the clutch pedal released really close to the top instead of near the bottom..... so I am a little leary of the clutch. with 3 owners it could have been abused to no end. I beat on it a little during a test drive with no slip, but why would you only have to put the clutch pedal in an 1" or so to have it engaged?

If i could get an 06 for $16,500 i would!!!! maybe I need to shop more....

 

Clutch engagement on an S2k is more a product of the clutch hydraulics than the clutch itself. It could be low on fluid or need a new master or slave cylinder. Neither of those are very expensive or a deal breaker.

$16.5 is a very good deal for an 06 but should be doable with some patience.

 

I went to go look at a 2001 S2000 today and am stuck on whether or not to jump the bullet. Before I begin, I would just like to say that the car is currently being sold for 7800. Please keep this in mind as you go down the list.

Here is a list of the things I saw wrong with the car:
1. CEL is on (seller claims that it is due to the catalytic converter which needs to be replaced).
2. Scrape on rear bumper, 2 dime sized circles where paint has been removed).
3. Air holes drilled into the stock airbox.
4. Cut wiring harness for the install of an amp (but no subs?).
5. Cracked dash.
6. Fenders had been removed (though Carfax is clean).
7. Holes in driver seat from wear.
8. Minor dings and the plastic around the windshield is cracked.
9. All 4 wheels are curbed.
10. Due to aftermarket deck, all radio controls on dash do not work.
11. Wiring harness is dangling underneath the dash on the driver's side.
12. Idle drops pretty low right after you start the car but goes to where it should be (not sure if this is just an ordinary thing).
13. Wear on armrest and plastics.

The car has 142,000 miles on it but the engine still sounds good. Here are the pros:
1. Hardtop.
2. Good soft top.
3. Drives fine, no weird noises or anything.
4. Vtec engages normally and seems like it pulls well to redline.
5. Its only $7800.
4. Suspension seems fine.

What do you guys think? Is it a good deal? For what it's worth, the car has had 4 owners and has failed emissions once.

 

Sounds like the car has had a hard life. The price is low and if you sold the hard top, even lower. Would you rather spend a little more for a more pristine car or buy this one and spend a little more getting this molested one back into good shape? For me, I wouldn't want to deal with the headache. I would find something better.

 

I actually thought of the same thing you did. I'm not sure if the headache is worth it. What really annoys me is that the underdash harness has been cut and the horn for the stock alarm has been cut as well. The car only comes with the key and no keypad, which is going to be more money that I have to put into the car.

Btw, when doing 1-2-3 gear shifts at redline, is there supposed to be a clunk after every shift? The sound is similar to that of my friend's Evo when rowing through the gears and instead of slipping the clutch, just popping the pedal out.

 

that has the same mileage as mine.mine still looks new.hell for 1000 dollars more i sell you mine.

 

The clunking is probably due to worn out transmission mounts. No the car should not clunk. I would move on.

 

you know that old adage, "you get what you pay for." I think the car is priced accordingly for the condition that the car is in, looks like some TLC is required, but what better way to get aqquainted with your s2k and s2ki, than a car that needs a little TLC, if you're a DIY'fer, i'd say go for it. If the tranny and engine are sound, i'd say it's a good deal, everything else is cosmetic and gives the car character.

 

when I look at fixer uppers I calculate what it would cost to get the car back to good/excellent shape and call that cost "Y"

X is the blue book value (private party)

X - (Y * 2) = what I would pay.

In other words if it's worth $10,000 in perfect shape and it's going to cost you $2000 to fix it up you should pay no more than $6,000 for that car. If you pay more you are not getting a good deal and why buy a headache car for anything but a GREAT DEAL? There are always hidden issues on a car with multiple issues like this. It will always cost more than you expect to get it to the condition you want it in.

My 2 cents.

 

You're looking at a $6000 S2k if you sell the hardtop. If you are a little mechanically inclined I'd buy it.

Does the soft top have a glass window? That's a big plus.