lmaonnaise

Hi All,

I just wanted to get some advice on pricing of a local S2000 near me in Massachusetts. I've always wanted this car and now have the means to have a weekend car in the garage.

08' model 75k miles *clean*

3 previous owners, clean history.

Asking 22.8k. Online calculators are saying its a fair deal, however I'd like some additional input.

Are certain year s2ks worth more/hold their value better than others or is it prominently condition/mileage?

Thanks!

Kyle

Personally I think you can do better on the price. I'm from CT and the dealer prices on S2000s are just stupid around here. Typically an unmodified, 10 vin, no accident car in good shape pulls a premium. AP2s seem more desirable than AP1s by the price difference, and the 08-09 models seem to exclusively fetch a premium as some will consider them the "most refined" of the s2000s as they were at the end of the lifecycle.

Because I was looking for a specific combo, I had to buy my car out of state. I got it at a great price, and the guarantee of no rust as it was a Texas car for most of its life. Car transports aren't too expensive. If you can find a way better deal out of state the difference will still be in your favor even after transport costs.

Chuck S

Sounds good to me with what information you've provided.

Value is what you can sell the car for. Condition is paramount. My priority list 5 years ago was headed by Drive-by-Wire (2006 or later) so I could retain normal aspiration yet have the car tuned for more mid range power. A properly tuned 3600rpm VTEC transforms the car. The 2008 in question meets #1. My list further wanted a "10 VIN" car which indicates all the body panels are original and any crash is unlikely. I also wanted a car with less than 50K miles but that was 5 years ago and these cars are rarely garage queens. Purchased with 38K and just over 61K this morning. 75K does not frighten me -- it's a Honda.

As I frequently mention (!) color was not on my priority list. Naturally my car is Silverstone as nearly 40% of these cars are some shade of silver (or so it seems). At the risk of making my car jealous I do tend to drool secretly over Chicane Silver which was only available 2008 and later. Color is a taste item and we all are different. Some guys will search for months for a color or interior they want or completely shun others. Doesn't mean they're worth more (or less) to everyone else. Since color doesn't affect the car's performance it wasn't on my list.

Little else to check on the 2008 car assuming it has not been buggered with aftermarket wheels, suspension, of forced induction. Good seats and roof are vital at that price point. Four of us had new roofs fitted yesterday. Budget about $1200 for a replacement roof professionally installed if needed. Car is likely to need new summer tires and consensus here is a complete fluid change soon after getting her home just to establish a maintenance baseline. Easy DIY projects with enough discussion as to what's the best oils to use to take up several days of reading posts.

-- Chuck

gens2k

Welcome! From my experience, really nice 08-09 models don’t come along that often. I actively looked for what seemed an eternity, and finally found a sweet 09 posted here and scooped it up. And I did pay for the low miles, but I have zero regrets. It was everything I wanted and it was only a few hours away. Have you asked if they will take any less? To me, if it really is in good shape, that price is not bad for an 08. All depends on how much you are willing to pay and what your priorities are - mileage, model year, color, price, and how much hassle to retrieve one if/when you find it. If you really like the car, I’d say buy it. Good luck!

rpg51

My feeling is that the best thing to do is to find a good private sale through the forums, the on-line car sales sites or craigslist. Dealers are big believers in "buyer beware" so you generally do not get full disclosures and often very little history. If you are buying 06 and newer, and the car has any miles on it, I would want to pay for a compression test to be done assuming the car checks out otherwise. Or, at least I would want to hear it running, to assess if there is any sign of misfires. I'd ask when the last valve adjustment was done and what the numbers were. I'd ask if it has thrown any codes and if so what codes. A dealer usually won't know, or they will tell you they don't know. A private owner will likely know.

I would say that all else being equal ap2 (04-09) bring a bit more than ap1 (00-03). But, they are all great cars. My preference is for mid to late 02, 03, 04 and 05. Some prefer 06-09. There are endless arguments about this and there are differences but in my personal opinion we enthusiasts tend to make more of the differences than we should.

CTSV

What color is the 08 you are looking at? that has a huge affect on price.

GPW and LBP are the most desirable highest price.
The various silver colors are the most common and lowest price.

But otherwise condition is most important. Having all 10 vins helps ensure there isn’t bad bodywork and check for rust underneath especially up north. Rust eats 90-2000’s Japanese cars.

i wouldn’t be afraid of miles if it’s well maintained but it affects the “value” a lot.

i just bought an AP1 with 179k on it but it’s absolutwly spotless underneath not a spec of rust and has all 10 vins. Doesn’t leak a drop and runs like a top I’m surprised with these cars.
I have a very well maintained 06 BMW that leaks oil from every fricken gasket.

outeiroj

I'm in CT and when I was looking for s2k's I found the only way of getting a good deal on a LBP was buying it out of state. Mine came from Pennsylvania. For NE pricing that price you posted may be a good deal depending on the color. However pricing is relative to what your looking for. If you don't care about specific colors or years you can probably find a better deal. But i'll mention since they are getting rarer every year, that you should probably figure out exactly what you want and buy it, even if it costs a little more because you might never get this opportunity again

rpg51

I agree with this and because the cars hold value so well there is not as big a hit when you over pay a bit. As Chuck said - condition is key, I bought my current S while I already owned another because it was exactly the S I knew I wanted, (color, year, oem hardtop. very low miles, condition, one mature owner), and I could not resist. I am glad I was able to do it. I have no worries about how much I paid because it looks like it has already gone up a bit.

outeiroj

my only regret, and I didn't take this into account 6 years ago when i got the one i own now. there was 1 in iowa for 1k more with 10k less miles that I should have gotten instead because the hood and fenders didnt have as many paint chips from rocks/salt on the roads in new england. So 6 years later im looking at an entire respray to correct it, I probably wouldn't have had to go to such extremes if I went with the other one

GuthNW

This is a good observation. In the end if you have the budget to swing it, then buying the car that is in better overall condition is rarely a bad choice. I say rarely because some people can never get over making a purchase for anything other than the lowest possible price. As is usually the case it is largely a matter of understanding your own priorities and knowing what matters most to you..