I Bought A Honda S2000 For £2000! 

This car deserves nothing less than what Phil got.

PLEASE do a full rebuild series on this S2000 🙏🏻 Tailor I’m sure can lend a hand…

9:19 as a former S2000 owner, I knew EXACTLY what that sound was. My timing chain tensioner started making that noise around 80k miles. At the time, there were a few nice upgraded tensioners available. Easy fix. I miss that car so much.

Have owned my '00 S2000 for over 14 years, 417,000km on the clock and still going strong. Yes, it took a lot of looking after and regular oil changes, but it is such a beautiful car to drive. Wish you the best of luck restoring this one. All very manageable. Its actually not too bad. I've been through it all!

Here in the States it would be impossible to find a running S2000 for anywhere near that price. Apparently your market for these cars is lagging far behind ours. This has worked out to your advantage despite all of the work that lies ahead of you. The mileage wouldn't concern me though the rust would (I'll be interested to see how this plays out). Issues with the OEM timing chain tensioner are not at all surprising. Congratulations and good luck!

Glad to see you have finally bought one of these and put your views aside. I have one myself and have just spent a fair bit on rust repairs as well. Based off what mine looked like underneath, definitely looks like you need new sills and arches, and also probably a new rear subframe. I had mine steam cleaned and that revealed it to be much worse than it initially looked. That noise from the engine is almost definitely the chain tensioner gone (a common issue with them), don't get a new OEM one as they suck. Get an aftermarket one like a ballade sport or similar which last much longer (please do your own research though). good luck!!

I’d say you’ve done very well! Here in Ontario 🇨🇦 most S2000s are going for $20k-$50k depending on condition. Hope to see this one cleaned up properly ✌️

Happy to see you changed your mind on the s2000. I’ve owned one for 2 years now and it’s one of my favourite cars that I’ve owned/driven. I always wondered if you drove a lemon all those years ago 😂. You could sell the oem cat for 700 quid easy and you’ve got a £1300 s2000 right there 😮.

finally! somebody has said you only need to polish up those headlights and not have to replace them with brand new genuine ones. he seemed quite honest and didn't come across like you have to replace this and that because it looks "OLD".

What a find for that price. Years ago I bought a BMW 320i for £320 but it’s nowhere near as special as the iconic S2000. Looking forward to more on this one

I'm SO glad you've had your head turned - I've owned a S2k for a couple of years and its a treat to drive in the summer when I get it out. I was gutted a few years ago when you decided you didn't like them and they were over hyped. Timing chain is super easy on Honda engines in general, the front is easy to strip down and I believe there are marks on the sprockets to line up with the chain to do the timing (K20 there are colour links and coloured links, but these are slightly different) - so no funky timing tools! I'd recommend getting on the forums and getting hold of a Billman TCT - they're reworked Honda TCTs but with added features to extend their lives. Original Honda ones do sometimes fail unexpectedly. Also whilst you're at it, do the "AP2" retainer work - its undocumented here in the UK whether our engines suffer from retainer cracks like the US AP1 models (AP2 never came to the UK, we all have AP1s), but if you're stripping everything down and doing clearances, you might as well go for the full hog and swap them out. LHT Performance in the US are good to follow and I think Tegiwa stock the retainers. Enjoy your new toy!

The pipe sticking out of the exhaust after the catalytic converter is a quarter wave tube that is actually there to remove drone.

alex, i love a honda, i had a fn2 type r, those vtec engines are outstanding engines, i would love to see how this vehicle comes along with you and the gang fixing it up, will deffo be looking forward to more vids on this!

Can't wait to watch the restoration on this 👍🏻

That noise is just the timing chain tensioner. It's a 15-30 minute replacement. You don't need to change the timing chain!

Nice purchase, mate. I hope you take us along with you on your Honda S2000 re-build. This is going to be a good one!

honeslty I think you stole a beautiful example for the price

Nice purchase! Love an S2000, timeless car.

I loved mine! I’ve had 2, I actually managed to blow my first one up and I mean blow it up, blew a hole in the block both sides, could literally look through the engine, it took out the starter motor and engine mount too! I later found out that the early ones (ap1) models had weak valve retainers, and they can crack and break up after lots of miles and high reving, resulting in dropping a valve at high rpm. I think that’s what happened to my first one as I was racing at the time, so I replaced them on my second s2k. Not a bad job to do just a little scetchy as the valve and drop into the cylinder while replacing them lol! Done lots to my second one, all the bushes etc etc, she was a track weapon! Excited to see what you do with this on!

7:28 ... looks more like a Helmholtz resonator to me to eliminate some resonance in the exhaust system.

Currently working on my S2000. After the TCT is replaced, always check the oil (5W-30) as the Vtec system can use it up. If the suspension is good, then new performance tyres with strong side walls suit the car's handling.

Alex get yourself booked in with Raymond Pugh in Swansea, he redid my S2000 roof in February for £350 and it is impeccable. Glad you've finally understood how good these cars are.

Timing chain tensioner, common issue. Not saying it’s not possible, but don’t really see chain stretching. Google billman, the entire US s2000 community swears by him and his upgraded timing chain tensioners(myself included). Check you valve retainers for any cracks or dropping and adjust the valves, I bet that motor quiets down and runs tight for many many more miles. Looking forward to the series, I knew you were an s2000 hater a few years ago, so this will be fun watching you come around during this process. Good luck!

Thank god you made your own channel Alex. So happy for you. - From a long term fan...

A great buy Alex. Looking forward to seeing the progress.

I know it's not very cost effective but I'd love to see the underside of this S2K dry ice cleaned. I love a bit of Honda goodness. Miss mine (Got a BL MPS now but damn I miss my Civic lol).

Paid £13,000 for my 45k 2003 Honda S2000. Absolutely love the car. Alex somehow has luck maxed out on life.

I've owned my 2002 Honda S2000 for 17 years now, also on around 150k miles and it's currently in a bodyshop having the common rusty rear arches sorted out properly (done once before relatively cheaply, it didn't last). Looking forward to seeing what you do with yours. As others have said, that engine noise is very likely the timing chain tensioner, I've got through about 3 in 100,000+ miles I've put on the car!

That appendage on the exhaust is called a Helmholtz resonator. It eliminates droning from the exhaust.

🎉🎉yesss, now i have a new channel to watch, congrats on the bargain.. i did not know that regarding the exhaust lol and yes sounds like the tensioner is worn.. cheer from america welcome to the s2000 owners club Alex, great episode, looking forward to the next one

From a VW man please do a full rebuild of this car it deserves it. Please make it fast as well. Keep up the great work Alex. All the best

INSANE deal for 2000. Here in the US, just the engine+transmission is worth more than that.. Any s2k that's driveable(even salvage title cars) are selling for at least 10k here. You guys are lucky in the uk that the prices are still quite reasonable

An S2000 for 2K pounds? I thought I was going to watch a video of a car without an engine.

Im so glad you’ve seen the light! Welcome to the world of S2k!

Looking forward to seeing you bring this S2000 back to the fun machine it should be. Also just amazed by the little Honda Civic hatch in the background. Have not seen one of them in a very long time.

Full Rebuild. Nothing less. We will consume your media! Haha. Great video and definitely would watch a full series on making this a minter.

I can’t believe you were legit right near my office! So gutted I didn’t know!!

Looking forward to see more episodes on that engineering masterpiece! When I was at Porsche Weissach as a student I've discovered some teardown documentation PDFs on their network drive incl. "engineering rating scores" + comparison to Boxter's solutions. All in all it got a pretty decent rating by the Porsche engineering team. Was interesting to read it. In Germany the currently cheapest one is at 16.500€ aaaaand it's a right hand drive from UK with 115kmiles :))

Honda check, full restore potential check if you want to do it. I am glued to the updates mate😁 Been a Honda fan for a while now. Even my driving instructor car is a Honda hehe😁

Love the red Civic S Mk2 at the back there. Had an 83 model in the same colour. Memories! 🥰

Restauration/rebuild series on s2000, PLEASE 🙏🙏🙏 This thing deserves to be like new again 😇

Man I really enjoy these Thursday video releases, I just wish they were a bit longer lol 😄

I purchased the cheapest US s2k with around 200k on it in 2019. And i absolutely love it. I have a long list of of bits that you should check or change. For instance if your suspension bushings in the rear are truly gone you can snap the ends off the axles even under stock power due to suspension misalignment.

Alex if you see this please know your videos are really taking my mind off of a really though time right now :) bloody LOVE cars

I'd like to see the work done on this done responsible Alex, no dic**ng about on this one, it's a car worth saving.

Full proper rebuild please. Be perfect next to your 944. Get the Fiat Coupe the same way & that is a very nice trio that will keep you happy for years.

This thing needs a name, keep the tradition alive, Alex!

I’m liking the new channel Alex and please to a proper re build on this S2000.

So excited for this series man! Will love to see it how it turns up and please put the full cost of parts and labour attached to it 😊

The rattle is the timing chain tensioner. This can be fixed for free by taking it apart and sandblasting the small worm drive screw inside. I’ve done this multiple times on my s2000 owned for 11years. Also your suspension alignment bolts are likely to be seized. This is a job I started and am still yet to finish Also a nice little free mod to unleash the Vtec sound. Take off the airbox lid and there is a k and n style cone filter in there. Sounds so much louder with the lid off. I now run a blox filter and velocity stack from the states and it’s really loud

In my country you need 10k to buy an S2000 in crap almost scrap condition. This one would sell for at least 14k.

Alex, here's some advice. You found an absolute gem! Give it a full rundown, give the paint just some love and polish, bring it to the Nürburgring and sell it! Lowest price in Germany at the moment is €20,000 going up to about €35,000. Think about it. You could buy 2 more for the profit you'll make!

Noice!!! Thanks Alex! Awesome vlog, Awesome little car. Hope she gets fixed up nicely.

This was my dream car until I fell in love with bikes, please do a Refurb series on this ❤

Please do a full series for this car, it deserves it

Wow, great find! Here in Canada, you're probably looking at a minimum of $30k for one!

Miss mine, wish I hadn't sold it for £4k 7 years ago!

Very good buy I used raptor truck bed coating on the underneath and all inside the arches on my mk1 focus rs ! Sticks like shit and its solid !! No rust comes through But clean the underside up best you can do then spray it all over

Welcome to the ownership my s2000 had some rust issues too! its for grater good !

FULL strip down of the underbody components. Drop them in a container of Deox C to eat the rust off. Patch the rust areas off by chopping out and putting new metal in. General tidy up and it'll be a good one. Mileage at 157k is bog all really, my 1998 Integra Type R is on 175k and it running sweet.

Looking forward to the updates on this! Thanks Alex! 🙏

The opening panel above the engine is called a bonnet in this country, a hood is a head covering on a back of a coat.

what are you talking about? S2000's cost like $25'000, they are like e46 m3's. selling on bring a trailers and hagertys and shit. they were $10'000 back in the 2015 already and since then only shot up

What a fun project , why being at Honda hq I was lovely stopping the Hondas from the E to the mark 1 and mark 3 civics , great to see them

i just read the title and i can already see Alex doing his happy dance!! please make a whole series with this car Alex it'll be watched!

I owned a ap1 s2000 same as yours for about 3 years as my daily everyday car. It sucked as a daily but I drove that car far, through the worst roads and once through a flood. I loved driving it and I didn't care that I couldn't put anything in it or take more than one person in it. The car ended up in gran caneria and I miss it everyday. I have a civic ek now and it gives me nothing but memories of the fury that little f20c had. Not the fastest cars in the world but drive it on the edge for 5 minutes on the right road and let it show you what it's about.

Be good to see this finished, great find Alex

Damn good buy alex, these fetch good money as you have stated, and there going up in value fast this will be a great project .

Seeing a rebuild for s2000 would be something interesting to watch. Not sure i have seen them that much on youtube even if they are so beloved in the honda jdm space.

very exited if this becomes a new serie!

I’ve been tracking an S2000 for the past 5 years. They’re amazing cars, very reliable. The fact you got one for $2k is crazy. Even with the US filler conversion. These cars go for $10-35k in the Us

The people want a full build series, don't let this be a 1 or 2 video car. Get after it.

Nice. Waiting to watch the timing chain work.

I loved mine. Do the exhaust mod, makes it sound great without the drone you can get with after market. 8mm pipe bridge on the back boxes.

Awsome buy!! Congrats!! Now it’s time to dig in!!

Love the red Gen 2 civic in the background!

These will only get rarer,worth the investment,you give that some TLC I'm sure it'll pay you back favourably,whether that be as yours or selling onto a new owner.....Good luck whatever you choose,would personally like to see the steps of a full restoration,either to OEM spec or even OEM+.......

Amazing! Looking forward to this!

Isn't it a great time to let Ethan learn how to change a timing chain?😅

I love how every used car ad you see for a car with a timing chain says "so it never needs to be changed" or "no worries about broken belts" Yet Honda Uk John...."they're serviceable items really"

i think we would all like to see a full tour of every car u own

Ohhhh this is going to be a good restoration. Cannot wait. Cracker of a buy there Alex.

listening to an engine, a lost art sadly :S MAKE A SERIES! love the S2000 :D

With all these new friends in the garage, Phil is going to kick the crap out of you man

Ł2000! You got a steal! And I thought I bought my rough one cheap, but that's next level. It also says something about market in LHD part of Europe where a nice RHD S2000 can cost half of a bottom of the market LHD S2000

Alex, if you do a video series restoring the car and get the welding and rust done I'll be more than happy to offer our services to repaint the car at the bodyshop I manage in Cambridgeshire

that gran prix white S2000 ultimate edition looks SUPERB!!

7 grand? I wish! They're not anywhere near that price in the states! Good on ya! If they were that affordable here, I'd have 4! Haha! Thanks Alex! Been loving your personal content!

0:55 "42 and a half" .... Honestly thought you were going to say pounds! 😂 😂

Spend the money and bring her back to life. It's a hell of a car. Your lucky to have one. In Ireland, there are 3 for sale and starting at 15k 😭 would love one

I like how alex has slowly gotten better at buying lemons over the years

When I was younger I found my dream S2000 for sale here in Iceland - I was so excited. It had the hard top, really nice blue paint and black wheels. Turns out, my legs were so long I physically couldn't even get inside. Dream got crushed pretty thoroughly 😢

I went to my school prom in a silver S2000 last year, Ive dreamt of owning one since I was about 10. Can’t wait to see what you do with this one

Such a nice project car with not a ton of work needed, this will be a fun one to follow.

Will love to see the full rebuild!

A nice dry ice cleaning underneath would make it like new.

Wow. Was expecting way worse. Well done Alex. Looks like you my have bagged a bargain there. I will wait till the final verdict tho as any thing could happen yet.

In my area of the USA (NW Ohio), rust gets to a lot of vehicles. It's very true what the technician said about it looking worse than it actually is. There are plenty of cars that are perfectly safe and drivable around here that would be pulled off the road in the drier states because they don't see it very often and panic when a car gets a little scaly. I worked as a technician for a chain of used car lots that has locations all over the eastern US. We sold an older pickup truck to a nice man who had a problem with it down in Georgia somewhere and took it to our closest lot to him to get it fixed. The technician down there flipped out over some frame scale and surface rust on the driveshaft and tried to tell the owner the truck "was unsafe". The owner was from our area and knew better. He brought us a video the technician took of the underside of the vehicle and all the "serious concerns" he had. We all had a good laugh about it.

Taylor & Alex restoring this car... has to be a series come on

You know when you have to find a cartoonishly beaten down car in a video game, that you're then supposed to bring back to life? This.