elanderholm

My friend just bought a 1999 M3 with about 40k miles. My s2000 has about 1500 miles on it..i've only had it for 2 1/2 weeks!!! lots of driving!!

We decided to take it out on some twisty backroads to see what they could do. He just go it, so he was pretty conservative. I was leading the way, but he was falling way behind so I let him pass. We exited out of a 20 mph, inside corner at about 45...and then we both got on it up hill. It was crazy. Both cars are about the exact same speed. We took it all the way up to 90+. I was in second at 45, then 3rd to 90+. I couldn't gain...and I didn't fall behind we were dead even. Then we exchanged cars.

The M3 is very quiet, very luxurious, and much larger then the S2000. When you open the doors, the windows roll down slightly. Then, when you close them...they go up a little bit and seal the car...very cool. The car is soooo quiet at freeway speed..it's amazing. The gear shifter is complete crap compared to the S2000 (like any other car pretty much). It has enormous throws compared to our tiny 23 mm throwns. The steerings is nice...feels a lot the same. The engine just rocks!! love the down low torque..that thing will roast the tires on every corner if you want...and every shift up to third..easily. If the S2000 could get the BMW engine in it...it would be a monster. The 1999 M3 weighs a good 500lbs more the S2000, but has almost the exact same accel, with the same HP, 240. Tells you a little about the engines flexibility. I found myself bumping into the rev limiter all the time...cuz it has such a low Redline..when compared to the s2000.

Overall, the car feels like a sedan...until you romp on it...makes you forget it is a sports car. The brakes are good, but i didn't like the pedal feel. The car was hard for me to drive when going from the S2000 to the M3, but my friend had very little problem going from the M3 to s2000. The shifter gave me fits, cuz I was soo used to the S2000 shifter, but that would happen to any car coming from the S2000. The handling while still very fast...has none of hte point and shoot characteristics of the S2000. The turn in is fast, but feels slower. The back is predictible, but very easy to get out..he needed better tires..i think. These cars get the same job done, just in two totally different ways. I prefer the S2000 anyday, but i'm biased. The extra room, quiet, luxury, and low end torque of the M3 are great. The lightness, quickness, handling, feel, and loudness of the S2000 are great also. It depends on your mood. An M3 and S2000 would complement each other well...maybe that is the next purchase for me, l8r.

VTEC Racer

A friend of mine just a got a '99 Estoril Blue M3 after crashing his '98 Estoril Blue M3. Were gonna race this Thursday. It's gonna be video taped as well, I'll let you guys know the results.

EricM

Nice post. I am in the reverse situation as you - I own a '98 M3 and just drove an S2000 for the first time. What a blast your car is! It does indeed lack a bit of low end torque and is certainly louder than the M3, but it is also gloriously tossable, has such quick steering, and has great short shifts. You also feel the speed far more, which in my book is a good thing for a sports car, at least under 100 mph.

You say "An M3 and S2000 would complement each other well...maybe that is the next purchase for me" Sounds like a plan! I had been thinking about trading in my '98 M3 on a new '01 or '02 M3, but now I'm not so sure. Keeping the old M3 and getting an S2000 sounds like a hell of a plan to me. Let's see, if only I can convince the wife...

PS I also drove a Boxster recently (not an S version) - nice car, but not as fun as the S2000 IMHO. Same with the Z3 series. If I go the 2-seat roadster route, it's gonna be an S2000, baby!

elanderholm

[QUOTE]Originally posted by EricM
[B]Nice post. I am in the reverse situation as you - I own a '98 M3 and just drove an S2000 for the first time. What a blast your car is! It does indeed lack a bit of low end torque and is certainly louder than the M3, but it is also gloriously tossable, has such quick steering, and has great short shifts. You also feel the speed far more, which in my book is a good thing for a sports car, at least under 100 mph.

ultimate lurker

elanderholm, just so you know, the 3.2 liter M3 engine actualy makes quite a bit more than 240 hp. Most dyno reports I've seen put it closer to 260 hp, which explains, in part, why it accelerates so well. The tight gearing is another. The 3.0 liter engine is a little closer to 240.

I do enjoy the M3 engine though, the power band is so smooth that anything up to 8/10ths feels almost effortless and gear selection isn't too important. With an aftermarket intake, it also has a wonderful snarl under acceleration. Aggressive, but still refined.

I like the handling less. I'm kind of spoiled by race prepped handling and the S2K is the closest production car to that standard (But still far off). The M3 generates plenty of cornering grip and the tail is pretty stable, but I felt the car understeered a bit too much and it was too hard to alter a line once you'd turned in - the pointability discussed elsewhere. I guess that's the tradeoff for what is, compared to the S2K, unflappable stability. And frankly, for a street car, unflappable stability is preferable for 99.9% of the population.

I think a 4dr E36 M3 is the perfect complement to the S2K. Its a true GT car on the freeway (well, except for the lack of a cruising 6th gear), yet you don't have to give up much in the way of performance compared to the S2K. What you do give up is more than made up for by the flexible engine, quiet interior and back seat. Hmm, used M3 or new TL-S with 6-spd?

UL

EricM

i liked the M3...great daily driver. The problem I had was the gear box and handling, but it is much better then your avg. car. It is just not as quick and light as the S2000. It is just as fast, but not as quick..if that makes any sense. It was just a feeling I got from it. It is a great looking car though. I gotta quell the money spending as of now, but who knows in future..maybe a used 2001 M3 in a few years...that would be sweet. [/B][/QUOTE]

You are basically right about the M3 - it is as fast but not as quick as the S2000; at least that's how it feels. It's what extra size, weight, and a roof will do. I like the M3's shifter, but fully admit that the S2000's is shorter and sweeter. The M3's pluses, of course, are comfortable seating for 4, a good trunk, and pleasant long highway trips when not having fun in the twisties with it. I love my M3 and think it's the best thing going IF you want a practical car that also goes like stink (it is my daily driver and our only car...) But for sheer sporty driving pleasure...the S2000 just opened my eyes. I can easily see why one might prefer it over the BMW or most anything else.

I have driven the 2001 M3, by the way, and it seems to have gone even further in the direction of smooth speed - it is frighteningly fast (the mags put it at about 4.8 seconds to 60 vs. 5.8 for mine), and has near-S2000 revving (up to 8000 rpm - in an I-6!), but does it all with even greater quiet and serenity. I'm not sure the last point is a good thing for me. But an S2000 AND the M3, now we're talking. And spending.