Hey all just wanted to know your thoughts on the e36 BMW M3 (95-99)... compare it to a s2000 looking at both i need to decide

 

I was looking at those too.
If you haven't been to these sites, check 'em out...

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum///

http://www.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/

http://www.bmw-forums.com/

Plenty of cars for sale on there too. I decided if I wanted to pick between these two cars, I'd prefer a convertible, and I don't care about passenger room, so the S2000 wins out over the M3 for me.

Also, the beemers seem to be generally high-maintenance, where the S2k seems to just go through tires pretty fast.

Good luck deciding!

 

- I would only get a newer m3.. e46, not a fan of the 'older' ones

 

I have a wife with a new M3 convertible and have driven the 2004 S2000 and I much prefer the Honda. The M3 is very heavy feeling though it is fast. It also is hard to shift when cold and really does not get better by much when warm. Hard to drive smoothly in the lower gears because it is easy to get the car surgging if that is a word and hard to get it to stop. I have driven manual transmissions all ny life and this is the most attention requiring transmission ever. Seats are not very comfortable but they do recline. The car also seems to have a lot of extra features that don't amount to much but I bet cost the earth to fix. If I had to choose it would be the Honda.

 

- we can trade cars... shit, I'll even give you my '03 gixxer 1k

 

I've driven an e46 M3 back to back with my S2000. The M is a lot more powerful, but is a lot heavier. It's not a fun little car, it's a serious solid car. So it is faster, but it's not as lively or (to me) close to being as fun to drive as the S2000. And the shifter is not good (IMO).

I've not driven the M3 convertible, but to me that is going over the edge for being too heavy. I believe it's 3600 lbs or so. Two times the weight of an Elise.

The M3 vert = $60K. If I wanted 4 seats and a convertible I'd get a S2000 and a (used)e36 M3.

 

The e36 M3 coupe and sedan both weigh 3175 lbs. The e46 M3 should not be compared with the e36. The best advise I can give you is to test drive both before you make your decision. Here's another good M3 forum:
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10
Let us know what you think after some test driving

 

What do you want the car for? That's pretty important when considering two cars for which the only thing they have in common is an alleged 240 hp . I have both. The M is NOT faster though it feels that way down low. Run both though 100mph and you'll see.

The M is way more fun than those that say it isn't claim. It's not 'fun' on the same level as an S2000 where a 15 mph turn can give you giggles, but it is a phenominal driving machine. Above say 30 mph, the steering is phenominal, the balance is awesome, and it's ablility to be balanced through a turn at speed may be better than the S (the seriously quick ration on the S plays against it at speeds >70 when you're carving apexes, in my unqualified opinion).

All that being said, if I could only have one car and had to select between only these two - both for daily driving and fun, autocross and track, I'd take the M (well a newer version of mine actually). For me, when I drove the S exclusively for 7 months, there were times when lack of torque, and the need to rev got old when making a 35 mile, rural/highway commute (with added roads for uhm pleasure). As a second car, the S is Phenominal, everything that got tedious is a joy: revving, quick almost nervous steering, wonderful sound at high RPM. Heck, I'm heading out for a run in it now.

There are a few other M3/S2k owners here. Funny, we've generally kept our M3's - I've had mine 7 yrs, put 110k miles of autocross, trackdays, and brutal commuting on wretched roads - this is NYC - in all kinds of weather on it. It shows it's age in places, but can still bring a smile to my face and ain't leaving my garage. Ever!

The M3 convertable (e36) is not even a consideration IMO as it ruins the M3. If all you want is a tourer, fine I guess, but if you expect more, forget that pig - it should never have been made.

The M3 does have 'issues' - Trailing arm bushings, sticky shifters, shock mounts, radiators. Sounds frightening doesn't it? I should add that most of these did not come to light till about '99ish i.e, the car had been on the market for 4yrs (I don't mean the 99 model year). The S should be better (Honda aye), but I've seen areas where autocrossers/track guys are breaking some of the same things that went on the Bimmer so who knows.

The M3 shifter CANNOT be compared to the one in the S2000, it's just not in the same class, if you test an old one that hasn't had the bushings change, it gets real bad. Also the light flywheel in the S makes it a joy to blip on H&T downshifts. The S shifter does need warming up as well though .

 

If you don't need the car for the track then I think the vert M3 is pretty badass. Though not quite as quick or ridged as a regular M3, but it would be a damn fun car.
Not mine, but some nice shots of a convertable:
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/attachment....tachmentid=7209
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/attachment....tachmentid=7210

 

All I have to say is that the e36 M3 had the best steering feel I have seen in a long time.