This is one of those cases of a car that is known for its reliability ending up in the worst hands possible given its condition. This 2001 Honda S2000 roadster is absolutely on the way to being a car worth more than $50,000 even in driver form in the coming years, but today, you can buy one from the donation lot for mere peanuts here on eBay. Someone has managed to get this S2000 into the sort of condition where it doesn’t stay running on its own and is refusing to go into gear, and with a current bid of $8,400 and no reserve, there’s a bargain here regardless of the sale price.
At a young age, I was able to experience the Honda S2000 in its first production year. A friend of mine who was incredibly gifted intellectually and a joy to his parents was given one as a gift for exceptional academic performance (yes, quite generous, but I suspect he’s made his way into a covert intelligence role at this point given his brilliance.) Regardless, I was with him the night the car moved past its break-in period, and hearing that engine scream to its 9,000 RPM redline was nothing short of transformative. I couldn’t get over how hard you could drive a sports car like this without fear of it breaking.
The F20C engine is still a marvel. A 2.0L 4-cylinder capable of producing 240 b.h.p. is already insane before you factor in the sky-high redline. But perhaps more fascinating is just how reliable it is, a borderline exotic that can be serviced like any other Honda at your local dealer. And on top of that, it’s still significantly cheaper to buy than an Acura NSX, which is quite similar in many ways. The fact that someone managed to drive this S2000 so poorly that it now only ignites on starter fluid and the clutch is roasted to the point it won’t go into gear is truly a shame; you have to work pretty darn hard to abuse a car like this to that extreme.
The good news is the S2000 will likely rebound just fine with a solid weekend or two of proper maintenance. The bodywork looks fair, with the exception of a cracked front lip. The same goes for the interior, which certainly isn’t pristine but is better than one might expect for a car in this sort of mechanical condition. It does show 131,000 miles, so it clearly hasn’t been kept as a pristine collector car, and perhaps that factors into its poor mechanical state as well. Since I don’t see any obvious modifications, I doubt highly the mechanical faults are due to outright abuse but rather seevral years of neglect.
S2Ks in any condition bring big money. Just watch. I have owned both an AP1 and the later AP2. No disappointments. The biggest challenge was the cabin width. A wide shouldered person will find these a tight fit. They truly are as described – a four wheeled crotch rocket.
What a sad state of existence to find such a typical Honda statement car made to showcase the engineering brilliance within Honda at the time. Someone with resources needs to save this from the ignorance that befell it previously-the space saver tire on the LF to replace the standard that was obviously driven too far, the torn/faded rear window, cracked and pitted front facia tells us that someone had all but abandoned any bit of pride in owning it before somehow causing the gearbox to be inoperable.
Here’s hoping for a favorable rescue for a fine fun car.
These cars are often from estates where surviving family members often don’t have the time or inclination to deal with a car. No matter how desirable it is do some people, it’s still a Honda, which will make it a niche player to the majority of people.
Years ago me and a couple of friends would regularly go to the Volunteers of America vehicle donation lot. We got to know a few of the people there, they told us the majority of cars came from older people clearing out their house prior to moving, or estates. It’s often called a charity or the wrecking yard. A former coworker parked a 33 Willy’s and a 55 Chevy on the covered patio of his parents in the house late-1960’s, they are still there, though his parents passed at least a decade ago. His sons have zero interest in cars, once he’s gone, if they wind up at a place like this will be a good outcome.
At a minimum, someone will buy it and turn it into a track day car, it it’s lucky it will be restored.
Steve R