed and they only get washed when they really need it. It's the constant washing that rusts vehicles away. This re-mobilizes the salt and flushes it into places it wouldn't normally go and if you just left it alone or reduce the number of times you wash it, the salt stays dry longer and does less damage. Salt that sits on non-damaged rustproofing and properly protected paint is not a concern.
Over the past 9 winters, I tend to let my car get absolutely filthy until I just can't to look at it anymore. Then I wash it. For me, that might be once every month or two. And each spring, it comes out looking like new. The rust you see underneath on suspension components is surface rust and even cars that get stored will look like this from just being driven in the rain.
At its worst:
http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/37478/2733534910025981935S600x600Q85.jpg (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2733534910025981935wiYFTZ)

Cleaned up a couple months ago (it's actually a year 2000 car).
http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/44090/2824736140025981935S600x600Q85.jpg (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2824736140025981935qkFjhs)

[dimi]

I DD my S2000 with no problems. My trunk is gutted with no spare and tools and on days with low fuel the rear is really lively, dangerously so. A disciplined right foot and winter tires are a must.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by xviper
smart thinking has prevailed and they only get washed when they really need it. It's the constant washing that rusts vehicles away. This re-mobilizes the salt and flushes it into places it wouldn't normally go and if you just left it alone or reduce the number of times you wash it, the salt stays dry longer and does less damage. Salt that sits on non-damaged rustproofing and properly protected paint is not a concern.
Over the past 9 winters, I tend to let my car get absolutely filthy until I just can't to look at it anymore. Then I wash it. For me, that might be once every month or two. And each spring, it comes out looking like new. The rust you see underneath on suspension components is surface rust and even cars that get stored will look like this from just being driven in the rain.

I did not know this. I've been washing my car 2X a week because I thought it was the right thing to do! Clean car=happy car. Get rid of all the dirt, salt, etc.

[redblack]

^ thats what ive always thought too. I try to wash my vehicle's at least once/twice a week. i guess i should cut back

[Neil4Speed]

Arian_ma swears by his S2k with winters - he says that he feels more comfortable in that car than most others in the winter.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by Neil4Speed
Arian_ma swears by his S2k with winters - he says that he feels more comfortable in that car than most others in the winter.

Strange. I drive my MR2 in the winter with winter tires and while I've had no issues I'd be lying if I thought it was an ideal winter car for most people. I can get away with it but that's because I'm probably as good a driver as you will find but in the hands of average drivers that constanty get distracted with their cell phones, tailgate, don't pay attention to conditions, and just have plain poor driver skills I don't believe cars like the S2000 are proper for our winters but that's my opinion.

[xviper]

Originally posted by max_boost


I did not know this. I've been washing my car 2X a week because I thought it was the right thing to do! Clean car=happy car. Get rid of all the dirt, salt, etc.
Since we've stopped washing the trucks every day, new rust has stopped appearing at the alarming rate that it used to and existing rust doesn't seem to grow as much.
I jokingly said that a thick layer of dried crud and salt was actually a protecting layer. Maybe there's something to it. :dunno:

[lison]

i heard that RWDs have a higher chance of getting stuck in winter. This is Calgary winters.

[xviper]

Originally posted by lison
i heard that RWDs have a higher chance of getting stuck in winter. This is Calgary winters.
What you hear and what is true can be two different things. Often times, what you hear originates from stupid people. Before you believe something, you should get proof. Relaying what you hear as gospel and without proof brands you with the same label. Don't fall prey to the ignorant.

[chkolny541]

confucius say


Originally posted by xviper

What you hear and what is true can be two different things. Often times, what you hear originates from stupid people. Before you believe something, you should get proof. Relaying what you hear as gospel and without proof brands you with the same label. Don't fall prey to the ignorant.

[Tik-Tok]

Sadly for me, the car I was looking at (it was in the US south, while I was there for the past 2 weeks on training), has sold before I could get back here and set up financing :( . It was one hell of a steal too.