Great looking cars, mega-fast. And handle better than the Z3, but still not the last word in sophistication and subtlety (think German-build TVR). There's an Estoril at the Northampton dealership I saw last night...very tasty, like it a lot.


Engine is the big worry - they're all the VANOS ones, so as was said above, get a warranty!!! (IIRC, Official BMW one is one of the few (only?) to cover engine VANOS issues, but they're near

 

Fast, unique, rear driven monster.

Bit fatter than a newish TVR, 1500Kg I think, but 321bhp gives it a lot of go!

Warrantee essential - non BMW provides same cover at a third of the price, approx

 

2K for a years warranty?!!? That's serious money for potentially (hopefully) nothing! I guess peace of mind is always nice but bloody hell! I'll have to think very carefully about this.

The S has been 100% reliable over the last couple of years. Seems odd to go after something now which I think may quite likely go tits-up. The styling over the rear quarter of the car is just too good though. The deep dish rear wheels and quad exhausts. mmmmmmmm........

 

Looks the dogs from the rear, am I right in thinking that if the VANOS had been sorted i.e engine replaced etc. then it wouldn

 

http://www.auto-journals.com/s2/content/bmw_mc1.html

sounds like the earlier ones without traction control could be a bit hairy

 

Try and get the stealer to throw in a years warranty.

Should be much easier to haggle a deal with the new one just around the corner.

 

The price is about right for a rarer colour, but the blue is the most common so I'd expect to pay a bit less. What options has it got on it? HK stereo? Sun roof? Headlight washers? Side airbags? ACS suspension? Upgraded HK speakers and ACS suspension is worth about 1k in what you'd pay to upgrade now to a similar spec.

Far more useable day to day - shed loads of torque means you won't have to shift as much when you're just on a sensible run out (for me that meant it was pissing down or my girlfriend was being soft that day. ALL other opportunies it begs you to wring it's neck. (with the ACS suspension option that is..)
Loads more boot space.

Insurance for me (with a strut brace, sports exhaust and upgraded pads) compared to my stock S2k - was about

 

Forgot to say.. the later S54 model has 4 hp more - allegedly a bit more low down grunt too (same torque, just a different power curve) - but from the people I've spoken to this varys a lot between cars - so don't buy one because it'll be faster because a good S50 will be quicker than an average S54.

The S54 does have Traction control, but 1) it's a bit rustic so won't rescue you on a wet/muddy road, but it may help you away from the lights. 2) I prefer the right foot method of traction control. In the dry it is very progressive in breakaway - FAR more so than the S2000, so more and in the wet you just have to drive more carefully - just like in the S2k.

 

They can't do this unless its an independent garage - like mine - in which case they can give an independent warranty.

If it is from a BMW dealer, then if it has a BMW warranty there is no need to 'throw in a year' but I guess you could ask them to knock off the renewal price or pay it when it's due. If it doesn't have one, then even the dealers can't renew it..

 

Nah, more like 1k.