Steve, I'm loving this car... I very much enjoy driving it but I really should get onto tearing it apart for paint and interior.
Stan... How does it compare to the 2002? I gave some driving impressions over at 2002FAQ, but I'm happy to relay a few things.
Keep in mind this CS is an early car, with the 4 cylinder M10, not the bigger 6s of the e9. My 2002 is a hotrod, with most of the standard go-fast mods to engine and suspension. It feels very light underneath me and throttle and steering inputs are instant. I fixed up a '75, 2002 over the last 2 years and though it had new sway bars and Bilstien HDs, the engine was stock. That '02 wasn't nearly as responsive to inputs as my '71.
This 2000CS has a very similar engine build but is heavier than my '71 by maybe 500lbs? (not sure the weight, but would like to get it on the scales to know for sure). With that, the car is slower to build speed, but feels solid in fast sweepers. The CS came to me with no sway bars at all, but Bilsteins in back and the struts are quite firm (not sure what cartridges are in them). The car behaves in tight corners like a late-'60s American muscle car... plenty of body roll. The 195/70/14 tires have a lot of shoulder that add to the soft cornering. This CS has the QR steering box, but stock steering wheel is 420mm across...the combination actually makes for a nice balance in the big car. Mostly, I can not toss this car around in tight corners like I can the little 2002, but that's okay.
Inside there are some major differences. The pedals hinge at the top in the Coupe, but the 2002 has tiny pedals that hinge on the floor... it's the very first thing new 2002 drivers have to get used to. The Coupe with it's bus-wheel and long clutch pedal put me right back into my '70 GTO Judge... But I will say that the throttle pedal is light and it is close to the brake to allow easy heel-toe action for blipping the throttle for double clutch downshifts. I found that it is slightly easier for me to match revs on corner-entry with the Coupe than my '02...slightly.
The seat position of the Coupe feels somewhat higher than the '02. My CS has early seats with no headrests and only lapbelts... I envision a Dale Earnhardt type of demise in this car.... The price of style, I suppose. The steering wheel seems to be a bit further away than in the '02, but I haven't measured that. My '02 has a 350mm Petri, so it's pretty tiny. The shifter has long throws and feels pretty sloppy; I will rebuild it. My '02 has a fresh, short-throw shifter to the 5 speed, so that's not a fair comparison.
Brakes are one of the hallmarks of the little '02; properly adjusted they are fabulous with way more power than necessary. The CS has only 2 piston calipers up front (the '02 has 4 piston units) and the rear drums are 350mm on the CS. In all my hot-footing last weekend, I never felt I needed more braking ability...
Overall? The CS makes a fine touring car... perhaps a bit under-powered in this M10 configuration, but the nose doesn't feel too heavy. It's solid as a rock at highway speeds and in big sweepers. My 2002 with 100s of pounds less weight will run away from this Coupe in the twisties, but the CS is so much smoother and quieter. A "refined ride" if you will.
I have plans for some sway bars for the CS and I have some intake and exhaust enhancements I will be installing, as well as a 123Ignition dizzy. I think these modest modifications will wake the Coupe up and give it more response, while retaining it's classy ride.
Right now, I'm glad I have a choice between the two
Ed
