honda manual transmissions should be changed with honda mtf only every 30k miles under normal driving conditions. in a pinch you can use engine oil but that should be changed immediately, this is stated in the owners manual. as far as valve adjustments go about 100k for normal driving and yes there is an art to adjusting them but they are far easier to adjust than shim and bucket valves, if you are unsure loose is better than tight. honda uses ngk spark plugs in every vehicle they make, you don't need to go to the dealer just make sure you get the right part number. these should be changed every 100k under normal conditions. wheel bearings are very torque sensitive and i would not over torque them, most common failure with bearings is galling which will cause noise but they will not be loose, bring a stethoscope or a piece of hose under the car and let the wheels spin in the air and listen to the bearings. if you hear a humming or whining noise that bearing is bad. a lot of honda engines like the s2k or the b18c engines have high compression and are fuel sensitive, make sure you put high quality premium(91 or higher for the US) in the tank. low quality fuels may cause knock and reduce engine power and efficiency. I did not see very many mechanical issues with the s2k and most came in for basic maintenance. sincerely a former honda technician
I love s2000’s so much. I dream of owning one some day. I do automotive interior restoration for a living. Today actually, I worked on an S2000. We had to get the drivers seat reupholstered because of vinyl tearing on the bolster. Looks phenomenal now. I spent about an hour and a half fixing everyone possibly could to make the best possible car for the next person who owns it. Such a pleasure to work on.
I didn't either, but saw one on eBay that was just 30 miles from my house. I went, I saw, I drove, I bought. Not a single regret. It even has no VIN sticker on the left rear quarter panel. Seller explained before I even looked. Sh-- happens to cars over time, or "this is not the end of the world" (2:46). Everything mechanical and electrical is perfect - who gives a ff if a body panel was painted or replaced?! Driving nirvana.
I'm a simple man. I see a SavageGeese video, I click on it. ESPECIALLY if it's S2000 content. Fun Fact - FRS vs S2000 videos is what got me into this channel - 5 years ago!
This is easily THE BEST S2000 "what to look for" video I've ever seen. I wish I would have had some of these tips when I bought my AP2 (2004) in 2006. The other thing that I want to mention that I don't think mark said was to look at the front end to see if anything was added or changed. I didn't look that good until later on and noticed that there was this goofy looking mesh in the front grill. Upon further investigation it looked like my car smacked something in the front and they added this goofy looking screen / mesh junk to cover shit up... Car was also resprayed on the front bumper too. Otherwise my car was pretty mint, but that was a long time ago. I have a feeling that it's going to be hard to find a minty fresh non-riced out one, but I'm sure that they are out there. Great drivers car, I miss it, but had fun with it for many years before I cut it loose. Mark, I'll look around, I might have some OEM pads and a filter or two if you want them. Thanks for the detailed video, brought back some memories.
BarnStangz - Just found one that had gone up on eBay.... Super-crazy luck for me, it was 30 miles from where I live!! One owner, 14k on odometer, garage-kept and unmodified (little old lady - literally!). I was speaking with a guy on an S2000 forum this week who just a few weeks back got a one-owner 2001 with 17k miles, also unmodified. There are good ones out there - just take your time looking :) Good luck!
@ da Bob; That's awesome man! You need to scoop that baby up! But yeah, you're right. If you are not in a hurry and can wait, sometimes cherry stuff will appear!
Early July of this year I picked up a 1 owner 04 with just under 40k on it. Guy died and I bought it from his blind widow. I dont think many can say theu bought a car from a blind lady.
@@BarnStangz I paid asking price on the spot - and I wasn't even looking to buy an S2000 - just wanted to check one out. But as it turned out, I came I saw, I drove, I purchased! 5 months later and zero regrets. By the way, I still look for them out of interest and I've learned there are still plenty out there that people bought for retirement or for weekends only. Older, responsible people in many cases (like me) who have learned over the years how to baby a car and make it last. Again, good luck!
Watched this video 5 times before I got my stock AP2 a month ago (12500km 06), now I am watching this video whenever I have time. Thanks you so much "Savagegeese".
Thank you for making video's like these. Been watching your videos since the start. You are literally the only car reviewer that: 1. Knows how to drive at the limit 2. Appreciate any car and not being caught up in hype for views 3. Knows driving, chassis, and handling mechanics. 4. Adds subtle humor to their videos while remaining educational. I remembered when I first subbed, I saw your down heel rev match on the e92. After that I knew you were the real deal.
I absolutely appreciate you mentioning what you did @ 36:40. I had an AP2 back in 07-10 and during that time, was one of the fastest cars I ever driven. Forward 10+ years and I've had several turbo cars and v8's. I decided to pickup an s2000 before the huge price hike and thought to myself, this car is really really slow! I cant remember it feeling this slow. None the less, I am glad to have another s2000 sitting in the garage, such a joy to drive.
I bought a 06 earlier this year and I still watched every second of this video and I learned a tons about my car. Wish I have seen this when I was shopping for one. Thanks.
If you ever wondered what it would be like to drive an sports car with a motorcycle engine in it...........this is your car. The AP1 S2k make the FRS look like an torque monster. At about 6500 rpm the engine makes this transition to a mechanical wonder. If you love cars it is something you must experience. If you love torque......move on.
I'm about to buy my first S2000 and this video was extremely helpful. When I go back for my second look at it, I now feel more confident in what to look, feel and ask before I buy it. Thank you!!
@@fernandojuancadena2475 Hi Fernando, yes I did. It is a 2006 silver one with only 53k miles on it. I now have 59k miles and I actually tracked it once last summer. This car is everything people have said it is.
I bought my S2000 new in 2002, Sebring Silver, and it still sits in my garage today. Mine is a California car and just turned over to 8,000 miles. I have too many toys and didn’t find much time to drive it and therefore the reason for only 8,000 miles. Mine has always been garaged, never driven in the rain, no rock chips, door dings, etc. The closest you can get to a new one as it looks as good as the day I brought it home. Now that values are rising I’m afraid to drive it. I take it for a spin once a month to keep it running properly and will eventually probably sell it. I need to figure out what it’s worth. I’m going to want a good price for it because as I said it’s about as close as new condition as you are going to find since I babied it for its 8,000 miles. Whenever I would drive it I would never park and leave it unattended as I was afraid of getting door dings, someone backing into it, etc. so I would take it out on back country roads and just enjoy a nice Sunday drive. I know I will miss it but I have been basically storing it in my garage time capsule for twenty years and will enjoy having a garage again for new toys.....
Just want to say thanks to this video for giving me guidance when i took a gamble on flying out to take ownership of an AP2 a couple years ago. I wrote down most of what was said in the video and it helped me out in not only what to look for but gave me added confidence. The car is amazing so i appreciate it.
I'd owned over 8 S2K's, all the highlighted points are lovely except for the fact that the cost would massively differ!! Like you'd stated in the vid that this car is actually made for fun so its either the original owner or the new buyer will purchase it for that purpose only! having some aftermarket parts isn't bad, it actually is good in some way! Some surface rust on some metal is fine! ( not deeeeep rust tho) as its just some oxidization won't affect the rigidity or performance by any means, just cosmetic underneath. if someone followed this video by the word then i assure you that 99.9% of the buyers won't buy!! its over 10yrs car and the things you highlighted are all serviceable and are not a reason to let go of a good S2k because the owner replaced a control arm or didn't service few things properly! 3-4 of the S2K's I bought were with 160-200K miles which means they should be totally consumed and the engine life is over however they ran solid with no issues and I drive spiritually I don't go easy on my cars at all. usefull info to learn on weakpoints of a S2K but not valid at all to determine a car purchase unless the car is bought by a person who wants a crisp mint condition! then that individual can follow and do all these checks! Thanks! TJ usefull video!
Mark: Nail hit on head. Anyone in the market would be so well-served by this. I will figure out how to post about it on my own S2K owner's channel. My contribution here has to do with MTF. After using Honda MTF for almost the entire first 3 years of ownership on my stock '06, I was getting so tired of the incessant 2nd-gear pop-outs on decel from high rpm that I was prepared for a $1,700-$1,900 tranny service to replace 1st and 2nd synchros as per Honda TSB for earlier cars. The S2K forums, though, persuaded me to try Amsoil MTF first. I did, and the pop-outs went away immediately. That was months ago. I also noticed significantly smoother shifting--as did the Honda Master Tech who did the service, and it certainly wasn't his first S2000. I would urge anyone with this particular issue to try this super-cheap and easy attack before shelling out the big $.
I agree, i am original owner 2001 AP1 and have used Amsoil MTF in the trans since year 1.....no symptoms....Also, i use Amsoil 80W90 in the rear diff, in my first year i noticed that the clutches in the diff would chatter when making u-turns...the Amsoil made the problem go away, never came back!
I"ll add to the Amsoil MTF helping with shifts. I had a quart left over from my '09 Si MTF fluid change which helped a TON with the 3rd gear issue on that car. I used one quart Amsoil MTF and one quart Honda MTF for my S2000 and have had butter smooth shifts. It's notchy, but always slides into gear easily. Don't have any pop-out issues or any other common problems.
The mechanic who put the Amsoil in for me, who is a seasoned Honda master technician, said the Amsoil is just a much more expensive fluid. Meaning, it's just of a higher grade.
The seats are upgraded in the later models ('06). The leather is a bit more thick, so you gonna have less problem with these. The VIN numbers are not on every panel in the EU :) That's only in the USA. Also recommended: SMELL the oil, for petrol in it. In the EU we also check the front bumper, when the headlight cleaner is missing then we know something happened. Also check the color of the windscreen cleaner because that was just painted in the color of the car only for the facelifts. This way you can tell it was repainted. But really good video anyway. Not that much guys know about how to keep the rubber parts in good shape (08798-9013) . This is recommended for every single honda.
While the seats were redesigned (the passthrough vent in the headrest was removed) in 2006, I think Honda experienced more issues with the textured leather used in '06 and '07 as they once again changed leather used in 2008. The primary complaint in this video had to do with the width of the seats which wasn't changed over the years. Regardless of the year model, S2000 owners would be wise to keep the leather itself well treated (cleaned and conditioned) with quality products such as those by Lexol, and do fairly often.
I’ve been lookin forward to buy the S2000, and finally have made my decision of buying one. This video definitely helped me a lot for me to go through researching and comparing different S2000s on stocks
A thorough discussion. As the owner of an AP1 since September 1999 who is tall and has size 14 feet I think the comments on driver size are a bit off. I was close to 6'4 when I purchased my car. I removed the driver's seat and took off the cover, hammered out the metal bucket a bit on each side and removed some padding on each side of my hips. When I put it back in I inserted a large nut under the front of the rails to increase seat tilt. On longer drives I put a folded towel under my legs for more thigh support. Have driven the car comfortably for many miles. I totally agree that this is a car for someone who wants to put the top down and play. I have had no mechanical problems beyond leaking clutch cylinders after 18 years. I live in the south and garage the car. Have changed the transmission and differential fluid once with Amsoil. After watching this I would probably buy an AP2 if I were in the market. While I have gotten a bit sideways it has always been controllable except for one second gear corner at a wet track day. Switched to Bridgestone RE11s and love them. On early cars run 245/40 on the back, not 225. Original rear tires were wider than labeled.
Thank you so much for this video. I watched it at least 5 times and took many notes. It helped me a lot to buy my 2002 S2000 with confidence. The top ones are really expensive now here in Portugal, but if it's not in pristine condition i'd rather not have it. Now that I bought it I can say it's a 25 years dream come true. 🤩
As an owner of a MY2000 from mile 3, loved the video. I've got 125K trouble free miles in the last 18 years. I'm not even in the market to buy or sell, but I still learned a few things. Yes, the wheel bearings are a PITA to replace. Great guide.
I wish this video came out before I purchased my AP2 in 2017. There are things I overlooked during the purchase e.g. the 10 VIN tags, but I am lucky they are all present. It certainly will help potential buyers a lot.
This is a comprehensive review. Another thing to look for in the trunk is water damage in the toolkit area. Water may accumulate in the trunk, and can cause the metal pan under the toolkit to rust out.
I bought my S2000 new in 2002, Sebring Silver, and it still sits in my garage today. Mine is a California car and just turned over to 8,000 miles. I have too many toys and didn’t find much time to drive it and therefore the reason for only 8,000 miles. Mine has always been garaged, never driven in the rain, no rock chips, door dings, etc. The closest you can get to a new one as it looks as good as the day I brought it home. Now that values are rising I’m afraid to drive it. I take it for a spin once a month to keep it running properly and will eventually probably sell it. I need to figure out what it’s worth. I’m going to want a good price for it because as I said it’s about as close as new condition as you are going to find since I babied it for its 8,000 miles. Whenever I would drive it I would never park and leave it unattended as I was afraid of getting door dings, someone backing into it, etc. so I would take it out on back country roads and just enjoy a nice Sunday drive. I know I will miss it but I have been basically storing it in my garage time capsule for twenty years and will enjoy having a garage again for new toys.....
So detailed, you're the best like always. Lots of things (including valve retainer upgrade) I've dealt with when I had my AP1. The gearbox always felt really notchy in winter. Your S2000 videos make me really miss it (I literally almost cry watching your videos) and want to get another one when I'm about to replace 2018 WRX I hate with a 124 Spider Abarth.
Ive always recommended other s2000 owners to remove that rubber liner on the wheel well of the rear quarter panels. I believe they trap water and cause rust.
Many years ago, I bought an S2000 that had the odometer altered. The entire cluster was swapped out. Had to get a solicitor to get my money back. This video is gold, very informative and helpful. I do hope to own an S2K again someday.
WOW what a great vid. I have had my 03 since 07 and it now has about 70 thousand miles on it. only mods are radio and tsw 17's with 255 Hankooks. Being that i live in the great white north i have 5 to 6 months to baby it while it sits in my garage. In the summer it is my daily unless it's going to rain. come fall back in the box and jack it up and drain all fluids out ant replace, then the inspection begins, seats come out, wheels off and the creeper time, seems to have work thus far, NOTHING has worn out.
2006 owner currently(new to me earlier this year)/2003 owned for 6 years previous. I do all my own maintenance- the s2000 is easy to maintain but have a FSM. TIPS- 1. adjust the clutch adjustment rod). 2. check the clutch MC reservoir for dirty fluid- check the MC clutch rod at the clutch pedal- if you see copious amounts of gray paste, clean and try flushing with DOT4 and change the fluid often. Ultimately that didn't fix my slow leak and so I replaced the clutch MC. 3. check and adjust tire pressures. 4. if you have a "crunchy" clutch pedal feel, it may be the clutch slave rod- I had to remove my slave rod and repolish it. In addition, I relubed the shift fork with high temp urea grease. Removed the stick shift and regressed as well with HT urea grease. 5. s2ki.com is your friend. Good luck and enjoy the ride- excellence again!
so true. With the age of the s2000, very few Honda dealers are proficient at proper s2000 maintenance. Look for independents that advertise as s2000 mechanics- Billman in NY comes to mind.
The market is much smaller here in the UK than the US and therefore there are fewer independent garages that have had enough exposure to the S2000. I don't know if our S2000 expert mechanics have the same level of expertise as Billman, but there are probably three or four in the UK, Daytona Autos, TGM Sport spring to mind. These are guys nearing retirement age too so I believe there's a business opportunity for someone.
Anyone wants to buy any used cars should watch n rewatch this video. I m planning to buy a S2000 n I’m taking notes…It’s that GOOD !! Thank you so much for the video. Wish u could do the similar video with other cars.
2 year into owning my perfect AP1. Under 100k on odometer when bought. I LOVE IT!! Can’t wait to track it. Road Atlanta here I come!! Replaced: Thermostat Both rear axles (CV popping) Clutch master Clutch slave Shift knob (scratched up) Brake pads (ALL) Brake rotors (ALL) Trans fluid Diff fluid Convertible top ( 4 days in my garage) Spark plugs Front bumper repainted Needs: Timing chain tensioner Valve retainers inspected Valves adjusted Oil jets inspected Sticky tires Steel brake lines This car is amazing and I barely fit in it!!
Regarding interior squeaks and rattles, mine has very few, but the one I noticed when I got the car was the seat belts rubbing on the leather seats, making squeaking noises. There is a very simple fix for this, get some stick-on velcro (the soft side, not the hook side) and stick a strip on the leather seat where the seat belt rubs on it. Problem solved 100% and it does not damage the seats in any way. My car is a UK 2005 model, but this will apply to all S2000's
One of the BEST S2000 educational videos out there. I am in a market for one and I m going to transcribe every point to an iPad when I do my inspection. You really gave me a new perspective when it comes to the priority of things to look for. Thank you so much!
I want one since Year 2000. I have been waiting for 20 years now. I was lucky not to get or die from the coronavirus in 2020. So i guess now is the right time. AP1 or AP2 ... i guess she will find me.
Great video Mark, 2 things you missed: On the AP1, when people replace the original S02 Tires, they usually get the rear tire size wrong 1) The Rear tires were labelled a 225mm section width on the S02s, but in reality they were closer to a 245/255 tire. When people bought replacements they were buying 225mm tires from different brands....turned out that the replacement tires were skinner than the original tires installed, this made their AP1s much more prone to overseer...far more worse if the tires were all season compound 2) The Very early AP1s had weaker clutch springs, at around 2500-3500 rpms when decellerating, the clutch would buzz like crazy, A TSB was out to fix it with an updated clutch. CHEERS!
Absolutely. If i was on my way to work. In my S2000. In a blizzard. Generally speaking, somebody's gonna be in the ditch. Always have a good snatch tackle in the trunk. Also, know what you're doing before you leave the house.
Loved the video really anything on the S2000 always looking and trying to learn anything and everything on the S2000 being a owner. Thank you for finding the time to make these videos.
One of the most striking cars ever built. I miss the hell out of mine, even though it was a rattle can with terrible paint, it was the funnest thing I've ever driven.
That was the best, most informative, most enjoyable to watch car review I have ever seen on RU-vid. No ubiquitous, annoying base pounding dance music to suffer though and the presenter is not talking with that high pitched inflection in his voice like Jerry Seinfeld on amphetamemes or that kitschy, smarmy "clever by far" attempts at wittiness. Just the facts and nothing but the facts. An earnest, useful, informative and enjoyable presentation.
Tip: convertible frame, when closed, uses a rubber on metal bump stop contact point behind the driver’s left shoulder and passenger’s right shoulder (RHD). This rubber on metal contact point causes a squeaking when not properly lubricated. I spray it with lithium grease when I replaced my top. Now the interior no longer squeaks. Back to its original Genuine Honda quality.
The original bridgestone rear tires that came on an AP1 (225/50R16) had a tread width that was 9.0 inches wide, that is the equivalent of a 245-255 sectional width tire. Not a huge deal but something you should consider when replacing them with another brand/model tire that probably won't have the same tread width even though it's the same size.
Squeaks from the seat belts rubbing on the seats is a really easy and cheap fix. Stick some velcro (soft side) on the part where the seat belt rubs and the noise is 100% gone with no damage to the seats.
Great video. One point I could add coming from longer term ownership is that for DBW versions there is a common occurrence of APP sensor failure. A plug into the OBD2 will show any history of this otherwise by having an experienced owner drive at low speeds there can be detectable disconnect between accel and pedal position will is a symptom that the APP sensor failure is imminent
Love these kinds of video... so detailed and filled with useful info/facts. I just wish you could do one for a 987 Cayman. I remember after driving the AP2 S2000, I mentioned in a youtube comment section that there was no steering feedback. A lot of S2000 fanboys came out yelling blasphemy. Thank you for confirming this.
Jonathan Mendez oh god please tell me more because I’m in love with the m3 in my head and his experience broke my heart, and I still don’t entirely get how it went so bad for him
@@Fee.1M-Cars are notorious for falling apart after the first 4 or 5 years. High tolerance parts tend to go bad quicker especially when manufacturers use a bunch of plastics and electronics for high performance purposes. The germans haven't made a bulletproof car since the late 90s.
ShoryukenDatAzz rod bearings and the plastics issue doesn’t bother me, I’ll buy the custom metal gears for the throttle pieces that break, it’s cheap as hell. More interested in the nuanced stuff than the commonly known things.
Just walk away from one yesterday cause mileage and interior didn't match mileage. All vins were there though. Looking at another one tomorrow. Perfect time for this video.
Great video.I enjoyed all of the detail that you went into. If this was mentioned in the video and I missed it then my apologies. But it's definitely worth noting that these cars are actually very easy to work on. Everything on the car is so accessible, including everything on the bottom side of the car once you get them up in the air (as with any sports car). Just one more aspect of this car where the engineering team really knocked it out of the park.
