I love BMWs. They were my first home in an automotive sense. Well built with good design and made to be driven hard.

But now when I drive or even see a BMW, particularly an M, they just strike me as too fat and too cushy. Both the M3 and M6 cabs are heavier than a base panamera! The GTR M3 is a very cool concept, but it seems designed (and priced) for race teams. Where is the CSL M3 or M1?

Driving the 911 (my 997.2 is just a pinch over 3,000 lbs) is like packing for a weekend on a motorcycle trip. You realize how much crap you don't really need.

When I see BMW, I see crap the car doesn't need..,

Anyone else get influenced this way by their 911?

DRP

 

Having just come out of two BMWs I know exactly what you mean. After owning my 911 for about 4 months, I have come to appreciate the true sports car the 911 is. Don't get me wrong, BMWs are nice. But the "Ultimate Driving Machine"? Hardly.

Porsche has identified and distilled into its vehicles the true essence of the sports car. To me, BMW has gone after the masses and produced fine GTs. As for MB and Audi, well unless you are talking AMG or S/RS I don't see any comparison.

 

Sadly, yes. The 911 has ruined my ability to be satisfied with any "lesser" car (I don't mean this in a derogatory way). Of the 15 cars and bikes I've had, none felt as "at home" as the 911, and whereas I reflect fondly on a number of them (like the E46 M3), I didn't "miss" any like I did when I moved away from my 997.

 

You guys need to drive a Lotus now. Porsche > BMW for sure but for a lightweight sports car feel an Elise or Exige is hard to beat.

I am certainly not about to trade my 997 in on a Lotus but they are really cool to drive.

 

I thought it did until I was able to spend a bunch of seat time in an F430 Scud. My Carrera felt like econobox after getting back in it.

 

My 997.2 has really spoiled me. My '86 911 Carrera 3.2 coupe that I got more recently has taken that feeling to an all new level. Even my 997.2 feels that much more heavier and insulated.

 

It is more the problem with BMW lately and not the influence of owning the 911. I had a run of 25 years of BMWs - the last great one was an e39 M5 that I still miss - best car I ever owned in so many ways. They don't make anything like that anymore, although I do think they are very nice cars, just not aimed at the demographic they used to serve.

 

I like my M3 . I even like my Honda Si . In fact I drive more miles on them both than my Porsches. Sometimes the skewed opinion can work both ways . For instance the other night I was driving my Honda Si in crowded South Beach and i was so happy that my parking worries about dings were reduced . I liked having less miles on the Porsche too so that when I drove it today with no traffic (and easy parking) out to the beach to get a haircut I could enjoy the leisure and experience the fun with a car that is almost new (5500K miles) even though its over a year old.

I compare the cars too . The M3 on a stock suspension is kinda comfortable . The coil overs are less cushy (on the 997.2) yet all it takes is a little curve in the road to enjoy the 997.2S that much more.

In short -- I love them all and enjoy their differences too.
I look at driving as an entire experience and I wish I couild have more cars but am limited by budget and space. So I make the most of the ones i have cherish each differently .

 

The effect that you are talking about is sparking another effect inside me. While we were looking for a strip-down pickup (for the dogs) we ventured off to many different dealerships. Because of my experience with the "luxury" of a porsche, I seem to expect less of cars of lesser value. Standard things like A/C, satellite radio, and cruise control made me more impressed with the truck even though these are now standard on many other cars. It may sound hard to understand, but I am impressed by things that I shouldn't be impressed by, that I expect to be there.

 

Compared to a F430 Scud, your car is an econobox

 

LOTUS!!!! #1 in the FEEL and BEING CONNECTED TO YOUR CAR AREA. MOST FUN I HAVE HAD ON 4 WHEELS...I THINK IT IS MORE FUN THAN MY GT3.

 

Agreed....my Elise is and will be hands down the most invigorating spirited driving of any street car. Compared to the Elise, the Porsche is extremely heavy. However, my M5 is even heavier, but obviously much more comfortable with high end Power...I hop into whatever car I feel I'm in the mood for.

 

I'm spending some time at a track/auto-x event this Friday in the California. Luckily, I have 4 months for the enjoyment to wear off before my p-car arrives.

 

I'm a little too big for an Elise (6'1 and 225) to make the entry/exit comfortable on a daily basis. That, and anything I buy for a while has to include room for the 2 kids - while I could get an Elise for fun and a sedan for kid duty for the same price as a new 911, I drive too little it makes even less sense than 2 car seats in a 911.

 

I have kinda the opposite experience.

When I drive my Dino and 997 back to back, I'm struck by how heavy and generic the 997 feels. I jokingly call it "the Camry".