I was dead-set on doing just that...right up until I didn't. lolI would do the same thing, buy the same year tub you have, then you know for sure there won't be any issues.
I checked everything I could get access to in trying to determine if there were any differences, and discovered none (save for the VIN plate being embossed metal, and mounted with screws on the '98, versus a sticker on the 2000). There's a very workable solution to that, however...