Boofneenee

Hi again,

Let me apologize for starting a new topic when I could simply continue this discussion in a thread I started earlier. But, time is of the essence and I am looking for direct community feedback as a decision needs to be made soon. So here goes.


Since the last time I was active on this forum I have actually test drove two s2k's!

The 1st was a year 2000. That was 3 weeks ago and just yesterday, I test drove a 2008 with 67k miles on it. Dude is super cool and let me drive the piss out of it. In fact, he let me race him on the highway with my FRS. I wanted to see who was faster.. and even with my headers back exhaust and custom tune he pulled on .. pretty much with ease. I should also mention that he works at a car dealership but this is his personal vehicle and the dealership is helping him sell it.


In any event.. here is why I need your help. I was down right ready to buy this thing until I saw the car fax and what the carfax told me could be a good or bad thing. Thats for you to help me decide. Here goes:

1ST owner leased the vehicle and the carfax reports only 3 oil changes up until 40k miles. No other work done. Then at 40k the "vehicle offered for sale" and was sold with 53k on the tack as reported

At 56k miles the 2nd owner had the following: PCV replaced, transmission fluid changed and SHORT BLOCK replaced! Car had been driven by this 2nd owner up until 65k when the 3rd owner bought it. Since the time of purchase new owner has driven it for only ~3k miles. He told me he wanted a car for the summer that was a convertible. He had big plans for it but his wife told him he has too many cars. To his credit, he doesn't appear to be lying as he showed me pics of his other Hondas. Also,, to note, he drivesa 600 hp RSX.. confirmed with a picture of a dyno and him holding the dyno sheet in his hands like it were a 500lb tuna. A car enthusiast for sure. I believe that part.

During my personal inspection of the car he told me the prior owner did the brakes and rotors recently (rotors looked new with absolutely no scoring) and the clutch was replaced at some point.. however, none of those show in the service record or carfax.

So here is the concern, the elephant in the room, whats up with that new motor? I called the Honda dealership where the engine was replaced for details. He was brief but told me that the owner said it was making a noise. When they cracked open the motor their was "stuff"" inside it. So it had to be replaced. This was at 56k . the car now has 67k on it. 10k miles and a few years later.

Here is what I think? The 1st owner was an enormous dump and did not take care for the car. He did not change the oil enough and that eventually caused the engine to crap. I also read that a pvc valve will sometimes need to be replaced because oil blow by can get trapped in there if its sticky. Sticky oil can happen from a neglect in changing the oil. I think the kid got the car for a steal because of its status and is now trying to up sell it. Fine, I get it. Capitalism at its finest.

My questions for you. Do I dig in more or move on? Technically, the car was serviced at a honda dealership where it received a new or refurbished short block. Therefore, its kind of a new motor. Its been about 10k miles and a year or so since that occurred and I would think if something more was to break, then it would by now.

So many variables at play.

When I asked the current owner about the short block being replaced he said it was a recall??

I want to call the Honda mechanics back with more questions but I am not quite sure what to ask. Should I assume a new short block includes new rings and pistons? What other factors at play could hvae been effected with the engine going?

NNY S2k

It is better to buy a car that has had it's motor replaced than a car that needs it's motor replaced.
Levi

Boofneenee

I couldn’t wait and just had to call the mechanic at honda for a second time. He said that there was a rumbling noise coming from the engine/transmission area. That’s when the team identified it was an engine related problem and so they replaced the engine. The replaced engine is typically a refurbished engine that contains all the internals such as pistons and rods. I asked the mechanic his advice and he told me he doesn’t think having a car with a replaced engine makes a difference. He said that if something more was to happen it would have probably happened by now. The car has another 1k miles on it since the installation.
I am still curious as to what you guys have to say. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? What about in terms of resale value?

snitm

As someone who just had to replace the short block on his AP1 with only 23500 miles on it (don't ask): I can tell you that my car is much more future-proof. All new short block, clutch (was "free" while the engine was out), thermostat, better injectors, upgraded radiator and fans, etc etc.

But in your case, if all they did was replace the shortblock then it is less of a slam dunk. BUT it isn't reason to walk away. Question is: do you want to drive the car hard? Or do you want to count the days until you sell it (asking about resale value is effectively saying "I want to make an investment in an s2000 queen").

If you have intentions of just enjoying the car then a new shortblock is a bonus for sure. Provided the replacement block was high quality and the work was done properly. The way you're saying it drove it sounds like it is in good shape.. DO IT and don't look back!

Boofneenee

hhaha thank you! this is more for personal pleasure than for resale. I will be driving it for fun.. never abused or hard like on a track. just spirited driving.I am certainly looking at it as a bonus but I am extremely cautious. In fact, I am going to have it inspected by a Honda dealership .. a once over before I pull the plug.

I have to assume the replacement block is legit and the workk was done correctly as it was all done under warranty in a honda dealership.

thanks

snitm

Just a word of caution: don't put too much stock in what a honda dealership tech has to say. Unless the tech has an s2000 himself. The existing honda techs in my area are woefully inexperienced with the s2000 -- they all love them and fall over one another to work on them but they don't know the car. They just want to work on the unicorn of the honda world (especially so in that the s2000 has been out of production for so long).

snitm

You'd be amazed at how incapable all of the techs (and the lead/boss tech) were at simply purging air out of the coolant when I had a honda dealership install my new mishimoto radiator. It was scary. "What am I paying you for again!?"

Boofneenee

geeesh. maybe I should find a different shop in the area then.

hirev

If you saw my carfax on my 2004 you would see one oil change in 78,000 miles, period...i have done all the rest, only the first was done at the dealer on a coupon when new.
i go by what I can tell on a test drive, the rest is only speculation, period.
If you have doubts...there is not doubt then...don't do it.
there are plenty of hondas out there with original motors, low miles, etc...just go by the car tells you, not the story, or someone's remembrance of a job a while ago.
these cars are stout and reliable, if cared for. look for one that is cared for, has the right price, and you can tell it is all there....or if in doubt have a qualified shop to an inspection and talk with the tech how does that inspection, they should know something.

jetboater

Unusual for the mechanic to actually remember why an engine in a particular car was replaced a year or two ago--- good memory!????

And you know the current owner ran the piss out of it as he let you, someone he just met, do it.

I'd walk from that one and look for an original one--- there out there if you're willing to wait and keep looking.