which would you buy?: '02 m3 or '03 s2000

which would you buy?: '02 m3 or '03 s2000


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    61

superchevy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2005
Messages
630
Location
monterey, ca, usa
Car(s)
'03 honda s2k
which would you buy? insurance is slightly more for the bimmer. checked my bank and i have 100% approved financing for either car. just need to pick one now:

'02 bmw m3 w/ 111k miles for $15,000 out the door
http://www.avaautosales.com/inventory/view/6427482?2002+BMW+M3%2A%2A+BLACK+EDITION%2A%2A+INGLEWOOD+CA
File0_084413_640480.jpg


'03 honda s2000 w/ 61k miles for $15,500 out the door
http://www.bestpriceautoonline.com/2003_Honda_S2000_Northridge_CA_173002291.veh#
B1F714F2-4FD0-42C2-B6CE-C42AEE451DB6_1.jpg

 
I'd get the Honda because it is less likely to rape you later. Don't get me wrong, I prefer the M3 any day, especially the amazing sound of the inline-6, it's the best M3 BMW ever made.. but I've had so many friends with horror stories about SMG failures, double VANOS failures, $2500 clutch replacements and so on.... get the Honda.
 
E46 M3 isn't that great of a car to be honest. The AP1 S2000 I hear is incredible (from racing drivers). I want one personally.

Though, the M3 will have safer handling. It understeers quite a bit if treated wrong. The Honda will slide if you do it wrong.

On the Honda don't get an AP2 (04+) because they dropped the rev limit to like 8300 and changed the alignment to make it less neutral and more like the M3 - safe and boring if treated wrong. Seems like a good price on the Honda, too.
 
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Gotta side with jsausley. I'd love an M3, but only if I had an overabundance of disposable income to spend on it. Living in the real world, I'd go with the S2K.
 
seems like a high milage m3,


I don't know what Honda's are like where you are but they rape you on servicing here and parts
 
I'd go for the S2000 as well. 111k miles is a lot for the M3 and it will murder you in repair bills.
 
i'm a little surpised the s2000 has taken the quick lead, but then again i shouldn't be considering this forum. in my opinion it is a more pure sports car compared to a sports sedan. i value your opinions more than anyone else i've asked though, because the worldwide array of experiences and knowledge is quite remarkable.

i have driven both in the past, and i agree about the handling. the s2000 is easier to turn-in and handles more... sensitively... compared to the m3. i have never driven either on a track though. i have no plans of getting an ap2 s2000, not just because of the redline difference, but i believe the ap1 is easier to tune and there is more room to do so.
 
A high performance 11 year old German car with 111k miles? :lmao:

What you didn't mention is if this will be your daily driver or not. Thats an important bit. Coming from someone who has owned a mix of those two (high mileage old German roadster), I wouldn't get either as a DD, but lots of people on here with DD Miatas would argue otherwise.

Ideally I'd take the M3, but of those 2 specifically, I'll have to go with the S2k, although I would never pay $15k for one simply because its not worth that in my eyes. I'd maybe pay $10k for that, but whether or not you can get one for that I don't know.

i'm a little surpised the s2000 has taken the quick lead, but then again i shouldn't be considering this forum. in my opinion it is a more pure sports car compared to a sports sedan. i value your opinions more than anyone else i've asked though, because the worldwide array of experiences and knowledge is quite remarkable.

i have driven both in the past, and i agree about the handling. the s2000 is easier to turn-in and handles more... sensitively... compared to the m3. i have never driven either on a track though. i have no plans of getting an ap2 s2000, not just because of the redline difference, but i believe the ap1 is easier to tune and there is more room to do so.

So why ask us? We're giving you our opinion instead of telling you what you want to hear. It looks like you're already set on the M3.
When I was buying my 2005 TT w/ 126k miles, I didn't bother asking anyone on here because I knew I wanted it, and I knew everyone on here would tell me to run away. Did it come back to bite me in the ass? Yes. Did I love every minute of owning it anyways? Yes I did.

If you are willing to shell out lots and lots and lots of money for repairing the M3 after you buy it, then buy what makes you happy, not what a bunch of strangers on the Internet tell you to buy.
 
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S2000. It's a Honda, cheap and easy to fix. While I'm sure the M3 would be more fun and carry friends if you decide to, repairs will suck.
 
i'm a little surpised the s2000 has taken the quick lead, but then again i shouldn't be considering this forum. in my opinion it is a more pure sports car compared to a sports sedan. i value your opinions more than anyone else i've asked though, because the worldwide array of experiences and knowledge is quite remarkable.

It's the massive difference in running costs that seems to be tipping the balance in favor of the S2K. They're both full of personality as driver's cars, but a high-mileage Honda won't eat you out of house and home the way a high-mileage M-car will do.
 
It really depends on what you'll be using them for.

Daily? S2000 or M3
Hauling passengers? M3
Track? S2000 or M3, both have great aftermarket support
Convertible? S2000

Some other questions to ask yourself:
Do you need/want a convertible?
How comfortable are you with DIY?
Is this a primary vehicle?
How much do you value torque?

I'd go with the S2000 if you aren't comfortable with DIY as the M3 will $$$ you into oblivion with servicing costs. If said vehicle isn't your primary vehicle, the M3 could be a good weekend toy.

If the BMW hasn't been maintained to exacting intervals, find another one.
 
From what I understand the value of S2ks has gone up recently. When I looked at them back in '07, an '03 S2k with about 30k on the clock was going for ~$17k (asking price at a dealership). Now that Honda has killed it and the prices have risen, they just aren't as good value for the money IMO.

I don't know. I can see myself paying $15-17k for a late S2000 CR, but again, thats my take on it and unlikely to happen.

EDIT: Looking at that M3 picture again, it looks like it has some cheap mesh in the lower intake and tinted windows. That suggests the previous owner was a tool. So theres also that to consider.
 
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I'm not really a convertible sports car guy, but I've got to go with the S2000 of the two choices you've picked.

Remember, the reason insurance is higher on the BMW is because of the cost of replacement parts. Otherwise, a 2 seat convertible sports car would have higher premiums than a 2 door sports coupe. And you'd still have to pay out of your own pocket for normal maintenance and repair.

Personally, I would go for one of these or one of these if you're feeling sporty.

There's also this Mustang - which looks nice. A little too nice for the price, actually, but it may be worth a call.
 
There's also this Mustang - which looks nice. A little too nice for the price, actually, but it may be worth a call.

:lol: at the skull sticker and the black gas flap.
And whats that thing near the radio display? Immobilizer or something?
 
:lol: at the skull sticker and the black gas flap.
And whats that thing near the radio display? Immobilizer or something?

Eh, the stickers can always come off.

The thing near the radio? I don't know. It looks like some sort of aftermarket alarm system. I would hope it's not an immobilizer - because our cars already have one as standard equipment built into the key.
 
Eh, the stickers can always come off.

The thing near the radio? I don't know. It looks like some sort of aftermarket alarm system. I would hope it's not an immobilizer - because our cars already have one as standard equipment built into the key.

Yes, but other owners of our cars are also capable of amazing things. You said it yourself in fps.evan's H2 thread. Although I meant one of those Transporter style passcode killswitch systems - not an immobilizer.
 
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Ah - I don't think it's one of those. The only writing I could make out said "panic" - not sure what engaging panic mode on a killswitch would do. Blow up the engine, maybe?
 
A high performance 11 year old German car with 111k miles? :lmao:

What you didn't mention is if this will be your daily driver or not. Thats an important bit. Coming from someone who has owned a mix of those two (high mileage old German roadster), I wouldn't get either as a DD, but lots of people on here with DD Miatas would argue otherwise.

Ideally I'd take the M3, but of those 2 specifically, I'll have to go with the S2k, although I would never pay $15k for one simply because its not worth that in my eyes. I'd maybe pay $10k for that, but whether or not you can get one for that I don't know.



So why ask us? We're giving you our opinion instead of telling you what you want to hear. It looks like you're already set on the M3.
When I was buying my 2005 TT w/ 126k miles, I didn't bother asking anyone on here because I knew I wanted it, and I knew everyone on here would tell me to run away. Did it come back to bite me in the ass? Yes. Did I love every minute of owning it anyways? Yes I did.

If you are willing to shell out lots and lots and lots of money for repairing the M3 after you buy it, then buy what makes you happy, not what a bunch of strangers on the Internet tell you to buy.

it will be my "daily driver" in the sense that it'll be my only vehicle for at least the near future, but i'll only be putting about 7,500 miles on it annually, if that. i'm asking y'all because of just what i said in my post that you quoted. i acknowledge and appreciate this forum's posters and your insights. my comment about "shouldn't be suprised" meant that given this forum in performance geared the s2000 seems to be more inline with that mentality. and to be honest, i'm actually leaning towards the s2000 as opposed to the m3. i'm simply trying to make the best decision possible FOR ME, and that would include being educated by current/past owners of these two cars regarding things only they would know. for example, i hear the ap1 s2000 sometimes are known to have tops that have a small leak on the drivers' side.

- - - Updated - - -

It really depends on what you'll be using them for.

Daily? S2000 or M3
Hauling passengers? M3
Track? S2000 or M3, both have great aftermarket support
Convertible? S2000

Some other questions to ask yourself:
Do you need/want a convertible?
How comfortable are you with DIY?
Is this a primary vehicle?
How much do you value torque?

I'd go with the S2000 if you aren't comfortable with DIY as the M3 will $$$ you into oblivion with servicing costs. If said vehicle isn't your primary vehicle, the M3 could be a good weekend toy.

If the BMW hasn't been maintained to exacting intervals, find another one.
daily? only about 7,500 a year if that, but will be my only car.
passengers? no kids or wife. love my friends, but the is for me. not them.
track? whenever the opportunity affords! i'm about 15 minutes from laguna seca and there are endless mountain roads in california to have fun on (legally, of course).
convertible? never been a fan. only ones i would consider are the s2000 and mx-5 miata.

need/want convertible? does anyone need one? haha!
diy? i've always done my own work, unless the work required special tools or skills for which i didn't have access.
primary vehicle? only one, but i'm not in a position where i need one. i live on an army post, where cost of living and whatnot are all taken care of. also, i would only drive between deployments.
value of torque? ahhh... love it! the s2000's lack of it is a bit disappointing, but that can be remedied. i don't believe it's cheap or easy though. one of my reasoning behind considering the m3, but as someone else has said, it doesn't have that much more than the s2000, especially considering the weight difference.
 
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