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One is all turbo high tech low rpm bulkloads of torque with a DCT. The other is a 4S manual one has to “work” to really get it going.
Not sure which one to pick I took both for the same spin this am. One is brutally quick from the get go and always ready to jump into the next gap in traffic. The other you have to anticipate the gap, find the gear and “row” to get there.
Not sure wich one I like better ..... so I just washed both and left the decision for tomorrow am.
Once in a lifetime. Could not be more thankful to my wife who bought into the idea that I don’t own two expensive cars. We have two cars who we paid for after initial depreciation so kind of own at book value. Get the logic?
I like the looks of the M3. I tried hard to get my wife in one. She hated it during the test drive. I admit, I didn’t like it much either. I was surprised. I always been a fan. And again, I love the look.
She ended up in a C43 AMG and loves it.
Ive got a manual Targa 4 GTS. And I’m likely a bad driver all things considered. But I’m learning and as long as I know what gear to be in, playing with the RPMs and generating enough power is ludicrously fun and exciting.
That all said, it’s a weekender. I’d be in an automatic if it was a daily. For sure.
I do not know why all the fuss and dislike about a manual as a DD, which I assume is due to being in traffic. I almost never get in stop & go traffic but last night I did and for about 15 minutes I just left it in 1st gear and went into neutral as I started to get close to the car in front of me. The car never bucked, stalled, etc. and I actually found it quite amazing I was able to do that so easily. And did you mean to ask "M3 or 991.2" the second time? If so, 991.2 all the way, which is what I have.
I do not know why all the fuss and dislike about a manual as a DD, which I assume is due to being in traffic. I almost never get in stop & go traffic but last night I did and for about 15 minutes I just left it in 1st gear and went into neutral as I started to get close to the car in front of me. The car never bucked, stalled, etc. and I actually found it quite amazing I was able to do that so easily. And did you mean to ask "M3 or 991.2" the second time? If so, 991.2 all the way, which is what I have.
not one bit of fuss, my man.
I put on approximately 25 to 30k miles a year on my daily. It’s not a to and from work vehicle. I drove a manual S4 for about a year. At this amount of miles, an automatic is by far my choice.
To each their own I always say. But an automatic is most certainly easier to drive.
I do not know why all the fuss and dislike about a manual as a DD, which I assume is due to being in traffic. I almost never get in stop & go traffic but last night I did and for about 15 minutes I just left it in 1st gear and went into neutral as I started to get close to the car in front of me. The car never bucked, stalled, etc. and I actually found it quite amazing I was able to do that so easily. And did you mean to ask "M3 or 991.2" the second time? If so, 991.2 all the way, which is what I have.
I DD a 1st generation tacoma for many years. The manual didn't bother me whatsoever, and brings a hefty price premium on the used market even today, but I don't know if I would have picked a manual, as it wasn't any more fun to drive than the auto on that particular vehicle. I think it depends on the car you are driving; many of us commute in boring rigs, and for those, a manual vs auto brings about the same driving experience. If I were stop and go in a 911, I am manual all the way if it is a weekend car, and PDK if a car that also finds track time. Really driving a car at it's limit is something I would rather do in a PDK, but as a fun, 3-hour weekend car or daily driver, manual for sure.
One is all turbo high tech low rpm bulkloads of torque with a DCT. The other is a 4S manual one has to “work” to really get it going.
Not sure which one to pick I took both for the same spin this am. One is brutally quick from the get go and always ready to jump into the next gap in traffic. The other you have to anticipate the gap, find the gear and “row” to get there.
Not sure wich one I like better ..... so I just washed both and left the decision for tomorrow am.
Once in a lifetime. Could not be more thankful to my wife who bought into the idea that I don’t own two expensive cars. We have two cars who we paid for after initial depreciation so kind of own at book value. Get the logic?
They are about as fast: they just get there differently. The M3 is great if you need the practicality of a family car! The 4S doesn't offer that. The 4S is a much better driver though; I don't think there is one thing about the M3's driving experience I prefer. It sure is a looker though, and in the right color, can look more exotic than a 911. Check out the one in the classifieds in Sakhir Orange!
The 911 will depreciate less: the F80 platform is still dropping around $800 a month. I am seeing low-mile, well spec'd 2015's selling in the low 40's now. They continue to plummet. A similar 2015 C4S is only going to lose about $350 a month with minimal mileage. The 911 is likely to be more reliable as well.
If it matters, I went from an F80 M3 to a 991.2 Carrera T. I loved the M3 and have been a BMW fan for a very long time. But the F80 just felt rough and high strung, always wanting to go. I had the 6MT with the competition package by the way.... and 991.1 versus 991.2 is a different debate but after DDing my 7MT T for 6 months now I would take a modern Porsche over an M3 any day. The "lack" of low end torque wont be an issue after you adapt to it and you will still be able to do 90% of what you did in the M3 for the family. Plus you will have one of the last NA Porsche's which is something as well. I know we are all biased around here buy my vote is for the 991.1 MT!!! Good luck! And great wife BTW.....
I had a similar dilemma, albeit between two 911's. I had a 2015 GTS with PDK which is an awesome car, but felt the same regarding the need to constantly "push" the car above a normal rev range to get a truly enjoyable drive. It would be one thing if I was going to reserve such a car for the track, but that wasn't my intent. Then, I drove the 991.2, an WOW! What a difference in driving experience that 3.0 turbo makes! Low end torque, smooth acceleration through each gear, and a much more refined driving experience. Some will say the 3.0 sounds bad by comparison to the .1 cars, and I wouldn't agree, but its definitely not as visceral right out of the box. I solved that problem with a set of 200 cell cats. Not sure if making the jump to a .2 car is an option but if so, id try one out before going to the M3, that said, I would probably lean toward the M3 over the 4s NA car.
I love the 991.1!!! It has 400hp. Who complains about that? Traffic is fine. The driving experience in a world of electronics, turbos and autonomous driving is refreshing.
The M3 is amazing, but a different car. It hauls the family in comfort and for that I respect it.
LOL i had the same question when I was car shopping
i actually walked into a BMW dealership and ask the sales guy to talk me out of a 911.1S, his response was "that's a tough thing to do..."
Test drove the M4, M3 and the M6 GC (i had a V-10 M6 coupe before)
verdict in short: the M3 and M4 feels like I am driving some sort of wanna be race car, loud unrefined (compared to the 911s) Not that is not fast or fun, it is.,......but for someone who is 40 yrs old.....it just feels too much for me. If i were in my late 20s early 30s that's what I would buy (I actually drove a Z4M when i was in my late 20s and man that was a fun car) But at this stage of my life, the 911S is what I would wanna drive
Similar story just a year ahead of you. Picked up a 2016 C4S last summer with a PDK. The 400HP 6 string orchestra with PSE in back is dreamy. I could see how an MT would add an element of fun, its the only improvement I can think of. However don't underestimate the 911s daily utility. My daughter prefers to be taken to school in it. My family of 4 prefers to take it out for dinner (wife is actually ok in the back), I throw golf clubs in back for my weekend tee time. You can actually pack weeks worth of food in it. It will get you into plenty of trouble on highways and around B-Roads. About the only thing you can't do is haul Home Depot and put a bunch of plants (annuals) in it. Put snows on it and you've got what I think is the best winter ride next to maybe a snowmobile.
We have a BMW M340 and M550, meh. The M550 was mine and adding the C4S was supposed to be the "fast weekend toy", with an eye to some family utility. However, the M550 is gone in a few months and I'm not replacing. As you pointed out, M's are nice cars for family transport, the M340 and M550 a little more cozy for those sleepy highway drives, but 2 4-Door cars is silly once you figure out the 911. So the C4S elevates to daily and we will see how that works.