The 2000 S2000 is a robust sports car with Honda's legendary F20C engine, but age and enthusiast ownership create specific wear patterns. Most issues stem from hard driving, deferred maintenance, and parts that simply don't age well after 20+ years.
Transmission Synchro Wear (2nd Gear Grind)
Common · medium severityTypical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Grinding or crunching when shifting into 2nd gear, especially when cold, Difficulty engaging 2nd gear during aggressive driving, Gear pop-out under hard acceleration in 2nd
Fix: 2nd gear synchro is notoriously weak on early S2000s. Full transmission rebuild with upgraded synchros required, 8-12 hours labor. Many shops won't attempt repair—expect replacement with used/rebuilt unit.
Estimated cost: $2,500-4,500
Retainer Valve Spring Failure (F20C)
Occasional · high severityTypical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Metallic rattling at idle that increases with RPM, Sudden loss of power and misfires, Check engine light with multiple cylinder misfire codes, Catastrophic engine failure if valve drops into cylinder
Fix: Valve retainers can crack and fail, especially on engines revved to 9,000 RPM regularly. Requires cylinder head removal, full valve job with upgraded retainers. 16-20 hours labor for proper job including timing chain inspection.
Estimated cost: $3,500-6,000
Soft Top Frame Cracking and Wear
Common · low severitySymptoms: Top won't latch properly at header, Creaking and popping noises when opening/closing, Water leaks around rear window frame, Difficulty unlatching or latching mechanism feels loose
Fix: Plastic bushings in frame wear out, metal frame can crack at stress points. Individual frame repair or used replacement top assembly. 3-5 hours labor depending on extent.
Estimated cost: $800-2,000
Rear Differential Fluid Contamination and Bearing Wear
Occasional · medium severityTypical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Whining or howling from rear end during acceleration/deceleration, Clunking when shifting or changing throttle position, Vibration at highway speeds, Metallic debris in differential fluid
Fix: Track use and deferred fluid changes kill these diffs. Bearing replacement requires complete teardown. 6-8 hours labor, often more cost-effective to swap in used unit.
Estimated cost: $1,500-3,000
Front Suspension Ball Joint Failure
Common · high severityTypical onset: 80,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking over bumps from front end, Steering feels loose or imprecise, Uneven tire wear on inside edges, Play in suspension during wheel shake test
Fix: Lower ball joints are non-serviceable—requires entire lower arm replacement. Factor in alignment after. 3-4 hours labor per side, but always do both.
Estimated cost: $800-1,200
Clutch Master/Slave Cylinder Failure
Occasional · medium severityTypical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Clutch pedal feels soft or spongy, Difficulty shifting or getting into gear, Pedal stays to floor or engages very high/low, Fluid leak visible at firewall or transmission bellhousing
Fix: Master cylinder fails first usually, but slave often follows within a year. Replace both together. 3-4 hours labor for the pair including bleeding.
Estimated cost: $500-900
Ignition Lock Cylinder Wear
Occasional · low severitySymptoms: Key difficult to turn or remove, Must jiggle key to start vehicle, Key won't insert smoothly, Intermittent no-start when key turns but nothing happens
Fix: OEM cylinders wear badly with heavy key rings. Replacement requires steering column trim removal and security reprogramming. 1.5-2 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $300-500
Buy one if you can verify maintenance history and transmission feels tight—budget $2-3k for deferred items, but these are fantastic drivers when sorted.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.