Hello,

My name is Bob Peitzke. I'm an old car enthusiast and IT guy living in Pacific Palisades (between Santa Monica & Malibu) and working in Century City (LA west side), with an 11-mile commute that is much more fun with my new Suzuka Blue S2000. I really love this car. I'd wanted one since I read the comparision road test between it and the Z3 and the Boxster S (?), five or so years ago IIRC.

I'd been driving my beloved '87 Mark I MR2, a lovely, nimble, mid-engine two-seater but way underpowered. Now that the S2K is my daily driver, the MR2 becomes the project car, and will sit in the garage quite a few months until work calms down and I collect parts.

I've been reading the FAQ articles, etc., and have lots of questions - about break-in, oil, trans & diff fluids, etc. I won't overload you with all of them now.

Break-in: I'm hearing it's best to stay out of the VTEC until you've put 600 miles on it, though some disagree. I plan to honor this. So far I've only hit full throttle a few times, for half a second in 1st - 3rd, rpm < 5500. I understand that the original oil fill is a special break-in oil. Acording to Road Rage, this can be approximated on subsequent oil changes with a bottle of Valvoline MaxLive Engine Protector. Some have said break-in isn't complete until 10K miles. Really?

Up to how many miles is the MLEP helpful?

Oil grade: Lots of discussion and a variety of opinions here. OM specifies 5W-30. Some have suggested synthetics are a waste unless you plan to use extended change intervals, like once/year. I usually change oil in our cars twice a year, which at our driving rate works out to ~ 3-4K/change. I always put on a new oil filter, but have been re-using the washers. I'm going to use the Honda 1500-PCX-004, and I'll get some washers.

I guess my main question here is, 5W-30 or 10W-30? My area has moderate temperatures.

On a somewhat related topic, I've been dutifully running the OM-specified 5W-20 in my wife's Pilot J35A3 engine. Would 5W-30 be safe and possibly extend engine life?

Many more questions, but we'll get to them. I'm glad to have found a community of knowledgeable Honda S2000 lovers that looks like it will be as mutually helpful as the MR2 DL I've gotten so much out of (and contributed a little) in recent years.

- Bob Peitzke
Pacific Palisades, CA
2006 Honda S2000
2003 Honda Pilot
1987 Toyota MR2na - project car
2006 VW Passat 3.6 Sport (daughter's new DD)
1967 Mercury Cougar XR7 (daughter's fun car)

 

Welcome Bob!!!
I too am a new owner of the S2000. I was wondering if you bought the SB w/ white hardtop I've seen in the showroom at Honda of Santa Monica.
Anyway I'm sure we'll see each other around.
I'm a former Palisades resident, as my screen name hints at.
Enjoy the car my friend.

 

Hey, Radcliffe1, you're right around the corner from us. We're on Charm Acres Place. What color is your S2000?

No, we didn't buy that one at Honda SM - they wanted too much for it and weren't offering test drives. I drove one at Airport Marina Honda, where we'd bought my wife's Pilot 3 yrs ago, and I loved it - instantly forgot about the Solstice & MX5. We would up buying mine from Norm Reeves Honda in Cerritos. We got a pretty good price, though I feel they got me on a remote security upgrade, though my wife says the insurance agent told her it will save us on premiums.

I really resent the dealers' practice of blindsiding you with additional products when you're all ready to buy your car. Obviously they do it b/c there's so much momentum to buy, and you're more likely to accept things you might not if you had more time to consider their cost:benefit ratio. I think it's SOP, but I hate it, and told them.

Do you have the hardtop? If so how's it worked for you? I'm planning on getting one.

 

I was right around the corner from you but moved to SM some years back.
We've got an old family friend that lives on Charm (Jackie D.- the blind lady).
Honda of Santa Monica is a tough place to shop for sure.
Nope don't have the hardtop but thinking about it. Not sure I need one here in sunny SoCal. It might mute some of the road noise when the wife and I cruise to S.B. or P.S.
I'll keep an eye out for you - I commute on PCH to Topanga and over the hill.
Used to work in Century City but they dropped our old building - ABC Entertainment Center.

 

congrats on ownership and to the boards!

 

Hey, Rad,

Yeah, we've known Jackie for years. She lives just a few houses up from us.

Commuting over Topanga is pretty frustrating, as there's too much traffic and always seems to be a slowpoke holding up a line of cars & not using the turnouts. Not many safe places to pass. Not that I drive that fast any more, but it is frustrating to poke along, esp in a car like the S2000.

I'm thankful that my commute has alternate route options.

Cheers,

- Bob

 

welcome aboard!

 

Welcome, Bob!

I'm sure you'll make the transition from MR2 to S2K with no problem. Having owned an '86 and an '88 Mark I, and currently a '93 MR2 Turbo, I can positively state you'll have even more fun in the S....as you've already found out.

There are a lot of threads on the subjects you've brought up...do a search and I'm sure you'll find everything and more that you want to know about your new Honda. There is so much knowledge at s2ki.com you should really take a few hours every week (day?) and just go over old posts...just as important as reading your owners' manual!

And you'll find lots of ex-MR2 owners here. To me, the MR2 is the S2000 of the '80s and '90s....

 

Welcome. I'm down the coast near Newport. I have been using 10W-30 since '01 and have had no problems. My wife's Pilot gets 5W-30 which is harder to find.

 

Welcome to S ownership, Bob, and welcome to s2ki.com.

Break-in: Yes, stay under 6000 RPM for the first 600 miles or so. I waited a bit longer. Don't worry about trying to recreate the factory fill... Just add dino oil when necessary to keep the dipstick to the top X. Eventually, when you do your first oil change, use dino oil, but adding Molybdenum is kind of over the top if you ask me. Use your judgement for the first change. Probably not before 3750 miles, but possibly before 7500. My oil looked so sludgy at the 3750 mark that it was time.

I should note that your new 2006 has its cylinder bores honed differently than the earlier models, and there's not many oil seal issues being reported with these newer blocks. The old engines burn oil quite variably, and you really have to keep you eye on the dipstick.

Oil grade? Stick with a 10 weight. 10W-30 is best with dino oil. Newer synths, it sort of depends. Don't put in synth until around 10K miles.

Bring on the add'l questions. I'll try to help, and point you at other forums here in s2ki-land to help.

Best wishes!