Ahhhh. You are right. My mistake on the Vinyl, lol. I have the Rick's leather one, but either way it's one-up from carpet!!!
I had the clutch buzz, but I hope that goes away with my Cusco Hyper Single disk/pressure plate/flywheel.
And for the drivers window, I don't know about that either because I have the SmartWindows with my Clifford Intelliguard750 G5 alarm...
Shit.. I guess to get rid of the bugs and upgrade, it's more than the $5k price difference!

 

That just means that our issues have known fixes. The issues with the latest models just haven't been discovered and solved yet.

...back to the original poster's question...

None of us know how important price is to you. Only you can decide whether the price diffs between 00-01, 02-03 and 04+ are justified in your case.

As an '01 owner I can tell you that I wish I had the glass rear window. If I had known it was coming the next year I probably would have waited. On the other hand, I spend a lot more time looking out the windshield than out the rear window. I can easily afford a top swap, but it hasn't bothered me enough to go to the trouble of making the switch.

This is what I would do if I needed to replace mine tomorrow. But if I could hold out for a year I'd go for a used '06. I know a lot of people have been bashing the fly-by-wire and stability control, but I'm willing to take all the help I can get to stay out of the ditch.

 

I am also on the same boat

I am looking at 02's for around 21-23k in GPW with white interior. Goin through carfax and test drives, and inspections can be a hassle. I end up paying around 26k for a used car after financing, and you never really know how well the previous owner took care of it.

On a new car lease+buy (which I am considering if the GPW doesn't look good tommorow), you get the 2.2, warranty, more refinements, nicer rims, leds, etc but I would end up paying 37k.

$10,000 more than a used one. You gotta ask yourself if those things are worth 10k to you. Insurance is almost the same.

 

The clutch buzz if easily fixed and lot of people have had this done under warrenty by Honda, the Glass rear screen is smaller then the plastic one that can be kept in good condition by regular use of BMW plastic window polish and using a mat of some sort in the roof well, Better speakers in the 02> just buy some better ones for earlier models, Vinyl cover, buy a leather one from Ricks, more forgiving suspension setting's, learn to drive.

buy the Original

 

2000-2001 S2000 (w/ full OEM lip/strakes/wing): $20k
Pretty Wheels: $2k
Coilovers: $1.5k
Sound System: $600
Hardtop: $2300
Leather Console: $80

Total: $26,480.
And it's far nicer!!

 

I love my 03, have owned it since Sept. of 04, paid 27,500 new, with no regrets.

 

$27k is a killer deal. Granted it was an 03 at the end of 04, but still.. Good buy!

If I had to do it all over gain, I'd be hardpressed between 01 and 02. This is for me:
I love the glass window of 02. I love the upper door speakers. I like the Vinyl console. I like the chrome rings on the lights.
However, I like my red/black interior of the 01. I don't like tan on 03.
I like parts of the Ap2 more, such as lights and wheels, but I am in love with the singing at 9000 rpm. So for me, it'd be a toss between 01 and 02. As you can see now, you can make an 01 like an 02 for the price difference. But in the end, it's still an 01, ya know?

 

Thanks a lot for your opinions..

Could I ask a general quetion for those who bought used please?
Is it generally better to wait and buy when the "offseason" starts? Like the raining season(winter) in California?
Also could the center console be easily upgraded to the 04+ one?
Thanks!

 

why purchase an 03 over an 02 (if '02 is generally less $), for reasons other than just "newer".

 

last yr of the 9k in USA