"I'll keep my S2000 for decades!" ... so I said for the past 6 years...
So help me out here--dilemma... considering a buddy's gently-loved 08MY E90 M3, 6-speed. It's kinda like the other posting on here, where the OP is toying around with the idea of selling his M3 for a GT-R... only for me... sell S2000 for M3?
Background (keeping it as concise as possible):
* Bought the S2000 new in 2007
* Until last autumn, it had only 16K on the odometer
* Was a third vehicle; daily driver was a 12MY FX35
* Past vehicles have always been new; highlights include 03MY G35 Coupe 6-speed, 05MY 350Z 6-speed, Xterra Off-Road 6-speed
* Worked in the auto industry for a decade where my job was to analyze new cars & trucks, critiquing faults and noting highlights of vehicles such as: build quality, NVH, ergonomics, feature set, on-track performance, real world driving dynamics
Current Status:
* Divorced, lost the FX that I'd *just* gotten, plus the lost the other car
* Was a third vehicle, now the only car (motorcycle I got to keep
)
* S2K has 27k on the clock, being pressed into daily driving duties
* Finally bought another house, post-divorce, back on the West Coast
* 11mi ea/way commute
Lifestage/Mindset
* Early 30s w/ girlfriend
* No kids, not intending any anytime soon
* Used to do 3-4 HPDEs a year
* Used to love mountain drives
* Truly not a brand-whore--I could have instead gotten a new base 335i sedan at the time
* Work hard, play harder
S2000 Pros:
* Old-school VTEC: love the cam kickover! Love revving the engine. Sorry, a little bit of a ricer at heart.
* Transmission: agreed--best trans, ever
* Handling: nimble, neutral (on the track)
* Easily to get into that "one-ness with the car" zone
* MPG: good; average 25mpg in mixed city/hwy
* A blast on the track--can keep up with more exotic hardware
* Driving position is perfect, even though the steering wheel is non-adjustable and seat can only move in 4 directions, manually.
* Great out of the box with little modification needed. This is one of the main reasons I bought the thing--I have great appreciation for OEM engineering
* Interior, while spartan, is of good quality: no rattles, tight panel gaps, solid switchgear feel. Better than a C6 ZR1's interior, IMHO (just quality, not feature set), for instance
* Maintenance is cheap!
* Best of all, I don't owe a dime on this car--haven't for a few years.
S2000 Cons:
* Need to rev it where ever I go. Yes, it's a double-edged sword.
* Passenger seat blows. I've ridden in it several times--bless my girlfriend's patience!
* Cannot do Costco/Home Depot runs. As a new homeowner, this really, really sucks.
* JFC this thing is noisy. My previous work life has completely damaged me in what I look for in NVH. I cannot hear anyone on my noise-cancelling BT headset. When accelerating, everyone stops talking--doesn't matter if they're riding shotgun or on the phone--it ALWAYS stops conversation. Getting annoying for me; I can only imagine what it's like for my friends & family.
* I've gotten tired of track days. I've gotten to the point where my lap times are consistent and I no longer have an adrenaline rush. It seems... very "normal." In order to go faster, would need several thousand dollars in upgrades. No, thanks.
* Can't hit up the mountain roads anymore. Too far away for the weekdays; too many cops & traffic on the weekends
* S2000 is literally just used as commuting, and weekend errands that don't require me purchasing much more than a small grocery run.
* Can't do double-dates--must take g/f's tired economy car
* Steering: while very precise, the EPS system takes all the feel out of it
* Ride quality: tolerable as a driver for trips < 100mi; mediocre after that. Horrible as a passenger. Let's just say ya don't wanna make the g/f's twins unhappy, because later that night I'll be unhappy.
E90 M3 Pros:
* 4-doors! Seats 5! Zomg!
* Power.
"Enough" torque to not have to shift all the time.
* Finally, a decent audio system!
* Steering: feel/feedback is amazing
* Quiet in "normal" driving
* Suspension: Jeez--great ride quality and also great handling too? This is awesome!
* Buddy's E90 M3 has fold-down rear seats for the HD/Lowe's runs.
* 6-speed: Must have 3-pedals. I know the DCT is quicker; I just find a 3-pedal car more soulful & rewarding for myself. Just me though.
* Also great out of the box with no modifications needed--again, great OEM engineering, at least for performance.
E90 M3 Cons:
* MPG. 15-16mpg average?
* Shift feel just isn't the same as the S2000.
* Maintenance/reliability: this would be my first European car. Already reading about the throttle body motor gear stripping @ ~$800/ea for parts
* Motor oil: 10W-60? Really? And lots of it? C'mon...
* Used car: never had one before
* Color combo kinda so-so: dark grey (not sure which) with silver interior
Dilemma:
* Funding: I just bought a GD house. I need to sell the S2000 to buy buddy's M3.
* Regrets: I've looked on this forum--everyone who has had an S2000 regretted selling it. However, of all those folks, almost all of them are non-M owners (mostly 335 owners). For those who have had an S2000 and now a E9x M3--I wonder what their take is? On the S2000 forum, there are MANY instances where people are second-time owners of the S2000: had one, sold it, regretted it, bought another used one later. I already know I'm going to regret selling it. But it would just be financially irresponsible to keep the S and also snap up my buddy's car.
* I could keep the S2000 and snap up a Honda Fit Sport in manual trans for DD duty, but man, not sure about a penalty box car.
* S2000 was bought literally a couple of weeks after the wedding: permission from the ex-wife was the only "wedding gift" that I wanted. Yeah. The S is tied to a dead marriage.
* Yes, I could ride the motorbike to work more, but putting on all my gear on, then off at the office... it's a PITA and takes longer than just driving! The 45mpg is a plus though.
Specs on Buddy's M3:
08MY, ~45K, 3-pedal, Cold, Premium, Tech. Very minimal mods--spacers, 18" OE wheels, exhaust (kept OE exhaust which I'll re-mount), shift knob, OE accessory pedals. Tint.
Anecdotal--I have a twisted/weird taste for cars... examples:
* Rather have a VW Jetta TDI 6-speed vs. a Maxima, for instance
* Fit Sport > MB C-class
* M3 > GT-R
* BR-Z > Mustang GT
* Altima V6 > Audi A4
So... what are YOUR thoughts? What do I do?! First-world problems for sure.