brandonb

I think you should get the M3 and buy my car
Come one man, you can't pass it up.
1997 M3 5spd Coupe
Alpine White
44k miles / 93k/03-2005 warranty
Luxury Package
OBC, All power, sunroof
Stock
Never Wrecked
$$$$$26,500!

But, here is my opinion.
I have both cars right now. The M3 is NICE to drive around in town. It's got a lot of torque, its big, easy to drive and it's a BMW. But so is that car I just parked next to, and uhhh, so is that 325ic that just drove by, oh yeah, and that 318 at the stoplight over there and that 328 over there at McDonalds that looks almost identical to my car. The M3 doesn't really stand out like it should. Only about %10 of the people out there know what the big "M" stands for and really appreciates the car. The other %90 think it's just some BMW(which is not a bad thing, but come on, it's an M3). The M3 as I said is NICE to drive. But in no way it does it compare to driving an S2000. The S2000 is a race car for the street and it feels like it. I just love shifting that car. I don't even have to go pass 6k rpm's to enjoy it either. The steering is to crisp and precise, the car is so light and nimble and it shifts are so exact and perfect. After driving the M3, it is a joy to get in to the S2000. For example, my friend has a 2000 Prelude. Last night he was driving my M3 for a while. He said after driving the M3, he was actually relieved and looking forward to driving his Prelude! The M3 just feels to big and bulky. As far as looks go, I don't even think you can compare them. The M3 again, is a NICE looking car. It's clean and luxurious looking....that's about it. Nothing exotic to it. The S2000 on the other hand is just 1 big head turner. I love the way the front bulges out and looks like a menacing shark hunting it's prey. The car is just so smooth and streamline that you just can't not love the way it looks! The headlights at night alone should sell you on the car. And if you haven't seen them at night yet...go find an S2000 to get in front of on a bumpy road and you'll learn to love them(when you're driving). As far as reliability goes...well, you've heard my story. I had the M3 for a few months and I had a few problems here and there, nothing major, just little things, but enough to make me want to get something else. A window regulator here or there and a display on the A/C or OBC. I am sure the engine will last a long time, but everything else....who knows. Both cars are great and amazing cars. The perfect combo for me would be a M3 Sedan and an S2000. But, the sheer joy of driving the S2000 is enough to make me pass on the Saurkraut and dive into a big bowl of rice.(Don't ask me where that came from)
-Brandon
BTW-My M3's still for sale.

frayed

I had the s2k and traded it for my M3 sedan (needed the practicality).

No1fa said: I think the M3 is better to drive every day. It is almost as stiff, it handles just as well, is just as fast, but also is a little more refined. Yes that's it - Refined!!! That's what sets it apart. The S2000 is more of a raw sportscar, which is what makes it so awesome, but also can make it difficult day in and day out.

If I had it to do over, I would have kept the M3, saved my money and bought an S2000 for the weekend

Could not have said it better myself. Robj's post above is very accurate also.

As far as reliability is concerned, I have had no problems with the M3 (it's got 40k on the clock, I bought it at 30k). You should be able to get a beautiful M3 in the mid 20's. I paid 30 even with 30k on the clock, CPO, all original paint and panels, 10 mos. ago.

It's not as much fun in the right conditions (pleasant ambient temp, sun, music, wife/girlfriend/date in passenger seat, twisty back road), but then again, it's a better car (for me) when the conditions aren't ideal, which seems to be most of the time.

I think both cars represent the benchmark in their respective classes. You just have to decide what you really need/want.

dbrower

FWIW, my BMW 750 started to gobble $$$ between 55 and 85k miles,
when I dumped it. Hmm, just about when the warranty ran out.

-dB

JMark

I had a '96 M3 and liked it a lot. Where I live they just figure you work at the plant. The new M3 is just too fat......and $$$. Cost of maintenance was high too. The '96's were the last year the maintenance was not free. You have to decide whether you want a sportscar or GT. The S2000 is the definition of a sportscar. In my opinion nothing else at the same price can beat the combo of looks and performance.

stooxie

This is kind of a tough question because the S2000 and the M3 aren't exactly in the same category. If you were comparing a Z3 and S2k, that would be easier.

I agree with much of what has been said about BMW, both positive and negative. The same is true for Honda, with one exception. I'm not going to kid myself into thinking my S2k will somehow be cheap to fix if something goes wrong. The convertible top, aluminum hood, funky suspension, high-strung engine all spell serious outlays of cash if something out-of-warranty goes wrong. It's like saying the NSX will be cheap to fix cuz it's Honda (easy with the flames, it's a slight exaggeration). Honda dealers in the Northern Viginia area know damn well how to extract cash out of their customers.

I also think it's funny when people talk about BMWs and "$500 inspections." There are two sides to that story for both Honda and BMW.

Having said all that, my advice is to drive both for a decent amount of time. The typical test-drive is stupid. Somehow (that's the key word) you need to spend a decent amount of time in each car. Your personality may decide for you. Maybe you'll like the consistent torque of the BMW or the race car nature of the Honda.

-stooxie

Speedy

i guess i'm a high-strung, buzzy little bastard 'cuz i far preferred the s2k to the laid-back easy M3. a '99 M3 was on my list of prospectives before i bought the s2k...one test drive was enough for me to know it just wasn't as much fun.

the m coupe is what you should look at and compare to the S2k. the coupe is a very fun car to drive, especially if you're into gobs of torque and go-cart handling.