Not so this 2006/06-reg GT with removable hard-top. It has done 91,000 miles – nothing for an engine with a carbonfibre-lined block and forged pistons – and has full Honda service history, supported by tons of invoices.
Being a 2006 car, it benefits from the so-called AP1 facelift of 2004. This brought stiffer body bracing, retuned springs and anti-roll bars, fractionally slower steering and larger wheels (from 16in to 17in). Meanwhile, the gearbox gained much stronger carbonfibre synchros in place of the softer brass ones. The interior of this one looks a little shabby. (The driver’s seat leather appears to be badly creased.) We can’t comment on the carpet but it’s known to get a little damp in S2000s from water getting in via tired seals between the hood and windscreen.
If we were to take it further, we’d pop the bonnet and have a listen. If the engine is ticking from cold, we’ll be thinking sticky hydraulic pins, which can be cured by blipping the throttle or letting the engine warm up. If it’s rattling when hot, it’s likely to be the timing chain tensioner.
Regarding the transmission, it’s likely to have had a new clutch (the paperwork should confirm this) because they can let go at 50,000 miles. Given the full Honda history, the suspension bolts and fixings should be well greased. If not, they can seize, meaning the geometry can’t be set up properly, leading to abnormal tyre wear and woolly handling. Rust? The underside can suffer but we’d also check the rear wheel arches.Alfa Romeo 4C, £36,980: Alfa may be reconsidering the 4C’s future in the wake of poor sales and type approval challenges but it’s a gorgeous thing with the ability to make you grin like a Cheshire cat. This one’s a 2016 one-owner car with 9000 miles and full Alfa service historyAudi A2 1.4 TDI SE, £1004: Audi thought its A2 so reliable that it made opening the bonnet a challenge worthy of Mensa. (Online guides show you how.) Anyway, this 2005 model with full service history looks a peach. It has done 164,000 miles, though, so we’d give the turbo a health check. Mercedes-Benz E-Class 3.0 CDI Estate, £6000: We must stop looking at high-milers. This one’s 290k miles: should be nothing to an E-Class, except that a recent report by warranty firm MotorEasy claimed diesels are less reliable and dearer to fix than petrols. On second thoughts, you have it.
Auction watch
BMW 840Ci Auto: You had to be there, when the 8 Series came out in 1989. It looked like nothing else, certainly nothing else in BMW’s line-up. It came first with a 296bhp 5.0-litre V12 and was called the 850i. In 1993, the BMW Motorsport-developed 850CSi arrived with a 375bhp 5.6. Today, this version commands the highest prices.
