AP1Driver

I'm gonna organize an award ceremony for you the next time you mention the F20C's recent recognition from C&D ... You have to have broken some nonexistent post count record on that subject . Lol.

rockville

The early S2k boxes were good but the one I drove (a first year car) was occasionally just somewhat reluctant to engage. No slop, just reluctance. The later boxes on the 2.2L cars were as good as any box I've ever driven and a good bit better than many Miata boxes I've used. BTW, I do think the '97 Accord shifter was quite good.

Lazyrider69

But how is it possible that with all the mundane chatter that goes on here with long threads..... AND THAT topic of Car and Driver article barely had any chatter????

Guess people prefer the sibling rivalry between AP1 and AP2....

rob-2

There is no doubt the gear box is good. I've not driven anything I thought was "better" but I think the s box could have been improved.

Mine was notchy at low rpms, even with fresh fluid and slow shifts. But 100k my front synchro had got a burr on it which eventually worked itself away.

Above 5k the tranny was a blast with solid feedback and silky smooth action.

Others I've driven dont have that solid feedback and always leave me questioning if I am in gear.

Since Honda doesn't make this gear box anymore I think a new "best in production" spot needs to be filled. It makes a bunch of owners feel good to claim they own the best gear box but it's rather moot if you cannot get it in a modern car.

rockville

Did Honda actually make the S2k gearbox? I thought (and I'm likely as not wrong) it was an Aisin gearbox. I also recall the rear end being the same one Mazda used in one of their cars (not the Miata of the time). Again I may be very wrong.

rob-2

They made the gear box. The LSD was a torson diff.

rockville

The LSD isn't really the rear end but I think you might be right. It was the RX-8 and Sk2 that used the same diff. By rear end I mean the diff housing etc. For example the Miata offered several diff options but the housing was the same for all cars of the same model year. I thought the Honda diff housing (ie the rear end) was the same part as one of the Mazdas.

rob-2

The LSD isn't really the rear end but I think you might be right. It was the RX-8 and Sk2 that used the same diff. By rear end I mean the diff housing etc. For example the Miata offered several diff options but the housing was the same for all cars of the same model year. I thought the Honda diff housing (ie the rear end) was the same part as one of the Mazdas.
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I am not certain about that detail.

Saki GT

Are you sure it wasn't Aisin sourced? Everything I read back in the day talked about how it was an Aisin box, built to Honda's specs.

Saki GT

I don't think anyone will argue this, but as the S2000 slips into history, the best gearbox Honda has anymore is in the 4-cyl Accord. Def worth a try if you haven't driven one.

Among Honda manuals, the S2000, Civic, and Accord are all direct, positive experiences, but the only Manuals Honda makes any more don't include S2000s anymore, and haven't for 6 years now.