[QUOTE=mmm def,Feb 15 2008, 11:03 PM]Hi everyone,

I just put my deposit on an 08 Chicane S2k tonight and worked the numbers to trade my 335 in, got a decent deal imo.

 

 

seriously, whats with all the sell-outs and the people ranting over a BMW. M<y G./F has one, it is always broken, the interior looks the same in every model, of every year, its such a yuppie car, with no back-bone, but who am I too judge, whatever floats your boat

 

We are talking about stock vs stock here. Not NOS. If one wants NOS, even a Civic could "smoke" the 335i.

335i
The 335i could run from 0 to 60mph in the 5.0 to 5.2 second range. Down the 1320ft / quarter-mile strip, the 335i could finish in merely 13.6 seconds. These numbers are just a bit shy from the E46 M3's numbers. Those numbers are generally quite consistent.

S2000
The S2000? C&D claimed it could do 0-60 in 5.5 seconds (in the issue that compared an AP1 vs NSX), and R&T claimed it could do that in 5.4 seconds with an AP2 (I don't remember which issue mentioned that). These are the most optimistic numbers. However, in most cases, the numbers are closer to 6 seconds by other tests.

Then comes the 1320ft drag race. Most magainzes and drivers could squeeze high-13s (i.e. 13.9) to low 14s out of S2000. And the variation is generally bigger.

Sure, we have owners who got the car down to 13.7 or so seconds, but that's based on optimal conditions and many trials and errors with good drivers that aren't easily replicated. And so do 335i drivers are able to extract better 1/4 mile times compared to magazine times.


Anyway, my point is, the 335i is a faster car. It may not be light years ahead of the S2000, but no matter how you slice and dice it, numbers down the straight line tell you the German breed is quicker -- AND it's easier to drive. You really gotta beat the crap outta the S to pull sub-14 1/4-mile times. The S2000's low-torque and peaky nature requires a high level of driving skill and a very good set of condition for a driver to extract the performance. In most cases? That would not be available. And even if those are available, you would still find the BMW a tad faster.

Okay, so moving on to lap times. The 335i is also a quicker car with better lap times. Check out MT's best handling car article, it's a fairly fair test.

In any case, the 335i isn't a slow car. That car probably has better aerodynamics than our S2000 (it better be, since it costs so much more and is made 8yrs after the S2000 was made originally). You can't discount how much engineering and technologies have advanced in the past decade to make cars more stable at high speed cornering, faster in acceleration, improvements in chassis construction and welding techniques for rigidity, etc.

Nevertheless, with all that said, am I going to trade in my S for a 335i? HECK NO. I might consider an 335i if the S2000 never existed on this planet

 

^ I get what you're saying but I hold my argument - a 13 second car just isn't what I consider a fast car. I say the same thing about the E46... I was bored with the power of the s2k and I'd be bored with the 335 as well (and they have instant warranty void for upping boost - and you definitely need a warranty with a bmw...).

The 1/2 second edge that the bmw has wouldn't warrant a switch to that car at all unless you are strictly wanting more civility and comfort.

 

 

335 would be very easy to upgrade the power. Many options already on the market for as low as a few hundred bucks.

That said, I would still keep my S and have the BMW as a daily.

 

 

I traded my 07 G35X in on my 08 S2000 and have no regrets. The infiniti and BMW are fairly comparable, with the BMW being faster, handling better and slightly higher quality materials used in the interior(though it is a bit more cramped feeling), but also coming at about a $9k premium when comparably loaded. I have no regrets, the speed the infiniti had was nice but boring, I smile every time I drive my S2000, which happens to be chicane silver. I wanted an elise but my brother bought a S2k at the same time I did and we both got phenomenal deals that I couldn't justify dealing with the elises shortcomings and paying a huge premium to do so.

For me the S is my only car, I recently sold my business and retired. I went from driving 15k+ miles a year to around 5k, the S makes those miles, though few, more enjoyable. Of course the G was more luxurious and much easier to deal with on a day to day basis, but you only live once and not many lie on their death bed thinking "having that convertible was a bad idea."