What To Buy: 2000–2009 Honda S2000

From the January 2023 issue of Car and Driver.

Overseen by Honda chief engineer Shigeru Uehara (the father of the original Acura NSX and the Integra Type R, two cars that embodied Japanese performance in the ’90s), the Honda S2000 is a two-seat roadster we described as “the car of your dreams.”

We’d lean toward well-maintained second-gen models with their improved low-end torque and refined suspension, though there’s undeniable joy in revving an early S2000 to its 8900-rpm redline. Of the early cars, the 2002–03 examples are the best, with their transmission and interior upgrades and a glass rear window.

John Roe|Car and Driver

Contents

Problem Areas

As with any high-revving engine, expect to deal with some wear and tear in an S2000. Any S2000 inspection should cover wheel bearings, transmission synchros, and softtop condition. Have a specialist check the valves for cracked retainers. Second-generation S2000s (especially 2006–09 models) can exhibit bubbling or cracking along the dash, and some run into issues with the transmission popping out of gear. The S2000 has long been a popular platform for street or racing mods, so it’s important to get every service record you can and line up a good technician to go through the one you’re considering. The good news is the aftermarket remains strong for S2000 parts and modifications, and Honda still offers replacement parts.

Value

The days of sub-$10,000 S2000s appear to be over. As of this writing, the auction website Bring a Trailer has yet to log a sale under $20,000 in 2022. But don’t fret—examples with more than 100,000 miles can still be found in the teens.

By far, the most desirable S2000s right now are pristine 2008–09 CRs, with a handful topping the $100,000 mark over the past couple of years on BaT. Otherwise, expect to land somewhere between $20,000 and $75,000, with lower-mileage second-gens toward the high end of that range.

Engine

The heart of the S2000 is its naturally aspirated inline-four. In the early cars (2000–03, or AP1 in chassis-code talk), the 2.0-liter produced 240 horsepower at 8300 rpm and a meager 153 pound-feet of torque at a silly 7500 rpm.

John Roe|Car and Driver

To fatten up the low end, later models (2004–09, or AP2) bumped displacement to 2.2 liters and reconfigured the VTEC cam profiles. The redline dropped to 8000. Horsepower remained 240, although peak power occurred 500 rpm earlier. Torque rose to a slightly more useful 162 pound-feet at 6500 rpm.

Recent Sales

2002 Honda S2000 (July 2022)
Price: $25,800 Mileage: 28,000 miles
2006 Honda S2000 (May 2022)
Price: $45,600 Mileage: 7000
2008 Honda S2000 CR (September 2022)
Price: $125,000 Mileage: 6000 miles
(Sales from Bring a Trailer.)

2004 Honda S2000
240-hp 2.2-liter inline-4, 2866 lb
TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.5 sec
100 mph: 14.0 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.0 sec @ 100 mph
Top Speed: 150 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 163 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.88 g
From C/D, July 2004. Acceleration times adhere to our old rollout rule of 3 mph.

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