jham12

Hey everyone. I'm new to the forum and wanted your opinions on my upcoming S2000 purchase. Right now i'm deciding between a 2003 with 53k miles and a 2006 with 82k miles.They are both the same price. It will be a weekend driver and I plan to keep it stock. I'm going to be new to S2000 ownership. I've read the differences between model years but i'm torn on which one to buy. I'm leaning towards the 2003 because of the mileage. What do you guys think? Which one would you buy.

Here are the two options:
Used 2006 Honda S2000 For Sale in Rock Hill SC
Pre-Owned 2003 Honda S2000 Base 2D Convertible in Richmond #P3234 | Nissan of Richmond

hoobastnk90

O geez there is a billion ap1 vs ap2 threads drive them both and decide which one you like better, and also in your mind which one looks better to you. I personally enjoy the 9k redline and I like doing hpde events so I enjoy the more raw feeling of the ap1. But cant go wrong either way so good luck!

hoobastnk90

Just looked at the 2 I would go with the ap2 in this case because that ap 1 has a few mods already and the soft top looks torn unless you were going to mod it anyways. Unless they take off enough money to replace the top I would just leave it be, they can be expensive and tedious to replace.

Hfreak

Very interesting dilemma you have, I just happen to own a 2003 and a 2006 and there are pros and cons to both.

I know which car I like best but you will have to drive both to see what will stand out as a better fit for you. If you have not already done so, I would suggest reading the differences between model years and realize your ultimate goal for the car, then go from there. Good luck with your decision.

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-ta...l-info-753204/

jts09

I own an '06. Before I purchased the car, I checked the differences between model years (see the link below). The reason I chose the '06 was because of the addition of ECU cruise control, DBW & stability control. Purists prefer the earlier, manual controls.

https://www.s2000.com/forums/all-oth...ver-years.html

darcyw

I've owned an '03 for 6 years- now at 70K. Just bought an '06 currently in storage till spring. I really loved owning the AP1. why would I change over to an '06, you may ask?

It took me a long time to decide- but for me...it was the colour that I've always loved (Suzuka blue). The added bonus is Flashpro. Also, the previous owner is as meticulous as me.

but will it be the RIGHT decision? I"ll find out at the spring dragon trip and I'll report more then.

good luck- but my (and GRM's) general philosophy is to buy the lowest mileage s2000 you can afford- but don't quibble over 20K miles. So, all things being equal, for your case, buy the '03.

darcy

rpg51

Either way, you will love it. Me, I would pick the 03. Most folks here will sing the praises of the 06. Read about the changes over the years. Try to drive both. Then buy one!

Chuck S

The 9000 rpm redline, that some guys wet their pants just thinking how great that is, is fluff, not performance. It's marketing. And it's not really 9000 as the rev limiter cuts out about 8900. The rev limiter on the "8000 rpm" AP2 engine cuts out at 8400 rpm so we're dealing with 500 rpm of "so what?" Both engines produce the same peak power which is also fluff as no one drives at that power point other than momentarily. The power that counts (for other than that warm fluffy feeling talking about it) is the power under the curve in the mid range where the AP2 engine excels. If you want to constantly work the car the lower mid range power is a plus. I don't want to have to constantly work the car.

2004 and later cars even those outside North America which still have the AP1 engine were "face lifted" but it's more than that. Bigger wheels and tires, etc. were not styling changes. 2006 and later cars got additional enhancements like stability assist and a tuneable ECU. They're better cars. Much better for my driving. YMMV.

As to which one? The 2006!

-- Chuck

WVCR-V

Flashpro crew represent! Man, I swear I'm always following Chuck S with a me too. But yeah, me too on the Flashpro. It really does help broaden the power band and it's nice to have satisfactory power in the 4500-6500 range when driving spiritedly but not feeling like absolutely going all out. In fact I am able to just leave the car in third coming out of a turn when I would have shifted to second before. I know we don't buy the S2000 to avoid shifting but sometimes its nice not to always have to. I vote 2006.

vortamock

I vote 03', but that's my favorite year. It's does have a few mods, but they seem tastful. I've admittedly never driven an AP2. I was going to give your 06' a fair shake, but I didn't find it on their website. Why is 03 my favorite year? It boils down to personal preference. You dont have to think about the banjo bolt situation. It's got the same steering ratio as the CR. The AP2 was slowed down. Would I notice the difference? Maybe not, but I still like that point. The AP2 stability stuff is great, but not a deal breaker for me. Best benefit of the AP2 in my opinion is the power curve changes. I don't mind changing gears though.