So I'm finally in the market for an s2k and have been browsing craigslist ads for quite awhile now shopping for one and I'm pretty confused about how the pricing is turning out... going to use 2 cars i found as examples:

01 clean title
18k miles
asking $16k (wants 18k with ap2 parts on)

05 clean title
27k miles
asking $16k

both appear to be in VERY good condition judging from the pictures, but what gives? ap1 price seems extremely steep after looking at some ap2's but the ap2 seems extremely low?

 

Wow, thats a decision alright! I guess it depends on what you want. The lower miles might be the decision maker. Check the top, who owned both cars? Adult? Teen? Are they the same color? Any documentation? Do a carfax on both. Its up to you to check both out real close. I got my 05 for 16 with 64k on it, so an 05 with 27 is real good... The fact that the 01 has ap2 parts on it would throw up a red flag for me. Id would try to get it as close to OEM as possible..the 05 is newer, but the 01 is the 9k red line and all that. There are tons of debates on ap1 vs ap2..good luck!

 

^^^ thanks for the input! why are the ap2 parts swapped to ap1 a red flag? i thought that was a common thing nowadays? if anything i figured the 05 for 16k would be a red flag cause KBB marked up at to around 18-19k for excellent

 

People often upgrade parts after a wreck.

 

Go for an AP2, dont spend that much money for an AP1.

Forget the KBB prices, a car is worth what someone is willing to pay for it and in this economy nobody is willing to pay blue book prices. I have seen a few clean silver AP2's go for $12,500. You can also find some in the 14-15k range with decent miles.

I would stay away from that AP1, do you really think a 10 year old S2000 has only 18k miles on it? Very unlikely. These are not rare cars that people buy and just park in the garage, people drive these cars alot because they are fun to drive.

Also if it has AP2 headlights and tail lights I would forget about it, it has most likely been in a fender bender and was not reported. Also, cars with very low miles have been in wrecks and they just sit there for a few years until someone decides to fix it, so they are not driven during that time and the miles stay low.

 

No. It's very likely, actually. Some people just don't drive their "weekend cars" as much as other people do. I've seen a number of AP1's with really low miles.

I'm not saying I'd buy this one, necessarily, but there are legit cars out there with virtually no miles on them.

 

I f the AP2 is in good condition and everything check outs than i would get it over the AP1. 27k is still extremely low miles. Try and get the newest car that you can. Remember the ap1 is ten years old. Even with only 18k, it still has been through ten years of driving, sitting, etc and might have some worn parts that might need replacing.

 

thanks again for all the input guys! I'm pretty set on an ap2 since they seem to be pretty affordable, now it's just a waiting game for the best deal to showup

 

the ap2 is gonna be worth more flat out just because its so much newer. I bought my s2k recently and i had to make a choice between an $8200 ap1 with a little over 100k or a 05 ap2 with 85k miles for $10400. My max budget was $10k so i had to go with the ap1 but i wish i would have saved for another week or 2 and got the ap2 just because it booked for almost 4 grand more, but the ap1 was a better color and actually had more power than the ap2. I would look at both and decide after you look at both but like stated the price is pretty steep on the ap1

 

actually those are really good price for either car, use car loss it value but those are very low mile for the year that they are. to me i prefer the ap2 with the 2.2 liter more torque and better when mod

 

dont make power claims unless if you have the back to back comprehensive dyno's for the same condition (mechanically). More displacement + more compression (even though its .1) does NOT equal LESS power.

 

bit racist bro..

 

where are you guys finding these ap2's soo cheap?

 

Buy Ap2 and you won't regret it

 

The 01 has the plastic rear window and has only 2 speakers. Just by virtue of those two things, I would buy the AP2 for the exact same price. It has the glass window and 4 speakers (although they're still shitty).

It also has better retainers, no oil banjo bolt issues, the F22 usually puts down more power on a dyno, the trans is geared better, has better synchros, and the styling is nicer (opinion).

The things that the AP1 has going for it are the better steering rack, more agressive suspension geometry, more agressive spring/shock rates, bigger sway bars and the cool factor of revving to 9K RPM.

If it were my money, I'd probably go with the AP2 and buy a used AP1 steering rack down the line. I usually mod cars after I buy them...so modding the suspension would make either one of the two cars feel about the same.