Buying a High-Mileage Honda S2000 Could Be 1 of the Best Decisions of the Decade
Yes, I’m kind of obsessed with the Honda S2000. After all, I own a 2008 model that has done me well for the past six years. During that time, I had no major issues with the car, as it only needed routine oil changes and minor detailing.
If you want to enjoy the low-maintenance and high-fun equation that the S2000 brings, you can buy one in the used market for a reasonable price, but it will likely have a lot of miles on the odometer. However, the silver lining is that buying a high-mileage S2000 could be one of the best decisions you’ll make in this decade.
Is the Honda S2000 a reliable sports car?
The Honda S2000 holds up well from a reliability standpoint. If you’re shopping for one, I always recommend purchasing a newer model (06-09), as it will likely have fewer miles and issues. My car has 89,000 miles, which is low considering the car is 15 years old.
However, if you must have the coveted 9,000-rpm that you’ll find in the AP1 (00-03), then by all means, get one. Just remember that most of them will have 100,000 miles or more on the clock.
Fortunately, it’s a Honda, which means that despite the high amount of miles some S2000s have, they are still reliable. Also, replacement parts are fairly easy to find and aren’t too expensive. That said, here are the common problems you could find on any Honda S2000:
- Excessive oil consumption (mainly AP1 models)
- Grinding when shifting into second gear
- Cracked valve retainers (00-03 models)
- Clutch buzzing when decelerating (00-02 models)
- Convertible top tears
- Dashboard bubbles
- Vibration during acceleration
Again, many of these issues can be fixed easily and cheaply, especially if you do the work yourself. However, if you buy an S2000 with over 100,000 miles, it’s best to keep an eye on its engine and mechanical parts by inspecting them once a month or more often, just like any other car with high mileage and nearly 20 years old.
Otherwise, with a little tender love and care, any Honda S2000 can be kept up in top shape and provides years of open-air driving enjoyment.
How much do high-mileage Honda S2000s cost?
A recent nationwide search on CarGurus shows that many high-mileage Honda S2000s (80,000 – 150,000 miles) are selling in the low-to-mid $20,000 range. Yes, that’s a high price considering the car had an original MSRP of $32,000, but that’s a good thing.
Will the Honda S2000 increase in value?
As stated, the good thing about the S2000 costing so much money now is that its value is holding steady, if not increasing. Many pristine low-mileage Honda S2000 examples have popped up on the auction site Bring a Trailer and sold for close to $30,000.
Will the S2000’s value rise up from here? I hope so, considering I own one. But if you’re on the hunt for one, I suggest finding a later model with fewer miles for the best return on your investment. But if you must buy one with a lot of miles on the clock, don’t worry, it’s a Honda – it will last. Also, it could be one of the best decisions you could make this decade if the values increase.
