Why do I need an S and what year

[Stephan Silverman]

Thanks to everyone for their advice and suggestions. I have had 44 cars, not many next to some folks. 3 MINI Cooper S's, one John Cooper Works, a Lotus 7 variant, a modified Miata, and my current daily driver is a 2001 M3. I am just looking for a traditional sports car feel close to the ground, for weekend driving and some short trips. Maybe I'd track it once or twice just to push the limits up to where I am nervous. I am 68 and don't have the vision or reflexes I had as a kid so I would just take the driver's course and enjoy the track for the thrill very rarely. Mostly a weekend car. I have the M3 daily except for snow and ice. Its mostly the low to the ground feel and handling I guess. I have absolutely no mechanical skills and that can be a problem and expensive. That's what happened on the Lotus 7, which always require tinkering. You have to be an engineer or mechanic to own one of those. The Miata was perfect and perfectly reliable, economical, and boring. The MINI convertibles had very poor rear visibility and my wife hated that. I am perfectly content with the M3, so it isn't just performance I want but the Boxster class of car. I have never owned a Porsche. My brother has a 2001 all wheel drive twin turbo 911 and is urging me to try a Porsche. I am also comparing to a Honda S2000.
Short story long. steve