Wow! A steel MTB! Very nice! [I love steel, and I think Columbus Thron is a wonderful material for a mountain bike].

The clear advantages to the 2002 over the 2000...

XTR rear derailleur, slightly better fork, hollowtech crank, very slightly lighter wheels.

The disk brakes are a toss-up. They will deliver better stopping power than v-brakes and they're the lastest tech... but v-brakes are enough for 99% of stopping situations, they're significantly lighter and much easier to service.

So... the frames are identical, the weights are probably about the same [I'd say 23-24 lb for a 17" bike], the 2002 has slightly higher spec [XTR is a noticeably better rear derailleur than XT, but XT is still excellent], but it costs considerably more.

Which colour do you like better, and do you feel comfortable spending 50% more for 10% more bike? On the other hand, you should always go with the gut because you will have to ride this steed for the rest of its life.