Originally Posted by honda606,Jun 9 2006, 06:36 PM

Here check out this chart.

http://rogerkrausracing.com/overundr.html

Notice lines 3 and 4 in the left hand (Understeer Corrections) column.

Raise tire pressure in the front and reduce in the rear to correct understeer.

This is why I always used to run 35 psi in the S02 rears and 32 in the front, to reduce oversteer, when I had my S2000.

Originally Posted by Helios,Jun 9 2006, 10:28 AM

It's been awhile since I've swung by S2K - Sunday marks the three-month anniversary of our purchase of an '03 M3 convertible. In some ways, this car reminds me of my '02 S2000, and in some it's very different - here's how it breaks down.

ENGINE - the S54 inline six is an absolutely fantastic powerplant. It's not a torque monster, but it's accessible from just off idle right up to the 8000 rpm redline. Unless you're at a complete stop, you can start up in second gear - once the tach swings past 2500, the car rockets forward like the S at 6000. My car has a June '03 build date, which as I understand it puts it past the rod-bearing issue. It's warranteed through '09. First gear is very low, and revs build quickly..and I'll go on record as saying I love the "rasp" you get at higher RPMs. This engine means business.

TRANSMISSION - our car has the much-discussed SMG, which I actually like, although BMW went way overboard with 11 different settings. As far as I'm concerned, most of them are useless. The "automatic" mode can be convenient in slow traffic, as long as you don't expect true auto-smooth shifts. The jerk you feel is the clutch opening and closing - that's why so many people come away disappointed with this transmission. Ninety percent of the time I'm driving in S5 - that's the quickest-shifting sequential mode you can have without switching off stability control. It's awesome to go full-throttle through a tunnel in third gear, then flick down to second. The engine rev-matches perfectly. Third gear is money in city driving; you're good to go anywhere from 2000 rpm on up.

HANDLING - here's where I really miss the Honda. The M3 convertible weighs 3781 pounds, and you really feel it at low speeds. There's NOT a lot of understeer and body roll - but coming from the go-kart like S2000, I do notice it. M3 people say switching to wider front tires is a quick way to cut down on understeer, and I'll need new tires in a couple thousand miles. At higher speeds, the car glides around sweepers and sticks very nicely. The longer wheelbase means less squirmy handling, and the steering's totally transparent. The steering is, however, slower than the S2000, which means I have to work harder in quick transitions.

DRIVING EXPERIENCE - I really should have saved the S2000 as a sunny day weekend car, but I couldn't stay out of it. I often used it in the city, and here in the pothole-ridden DC area, it just beat me up. The M3 is a magic carpet in comparison. I have the 18-inch OEM wheels, and the ride's smooth without being mushy. The chassis is stiff - that's why the convertible weighs 350 pounds more than the stock M3 - but it's nowhere near as stiff as the Honda. Sometimes over rough roads, the rear view mirror will vibrate - something I never, ever experienced with the S2000. I think that annoys me more than anything.

Overall, the M3 works better for our needs. It's a bullet on the highway, while still responding nicely on back roads. It's a GT, not a roadster, and if I ever shake loose the money for a third car, I might go back. I see a lot of S2000s around here now, and it still reminds me of the four great years I spent with Honda.