With the cost of iconic Honda vehicles soaring to remarkable heights, the rising cost of the legendary Honda S2000 may seem to be getting a bit out of hand to some. However, on the contrary, this might be the last chance to buy a nice one for an “affordable” price.
How much does a Honda S2000 cost?
Honda S2000 | Bruce Bisping/Star Tribune via Getty Images
All of this thinking stems from the recent sale of a 2000 Honda S2000 on Bring A Trailer. It isn’t any sort of special or limited edition or example with remarkably low miles. Instead, it’s an average silver S2000 with a modest number on the odometer at 67,000 original miles.
This S2000 would undoubtedly fall under the “driver’s grade” condition category, meaning it’s not going to stand out in the eyes of a collector looking for a long-term investment or a pristine example for a museum display. The driver’s seat bolstering has some cracking and wear from entering and exiting the vehicle. Additionally, it’s had the front bumper replaced and some minor paintless dent repairs done. However, despite these nuances, this S2000 fetched a final bid of $25,250.
According to Kelly Blue Book, that doesn’t stray too far from their fair market value range for Denver, Colorado, where this car is located. All things considered, a clean Honda selling for a seemingly reasonable price is a rare sight these days.
There is a good chance, though, that S2000s in this condition will ascend to remarkable heights in the future.
Will the Honda S2000 go up in value?
2009 Honda S2000 | Alan Look/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images
Though not every old Honda is destined to have an appreciation path that takes its price to the moon, it’s hard to think that well-loved S2000s won’t continue to rise so long as its condition remains nice. After all, it isn’t just a regular old economy Honda.
Originally released for the 1999 model year, the Honda S2000 is the spiritual successor to Honda’s sports roadster from the 1960s; the S600.
According to Motor Trend, the S2000’s development brought numerous divisions of Honda together, ranging from the racing team’s engineers developing the chassis to motorcycle engineers creating the four-cylinder engine, which explains the 9,000 RPM redline. Honda built the S2000 to provide affordable competition to the likes of the BMW Z4 and the Porsche Boxster. Motor Trend’s data shows that it not only competes in real-world testing but it beats both of the German competitors.
Special cars fetch special prices. Is a base S2000 special enough?
2009 Honda S2000 CR | Honda
Though not technically a Honda model in the US, the Integra Type R is undoubtedly the reigning champion of special models garnishing incredible prices at auction. Earlier this year, a 2001 Integra Type R brought an eye-watering final hammer price of $112,112.
Sure, one could argue that Type r is deserving of a figure like that, considering it only has 7,000 original miles on it. However, a quick search through Bring A Trailer’s sales history shows even higher mileage examples are selling for prices north of $40,000. Even the less rare but still sought-after Integra GS-R models are pulling prices north of $20,000.
Comparatively, the much rarer Honda S2000 CR, or Club Racer, is already fetching six-figure prices. So, it only makes sense for the standard S2000 to continue to climb in value along sides its rarer counterparts.
Another listing that ended in June 2021 shows another silver 2000 model year S2000 that had only 35,000 miles reach a final sale price of $20,250. Considering their similar condition and miles, it’s safe to assume that this car would fetch as much or more than the one mentioned above. Meaning its value has theoretically increased by $5,000 in just eight months!
Ultimately, only time will tell whether or not the humble base model S2000 will skyrocket in value if owners properly maintain them. It seems, though, that potential buyers in the current market are not likely to be put in a situation where losing money is an option. At worst, one could break even and have the sporty enjoyable driving experience of a Honda S2000 for a while. That seems like a pretty fair deal!
Keyword: A Driver’s Grade Honda S2000 Could Be a Bargain Turned Investment