And some screen shots of those values and prices:
While working on the Honda S2000 Honda Car Catcher item for Classic Motorsports, our sister title, we noticed something: Hagerty shows prices for top cars sailing past the $45,000 mark while, oddly, the rest of the field looks stagnant.
So we checked our Bring a Trailer for some real world sales: Yep, lotta cars selling in the $10,000-$30,000 range with several in the $40,000-$50,000 zone. Their top sale is $70,000 for a 2009 model showing just 91 miles on the odometer.
We’ve spent a lot of time driving S2000s over the years and, yes, it’s a keeper. What does the rest of the class think? Is it worth such a premium over a Miata? Will values keep increasing? Will the S2000CR be the Shelby GT350 of its day? And are you bummed that you didn’t buy one when you had the chance? (We are.)
And some screen shots of those values and prices:
If miatas were a one-generation low production flash in the pan halo model like the S2000 was, their values would be much higher too.
I think the prices are more of an indication of what people see as the significance of the model in the world of cars, than they are of the drive.
I put a clutch in a heavily raced but near-stock and very nice s2000 last year and spent some actual time with it on the street. To me it is exactly like a Miata but worse, in the sense that everything it's good at makes it better on a track and worse on the street. Is a stock S2000 a good racecar for $40-70k? LOL. If it were priced purely on its ability to be a good street car there'd be none of them even selling over 5-6k! So the valuation isn't about objectivity, and it isn't about driving them on the street, and it isn't about driving them on the track. It's romanticism being acted out by buyers who have well enough escaped the foibles of the unwashed masses that they can spend a whole year of middle class income on the imperfect manifestation of an idea that appeals to them: A zingy little escape pod from the real world where you don't actually want to meet your heroes and 70k is many peoples' attempt at retirement savings.
I think these prices are being driven by people my age who are now realizing that the cars of our 20's might actually be collectible some day, i.e. the "Fast and Furious" effect. In terms of actual motorsports potential, there are many cars that can be had in that price range that would blow the doors off an S2000. I'll have a 987 Cayman S, thanks.
I'm finding them in "run down" condition around me for the low sum of 6-7k. It's a had me rethinking my NC plan. A little bit of elbow grease and parts and you could hold onto it until the time is right.
Honda made the S2000 for ten years, with US production around 66,500 units. Compare that to the MX-5, produced for 30 years and still in production, with US Production around half a million. Desirability and rarity will keep prices going up.
Nice car, but almost any Porsche Boxster S is a better performer and buy.
As many social commentaries as i vomit up in response to the general ickiness of BaT, i have to say.. I do greatly enjoy their charts.
_ said:I'm finding them in "run down" condition around me for the low sum of 6-7k. It's a had me rethinking my NC plan. A little bit of elbow grease and parts and you could hold onto it until the time is right.
Keep in mind an S2000 is something like 350-375 lbs heavier than an NC. Add in the cheap/easy 2.5 swap. And I like that it's a bigger car as well. I had a '90 Miata track rat. Drove a friends NB WRL car............full cage, nets, containment seat, HANS.............I'm not a big guy but I still felt very claustrophobic in it.
I'm already beginning planning on how I'm going to redo my garage and tools so I can try to pick up an NC next year and start turning it into a track toy.
From what I've seen it's mostly just the ap2 cr models that are experiencing strong appreciation. It seems like the ap1s haven't quite hit rock bottom. And finding a clean damage free ap1 seems to be much less common. I'm hoping someday my 02 will be with more than 10k again but I'm starting to get kind of doubtful.
In reply to z31maniac :
Same plan, but I'm looking for an automatic
Displaying 1-10 of 43 commentsView all comments on the GRM forums
You'll need to log in to post.
