Very good board you have here. Been doing my purchasing homework and may be joining you soon. But I have a few quick questions I'd like to bounce off the experienced. I realize a few may have been covered elsewhere (ya, I'm quite handy with the search engine) but I though maybe I'd troll for some summaries.

1) What is the minimum upgrade owners consider essential to the vehicle? Cost?
2) Is $31.5k a reasonable price for a near-new 2001 (dealer car)?
3) Is a car cover adequate protection during winter months?
4) Where is the secret compartment?
5) Were you ever passed over for a raise because you drive a better car than your supervisor?

Thx for any *life changing* experiences you may be able to relate. How has life changed since you purchased your S2000?

-bash

 

I think you can do better than $31,500 if you look, and I'd recommend buying from a mature, responsible private owner rather than a dealer. Imagine the test drives your potential car has been on!

Necessities
-count on replacing at least the speakers, if not adding an amplifier too (recommended). That's probably a few hundred dollars.
-Rick's console cover... I think thats about $150?
-a full complement of Zaino, about $100.

I would imagine that a weatherproof car cover (not the Honda one!) would be fine for winter, though a garage is always preferable. My dad lives in Littleton as well, and considering the road salt (that alone makes me cringe), I would hesitate to park my S2000 outside all winter, but necessity makes you do things you normally wouldn't do, I suppose.

I can't tell you where the secret compartment is. The rest of "them" would have to kill me...

As for the raise thing, when I get a job, I'll let you know

Good luck!

 

I've had mine for just over 2 weeks--and also came to this board before purchasing, for a few insights. My thoughts on your questions:
1) I find the stock S2K perfectly acceptable to my tastes. I don't street race, and have never been on a track, so the torque and acceleration are very acceptable--and if you need a quick pick-up you have it. My hearing is shot from flying jets for 30 years, so the stereo is fine. No options necessary, IMO, although I bought a V1 radar detector and Rick's badges for the mystique factor, if you'd consider those "options."
2) I think that price is high, unless you can't wait. I think you can find a dealer within a reasonable distance with an "inbound" of the color you may prefer, and only pay $1300 more for a new one. From what you can read here, MSRP is pretty much the norm, now. With a 2002 model you'll get the "better??" sound system, the glass window, and the newer console design. Besides, then you can "break it in" yourself and be confident it's done correctly.
3) I live in NM--the sun shines all the time. I have a garage which my S2K shares with our mini-van and my bike. I don't have a car cover.
4) I haven't found it yet
5) My boss works 2300 miles away--and if he fired me it would be because I was better looking not because of my ride.
So many decisions, so little summer left!

 

Welcome to the forum!

1 - Definitely upgrade the stereo system. The stock system is horrible. Expect to spend anywhere from a few hundred to a few K, depending on what you want to do and how extreme you want to go.

2 - You can probably find an used 01 for cheaper. Try private sellers. Also consider if you are expecting to spend $31.5, add another 1K, and you can get a new one.

3 - I would garage it.

4 - Secret compartment, I would tell you but then I'll have to kill you. Its located right above the glove box, where the wind screen is sitting on.

5 - My boss has passed me over for a raise or bonuses but not because of my ride (he has a 03 Mercedes SL-500) but because he's a cheap bastard!

 

Thanks a million for the replies so far. To clarify a few things.

Firstly, the car is essentially brand new but a 2001 (only 400 miles on it at a dealership in the middle of nowhere. It was delivered from Honda to this dealship and not bought at auction), so does that mitigate the price at all in your minds? What would be a reasonable counteroffer to make that won't waste either my or the dealer's time (it's a 5 hour trip to the dealship)? The final caveat is it is the color combo I want (silver/red). I like that the older models with red weren't completely red inside like the '02s.

Secondly, I live in a carriage house where there is no garage available and probably won't have the funds left over after the purchase to factor in a monthly garage rental. Would you consider it to be foolhearty to swaddle the little lady in weatherproof coverings during the winter months?

Frankly if the house door opened a bit wider I'd park it in my living room. The s2000 seats are a far cry more comfortable than my furniture.

 

Keep in mind those 400 miles were probably really hard miles if it was at a dealership(all in break in period incidentally). My friend works at a dealership and they sold a 2000 with 2100 miles on it for like 27800. They got it at an auction though. That and all of the salespeople took the car out and beat on it. That lead to me buying my used one private party.

 

I'm not an owner yet, but I'm weighing the same issues right now. I would consider 40-50 miles on the outside edge of "essentially brand new." 400 miles, definitely not. No matter what the dealer says, I would think of this as a used vehicle, and negotiate the price down a bit more.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bash
[B]1) What is the minimum upgrade owners consider essential to the vehicle? Cost?
2) Is $31.5k a reasonable price for a near-new 2001 (dealer car)?
3) Is a car cover adequate protection during winter months?
4) Where is the secret compartment?
5) Were you ever passed over for a raise because you drive a better car than your supervisor?

 

i would avoid that car. Many of the dealers are complete ass's and encourage test drivers to ream the revs which is gonna be bad for oil sealing and overall longevity. You are so close to a new one just buy the new one. At least if it was a 1 owner car u could trust the sellers word that the car was broken in properly.

 

Thanks for even more great insight.

Ya, I looked at the math too and have been considering the short ride to MSRP but isn't actually finding an S2000 at MSRP like locating Elvis? Just a day of calls around the region revealed a good many going for $2k-$5k above MSRP. No 02s close to the $32,400 quoted on Honda's site. I'd love to jump on a brand new one but there seems to be very few around here anyway (new or used) and they are being quoted significantly beyond MSRP. Am I just being naive about how far my negotiations will lower the price? They started the negotiations at $31.8k with a $150 doc fee. The doc fee has also since been waived and price dropped by $300 to the aforementioned $31.5k.

What do you suggest a *stick-to-your-guns* price should be? $31k? $30k? $29k? As mentioned above, I'm not looking for a screaming deal (although I wouldn't walk away from one, either) but it would really sour my relationship to learn later that I paid several $k more than the market. I'm making the trip on Saturday and I'd like to make it as clean and pleasant an experience as possible; going in with my homework done and offer a firm, yet fair, price that I can feel good about walking away from if they refuse to meet it.

Thanks again for any and all input. This is a bit of a financial stretch for me and my first time interacting with a dealership. I have learned enough (predominantly from the many fine folks and threads on this board) to know this is the car I want and I don't want to botch either the purchasing phase or the loan-paying phase. I'm afraid the combination of a beautiful S2000 purring beneath me and a sweet-talking salesdominatrix may be beyond my willpower to withstand.