New AP1 owner in Pennsylvania
07-04-2015, 09:38 PM
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New AP1 owner in Pennsylvania
Hey s2ki community,
New Sebring Silver Metallic S2000 owner here. I live in NEPA. After 10 years of lusting over these cars, and involuntarily staring & pausing conversation any time one ever drove by, I finally decided to pull the trigger.
From what I have read, some of you may probably be unhappy with the fact that I bought my S from a dealership out of town. I think I did alright on my purchase. I am a sales consultant at a local dealership, so I made sure to connect all the dots before purchasing. The car is a 1 owner 2003 AP1 with 54k miles on it. All vin stickers were in tact and matching, and I paid private party pricing from the dealership, which was the main reason I bought it. The dealership I purchased from said they did not have the owners manuals, but upon further inspection (in the hidden upper storage area between the seats) I found the owners manual, quick reference guide, radio card, and window label!
For the longest time I have wanted one of these, and a few months ago my friend bought a Berlina Black '05. I had never driven one, and since my friend only just gotten his, so I was not about to ask him to drive it. I did, however, ask him to take me for a ride in it. We drove around a bit with the top up and it was fun, but once we put the top down, that was when I was bitten by the bug. I loved every minute of it. It was after that I had decided I needed one of these in my life.
Fast foward to 2 weeks ago, my girlfriend and I are out shopping out of town and I happened upon to this beauty. I scheduled an appointment to look at it, and after seeing it, how clean the engine bay was, the pristine condition of the top, the drivers seat bolster that was near mint, and the near-perfect driver's side floor mat (virtually no heel wear at all) I knew this was the one.
Since then, all I can seem to think about is this car. When my girlfriend and I are out to dinner, I worry about it in the parking lot. When I park in the driveway, I cannot help but look back at it every single time without fail. I even feel guilty driving it in the rain. It's like meeting your childhood hero, and they were everything you'd hoped they would be.
I'm glad to be part of the community - part of the family. I have nothing but the utmost love and respect for my S. To me, this car is proof the best things in life are worth waiting for.
TL;DR Wanted an S2000 for a long time, then my friend bought one. Not long after, I bought one. And now I can't stop staring at it.
New Sebring Silver Metallic S2000 owner here. I live in NEPA. After 10 years of lusting over these cars, and involuntarily staring & pausing conversation any time one ever drove by, I finally decided to pull the trigger.
From what I have read, some of you may probably be unhappy with the fact that I bought my S from a dealership out of town. I think I did alright on my purchase. I am a sales consultant at a local dealership, so I made sure to connect all the dots before purchasing. The car is a 1 owner 2003 AP1 with 54k miles on it. All vin stickers were in tact and matching, and I paid private party pricing from the dealership, which was the main reason I bought it. The dealership I purchased from said they did not have the owners manuals, but upon further inspection (in the hidden upper storage area between the seats) I found the owners manual, quick reference guide, radio card, and window label!
For the longest time I have wanted one of these, and a few months ago my friend bought a Berlina Black '05. I had never driven one, and since my friend only just gotten his, so I was not about to ask him to drive it. I did, however, ask him to take me for a ride in it. We drove around a bit with the top up and it was fun, but once we put the top down, that was when I was bitten by the bug. I loved every minute of it. It was after that I had decided I needed one of these in my life.
Fast foward to 2 weeks ago, my girlfriend and I are out shopping out of town and I happened upon to this beauty. I scheduled an appointment to look at it, and after seeing it, how clean the engine bay was, the pristine condition of the top, the drivers seat bolster that was near mint, and the near-perfect driver's side floor mat (virtually no heel wear at all) I knew this was the one.
Since then, all I can seem to think about is this car. When my girlfriend and I are out to dinner, I worry about it in the parking lot. When I park in the driveway, I cannot help but look back at it every single time without fail. I even feel guilty driving it in the rain. It's like meeting your childhood hero, and they were everything you'd hoped they would be.
I'm glad to be part of the community - part of the family. I have nothing but the utmost love and respect for my S. To me, this car is proof the best things in life are worth waiting for.
TL;DR Wanted an S2000 for a long time, then my friend bought one. Not long after, I bought one. And now I can't stop staring at it.
07-05-2015, 07:36 AM
#3
Sounds like a good purchase! I bought mine from a large Honda dealer last summer. Car was on their showroom floor. People still think it's a new car.
Service records? Lots of information and tutorials here.
Some of the service requirements are age, not mileage based. Sometimes the CarFax will show what's been done. If in doubt (as I was last summer) change all the filters and fluids, they're cheap. If you can get under your car the gearbox and differential oils can be changed as easily as the engine oil. Easy but messy!
Brake/clutch hydraulic fluids are changed on a time schedule (every so many years) as is the special engine coolant.
Find the cabin air filter under the panel under the hood in front of the wipers. You'll be shocked!
You will want to check the engine valve clearances and probably fit a new timing chain tensioner. I can attest the Billman re-engineered unit is dirt simple to change with a 10m ratcheting wrench (not socket). This swap is clean enough I did it in Dockers and a dress shirt and stayed clean and I ain't a mechanic. Valve clearance check showed mine were in spec. Tedious check but $20 in tools is all ya need. I was lucky to watch a buddy do his and get him to do mine a couple of weeks later.
Assuming this is a summer car my (constant) recommendation is to fit extreme performance tires and the car should be good-to-go. A K&N FIPK air cleaner may not add a single horsepower to the engine but the sound it makes under full throttle is worth the price.
-- Chuck
Service records? Lots of information and tutorials here.
Some of the service requirements are age, not mileage based. Sometimes the CarFax will show what's been done. If in doubt (as I was last summer) change all the filters and fluids, they're cheap. If you can get under your car the gearbox and differential oils can be changed as easily as the engine oil. Easy but messy!
Brake/clutch hydraulic fluids are changed on a time schedule (every so many years) as is the special engine coolant.Find the cabin air filter under the panel under the hood in front of the wipers. You'll be shocked!
You will want to check the engine valve clearances and probably fit a new timing chain tensioner. I can attest the Billman re-engineered unit is dirt simple to change with a 10m ratcheting wrench (not socket). This swap is clean enough I did it in Dockers and a dress shirt and stayed clean and I ain't a mechanic. Valve clearance check showed mine were in spec. Tedious check but $20 in tools is all ya need. I was lucky to watch a buddy do his and get him to do mine a couple of weeks later.
Assuming this is a summer car my (constant) recommendation is to fit extreme performance tires and the car should be good-to-go. A K&N FIPK air cleaner may not add a single horsepower to the engine but the sound it makes under full throttle is worth the price.
-- Chuck
07-05-2015, 09:40 AM
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Sounds like a good purchase! I bought mine from a large Honda dealer last summer. Car was on their showroom floor. People still think it's a new car.
Service records? Lots of information and tutorials here.
Some of the service requirements are age, not mileage based. Sometimes the CarFax will show what's been done. If in doubt (as I was last summer) change all the filters and fluids, they're cheap. If you can get under your car the gearbox and differential oils can be changed as easily as the engine oil. Easy but messy! Brake/clutch hydraulic fluids are changed on a time schedule (every so many years) as is the special engine coolant.
Find the cabin air filter under the panel under the hood in front of the wipers. You'll be shocked!
You will want to check the engine valve clearances and probably fit a new timing chain tensioner. I can attest the Billman re-engineered unit is dirt simple to change with a 10m ratcheting wrench (not socket). This swap is clean enough I did it in Dockers and a dress shirt and stayed clean and I ain't a mechanic. Valve clearance check showed mine were in spec. Tedious check but $20 in tools is all ya need. I was lucky to watch a buddy do his and get him to do mine a couple of weeks later.
Assuming this is a summer car my (constant) recommendation is to fit extreme performance tires and the car should be good-to-go. A K&N FIPK air cleaner may not add a single horsepower to the engine but the sound it makes under full throttle is worth the price.
-- Chuck
Service records? Lots of information and tutorials here.
Some of the service requirements are age, not mileage based. Sometimes the CarFax will show what's been done. If in doubt (as I was last summer) change all the filters and fluids, they're cheap. If you can get under your car the gearbox and differential oils can be changed as easily as the engine oil. Easy but messy!
Brake/clutch hydraulic fluids are changed on a time schedule (every so many years) as is the special engine coolant.Find the cabin air filter under the panel under the hood in front of the wipers. You'll be shocked!
You will want to check the engine valve clearances and probably fit a new timing chain tensioner. I can attest the Billman re-engineered unit is dirt simple to change with a 10m ratcheting wrench (not socket). This swap is clean enough I did it in Dockers and a dress shirt and stayed clean and I ain't a mechanic. Valve clearance check showed mine were in spec. Tedious check but $20 in tools is all ya need. I was lucky to watch a buddy do his and get him to do mine a couple of weeks later.
Assuming this is a summer car my (constant) recommendation is to fit extreme performance tires and the car should be good-to-go. A K&N FIPK air cleaner may not add a single horsepower to the engine but the sound it makes under full throttle is worth the price.
-- Chuck
It is my summer toy, and I have a winter vehicle that should be ready soon. My dad owns a body shop and we buy and fix R titles, so we are fixing up my winter car now. Once that vehicle is ready, I can put aside some downtime for the S2000 to drain and replace all of the fluids.
The current air filter looks filthy so that will be getting changed as well. I've heard from others that the K&N FIPK is great. I also have the privilege at my dealership, on my day off, I can pull my car in and work on it under a two post lift. I am close with a few mechanics so I am very fortunate. My main concern is just those AP1 intake retainers. As much as I joke about LS swapping the F20C should anything ever go wrong with it, I do not want to make it a reality just a few weeks into ownership.
I will be getting some very sticky tires once I find a local set of AP2 v1 or v2 wheels for sale. I am not happy with the amount of sidewall roll that I feel when doing any slaloming. I am looking to keep this thing all stock for as long as I can. (which includes NOT rolling or pulling fender/quarter lips... just a personal thing. I love it on other vehicles but I am becoming one of the purists)
I absolutely love all of the feedback this car gives me, and it is 100% what I hoped it would be. The most pure driving experience.
Thanks for the warm welcome!
-Al
07-05-2015, 10:26 AM
#5
Hi Al --
Neither the dealer nor the last owner had the manuals for my car either (dealer called him). S-o-a-B but I found them in the same place yours were in the secret compartment, still in a plastic bag and probably as delivered by the original dealer. No maintenance sign-offs but CarFax showed the car had an oil change a month before I bought it. At Sears! The brand-X oil filter Sears installed was not on the car so I suspect the selling dealer changed it again while detailing it before sale. Cheap to put my own synthetic in the engine.
A real lift is cheating when changing the fluids! I'm using genuine Honda MTF in the gearbox and LE1605 in the differential (based on experiences here). Takes a while to find the LE1605 but it's available and not that expensive. Uses less than a quart in the differential and less than two in the transmission.
I didn't hesitate to run VTEC even on my test drive of the car. It's a Honda after all. My buddy's '02 (assuming 90K miles?) did need a valve adjustment. He has a 4 cylinder Honda motorcycle sitting in his garage and was complete familiar with the process -- darn S2000 engine looks like a bike motor once the valve cover is off. We did compression checks on both engines and his was as good or better than mine with only half the miles.
I'm running Bridgestone RE-11A tires for the past year and close to 8000 miles. Car stayed in storage in my garage from November to April this year. Car handles like a go-cart compared to my sedans and SUVs. I'm sure I'm granny-driving it but getting tire squeal in even a very tight, fast (for me) corner is almost nil. I intend to take a performance driving course but time just ain't there at present for even one day. Bridgestone
I've kept mine stock other than intake and exhaust. The car demands more exhaust sound. Not sure the Invidia Q300 will remain on the car when back road cruising speeds at wife-acceptable-speeds the tone can be annoying. I'd be running in a lower gear if it was just me and the noise isn't bad at those rpms. The original intake and exhaust is in my shed for the next owner if he wants it pure stock. Oh, yeah, clear side lights (JDM, baby!) and a CR shift knob are the only other changes.
-- Chuck
Neither the dealer nor the last owner had the manuals for my car either (dealer called him). S-o-a-B but I found them in the same place yours were in the secret compartment, still in a plastic bag and probably as delivered by the original dealer. No maintenance sign-offs but CarFax showed the car had an oil change a month before I bought it. At Sears! The brand-X oil filter Sears installed was not on the car so I suspect the selling dealer changed it again while detailing it before sale. Cheap to put my own synthetic in the engine.
A real lift is cheating when changing the fluids! I'm using genuine Honda MTF in the gearbox and LE1605 in the differential (based on experiences here). Takes a while to find the LE1605 but it's available and not that expensive. Uses less than a quart in the differential and less than two in the transmission.
I didn't hesitate to run VTEC even on my test drive of the car. It's a Honda after all. My buddy's '02 (assuming 90K miles?) did need a valve adjustment. He has a 4 cylinder Honda motorcycle sitting in his garage and was complete familiar with the process -- darn S2000 engine looks like a bike motor once the valve cover is off. We did compression checks on both engines and his was as good or better than mine with only half the miles.
I'm running Bridgestone RE-11A tires for the past year and close to 8000 miles. Car stayed in storage in my garage from November to April this year. Car handles like a go-cart compared to my sedans and SUVs. I'm sure I'm granny-driving it but getting tire squeal in even a very tight, fast (for me) corner is almost nil. I intend to take a performance driving course but time just ain't there at present for even one day. Bridgestone
I've kept mine stock other than intake and exhaust. The car demands more exhaust sound. Not sure the Invidia Q300 will remain on the car when back road cruising speeds at wife-acceptable-speeds the tone can be annoying. I'd be running in a lower gear if it was just me and the noise isn't bad at those rpms. The original intake and exhaust is in my shed for the next owner if he wants it pure stock. Oh, yeah, clear side lights (JDM, baby!) and a CR shift knob are the only other changes.
-- Chuck
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07-07-2015, 06:06 PM
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I was once out for a ride with my friend in his Corvette about 4 years ago. We happened to pass by another Corvette while driving, and the driver of the other Corvette waved to my friend. As my friend waved back, I asked him if he knew that guy. He said he had no idea who he was, but that he and other fellow vette owners just wave to each other as an unwritten rule.
While I was out for a cruise the other day in my S, I happened to catch a Suzuka Blue AP2 in my mirror. It was an older lady driving. We both waved to each other, smiled and at the light I yelled "nice car." She laughingly said "you too."
I now understand what it is to be part of a tight-knit community of exclusive sports cars. I love the comradery that is instantly shared between two S2000 owners.
Thanks for the warm welcome. I am so glad I bought this car. My lust was not misplaced all these years.
Also as a side note, I was at another light and saw a good looking lady in a Z4 roadster. I looked over and smiled, and she kept making eyes at me. I couldn't tell if It was me or the car, but either way it felt awesome.
While I was out for a cruise the other day in my S, I happened to catch a Suzuka Blue AP2 in my mirror. It was an older lady driving. We both waved to each other, smiled and at the light I yelled "nice car." She laughingly said "you too."
I now understand what it is to be part of a tight-knit community of exclusive sports cars. I love the comradery that is instantly shared between two S2000 owners.
Thanks for the warm welcome. I am so glad I bought this car. My lust was not misplaced all these years.
Also as a side note, I was at another light and saw a good looking lady in a Z4 roadster. I looked over and smiled, and she kept making eyes at me. I couldn't tell if It was me or the car, but either way it felt awesome.
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