new member here. i participate in other online car communities but i am new to 6speed as i have recently become intersted in possibly getting a 997. i currently have a 2005 M3- seems like a lot of guys graduate to a 911 from M3s. i have also been thinking about a M Coupe, the Z4 model.

i am interested to hear impressions of the cars, especially from people who have driven or even owned both. for the sake of this thread, lets keep the discussion to only a 997.1 C2 as on paper the power and weight are closest to the M Coupe. also, lets pretend 2 seats vs. 2+2 is not an issue.

many thanks. (i have also posted this in the M section to see if the opinions differ). any input is very appreciated.

 

See the latest issue of European Car... head to head shoot out

 

I have owned a 07 M Roadster for 2 years and now a 997.2 C2S.
I know a lot of people here might disagree with me, but IMO the Z4M was more "exciting" to drive, and the 911 is more comfortable as a DD.

 

i'll check out that euro car issue.

maybe i can refine the discussion a bit. i will not DD the car, it will be a weekend car. mountain drives, spirited back road stuff and maybe 3 track days per year.

any thoughts or impressions, please chime in.

 

I own the C2, but spent some good wheel time behind the M. I think the driving experience of the 997 is so much better than the M, but that could be subjective. The 997 is a lot torquier, and the M seems like it likes being in the higher rev range to stay peppy. The M brakes are a lot more sensitive than the 997's and offer great brake feel. Handling-wise the cars are similar in terms of capability but again, I like the way the 997's power band feels.

 

FWIW, I too was trying to choose between an M Coupe and a 997. After test driving both cars, I ended up with a 997.

 

997 all the way......

 

Well... also keep in mind there's about a $15k difference btwn a 2007 Z4MC and a 997

 

I think the M coupe (and roadster to a less extent) are the best cars BMW has made in the past few years.

Its not easy to find a M coupe at a decent price (roadsters are out there) but if you do you can get a great driving car for less money than an 997.

I drove the non-M roadsters for many years and they come no where close to the 997 or 987 I have.

But the M is beast and if its not a DD its a good choice. But only you can say if its the best choice.

 

Yes, "graduating" from M cars to Carrera's is a common phenomenon. I believe this is because a) the 911 is a more venerable car that people who buy M cars aspire to and b) the M experience is very different in two ways:

First of all the M Coupe has a very choppy and uncomfortable ride. BMW's attempt to match the Boxster's skid pad and slalom number with a front engine car versus a mid engine car led to very stiff damper and spring rates.

Secondly, The M Coupe is a more visceral ride and if that's what you are looking for you may prefer it over the Carrera's or Boxster's more fluid movements.

When I went from a Z4 3.0 to a Boxster and had my first backroad blast I came home and told my wife that driving the Z4 was like slam dancing whereas the Boxster was pure ballet.

Also, the M series cars of that generation have a very dificult to define clutch engagement point making them very difficult to drive smoothly unless you are really nailing it through the gears.

I don't know, both very cool cars in their own way, but also very different experiences.

You should drive both under as many conditions as possible.

The best advice I can give is do not by an M Coupe after only test driving it on smooth surfaces.

 

I always felt that the M-coupe had particularly numb steering and notchy shifter. It is fast and low, but cramped and full o' understeer. It also likes to answer your call for less understeer with tank slapping oversteer. We drove them at the advanced M-school and walked away with a so-so view of them. If I were going to cram my butt into a car like the M-coupe, I would pick a cayman every time. The 997 is a bit more of a GT car......

 

I read it last week, but it's a 997.1 C2S, not C2 as the OP asked

But the article is excellent and the result nice: Cayman with X51 engine of 911 is still slower than a 997.1 C2S with some exhaust aftermarket parts. And Z4 M Coupe is the slowest

At the end, the 3 cars are excellent choices, but yes, I also prefer the 911

 

In my opinion the MZ4 coupe is a good step between the M3 and 997. i had a coupe and recently moved to a 997.2. there is a significant price gap between the two, but would imagine you'd be happy with either... both are great cars...

the 997 seems "tighter" and more revvy, but the z4 coupe is infinitely "chuckable" and loads of fun to drive! it may not be the same for outright pace (on a track) but would argue its more fun to drive everyday. plus you see a lot less of them around (vs the 997)...

 

I have to agree with what most people brought up here, in my opinion though,

997 is more torquy, smooth, precise, comfortable,
Z4M is more revy, raw, a lot more chuckable but harsh at the same time.

997 has a longer and smooth shifter,
Z4M has a shorter and notchy shifter.

997 has lighter and more precise steering,
Z4M has heavier, less precise steering but faster turning ratio.

997 is glued to the ground,
Z4M is quite tail happy.

997 is fun to drive and very fast when you push it hard, and leisurely comfortable when you choose to,
Z4M is fun to drive whether you push it or not because it just feels more engaging at low speed but it can also be tiring if you don't feel like it.

 

Having used my M Coupe as a track car and a DD for the last three years, I would say that this is the most spot on observation I have read so far. I have tracked the M coupe about ten times a year, so that is about thirty track sessions, a 997.1 C2 would not be able to keep up with the M, a stock C2S would be more comparable on the track. As a DD, it is alot of fun as long as you were out for a spirited drive but after work and in traffic sometimes it can be work more then fun.

I recently traded my M coupe in and got a 06 C4S and had only tracked it once but as a DD it has been the best at least so far. Power delivery is very different in the two cars, they are both fast cars and at the end of the day I think it would mostly be driver dependant as to which car is faster around the track. I can't really comment as to ultimate limits of the C4S as I never really pushed it to that extent nor had enough track time behind the wheel with it.