Hey guys, thought I would chime in here. Sold my 997.1S about 2 mos. ago and picked up my 2011 M3 ZCP, there is no doubt in my mind that the 997 is a more engaging drive. However, the M3 is still very engaging with the benefit for those that can only have one car (had my 997 and a 2008 328i) its really a much better deal. I got my car for $63,500 which included Nav, ZCP, Premium package. The nav in this car is light years better than the 2007 PCM nav in the 997 and the non enhanced stereo is better than the Bose in the 997. The cars power delivery is somewhat soft if you leave the power button off (similar to the sport chrono button). However, throttle response is phenominal and I feel the reason why a 997 would beat a E92 M3 is not because of power, but unable for the M3 to put its to the ground. I find this car looking for rear end traction all the time. I was shocked when I shifted rapidly into 2nd at 8400rpm how the rear tires broke loose, it wasn't just a chirp..it spun..and spun hard. The noise the S65 powerplant makes is intoxicating. I love the way my M3s engine sounds. It is to quiet, although with some mileage now the mufflers are breaking in a tad but still to quiet. I just bought a used OEM X pipe and I am cutting the primary cats out and leaving the rear cats in place. This should not only wake the car up a tad but also make the car a tad more aggressive sounding.

The 997 really is the better track car...anyone who owns an M3 and says different really is just being a fanbois. The 997 feels lighter, more nimble and the rear traction with the 997 is just light years ahead of any rear drive car I ever drove. The M3 needs bigger rubber and the 265 rear rubber on the car is not enough for 414hp...my opinion anyway. I already have some 285s ordered for the 10" wide ZCPs out back and 255s for the front.

I will give a full review of the E92 ZCP car in a couple of weeks as my break in just ended and I start stretching out the tach some more.

Dave

 

Thanks Dave. How did you do on the sale of your 911? How was it equipped? Mileage?

 

You're all missing the point here.

Don't upgrade the 335
Don't trade the 997
Don't trade the 335

Trade the child. I'm sure you can find one that's small enough to fit in the back. Think pygmie. Actually, that's a great idea! You can pull an Angelina Jolie and adopt a pygmie child, it's great for publicity too.

 

Completely took me by surprise... Well played.

 

In terms of a daily driver, I view the 335i actually as perhaps preferable to an M3.
I like low-end torque for city driving and zipping in and out of traffic. This is what the 335i is known for! I would only consider an M3 if my driving was on country roads or long highway stretches, where you can get to high rpm's and make it shine. Otherwise, the M3 can get quite frustrating in the city with its relative lack of low-end torque..

 

One of the biggest differences I've found between the BMW and the Porsche Dave has highlighted here. The traction control. I got on the gas of an E90 in the dry in a tight corner and it just bogged - traction control just shut it down. It was wet on the way home today in my 997, got on it hard in a slight uphill, didn't even fishtail. The traction control usually allows a fair amount of spin before intervening. The Porsche system just seems better engineered.

 

If you have the technology package on the E9x M3 it gives you the M Dynamic mode for the traction control that allows a bit of fun before reining you in.

 

That's a good point. In my E46 traction control was an on/off switch, whereas on the 997 it was a dial.

Could be its gotten a lot better.

 

Yep --I leave mine on blended settings .

 

I sold the 997 for $54.5K, not as good as I had hoped but the M3 was already here. I was offered $52.5k for trade in, but when they saw that I needed new tires they backed it down to $52k which was a no starter for me. My car was equipped with nav,bose, alum door sills and sport seats. It had 24k miles on her.

I sold my AWE cats, X51 headers, borla mufflers for a total of $2400. I paid $2600..not a bad investment if you ask me.

I don't have the M button, but the ZCP package was to allow even the standard DSC some more latitude. I'm talking with the DSC off, the car is just begging for some larger rubber back there.

The car is very settled in the corner while the 997S kind of bounced around. Its on corner exit the M3 likes to get tail happy while the 997 just digs itself out, you can get on the throttle much earlier with the 997. Thats why Porsche does so well, you go in a little slower but you come out a lot faster.

A ZCP M3 I believe was clocked at 8:00 even around Nurburgring...only 1 sec. off of a 997.1S, although the M3 had DCT. Still not that far off of a 997.2S either.

Yes the car doesn't have loads of low end torque, but I don't find it frustrating at all in city driving. The thing scoots pretty good..and the engines note is to absolutely die for. I really did miss having a V8.

Dave

 

Well said !!

 

To the OP:

I own and daily drive an E46 M3. Huge fan of the M cars. Recently purchased a 997.2. I test drove several E9X M3s.

Couple of thoughts: M3 with Blizzaks would not be a bad winter car, precisely because it is a little "soft" on torque.

Bigger cabin will easily seat four real adults, huge trunk (for a quasi-sports car).

M3 has trounced even the 997.2 in the infamous magazine racer bracket. (See Car and Driver, 911 v. M3). In short, phenomenal car, great Porsche replacement or, alternatively, DD.

M3 has historically proven to be the most reliable BMW, despite rod bearing recall and subframe tearing issues.

However, when the time came to actually purchase, MY automotive ADHD required I get something different, hence the Porsche. However, dollar for dollar, the M3 is the better "deal" than the Porsche although IMHO it is more of a GT car than true "sports car."

To the non-BMW enthusiasts out there advocating keeping the 335 and modding it--it will never be an M3. The 335 twin turbo, STOCK, has tremendous heat problems and is the most trouble-prone mill currently offered by BMW--in every application in which it is offered (see, e.g., Consumer Reports). Adding more boost, more redline (re-chipping), and MORE HEAT is a disaster waiting to happen. (Yes, I know that BMW recently released the 335is which does precisely this, but I suspect they have addressed the cooling issue somehow.) This is probably why BMW has recently moved away from the true twin-tubo 335 to the "twin power turbo"--WTF???---which is actually a single turbo. Furthermore, the 335 stock does not come with the M differential, etc. In short, if I add a turbo kit to my 997.2, it does not a GT2 make. There is far more that goes into an M car to make it special than just the motor--think holistic, overall competence, etc.

As far as your next purchase? I am certain that you will buy something that viscerally appeals to you--or, alternatively, something that is more pragmatic...and in two short years you will end up doing precisely the opposite of whichever route you choose today. Isn't that the affliction of people like us who actually spend time writing to stangers about the cars they are passionate about?

 

I'm glad I don't have whatever it is you have... I hope it isn't contagious over the internet.

 

Trade in offer for the 911 came back high enough that, given the sales tax offset, it wouldn't make much sense to try and sell it privately. In the end, the loaded M3 would only end up costing me a couple of thousand dollars after the trade. I am going to try and spend an extended test drive with the M3 to get a better feel before going further.

 

I'll trade you my manual GTS 4 doors and all for the C2S - I've gone down the path of Porsche to BMW and down to an Infiiniti (Big Traffic Ticket and insurance) and now back to Porsche, there's something about this brand that causes fools like me to drain money down the toliet....check out CarMax, there prices are quite amazing (no relation to CarmMax or any dealer)