Honda S2000 Coilover Guide

We review the most popular Honda S2000 coilovers available on the market today, from budget to pro. This is the ultimate S2K coilover guide.

honda s2000 coilovers

Tein Flex Z
KW Variant 3
ARK DT-P
RS-R Sports*i
BC Racing BR
Megan Racing Street Series
HKS Hipermax IV
Fortune Auto 500
Buddy Club Racing Spec
Stance XR1
SPOON Sports Full Spec
J’s Racing Crux Kit
Amuse Hi-Tech Damper Kit
Moton 3-Way Damper System
Jump to winner

In a hurry? Here is our S2000 Coilover summary

Budget Choice	Drifted Choice	Premium Choice

BC Racing BR Series S2000 Coilovers	KW Variant 3 (V3) S2000 Coilovers	Moton 3-Way S2000 Coilovers
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥	🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥	🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

When Honda released their two-seater roadster to the market to celebrate their 50th Anniversary, it certainly got people thinking about the potential possibilities that the unique S2000 had to offer.

Sure, it has a decent amount of power under the hood, and you can get even more out of it with an air intake or aftermarket exhaust upgrade. If you want to go full r*tard, you’ll definitely want to consider turbocharging or supercharging to turn it into a whole different weapon.

Once you’ve done those, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the most out of the drivability of the car. Suspension is the decisive part of handling and Honda did a great job with this from the factory. Can it be improved? You bet!

Coilovers give you the ability to not only help your S2K cling to the road but also enable you to adjust the ride height, stiffness and a huge array of other options. For those of you that are tuning your S2K, coilovers are an absolute must-have.

Every single movement that your car makes is controlled by the suspension and everything that it does relates to how the suspension performs. For most people, that’s extremely important and whether you’re desperate to shave valuable seconds from your lap times at the track, or want to achieve a precise drift setup, you’ll want some of our higher-end options.

However, if you’re purely looking to slam the car or have adjustable stiffness, some of the cheaper options may well suit your needs.

Not all of these kits fit both the AP1 and AP2, so we highly recommend ensuring you have the right kit before purchasing.

Let’s take a look at our Honda S2000 coilover selection

To read more about any of these products simply click on the coilover name or photo.

Tein Flex Z S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: Tein
Levels of damping adjustment: 16
Construction type: Twin-tube
Spring rate front: 10kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 10kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & (AP2)
Value for money: ?????
Purchase link: Tein Flex Z Coilover Kit

Our comment: Tein bring their latest kit which is insanely good value for money to the market. At this price point, you may assume that they’re cheaply made. However, Tein managed to reduce their costs by making these a sealed structure, meaning they are not rebuildable. Don’t let this put you off as rebuilds often cost as much as replacing! These are fantastic quality and made in Yokohama, Japan, with a typical JDM eye for quality.

Despite being more road orientated, this is also a capable track coilover featuring an impressive amount of adjustment. For the money, you’re going to struggle to get a better all-rounder than this.

These are also compatible with Tein’s awesome EDFC system which allows you to adjust the damping electronically inside the car.

If you’re looking for a more track-orientated setup from Tein, they also have mid-range and upper-range offerings.

Manufacturer description: “FLEX Z inherits all the features and quality of STREET FLEX but the adoption of new platform allows its price to be set at amazingly low range ($800 to $1,050). FLEX Z, of course, maintains the long-favored “Made in Yokohama” quality. Ride height adjustable shock absorber, fully loaded with TEIN’s comprehensive technology, is now more affordable prices than ever.“

“Its smooth stroke movement makes it possible to follow rough and bumpy road surfaces quite well, offering supple ride at low speed and stable ride at high speed. Full-length ride height adjustment system, used for FLEX Z, enables adjustment of ride height by adjusting the case length, without changing the damper stroke length and/or spring pre-load. This has the advantage that the change in ride quality is kept minimal when the height is adjusted. This system not only makes it possible to maintain good balance between the low-down appearance and ride comfor, but also provides more setting choices for sport driving as well.“

KW Variant 3 (V3) S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: KW
Levels of damping adjustment: 14
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: Progressive spring (listed as 515lbs/in)
Spring rate rear: Progressive spring (listed as 515lbs/in)
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ?????
Purchase link: KW V3 coilover kit

Our comment: Despite being one of the more expensive options on our list, they say that quality comes at a price and the KW coilover kit certainly lives up to that.

S2000 owners have been stunned by this offering from KW for some time and the ability to provide great road comfort whilst also setting impressive lap times on the track leaves no questions on why owners are so impressed.

Since these are a stainless steel construction, you won’t have to worry about corrosion. Should you have any issues, KW also offers one of the best warranties out there.

If you can’t afford the price tag of the premium offering, both the V2 and V1 are extremely highly regarded for the price.

Manufacturer description: “Ready for a driving experience as unique as your car? A KW Suspensions Variant 3 coilover set offer you the independent compression and rebound damping setup you need.“

“The new Variant 3 is state-of-the-art technology for the skilled and experienced driver. The separate and independent compression and rebound Dampening options allow a truly individual driving set-up. These unique systems with the 3 individually adjustable components, allows for adjustment of the compression of the damper in the low-speed range, while the highspeed set-up, so decisive for driving comfort has been preset by our engineers.“

ARK DT-P S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: ARK
Levels of damping adjustment: 16
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 9kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 9kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ????
Purchase link: ARK DT-P coilovers

Our comment: ARK have entered the market with two coilover variants, the DT-P, which are mostly track-focused alongside the ST-P series which is street-orientated.

Created from the Team ARK motorsports division alongside Formula Drift experience, the DT-P system is a great option if you intend to hit the track. We’ve heard great things about these coilovers and ARK’s customer service which makes these an even more appealing offering.

Manufacturer description: “ARK Performance DT-P monotube coilover systems are fully adjustable with 16 levels of dampening to fit your street or track needs. Our suspension systems are engineered and designed based on knowledge from our Team ARK Racing motorsports division and Formula Drift experience. The DT-P system offers pillow ball top mounts which are more performance oriented and allow for better adjustment of camber. “

RS-R Sports*i S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: RS-R
Levels of damping adjustment: 36
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 10kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 9kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ????
Purchase link: RS-R Sports*i coilovers

Our comment: RS*R have brought a fantastic offering to the market with a unique approach. Quality and comfort have been their main goal and they’ve undoubtedly achieved that. If you’re after the handling advantages of a coilover but want to maintain a comfortable ride for the street and occasional track use, these are an excellent high-quality choice.

Manufacturer description: “Spirited weekend track drives do not have to sacrifice daily driving comfort or performance. Designed for the performance enthusiast in mind, the RS-R Sports-I coilover system provides a comfortable ride for everyday use, yet is sufficient enough for those effervescent track days.“

“Why spend all day at the track dialing in your suspension when you should be on the track enjoying the experience. Damper and camber adjustments should not be a definitive factor, nor should you spend all day adjusting your suspension settings at the track. Drive to the track, on the track and drive home in comfort. Enjoy driving again with the RS-R Sports-I coilovers.“

BC Racing BR Series S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: BC Racing
Levels of damping adjustment: 30
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 10kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 10kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ?????
Purchase link: BC Racing BR S2000 coilovers

Our comment: BC Racing offer one of the best budget coilover kit available on the market. If you’re planning to spend less than $1k, this all-round kit or the Tein Flex Z could well be the perfect choice for you.

BC offers various springs with this setup, including Swift Springs which will make these feel even more impressive. If you’re looking for lows, they also offer an ‘extreme low’ option. Speak with Enjuku about your needs and we have no doubt they’ll be happy to help you out.

These offer a firm, but not crashy ride which is still ideal for street use and are still capable when you head to the track. BC also offer their higher-end ER Series coilovers which are a competitor for the KW V3’s if you’re intending to do mostly track use, however, we would personally always steer towards the KW in this case.

Manufacturer description: “The BR model is perfect for street driving and occasional road course duty. With easily accessible adjustment knobs for fine-tuning your compression/rebound and separately adjustable ride height, having a performance coilover system couldn’t be any easier. You choose how low or high you want your vehicle, no preset ride height here, and our patented concave lower locking ring keeps it locked in.“

“All of our systems come with pillowball mounts to provide the most feedback possible from your suspension and to sharpen your steering response. BC’s available front and rear camber plates also allow you to get the perfect alignment setup without compromise. All this while providing a strong, attractive looking coilover system.“

Megan Racing Track Series S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: Megan Racing
Levels of damping adjustment: 32
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 12kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 12kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ????
Purchase link: Megan Racing Track Series S2000 Coilovers

Our comment: This entry-level option may suit those on a budget that are making frequent trips to the track or carving up the canyons. Despite Megan being known for their low-budget options, many owners have frequently been impressed with this track-orientated offering for the money.

If you intend to use it as a daily driver, expect a rough ride, however, these feel well-planted to the road or track and will offer great performance for the cost. These could make an ideal low-budget track or drift car option, or purely a beginner setup.

Manufacturer description: “For those who demand the absolute most in handling and performance from their vehicle, Megan Racing has developed a new series of fully adjustable Coil-Over Damper kits for limited applications. The new Track-Series Coil-over Damper Kit surely stands out above the rest with the dependability and performance that Megan Racing suspension products are known for.“

“With a gunmetal finish for the brackets and coated springs for durability, it is apparent that the Megan Racing Track-Series dampers mean business. However, beyond their aggressive appearance stands the true essence of these Dampers. The increased spring rates, mated with more aggressively valved dampers, stiffer shock setting, and heavy-duty piston construction add up to a suspension system that out-performs most competing suspensions that retail for almost twice the price.“

HKS Hipermax IV GT S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: HKS
Levels of damping adjustment: 30
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 16kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 16kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ?????
Purchase link: HKS Hipermax 4 GT S2000 Coilovers

Our comment: Legendary Japanese tuning company HKS bring their hand with a justified-price mid-range offering. This option combines fantastic ride comfort which is close to stock (even when slammed) with the addition of impeccable handling alongside the typical quality you would expect from HKS. These are definitely more track than street orientated due to the spring stiffness, but they also make for a great fast road setup.

These are an extremely popular choice among S2000 owners and a serious competitor for the KW V3’s. It may just boil down to personal preference as to which suits you best, especially if you’re keen to maintain the JDM aspect on your car.

Manufacturer description: “The new Max IV is a sporty suspension. Gives you an awesome sporty drive with great control and a comfortable ride on the street.“

“It’s perfect for daily street driving that gives you style and performance. You and your passenger can have a comfortable ride even with a low-down. Mono tube dampers allow for more accurate and stable control and adjustment of dampening. Lower ride height and centre of gravity gives a more stable ride.“

Fortune Auto 500 S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: Fortune Auto 500
Levels of damping adjustment: 24
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 9kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 9kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ????
Purchase link: Fortune Auto 500 Coilovers

Our comment: Fortune Auto have these attention-grabbing coilovers on offer, with fantastic quality and a lower-end price to match. These are soft and smooth for daily driving and also a capable coilover for occasional track use.

With the ability to upgrade to 2-way remote canisters or swift springs, this could be a great option if you want a daily driving coilover now with something more track-orientated later on without having to purchase brand new.

If you’re after their premium range offering, make sure you check out the Fortune Auto 510 series too.

Manufacturer description: “Research on the racetrack has helped us develop the Fortune Auto 500 Series into a great all-around shock absorber. Using high-quality components that meet our strict standards allows us to optimize comfort, reliability, and longevity.“

“At Fortune Auto, we approach the science of suspension with a mentality of customization that has raised the industry’s standards of performance.“

Buddy Club Racing Spec S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: Buddy Club
Levels of damping adjustment: 15
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 10kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 10kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ????
Purchase link: Buddy Club Racing Spec Coilovers

Our comment: Another popular offering is from Buddy Club with their track-orientated S2000 setup, but be prepared for these to be on the harsh side for a daily driver. Pillowball mounts are highly recommended with this setup.

These are a great budget track option, but for the money, we think that the KW V3 is superior whilst being more refined for both the street and track for just a little extra money.

Manufacturer description: “Racing Spec Damper Kit is a high performance sports suspension kit designed by engineers using a vast quantity of data that Buddy Club has accumulated in the past 15 years using its high performance aluminum damper (ie. spec 30.1 Racing Damper) on various racing cars and tuned cars, focused more on the proper damper size, spring rate, dampening, stroke length for customer’s use in winding roads and race tracks.“

Stance XR1 S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: Stance
Levels of damping adjustment: 15
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 11kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 9kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ????
Purchase link: Stance XR1 Coilovers

Our comment: Stance brings you their mid-range coilover offering, which is great for owners who are looking for low ride height with good adjustability while still maintaining great handling.

Despite being slightly firmer than stock, it’s not a crashy ride and if frame-laying is your thing, comfort probably isn’t at the top of your list! With the option of swift springs available, we’d highly recommend opting for these. If you’re intending to track the car there are better options out there, but for daily driving, this is a great, affordable option.

Manufacturer description: “Stance XR1 Coilovers are our standard single way adjustable coilover. The XR1 is very similar to our Super Sport line, but due to the constant development of our products, has been improved in many ways. The build and material quality has never been higher.“

“Newly designed pillowball and bushing materials increase longevity and performance. The range and consistency of the XR1 damping forces is also greater than previous Super Sports.“

SPOON Sports Full Spec S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: SPOON Sports
Levels of damping adjustment: Unknown
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 14kg/mm
Spring rate rear: 12kg/mm
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ?????
Purchase link: SPOON Sports Full Spec S2000 Coilovers

Our comment: If you’re on a low budget, you may want to look away now as this is where the real coilover porn begins as we begin to list some of the more expensive options on the market.

These rare coilovers are certainly not the most popular option out there, but they also don’t fit everyone’s price range. For those with big pockets, these are a fantastic track option but most drivers will find them too stiff for daily use. These have been tested in various lap-time competitions in Japan and blown away all of the others. If you’re serious about lap times and want a great quality coilover set, these are undoubtedly worth considering.

Manufacturer description: “The new Spoon adjustable damper kit features adjustable ride height stiffness and stroke. Constructed from chromoly steel with aluminium components. A 45mm piston is used for excellent capacity for damper tune ability range. Highly recommended for high end users and circuit racing. All kits come with springs and upper mounts. Spoon coilovers are thoroughly designed and tested for their application, unlike most aftermarket suspension systems. The ride height, damper settings and range have been determined from extensive track testing and experience.“

“These dampers provide incredible performance on track while maintaining the smooth feel and comfort of the stock suspension. Manufactured by Showa, the OE supplier of Honda suspension parts, users can expect OE quality, durability, and longevity. Four-position dampening adjustment, separate height and pre-load adjustment, stock upper mounts.“

J’s Racing Crux S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: J’s Racing
Levels of damping adjustment: 30
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: 10kg/mm (Progressive)
Spring rate rear: 10g/mm (Progressive)
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ?????
Purchase link: J’s Racing Crux Coilovers

Our comment: Another offering which certainly doesn’t come cheap is the J’s Racing Crux kit. It may seem expensive, but those who have forked out the cash claim that it’s worth every penny.

These are a track or touge-orientated setup for getting the very best out of your S2000, not that we’d recommend using a setup this expensive for your everyday driver!

Manufacturer description: “Js racing jointly developed with CRUX Engineering, a premier performance / racing suspension manufacturer. The products are designed from enormous data collected from countless field tests on the race track. First, the stroke, damping force, gas pressure are all optimized to achieve the best lap times. Then, feedback information are used to manufacture the best street / performance suspension kits for our customers.“

“Newly designed pillowball and bushing materials increase longevity and performance. The range and consistency of the XR1 damping forces is also greater than previous Super Sports.“

Amuse Hi-Tech Damper Kit (Titanium Springs)

Manufacturer: Power House Amuse
Levels of damping adjustment: 15
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: Various
Spring rate rear: Various
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ?????
Purchase link: Amuse Hi-Tech Damper Kit

Our comment: When two tuning legends, suspension specialist Bilstein and Power House Amuse collaborate, you know that something special is going to happen and they certainly don’t disappoint here. Owners have classed this kit as ‘phenomenal’, but this titanium spring offering certainly comes at a price!

These won the Best Motoring face-off, and they are certainly a fantastic option for the track, but some very brave owners have also recommended them for road or daily use. We can believe this, given that they were designed for the touge.

Manufacturer description: “Amuse Hi-Tech Dampers are manufactured by Bilstein to Amuse specifications. These are far from off-the-shelf shocks. They have Amuse-spec piston diameters, valving, spring heights and spring rates.“

Moton 3-Way S2000 Coilovers

Manufacturer: Moton
Levels of damping adjustment: 15
Construction type: Monotube
Spring rate front: Springs not included
Spring rate rear: Springs not included
Fitment: Honda S2000 AP1 & AP2
Value for money: ?????
Purchase link: Moton 3-way S2000 Coilovers

Our comment: This setup is as serious as the picture and price point will make you believe! Moton are one of the biggest names in the suspension industry and they’ve released this product for those who are serious about the track and getting the absolute best out of their S2K.

These are an incredible option for those of you where money is no option. This kit doesn’t include springs, if it is of interest to you then we highly recommend reaching out to Vivid Racing.

Manufacturer description: “The 3-Way adjustable Moton damper features 15 positions of high speed bump, 6 positions low speed bump and 15 positions of rebound adjustment. The low speed bump adjuster is located on top of the high speed bump adjuster and can be adjusted in dependably.“

“The low speed bump adjuster is very effective in helping to control body roll while adding to turn in and is effective in controlling pitch and squat. The 3-Way adjustable Moton damper is using, like the double adjustable damper, a unique blow off valve system in the canister to totally control curb stones and bumpy track conditions.“

Our winner

Our winner is the highly acclaimed KW Variation 3 coilovers.

It was a close call between the superb KW V3’s and the HKS Hipermax for those of you that are looking for an every-day setup and frequently head to the track. With KW’s great track record combined with their stainless steel construction preventing rust and incredible versatility, they tick all the boxes for our guide.

KW V3 S2000 Coilovers

For those with a slightly lower budget that are looking to get the best lap times available, we have no doubt that the HKS Hipermax IV’s will be perfect for your needs.

Runner-up

We just couldn’t bring ourselves to let these be the winners due to the crazy price which will put it completely out of the average buyer’s range. That being said, if you have the cash to splash and often head to the track, the Moton 3-way setup really is the best choice out there for you.

Moton 3-Way

Thank you for reading our Honda S2000 coilover guide.

Looking for more power for your S2000? Try our turbo or supercharger kit guides! Want to upgrade your seats? Try our S2000 seat guide.

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Photography credits

We thank the following entities for use of their photography in this article:

Written by Joe Terrell Drifted.com founder, motoring journalist and all-round car enthusiast. Read more about Joe and the Drifted team on our about us page.