Yupper.

The free scheduled maint which includes rotors etc is a real plus in addition to being $36,500 less. As I said earlier, I love my 997S but if I could do it all over and deposit $36,000.00 back into my bank account and get a new M3 instead, it would be very tempting indeed!

 

I love BMW and the M3. I kinda see the M3 as a stepping stone to a 911. Sure performance is relatively the same, but the 911 is just a step ahead regardless. I see a similar situation with Porsche to Ferrari. Sure Porsche makes some cars as fast as Ferrari's, but it isn't a Ferrari at the end of the day. Not saying one is "better" just saying this is how I see the car hierarchy.

 

And no, I would not trade my C2S for an M3 or any other car at the moment.

 

I bought my 07 997S new for 78k, listed for 96k. The new M3 would offer no discounts, limited availability and a 70k MSRP. Looking at the numbers only, the 997S is the car to be had right now in this moments reality. Aesthetically, the Porsche wins hands down IMO.

Also, if I considered the M3 again I would have to also consider a 335i. With minimal mods (being forced induction), it can problaby outrun an M3 for a lot less money or effort.

 

I agree with you about the 335. It is no slouch, and offers many opportunities to boost it's performance substantially. And for those that don't like the bulging hood on the M3, they don't get it on the 335.

 

Apparently there are no real discounts to speak on for the new updated '09 997's either...as we discussed this too will change in time just like with the new M3...actually the M3 should start discounting sooner since the car is already being produced and is already "on the ground".

 

Lets not forget about gas prices hovering about $4 a gallon here in cali.I heard a rumor that the m3 gets 10-12 miles a gallon.Pretty steep for a daily driver.

 

Great point.

My 997S gets 15 around town with the occassional redline sprint but gets an amazing 26+ mpg an the highway@ around 65-70 mph. The city mpg's you mentioned for the new M are just about as bad as my 06 E55's.

 

That's not quite true, my E46 M3 did 282rwhp with 93 octane fuel bone stock. With a full Supersprint setup(headers, 100cpi cats, midpipe no resonator and a Borla) the car did 302rwhp on the same dyno and almost identical conditions. This was with a car that fully adapted. Not only did it make more hp and tq but it did it at a lower rpm. As far as the E92 M3..who knows at this point.

Dave

 

If the 08 M3 does not have DFI then the DFI version should be good for another 20-40 more hp...

 

i have had 4 m cars, last of which 2002 m3...my partner and i both got the same car and both after 2 yrs had multiple system failures where engine would just... don't think i will ever get another m car...e36 was GREAT......i believe that every yr, bmw is TOO electronic...look at the m5 issues as many have "blown" their m5's..i love my e 46 2001 325i, not much electronics and hasn't broken down...
.porsche 997s which i am on my second are like tanks. solid, don't break down, porsche is JD powers #1 now....
and remember, every 1st yr bmw (ie 5 series, m3) always has problems to work out...
i have seen great deals on 997s 2005's for low 60's with around 10k miles,,,,would MUCH rather have that...
if you need the room great --but a sport sedan will NEVER be a real sports car...it is a compromise and if you don't have to conrpromise, get a 911

PS i do not have any interest in any car companies i just do not like to have to be towed.....

 

Both the new M3 and the 997 are amazing cars. However, the 997 is a car that I dream about owning. I love my BMWs, but owning/driving a Porsche is a big goal of mine.

 

How do you figure 36000 ? Lets spec two cars with similar options to compare.
An 08 M3 without leather base price is 56 500
An 08 C2 is 73800
An 08 C2S is 83800
That's a 17K and 27K difference to own a BMW with NOTHING --no premium package no leather, no metallic paint, not even a heated seat .

The Porsche is not much better equipped with NO Options either .

Let's spec the two and yes there will be aprice difference and there ought to be . Porsche is that much more sophisticated and refined .

As for "free BMW" service --haha -in my area one has to make an appointment just to get an appointment . It's not stress "free" but that's OK BMW service even asks for a "5" rating .


In comparison to Porsche or Mercedes ( where customer service is outstanding) and even locally Honda (I am not kidding) --it's leaps above BMW . That's right it's much more pleasant to take one of my cars (Civiv Si ) to Honda than it was to take my last E90 .

 

This is true. I would not expect to see 10K off MSRP on facelifted Porsches . I also will guess that M3's will settle into rational sales pricing.

I see a lot of discussion about price but I feel many are overlooking that the P car is more refined and a better car .

With any material item --price varies with quality otherwise fine dining restuarants would be empty and Mcdonalds would have all the customers . One can accomplish telling time with a Swatch yet others spend thosands and buy a Patek. With a car it's no different than with anything else -- performance data is not a sole basis for determining quality --IMO one gets what he pays for with Porsche he's buying into overall design and engine which has set a standard in automotive history .

 

Wow. I'm the one that started this thread, and I didn't expect such a response! But it has been very interesting. Many of you have hit on the things I think about. I'm a single guy, and I like nice cars. And I love my C2S Cab. But there are times when I need more room. So at this point I have 2 cars, the other being a C55 which I also love for what it is. What enters my mind from time to time is: wouldn't it be nice to have one car that has a large fun factor as well as enough utility so I don't need to own/maintain/insure 2 cars to meet my needs. So when I see a car like the M3, or the Lexus IS-F, or C63 etc. it invites consideration as a potential car to meet my various needs in one car. Sure, none of them will exactly match the uniqueness and capabilities of the Porsche, but they come awfully close with the added benefit of more utility. And I don't really care if a Porsche might beat them on the track etc. because it is the every day driving that really counts for me. So if I find a car that offers exceptional handling and a large fun factor, that seats 4 people in reasonable comfort for that few times a year I need to, and has enough space in the trunk to carry more than a suitcase, AND is cheaper to own than a Porsche, I'm inclined to at least give it serious consideration. I don't put any car on a pedestal. Every car requires compromises of some sort: price, space, handling, fun, utility, etc. etc. We each have to decide what things we're willing to compromise. I'm glad to see there are others out there who try to keep things in perspective.