Say Chi Sin Lo

Wow I've never heard of a financing program like that. Thank you!

Kyle

I'd definitely go that route if you can man. Crazy how many cars on here are only 1 or 2 owner cars. Every time I'd check a carfax from a dealer the car would have multiple accidents and like 5 different owners, but for a price more reflecting a mint 1-2 owner car from a private seller on here. Deals are definitely out there....unless you're looking for a white one like I was...

cedrac18

Wow sounds like me story. My car had 6 owners before me and priced like a mint car (06 Sebring 119k for 15k). I ended up financing the car for way more than its worth and end up with a badly modified problem car. Stick with private sellers and buy cash. This whole ordeal happened because i wanted to hold on to my cash and financed. I should have just bought one from a private seller and payed up front for a nice car with a good history. If you are not able to pay cash be patient and save some more.

Say Chi Sin Lo

However, I've browsed through the classified here and it's not easy to find a car here that hasn't been modded. I've seen a lot of listings where it's "returned to stock" form.

Kyle

I've seen quite a few cars that seem like they've stayed bone stock. When it comes to intakes and exhausts I wouldn't hesitate to buy a car that's been modded like that. I'm not a fan of rolled and pulled fenders though, even done right I wouldn't buy the car.

IA-SteveB

I would never feel comfortable having a loan on a car over 10 years old. When I bought my S2k I was willing to take money out of savings and be uncomfortable for a while while I built it back up selling a few other things I didn't need and putting chunks of my paycheck into savings like I was paying a big bill every two weeks. I know this doesn't work for everyone, though. I don't feel comfortable unless I have 8 months of salary in savings just in case. That ends up being like twelve dollars. If I don't have the cash for a toy, I don't need it. I guess I can't say that definitively. If I have an asset (like a car) I can sell later to offset a purchase, I will risk it.

Say Chi Sin Lo

Fender work is a MASSIVE no no. Any sign of dash light is a walk away for me as well. Also, any sign of suspension work is also a major no no for me. I've seen enough listing where these S2000's are dropped on cheap components (TEINS, Megan, etc. Apologies to those who are running those products, but I am not a fan). Also, I'm staying away from lowered, or once-lowered S2000 because that increases the likelihood of front bumper defects.

As you can see, my requirement for a S2000 will require quite a bit of patience from my end.

I feel you, if I were to discuss my plans with my non-car friends, I'd be getting some looks from them. As I mentioned above, I am particularly picky and to add to the list, I am seeking a rather low mileage example and I am willing to pay a premium for when I find the ideal S2000 for me. I will give myself ample time, all the while I'll just beef up my savings. May it be financing or paying in cash, I won't be making a purchase until at the earliest, next February.

My Mazdaspeed 3 is still going strong so I am in no rush to make a purchase. Thank you everyone for your inputs! Keep them coming and I hope to join you folks in the near future with my own S2000 as well!

Lastly, I've been checking craigslist (NorCal and Socal), and it looks like if I am patient enough, a low mileage (below 40,000miles) AP2 will still pop up once in a while.

GuthNW

Remaining patient while saving up money for a purchase down the road is a pretty solid plan. You can keep an eye on your local market while putting away your cash. You'll gain a much better idea of exactly what the market is like where you live. You'll also get a better idea of just how hard it will be to come by exactly what it is that you're looking for. Watching things play out over the course of many months is much different compared to just a few months or weeks. If you've managed to find a good deal (and after watching the market for long enough you'll know) then you can bet that you won't be the only one in contact with the seller. At that point it helps to be able to step in quickly with a cash offer.

Also, I personally would never offer less than the asking price right up front in the initial communication with the seller. (After selling some items on craigslist it's amazing to me just how many people feel otherwise.) I figure that I should at least go have a look at the car (or motorcycle or whatever) and take the time to meet with the seller before thinking about haggling. Besides, if there are other people interested in a vehicle then it's best to at least be able to get to see the car in person rather than having it sold to someone else before getting that chance. When buying the S2K I already knew that the price it was listed at was very fair and let the seller know right up front that I'd be happy to pay their full asking price. If the car hadn't lived up to the photos then I'd have just cause to back out. Although in my case my wife and I would have each been out a full day of our time during the work week (for traveling to buy the car) not to mention gas money. But in the end everything worked out fine and it was definitely worth the time and effort.

rpg51

This is the way I approached my second s2k purchase. I already own one - a very good ap1 - and through that ownership experience I developed a set of criteria for my dream s2k that I want to have by the time I retire in about 5 years. So, I just started watching and looking at the market. Surprisingly, within a year the exact car that met all my criteria popped up on craigslist in a nearby state. It was interesting because I made an offer and the guy backed out and took it off the market. He was hemming and hawing about whether he really wanted to sell it. He was a really nice guy and he felt bad about taking it off so he basically gave me a first refusal if he changed his mind. I stayed in close touch with him. About 6 months later he e-mailed me and we did the deal at what we both considered a fair middle of the road price. My "specs" were pretty narrow: 02 or 03 ap1, silverstone over black, under 20K miles, bone stock and always that way, zero issues/problems, oem hardtop, one mature owner, well maintained, located within 300 miles of Vermont. So now I have this little time capsule with 17.5K miles covered in my garage after having all the fluids changed, valves adjusted, filters changed etc. I'll drive it a few hundred miles a year until i retire. Then I'll sell my current s2k and press this gorgeous 03 into service. I'll upgrade the stereo, new shift knob, that's about it. My current 02 is in excellent shape and it drives like an absolute dream. So I do have the option of just keeping this one and selling the time capsule down the road. I'll make that decision when the time comes.

IA-SteveB

I totally agree with that. I have never had a good experience with a craigslist car ad. People just want to trade you something you don't need or throw a low ball offer at you based on pictures and text. Then you get the people who arrange to meet you somewhere for a showing and then don't show up at all.