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Although both are coupé's, it is hard to deny that the 911 shape and design is more impressive than the M3's.
Thanks guys! Yea the shape of the 911 looks likes its flying while standing still! I now see why the Porsche people are so loyal...The transmission, steering, and greenhouse are just sublime.
I have an E46 M3 that I use as a daily driver. It's a great car that is exceptionally good at being a DD while still remaining low key. I feel like I can take it just about anywhere and have a good time on the way. With that said, as good as the M3 is, the 997 is just a little bit better in almost every single way. Some of the M3 guys will argue that the 997 isn't necessarily an upgrade, and maybe it's not on paper, but the actual driving experience says otherwise.
My E46:
My 997 C2S:
Having owned two E46 M3's and three 997's I would hazard a guess that the M3 dudes that say that say it because for whatever reason they can't pull off the upgrade. I agree with you 100% that the driving experience between the two are so different that their argument makes no sense.
An interesting discussion. I have had BMWs for the last 33 years; my current DD is a rather old E46 330ci. I'm considering replacing it with a 435i but I'm not completely convinced somehow and started to look at a 911 (997.2) and have been looking to the point where I doubt if I will go BMW. I live in the UK and suitable models seem in relatively short supply but there's no doubt that the depreciation on the BMW is ferocious.
Agree with a lot of statements here. I was a bmw driver for many years and once I sold my E46 m3 I went through five more bmw m cars looking for that same driving experience and never found it...but tried hard! E90 m3 with ohlins and tons of other bits, m2 e39 m5 and then finally an f10 m5 that was tuned to 715 whp. None could touch that driving experience of the E46. Then I drove a 997 and that was it I was hooked. Two years later went to buy a x5d and came home with a cayenne s. Just the feel of the Porsche and interior of the cayenne gave me reason not to go back. There is hope for the m8 as a grand touring car but we shall see. Here are my e90 and f10 m5 (which had the best paint job of any car I have ever owned, frozen cashmere metallic)
An interesting discussion. I have had BMWs for the last 33 years; my current DD is a rather old E46 330ci. I'm considering replacing it with a 435i but I'm not completely convinced somehow and started to look at a 911 (997.2) and have been looking to the point where I doubt if I will go BMW. I live in the UK and suitable models seem in relatively short supply but there's no doubt that the depreciation on the BMW is ferocious.
Agree with a lot of statements here. I was a bmw driver for many years and once I sold my E46 m3 I went through five more bmw m cars looking for that same driving experience and never found it...but tried hard! E90 m3 with ohlins and tons of other bits, m2 e39 m5 and then finally an f10 m5 that was tuned to 715 whp. None could touch that driving experience of the E46. Then I drove a 997 and that was it I was hooked. Two years later went to buy a x5d and came home with a cayenne s. Just the feel of the Porsche and interior of the cayenne gave me reason not to go back. There is hope for the m8 as a grand touring car but we shall see. Here are my e90 and f10 m5 (which had the best paint job of any car I have ever owned, frozen cashmere metallic)
Very nice selection of cars!
I was actually searching for a 2011 E90, 6-speed, without a sunroof when I stumbled upon the 997. They were/are hard to come by in good condition. Friend bought a F80 M3. Was extremely disappointed with the feel. Fast as hell but that's about it. I have zero regrets making the switch.
I had been a M3 fan for a long time, but my opinion is that ever since the introduction of 1 series they have lost their way and drifted away from function over form to a design mantra that is more in line with what a marketing group analysis focused on share market exposure to capture that undecided 02% of the overall market of millennials.
I do like the looks of the new M6 GTLM in the IMSA series (FIA GT3 if I remember) I sure would like to see a straight up Porsche GT3 vs M6 GT3 comparison.
Having owned two E46 M3's and three 997's I would hazard a guess that the M3 dudes that say that say it because for whatever reason they can't pull off the upgrade. I agree with you 100% that the driving experience between the two are so different that their argument makes no sense.
That M3 is a great car. Just keep up the maintenance and watch out for the inherent crack rear sub-frame.
I loved my e46 M3 but wanted to upgrade so I bought my 997.2 C4S and I absolutely love it. There's just something more "special" about it vs. the e46 M3 as well as the e9X M3.
That said, I am a BMW guy at heart and I missed my M car...so I picked up an F85 X5M to join the 911 in the garage. Best of both worlds.
I was a BMW guy - had an E30, an E46 ZHP and two E90 M3's, one of which was supercharged. My wife has an E70 X5 diesel, which I love. The E90's were fantastic DD, do-it-all cars, but the driving experience didn't hold a candle to my 997 C2S. They were big, heavy boats compared to the 997. Between BMW no longer making a single car that really interests me, and my opinion that they now basically build cars that are meant to be leased, I'll likely not purchase another in the future. All P-cars and pickup trucks for me!
people buy bimmers and porsches for many reasons
but among driving enthusiasts i think of bimmers/m cars as a primary gateway drug into porsche/gt cars
I was a BMW guy - had an E30, an E46 ZHP and two E90 M3's, one of which was supercharged. My wife has an E70 X5 diesel, which I love. The E90's were fantastic DD, do-it-all cars, but the driving experience didn't hold a candle to my 997 C2S. They were big, heavy boats compared to the 997. Between BMW no longer making a single car that really interests me, and my opinion that they now basically build cars that are meant to be leased, I'll likely not purchase another in the future. All P-cars and pickup trucks for me!
people buy bimmers and porsches for many reasons
but among driving enthusiasts i think of bimmers/m cars as a primary gateway drug into porsche/gt cars
I can also imagine that people who require more practicality (4-doors, bigger boot, ...) would go for an M car.
My first car was a 1970 BMW 2002, similar to the one in the attached pic. I bought it in 1979 with $ I earned as a college kid cleaning carpets. I even carried my cleaning equipment to jobs in the beginning of that business. Eventually I bought a proper truck, and 38 years later, my little brother is still running that business. The BMW is long gone, but the Porsche addiction I developed shortly after selling that 2002 has never been quenched. Recently I bought a 997 which I love as a DD. I’d still love to have that 2002 back It was such a cool little car.
03-07-2018, 09:10 PM
