I do not think it is a great deal at this time but is certainly not terrible. I think that you will be waiting a very long time if you think a super clean GPW AP2 with an OEM hard top <50k miles comes up for that same price or better. One that you know and will give you peace of mind has value too. Personally, I wouldn't be in a s2k if it cost me 30+k but that is where the market for these is trending. Your time and sanity has a price as well and you have a car in front of you. A bird in the hand....

I bet you could sell that GPW hardtop for $5k pretty quick and I bet you'd get $6k for it if somebody really wanted an OEM GPW top. I hate to say that because I don't want the market for tops to get even crazier but it is what it is. Finding a clean GPW s2k is very desirable and starting to be harder to come by, especially that someone wants to sell. I still don't think you're getting a stellar deal but you've been looking for 9 months and they aren't making any more S2k's despite what the internets tells you.

 

I was looking for a RYP 2008/2009 low miles/single owner and I found a pristine 2009 with 30K miles in Phoenix. Rust free to boot. Paid full price: $27K back in 2011. There were 38 RYP 2009 cars sold in the USA (I know, I know the 2008s are really the same but just saying....)

I had several opportunities to get an OEM top and I thought it would be a nice thing to "complete" the car but I agree with you. I just would not use it. I love the fact I can put the top up or down at a stop sign or red light.

 

I don't mean to sound like an ass, but there is no guarantee that any of us will be around in 10 years time. But one and enjoy it. Either way, I don't think someone looking at an S2000 around the 100K mile mark will be turned off by 105K miles.

 

Knock $1,000 to cover cost of winter storage. Explain that he'll make up that $1,000 on savings in insurance and taxes. Make him an offer and buy it. You think it will more available and less expensive in May? Next year?

And 5,000 miles a year on a toy car is not insignificant. Many people put only 12,000 to 15,000 miles on their daily drivers in pre-pandemic times.

 

Buy it, You won't regard it. I just sold my 04 yellow with 47K miles very close to your friend's asking price. If you plan to keep the car for more than few year, those 10K miles won't make much difference down the road. Since you are getting it from your friend, you are going to know the history of the car and etc. Minus the buyer fee on BAT.

 

If you want the car, snag it. As others have said, 10 years is a long way and once you get up over 80K or close to 100K, it won't matter if it's 95K miles or 105k miles - it's already out of the prime/pristine examples. I found mine 3 years ago after searching for 2 years. I haven't regretted what ended up being a fast transaction/impulse buy of sizable proportions. I've had a lot of fun in those three years and I've learned a lot about wrenching and gained a lot of experience/confidence - the experience is more than worth it.

When I found mine 3 years ago, I would see anywhere from 25-35 for sale in a 250 mile radius. These days, I see 8-10, and many are much higher in price than 3 years ago. If you wait, it will only cost you more, and as some others have said, it could be years before you find the next "perfect" (for you) example.

 

With our cars that...if not abused....go trouble-free for over 200k miles, why all the worry about mileage? This is not a Classic Era Peirce Arrow.

My '03 GPW/ tan is just over 100k miles, drives like new, and will be a cream puff for someone when I sell it in the next few years. It's not in absolutely perfect condition, but will make a great project for someone to add some mods. I am only driving 1-2.000 miles per year....so it will likely still be >110,000 miles when I decide to sell it. I will not be looking for >$20k either.

Send me a PM and I'll start a list...

 

I have been noodling selling my 2005. 24k miles. Silverstone Silver. Red/Black interior. Always garage kept with cover. <1k miles on rear tires. Everything original and in excellent condition. honda serviced. Drive it about 500 miles/year. Contact me if interested and I can answer all questions.

 

I have a 2000 AP1, with 23,000 miles. Pretty much stock. My sister-in-law bought it initially and drove it 7k miles, I bought it from her about 12 years ago. At the time I had 2 kids, and a job I traveled most weeks for. Just kept it in garage most of the time. Now that I'm home in 2020, been driving the car and super enjoying it. Just got a new soft top roof for it (once every 20 years isn't bad). Hasn't needed a whole lot of other maintenance. Everywhere I go, people try and buy it. The vehicle is worth at least twice what I paid for it. I just wish I'd had a chance to drive it more in the past and am enjoying doing that this year. I can't imagine letting mine go for less than a strong price. Not sure if an almost 21 year old vehicle would really price out above 30k, but then again it might. The good ones are going to hold on and increase their value.

 

I don't to pretend to understand the desirability of kitchen/laundry room appliance color cars or hard tops on convertibles but @Filthy Beast 's car is stunning! Too bad I'm not obsessive enough to keep my 2006 Silverstone -- 1 of only 272 by the way so it's collectible -- looking that nice.

Buying a S2000 for potential resale in 2030 makes the rash assumption it'll still be in this condition or not wrecked 10 years from now.

My often noted requirement for a DBW car would exclude this car but that's me.

-- Chuck