No, not a request for another juvenile internet bench racing smackdown. Rather, I'm hoping some of you have or currently own both cars and can provide your insight. I'm stongly considering a new M3 and a 2 year old, but pristine, C2.

I'm coming from 8 years of E36 ownership, the last 4 in my e36 M3 sedan. A great car, but dated and lacking the chassis integrity of the newer E46 chassis. I have a fair amount of track time, and am interested in any thoughts you might have on the two cars, as a daily commuter and fun weekend track toy.

I've have driven multiple E46 M3s and remain impressed with the chassis and visceral rush of the motor. Very stable, and unlike what many say, I think it does not feel that heavy and muted on the road (though I understand that it feels like a boat on the track).

2 months ago I drove my first Porsche, a new Targa. I was underwhelmed. Loved the motor, tq delivery, and style, but I suppose I was expecting exotic handling. At least as precise as the S2000 I owned for a bit.

I may head out tomorrow for a few more drives, and am thinking that my expectations were too lofty? Perhaps the targa has a softer suspension than the hardtop? Maybe I just didn't get it?

The serious bmw enthusiasts I know think the Porsche is the no brainer choice given the slight cost differential.

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My apologies in advance if this subject has been beaten to death, but for some reason the E46 posts I found in the archives were not that revealing.

 

I would say that you need to test-drive a Carrera with the ROW-M030 Euro Sports Suspension option. It's a world of difference from the handling of a standard suspension Carrera, and the ride quality is hardly affected.

And I guess it's subjective, but I find the Carrera's engine note to be so much more exotic than the M3's; even more so with the sport exhaust. This may not be that important to you, but exhaust note is a huge part of the experience for me--I'd get a modena over a turbo just for the sound alone...

 

Good point, but the sports suspension is tough to track down. I may have to take a leap of faith that with a more buttoned down setup, it'll suit me well.

I'll try to drive a few more examples to get a better feel for the car.

I agree with the engine note. Absolutely fantastic, and unmistakably Porsche.

 

I may get a lot of flack for this...I had an E46 M3 and I really enjoyed it. It's a very fun car. Had the convertible but I know the coupe is even more fun to drive. The coupe will be fairly light on it's feet and ride is good for daily pounding. For the price, it's a lot of car. The stock exhaust note is lacking...but Dinan makes a really nice exhaust for the car...sounds very deep and mean. The M3 has had it's fair share of quality issues (mine went back on a lemon law). I also found BMW extremely difficult to deal with...not customer centric.

Don't own a C2 (Turbo owner) but it also has many merits. If it was me, a lot of this would come down to price. I felt like the C2 moved a bit quicker than my M, but I did own the M3 cab so it's considerably heavier than the coupe. I also like the fact that the M3 is new.

Tough call. Fair warning...if you go with the Porsche, you'll probably never go back.

T

 

Hmm, nice post. Price delta is not a big deal. Writing a 55k check is not a lot more painful than 50k. I'm sure I can find another pristine C2 for perhaps a bit less, but I'm not that concerned with saving a grand or two, I'm much more concerned about making a purchase I later regret.

Arggh. I'm usually decisive in all areas of my life, except when it comes to cars. I'm such a gurl.

 

I have not spent extensive time with an M3, but have driven several 330Ci models and was very impressed at the mid 30s price point. I was tossing up a 330Ci, M3 or C2. I test drove a couple of C2s and loved them. I felt I had to drive an M3 and did so, and was very disappointed.

I don't know if the car I drove had 18 or 19inch wheels, but I felt that on suburban roads (mix of freeway and residential), that the car tramlined. Also the car felt like all engine. The steering felt too light. Also at the back of my mind was the number of engine problems that have been reported with the M3. It also did not feel "special" in comparison with the 330Ci - I basically felt it was just a hot-rodded 330.

At the end of the day I bought a C2 and love it. Whenever I drive it I leave with a smile on my face. Traffic does not bother me. While the car does tramline a little bit on 18" wheels and M030, it feels minimal. Exhaust sounds great, and is definitely a sports car, rather than a sports coupe.

 

it comes down to which car you like more . E46 M3 is a very nice car inside/out. has bigger back seats and a little more comfortable than a C2/C4 and a little practical that a 996.
performance is about the same.
the 996 is pretty comfortable (not benz comfort..but it doesn't beat you up either) did a road trip to the casino couple of weeks ago and the ride was excellent. my wife didn't even ***** once about the ride or say that we should have took the benz instead.

have driven both (m3/C4) on the track, the C4 (stock suspension) handles/stop better than the M.
Recently install the ROW M030 sport suspension on my car ( got it from carnewall). lower 3/4" on F and 1/2" on R.
handles much better..can't wait to go back to the track.

 

Only have owned the 996, but here are some thoughts...

My friend has an M3 with the SMG, it is a lot of fun to drive and quick. He has some major problems, but all were covered under warranty. His biggest was when the engine blew while driving the car pretty hard -- however this was completely covered under warranty and they even extended his warranty to around 85k miles and that includes all scheduled maintenance. He does complain about poor service during the other maintenance (could just be his dealer).

Flip side, my 996 has had only minor problems, but out of warranty work was very expensive. Over $700 -- not to mention the flatbed tow-truck charge -- to replace the cooling reservoir (they know they have problems with part reliability). Then over $250 to have the ignition replaced because it went out and sometimes the car would not start, or if it did the A/C and radio would not work (also a known reliability issue with the part).


Aesthetically, I think that the 996 is more unique. The 996 is typically not confused with another car, where some people dont notice the difference between an M3 and a 328. All that being said, get the one that you enjoy most.
-TS

 

"Good point, but the sports suspension is tough to track down. I may have to take a leap of faith that with a more buttoned down setup, it'll suit me well."

i've owned an E36 M3 coupe , E46 M3 coupe (from 7/03 to 6/04), and currently a 996 cab (from 11/00 to the present). my favorite (stock) of the three is most def the E36. when i initially drove the E46 M3 i was completely underwhelmed. after we bought it (for my wife - too GT for me) i liked it but never got over the feeling that steering had been overboosted to make the weight "feel" like it wasn't there. performance from bmw service is one of the main reasons i dumped the car recently. when i initially drove the 996 (had a 993 at the time), i took it back in less than 5 minutes after boredom. however, i've put on coilovers and it feels every bit (more so) nimble and sporty as the E36. the standard 996 is entirely too soft for me (too GT). best thing you can do probably is get in touch with your local PCA club and/or porsche dealer and see if someone will let you have a short demo in a sport suspensioned or coilovered 996. there is just no comparison between them and a standard suspensioned 996.

i don't know what to tell you about the sound. the 02 and up 996s have some of the aircooled blood back in them. the E46 m3 makes an embarassingly pathetic sound IMO. that raspy rattling sounds like it's some kind of souped up abortion.

 

I don't have a lot of time in the E46 M3. I looked at an SMG M3 while browsing for cars but settled upon my Carrera instead.

As with you, price wasn't the issue. I used to own an E30 (? 1st Gen) M3 and felt the E46 was a better car but was missing that visceral edge the original M3 had. I've never driven a car with better steering/responsiveness, though my Carrera is a close second. I am now old enough to know that the handling of either the E46 or my Carrera is well beyond sanity on the streets, and their acceleration/braking/cornering performance appeard (seat of the pants) to be nearly the same. I also read all of the road tests, compared the specs.

This is a truly difficult decision; I know, I went through it. You cannot go wrong with either. They are wonderful beasts that any enthusiast would be blessed to own. The looks of the Carrera won me over. Oh, to be totally honest I've wanted a Porsche since I was 5 (a "dyed-in-the-wool" Porschephile) and got a great opportunity to own a special car. I jumped at it.

Good luck!

 

Here are my thoughts...(previous owner of an E46///M3 - current owner of an 02' 996)

Coming from the BMW tuning community (as somewhat of a torch bearer as well) the E46 ///M3 is one of the best "daily driver" liveable sports cars available. Great power, lots of room , easy to live with daily. My particular M3 saw everything from morning drives to work, to being in the 2002 SEMA Show Toyo Tires booth (driven from OC to LV). With a few mods here and there, the M3 was my idea of the perfect daily driven sports car. If I needed to carry more than 2 people, no problem - the M3 sat 4. I also enjoyed run-ins with the usual Roush Mustang, C4 Vette, etc...all while enjoying heated seats and a extremely comfortable driving environment. Again, I can't say enough about a good mix of power along with incredible comfort.

As a new 996 owner (3 months now) IMO, they are 2 completely different automobiles. The 996 is a "true" sportscar (again, my opinion) in that the entire road is felt through the drivers position. My M3 was lowered with full custom H&R Coilover suspension (custom valve settings) and it still doesn't compare to my stock 996 suspension. While I never took the M3 on a track, I did take it on an average of 100MPH run from Santa Barbara to San Francisco, held well through the twisties (we took highway 1)
but I can tell you easily that the Porsche just feels more confident in the turns. Straight line power between the M and the 996 is nill - specs are pretty close on either side, besides - this all comes down to driver. I had a funny run-in with a new 350Z and the 996 walked it at speed in 6th gear ( I didn't even bother to down shift). The overall feel of the 996 is just simply designed for performance driving rather than daily comfort. I have a hard time living with the 996 daily (I ebay a lot of stuff and only half of it fits in the 996) - not to mention the lack of 2 usable back seats for passengers. (That being said I just picked up a Scion Xb for daily driving).

To sum it up, in my opinion - the E46 M3 is better to live with daily, but the 996 is easily a better sportscar.

 

Very nicely said.

Did you think the ride was more refined/luxurious with the M3 over the C2, or it was more a matter of usable space?

This car will be a daily driver. With a three year old and a 6 month old at home, my track days have dwindled to maybe 4-6 weekends a year. Track performance does matter, but it's not weighted as heavily as it once was.

 

Even though I had the full H&R Coilover setup, I'd have to say the ride was more luxurious in the M. As for "refined" - depends on your definition. Refined sporting wise - no. Refined luxury-wise, daily driven -wise, YES.

If you need usable space yet want something sporty enough to track or just street carve with - the M is the way to go IMO.

 

"I'd have to say the ride was more luxurious in the M."

fwiw, i have the opposite opinion (re: ride suppleness,etc) in that the stock suspensioned C2 was softer than the stock M3's.

 

That's really interesting! In both situations (with H&R Coilovers and the stock suspension) - the M was much more easy on the bumps than my stock C2....I'm actually hoping after I install my TechArt springs it gets a little "softer" (not a track junky)