Buyer Research

2006 Honda S2000 — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $22,000–$45,000. This is one of the more reliable vehicles in its class — here's what to watch for anyway.

Kestrel Take

A 9,000-rpm naturally aspirated roadster that's become a modern classic — and one of the most reliable performance cars ever, so long as the owner respected it. The engine has a strong durability record; the risks are abuse, crash history from its snap-oversteer reputation, and clutch/differential wear. Buy the clean one.

What we checked

Partly reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11

NHTSA holds 10 owner complaints for the 2006 Honda S2000, across 2 recall campaigns.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 30% of them are about one thing — airbags. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.

2 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

Not written up yet: the fuel system (1 complaint). That group is in the public record and is not covered by the issues below. Treat it as something to ask about, not as absent.

Looked at and set aside: airbags (3) — 3 airbag complaints on file, almost always a recall matter rather than a repair bill; have a dealer check this VIN for open airbag campaigns and confirm any were performed.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2006 Honda S2000

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.

Crash and spin damageMedium

The early cars especially had snappy handling limits and many were crashed. Inspect for accident repair, frame damage, and mismatched panels.

Repair cost: Not a repair — an ownership-cost warning, not a mechanical fault

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the body and structure (3).

Clutch and differential wearMedium

Hard driving and clutch drops wear the clutch and can damage the differential and its mounts; verify condition.

Repair cost (estimate): $800-$2,500

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Modification and track abuseMedium

Many were tracked; verify maintenance and inspect for hard use, and that the high-revving engine had its valve service.

Repair cost: Not yet priced

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (1).

Soft top and rustMedium

Aging soft tops tear and rear wheel arches rust; inspect both.

Repair cost (estimate): $500-$2,500

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the body and structure (3).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Accident or frame damage
✗A hard-tracked car with no maintenance records
✗Worn clutch and differential
✗Rust in the arches

Good Signs

✓Documented maintenance including valve service
✓Healthy clutch and differential

Found a specific Honda S2000?

This page covers what goes wrong on the 2006 Honda S2000 in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.

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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.

Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.