2001 Honda

Begrudgingly up for sale is my Honda S2000, she’s a beautiful little car, but a serious and unforeseen change in circumstances has forced my hand to write this advert, she is for sale through NO fault of her own!

I’m hoping in finding this advert, you already have some knowledge of the car and how great a car they are, but for those less in the know, I will put some details, description and personal opinion so that a buyer has a more rounded knowledge of the model, and this car itself.

• 2001 Model in Monte Carlo Blue

• MOT - April 2014

• Road Tax - April 2014

• 247bhp F20C Engine mated to 6spd Close Ratio Gearbox

• All Black Interior inc Full Leather

• Black Electric Convertible Roof

• Cat 1 Thatcham Alarm/Immobiliser

• Push Button Start

• E/W, E/M, EPS, A/C

• Staggered 16” factory fit wheels

• Standard Stainless Steel Exhaust System

• Upgraded Sony 'Giga Panel' Remote Control Stereo (Inbuilt memory, CD MP3 etc)

• Upgraded Fli Speakers

• Parrot Bluetooth system

• Official leather Tonneau Cover

• 125k - TONNES of Paperwork, Receipts and Stamps.

The above are items worth mentioning that the car has either had from standard, or had added over the years, below I will list some of the most recent work that holds most relevance for this model.

• Recent Rear Calliper Rebuild

• New Timing Chain and Tensioner in 2011

• Replacement Hood and New Rear Window 2013

• Recent Oil and Filter Service inc Valve Clearance adjustment

• Recent New Plugs

• Recent Diff Oil and Honda MTF Change.

The above work is essential for any S2000, the timing chain job alone cost as near as makes no difference, £1500! If looking for S2000s, be aware that anywhere from 80-100k mileage, the timing chain and tensioner WILL need to be considered for replacement.

As reliable as Hondas are, the timing chains can stretch over time and need replacing, it’s a big job, but this has been done and has a receipt from Honda to prove this. The callipers are also a must do for any S2000, and the other jobs worthy of mention are all regular essentials for any healthy car.

DESCRIPTION –

I'm Genuinely getting around 35mpg from the S2000 currently, owing to her good health and considerate driving, which I personally think for such a powerful car is quite astonishing.

The looks alone almost sold us the car, she looks like a snake from every angle, a wide cobra like front, looks like an arrow head ready to break through some wind resistance, the back is wide and flat like a true sports car, twin exhausts fill the bumper and the halo style standard rear lights add a little quirk to keep you interested, there truly isn’t a bad angle for this car, even 13 years after the first ones rolled out the show rooms, they still look, sound and drive amazingly which no doubt is why they retain such high second hand values.

I travelled quite far to buy her, I did look at a few around my local area and drove a couple, but they were all lacking something, either the body was a total let down, or the service work wasn’t brilliant or even in one circumstance the owner heavily revved the car from stone cold for a good few seconds to show off the noise, but in reality it made my mind up not to buy the car!

I saw this one advertised, and with all the money spent ensuring she was a great car, I knew I would want this one. The mileage is considered less than average by modern standards for a petrol engine, you could argue that the figure of 12k per annum is applied to more ‘normal’ vehicles, but I say that a well built, solid and reliable car should be judged in its own right. A 2001 ford with 100k on the clock is about ready to fall apart so it’s all relative.

Add to that the most crucial and arguably most expensive job for any S2000 owner is replacing the timing chain and tensioners, which by and large need doing circa 100k, which is already done on this one, and it all adds weight to the argument that slightly lower miles is not always a safe bet; the last thing I wanted was to buy a beautiful S2000 and be met with a £1500 bill in the first few weeks!

So yes, opinions vary, but I was happier with a well maintained 120k mileage example with thousands of pounds spent recently ensuring she was tip top, than, let’s say, an example with 100k that would need work straight away.

The Monte Carlo blue looks absolutely stunning in sunlight, it flicks from light to dark blue metallic depending on the angle of the light and never fails to impress, combined with the black hood (black, not grey like most this age!) and light silver wheels, it just all comes together nicely. You could of course argue that bigger wheels, lower suspension and god knows what else would make the car more aggressive, but to be quite honest, we were looking for an original looking car that had simply been maintained and we were happier to have mechanical peace of mind rather than racing around with huge wheels etc.

There are obviously a few stone chips and odd tiny whisp of a scratch on her, she is a 2001 car don’t forget, but she is totally original, no bodged paint work or filler hanging out which to me is far more important than covering up a few stone chips. I wouldn’t call her immaculate, but if I did, I would stick another £1000 on the asking price. The most noticeable defects would be an 1” scratch near the bottom of the passenger door and 1” long mark on the bottom left of the front bumper, but they really aren’t something worth writing home about.

The hood is in fantastic condition as it was a replacement, it’s been reinforced also as a precautionary measure to ensure that it doesn’t come to harm in the corners where most hoods start wear. The rear window is only a few months old and folds away nicely with great visibility out of the rear of the car.

Electric hood mechanism all works perfectly, when the hood was replaced it was all put back and then a week later all tolerances were checked to ensure it was perfect and it is.

Inside is in very good condition, again, you must consider the age of the vehicle, but generally speaking she is very good. There is a little wear on the centre console plastics and gear stick, but carpets, seats, door cards, dashboard and all other switch gear or compartments are perfect.

There are the original floor mats, they do look a little tired if I'm honest, but they are still in place as I don’t want to take the originality away from her.

On the subject of originality, the Honda head unit is long gone, thankfully. As much as I am all for keeping a car original, I know from previous Hondas that in the 90’s and early 00’s, their stereo systems weren’t the best! So in it's place sits a nice Sony unit, it has a detachable fascia that has internal memory for downloading songs onto from the PC, it’s incredibly handy and quick to transfer music onto. It will also play CD’s with MP3 format recorded so this allows you to play hundreds of songs on just one CD! There is also a Parrot Bluetooth system all hooked up but to be totally honest, I never use it.

Mechanically she is extremely good, I am constantly shocked by how well she maintains her fluid levels, usually worrying about VTEC in Honda engines using all their oil, she doesn’t at all. I have topped her up, and by that I mean no more than what would be a small cup full of oil in the time I’ve had her and she’s never needed more! Having owned a few Hondas with the K20 engine, I’m over the top about checking oil levels almost every drive, but I haven’t needed to be so cautious with the S2000 as it just isn’t a problem, also the coolant level hasn’t moved an inch either, she runs perfectly and extremely quiet, a lot of these engines tick quite loudly but it has been commented on a few times just how quiet she is for an s2000.

Clutch and gearbox are all great, she engages gear without any fuss, even when cold, and never crunches or sticks in any way at all. Clutch is strong, it is a replacement, done almost at the same time as the timing chain, so obviously no slipping in any gear, at any speed or revs.

The design of the S2000 sticks the gearbox between the two front seats to give the car its perfect 50/50 weight balance; as a result, there is transmission noise audible if listening. I only mention it as for some people it may seem out of the ordinary, but consider that the gearbox is usually in front of the cabin behind a bulkhead hence less transmission noise. It’s not deafening or annoying, it's not damaged or a problem, it’s not even intrusive, it’s just the makings of a proper sports car.

Brakes are all good, there aren’t, that I know of, any enhancements in this department, the rear callipers were recently refurbished whilst still in the ownership of the previous keeper, at the same time the discs and pads were replaced but it all seems standard. They do work very well even in standard form, I know performance cars at this stage in their life sometimes have upgraded brakes etc, and I’m all for it myself, but haven’t felt the need to at all with the way I drive the car.

Exhaust is all tight, no leaks etc, I had considered the UK mod to release some noise from the otherwise brilliant standard exhaust, it’s an easy and cheap job to have done, but at this moment in time the exhaust is all standard, as is the air filter.

Tyres are all good, grips very well, the geometry was all fully setup when I bought the car and it does show when driving, she is very neutral in bends and steers straight.

She has loads of service history with her, spread over two folders. The book itself is stamped up to approximately 75k (will check exact figure), and there are receipts, MOTs, invoices and literally loads of other paperwork from start to present day also included with her, there are thousands upon thousands in receipts for all sorts of jobs, and although the stamps stopped in the book, there are countless receipts for services since then, usually between £200 and £400, no expense spared. All the original booklets etc are accounted for and reside in the Honda leather wallet as they should do.

The performance of the car is staggering, for what is a 2.0 naturally aspirated engine, it literally blows your mind what Honda can make happen. The acceleration from stand still is relentless, with the box being so tight, you flick so quickly up through it, Vtec firing you forward with every up change, the digital speedo barely keeping up and the rev gauge moving up and down like a graphic equaliser! Every time you get in you feel like you are in a REAL sports car, not a tinny roadster, or an overweight hatchback convertible concoction, it was designed for one thing, driving, and it does that brilliantly well.

I’ve had a lot of performance cars over the years, I feel performance is necessary in any car so I won’t pretend I haven’t stretched her legs once in a while, but under no circumstance would she ever come close to being abused. I see the results of idiots abusing their cars, and all it does it make me more determined to keep mine as best I can. She’s warmed up for a minute or two before setting off, always driven slowly until both the engine and gearbox oil are up to a good temp, and even after that it would only be the rare occasion when she is opened up for a proper burst of fun.

She will sprint up into triple figures without even breaking a sweat, literally just pottering around in 6th gear, but I know these are capable in standard form of 150+ with the top down, which again, for a 2.0 N/A engine, I think is incredible!

Although boost from the forced induction engines is fun for a while, it doesn’t excite like a highly tuned N/A, it lacks the theatrical, high revving craziness of an F20 engine at full steam!

I’ll have to stop myself before writing anymore as my word count is getting on a bit, so any more info, please get in touch, I will just say, no timewasters, please, I don’t have enough time in the day to waste any on needless conversations. No insurance or no cash means no test drive, sorry to sound like an arse, but I’ve been messed around so many times in the past that I’m now sick of it, I don’t abuse my car, so neither will anybody else. Private plate not included, will be removed and onto another car.