WARZILLA, that was just an excellent post!

The M3 is clearly one of the better options out there if you have only one car. I was totally satisfied with the service and cost of ownership aspect with my last 3 bimmers, which included an M3.

Unfortunately the above posts re. fan-boys on bimmerfest are true, I think. Used to be more of a enthusiast site, but I think there are enough relics of the past lurking, that can/will give good advice. I was pleasantly surprised how good rennlist and 6speed are!.

Good luck with the new ride!

 

When BMW put turbos in the 335i, you basically attracted half the tuner boy crowd to the brand. Not sure if that was a good or bad thing.

 

My point is there are more options/configurations on the 911 then the M3, so its going to be harder to find the 'right' combo that you may want IF you plan on buying used. Perfect example, if you go to the configurator on both the M3 and 911 websites:

- 911 has 19 different exterior color pix; M3 has 8
- 911 offers 5 types of seats; M3 has 1 (with or without heat)
- 911 offers 5 types of wheels; M3 offers 2

Thats just a sample. So when you go out for an M3, i would without a doubt say that most e92 coupes I see are configured very closely the same while when I was looking at used 911, they were all over the map on colors/options/features. Even miles are so off on a 997.1 06' car. You can get a low mileage car to something that has 50k miles on it.

That was basically where I was coming from with that statement.


Yes , I stand corrected.

 

Good objective post...and I don't disagree with any of your points, but only with the best intention for a minor correction. The Porsche's engine is a Flat 6 or Boxer 6, not a V.

Anyway, all those are valid points that you've made. It just seems that more people should arrive at their own personal decisions on which to pick in the same logical manner as you have. As I've said in prior threads, no one NEEDs an M3 or any Porsche...so, it's really based on personal requirements. To me, the design brief and purpose between the M3 and 997 are different enough where decisions should be pretty simple if one is to drive both and think through its intended use.

Congrats on your purchase.

 

You are right on point.

 

That's a good episode. She Sells Sanctuary is my 997 song.

 

Its been said a thousand times a thousand ways - one is a practical sports car and the other is practically a sports car.

If you drive a 911 for an hour and don't want to get out of it, buy one. If you test a 911 then jump in an M3 and don't miss the 911 immediately, get the M3.

Resale is the only race that won't even be close. 911s fetch good money 10 years down the line. My friend is about to buy an 08' E92 M3 cab with all options ($84k MSRP w/sales tax new) with 2,800 miles on it for $56,500.00. Ouch....

From the driver's seat these cars are not interchangeable. You need to decide whether you like apples or oranges better. Good luck.

DRP

 

This comment falls on the fanboyism you ironically called out on a later post of yours... and after you stated that you haven't even driven the GT-R and would love to, despite your condescending look onto a Japanese brand. For what it's worth my 350Z had a lot more road feel than my 335i. Maybe too much, because it was very noisy and uncomfortable as a DD (almost 1 hour commute before the economy hit the sh*tter).

As for the OP... I would take the M3 for the maintenance and warranty... but a 911 it isn't. You could use it as a stepping stone though. Because after a 911 you will probably not want to go back.

 

Obviously the rice boys is a bad thing... but the engine is a good one. That said, I avoid BMW forums because the ricers outnumber the enthusiasts maybe 100-fold. You won't see me on that "other forum" we go to for a long time.

 

Yeah, it's too bad too. I still think the N54 is a good engine, but with all the 'street kill' stories and stoplight racers, that particular Bimmer has become too riced for me to even consider seriously anymore.

 

My 2 cents. Maybe the 997 will match the 993 in value at 10+ years out but the 996 are currently resale dogs. Too many were made and not enough buyers. And frankly, I think the same thing may happen with the 997s, with the econ being the way it is. I don't know if you will ever see the volume of buyers for all the 996/997s that are currently out there.

As people on this forum has posted - some are getting 18% off on brand new 09s; while some have gotten 100k 'when new' cars for 50% off (at just 3 yrs old).

 

I just got back from driving a new M3 tonight. It is a nice car. I agree with the earlier posts that if the M3 is your only car then it would be a good choice for someone who needs to transport people and it has a nice sized trunk. It is certainly more practical than the 997. But I haven't read that anyone has brought up the weight of the M3. The one I drove weighs about 1,000 pounds more than the C2S. It is difficult to hide that kind of weight on a car. I didn't take any corners fast but I diffently felt it's mass on sweeping turns. All in all I still prefer the C2S because it is a dedicated sports car and I feel a certain rawness that other cars do not have, and I like that.

 

If you deicide to go with either car, let us know because we have some great products avialable for both cars. We can make the car sound and feel sportier and much more aggressive. PM or email me if you have any questions. Videos below of our exhaust setup for both cars and they sound amazing.

997 Exhaust Video:
http://www.fabspeed.com/videos/996%2...on%20Video.wmv

BMW M3 Video:
http://www.fabspeed.com/videos/BMW%20M3%20Sedan.wmv

997 Exhaust Package:



BMW X Pipe 2ndary Bypass:

 

It boils down to this:
need a real back seat or if it will be your only car, buy the M3. At the end of it all contentment in what you have is key. Everyone else's opinion is not the one you have to live with.

Just drive them both and buy what YOU like. They're both great cars.

 

I think this note really nails it. Truth is, the M3 and 997 are not comparable. If you NEED the extra space - seats/storage - then the 997 is out of the picture. And, in that case, I'd pass on the M3 and go directly to the GTR. It gets a lot of hecklers, but its a breakthrough design and a remarkable machine. The M3 has grown to be a huge and heavy car with a remarkable engine. But for the same size, you can get a car (GTR) that is remarkable in many more ways. I don't care if it's Japanese, Peruvian, investment grade or not.
But if you can live with a true sports car, and don't have to be the fastest 0-60, 0-100, 30-70, etc., then the 997 is a low-brainer.
I for one dislike big cars. I often look at my 997 (which I covet) and wish for an Exige. So I have exactly zero interest in a German or Japanese Camaro.
When I need to carry stuff, I take the Prius.