BCA

What's wrong with a higher mileage car if you've known/looked after it? What's the key concern??

Montag

Not many owners can say this. Keep it!

GaryB does bonkers mileage every year and has over 150k on his pre-facelift.

lovegroova

Interesting discussion this. My '02 118k miler has cost me a huge amount of money in the last few years, certainly a lot more than £4k.

Stuf I've replaced due to wear and tear/rust
Clutch
Gearbox (old one was ok-ish, but got a really nice new-ish one for a good price)
Suspension arms
Alternator
Starter motor
Brake calipers
Catalytic convertor
Fuel tank
Brake pipes
Respray for rust on the sills - now needs re-doing as it's reappeared
Timing chain, sprocket and guides
Roof

A more sensible financial decision would have been to get a newer car and put all that off for a few years (no guarantees of course, but based on probabilities that is likely to be the case. My decision was more an emotional one, so the costs are sort of ok.

An MY04/5/6/7 on some Bilstein coilovers would be a very capable machine I expect.

astage

Thank you, one and all, for your very interesting points-of-view.

I made a mistake in my original post. Checking the mileage again, it's 30K, not 20K, of which most will be on our normal third-world, eh, I mean, British, potholed roads.

One major reason for even considering a car change is that, three years ago, I went for Poly & Mugen-bushing, but have never regained the same degree of confidence in the car. Before, even with the excessive negative camber that Chris Franklin dialled in to correct the other seized side, I knew precisely where it would go whenever I pointed it. Now, despite repeated checks, a bump unsettles the car quite excessively and easily. The stiffer suspension also makes long journeys on rough roads very tiring.

As Lovegroova indicated, increased mileage is bound to necessitate more repairs, and I suspect a new clutch will be needed before too long. Alternatively, that money could offset the purchase of a newer model. Even with a quick sale of the current vehicle, I guess the change from 02 to 05 will cost me £4½K. A change from 02 to 08 model will cost in the order of £9K, but brings with it the possible pleasure of another six years (plus) of s2000 driving. On the other-hand, from looking at the 'Cars For Sale List', quite a few have been there for some time and having to tax and insure both will add to the cost.

Nottm_S2

30k in a year is a lot of miles in an S2
30k / 22 mpg = 1,363 gallons
At 50mpg its 600 gallons
At avg of say £7 / gallon thats 9.5k vs 4.2k on fuel.. >5k difference

Stick the S in the garage and get a beater for that mileage. Round peg, square hole imo.

I keep mine for special drives these days, only when its dry and fun is available. The rest of the time the M3 does the heavy lifting

lower

A 11 year old 70k miles car will feel like a baggy pair of slippers compared to a much newer car with half the mileage.

As long as the newer car is a good example, it will feel so much fresher. Even the seats will feel firmer.

I'd buy the newer car without hesitation.

astage

Nottm_S2. Love the dubious maths!
My mpg over 10¾years is 29.4mpg. So for 30K = 4638-litres at £1.44 (price at last filling) = £6680.

If I had a garage, a second vehicle would be my choice, but I haven't, and since there's nowhere for a second car, a newer S is probably the only option.

Lower: Not sure about the seat example. I looked at a 2009 model with 15k miles, and the seats were practically shot - badly warn and deformed - probably due to the previous owner's big rear end - but mine look almost new in comparison.
However, I know where you're coming from - hence the reason I changed the shocks for newer used ones last year.

unclefester

2008 onwards and possibly 2007 onwards, they changed the seat material to a much softer leather - it wears out on the bolsters a LOT faster. You can always fit Clazzio covers if you want to refresh them.

Montag

I 'need' a newer S.

I'm looking.

I want one that hasn't been raped.

I treated mine with respect.

The car you're looking for is parked on your driveway. FACT.

If it needs a new clutch or anything else over the next few years, cross that bridge when you get to it. You KNOW where it's been and you KNOW what you've done to it. At 46k when I bought mine, I wish I were in your shoes.

BCA

I'm potentially looking at some higher mileage facelifts over the next few weeks. What are the key issues I should be looking at? I know engines have been mentioned at lasting about 100k, but there are a few on here who have done more without huge problems? Surely the facelift's lesser likelihood of needing oil (from what I've read) makes them a slightly safer buy with mileage? I've read the faq and I appreciate they're highly stressed engines, but surely they're capable of 100k+? How much is a timing chain/sprocket/guides too? Worth replacing as a matter of course at 100k?