SergeS2K

Alright, I found a used 2002 S2000 Silverstone with 66K miles for only $13,900. Seems like a good deal to me. What all do I have to be worried about? I'm kind of scared getting it and wind up having to replace the clutch in a few thousand miles or so. How long do they last on the S2Ks? And what else should I worry about when getting it if I do?

babowc

I got a certified car just in case...
and got warranty, so if you have a car near your area that has Honda certification, get that.

Then again, I just didn't want to **** around with the S2000, since I already have enough cars to DIY fix.

Sabre

It all depends on the history of the car and how it was driven.

SergeS2K

Well lets just say it was normally driven, what's the normal mileage the clutch could go out at on an S2000? So at least I get a ball park figure.

badboy00z

Carfax

audiophile

There is no way of knowing how long a clutch will last, it could last another 66k miles or it could need replacement the day after you buy the car, its a risk you run when you buy a used car like this. Neither carfax nor buying a CPO will offer you any protection in a case like this.

The best way to tell is to feel the clutch pedal, how far do you have to let it up to engage/disengage? if you really want to tell and can get the car out on your own, do a 4-5k clutch dump and see if the clutch slips, if it slips the car has either been abused at the car lot or the clutch is on its way out. If your serious about buying the car and don't plan on driving like that I would strongly advice against doing this though.

MsPerky

^ Audiophile is correct. It depends on how the car was driven, which you can't know. Even if the car was driven "normally", some peeps (like me) downshift alot versus using the brakes, so the clutch might wear out sooner in that case. If the car is from a private seller, I'd get a mechanic to check it out first. From a dealer, get a warranty. Good luck!

ECale3

^ i use brakes more, they are much cheaper to replace .

MsPerky

^ Yeah, but not as fun.

TheDonEffect

Definitely depends, there is no ballpark estimate without knowing the way it was treated which is virtually impossible.
That is a pretty sweet price, so just think of it this way: take the average price for a warrantied/warranty-able and see how much you're saving and see if that savings is enough of a hedge against the risk of something breaking. If you know the guy who's selling it to you or have full documented service records, etc etc any kind of indicators that'll educate you on that particular car will definitely help.
When I was buying my car, I just test drove a bunch of them and see what a strong one should feel like. So it came down to two and I got a better deal on the one that seemed to drive better... and then the valves needed to be replaced 7mos later. But with the savings I got I was still ahead, plus my car didn't show any signs of bodywork (this could be a good or bad thing as the car wasn't exactly SEMA ready or anything) and my clutch and diff are still working great at 72K.