Used Honda s2000 review and buying guide (1999 to 2009): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Honda S2000 should you buy?

A Honda S2000 built from February 2002 onwards is the safer buy, because that's when Honda swapped the plastic rear screen for a glass one as part of a round of revisions. A plastic screen gives a car away as an earlier build whatever its registration date says, so it's the quickest way to tell an early S2000 from a revised one, right up to the end of sales in 2009.

Cars built in 1999 and 2000 were recalled to replace the locking mechanisms on both seatbelts, because the webbing could lock while retracted. The 1999 builds had a second recall for a modified roof cover, which stops belt webbing getting trapped behind the seat and failing to tension. An early car that can't show that work was done isn't the one to buy, and early cars don't give the track-car steering feedback you'd want for using their pace on the road.

What should you know about the Honda S2000's engine and gearbox?

The S2000's engine needs revving, because its torque lags behind its power and you've got to use the gearbox to make quick progress. Leaving it in a high gear won't get the best from it, so drop down a gear or two before you overtake. Hold a lower gear and let the revs climb, and it pulls with the pace of a track car.

Using that power is less relaxing on an early S2000, because the first cars didn't give the steering feedback you'd expect from a track car, which leaves you unsure how hard to push on the road. If you're looking at an early one, take it along a quiet, twisting road on the test drive and see whether the steering gives you enough confidence before you commit.

What should you check when viewing a used Honda S2000?

The rear screen tells you the most: a plastic one means the car was built before February 2002, whatever the registration says. Lower and raise the roof a few times while you're there, since it should fold and close within seconds. One owner reported a later glass screen breaking as the roof folded electrically, so watch the screen closely while it moves.

Check the wheels for kerb damage, which over-keen drivers have left on these cars. On a 1999 or 2000 car, ask for paperwork showing the seatbelt recall work was done: the replacement belt locking mechanisms and, on 1999 builds, the modified roof cover. Pull each belt out and let it retract, and don't accept a car where either one locks or won't tension properly.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Honda s2000 cost to run?

What do Honda S2000 owners like about them?

The S2000's big draw is that it's got the pace of a track car, as long as you're happy to use the revs. That's what it's built for, so it's at its best when you hold on to each gear and let the engine climb rather than short-shifting your way along a quiet road.

Its electric roof is the other thing that makes it easy to live with. It folds away or closes again in seconds, so there's no hesitation about dropping it for a short dry spell and no scramble when a shower arrives. Cars from February 2002 pair it with a glass rear screen in place of the earlier plastic one.

• The S2000 offers track-level performance, particularly when utilising the higher engine revolutions.
• The electric convertible roof operates quickly, raising and lowering in just a few seconds.
• Revisions to the S2000 from February 2002 included the introduction of a glass rear window.
• This model achieved an impressive four-star rating for crash safety in the 2002 NCAP tests.
• The S2000 was rated the fifth most reliable car in a 2007 survey, with seven faults per 100 vehicles.