Bought my first S2000 today. I've really been looking for an AP1 for under $9k for the past few months as I wanted something to throw around and not feel bad about sitting outside in my apartment complex. I scooped one up for $6800! When I test drove it every thing seemed fine. Got home, check engine light went on and it started making funky clicking/ticking noises from the engine. Oh, joy.

Well... Here's to a fun project.

I'm hoping I can get away with fixing everything for under $4k. The top works perfectly, stereo, clutch is solid, the engine feels solid aside from the noise, suspension is still there, there are no dings on the car anywhere, the interior is in above average condition for normal use. The only negatives so far is a vibration at highway speeds most likely due to unbalanced tires, the AC needs to be charged/replaced and I'm scared as hell to hit vtec until I know what the CEL is for.

Oh yeah, this will be one to add to the high milage list: 166k

Any recommendations on where to start? What should I expect to pay for a new/used engine + installation? $3-5k?

 

Did you test-drive the car before you bought it? In our state, you have 30 days to return a "lemon."
I figure you want to fix it, so disregard my statement

-jazzman

 

It was bought privately as-is. I was hoping I could get at least 20k miles out of the motor, but with the noise I have doubts unless I can prevent it from breaking. I don't think the lemon law applies to privately sold vehicles in Tennessee. I'm not worried about returning it anyway, I knew what I was getting myself into when buying it! Everything is sold right now, only the noise kind of worries me.

 

cideo of the noise? pull the code using an obd reader, check your oil levels as well since ap1s and some ap2s are known to burn oil.

 

So was't such a good deal after all. What do you expect for that kind of money. Should've spent that extra $4k from the get-go, and save yourself the headache.

 

mYbe whatyoyr hearing is a timing chain tensioner which sounds really bad really isn't to damaging

 

i paid 6500 and have had no problems other then a bad radiator.. clean title 123000 miles. so how do you figure the price means its a piece of shit? i beg to differ boss.

 

i paid 14.8 for my 03 and could go on and on about how I got the best deal ever. lol

 

^ Can you buy them for $6k? Of course, but they won't come all pristine and with low miles. More likely there will be problems with the mechanics, aside from probably the not so good looking body and top. If you don't know how to work on them, could be a very expensive proposition.

You got lucky, that car still work ok. That's what I would look into myself, if I wanted an s2k project... something cheap that needs minimal work, not potentially needing a new engine and such and such... at that point might as well spend the extra, and get something decent.

Truth is, while S2k's are fairly "cheap/affordable" with decent mileage on them nowadays, it still doesn't mean you;ll be buying a beauty queen for $6 grand.

 

Where in TN? I'm in Memphis.