Prepare to be miserable all over again because we have another example of a formerly-attainable car going for obscene prices in the second-hand market. Sorry, Stef.
A week ago, we reported on a 91-mile 2009 Honda S2000 that showed up for sale on Bring a Trailer, and the last time we checked in on the pristine Japanese roadster bidding already sat at a healthy $50,000. When the auction closed on Thursday, a well-heeled Honda fan had snapped the car up at an eye-watering $70,000, pretty much double the car’s new MSRP of $35,500 from a decade ago.
Even adjusting for inflation, a new Honda S2000 would only cost $41,651 today. Sure, the finance majors among you may be able to point to various investments that have a better ROI but I’ll bet you those things don’t have an 8,000-rpm redline or a gauge cluster inspired by Ayrton Senna’s Formula 1 car.
This particular Berlina Black example was owned by IndyCar racer Graham Rahal, a man who seems to have a bit of a fascination with Honda’s rear-wheel-drive sports car. He also owns a red, AP1-generation example with just 1,001 miles on the clock and various other supercars. That car was acquired back in November for $48,000. Still a chunk of change more than that inflation-adjusted, would-be new price.
Back in January, a stock, 7,000-mile 1994 Toyota Supra was sold at auction for an internet-breaking $121,000. As the S2000 and cars of similar vintage approach that part of its value curve, perhaps we’ll be looking back on this $70,000 S2k in a few years and kick ourselves for not snagging it while it was “cheap.”
Full disclosure, I happen to own a 108,000-mile 2004 S2000 that I’ve suddenly decided to pass on to a new owner under absolutely no influence from this story at all. I take PayPal and bidding will start at $69,999. No charge for the lingering sweaty auto writer musk.