A 2000 BMW M roadster

ive been really reading up on these things and they are nuts for the price (i can prolly pick one up for about $18k anyway, here are some stats:


Curb weight3086 lbs
Weight distribution with driver, f/r 51/49

ENGINE
Engine type3.2 liter DOHC 24-valve inline-6
Bore x stroke3.40 in. x 3.53 in.
Compression ratio10.5:1
Horsepower (SAE)240 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque236 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
FuelPremium unleaded
Fuel economy19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway

WHEELS
Wheels, front7.5 J x 17 cast alloy
Wheels, rear9 J x 17 cast alloy
Tires, frontMichelin Pilot HX radials,
225/45ZR-17
Tires, rearMichelin Pilot HX radials,
245/40ZR-17

SPEED
Top speed155 mph (250 kph)
Acceleration, 0-60 mph5.2 seconds


Engine interesting specs ive learned
for the 2000 model the engine code is S52
for the 2001 model the engine code is S54

now some of you may point out that the 2001 models have 315hp, so why dont i try and get that, well, for one thing, theyre like $10k more and upon reading up on things i discovered this:

The S52 times were 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 seconds, every time from 60-80 mph (4320-5760 RPMs) with the stock 3.23 diff.
The S54 times were all above 3.0 seconds, every time from 60-80 mph (4213-5617 RPMs) with the stock 3.15 diff.

The S54's extra horses dont make much of a difference due to the rear diff and arent effective untill the 100mph+ range and ive read of a lot of 2001+ owners changing the rear diff because of this


anyway, i know this is an odd thing to put on the evom fourms, but me being a lancer owner i thought it may be appropriate, plus i just need something that is a tad more track worthy, my lancer just isnt holding up to the abuse unless i do some serious overhauling.... which i dont know if im willing to do when its a ton easier to get a car at a decent price that has more power then my lancer right off the back.


But anyway, any thoughts?? thanks

 

It's a sweet ride that's all.

 

yeah, i guess what im mainly asking though is if anyone thinks down on this, like they would never get it because....?

 

good little car, nice maintence bills though... plus are u under 25?

 

maintenance and aftermarket parts price is the only real issue, plus it's not a very practical car as far as cargo room goes. i was looking into getting an M coupe a year or two ago but i can't see spending that much on a used car with lots of extra money spent on maintenance. but they're sweet cars

 

yeah, im under 25 so insurance is a *****, and yeah, parts are expensive, but i wouldnt go ***** out because lets face it.... i wouldnt have to

 

thats a pretty big upgrade their, but if you got the money for it then do it!!

 

couldnt you just pickup an 03 evo VIII in like LY or RR for 18k to 20k with maybe 30-40k miles. I'd hate to know what some of the replacement parts cost on the BMW not to mention the tremendously high failure rate of those electronics...

 

I'd probably go with an S2k instead of an M roadster for track use. M cars can be expensive to prep and maintain for the track. Another car you might want to look into is the 1st and 2nd gen Miata. Yeah they lack HP but they're ultra cheap to get and ultra cheap to modify and prep for track use.

 

I'd go with an M coupe. Sweet looks, rigid chassis, same power. I've owned 2 z3's and convertibles are nice, but hardtops are better!

and forget about modding them, waaay too expensive

 

well to answer your question about picking up an evo for that price with that many miles on it, if you can find it in socal you let me know, because as far as i know your numbers are somewhat rediculous despite color and/or year

and as far as electronic parts and maintence.... there isnt much electronic wise to the z3, its got a stereo and power windows plus some other things like the thing that tells you when to change your oil, and it will prolly have the typical mechanical problems all BMW's have (cooling, power steering) other then that, are you trying to say replacement parts on an evo are "cheap"? haha

and another thing about getting a used evo is, who ever bought it first had to of drived it hard, theres no way someone paid 30k for a car with basically no options and didnt drive it hard, lets face it

 

yeah id have to stick with some basics, but theres no way id buy anything from dinan, and intake is like what? 400 bucks? no way id prolly go H&r springs, some generic intake, the shark ecu thingy (just like a piggyback) and maybe exhaust and thad be it

coupes are really hard to find, and even if you do, the price is always more, the current convertable im looking at has a hardtop you can take on and off, plus the soft top underneath, only thing i dont like about that is the added weight