Warning: this is LONG.

Well, I've been in my 997.1 Porsche C2S (2006) for about seven months now and wanted to give my take on the similarities and differences between the two cars. For background, my e46 was a 2004 cab.

Aesthetics:
I think the e46 was the last BMW design I would buy. I know this has been discussed at length, but I'm not much of a Bangle fan. I think the e46 is timeless and, in retrospect, I should have kept it and tried to add the C2S. I happen to be in the camp that loves the fact that the 911 hasn't changed drastically through the years. If we're talking about timeless design, the 911 is the poster child in my opinion. I would give a very slight edge to the Porsche here. Winner: Porsche

Sound:
This is very subjective and I know most people would feel the opposite, but stock vs stock, the M3 is the hands down winner -- no question. The M3 always sounded like a sports car (whether you like/dislike the raspy tone) whereas the Porsche needs Sport Exhaust or after market exhaust to sound like a sports car. This was the biggest disappointment with the Porsche for me and had to upgrade this right away. Winner: M3

Practicality:
This probably isn't even worth discussing. Both were/are my daily drivers and the Porsche is a pain in the ****. I read countless comments before the purchase that said the 911 is the most practical sports car, but realistically, it's a great third vehicle, not a daily. Winner: M3

Reliability:
I know both are considered to be very reliable cars, but I've found that the Porsche has had a lot more problems. It's under warranty for another two years, so I guess I'll have to reevaluate then, but right now, the Porsche has been a little disappointing in this dept. Winner: M3

Value:
Frankly, no one buys a Porsche for value or practicality, so take my ratings on those for what their worth. The M3 is a GREAT value. Especially used e46s. I might even get another one someday. Winner: M3

Performance:
The porsche is by far the better performing sports car. But, the M3 was a fun car. I could toss it around at lower speeds and have fun in the car legally. The Porsche, on the other hand, is so good that it's almost a detriment. To really have fun in the car and push it to its potential, you really need to be on a track. I still haven't found its limit, but its got way more grip and acceleration. So much, in fact, that it's actually LESS fun to drive daily. Does that make sense? But, the obvious winner here is: Porsche

Feel:
This is really where the Porsche can't really even be mentioned in the same breath. It's more forgiving with bumps, but it has more road feel and much better suspension. The steering feel much more connected. The clutch and stick communicate so much more to your hands/feet. There was a period of a week where I had them both, and the first time I got back into the M3, it was shocking how soft it felt in every sense of the word. There is no comparison. Winner: Porsche

Quality:
I would give a slight edge to the Porsche here, but it's really not as big a difference as I would have guessed. There's wear on my C2s and it only has 12k miles. The leather/trim is nice, but not anywhere near as nice as a $90K car should have. That being said, this is a comparison with my M3 and the clear winner is: Porsche

Perception:
I own a business, so the Porsche actually has some drawbacks here. I know there are two schools of thought on this -- showing your clients you are successful is a good thing vs indicating that you aren't spending their money wisely. I happen to lean towards looking more modest, so I'm a little uncomfortable in it sometimes. I've also gotten some strange reactions to the car. My daughter had a function at her school and the parking lots were full. There were at least 12 illegally parked cars in the lot because we had no choice. When I got out, mine was the only one with a note -- it started with "You think you are so special that you can park wherever you want!". I doubt I would have gotten that reaction in my M.

Conclusion:
The 911 was my dream car for quite a while and the M was somewhat of a transition towards that goal, but in retrospect, it was the perfect daily driver. Would I rather have the M now? Well, not sure I can say that, but it was actually more fun. Sounds strange, but in my case, true. Don't get me wrong, I love the Porsche and for the feel of it alone, it can't be beat. I just wanted to give some somewhat objective opinions based on my experience.

 

I have owned a 1984 944, 1988 928s4, a 2003 Boxster, and am now enjoying a 2006 c4s. The C4s has BY FAR been the best performing, the most communicative, and the most exotic to drive of the four. That being said.., driving it is an event. It is not as simple as jumping in the car and going. It is a special thing and feels completely different. If I have to do any mundane tasks, I jump in my Audi A6. If however I want my day to feel better, nothing excites the senses like a drive in a 911. I was without a Porsche for about a year. I could never do that again. And like you, I am more conscious of the looks of both approval and disapproval by onlookers. Funny how they did not react that way to the Boxster or the 928s4, just the 911. People are funny.

 

I too came from an E46 M3. Mine was a coupe and the comparison between the 2 is accurate. I do agree that the M3 is a better daily driver. I currently have an E63 as my daily and I absolutely love it. I too prefer a more subdued existence and think the Porsche brings me too much attention. I would have the same opinion as you if I had to drive it every day. This may be a bit of a ramble but realize I understand completely what you're saying. Consider tho, much like myself, that you may LOVE the Porsche as a 2nd car. I know two things for now, I will always own 1) an AMG and 2) a Porsche (hopefully a Turbo next with the new body style). I will add to my collection from there......

 

With all due respect, it sounds like you have a "i miss my old car" complex

The 997 C2S is FAR AND ABOVE an E46 M3 its not even close. Either you havent driven it enough yet or just REALLY loved that M but having driven/owned a 997 C2S and driven many of my friends M3's its not even close in the feel/driver feedback/performance/sports car category.

I also own a business an understand what you mean about the 'negative' attention but my 997 was (and my Cayman S is now) the best business card i have ever gotten. Opens doors that i could have never imagined!

Bottom Line - enjoy your car man!

 

better than the note that was put under my 997's windshield - in flowery, female handwriting:

"really nice car, too bad about your d*ck"

 

No offense but living with an M3 and driving it daily for years is significantly different than driving your friend's. The porsche indeed is a great car to test drive but you really don't appreciate it until you have had some seat time, twisties, etc. The same goes for the M3.

 

Thanks for taking time to share with us your thoughts. Enjoy your Pcar.

 

Great write up, thank you.

 

First of all, you will never get style points saying those things on this MB even if everyone knows its true......vice versa if you go to M3 board.

I have owned three M3's and came from one myself.

I agree with 95% of what you said.

I dont like the attention the C4S it gets from people I know or work with(and no it doesnt help my business) ....I dont really care about strangers I see on the streets but it is annoying to answer questions about it esp to people who you know arent car people...esp when they say "didnt know those Porsches cost 110K" which implies they looked it up.

Also dont like the no trunk thing...I am limited to taking 2 irons when i go to golf range(this is unacceptable!)...this car is so loud people can barely hear you while you on cell...ride is somewhat stiff but acceptable...but it drives like a pure sports car and road feel and handling is second only to the Elise I used to have....I think 911's are the ultimate weekend car .

Because of this, just went out and got the most mundane and boring car today as a DD so I dont have to talk about my C4S with anyone in the future(btw, I love talking cars with true car people)...thats right, I have a Honda Accord now.......tried to use Porsche as DD for 2 months and it was just about as much as I could take.

If anyone at work asks me about P in the future Im telling them I sold it...just washed the C4S today and I dont expect to do this again for 3-6 months now...it will never see rain ever again haha.

But youre right, M3 is the best DD sports car out there period...drive to work while eating a donut and drinking coffee while talking on cell cannot be done well in Porsche...

 

I've also owned both. I had a 2002 and then a 2006 E46 M3 coupe before "trading up" to Carreras. I had the 2006 side-by-side in the garage for about 7 months after buying my first 997 and switched bck and forth regularly during that time.

Essentially I agree with everything you say, but for me there would be no going back to the E46 which felt a bit too raw by comparison. It did have grip for days and more than enough acceleration to be highly entertaining, but the feel of driving the Porsche is just so much more fluid and rewarding.

I vastly prefer the clutch engagement, shifter & steering feel, ride and seating position of the Carrera and those are the key elements for me.

My only issue with the 997.2 C2S mirrors one of your own; too hard to find anything close to the limits during a daily drive......even with a fair amount of back roads involved in the commute. At least while retaining some sense of responsibility.

 

Nice write up. Came from E46 M3 to C2S (w/Z06 in between) and agree w/a lot of your comments, except for the reliability thing. I had a 2001 and it had a bunch of problems, including a replaced engine and cracked rear subframe. To their credit both items were fixed under warranty. Were it a daily driver, the down time would've killed me. Still, I loved that high revving S54.

 

ha ha. I think if it were a weighted grade, the "feel" category might be worth as much as the rest combined. So, yes, I totally agree the Porsche is the better car... maybe not the best daily, but definitely the better car.

 

 

I loved my M3 as well, and miss it from time to time! The biggest failing with the M, was the fact that the harder you pushed it, the worse it felt. You either got silly understeer or "dukes of hazzard"-oversteer. Not much balance at 9/10ths. Coil-overs would fix that, but should not be needed to have a balance car. I was kind of sick of the odd drivetrain clunks and notchy shifter too.
I don't get the comments that the car isn't in the same league as the 911. I felt that my 911 was an incremental step-up from the M, and when cost is factored in, I felt pretty good about the M.
I also dare say that I found the inline 6 to be much more responsive than the DFI flat 6. Somehow the 333 hp in the M feels just as good as the 380 in the 911. I could do 4.8 to 60mph runs in the M all day long, with no clutch or tire abuse. My 911S can match that (without a 7000 rpm launch), but should do better considering the stats. Why do they gear it so long in 2nd gear? And The sound of the 911 is very pretty, rather than the raw and angry sound of the M's engine.
My M was pretty reliable, but the Bremi ignition coils died on me in the first year, which was a known issue. I had the engine recall too to replace the crank bearings. My 911 has been very reliable in its first year, as long as you don't count all of the rattles and loose trim. I really can't wait until auto-x season to see what the 911 is all about. i bet it won't chunk the front tires like the M did!

 

I currently own a 2003 M3 Cab and a 2006 C4S and can relate to most everything you said. I had never heard a reference to "miss my old car -itis" but I get it. Really they are amazing cars at different price points. The Porsche probably does carry a bit more baggage as a midlife crisis car and the BMW sadly has depreciated to "boy racer" affordability. This next car I buy is probably a Ferrari 328 GTS, a 355 Spyder or would even consider the right Testarossa (all cars have or will have 3 pedels).

I think there are probably two types of drivers of these cars, those that appreciate and care about the heretage, engineering, design and build, and want to wear the marque as fashion. Anyway, all of this is a great hobby and it probably doesn't matter if you enjoy the cars.