The seller of that 02 sounds like a straight shooter.

 

He is. He's been completely upfront and honest with me. I hated asking him if he would. But, I plan on keeping this car (if it actually happens) for a long time.

 

Hmm I wonder how bad of an accident to cause a crack in the cluster. Have it looked over really good in any case if thinking about purchasing that one by a reputable shop that you hand pick, not the seller. I had my car inspected by the Honda dealership, but in your case I'd take it to a reputable body shop that specializes in repairs and knows what to look for to spot signs of repairs. Check all the vin stickers, since it was in an accident some may be missing. Where was it repaired and for how much, etc. How do you know it's just a trunk seal that's causing the trunk to leak, could it potentially be worse or caused by faulty repair work, etc.

Edit: Maybe just pass, so how much are they asking for the 00 in good shape? $11,000 or $12,000 could be a fair deal if in good shape. Maybe push for $11,000 (again assuming good shape and good overall mechanical shape).

 

Seems like there are a lot of 02/03 s2ks out there without these issues. I suspect the price reflects the accident history and that it is tempting you and if you give it a close once over then it could make sense especially if you are going to drive it to the grave.

 

I would pass on that 02 due to the issues that you mentioned. The plastic back window isn't that big of a deal, it can easily be replaced with a Robins top. Hell I hardly ever even drive with the top up!

 

Not sure what you mean about the plastic window. MY 2002 s2ks have a glass rear window, not plastic. I would not necessarily reject the car. You have a very honest and forthcoming seller and that is a HUGE plus. If you plan to drive the thing a lot and keep it until it is old and grey then it might be a cheap way to get into a terrific car without spending a lot. But, I do think you need to give it very close inspection and make sure it is straight and solid etc. In my opinion that accident hurt the value and you should have a fairly significant price reduction. Without a significant price concession and a careful inspection I would let it pass. You know you will have trouble selling it. The seller realizes that too.

I should say that my approach was a bit different. I went looking for a very low mileage 02/03 and I was prepared to pay a premium for the low mileage. I recognize Its not the most economical way to do it. Medium or high miles is probably the most economical way to do it. But, my days of futzing around with cars and engines and such are pretty much over and the way I look at it I am buying a reliable almost new car for about 20-25K instead of the 30-35K+ that I would normally spend on a new car. Certainly, this argument made some sense to my spouse which is a good thing. If I take care of it it will hold its value a lot better than most of the other cars I might get into. Now that I have it, and I really understand how special it is, I worry that I should be saving it for posterity instead of driving it so much. If I had the money and a place to store it I would buy a second one now.

 

^^^The plastic window is on the 00 he is considering instead of the 02.
Levi

 

The plastic rear window is, of course, replaceable with a complete new roof. If the owner doesn't do this the cost needs to come off the price. From this distance and if I was the owner I'd probably would have had a new roof fitted before advertising 'cuz cars that need repairs always put me off as do the owners. Repair estimates are the sellers responsibility, not buyers, just like a Carfax.

In the marine (boat) area above a certain length it's mandatory to have a marine survey of the vessel by a licensed surveyor before selling it. Doesn't apply here but would be a good idea for a very high priced car -- which these ain't!

-- Chuck

 

Wow, lots of good info. I've decided to not buy the 02 or 00. I don't want to mess with replacing the top with one that has a glass window. I'm also not sure if I want the red interior. I'm going to keep looking and try and find a 02-03 with a few more miles for a little less money. I think that is the only way my wife will let me get into one. I'll still make sure it's been cared for and maintained.

The 00 with the plastic window is I just excellent condition. I see no reason to expect the seller to replace a perfectly good roof. Wondering if there was some confusion with the 02 that has the leaky trunk. In the 02 the top is fine, but something wasn't repaired correctly. And, that is the turn off for me. If one thing wasn't repaired right, what about something else? Too much to concern myself with.

 

Why are you looking for an AP1? Just curious. Money? The AP2 which debuted in 2004 has bigger wheels, tires, and a subjectively nicer styled exterior. Move up to the 2006 models and you get tune-able drive-by-wire, stability assist, and traction control.

-- Chuck