The good news: Potentially looking at a low-mile S2000 this weekend. SWMBO isn't thrilled, but hasn't dropped the "Nope hammer". Price appears to be right. It's Sazuka Blue, my favorite of the S2000 colors.
The bad news: It's currently low . . . really low. The previous owner still has all the stock parts and is willing to return it to stock, keep the deep dish wheels and negotiate a bit on price.
So two questions: What do I look for on a reformed stance-mobile? I'm assuming fender rolling, damage to the frame rails and/or oil pan, etc. Anything I'm not thinking of (other than the driver's spinal column) that gets damaged/worn in a stanced car. Second: Anything S2000 specific to be aware of? My brief research says crappy tops, poor shifting and oil consumption.
I'd go over the underside of the car with a metaphorical magnifying glass. Pretty much anything under there can and will suffer.
I don't know about S2000s but on civics/integras control arms start hitting shock towers at low heights. If they don't torque control arm bushings correctly they can get destroyed pretty easily too.
sway bar hardware, hoses, wheel bearings (from camber and offset), axles, bumper/splash shields, and frame/oilpan/exhaust as you mentioned.
Compliance bushings up front are probably toast, and I'd bet on finding lots of wear marks inside the fenderwells also.
Depends how low...
If you're bored this was a pretty funny read it it's day.
Driveshafts hitting the body like so:
Bolt heads ground off subframes like so:
Exhaust is probably smashed.
Everything underneath the car, as covered above. Look for rust on low hanging body pieces from scraping through undercoating. Definitely check the wheel arches for paint damage - either from rubbing or fender rolling.
As with anything get a feel for the owner. Are the aftermarket parts on it of high quality? As with anything else, many "stance guys" take wonderful care of their cars and they're immaculate while many more prefer to "just send it" and trash them.
What year is the S2000?
You can lower them a lot with zero problems. Depending on how long it was driven for lowered, the inner axle cups can get a wear pattern that once raised back up present themselves on a pretty annoying vibration while cruising at speed.
In order to lower them, people roll/pull fenders and also move the rear bumper tab and relocate the screw. These are not really problems, but just mentioning them.
Both the front sump and rear diff are very well protected.
The top wears right behind the top of the door windows. Its normal, it will happen.
The0retical said:
Depends how low...
If you're bored this was a pretty funny read it it's day.
Driveshafts hitting the body like so:
Bolt heads ground off subframes like so:
Exhaust is probably smashed.
Neither of these will happen to an S2000.
Slippery said:
What year is the S2000?
You can lower them a lot with zero problems. Depending on how long it was driven for lowered, the inner axle cups can get a wear pattern that once raised back up present themselves on a pretty annoying vibration while cruising at speed.
In order to lower them, people roll/pull fenders and also move the rear bumper tab and relocate the screw. These are not really problems, but just mentioning them.
Both the front sump and rear diff are very well protected.
The top wears right behind the top of the door windows. Its normal, it will happen.
It's a 2003. Not sure if the pic will work, but if so, here it is:
Those rear fenders are rolled from that picture. They can go pretty low from what I've seen by my stancefwends. That's clean though. Not my type of stance style but it looks cool.
On the bright side, you can shove some 255s under it, now that the fenders are already rolled. I guess there's some spacers used on the axles when you lower them a bunch. I imagine those would cause issues if someone forgot to remove them when bringing the car back to a more usable height.
Also, is that static or bags?
kb58
SuperDork
7/13/18 6:53 p.m.
How much ground clearance is there? Around here (SoCal), you're dragging your privates on stuff at anything lower than 3.75". Guess this doesn't really matter if you're restoring it, but dang, that is really low. I'd be amazed if a few pounds of steel haven't departed the car over its life in the form of sparks.
That is LOW!!
- Those fenders are rolled and the back pulled. The rear fender tab is moved most likely.
- The frame rails are most likely scraped, check to see if they are pushed up.
- Front bumper looks repainted.
If the price is right, I would not care.
2003 is a very nice year. You get the 2 liter engine and the rear glass window.
If you hear a rattle on cold start-up, its the chain tensioner. Not difficult to change and not expensive, I would use that to negotiate a lower price.
If you hear a rattle on decel, say from 5k let off the gas in gear, its the clutch springs. Common issue, ignore and keep driving it.
This is how low my 2006 was, driven from Florida to California like that with zero issues. Put 50k miles at that ride height. 255 tires all around on 9.5" wheels, zero rub ... and yes, it handled extremely well. Been to the Dragon 3 times with it like that.
Annnnd . . . looks like it's sold. Crisis averted. Thanks for the help. I may try to look at it tomorrow if current buyer flakes.
kb58
SuperDork
7/13/18 6:55 p.m.
What is that, poor man's "clear bra"?
The0retical said:
Depends how low...
If you're bored this was a pretty funny read it it's day.
Driveshafts hitting the body like so:
Bolt heads ground off subframes like so:
Exhaust is probably smashed.
I always think of this article when I consider a stanced car
kazoospec said:
Annnnd . . . looks like it's sold. Crisis averted. Thanks for the help. I may try to look at it tomorrow if current buyer flakes.
How many miles did it have and what was the asking price?
In reply to kazoospec :
That was a very good price.
Good enough price to sort through the suspension.
Walked by a stock example in that color a day or two ago. Thought to myself I would rather have even a E36 M3ty Z32 but goodness that Honda stock style wise is unreproachable.
Slippery said:
In reply to kazoospec :
That was a very good price.
Yeah, I probably should have just gambled on it. The big thing that was holding me back is our primary family issue right now is that we have three drivers and four cars. We've got my son's Protege5, my wife's Mazda5, my Miata and my winterbeater Yaris. Our driveway looks like "Crazy Al's Used Cars", I'm pretty sure my insurance agent just bought a new boat, and the State of Michigan has announced record profits from the sale of license plates. What really makes more sense for me would be turning the Miata and the Yaris into a single "do all" car.
As much as I wanted it, all this would really do is upgrade the Miata.
Car looks pretty good. With those rolled and pulled fenders you will pretty much be required to run aftermarket wheels or spacers now. It will look goofy raised up to stock height and with the narrow factory wheels. Heck my s2000 is pretty low for autocross and it looks really goofy just putting the stock wheels on during the winter.
