Quote:
Originally Posted by champignon
I'm no expert on engines and can't speak to the differences of the S55 vs. N55. The N55 is a great engine and I have 2 cars with this engine and am quite happy with it. People will always say that it is not a "real M" engine, something they say about the tuned N54 in the 1M, however this has not effected resale :-)
The current M2 has more than enough power, unlike the S52 Z3M Coupe, one of which happens to be in my "stable." It is true that the S54-engined Z3M Coupes sell for a lot more than the earlier, 1999-2000 models, such as mine. On the other hand, the Z3M Coupe is a really "goofy" kind of a car whose appeal, in my opinion, is way more than the fact that it's a powerful sports car. When I drive that car I find that it has plenty of power for what it is, and I don't regret having dropped $22K on mine (~3 years ago), vs. having spent way more for an S54 version. In addition, the rear subframe of these cars was not designed for a powerful engine like the S54, and as a result, there is a high rate of rear-subframe failure in these cars, which invites a multi-thousand-dollar repair if not already done on a given car.
My guess is that neither version of the current M2 is going to be very valuable as a collector's car, regardless of engine, within the next 10-20 years, and you should just buy whichever one you prefer for whatever reason, or like me, wait and see what happens to the pricing and either buy or don't buy later. It's just a car.
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Thanks for the attempt to answer the difference. I assume there is more to it and I am sure someone else will chime in.
Nice stable you have. I did not realize the M Coupe's had subframe issues like the e46's do. My e46 M3 is sitting at 43k miles and has zero issues so far, plus I have done the factory epoxy, and also installed a removable custom brace. Just praying that is enough to hold it together until I sell it again.
I agree the S54, although a superb engine, is not all that powerful. Between owning my first e46 M3 and my second there was a 10 year gap, and during those years I got spoiled with turbo powered cars (STI/335i/335d/GTI). It was actually a bit disappointing at first driving an S54. I since have come to appreciate it again though. As it really shines on track when it is operating in its sweet spot between 5-8K rpm
Sorry for going completely off topic.