Sorry to hear your troubles with 996...

This time around, be careful with your lambo ... Good luck

 

Below is a review I posted on e90post a while back.

Below are my impressions of my 991 S against my old M3.

I would like to start by saying that the 991s handling, clutch, interior, steering, tactical feedback, brakes, audio, & quality are a step ahead of the M3 by a good margin. The engine on the other hand is a step down, now it's by no means a bad motor it's just not as nice as the s65. It's kind of unfair to compare a flat six to a v8 though.

If anyone thinks the M3 is lacking torque I think they will hate the 3.8. It is severely lacking torque in second gear below 5,000 rpm, if you step on it below this you are not going anywhere fast. Now on the track or on back mountain roads this is fine because you can keep the revs up but on the street the car just feels anemic. In the M3 I could step on it in second and she would pull pretty hard at 3,000 rpm in the 911 you are just waiting. For those of you that have drove Hondas in the past the 911 motor acts a lot like the Vtec is in them. There isn't much at first but once you hit 5,000 rpm it pulls like a sob. Now I am not saying a honda pulls as hard just that there is a large discrepancy between in Vtec and out of Vtec and the porsche acts in the exact same way. Once you keep the revs up though the car will really haul and is a blast. The problem is you can't keep the revs up on the street. The M was tough to have fun with on the streets but the 911 is even harder.

The exhaust sound in the 911 is very exotic like and the backfires and grumbles are to die for. I still prefer the high screaming v8 sound but just wish it could produce all those backfires and grumbles that the 911 makes.

I for one never thought the interior of out M3 was lacking like some do but the 911 is a big step above in materials and fit & finish. The seats in the M3 are by far more comfortable then the seats in the 911.

The handling & brakes of the 911 are also in a different league. The M3 handles beautifully and was the best handling car I have ever owned up to that point. With the 911 though there is absolutely no body roll and the car just stays planted. Now my M3 had stock suspension so that's what I am comparing it to as I am sure a proper set of coil overs would of made the m feel more flat and planted. The brakes are perfect and have a great initial bite and pedal travel. We all now the brakes on the M are it's weakest link and driving the 911 hammers in this point.

For those of you who have never drivin a 911 before your first couple drives will almost feel scary. Just in the fact that you can feel all that weight in the rear and are just waiting for that tail end to come out from under you in a turn and kill you. Now that's a little over exaggerated but you do feel uneasy at first driving it. You do get used to it though and once you do you can really have fun with the car while pushing it. The grip the car provides is downright ludacris and accelerating out of corners is something everyone needs to expiernce.

I originally wanted a cayman s and prefered it to the 911. The handling at least in perception feels better and is a lot more confidence inspiring then the 911. The cayman is also more fun on your local roads due to its lighter weight and mid engine layout. I was able to toss the car around & push the car harder without destroying the local speed limits. The cayman is lacking in power though compared to a 911s but it is plenty for the weight of the car. Would I complain if it had more, hell no but it's by no means slow. I would like to go test drive a cayman again since I have gotten more acostumed to the 911 rear engine layout. But am also hesitant as I am worried I will regret my decision even more.

For those of you that have always loved the 911 and wished to own one some day don't let my comparison hold you back I am sure you will love the car. The car has impressed me as I have never liked the 911 and that says something. The problem is it just doesn't ignite anything inside me when I drive and this might be due to the fact of my original feelings towards the car. One other downside of the car for me is the amount of attention it gets wherever I go I get stares. I am a younger guy and I don't like all the attention it attracts, especially at work. For some this might not bother them and if you live in Cali I am sure the car won't stand out at all, they are just rare in my area. I think I will be selling the car even though it only has a couple hundred miles on it and end up buying an M3.

Before anyone 911 fanboys get upset realize these are just my opinions and I am not trying to bash the car. I am sure there are a lot of spelling errors as I typed this whole thing on my phone so I would like to apologize in advance.

This was my opinion a couple weeks into ownership of the 911. Now that I have had it for a couple months now I would not go back to the M3 as I have fell in love with it. Some of my comments are still the same about the car. I have since put a straight piped exhaust on and it is the best sound I have heard other then a Ferrari and lambo. I would whole heartadly recommend doing the switch, but be warned it might take you a little while to warm up to the car. The 991S is currently the best car I have ever owned and the only car that I would even consider replacing it with is a 991 GT3.

 

It is frustrating that Porsche won't make the car mid engine due to tradition. It would be a brilliant car otherwise.

Psm, lower and forward placement of the rear engine on the 991 helps. However, physics doesn't change. In spirited driving, the engine on the axle creates incredible amount of traction. However, a lift off changes everything. Pro drivers can be trained not to lift no matter what. But reflex takes over for most of us.

991 is also designed to be harder to work one. Bumper and other things have to come off to do many simple service like air filter change. I love 911 but I think 997.2 is the best 911 and the only one if I ever get one. 997.2 gt3. 4.0 are going up in value.

Lastly, watch for 991 options. They add up quickly north of $120k.

Btw, lp560 can be had for $140-150k now. It is the best car for the price IMO. Far better car than 991s except for small trunk.

 

Having had a 996, 997 Gt3 (although briefly) and 991S, progress made with the 991 chassis is huge and, with the nannies on, you can put a novice driver in it without having to fear about what can happen in the turns. For experienced drivers it is almost like you have the benefits of rear engine with very limited drawbacks.
And the one thing that the 911 gives you compared to true exotics is reliability. Drive the **** out of it, track it, park it in your garage and leave for the office the next morning without having to worry about anything

 

I kinda disagree. The rearengined character is what sets the 911 apart from the competition. Make it midengined and it is just one of the others. And there are plenty of great midengined cars, will Porsche be competitive in that segment/market without something special to set it apart from the pack ?


Honestly, I can't erase that from my mind either. After about 4000km on the odo now, I really can't say I trust my 991 like I do my BMW's and Mercs. I feel comfortable pushing the others to 9/10's. But the 991, I keep thinking that it will chew me up and spit me out if I go there !
Must find a deserted parking lot somewhere to see how it reacts on the limit in safe and controlled environment.

 

I drove an E93 M3 before I got my 991 C2S in June 2013 and I can't say I miss the M3. The M3 had an epic engine, but the 991 handles so much better, and the clutch/ manual in the 991 is a level above that in the M3. No comparison on that front. I think the 991 "feels" much quicker too, given that the M3 (especially the 'vert) is a porker, by comparison. Interior fit and finish is far better in the 991 too, though the M3 seats were supremely comfortable (more so than the 14-way seats in the 991, in my view). The 911 has been my dream car for basically my whole life, and so I couldn't be happier with the experience. No looking back . . .

 

Good car, but still a 3 that's been breathed on. V8 sounds great & sucks gas big time. DCT is not up to PDK standards.

Equipped 991S is another $50K

 

Jeez, some great feedback here, thanks guys.

As much as I wouldn't mind driving a Lambo, I like the idea of reliability and warranty on the 911. And I feel the Lambo is bit too conspicuous when visting clients.

I plan to use it as a daily and have two young kids, so its about as sporty as I can get for now.

Its interesting that some dont trust it as much as a bmw/merc. I have spent a few track and driver training days with m3's and feel it is a predictable car that inspires confidence in the driver.

I previously had a 1M, which was the opposite, difficult to control when on the edge.

There is quite a difference in price between the M3 and 991S here in Australia, with my current options I'd say around $100k more. If I went for a 2012/2013 991S this difference will be less.

My wife is happy for me to go for it, so I'm just getting a trade in price on the M3 and then will start looking for one.

If I hate it I can always go order a new M3/M4

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Cheers.

 

Nice m3.

Thanks for your PM but I can't respond as I don't have enough posts yet!

Your point on the M3's thirst is interesting. I've not really noticed it, but if the 991S is less than that's nice. It wouldn't be enough of a justification for me to change cars though.

 

W/my 991S:

26-27 MPG hwy (or more)

20-22 MPG mixed

Was a pleasant surprise!

 

I hardly get 15-17 mpg...I guess cause of my lead foot and in city (take mostly back roads) driving ...

 

I think you will miss it, but I miss all the cars I sell. Loved the M3 for it's chassis, handling and high revving motor. A very comfortable car as well.


991 is a superb car and you'd love it. It is just a different kind of drive. Go drive one and have fun with the process.

 

M3 is a great car, so I'm pretty sure you'll miss the M3. But is that a bad thing ? You owned it, loved it, maybe it's time for something new ...

991 is different, so it will challenge you, keep you interested and in love with it. It boils down to what you want from your car. If you like efficiency, grip driving, and so on, the 991 is the car for you.

If you are a tail out always hooligan, mmmmm, not so sure, better stick to the M3 in that case !