I've seen a few ap2's on here with ap1 wheels. People have different styles, so who knows. I say as long as it has a clean carfax report, drives, looks, and sounds good, get the 05.

 

Likely the AP2 owner had aftermarket wheels and went as cheap as possible on stocks after selling the aftermarket wheels. Probably has cheap tires too. So, the AP2 would need $1,500 in wheels and tires just to get started.

The Ap1 has decent miles, silver is the most common color - not sure why it would deserve any price premium.

Neither car sounds amazing imo, but not bad either. The biggest difference will be how the two cars feel in traffic - the AP2 will feel stronger thanks to its gearing and revised VTEC.

 

Silverstone is the most common color, Sebring Silver is not.

 

[QUOTE=Disgustipated,Jul 19 2010, 12:15 PM] Silverstone is the most common color, Sebring Silver is not.

 

I will say, that after owning both an AP1 and AP2, I much prefer the AP2, in every respect. Extra torque, different gearing, and updated bumpers/lights are what really does it for me.

 

Gearing and more low end torque helps in traffic. VTEC means nothing in traffic unless you drive like a complete D-bag!

 

My main advantage I notice of AP1 vs AP2 is my ap2 never burns oil, I smelled my vtec the first time ever after vtecing to 90 twice. I smelled my friends ap1's oil insanely strong after he vteced to 130.
From reading you have to add a quart about every 1,000 miles whereas I have never had to add oil to my ap2. (I check the dipstick every 2k miles on average)
Now what you need to look for, look under the car and look for curb rash. Look at the leather seats and look for noticeable wear.
I would tell you to go with the 2005, but first you must judge which one is in better conditioned. Its obvious the '05 was driven a lot more in a shorter time, but the '03 is 2 years older so obvious wear may be visible.
After buying one of them plan on changing the fluids and the cabin air filter (I just replaced mine with a $8 one from rockautoparts, I figured the stock ones ran $24 so I bought 3 to make up for shipping and to last me the next couple of years. Grossest thing ever to see how black it is, you are breathing in fungus and bacteria that have made their home in your air filter)
Now on the paint, I would look for paint chips (My black is covered in 100 white rock chips), swirls are only semi-important if you are not a person to wash your car every weekend and love it to the point where no one can understand your passion . I would clean the engine bay if I were you, I can't stand a dirt covered engine bay and mine looks in top condition using guides on the wash and wax forum.
Overall for price, the 03 is overpriced. I payed 16k for my s2000 with 36k miles back 2 Decembers ago to give you a point of reference. If you are dealing with a stealer-ship it will be easy to talk them down 1k or so in asking price.
Good luck on the purchase dude, and its a fun impratical car not many can appreciate.
(OMG who wants a two seater! You can only carry one passenger!
Perfect, I cockblock out any uninvited friends, and no I can carry 2 girls in the passenger seat )
etc. etc.)

 

I'd wait and get a perfect AP2... I bought my 04 w/ 50k miles in May for 13k (one owner, dealer maintained, all stock, perfect). These aren't 1952 Ferrari Barchetta's, hundreds of S's for sale... my 2 cents

 

My 05 has been rock solid, but I think if I were buying used the 06 may be better. It allows Hondata tuning where my 05 doesn't. But if you don't have the $$$ for an 06, i'd go for the newer car over an older car, but find one with the right wheels and no mods.

 

AP1 rims weigh less than the AP2 v1's...either way if all youre looking for is commute then go with the 03 and offer 11k with check in hand, that person probably wont turn that down...