The Honda S2000 is a two-seat roadster with one of the most famous engines Honda ever built. Good ones are getting harder to find, so more buyers are looking abroad, mainly to Japan and the USA. The worry is usually which market to buy from and what each one needs to be legal here. Both routes are well trodden, and the S2000's age keeps the testing simple.
- Built
- 1999 to 2009
- Shipping from Japan
- From £3,575, shipping only
- Shipping from the USA
- From £1,450, shipping only
- Test
- MOT, as every car is over 10 years old
AP1 and AP2
The S2000 came in two main versions. Owners call the earlier cars AP1 and the later ones AP2, after the chassis codes. The differences are mostly in the engine and how the car feels at the limit.
| Feature | AP1 | AP2 |
|---|---|---|
| Roughly | 1999 to the mid 2000s | Mid 2000s to 2009 |
| Engine | 2.0 litre, famous for revving very high | 2.2 litre in Japanese and American cars, with more mid-range |
| In brief | The rawer, sharper early car | Easier to live with, revised suspension |
| UK test today | MOT | MOT |
Which one is better is an argument owners have been having for years. If you want the screaming 2.0 litre, an AP1 is the one. If you want a little more pull lower down, a Japanese or American AP2 gives you the 2.2. Neither is old enough for the 30-year tax rate yet.
Japan or the USA
This is the bigger decision, because it changes the work the car needs once it lands.
| Feature | From Japan | From the USA |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | Right-hand drive, like ours | Left-hand drive |
| Shipping guide price | From £3,575, shipping only | From £1,450, shipping only |
| Journey | About 5 to 8 weeks door to door | Around 2 to 4 weeks at sea, plus about 2 weeks before sailing |
| Usual UK changes | A rear fog light | Lighting: indicators, side markers, rear fog light, headlights |
| Documents | Japanese export certificate, purchase invoice, passport | Title, bill of sale, passport or driving licence |
A Japanese car needs less work and sits on the side of the road you would expect. An American car can be cheaper to ship, and the US market is large, but it stays left-hand drive and needs its lights sorting. The DVLA registers left-hand drive cars without the steering being moved, so that is a question of what you are happy driving.
What to check before you buy
The S2000 is a car that rewards being driven hard, and many have been. The good news is that the engine is tough when it has been looked after. The things to watch are the roof, the history and any signs of a past accident.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 8 done
For a Japanese car, our guide to Japanese auction grades explains how to read the sheet. For an American car, our guide to buying from a US auction covers title types and what to look out for.
Shipping the car
From Japan, RoRo is the usual route and costs less than a container. The car has to run and drive, and it should be empty. If you bought at auction, the auction agent usually arranges the trip to the port. As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from Japan starts from £3,575, shipping only.
From the USA, we collect from anywhere in the country and truck the car to the port. It then travels in a shared container or by RoRo. As a guide, shipping from the USA starts from £1,450, shipping only. The sea passage is around 2 weeks from the East Coast and around 4 from the West, with about 2 weeks before sailing for paperwork and loading. Our guide to shipping a car from the USA covers the rest.
Import tax
An S2000 from either country pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price of the car plus the shipping, with the VAT charged on top of the duty. The earliest cars are not yet 30 years old, so the reduced classic rate does not apply.
The exception is Transfer of Residence. If you are moving to the UK, have lived abroad for at least 12 months and have owned the car for at least 6, it can come in with no VAT or duty. The import tax calculator will run your own numbers.
Getting it road legal
Production ended in 2009, so every S2000 is over 10 years old. GOV.UK exempts cars of that age from vehicle approval, so there is no IVA test. The car takes an MOT once its changes are done.
A Japanese car
Being right-hand drive, a Japanese S2000 usually needs only a rear fog light, fitted in the right position if one is missing. The speedometer conversion to mph applies to cars under 10 years old, so it is not required here. Japanese cars are no longer checked for headlight compliance.
An American car
A US car stays left-hand drive, and the work is mostly lighting. North American cars usually need amber rear indicators where they flash red, side markers at the front of the doors, a rear fog light and headlights adjusted or replaced for driving on the left. We check each car individually, as not every one needs every item. Our guides to converting an American car and left-hand drive cars in the UK go into the detail.
Not sure which to buy? Send us both listings. We will tell you what each car needs and price both jobs, so you can compare like with like.
We do the work in our own workshop in Castle Donington, and our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register the car within 10 working days. Before you commit, get an insurance quote too. Our guide to insuring a Japanese import covers what insurers ask for.
Questions people ask
Does an imported S2000 need an IVA test?
No. Production ended in 2009, so every S2000 is over 10 years old and exempt from vehicle approval. It takes an MOT after any changes it needs.
Is it better to import an S2000 from Japan or the USA?
A Japanese car is right-hand drive and usually needs only a rear fog light. An American car is cheaper to ship but stays left-hand drive and needs lighting changes. Send us both and we will price each one.
How much tax will I pay on an S2000?
Usually 10% import duty and 20% import VAT on the price plus shipping, from Japan or the USA. No S2000 is old enough for the 5% classic rate yet.
Can I register a left-hand drive S2000 in the UK?
Yes. The DVLA registers left-hand drive cars without the steering being converted. The car needs its lighting changed for UK roads first.
Does a Japanese S2000 need its speedometer converting?
Not to be registered. The mph conversion is required on cars under 10 years old, and every S2000 is older than that.
Found an S2000 you like? Send us the listing or auction lot on the quote form and we will price the whole job.
