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New to me S2000...bone stock low milage...what to do?
So I FINALLY got myself an S2000. After reading about this car in high school when it came out...to finally in my 40's I bit the bullet and purchased one!
I ended up with a 2002 late build that 'should' have the banjo bolt factory upgrade already. Car has about 45,000 miles (70,000km), clean carfax with only a handful of owners. All original with zero mods.
Looking for some advice on what to do with my bone stock car.
-All maintenance is up to date. Rear diff oil and trans oil changed about 3500 miles ago (6 years ago)...should I bother changing it cause it was so long ago, or just leave it?
-When does the first valve adjust need to be done?
-Car is minty minty with zero rust or zero signs of rust. Should I remove the rear inner wheel lip rubber trim? The one side is loose and I'm worried that moisture will just collect...tempted to either buy new trim for both sides and use clear silicone to install it...or just remove it all together.
-Some rubber cut to fit floor mats are included, but they are dinky and don't cover much. There are no removable carpet mats. Does anyone have a link for a quality and affordable floormat that covers the 'humps' as well as the footwell? I can only find the OEM style that does not cover the humps
-I'll likely put on a pre-painted OE replica spoiler. Ebay has them for a good price. Is this a bad idea?
-I'd like to find a OE replica front lip...but I can't find any that are pre-painted. Any suggestions on where to get?
-Rear wheel rock guard thing...you know, the triangle shaped thing that goes in front of the rear wheel...what's the point of this and should I get them?
-Same as above...but are these normally painted or unpainted?
-Has anyone successfully installed the 3rd party AP2 rear fender liners onto an AP1 rear bumper with some light modifications?
Anything else that I should do to keep my new to me S2000 that the fantastic owners on S2ki would suggest, please let me know!
The diff oil should be changed every like 15K miles or something. You can change it to make 100% sure the right fluid is in it. Or leave it alone for a few years.
No, you don't need to remove the rubber lip cover. It won't hurt to leave it on or remove it as long as you're not driving the car in snow/salt. The disadvantage of removing it is potential rock chips. But there's some truth to stating its a water trap. If you do remove it, you can always get that section covered in raptor liner or thick clear bra or some other modern type of protection.
There are no prepainted aftermarket front lips. None of them will fit like a stock one. You can still find stock lips. They're just massively expensive, usually from somewhere in Europe.
An eBay spoiler is probably a bad idea. Remember, you're gonna drill your trunk to install this. I wouldn't drill a VIN matching trunk to bolt in a replica spoiler. It likely won't fit well.
The front of rear wheel guard thingy is called a side strake. its just another accesory. There's no point besides appearance.
You should probabaly do your valve adjustment now. For an AP1, once every 30-50K miles is sensible.
Best thing to do is enjoy the car and maintain it well.
Last edited by B serious; Dec 31, 2024 at 06:03 PM.
They're supposed to be replaced if ever removed. There is a sealant applied on install. Sealant broken when removed, which then allows debris, moisture, etc. Formula for rust.
People often don't realize, remove the reapply.
People have applied truck bed liner coatings in their place. Others have left them off.
I just purchased my first S2000 as well in October. Bone stock 2005 GPW from first owner who dealer maintained its entire life. Had been sitting on a non op registration for the last 3 years since the prior owner wasn't able to physically drive manual anymore.
After purchasing, I've done the following to make sure it's running well, while keeping it fully stock:
1. Valve adjustment is always a good idea. Cold engine. Max clearance.
2. Don't tell anyone but I've had an "eBay" (love how guys write eBay like it's a brand name! ) rear ducktail spoiler on my 2006 car for over 10 years. Held on by 3M double-sided tape -- no drilling necessary. Color match is perfect -- certainly as good as the OEM front lower spoiler that came out of the box brand new. Doesn't weigh enough to require fitting heavier springs to hold the trunk lid open.
3. I have a set of genuine Honda rear wheel opening thingies still in the box. Been "planning" on fitting them for years but drilling holes in the body work and exposing the steel to rust and corrosion always stops me. Like the spoilers these are essentially cosmetic at speeds under 140mph. My widow will no doubt sell them in a garage sale for $20...
4. Genuine OEM front spoilers are available from the UK as reasonable price -- search here. I had mine installed 6 years ago -- car had over 50,000 miles -- the front bumper was so full of stone chips I had it professionally refinished and painted -- yours probably needs the same. Paint match the bumper, spoiler, and fenders. Mask the VIN tag on the bumper first. Car was at the body shop for a week.
1. Valve adjustment is always a good idea. Cold engine. Max clearance.
2. Don't tell anyone but I've had an "eBay" (love how guys write eBay like it's a brand name! ) rear ducktail spoiler on my 2006 car for over 10 years. Held on by 3M double-sided tape -- no drilling necessary. Color match is perfect -- certainly as good as the OEM front lower spoiler that came out of the box brand new. Doesn't weigh enough to require fitting heavier springs to hold the trunk lid open.
3. I have a set of genuine Honda rear wheel opening thingies still in the box. Been "planning" on fitting them for years but drilling holes in the body work and exposing the steel to rust and corrosion always stops me. Like the spoilers these are essentially cosmetic at speeds under 140mph. My widow will no doubt sell them in a garage sale for $20...
4. Genuine OEM front spoilers are available from the UK as reasonable price -- search here. I had mine installed 6 years ago -- car had over 50,000 miles -- the front bumper was so full of stone chips I had it professionally refinished and painted -- yours probably needs the same. Paint match the bumper, spoiler, and fenders. Mask the VIN tag on the bumper first. Car was at the body shop for a week.
-- Chuck
uhh Chuck, can i just grab those wheel opening thingies from ya and give you the 20 bucks now.... lol
I would try to keep the car "bone stock" OEM as much as possible. These puppies are getting rarer and rarer to find on the road.
Good luck with the great find!
I agree. I would wait at least a year before deciding to make any real mods. You may just find you like it just the way it is. The radio headhunt is an easy change and you can keep the OEM radio if you ever sell it so the new owner can use it even though I don't know why.
New to me S2000...bone stock low milage...what to do?
) rear ducktail spoiler on my 2006 car for over 10 years. Held on by 3M double-sided tape -- no drilling necessary. Color match is perfect -- certainly as good as the OEM front lower spoiler that came out of the box brand new. Doesn't weigh enough to require fitting heavier springs to hold the trunk lid open.
