Tom R.

I hate these comparisons. Im not interested in which could go to 60 a tenth of a second faster, but...

My coworker has a yellow 95 M3 with under 10k miles that he bought new and may get rid of soon.

I have a 90 S2 with 72k in all around clean to very clean condition. I have M030 shocks, weltmeister sways, 1k on a clutch, short shifter and recaro SRDs with a redline roll bar in my S2.

I was thinking of getting a 968, putting my seats and roll bar in it, suspension too if the replacement didnt have M030 and using that.

Car is a DE/weekend toy for me.

Soooo, pros and cons of each. The M3 is probably worth high teens. if that is so, then what is say a 90K mile 95 968 worth without M030?

what are your thoughts?

jaje

Keep the S2 or get the 968.

M3's are fun to drive and make many a poor driver seem like they are Kubica or Heidfeld. But an e36 M3 is not forgiving if you go over that limit versus a very well balanced S2 or 968. Plus M3 owners are well...labeled as jerks (to use a nicer word).

potent951turbo

There is an article in a magazine somewhere which I found online a couple of years ago that is a comparision between the E36 M3 and the 968, its a good read if I recall correctly. I think their final verdict was that the M3 was a better all around car as far as a daily driver goes, but they liked the 968 better as a true driver's car.

I have owned a couple of E36's and numerous 944's. While I miss some of the luxuries the E36 had, I ended up selling both of them to get back into a 944's. I love E36's and M3's but I will only pick up another one day to sit along side my 951 or 968, not to replace it. If your S2 is as well sorted as I have read from your posts, I would be hard pressed to trade it for an M3. If you REALLY wanted an upgrade, then definately the 968.

mck911

can't go wrong with the 968....hint hint. I know of a nice black one for sale, although I'd hate to see her end up as a gutted track car. c'est la vie. I'm sure the original owner of my 1986 M491 Carrera would have said when it was turned into a full blown race car.

Tom R.

guess what first got me thinking, other than I lost about 15% of my power (exactly the difference between a S2 and 968) by moving from NY to Denver.

I dont want a gutted track car, just a nice DE car like yours or mine. If i had a nibble on my S2 I would be kicking your tires a lot more, otherwise I am just kicking your tires.

GloriaRedStang

Don't go beemer. Especially if it's anything other than the original E30, it's gonna be too heavy.

Like Jan Brady says: "Porsche Porsche Porsche".

PorscheDude1

Not much of a stretch for an E46 M3

Tom R.

what does that mean? i currently have a E46 330 convertible with the sport package.

Rock

Ive got an E32. After 4+ years of daily driving a 944 it has a lot of luxuries that the 944 doesnt. My 951 cabriolet has sat for ~8 months. I just recently started driving it again, and its a BLAST. It turns way more heads too.

In terms of ride comfort and all around daily driving though, id pick the BMW.

SunKing

The E36 M3 and 968 are probably my two favourite cars in the world. However the 944S2 is also brilliant and yours sounds like it's in great condition and well set up, so an M3 wouldn't necessarily be more satisfying on the track (though slightly faster and more comfortable as a daily driver).

You can't go wrong with either of these three but the fact that retaining the S2 will save you money and keep you out of a yellow-colored car are certainly two plus points for your current ride.

Whatever you choose, have fun!

PorscheDude1

I was just referring to the price difference between the low mileage E36 M3 and a more "used" E46 M3.
I would go for the M car. Change is good, and you can always come back to the 968 or S2 if you do not like it.

Tom R.

i hear what you are saying smokie, and i am thinking that a time capsule with a few seasons of DE should be an easy sell.

But then there is my current car, and some of the non time capsules waiting for new owners that dont exist unless you give the car away. I know I've said these cars have the value of junk, and Im not changing my position.

But then I go on to autotrader and cars.com and people want 20+ for a 968 with 70k, 16 for one with 90k, etc. there is one with 47k for 17. While i dont care about hurting the sellers feelings, I also dont feel like starting at a crazy low number to get to where i think it should be, which is say 12-13. so there really is a very thin market for these cars, and i think it is currently a buyers market, so 12-13 may be right. I also want LSD since that is what my S2 is lacking.

but on the other hand I dont feel like selling my S2 for less than say 10k because of the new clutch and suspension work. the suspension is expensive, but adds next to no $ value to the car.

PorscheDude1

Unless the bug has gotten it teeth in you, put a LSD in the S2 and call it a day.

Z-man

So, what's the over/under on...

...how long it will take Tom to make a decision on this???

-Z

Tom R.

It's not the kill but the thrill of the chase. There is a reason i got married for the first time at 38. Can't chase tail anymore so now i chase taillights.

It is a sickness i know.
Ask Zoltan if he would have put his $$ into the suspension of a NA. The altitutde makes my S2 feel like a NA. I was content with the power of my S2 on the track back east at sea level. Just enough to keep me out of trouble, but enough to feel the rush. going down the straight at pueblo last weekend i had my foot on the floor.......