uber944

Ok guys I signed up top this board so that I could ask you guys this question. If you had to have an e36 m3, 944 turbo or a wrx which would it be. I know what a wrx drives like because I have driven them I would also like to know if any of you guys have any word to say on how the 944 turbo would compare to my dad M5 which I have driven to the limit . What are your opions on a rwd car in the winter, would a 944 do fine if it had the proper tires or would it be like the m5 no tration nomather what tires you buy.

v944god

Of course, we're going to say the 951 is better

It's hard to compare a M5 to an 951. But I've got to say the 951 is one of the funniest cars to drive. It's hard to get a smile on my face when I drive, but this car did it for me. This car isn't the greatest thing off the line, but OMG can it pull when that boost kicks in. Whenever your buying an N/A (e36) your limited to that same power unless you spend a ton to upgrade the performance. I know the 951's are very easy cares to upgrade and take little effort to get to that 300hp mark.

I drove my 944 through the winter about 8 miles a day to school, and it never once gave me a problem. I did have some close calls, but thats because I really was messing around.

uber944

yea i would have to drive the 944 if thats what i get to and from school everyday

thesmokingman

If this is your only car, and you have to pay the repair bills, I'd avoid the 15 yr old car.

And if you have a considerable winter where you live, AWD is better than RWD.

uber944

yea but i don't mind doing the work myself I'm very mechanically inclined and i have the tools too

thesmokingman

It sounds like you're prepared then, plus you'll be motivated to work on your car. There is nothing quite like a 944 Turbo!

Ag951

How do you drive? Do you ever drive in snow or rain? Will you be autocrossing or road racing the car?

They'll all be really good for driving fast on the street. In rain or snow, the scooby is the hands down winner. On an autoX, the BMW is the best car, and on the track, the 951 will edge out the bimmer.
The scooby will require less work (and be cheaper to work on). But only the 951 is a Porsche.

W88951

I would say that the WRX is a much more practical car. Their big downside is absolutely no power when not on boost and a week transmission. If you decide on the WRX, do not go drag racing and doing 6k launches. Not that you should do them in a 951 either.

I think the current price range for a WRX is about $18k or more depending on year and condition. You can buy a good condition 951 for 7-9k. That allows alot of room to bring the 951 up to a very reliable service condtion and add some performance parts along the way.

The question is do you want 2 or 4 doors. If I were to buy another 4 door car again it would hands down be a WRX or an STI. If I wanted to spend some real money then it would be an Audi S4. Having also driven late 90's M3's, I would rather have a WRX. If you want 2 doors, then a 951 is the way to go.

Either way, good luck with your new car.

v944god

uber, just do yourself a favor, and drive a 951. that will pretty much make your mind.

gatorbait

IMO, the E36 M3 has better overall balance than any of the other cars you're considering. It has a broad torque band and great low-end grunt which makes it a blast to drive. Where it really shines is in its handling. Drop H&R coilovers into it, lower it an inch, and the handling is incredible, the ride quality barely diminished. It has a much better suspension than the stock 951 (it should, as it's a much newer design). With good tires, you'll get razor-sharp turn-in, terrific steering. Handling is also very forgiving--you can do incredibly stupid things at its limits and live to tell about it. Stick Bridgestone Blizzaks on it in the winter and you'll do fine, providing you have a model with traction control (standard on the 1998's and forward). But forget about serious speed, unless your dad owns the Denver mint. Stock, an E36 M3, which is rated at 240HP (at the flywheel) only puts out 215 or so at the rear wheels. If you happen to own an OBD2 model ('96-'99), you'll need serious bucks for forced induction ($7 to $10K) to make it run with the big dogs.

Regarding the WRX, I've test driven two of them and found them to be great fun. At the time, I owned a '98 M3, and didn't feel threatened by the Subies in terms of either build quality or chassis dynamics. Also, nothing much happens in the WRX under 3K RPM (much like a stock 951). Great performance value at $24K new though, particularly in light of the fact that my M3 new, cost $16K more. Also the WRX has great performance mod potential, something worth considering if you can't live without max speed. With AWD, it's also a good choice for cold climates. A nice car, also very forgiving, but it still *ain't* an E36 M3 (IMO). There's a lot to be said for an automobile that can do everything well (if not brilliantly), as opposed to one that has only a couple of great tricks up its sleeve. Steering, gearbox, handling, clutch takeup, and braking were all better in the M3, as was its 3.2L I-6 (despite its lack of suds up high).

That brings us to the 951, a car with competent handling and superb performance mod potential. There's a thriving aftermarket for it, and go-fast mods are suprisingly affordable. But, it's been out of production for a while, which means that problems can abound for an unwary buyer. OTOH, you can pick them up for a song, and for a modest aftermarket investment have a serious (as a heart attack) player in terms of speed. As another post suggested, there's very little out there that compares to the slingshot acceleration of a 951 under boost. In terms of looks, I think the 951 is the runaway winner of the cars you're considering, with the Bimmer in second place.

In a perfect world, I'd use an M3 as a daily driver, but I'd blast through the countryside every weekend with my 951.

As another resource, I'd encourage you to check Bimmerforums.com (E36 M3 Forum). Good luck with your decision in any event.

reno928s

If you are looking for reliability go with BMW. I have owned three Porsches (944turbo, 928S, 944 turbo S)and two months out of the year it's in some mechanic's bay all over NJ. Trying to find someone competent to work on these cars is hard. I also had a BMW, other than doing routine maintenance the car was trouble free with just ONE oil leak. Performance wise you cannot beat the 951 just be ready to pay the price for it. The WRX is just plain blah looking. Reno

nosajwrx-7

I'd get the WRX. I love my car, it is great in the snow, it is a lot of fun to drive, and it is reliable. I can't comment on the Bimmer, since I have never even been in one, but if left with the choice between the 951 or WRX and I could only have one for everyday driving, I'd pick the WRX hands down. But, you also have to take into account where I live. The road I live on gets plowed once a snow storm no matter how much snow we get, I need 4WD/AWD.

shortyboy

hmm,in hawaii,there are a majority of m3s and rexs'(wrx) but i havent seen another 951(other than the one totaled at a mechanics shop).i love to be different so,hands down 951(bang for the buck baby,guru chips!)a e36 looks drop dead sex,but then again u can take the smirk off of that owners face with a few minor mods on the 951,let alone minor mods to a wrx.for cruisin and havin fun(like right now as we speak) 951.wrxs' sound real nice with a 3" exhaust,sounds similar to a harley(guess cause of the boxer engine),plus they are kinda cheap to mod.the e36 m3 OTOH is new,i like new cars BUT you cant tinker with them.im more of tweaker,not really a set it and forget it guy.theres no snow,some rain,but mostly sun,so a 951 cabrio turbo s would be PERFECT!!! pz

turbo944

Well, this really sounds quite unusual depending on the choice of car selection you have here. If you are talking about new for the WRX and BMW, you aren't even close to comparing entry costs. Most 951s are under $10k, if you are looking at $15-18K Subarus even used and a $25K BMW, those are vastly different figures. First of all look at your real budget in terms of how you are going to pay for the car. Second, look at your area and how easy/hard it is to get around in winter if you do get snow. I've driven my 951 in some light snow, but 1) thank God for LSD and whoever put it in this car (doesn't show option 220 in the options) and 2) if it's going to snow a lot again, I'd have to get me a set of phone dials on the cheap and put me some snow tires on them. Performance tires are very poor in the snow, but luckily it's easy to stay out of the boost and not get yourself in too much trouble in the 951.

As for reliability, you always have a chance at getting a gem which will require almost nothing besides the routine things or a lemon which will be in the shop all the time. 951, BMW or Subaru. Just the facts of life. I've read stories of all 3 being rock solid and never needing anything and I've read the opposite. Whatever car you get, have it thoroughly checked out before purchase if it's used and has no warranty.

As for what I'd choose where I live now with my budget I currently have...the 951 winds hands down every time. I don't have the money to move up to those other cars and the winters here have had relatively little snow in the last 15 years. If we get one that big, I live 3 miles from work and will have someone come pick me up And I still have a little beater Saturn that I'm trying to sell at the moment that I could use as well if it's still here.

That is another option of course.....having a winter beater/parts car that you buy very inexpensively only for those situations when your primary car is down. I plan on doing just that once I get moved and find a place is to have something for that moment when you get your main car apart and realize that you need another part and you don't have it and can't get to the store to get it.

Realize that the real world will intrude and that you need to keep some money in the bank for any used car you get without a warranty...you may need it. If you can't afford to keep one up, it's better to get something cheap and wait till you can get what you want. I've had to do that for a long time before getting my Porsche.

Of course the heart tugs too and for me as everyone else has said, the 951 wins with looks hands down with the BMW second. I know a lot of people are doing the sleeper WRX's and that isn't a new thing anymore. I prefer coming out into the parking lot and not having to wonder which car is mine....there aren't many 951s left and WRX's and BMWs (although maybe not the M3) are everywhere.

Good luck with your search!

mdex

I have a WRX and a 951... if I only had 1 car it would be the WRX... I love the Porsche, but a 15+ year old car isn't going to be overly reliable at the best of times and the parts and maintenance on the Porsche are in a different cost league to the WRX.

Personally I am not a fan of BMWs, and will respectfully dis-agree that they are a better handling car then the 951... in my years at the track, 951's are still one of the best cars you can have, and M3's do not hit the top 10 on the list of cars that I have run. The M3 will cost like the Porsche to maintain, and not be as much fun so I would think the decision will come down to reliability (but still tons of fun) and ultimate performance.

Just my 2 cents...