I currently have a Mercedes C63 AMG, and am looking to add a new convertible. The wife and I would trade the C63 and the convertible back and forth, with each of us driving each car about half the time. With a convertible, our preference is to have a back seat good enough for a ~10 year old kid to use for trips of up to 45 minutes, but this isn't absolutely mandatory.

Since I want something sporty, we've narrowed the convertible options down to the base 911 or the M3, each with double-clutch transmission.

Although the 911 costs about $20K more, I lean towards it because I've always wanted a Porsche, and the Boxster and Cayman don't have enough legroom for me. Plus, a goal is to get something which adds variety beyond the C63, and I think the 911 does that more than the M3.

The wife can live with the 911, but she prefers the M3 because it's a bit roomier, has a more usable back seat, the roof is a hardtop, it's more low key, and costs less.

I'd appreciate any opinions and advice.

 

if room is essential, M3
otherwise the BMW has nothing on the 911..

I switched from a long time BMW driver to Porsche and NEVER looked back
I had gone back to BMW to service my brother's car, I saw my sales guy, and he asked me what car I got, the look he gave me when I said Porsche, he knew he had lost me as a customer

 

Thanks for the reply. Could you highlight what you consider the main pros/cons of each car? My seat time in both the 911 and M3 has been limited, and sometimes our impressions of cars change as we drive them more.

 

I had a convertible 335i
similar, but obviously not the same power

* iDrive is much better than the crap we have in the Porsche. much easier to navigate, even with a manual transmission
* Auto-lights in the BMW
* my C-pillar started to squeak due to the hardtop convertible.
* Porsche is higher than the BMW. I can go over speed bumps at higher speeds without slowing down. in the 335i, I had to slow down to 1st gear at the speed bumps around my house, now I just go passed them at around 60km/h in the P-car and I don't feel them
* Smoother drive, better clutch (which doesn't apply to you?), you feel less of the crap part of the road in the P-car
* no run flat tyres on the P-car which is a HUGE +.. Run-flats run flat...
* trunk capacity in the BMW is slightly larger, but if you want the top down, you are better off in the Porsche almost.
* interior has more pzazz in the 997 than the BMW.
* it is a Porsche as opposed to a BMW
* did I mention it is a Porsche?
* the chassis doesn't bend in the 911 as opposed to the BMW (like going over a high speed bump or whatever)

 

I considered both when recently coming from a 996 cab and a 550i to a single daily driver solely because I was worried about whether or not the lack of backseat room would get old. I am both a BMW and Porsche fan so there was no prior bias or lean. Ended up with a 997.2 PDK cab.

I've got 2 kids, currently 4 and 2. Definitely can't argue with the additional room of the M3 back seats. The hard top, after my investigations, really wasn't that big of a deal for me. The 997 is quiet enough with the soft top, much more so than my 996 was. It also works pretty fast. I did keep the 996 hardtop and will have it painted for use on my 997 in the winter. IMO, the best of both worlds. Outside of those two components, the 997 was better in every single way, most importantly in fun factor. I have a smile on my face every single time I go out to drive, even if it's to pick up a pizza for dinner. Nothing can compare to the awesome feeling that I get when taking my kids to school in the morning with top down and them grinning ear to ear. Literally EVERY time that we're going somewhere, the kids will both demand that we take the "race car." Ever see a dad dropping the kids off in a 911 when everyone else is filing out of the minivan/suv? Those looks of envy and lust from every other dad out there say it all.

The 997 is completely docile when driven in "Normal" PDK mode and a very comfortable ride. Gas mileage is GREAT in this set-up (for a sports car). I drive mostly in SPORT and alternate quite a bit between manual and auto modes depending on where I am at the time. SPORT PLUS and Launch Control are absolutely a blast.

IMO, you should drive both if you have not already. If it's still a toss-up after that, the Porsche may not be worth the extra money for you. If you're like the majority of this board, you won't be able to settle for the M3 afterwards.

 

Your ten year old will love the back seat of the Porsche (NOT). The BMW certainly is more 'user friendly' when it come to 2+ passengers.

That being said . . . the 'thrill factor' of Porsche over BMW is quite high. If you've always wanted a Porsche your ten year old will just have to suffer or stay home.

Go Porsche; it forces a smile when you drive!

Keep us posted!

 

I don't know what kind of 10yr old you have but I fit 19-22yr old girls fine in the back seat

 

. . . . One or two?

 

I'd choose the M3 because i love BMWs! But I really like also the 911!

 

i recently drove a 2011 M3 convertible. technically, it was impressive. corners nearly as good or as good as a 911 (at least on public streets), the DCT is terrific at shifting, and the power felt comparable to a 911. in terms of value, i think it's the winner.

IMO though, sports cars are emotional purchases, and the M3 just doesn't deliver an emotionally satisfying experience. the seats are too cushioned, the ride is too high, the engine is too quiet, the steering is too light, etc. it just doesn't look or feel like a sports car to me.

i think they are different enough that test drives will answer your question. both are perfectly capable daily drivers and reliable.

 

Carrera all the way, especially if you wait until feb when the new 991 come out, maybe be a little price difference, if you dont mind....

 

If you absolutely need the back seat room, then M3. For all other reasons, go 911. Many people dring BMWs think of driving a Porsche, not so much the other way around

 

just get a porsche, you'll be bored with the beemer in 6 months,
Avoid buyers remorse, or get both

 

I agree with KonaKai. The 997 is more connected and raw. It really depends what you want out of the car performance-wise. M3 is definitely more refined/pampered, but clearly still an excellent performing car. However, if you really plan on carting around kids all the time, the M3 is probably the better choice. I have a 9 and 10 year old and they fit in there fine, but it's still a squeeze and the wife has adamantly told me that the "PORSCHE IS NOT A FAMILY CAR." Oh well, I really liked driving my kids to sports activities in it, but it is really tight. So my 545 gets kid duty.

Let me tell you I miss my 997 when I'm driving my BMW. Not that I don't like my 5er, I'm not letting it go! It's just a totally different experience.

Ron

 

Thanks for all the helpful replies so far. Keep 'em coming!

As far as test driving, I've spent about an hour in each car so far, which is better than nothing, but of course a full day with each car would be more decisive ...

One more question: is it safe and legal to put a 10 year old in the front seat of these cars? We've always put her in the back seat so far, so this is the first time we're looking into this issue.