well i found an MY00 for 17K. There is only 28,xxx miles on her so she hasn't been driven much.

My issue lies with the 1st owner. He apparently didn't go in for one TSB out of 15 or so...we're talking buzzing clutches, tranny work, diff work, spark plugs, oil jet bolts...

The 2nd owner, who i'm dealing with, bought the car in July with 26k on her...Should I be worried he only kept the car for 6 months and put 3k miles on it. Seems kinda sketchy.

As for the TSB's, he said the car didn't experience any issues with these problems...granted he might be telling the truth but who knows what could come up before 50k on the clock???? I'm out of warranty obviously.

Also, he has it garaged, plateless, and uninsured. If I wanna test drive it, which he is reluctant to let me do , will my insurance cover me in another car? I can see him not wanting it totalled before he sells it....

I'm gonna try and work him down to at least 16 simply by showing him the total of all the TSB's
Sorry for all the questions but I appreciate ANY help I can get. Thanks

 

Not all the TSBs would have applied to the car. TSBs are only if the owner decides he can't live with those symptoms. It's not likely you will get any of these done for free now.
The clutch buzz was just a noise and had no affect on the operation of the car. For all you know, the car may need a new clutch now anyway.
"Tranny work" was most likely for any gear grinds for that vintage of S2000 and involved changing out syncros for 2nd or 3rd gear.
"Diff work"? I don't recall any TSBs for the diff.
The spark thing was an actual recall. You should be concerned that since it was never done, that one or more of the plugs have backed off and possibly caused some irreversible engine damage.
Oil jet bolts was ONLY a European recall, not anything that was offered to N. Americans.
You would be foolish to buy this car without a thorough test drive and a complete mechanical inspection. I don't know how insurance works where you live, but I wouldn't chance that your insurance will apply to a test drive vehicle.

 

It is foolish to buy ANY car without test driving it. It is foolish to buy ANY car without a mechanical inspection unless it comes with a warranty.

My insurance covers me in any vehicle I drive that is borrowed or rented. Check your policy.

 

Insurance usually will cover it IF it is a currently registered vehicle. You mentioned that it is plateless.... does that mean the tags are expired? If so, no insurance will cover it and either way the police could pull you over and tow the car away with you left on the side of the road for driving it at all, if the registration/tags are expired.

and it goes without saying, a test drive is a MUST

 

Not sure where you live either, but I'd recommend saying screw that idea and just walk away.

Number one, that quick of a turnover to me seems a little suspicious. Unless he has a pretty darn good explanation, there are other deals out there, better to err on the side of caution imo ;P. To buy the car in the peak convertible buying season, and then to sell it for a major loss in the middle of winter, ehhhh like I said I'd walk away.

Another reason I'd say walk away.... How adamant he seems to be about not test driving. Even MENTIONING the idea of not letting someone do a test drive for a car priced under 20k is downright retarded and the guy has something to hide. Over that, I can understand waiting for serious clientele, because there are joyriders out there, even then saying no test drive across the board is extremely sketchy. I can understand the fact that it's plateless, etc. but coordinate something in a big parking lot nearby or something.

And thirdly because the thing isn't being driven and OBVIOUSLY hasn't been driven in a while (no plate, no insurance?), AND he's only had the car for 6 months, means there was something, imo, wrong with the car. I can't imagine buying a new car, loving the car, then a few months later throw it in storage somewhere.

There are better deals out there imo.

 

 

If the car looks clean, but may have mechanical problems, offer to have the car trailered to a Honda dealer for a thorough inspection. If he balks at this there is something fishy.

Run a carfax.

If you find something wrong with the car, make him an offer appropriate for the condition (engine work, new diff or whatever).

 

ask Wisconsin. ap2 are supposedly alot faster than the ap1s.