S2000 owners advice
- Thread starter hurfdurf
- Start date
Don
Luckily, doing the timing chain on the F20C is dead easy. Can do it in the car with no real difficulty. Only challenging part is breaking the crank pulley bolt loose. Something like 250NM I think.
i used cheapo mains powered electric impact gun to get crank pulley bolt off the fiesta. use the gun a lot more now for wheels and suspension stuff.
Nice, what’s your budget and would you consider modified cars? I wanted a completely stock car but the one that I came across that was too good to be true had a K&N, which didn’t bother me.
Don
Looking at £15k so should be enough for a post 2004 example on sensible milage. The really good ones are £20k+ but I'm not going there. Not looking for anything concourse. Just a good, honest example. Willing to take a modified one. Exhaust, FIPK etc. Not wanting one that's had any kind of FI though. It would be nice to find one without siezed suspension adjusters but that's wishful thinking for that budget.
My main concern is finding one with a roof in decent condition, without holes where the shoulders rub. Ideally I want one between 2004 and 2006 as I prefer the cable throttle to the electronic one on the post 2006 cars. Also much cheaper tax for pre Mar 2006. Post then it's £700/year which is kind of annoying.
There are a few examples around that I'm going to see if I can get to see next week. They don't seem to be moving as many have been advertised for quite some time.
The funny thing is, my £15k budget is exactly what I sold my 2007 example for in 2016. It's also what I bought it for in 2012!
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That sounds exactly like mine, I was very lucky and got it at a great price considering the miles on it. Good luck with your search. There seems to be a few that are advertised in that realm but not selling, whereas others are selling in days, so I’m wondering what is wrong with the ones that aren’t.
Edit: Wow, I thought I’d have lost some money on mine this year putting 10k on it, but a quick glance on auto trader shows there’s only 18 in the country post 2004 that have less than 50k on, and the cheapest is almost £3000 more than I paid for mine!
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Associate
as someone who has been looking for a bit of a project s2000 the prices are pretty scary at the moment. even the less desirable cars with 100k+ on are 10k now. most of those are going to need a lot of work to get up to standard as you know the alignment bolts will be seized, chain will probably want doing etc.
Feels like i might have missed the boat here looking for the right 6-7k car.
Feels like i might have missed the boat here looking for the right 6-7k car.
Soldato
Probably all the heroes using Millers oil with 'no issues'what is it with hondas and chains stretching? cousins k20 civic engine needed chain doing at 60k miles.
Is there something wrong with Millers?
Soldato
'Been fine in my car' 
Purely conjecture but a condequence of many of the reccommendations that scoot around of forums and owners clubs based on short term not long term trends.
Purely conjecture but a condequence of many of the reccommendations that scoot around of forums and owners clubs based on short term not long term trends.
Always regretted not getting an S2000. I was a diehard CRX fanboy. Having had 4 with the top being a Celestial blue Vtec. We did a turbo conversion on one of them too. That was rapid.
A mate had a 12 sec Integra turbo. Always wanted to stick a blown B18 into a CRX.
Honda need to do another
A mate had a 12 sec Integra turbo. Always wanted to stick a blown B18 into a CRX.
Honda need to do another
'Been fine in my car'
Purely conjecture but a condequence of many of the reccommendations that scoot around of forums and owners clubs based on short term not long term trends.
I'm not asking because I'm trying to defend it out of some weird sense of brand loyalty.
I just noticed that the place that service my GT86 always used Millers oil, so yes, it has "been fine in my car", I'm just curious if there's a reason it should be avoided in future.
Don
All the cheap S2000s are gone now. Cost of entry is £10k with 100k+ on it. £15k gets you a reasonable one with halfway sensible milage. £20k+ for the low milage, completely standard examples with no issues.
The main issue for so few being around is that insurance companies love to write them off. Getting body panels is very difficult and so even a light bump will have it written off.
Soldato
Stretchy Honda chains would be one
I'm not asking because I'm trying to defend it out of some weird sense of brand loyalty.
I just noticed that the place that service my GT86 always used Millers oil, so yes, it has "been fine in my car", I'm just curious if there's a reason it should be avoided in future.
Don
After a short search, I found the diamond in the rough!
After viewing several with questionable history, dodgy mods, rattly cam chains, and torn roofs, I came across one that is pretty much perfect. So, I bought it.
2005 on 60k miles. 2 owners from new with the last one having it since 2008. Recent geo. New Contis. No tears in the roof.
The only fault I could find was the paint has peeled off the rocker cover.
Took it for a lengthy test drive where I thrashed it like a 1940s schoolboy. All good.
Was up for £16k, offered £15k, settled on £15.5k. Pick it up on Sunday.
To say I’m over the moon is an understatement.
After viewing several with questionable history, dodgy mods, rattly cam chains, and torn roofs, I came across one that is pretty much perfect. So, I bought it.
2005 on 60k miles. 2 owners from new with the last one having it since 2008. Recent geo. New Contis. No tears in the roof.
The only fault I could find was the paint has peeled off the rocker cover.
Took it for a lengthy test drive where I thrashed it like a 1940s schoolboy. All good.
Was up for £16k, offered £15k, settled on £15.5k. Pick it up on Sunday.
To say I’m over the moon is an understatement.
nothing wrong with it,
There are many manufacturers of oil, as long as it meets the manufacturer specs then there isn't an issue .
Honda do not have a specification (unlike ford, Renault, VW etc etc)
Honda officially recommend Castrol edge 5w40, there are 3 grades of edge 5w40 and it doesn't matter which one you use.
To that end any quality 5w40 will be perfectly fine.
Personally I would advise using a 5w40 with the Porsche A40 approval due to the approval process the manufacturer has to go through to get that approval.
I presume the author of that comment was referring to the 5w40 racing oil by millers the honda boys tend to like.
What people need to be aware of with racing oils is that they are made using much higher quality base stocks and have additional anti wear additives .and additives that reduce or eliminate oil shear, they are designed for really harsh environments. However it should be noted that these racing oils have much less cleaning agents (usually none) as it is expected the oil will be replaced every 1 or 2 meetings. It's not designed to be used as a general service oil where the car does 12k miles between changes.
Don
Excuse potato pics. There was no light by the time I’d finished paperwork.
Soldato
That looks like an extremely good find! 2005 is the pick of the years too with cheaper tax. I’ve been moaning about how the prices of these have increased and that they might not be worth the money that is being asked… but for £15.5k all that’s out the window!
Enjoy!
Enjoy!