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the Porsche will be faster and have better steering feel / handling... if lap times are your thing.
Remember Porsche is all about the options.
Find a Carrera S or wide body 4s or widebody GTS with SPASM and Sport Chrono Plus with an LSD and welcome to a go kart that can haul things around..
I wouldn't daily a 997 no way BMW would be better at that... I have SPASM sport chrono plus Carrera 4s (so LSD and electronic twin clutch AWD) and ride is way too bumpy on many OKC and Texas roads but it is one hell of a track car!
What a great photo - it's pictures like this that make me want to have a 997 for life.
Drove 4800 kms across Canada with 2 17 yrs old boys (son and friend before anyone asks) and they loved every minute of it. Little kids for 2 hours?? No problem. Did it frequently in my 993
Humm. I had a Cayman S 6 speed. Loved it but needed to start hauling my young grand kids twice a week. Went with 335is M sport. No M but a daily driver. All good but maintenance. Just got the 997.2 S PDK.
Needing to haul kids you have the deal I did, so sedan, no sports car. For a sedan the BMW was an excellent handler with amazing torque. Just got were didn't trust it.
I like both of them, but you need to also keep in mind how long you plan to keep the car.
Generally, in my opinion... BMW's don't age very well in the looks department. Porsche's on the other hand still look as pleasing as the day they first came out for a particular generation.
I owned a e90 m3 competition package. It was fun, but far from special. My 997.2 gts is at a completely different level, like other members have already stated. I sometimes use the comparison of the m3 is like a "hot rod" and the Porsche is a true sports car. You feel completely different sitting in the Porsche than you do in the Bmw. I suckered myself into buying the new m3 for the same reason of better and longer warranty. But purchasing a low mileage cpo 997.2 was really the way to go. I'm glad I once owned the m3 so I know, but would only go back to one of it was a 2nd or 3rd car.
At risk of going against the tide, here, I think the fit and finish of the M2 is better than the Porsche. The 997 was engineered more than 10 years ago. I loved my GTS Cab, but the fit and finish was not anywhere the new Porsche lineup, or the new BMWs. Also, the chance for a new car warranty, especially if you can get a 2016 model, which is longer and more inclusive than the 17s, well, that would make the difference for me. The single place where the Porsche is head and shoulders above the M2, and always will be, is in chassis balance and handling. No comparison.
I have a tall 9 year old, and she insists on taking the 997.2 everywhere we go, no matter the length of the trip. She'll probably be fine for a few more years. Depending on the laws in your state, one of the kids could probably move up front as well- airbag deployment is weight based obviously.
I've had an M3 (E92) in the past... the fit and finish of the BMW is probably better (I'm thinking of things like switches, controls, plastics, etc). I like the simpler interior design of the 997.2 better, however.
They are kids, they will love to tell stories when they are older about how dad shoved them in to the back of the small cramped Porsche.
I get the feeling kids today would love more to discuss what app they downloaded, who they texted, or who broke up with whom on instagram or snapchat or whatever.
Originally Posted by vern1
Drove 4800 kms across Canada with 2 17 yrs old boys (son and friend before anyone asks) and they loved every minute of it. Little kids for 2 hours?? No problem. Did it frequently in my 993
What did they love about it? The sore knees? The stiff neck? The road noise? I remember riding in the back of a G series 911 back in the early 90s and it was cool, but those were a bit more special back then, and I was a car dork.
Honestly OP, save yourself a ton of cash and buy a well sorted E46 M3.
I have never been an M2 but I cannot imagine that the rear seats are real comfortable for any length of time either.
I agree...neither if you will be carrying kids over 5 ft tall. I'd consider at least the M4 or a certified M3. I had a 135 in the past and it was a no-go for my kids, yet one recently rode in the backseat of a 4 with me with no problems.
As far as the driving dynamics, different animals. I prefer the 911.
How about a certified Panamera as a compromise??
Personally, I went with an E63 for family duties...very pleased.
I think a new M2 would depreciate faster over three years than a used 997.2.
Not so fast.
The M2 is being made in very limited numbers, with wait lists for them everywhere. I don't think it will be as exclusive as the 1M, but I don't think it's going to depreciate like the typical M3 or M5 or M6 will either.
Porsches depreciate terribly as well btw, unless it's a GT3 or other limited production car. I agree a used 997 won't depreciate anywhere near as fast as a typical M car, but the same could be said for a used M3/M2 vs a new 911.
What did they love about it? The sore knees? The stiff neck? The road noise? I remember riding in the back of a G series 911 back in the early 90s and it was cool, but those were a bit more special back then, and I was a car dork.
They loved the adventure of it. Something many (generally older) people (and many on this board) seem to have lost the sense of