Precisely this. I took my S2K through a pressure wash once. Never again. There was water coming in from between the rubber seal and side window in some places. I don't have any issues with rain though.

Even when I use a pressure washer to clean my car I make sure I keep some distance when spraying around the windows and I don't have a problem.

 

A small drip down ihe side glass would'nt be a big deal for a 9 yr old car. I've had several convertables and most/all do leak in certain situations and this may not be enough to disqualify the car from purchase. However, I see no way that you can buy this car without actually seeing and driving and at minimum , a through inspection by a qualifed mech. The condition of the top would be more important than a small leak and the mechanical condition of the car would be more important the the top. IMO, if your serious about the car your going to have to make the trip.

 

I probably wouldn't let a buyer take my S through a car wash either...

 

post the sale link so we can see the car, but imo, I'd just look for another car - one with a cat at least.

 

New top from hardtopguy is $750 and probably another $100 to ship it. If you don't know how or are uncomfortable doing it yourself it'll probably cost another $400 to $600 to get installed.

My last s2k had the top slashed, and a local place that does tops and interior work charged me $375. That was a pretty good price, the guys who owned it and did the work were in their 60's and I don't think they'd changed the prices since the 80's . They did an amazing job really, even managed to fix some rough spots in the tops operation while they were at it.

 

I wouldn't buy from that guy either, there's too much already wrong with the car that you'll have to take car of. There are a lot of s2k's for sale that haven't been molested.

Here's a quote from the manual:
The convertible top seals are designed to promote the flow of water off the roof. Spraying highpressure water directly on the seals can distort them, causing a leak. Use only a low-pressure water stream when using a hose, and avoid commercial car washes.

 

A high-intensity flashlight would probably be sufficient to identify holes in the top.

My $0.02, when buying a used S2000 make sure you can afford associated and unforseen costs.

A ten-year-old sports car can have problems like the diff going out that may cost you thousands to fix. Make sure you have money for a rainy day. If you're squeezing your budget for that last penny... I'd save a little more money first.

Personally, anyone with a "test pipe" instead of a cat converter... and who sold off their converter is someone who I don't trust their priorities and judgement in cars.

To perform an illegal modification to make a little more noise without any significant performance change (I don't call 3hp and quicker throttle response significant)... or at least save the catalytic converter for reinstallation... what other things did he cut corners in maintaining the car?

 

Lots of people here have replaced the stock cat with a high-flow model, or a test pipe. I wouldn't exactly call that shady or poor judgment. (Now, installing a Veilside body kit - yeah, that'd be poor judgment. )

Also, wear holes in MY00 tops are actually rather common. It is a legitimate concern for a new buyer of course, but running it through an automated car wash, even a touchless one, is NOT the way to check for leaks.

I wouldn't use either factor to draw conclusions about the condition of the car. Mileage, visual inspection and maintenance records are more what I'd look at. YMMV I guess.

 

Before buying it, I would take the car to get inspected though.

 

How/why is selling a used cat illegal?

BTW, on an unrelated note, cat linked in my signature is not for sale.