Lease on '09 911S PDK is coming to an end and i have a fabulous deal on an '11 M3 Coupe, 6sp, competition package. Question, the 911s is my everyday car (believe it or not) . I am looking for something slightly larger,more practical, with a bigger trunk but still handles great and is quick. Does the M3 fit the bill from those in the know how? Reading lots of articles it seems so. Anyone who owns or has owned a current M3 coupe is there any nuances i should know about? Is the start/stop function a real pain or is it always off? ANy other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thank You

 

If you need a bigger trunk and four seats the M3 would be hard to beat. I thhink the white M3 wiht carebon fiber roof is a great looking car. I seriously considered one on a euro delivery. It is a good buy. You will have to budget a bit more for fuel.

 

Kinda silly, but I do like that bump on the hood of the M3s. Enjoy the car. I was impressed with the quality of the demo car they had at the Washington Auto Show. Would make a good "other car", but I can't see myself sans P-car. If anything, maybe a M3 for driving around town and going with a pure track 911 at some point.

 

I will definitely be back in a P-car someday but right now I need more trunk space and more functional back seat. I did look at the panamara today but it seemed HUGE. The 911 really spoiled me with its quickness and handling prowess. I feel the M3 coupe (which has grown since the last gen M3) is the next logical step in keeping with the quickness and prowess but in a bigger package. Will be test driving one tomorrow.

 

I have an 08 M3 . The car is excellent in terms of being practical and fun to drive . With 34K miles on the car I have faced zerop problems until the car hit 32K . At 32K the only issue was that the axle lock began to make a grinding noise and apparently it is a common problem which requires replacing the fluid . O

It will not drive like a 911 though . One thing I dislike about the car most is the gearbox and positioning of the shift handle . One doesn't row the gear but rather has to tilt his shoulder forward . At first this felt unnatural . Also the gearbox is sloppy compared to the Porsche manual which i feel is the best I have ever driven .

I like the technology package and love the "premium sound system" . It blows away the Porsche Bose .

Compared to the Panamera the Panamera S and turbo are the better cars but the M3 is a great value . I would never lease a Porsche . I don't like leases in general but BMW has one of the best leases I have seen . If leasing .. BMW would be my choice.

Good luck. I can go on about handling and performance but as a daily it is very nice. It does eat a lot of gas though .

 

I've ordered my 2011 M3 with Competition Package. I'd love to have a 911 and M3, but that isn't happening for me. The new M3 is one of the most reliable cars around and has won accolades for that. The start/stop function isn't on the US cars, AFAIK. Go to m3forum.net and m3post.com and you'll find plenty of info. The cars are much more GT than a 911, but are really fast and practical as well. The M3 is a LOT quieter - definitely needs a sport exhaust! The rear diff problems are likely fixed on the new ones. Some cars have had very sticky, notchy 2nd gears - I've driven a couple older cars that were way too notchy. I've also read that some have had trannies replaced after complaining. I doubt it is a failure issue, but I wouldn't like it. Hopefully this has also been addressed on the 2011 - the worst is that BMW seems to have addressed it with fully new trannies under warranty. You had a PDK 911, you might consider the DCT in the M3, it has had very few issues, only some shifting delay on early models that was fixed with a software update. I'm looking forward to mine - and think I'll be back for a TT in 5 years!

 

M3 would be a wise choice

 

I realize you are comparing a pcar and an m3 but have you considered the c63 amg? I have one as my daily and must admit, it provides a spirited ride even with my twins in the back. Food for thought...

 

I have to write the C63 is bad.. I think the M3 is better looking but the C63 engine is a monster. I would have to drive both before I could choose. I haven't driven a new M3 (I had an 05).

 

Thanks fellas for all the awesome comments. Reason I like this M3 coupe with comp. pkg. is b/c it is a 6 speed manual. I want to row the gears in my next car. The panamara i saw today was absolutely gorgeous...white with a black center piece in front fascia .Dont know what package it is part of but what a looker. Also thought about 550i M package but price quoted was way too high. I believe the dealer wants to unload this M3 b/c for most it is not practical in my neck of the woods for a DD but it is right up my alley. Sometimes someones misfortune is another person fortune. Plus it has a red two-tone interior that looks great IMO.

 

You should check out the C63 and the TT-RS when it's out. The C63 is a great car and with the new interior this year and it would be hard to beat. The M3 seems to ride better but it feels it's more like a cut cost car.

 

M3 is one of the greatest value packages out there - especially with the competition rims. It was between that, an M6 (6spd), and the Targa.. I wanted to try something different so went with Porsche - obviously loving it but miss the space a little hehe. Never considered MERC - I love rowing gears! The NA V8 in the M3 is epic and the last ///M NA engine on their road map. Post pictures

 

The black center piece you refer to is most likely the SportDesign package. It has a different front bumper, side skirts, and more of the rear bumper is painted. When I saw that front bumper, I thought it was a great upgrade in the front. I ordered the package on my PTT which is in production NOW and scheduled to finish in one week. Should get it in the first 2 weeks of May I hope. I'll post pix...

 

bye bye!!!

 

Wish the same could be said for the 6spd BMW chose for the car. It's just something you have to accept.