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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 13,806
Likes: 1,541
From: Chesterfield VA
You need to do some homework, not just ask us to spoon feed you. 
Honda made significant upgrades every two years to the car starting in 2002. 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008. All the details are here.
-- Chuck
Honda made significant upgrades every two years to the car starting in 2002. 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008. All the details are here.-- Chuck
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,296
Likes: 260
From: Vermont
Some of the "upgrades" were actually "downgrades" marketed as "upgrades" to boost sales of the car to the masses. Some were actual upgrades.
They are both great cars. You can't go wrong as long as you do your reading and your due diligence regarding the condition of the cars you look at. I prefer ap1 slightly over ap2. I am not alone in that view, but many people prefer ap2 over ap1.
They are both great cars. You can't go wrong as long as you do your reading and your due diligence regarding the condition of the cars you look at. I prefer ap1 slightly over ap2. I am not alone in that view, but many people prefer ap2 over ap1.
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,316
Likes: 214
From: Oregon
LIke rpg51, I wouldn't necessarily deem every change made to this car over the years an upgrade. While these cars are more alike than they are different, I chose an AP2 car over the AP1 models. Yet I restricted my choices to the AP2v1 cars only (2004 & 2005). I had plenty of reasons for choosing an AP2 car. But many of these can be chalked up to my own preferences. The thing is, I was well aware of what those preferences were, how I planned to use the car, and what my budget would likely afford me before making the decision to purchase a S2000.
For example, I personally ruled out the 2006 and later cars as I have a definite preference to avoid electronically controlled throttle systems, otherwise known as drive-by-wire (or simply DBW) as found on the 2006+ cars. (I feel the same way when it comes to motorcycles by the way.) That's my hang up, obviously not everyone feels the same as I do (DBW has become standard fare on most cars being made these days). As such, there are plenty of happy AP2v2 (2006, 2007) and AP2v3 (2008, 2009) owners out there who don't share my feelings or concerns. It should go without saying that here are also plenty of happy AP1 owners out there as well. To that point it's worth noting that there are more AP1 cars out on the road overall in this country simply due to the fact that Honda released more AP1 cars here (36,968) than they did AP2 cars (29,892). If your budget is tight then you stand a much better chance at finding more car for the money with an AP1 car generally speaking.
I could geek out on this topic to the point that you would be scrolling through pages of information, but I'd recommend that you first consider asking yourself questions that xxyion raised. What are your goals in terms of how you plan to use the car? For that matter, do you really plan to use the car, or will this be more of a collectible acquisition? If you don't really know all that much about these cars at this point in time then I'd suggest taking your time doing so before you consider buying one. It's probably also worth mentioning that prices for convertibles are traditionally at their lowest when winter is fast approaching or already upon us.
For example, I personally ruled out the 2006 and later cars as I have a definite preference to avoid electronically controlled throttle systems, otherwise known as drive-by-wire (or simply DBW) as found on the 2006+ cars. (I feel the same way when it comes to motorcycles by the way.) That's my hang up, obviously not everyone feels the same as I do (DBW has become standard fare on most cars being made these days). As such, there are plenty of happy AP2v2 (2006, 2007) and AP2v3 (2008, 2009) owners out there who don't share my feelings or concerns. It should go without saying that here are also plenty of happy AP1 owners out there as well. To that point it's worth noting that there are more AP1 cars out on the road overall in this country simply due to the fact that Honda released more AP1 cars here (36,968) than they did AP2 cars (29,892). If your budget is tight then you stand a much better chance at finding more car for the money with an AP1 car generally speaking.
I could geek out on this topic to the point that you would be scrolling through pages of information, but I'd recommend that you first consider asking yourself questions that xxyion raised. What are your goals in terms of how you plan to use the car? For that matter, do you really plan to use the car, or will this be more of a collectible acquisition? If you don't really know all that much about these cars at this point in time then I'd suggest taking your time doing so before you consider buying one. It's probably also worth mentioning that prices for convertibles are traditionally at their lowest when winter is fast approaching or already upon us.
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 13,806
Likes: 1,541
From: Chesterfield VA
We can debate improvements vs changes forever -- in fact we have been for years.
Prospective owners, though, need to be aware of the changes, major and minor, when making their priority list to avoid disappointments later. A priority list automatically creates a smaller pool of cars to consider. A disappointment sometimes mentioned here after a purchase is the inability to tune pre-2006 cars without aftermarket ECUs and dynos.
Happy shopping! Sometimes the quest is as much fun as the goal.
-- Chuck
Prospective owners, though, need to be aware of the changes, major and minor, when making their priority list to avoid disappointments later. A priority list automatically creates a smaller pool of cars to consider. A disappointment sometimes mentioned here after a purchase is the inability to tune pre-2006 cars without aftermarket ECUs and dynos.
Happy shopping! Sometimes the quest is as much fun as the goal.
-- Chuck
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Some of the "upgrades" were actually "downgrades" marketed as "upgrades" to boost sales of the car to the masses. Some were actual upgrades.
They are both great cars. You can't go wrong as long as you do your reading and your due diligence regarding the condition of the cars you look at. I prefer ap1 slightly over ap2. I am not alone in that view, but many people prefer ap2 over ap1.
They are both great cars. You can't go wrong as long as you do your reading and your due diligence regarding the condition of the cars you look at. I prefer ap1 slightly over ap2. I am not alone in that view, but many people prefer ap2 over ap1.
LIke rpg51, I wouldn't necessarily deem every change made to this car over the years an upgrade. While these cars are more alike than they are different, I chose an AP2 car over the AP1 models. Yet I restricted my choices to the AP2v1 cars only (2004 & 2005). I had plenty of reasons for choosing an AP2 car. But many of these can be chalked up to my own preferences. The thing is, I was well aware of what those preferences were, how I planned to use the car, and what my budget would likely afford me before making the decision to purchase a S2000.
For example, I personally ruled out the 2006 and later cars as I have a definite preference to avoid electronically controlled throttle systems, otherwise known as drive-by-wire (or simply DBW) as found on the 2006+ cars. (I feel the same way when it comes to motorcycles by the way.) That's my hang up, obviously not everyone feels the same as I do (DBW has become standard fare on most cars being made these days). As such, there are plenty of happy AP2v2 (2006, 2007) and AP2v3 (2008, 2009) owners out there who don't share my feelings or concerns. It should go without saying that here are also plenty of happy AP1 owners out there as well. To that point it's worth noting that there are more AP1 cars out on the road overall in this country simply due to the fact that Honda released more AP1 cars here (36,968) than they did AP2 cars (29,892). If your budget is tight then you stand a much better chance at finding more car for the money with an AP1 car generally speaking.
I could geek out on this topic to the point that you would be scrolling through pages of information, but I'd recommend that you first consider asking yourself questions that xxyion raised. What are your goals in terms of how you plan to use the car? For that matter, do you really plan to use the car, or will this be more of a collectible acquisition? If you don't really know all that much about these cars at this point in time then I'd suggest taking your time doing so before you consider buying one. It's probably also worth mentioning that prices for convertibles are traditionally at their lowest when winter is fast approaching or already upon us.
For example, I personally ruled out the 2006 and later cars as I have a definite preference to avoid electronically controlled throttle systems, otherwise known as drive-by-wire (or simply DBW) as found on the 2006+ cars. (I feel the same way when it comes to motorcycles by the way.) That's my hang up, obviously not everyone feels the same as I do (DBW has become standard fare on most cars being made these days). As such, there are plenty of happy AP2v2 (2006, 2007) and AP2v3 (2008, 2009) owners out there who don't share my feelings or concerns. It should go without saying that here are also plenty of happy AP1 owners out there as well. To that point it's worth noting that there are more AP1 cars out on the road overall in this country simply due to the fact that Honda released more AP1 cars here (36,968) than they did AP2 cars (29,892). If your budget is tight then you stand a much better chance at finding more car for the money with an AP1 car generally speaking.
I could geek out on this topic to the point that you would be scrolling through pages of information, but I'd recommend that you first consider asking yourself questions that xxyion raised. What are your goals in terms of how you plan to use the car? For that matter, do you really plan to use the car, or will this be more of a collectible acquisition? If you don't really know all that much about these cars at this point in time then I'd suggest taking your time doing so before you consider buying one. It's probably also worth mentioning that prices for convertibles are traditionally at their lowest when winter is fast approaching or already upon us.
We can debate improvements vs changes forever -- in fact we have been for years.
Prospective owners, though, need to be aware of the changes, major and minor, when making their priority list to avoid disappointments later. A priority list automatically creates a smaller pool of cars to consider. A disappointment sometimes mentioned here after a purchase is the inability to tune pre-2006 cars without aftermarket ECUs and dynos.
Happy shopping! Sometimes the quest is as much fun as the goal.
-- Chuck
Prospective owners, though, need to be aware of the changes, major and minor, when making their priority list to avoid disappointments later. A priority list automatically creates a smaller pool of cars to consider. A disappointment sometimes mentioned here after a purchase is the inability to tune pre-2006 cars without aftermarket ECUs and dynos.
Happy shopping! Sometimes the quest is as much fun as the goal.
-- Chuck
I wanted to thank you guys for all this information, I have been reading and doing alot of research before I take the bite. There has been alot of these s2k's out for sale and I have been hesitant to purchase either an AP1 or AP2 and which year would be best beneficial for me. I will continue to read through the forums, research my options and wait during the winter months for a bit of price drop, if any, to purchase one. Thank you guys again for all the information that you have provided to me. I will reach out to you guys if I need any assistance in the future!
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,316
Likes: 214
From: Oregon
@S2kzaddy - Mandatory reading: https://www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-ta...-s2000-775801/
In addition, if you haven't already thoroughly explored this thread, including following the links to the information on the model year changes, you'll want to do so: https://www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-ta...l-info-753204/
I would also recommend reading past magazine reviews (many of which are online and accessible for free) detailing the original (2000) and other notable model change years (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008).
Watch the savagegeese's (who is a forum member here) S2000 videos:
&
Finally, the S2000 Club website has been started by another forum member here. It is constantly growing: S2000.club [Anything and Everything Honda S2000]
In addition, if you haven't already thoroughly explored this thread, including following the links to the information on the model year changes, you'll want to do so: https://www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-ta...l-info-753204/
I would also recommend reading past magazine reviews (many of which are online and accessible for free) detailing the original (2000) and other notable model change years (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008).
Watch the savagegeese's (who is a forum member here) S2000 videos:
Finally, the S2000 Club website has been started by another forum member here. It is constantly growing: S2000.club [Anything and Everything Honda S2000]
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