by A Legend Among Sports Cars
The Honda S2000 remains the last true, unfiltered sports car created during the brand’s golden era. This compact car with a high-revving engine embodies pure precision. Owners adore these rear-wheel-drive roadsters, and their engines, which rev up to 9,000 rpm, echo the spirit of sportbikes.
Proof of the model’s reliability is the story of one example that covered 498,452 miles (over 802 thousand kilometers) before being involved in a low-speed collision with a truck at about 8 km/h (5 mph).
For a naturally aspirated engine that constantly operated at the edge of engineering limits, this is undeniable evidence of Honda’s persistent reliability and the S2000’s own resilience.
A Chance for a Second Life
The previous owner has already parted with the car, but there is hope that an enthusiast will be found who will not only restore this Honda but also push it past the half-million-mile mark. This particular AP1 version roadster is being prepared for sale at an auction in Detroit. Although the front end is damaged, the history of this sports car and the accident is extraordinary.
The Secret to Longevity
It all started back in 2004 when the owner installed an Amsoil BMK-13 dual bypass oil filter and a pre-lubrication pump on the car. At that time, the S2000’s mileage was only 5,997 miles. This system allowed for extended oil change intervals, which was important as the owner drove a lot on highways. On average, he covered over 23,700 miles per year. That’s approximately 65 miles every day, every day, for 21 years.
In a Reddit discussion, the owner noted that he used Amsoil 0W-30 lubricant from the very beginning, and then, when the engine started consuming more oil around 400,000 miles, he switched to Pennzoil Platinum 0W-30. Thanks to this, he could drive about 40,000 miles between oil changes, which was regularly confirmed by used fluid laboratory analysis.
The Nature of the Accident and the Car’s Condition
The accident that disabled this S2000 was not catastrophically severe, despite the obvious consequences. The owner recounts that the collision occurred at a speed of only 8 km/h (5 mph), and the truck’s bumper was positioned so high that it didn’t hit the roadster’s bumper but instead lifted its hood. The grille, radiator, and left fender were also damaged. Fortunately, the body frame rails are intact, and the car still starts and drives. There remains hope that the next owner will be able to drive it well past 500,000 miles.
Stories like these not only demonstrate the technical prowess of Honda cars but also become part of automotive culture. They show that even a high-tech sports engine designed for extreme loads can serve for decades with careful and intelligent maintenance. This particular case also serves as a reminder of how service approaches are changing: the use of quality lubricants and filters, confirmed effective by analysis, allows for significant deviation from standard manufacturer recommendations without harming the machinery. Selling such a car at auction is a unique opportunity not just to purchase a vehicle, but to become the owner of a living legend with a documented history that has every chance of a long continuation.
