Gus B.

Nicolaas, I suggest you actually go drive a Z3 M Coupe and then report back. As you said, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I too have been a BMW owner prior to the Porsche, but to me, a Porsche is also "just a Porsche", the same way you point out that BMW is "just a BMW". The only place I differ is where specific models are involved. A GT3 is not your run of the mill 996 or 997, same goes for a GT2. A M3 did not "do it for me", yet the Z3 M Coupe did. I merely was agreeing with the original post and I do think that a M Coupe is a very good choice alternative (price into consideration) to a 911.

NNH

I feel quite proud of my fellow rennlisters. There's a lot of support and understanding of dadc4s's decision. Imagine the flaming you'd get on an Acura board you were buying a 350Z!

newport996

I have driven MANY MANY BMW's and while they are great cars...the reliability is not stellar, the performance is good, but disconnected...When compared to a Porsche? No comparison.....There is a reason that there are more older Porsche's on the road by percantage than ANY other car....they have amazing build qualities. A 1979 911 will go for about 10k...a 1979 320i, 530i, 633i, etc will go for anywhere from $500 to $5k MAX....You went from a 993 to Boxster S to 996 C4S and you feel Porsche's are now disconnected? There is nothing wrong with a 997 performance wise and its better than the 996s...Same thing with 987's vs 986's....Hell, you can get a WRX STi or Evo that has great performance for 30k....or get a Vette....anyway...enjoy your M Coupe...

jcb-memphis

Enjoy it.

I left the fold....went through a few cars...and came back. Had a 993 3.8 C4s. Now I have a TT.

Odd, but the limits of the cars are real...but nothing drives like them, for better or worse. FWIW, the reviews of the Z4M state it is much better than the M6 (NYTimes within the last few weeks). I have heard the M6 is a major dud.....too removed....

Good luck. We'll all be fine if you come back in a few years. If you don't, best of luck and hope you stay safe.

JB

hwk72

That's actually what also impressed me at the first look. I once read that >60% of all ever built 911 are still running! However, (a) I'm not sure that this will apply in the long term to the 996 and (b) one reason is that a 911 is much more expensive than a 320i, so the spend threshold for repairs is much higher. What the >60% statistic didn't say is how much the average 911 swamped in repairs.

If you buy a 911 (new or used), you buy a legend and the Widekind area was able to keep the pricing of the myth and combine it with good but mass production sportscars and mass production has it's price in terms of reliability. Economically that's a success story but it also sets Porsche back to be "just a Porsche" like " BMWs are just BMWs" ...

Nutbeem

Blah blah blah, I don't buy it.

Don't run down the marque just because you want a different driving experience. I don't buy the argument at all that Porsche has gone soft. The performance out of the 996, and specifically my C4S, is staggering. The speed, the quickness of the steering and the throttle response are out of this world.

The BMW is a completely different car. Of course it has its own merit, but you can't compare.

Off you go....

Ray S

The Z4 M Coupe is a heck of a car.....but I wouldn't take it over a Cayman S.

However, different strokes for different folks. Good luck with your Bimmer.

joes c4 cab

Not only do I agree with much of the original poster's sentiment, but a buddy and I were having this EXACT conversation the other day. It used to be that when you bought a Porsche you were buying a lot more than the performance. They carried a mystique about them that I don't think they still carry. They have been "dumbed down" quite a bit IMO to make them more marketable to the masses.

Several years ago I had an 89 turbo. That thing was like a race car, and my wife could barely depress the clutch. I could get it into a beautiful 4 wheel drift, but anyone who did not own it was scared of the power and the handling. You had to know how to drive it.

These days the Infinity FX45 has as much horsepower, the Lexus IS is only a bit behind, and for 1/2 the money you can buy an American car with twice the horsepower. I think it is sad. Plus throw into the mix that 996 motors are having catastrophic failure and the manufacturer (who is making record profits in the industry) is not standing behind their product.

Would I buy another 996? I doubt it.

I would buy a TT or GT if I could afford it, but it used to be you could get a used turbo for less than $100K. I miss that too.

Rant over. Commence beating.

newport996

Porsche NEVER was about HP...they were ALWAYS underpowered compared to the competition (Except for the 917)....They were about handling, braking, etc....BMW's are setup for numbers....Porsche's are for the feel....the well balanced package....I dont care if a Vette has more HP....or if a FX45 does....in a canyon, I'll leave you FAST....Anyone can make a car fast in a straight line...thats not why I got my Porsche....Do you recall BMW M3 motors grenading...its well documented...most high end sports cars have engine failures documented....Aston Martins new AMV8 has had some issues as well.....Personally I wouldnt want a car that had a stiff clutch and was so rough around the edges it was nearly unsafe.....Porsche has made the cars more comfortable, reliable and FASTER in every way....You want a rawer feeling? Get the suspension done and a SSK and you are there...

WPOZZZ

This is a very interesting thread. I was once a BMW devotee and am even a current CCA Chapter President, for the second time. I thought about buying a Porsche for several years and finally bought one in September. That car was a RoW 3.2 Carrera Cab and it was and still is an incredible car. the driving feel and the connection to the road are unmatched by any BMW product I have driven. I have not driven the new M Coupe, but have had the epitome of M3s, the E30 M3. I even had the last of the handbuilt M5s, the E34 M5. They were great cars, but their performance and road feel could not match the 3.2 Carrera.

In December, I purchased a '99 996 and it is a great driver. Lots of amenities and much easier to use as a daily driver. As I ran out of parking space, I gave away my 525iT to my sister and a 635csi track car to a friend. I kept the 3.2 Carrera and the 996 along with my Dinan 540i.

There are different strokes for different folks, but now I prefer Porsches to BMWs. I even tried stepping down as CCA Chapter President, but my local members wouldn't have it. They do allow me to attend our meetings with my 911s. lol

phwang20

I think a lot of you are missing the point. He didn't say straight up, but rather for the price. For $30K less, you don't get $30K less in performance or the "wow" factor. To each his own. I'm inclined to believe that other purists on this forum would take a their 996 porsche over say a ferrari 430 straight up. You can't argue with that sentiment - it's just what each person fancies. I've often thought that I could sell my porsche and get another car for less $$ with similar performance. Will it be the same?? Probably not, but I'd have more $ in my pocket too. As you can guess, I still have my pcar so that side of my brain hasn't won the argument thus far.

gl man.

Nicolaasdb

bull****......I would take a Ferrari over a Porsche!! And I like BMW's AND I have driven a Z3 and a Z4...and it is nice.....as nice as driving a well put together car...nice handling...solid build.....but it drives more like any other well build car....not like a Porsche!

BUT in the end who cares......drive what you like.....

ruckmjr

I'd say go buy a Honda, or Toyota, or Ford and drive just that car for awhile. Then, when you jump back into your BMW or Porsche, doesn't matter what, the grin will once again be ear to ear.

jumper5836

You can have a great time with most sports cars, even a miata.
The Bmw Coupe is a quirky little car. It also has huge hp and it priced great.
Unfortunatly the Cayman doesn't have the same hp but the handling is like driving a surgical knife, so precise and mid engined so these things make up for the lack of hp.
The Cayman is much easier to drive around the track without any skill but the BMW needs to be mastered and I don't think many people are going to risk it, to drive at the edge just to keep up to the Cayman. I know I wouldn't.
New Porsches are so much easier to drive, so I guess that can make you feel disconnected, so maybe the BMW is the better choice for you.

Einstein

if you like the way it looks go for it. there is no way i would like to have that look.

<img src="http://www6.autonet.ca/Spotlight/NewModels/2006/02/10/McoupeRear_l.jpg">