I love my s2000 but.........

[zdghost]

I have to say when I bought my s2k I absolutely loved everything about it. From the moment I sat down to pushing the ignition to take off its a cool ride. I did buy it used 02 spa with 22,000 miles on it and now have 47,000 miles on it. I changed the oil every 3000 miles and checked the level weekly usually adding a half quart about 2500 miles into it, normal especially when using the mobile one synthetic. At about 39,000 miles it was skipping at idle check engine light came on so I took it to the dealership (not where i bought it i bought it used at a Cadillac dealership) and by the time I arrived it was no longer missing the engine code was an ingnition system malfuction or missfire. But since it wasn't occuring the only sure way to determine if it was garbage (partially clogged fuel injector) or bent valve was to remove the head and inspect the valves and at 1200 without needing repairs that diagnosis was a lilttle expensive and the service writter agreed. He suggested if it happens again to try and get to the dealership right away so a better diagnosis could be made. Off I went a little cautious at first but after a few months with no problems I was back to high-revin fun. Then out of the blue driving at around 45 miles an hour in fifth gear the motor let go, clack clack clack it said, I shut it off and pulled over. I had the car towed to a dealership and without even taking off the valve cover they said the motor dropped a valve and was trashed. 9,600 for a new motor or 6,200 for a remanufactured motor! I was floored didn't know what to say at first. I still owe 16,000 on a car with 47,000 miles and I am faced with a 9,200 dollar repair bill. I towed the car to the house and tried numerously to reach american honda motor company 1-800-993-1009 but after a week of continuous busy signals I have given up. I called three other dealerships and they basically said the same thing a dropped valve ment I had to replace the motor and the area superviser for honda was firm that absolutely no good faith repairs are to be made on the s2k cars. So my next move off to the nissan dealership to get the z I should have bought last year. As for the s2000 I attend car shows regularly and plan on turning my s2k into a lemonade stand. I figure at $1 per glass (thats about 60cents profit) I will have it paid off in about 26,660 glasses!

[clawhammer]

Sorry to hear that about the car. Did you ever mis-shift the car? For example, you're revving the car up to 90 mph in 3rd, you try to shift to 4th, but it accidentally goes into 2nd and you let the clutch out?

If it didn't happen to you, chances are that it happened to the owner who had the car before you. The engine may be fine for many miles after a mis-shift, and then all of a sudden it will let go.

If I were you, I'd get qoutes from the other dealerships too. I think you could get it done a bit cheaper than that. Look at the for sale section of s2ki.com and you can even pick up a low mileage engine for a lot less.