GuthNW

Looking through those S2000s sold on Bring a Trailer, you can see the value in cars that:

- have a clean title (no previous accidents and no existing liens)
- are well maintained (regularly maintained with documentation)
- are well kept (nice exterior featuring original panels, nice paint free of dings or other damage, interior free of excessive wear, clean engine / engine bay, top free of tears / fading, clean undercarriage, no rust, etc.)
- are all original (self-explanatory)
- have low mileage (assuming all of the above points have been met, lower miles will only add to the value)

None of the above should come as a surprise to anyone with much common sense or who has spent some time around this forum. If you're planning on selling your S2000, even if you aren't dealing with an auction format like that of Bring a Trailer, if you put some time and effort into presenting your car for sale (detail the car and take good photos of it) then you'll likely draw in more buyers and maximize the amount of money you'll be able to get for the car. But like anything else, when it comes to selling them, these cars are only worth what someone else is willing to pay for them. If you own a S2000 and don't plan on selling it then the car is literally priceless and the value of the car is determined by the enjoyment you get from it (and how that is achieved is different for everyone). Then there's the value your insurance company might place on the car, but that's a separate matter.

GuthNW

I'm with you rpg. I consider much of New England to be amongst the most beautiful parts of the country that I've ever had the pleasure of spending time in and I've been in all of it with the exceptions of Montana, the Dakotas and Ohio. I consider my wife and I to be very fortunate in that we have been able to choose where we live. (We long debated between the Pacific Northwest and New England.) I've been on those New England roads in the autumn many times in the past. I would love to have the S out there for such drives and I envy you for that. I love Oregon., but these days as more people move here I find myself fantasizing about moving to British Columbia next, where I would no doubt still consider the value of the S to be greatly enhanced for me personally (when I wasn't fishing for steelhead anyway, lol).

Apex1.0

ThreeD

I think the market has gone down just a touch since around 2016 or so. Cars like a low-mileage LBP that were getting snatched up at $26-30k 2 years ago are sitting a little longer than they were before. Still a solid value though, and I think the nice ones will not lose their value, and likely will appreciate.

GuthNW

Not surprisingly, it sounds like there is a bit more involved with your decision than just the market itself. Best of luck to you with making your decision and then with enjoying whatever happens next.

rpg51

I will sell one of my cars in the next 3-4 years. Proabably the 02, which is the one I am driving now. The 03 is in storage. My hope is the expense of having money tied up in the 03 instead of another investment will be offset a bit by some increase in market value. It has just 17K miles and it is literally perfect. I bought it because I want to start retirement with a really clean very low mileage S and this particular car ticked all my boxes as far as color etc. Its hard to find a car that ticks all your boxes like this, I was lucky to have the $, and so I could not bring myself to let it go.

When I do sell the 02, I will spruce it up by having a good professional detail done, do my standard maintenance as far as valve adjustments and fluids, tend to any issues that might exist and I'll return the few very minor mods I have done to stock. I think it will probably have about 50-70 K miles by then. It will still be desirable. I think its worth putting your best foot forward when you are selling. I know it definitely draws me to a car when it has been well cared for and it shows. Especially a summer fun car like this. Also, don't expect to get rich on an s2k. Best you can hope for is for the car to hold value. If you drive it a lot, it will depreciate some, but not as much as a typical daily driver depreciates. Most car depreciate like crazy so from that perspective it is a good car to drive. Anyway, that is the way I look at it. A lot of fun, and lose a little less to depreciation than you ordinarily do.

GuthNW

rpg51, if the '02 has less than 70K miles when the time comes that you think you'll be ready to sell one, why not get rid of the '03 that's sitting in storage which will bring more money in return, and keep the '02 that will likely be the better runner?

rpg51

Maybe, no decisions made yet. I'll wait until the time comes to make that call. Sometimes events take over and I don't want to get ahead of myself. But, one issue is color. Not a huge deal, but I do prefer Silverstone, and this will be my last hurrah. It will be the car I drive off into the sunset. You are right though, the 02 I drive now is set up just the way I want it, and it runs like a dream. But, all the simple little mods I have made (wheels, shift knob, etc.) will swap directly over to the 03, and I enjoy futzing around with these cars. So, if I stick with the 03, it will get a valve adjustment, a new set of tires, and I'll get it running great in no time. Both are fine "runners" as you say.

We shall see. I feel very fortunate to have such problems.

GuthNW

I have found that vehicles that are exercised on a regular basis do seem to run better and benefit in other ways as compared to those cars that are stored long term without being driven. But I'm guessing that you're at least stretching the legs on that '03 every now and then. Nice problem to have as you've noted.

rpg51

I've never found that exercise thing to be an issue. But, what do I know? My 03 will get a little bit of a workout every spring and every fall.