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You might also want to consider the type of driving you do. I went with the standard (non-S) for a lot of the reasons that have already been mentioned. I also drive far too much of the time in urban traffic so the base 5-speed made more sense to me than the six-speed due to the ratios. Some people disagree with this assessment, arguing the S is better for the greater torque at low rpms. Drive both and see what you think.
You can't go wrong either way, but I think you could save a lot of $ in both initial cost and depreciation if you went slightly used (S or non-S). Personally I never put much stock in the "only buy a S" argument. I think it all depends on your driving. The base car is slower below 3000RPM, but after that I think it's harder to tell the difference (several car magazines have also stated this, Road & Track, Excellence, etc.).
Since this ramble is all over the map, let me try to wrap this up. It's all about what you value:
1) If you value having the best available- buy a S model- otherwise you'll never be satisfied
2) If you value refinement more than anything else, buy the newer 987
3) If you want to limit your depreciation loss and initial investment, buy a used base or S (in my opinion, there are great deals on Certified 03 and 04 models right now-- with 2.9% financing too from PCNA). The Certified means your warranty will likely be the same or better than buying new.
4) The type of drving you do and whether or not the car will be a daily driver are other important factors.
Good Luck. You can't really go wrong.
03 Daily Driver
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