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.

i also posted this in the 997 forum. i am not sure if this constitutes a double post but i thought it would be instructive to have this thread in both. any feedback is very much appreciated.

 

I had an E46 M3 and a 996 C4S at the same time. At that time,with those two particular models, I prefered driiving the M3. After I got rid of the 996 and got a 997, that preference changed. The only caveat would be that my 997 was an "S" which I would recommend.

 

I just bought a Z4M coupe and have to say I am loving it. I would say to check out a Cayman S also. The 911 is going to be a little bit faster of the two. They have show to be ~12.9@109 cars while the best ive seen for a Z4M is 13.3@107.. It has about the same power, more tq, and weights about 150-200 lbs less. Its also going to have more grip due to the larger rear tires and rear weight bias.
Based on price, the Z4M is going to be the better buy, especially with scheduled maintenance.
The Porsche is a very exciting car to drive though.
Its a touch decision vs a base 997, but I would say you need to get a 997S, and then theres not really much question about it.
Other than that, just get which you like better.

I also had a 2004 m3 and 2006 m3 competition, and the Z4M is a superior car in every way except if you need the space.

 

The performance is similar, but the two cars have very different characters - the 911 is smooth, almost GT-like, roomier. The Z4MC is more raw, edgy, less refined, and smaller inside as it's a 2-seater rather than 2+2. If you're looking for a sports car that you will want to drive every day, the Porsche is the choice for most people. (Yes, I drive my M Coupe almost every day - even through winter the first year - but I've got it on good authority that I'm different. ).