Bumping a thread from 2002.
Still a good question and kind of fun reaching to the past. 2003 models were new on the shelves when this thread was last posted to.
I had never even seen one around town when I got mine in August 2014. I had heard of them, and liked the look, but had heard they were a bad buy as a used car due to the high cost to maintain. Then I saw one, a 2000 S for under $10k, on Craigslist and fell in love. I had cash and a little room left in the driveway. Sadly it had sold (and had been listed on the forum) before I contacted the owner.
I learned that there were some risks, but maintenance was affordable to a guy with a few wrenches. Great cars to drive, and IMO one of the best looking roadsters made.