Well 04+ s2000's like the one you drove are alittle different from 00-03, Honda modified the suspension and bumped displacement from 2.0 to 2.2. That being said if I were buying an AP1 like what you are interested in I would buy a 03, honda retuned the ecu to gain more power through out the poweband even though they still peak at 240hp 00-02's have a conservative factory tuned ecu b/c honda didn't want to push the envolope in the early models. and like evolution said you get what you pay for. If your gonna buy one spend alittle more and buy one thats been taken car of. A good, well maintained 03' goes for 20-21k. And for the wrecked s2000 you would be stupid buying it might as well give your 5k away, one high miles, 2 salvage title(b/c a fender bender totals an s2k) 3, no telling what else is wrong and how it will drive after repair garuntee it wont handel like a s2000, 4, even though your dad owns a shop you can get into some cost rebuilding one. My .02