TehStranger
Executive Member
Cliffnotes: I bought a mint condition 2006 Honda S2000 with 59,000kms on the clock, and I'm loving it.
TLDR version: So I've spent the last two and a half years looking for the darling of my childhood, a Honda S2000. I desperately wanted one throughout my high school career, and just as I entered the working world Honda stopped producing them.
So in 2012 the hunt began for one in mint condition with no performance mods at the right price. This proved nearly impossible, as there were only just over 560 sold in South Africa between 1999 and 2009, and most have either been modded or abused by inconsiderate owners. I can say this with confidence, because I looked at/inquired about at least 30 of them...
To make things harder, I only wanted an AP2 (2006 onwards) which came with stability assist and a whole range of other enhancements. Unlike those found in most other countries, the South African AP2 S2000 retains the 2 litre, 9,000rpm engine found in the AP1 version of the car.
Fast forward to Friday, 22 May, when an S2000 was listed just 2 minutes away from work. I went though and had a test drive, only to find that the dealership wanted a ridiculous amount of money for a neglected S2000 that had too much mileage, too much interior wear and not enough care taken when servicing. After leaving somewhat disheartened (knowing that the previous owner didn't give two ****s about owning the car of my dreams), I got back to the office, pressed F5 on Gumtree and noticed that Honda Sandton had just listed a mint condition S2000 for sale at significantly less.
An hour later I had signed the OTP and put down a holding deposit, pending a test drive the next day. Fast forward to Saturday and the car drove like new. The previous owner (who just so happened to be the Service Manager at Honda Sandton) had cared for this car in ways that would make any petrolhead smile, and it showed in every measurable aspect, I was hooked.
Money changed hands, the car was registered in my name, and the dream came true, I finally owned a Honda S2000.
Now yes, it's naturally aspirated at altitude, which means a few of the bigger hot hatches rain on my parade despite my 177kw, but that doesn't matter. If I wanted pure speed I would've gone for a chipped GTI, or better yet a heavily modified Citi Golf. Heck even a Supercharger on my old Accord would've yielded a much quicker ride (in a straight line at least).
But it's not about that, it never was.
It's about getting in, turning the traction control off, and experiencing the joy of a light, front-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car as it bounces off of the 9,000rpm redline while you take corners just a little to fast. It's about complete driving purity that a piece of microwaved tupperware can't begin to understand, let alone transfer to the driver. It's about driving something unashamedly compromised for day to day commuting.
It's snug, it's loud, the roof rattles and it doesn't really have the low down torque that makes city driving a breeze. It also has a suspension hard enough to transfer every slight ripple in the road directly though your spine into the base of your skull. Every. Single. Time. However... This is a car where you don't notice the speed. Not because it's quiet, refined and effortless, but because you're too busy grinning your face off.
It's everything I was hoping for and more, and I'm incredibly lucky to own one now while I'm young enough to enjoy it.
[You may now start with the "Gay VTEC is Gay" Honda jokes]
TLDR version: So I've spent the last two and a half years looking for the darling of my childhood, a Honda S2000. I desperately wanted one throughout my high school career, and just as I entered the working world Honda stopped producing them.
So in 2012 the hunt began for one in mint condition with no performance mods at the right price. This proved nearly impossible, as there were only just over 560 sold in South Africa between 1999 and 2009, and most have either been modded or abused by inconsiderate owners. I can say this with confidence, because I looked at/inquired about at least 30 of them...
To make things harder, I only wanted an AP2 (2006 onwards) which came with stability assist and a whole range of other enhancements. Unlike those found in most other countries, the South African AP2 S2000 retains the 2 litre, 9,000rpm engine found in the AP1 version of the car.
Fast forward to Friday, 22 May, when an S2000 was listed just 2 minutes away from work. I went though and had a test drive, only to find that the dealership wanted a ridiculous amount of money for a neglected S2000 that had too much mileage, too much interior wear and not enough care taken when servicing. After leaving somewhat disheartened (knowing that the previous owner didn't give two ****s about owning the car of my dreams), I got back to the office, pressed F5 on Gumtree and noticed that Honda Sandton had just listed a mint condition S2000 for sale at significantly less.
An hour later I had signed the OTP and put down a holding deposit, pending a test drive the next day. Fast forward to Saturday and the car drove like new. The previous owner (who just so happened to be the Service Manager at Honda Sandton) had cared for this car in ways that would make any petrolhead smile, and it showed in every measurable aspect, I was hooked.
Money changed hands, the car was registered in my name, and the dream came true, I finally owned a Honda S2000.
Now yes, it's naturally aspirated at altitude, which means a few of the bigger hot hatches rain on my parade despite my 177kw, but that doesn't matter. If I wanted pure speed I would've gone for a chipped GTI, or better yet a heavily modified Citi Golf. Heck even a Supercharger on my old Accord would've yielded a much quicker ride (in a straight line at least).
But it's not about that, it never was.
It's about getting in, turning the traction control off, and experiencing the joy of a light, front-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car as it bounces off of the 9,000rpm redline while you take corners just a little to fast. It's about complete driving purity that a piece of microwaved tupperware can't begin to understand, let alone transfer to the driver. It's about driving something unashamedly compromised for day to day commuting.
It's snug, it's loud, the roof rattles and it doesn't really have the low down torque that makes city driving a breeze. It also has a suspension hard enough to transfer every slight ripple in the road directly though your spine into the base of your skull. Every. Single. Time. However... This is a car where you don't notice the speed. Not because it's quiet, refined and effortless, but because you're too busy grinning your face off.
It's everything I was hoping for and more, and I'm incredibly lucky to own one now while I'm young enough to enjoy it.
[You may now start with the "Gay VTEC is Gay" Honda jokes]
