5 Sensible Arguments for Purchasing an S2000
Are you looking to buy an S2000 and have a friend or loved one asking you to justify the purchase? It's the typical situation for any would-be sports car owner. This Honda roadster is less sensible than most for pure street use, but there are still some curveballs you can throw anyone trying to rain on your parade.
1. A sporting classic at a used discount
One of the big reasons why the S2000 never lasted through the recession was the fact that it was too much niche car to use as a daily driver and pricey to justify as a secondary car. If you can get a used deal on it these days, however, that price issue is alleviated considerably. An S2000 isn't well-suited for much other than being a pure pleasure vehicle, but it's easier to justify it as a "sensible" purchase if you're paying less for one. Be warned, however, that an S2000 hasn't depreciated in value like many other cars from that era, and the selling price has been gradually rising with time. This attests to the S2K's quality as a roadster, but you may have to do some shopping around before you find one cheap enough to make it worth the exchange.
2. One of the safest sports cars around
The S2000 has received something of a bad rep for its sharp handling and tricky learning curve. There are horror stories of fresh S2000 owners inadvertently driving their wheels into a ditch. Unfortunately many come to this car with an overinflated sense of skill and can't handle what the car can do. Thankfully the S2000 is considered one of the safest sports cars ever designed. Receiving top marks in all U.S. safety tests, Honda upped the ante with its own standards that specialized in rollover safety.
There is one story of an S2000 that lost control at 70 MPH and rolled over a dozen times, only for the driver to walk away from the crash unscathed. If that's not an argument in its favor, we don't know what is.
3. Incredible performance beyond its price grade
At the time it was still new, the Honda S2000 was arguably the most overpowered sports car for its size on the planet. The engine drew the best horsepower per liter, and its RPM and redline were second to none.
Even if engine technology has advanced considerably since the S2000's death knell in 2008, its aged remarkably well from a performance basis. There aren't many shortcomings to be called upon for a car that could go toe-to-toe with the best. Although it may have more visual similarities most with a roadster like the Mazda Miata, a performance comparison requires moving up into the luxury sport bracket. The Porsche Boxster was on a par with the S2K, but the significant price difference means you can only go so far with putting the two side by side.
4. S2000 values are rising
This is as sensible in an argument as they get! The value for your S2000 will likely rise after you get it provided it is well taken care of. It may boil down to the age-old tug-of-war between supply and demand since the S2000 has been out of production for close to a decade now. Recently it's becoming increasingly difficult to find one in impressive shape and has left many prospective owners searching through beaters. People who are interested in the S2K tend to be sports car enthusiasts at heart, and they're not as prone to losing interest just because familiarity has set in.
5. The S2000 has an enduring appeal
You need not worry about your S2000 purchase going out of style. Even a decade since the S2000 was last manufactured, there's still a market for these cars. They may not be cutting edge anymore with ten years of recent progress weighted against it, but the unique blend of traits the made the S2K has ensured it will have enthusiasts for a long time to come.