Lowest Milage AP1 in the US?
07-07-2017, 08:22 PM
#11
Sales of the S2000 began April 15, 1999 in Japan (725 cars were sold in the first month) and sales in the USA started September 1999 (1,022 cars). At the US launch Honda announced that the cars would be Model Year (MY) 2000.
In the US the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) system has changed a few times over the years. Under the current ISO system, due to federal regulations, 1981 and newer vehicles are required to use a 17-digit VIN system. With this system, it is now possible to determine the year, model and serial number, but also the country of manufacture, body style, engine type, restraint system, and manufacturing plant. ISO 3779 makes a provision for a code for the year in which a vehicle is built. When a manufacturer uses a year code, ISO recommends that the 10th position of the VIN be used. For 1999 the code was X and for 2000 the code was Y. The European Union issued a directive that a VIN complying with the ISO standard must be used in member states but a year digit or factory code is not mandatory.
All US cars, in fact all North American cars, sold in 1999 carry a Y in their VIN. Here's an example of a US S2000 VIN: JHMAP1146YT00xxxx
J - Made in Japan
H - Honda
M - Vehicle type.
AP1 - Body and engine type.
1 - Body and transmission type.
4 - Base model
6 - Check digit, determined by mathematical formula.
Y - Model year. Y = 2000. (for MY2001 onward the last digit of the year was used)
T - Tochigi assembly plant.
xxxx - Vehicle Identifier.
Update:
1. J (manufactured, Japan)
2. H (manufacturer, Honda)
3. M (passenger car, made in Japan)
4-6. AP1/AP2 (chassis)
7. 1 (coupe+manual transmission)
8. 4 (grade)
9. ? (check number)
10. Y, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (model year, y=2000, 1=2001, etc)
11. T, S (manufacturing plant, T=Tochigi (AP1), S=Suzuka (AP2))
12-17. Production Number
In the UK cars bought in 1999 are registered as such, thus 1999 S2000s do appear in web sites, used car sales, UK magazines, etc. However their VIN says otherwise. UK Honda recalls clearly show these UK VINs contain a Y, indicating Honda uses the ISO standard for both US and European markets and designated MY2000. Having said that, a UK car registered in 1999 will still be known as a 1999 car there, as they do not use the MY concept.
In Australia it is illegal for anyone to promote a new or used vehicle as any year other than the year of manufacture. A car manufactured in 1999 must be advertised as a 1999 model. Thus Australian cars are registered as 1999s.
Japan is a little more confusing.
In Japan, which accounts for 61% of calendar year 1999 sales, a different VIN system is used. A recall in Japan showed cars built from March 99 to June 99 to contain these VINs: AP1-1000034 to AP1-1003842. Clearly a different system. According to the Japanese publication Hyper Rev their VINs revolve around model changes rather than MY. Their publication provided the following breaks:
April 15, 1999 = AP1 100
July 7, 2000 = AP1 110
September 13, 2001 = AP1 120
October 9, 2003 = AP1 130
Interestingly it was also suggested Japan may avoid MY in VIN because their calendar is not Christian based. Their year starts each time an emperor dies and is known as year X of emperor Y's reign. The current emperor (Akihito) is now in his 18th year and 2006 would be known as 18 Heisei.
To complicate matters, there is engine plate on Japanese cars that contains its own VIN which contains a number known as the Applied Model code, which is, in effect, the MY. Using this reference one can say that Japan has 1999 S2000s.
In the US the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) system has changed a few times over the years. Under the current ISO system, due to federal regulations, 1981 and newer vehicles are required to use a 17-digit VIN system. With this system, it is now possible to determine the year, model and serial number, but also the country of manufacture, body style, engine type, restraint system, and manufacturing plant. ISO 3779 makes a provision for a code for the year in which a vehicle is built. When a manufacturer uses a year code, ISO recommends that the 10th position of the VIN be used. For 1999 the code was X and for 2000 the code was Y. The European Union issued a directive that a VIN complying with the ISO standard must be used in member states but a year digit or factory code is not mandatory.
All US cars, in fact all North American cars, sold in 1999 carry a Y in their VIN. Here's an example of a US S2000 VIN: JHMAP1146YT00xxxx
J - Made in Japan
H - Honda
M - Vehicle type.
AP1 - Body and engine type.
1 - Body and transmission type.
4 - Base model
6 - Check digit, determined by mathematical formula.
Y - Model year. Y = 2000. (for MY2001 onward the last digit of the year was used)
T - Tochigi assembly plant.
xxxx - Vehicle Identifier.
Update:
1. J (manufactured, Japan)
2. H (manufacturer, Honda)
3. M (passenger car, made in Japan)
4-6. AP1/AP2 (chassis)
7. 1 (coupe+manual transmission)
8. 4 (grade)
9. ? (check number)
10. Y, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (model year, y=2000, 1=2001, etc)
11. T, S (manufacturing plant, T=Tochigi (AP1), S=Suzuka (AP2))
12-17. Production Number
In the UK cars bought in 1999 are registered as such, thus 1999 S2000s do appear in web sites, used car sales, UK magazines, etc. However their VIN says otherwise. UK Honda recalls clearly show these UK VINs contain a Y, indicating Honda uses the ISO standard for both US and European markets and designated MY2000. Having said that, a UK car registered in 1999 will still be known as a 1999 car there, as they do not use the MY concept.
In Australia it is illegal for anyone to promote a new or used vehicle as any year other than the year of manufacture. A car manufactured in 1999 must be advertised as a 1999 model. Thus Australian cars are registered as 1999s.
Japan is a little more confusing.
In Japan, which accounts for 61% of calendar year 1999 sales, a different VIN system is used. A recall in Japan showed cars built from March 99 to June 99 to contain these VINs: AP1-1000034 to AP1-1003842. Clearly a different system. According to the Japanese publication Hyper Rev their VINs revolve around model changes rather than MY. Their publication provided the following breaks:
April 15, 1999 = AP1 100
July 7, 2000 = AP1 110
September 13, 2001 = AP1 120
October 9, 2003 = AP1 130
Interestingly it was also suggested Japan may avoid MY in VIN because their calendar is not Christian based. Their year starts each time an emperor dies and is known as year X of emperor Y's reign. The current emperor (Akihito) is now in his 18th year and 2006 would be known as 18 Heisei.
To complicate matters, there is engine plate on Japanese cars that contains its own VIN which contains a number known as the Applied Model code, which is, in effect, the MY. Using this reference one can say that Japan has 1999 S2000s.
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berlinablackie (07-08-2017)
07-09-2017, 04:02 AM
#13
I suppose there is some truth to this - tires and fluids will need to be changed. But, if a car is stored carefully there is not going to be a lot of corrosion and deterioration. My experience is that if a car like this is stored well it will be virtually like a car right off the showroom with a few minor exceptions. But, if you plan to drive it, as opposed to treat it as a museum piece, there isn't much point in paying a huge premium for a car with 100 miles as opposed to a mint condition car with 5-10K miles. All you gain is maybe one season of use. How much is one season of use worth? Not all that much with a car like the s2k which has a very stable market. I would not hesitate to buy a well stored extremely low mileage car a long as the price is fair. The fact that it has not been driven would not deter me if it was properly stored.
Last edited by rpg51; 07-09-2017 at 04:07 AM.
07-09-2017, 04:12 AM
#14
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