Just got my '00 S2000
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Just got my '00 S2000
Hello everyone! Moved to Raleigh a few months ago and it was time for a new car. So here I am.
I'm excited to join you here and hope to be a relatively active member of the forum. I recently traded in my turbocharged, B18C1-swapped '98 Civic EX coupe for a 2000 S2000 in New Formula Red with 50k miles. It is beautiful absolutely everything is bone stock. The engine compartment is spotless, and the rest of the exterior and interior are as well, except for 2 minor scratches I'll get buffed out.
The car lacks practicality compared to the Civic, and I recently adopted a dog, so I'm going to have to figure out how this will work. I think I might be able to fit her crate, folded up, in the trunk if I move the spare tire, but haven't attempted to fit it in yet. The dog, Shelly, is going to sit shotgun obviously as there's no back seat for her. So I will need seat covers to protect the leather from dog paws/claws. I'm open to recommendations!
There are some things I'd like to do to the car, but I have a lot of research ahead of me and will be searching and reading these forums. Possible changes include nothing too crazy, I don't want to blow the car up:
- seat covers
- clear side indicators
- lightweight pulleys
- lightweight flywheel
- braided clutch cable, maybe brake lines too
- ground wires
- sound system, nothing crazy but at least a head unit, amp, small sub and better speakers
- synthetic oil (I used Royal Purple in the Civic, please advise with the S2000)
- air intake, with a quality filter that allows very little particulates through
- better spark plugs
- better hoses, hopefully matching red to the car's paint
- magnetic oil and transmission plugs
- clean and regrease the shifter
- red valve cover washers
- heat shielding
- injector cover
- Hondata Heatshield Intake Manifold Gasket
- lightweight, high-performance battery... I notice JDM sells the "Odyssey PC 680 Battery"
- front tower bar (I've heard this may be pointless though)
- switch to whatever transmission fluid you most recommend
- more capable/efficient/lighter radiator and/or fan
- cooling plate to prevent air from going up and over radiator into engine bay
- LED interior lights and maybe some of the exterior lights
Nothing crazy. I want to baby the car, it's beautiful. I'm not shooting for a ton of horsepower, I just want the car to be happy, reliable, and efficient. I probably won't get a piggyback ECU for it like my Civic had, and if I do, it won't be for a while. I want the car to breathe freely, have little electrical noise, combust air+fuel more completely, and have the best fluids available. I don't plan to track it, I just want a nice vehicle for the street and some upgrades would help me personalize it, and improve on a few things.
I'd like to match brands as much as possible for the components, just for aesthetic reasons. My last car was a real Frankenstein and I want to think of this one as more pure, as it's actually a purpose-built sports machine. So I will be reading up a lot, but please feel free to give me any recommendations, advice, or ideas here too!
Thank you!
I'm excited to join you here and hope to be a relatively active member of the forum. I recently traded in my turbocharged, B18C1-swapped '98 Civic EX coupe for a 2000 S2000 in New Formula Red with 50k miles. It is beautiful absolutely everything is bone stock. The engine compartment is spotless, and the rest of the exterior and interior are as well, except for 2 minor scratches I'll get buffed out.
The car lacks practicality compared to the Civic, and I recently adopted a dog, so I'm going to have to figure out how this will work. I think I might be able to fit her crate, folded up, in the trunk if I move the spare tire, but haven't attempted to fit it in yet. The dog, Shelly, is going to sit shotgun obviously as there's no back seat for her. So I will need seat covers to protect the leather from dog paws/claws. I'm open to recommendations!
There are some things I'd like to do to the car, but I have a lot of research ahead of me and will be searching and reading these forums. Possible changes include nothing too crazy, I don't want to blow the car up:
- seat covers
- clear side indicators
- lightweight pulleys
- lightweight flywheel
- braided clutch cable, maybe brake lines too
- ground wires
- sound system, nothing crazy but at least a head unit, amp, small sub and better speakers
- synthetic oil (I used Royal Purple in the Civic, please advise with the S2000)
- air intake, with a quality filter that allows very little particulates through
- better spark plugs
- better hoses, hopefully matching red to the car's paint
- magnetic oil and transmission plugs
- clean and regrease the shifter
- red valve cover washers
- heat shielding
- injector cover
- Hondata Heatshield Intake Manifold Gasket
- lightweight, high-performance battery... I notice JDM sells the "Odyssey PC 680 Battery"
- front tower bar (I've heard this may be pointless though)
- switch to whatever transmission fluid you most recommend
- more capable/efficient/lighter radiator and/or fan
- cooling plate to prevent air from going up and over radiator into engine bay
- LED interior lights and maybe some of the exterior lights
Nothing crazy. I want to baby the car, it's beautiful. I'm not shooting for a ton of horsepower, I just want the car to be happy, reliable, and efficient. I probably won't get a piggyback ECU for it like my Civic had, and if I do, it won't be for a while. I want the car to breathe freely, have little electrical noise, combust air+fuel more completely, and have the best fluids available. I don't plan to track it, I just want a nice vehicle for the street and some upgrades would help me personalize it, and improve on a few things.
I'd like to match brands as much as possible for the components, just for aesthetic reasons. My last car was a real Frankenstein and I want to think of this one as more pure, as it's actually a purpose-built sports machine. So I will be reading up a lot, but please feel free to give me any recommendations, advice, or ideas here too!
Thank you!
. For the clear side indicators just get the CR ones from your Honda dealer.
Administrator
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 11,310
Likes: 245
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma USA
Welcome! 
Gorgeous pup! 
IIRC, there's a thread somewhere full of great ideas on transporting pets safely and humanely without damaging your interior; might add that to your list of things to research. 
Gorgeous pup! IIRC, there's a thread somewhere full of great ideas on transporting pets safely and humanely without damaging your interior; might add that to your list of things to research.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 105
Likes: 5
~keep the oem side marker, to match ap1 lights
~no pulleys
~I wouldn't spend time changing the grounds/grounding system
~I'd wait on the battery, unless you really want it or have a use for the one it has
~Honda mtf
~No front tower bar
~CSF and Koyo aluminum radiators, there are many more new and old, those are common and legit, oem fans should work well too
~oem sorta does have a cooling shield
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Wannabes2k2k11, thanks for the suggestions. I'm not going to argue with you and I'm glad you gave me some input to help narrow down my plans. I hope you don't mind if I ask for some rationale though, I'm not doubting you, just a very curious person - why no pulleys, grounds, or front tower bar? Is Honda's MTF the best out there for this car? And are you recommending those radiator brands over something like Mishimoto?
