HOW I BOUGHT A CHEAP S2000 AND WHY YOU SHOULDN'T

"Matt West" (throttlewarrior) 08/11/2020 at 18:06 • Filed to: ITS OVER 9000, S2000, honda, cheap, auction car, roadster, japanese cars, jdm, hondas2000, budget car, vtec, 9000 rpm

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Seems like these days I can’t go on Youtube without seeing “Cheapest” this and “Bought from Auction” that. It’s a problem and is getting in the way of me watching softcore. There are a number of people at fault, but mostly I blame Tyler Hoover. He’s the reason I can’t find decent porn on You tube. Unfortunately I just did something that’s not helping. I recently bought a car from auction, and it’s very likely the cheapest clean title Honda S2000 in the country. Yes I’m a cheating hypocrite. I know.

But wait, I just said “clean title” and “auction” in the same sentence. Blasphemy you’re thinking. And you’d be right if you believed every auto vlogger on “NotForPornTube”. Auto auctions are synonymous with salvage cars, but actually dealers buy thousands of clean title cars there daily. This especially goes for cars that are hard to sell like *ahem* sports cars.

Before getting into how I bought my most recent lapse in judgement, here’s the reasoning behind it. Coming previously from a muscle car, I reached the point of diminishing returns in having it go around corners. That quickly led to the desire for something that natively handles well and is budget friendly. The options for this however are fairly limited. Miatas are too slow (sorry but they are), cheap Porsches are never actually cheap, and GT86s albeit cool are too commonplace. That left me with only one option, and something about 9,000rpm really caught my attention. This old “Hot Version” clip pretty much explains everything.

Why from auction? Simple, because it’s cheaper that way. I honestly couldn’t afford a decent S2000 at the going market rate. There were all but five for sale in my state, each of which listing significantly above $15,000. Nationwide it wasn’t much better. Whereas I managed to snag mine at a crispy $10,000. Sure, five years ago I could’ve had one for $6,000 but recently S2000s have seen a substantial growth in value. Some can still be had for less, that is if you’re okay with a salvage title and ten-trillion miles. I already lost money once on a salvage car and I can’t afford to do it twice. And buying from auction wasn’t that hard. In most places a dealer’s licence is required, but thankfully there’s a way around that. They say every time a car broker dies an angel gets their wings, and fortunately for me I found one that wasn’t dead. To put it plainly, a broker in this context is someone with a dealer’s licence who bids at auction on your behalf. Usually they can be found running backstreet dealerships that share office space with brothels.

Initially, I met with the broker to discuss budget requirements and details of the car he’d bid on. This was sealed in writing, and as you can see options weren’t my top priority. Just had to be a S2000, and not one with the weird blue interior.

- Only way to avoid the blue interior (or the tacky red one) was to go with grey or black exterior colors.

The final step prior to bidding involved paying a $2000 deposit that would cover shipping and the brokerage fee. Worth noting that you can still finance a car going this route. It’s the same as getting a loan for any other car, just don’t go through your broker’s credit union unless you really hate money. From there, it was off to the auctions and within a couple of days I received a phone call with good news. My broker won the bid on a car matching my criteria and would arrange shipping immediately. My car needed to get from an auction house in Florida to me in Colorado. At this point I received an email with the auction listing and the only photos I’d see of the car for over a month. That’s right, a MONTH. I’m a spoiled millennial and hate waiting even two days for online shipping. This drove me to near insanity. What’s worse, one of the shipping days happened to be a holiday, and to a car transporter that’s licence to take the entire month off. The truck spent about a week actually moving, and for the rest of the time it sat behind a sketchy Florida dealership presumably while the trucker enjoyed himself in the neighboring brothel. Eventually and to my surprise, the car DID arrive. I paid the broker the remaining cash and finally took delivery of a car I still knew nothing about.

So what sort of S2000 does ten-grand get you? One far from perfect, that’s for sure. And to be honest, it has more problems than I would like considering $10,000 is still a considerable amount of money. So many issues in fact, that I don’t have time to go over all of it today. So if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to write disparaging comments on Mr. Hoovers YouTube page. Also I have a car to fix.

-Inspecting the new S2K moments after delivery.

Next time: Everything wrong with my cheap S2000 and how I fixed some of it.

Full Disclosure: A few months back, I posted a suspiciously similar article to a different car blog (Which mustn’t be named around these parts), but recently have felt like my Oppo has been somewhat neglected. I can’t plagiarize myself right?

AestheticsInMotion > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 18:20

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That blue interior is fantastic, you shut your mouth! The red isn’t half bad either, much better the the OG Miata’s weird shade of burgundy

HammerheadFistpunch > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 18:25

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I recognize the Mt Carmel road when I sees it.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 18:27

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Even a bad S2000 is still a good one. So your final cost was $12k plus taxes?  

Urambo Tauro > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 19:00

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I have never seen a document like this, and TBH I don’t think I could bring myself to touch such a thing even with a ten foot pole.

(BTW isn’t it supposed to be “sight unseen”? )

HammerheadFistpunch > Urambo Tauro 08/11/2020 at 19:24

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Yeah, “site un-seen” would have been my hint to

Arrivederci > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 19:46

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So, $10k still buys a really nice Miata or a junky S2000.

DipodomysDeserti > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 19:48

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Big mood paying $10k sight unseen for a car from a region that experiences massive flooding events fairly frequently. There’s one on Phoenix’s CL right now for $15k with about 100k miles on it. No tax on private sales in AZ either. Godspeed.

Matt West > Urambo Tauro 08/11/2020 at 20:00

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I had a really long pen.

Also yes you’re totally right! T hat’s supposed to be “Sight unseen”. I didn’t even notice! Suppose it’s too late to void the contract now?

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > HammerheadFistpunch 08/11/2020 at 20:00

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“would of”

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 20:00

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“Site Un-Seen”...nice

Matt West > AestheticsInMotion 08/11/2020 at 20:05

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Alright, fair. Anything is better than that interior haha!  

Matt West > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 08/11/2020 at 20:06

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Pretty much! Have spent quiet a bit more making it somewhere near “nice”. 

Matt West > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 08/11/2020 at 20:06

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Yep and I’m painfully aware of that typo now haha!

HammerheadFistpunch > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 08/11/2020 at 20:08

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No

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 08/11/2020 at 20:22

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“must have's"

RPM esq. > Urambo Tauro 08/11/2020 at 20:23

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Don’t sleep on “have already have been purchased” or  “ will loose all of his/her deposit,” either.

HammerheadFistpunch > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/11/2020 at 20:31

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Double no. Ew

LongbowMkII > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 20:35

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I miss shifting at 9k, but tbh a s2000 isn’t much faster feeling than a Miata. That 2800lbs  really comes through. 

66P1800inpieces > Urambo Tauro 08/11/2020 at 20:39

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Strange, the $40 an hour lawyer said he did good at school. Like Superman I guess. 

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/11/2020 at 21:21

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“client will loose all of his/her deposit”

M.T. Blake > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 21:40

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Do what the race car driver did: rev limit bounces and lots of opposite lock steering. Few things in life are as glorious. Congrats. 

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 08/11/2020 at 23:35

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Better tighten up that language 

Jim Spanfeller > Matt West 08/11/2020 at 23:50

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I’m sorry, but that car looks fantastic to me and since it’s a Honda I imagine everything essential works fine and therefore the car is fine. It’s a Honda, it can’t possibly be that bad, can it? Maybe it’s because for months I’ve been having to deal with the various mechanical/electrical/carburetor-black-magic-sorcery problems of an unrestored car from 1966... I think I might  just have really low standards by now... I’d be happy if my car would just run reliably without stalling every time I turn right, lol.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Matt West 08/12/2020 at 00:13

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But you never saw the site so no

Nick Has an Exocet > Matt West 08/12/2020 at 00:38

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You know that you could have gotten a fast miata for that price, right? :) Or K-swapped an NB for what you’re going to be in for in the end. 

NojustNo > Urambo Tauro 08/12/2020 at 00:41

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“Loose” the deposit lol

Steve in Manhattan > Matt West 08/12/2020 at 01:55

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Hoping you can figure out a way to make that car come good ... 

Steve in Manhattan > Matt West 08/12/2020 at 01:59

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Not a typo - they can’t spell. I have edited more law review articles and briefs than I care to admit, and if you make the “effect” “affect” mistake, I will rain holy hell down on you.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Steve in Manhattan 08/12/2020 at 08:26

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Oxford comma: Yes or no? 

Matt West > Steve in Manhattan 08/12/2020 at 10:13

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Been quite a bit of work so far, but I will. Thanks!

Matt West > M.T. Blake 08/12/2020 at 10:15

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Thanks a nd you bet I will!

Matt West > Nick Has an Exocet 08/12/2020 at 10:18

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Shhh, my wallet might hear you haha.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Matt West 08/12/2020 at 13:24

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You are doing good work.

Matt West > Future next gen S2000 owner 08/12/2020 at 18:44

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Thank you!

Steve in Manhattan > haveacarortwoorthree2 08/12/2020 at 22:14

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Strunk, or White,   or both would haunt me if I didn’t use the serial (Oxford) comma. 

Steve in Manhattan > Matt West 08/12/2020 at 22:15

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Recommend the late ones to friends all the time. Of course I would never be around pestering them for the keys ...

Peepshit Studio > Matt West 08/12/2020 at 23:10

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Sorry I got you beat. Bought my 07 clean title for 9k in April. Yeah it had 168k miles and needed me to do some work but it was indeed a nice find. Congratulations on yours too btw

Honda Fan > Matt West 08/13/2020 at 02:31

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Enjoy your S. Nothing like it. 20 year old car that still grabs attention. I have my second one for 6 years now....I thought I was done when I sold my first one after owning it for 4 years. Found myself missing the car after only 3 weeks.  Took another 18 months to find one close to the one I let go.  Hold on to it as they are only appreciating in value.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Steve in Manhattan 08/13/2020 at 09:49

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That’s the right answer! lol

Effect/affect annoys me, but the worst was a brief I read concerning a real estate dispute that repeatedly used tenet for ten ant. 

Matt West > Peepshit Studio 08/13/2020 at 11:25

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I guess so haha! And for an AP2 no less. That’s pretty good since those tend to fetch higher prices. 

Matt West > Honda Fan 08/13/2020 at 11:28

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For sure and thanks ! I’ve already had a ton of fun with it and there’s definitely more to come. Awesome hearing from someone who’s bought more than one! Also you’re absolutely right  about values, they’re getting crazier by the year.

Steve in Manhattan > haveacarortwoorthree2 08/13/2020 at 14:48

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Had sharp words with an author I was editing over the following: “We are advancing toward our goal ...” Ack.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Steve in Manhattan 08/13/2020 at 16:01

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To be fair, it is better than advancing toward the other team’s goal! lol

I do not miss my days of editing law review/journal articles. 

Steve in Manhattan > haveacarortwoorthree2 08/15/2020 at 21:35

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The DOJ was a short(ish) walk from my law school, and I k new where the guy sat because I worked on that floor the previous summer. Other people editing the journal talked me down.