Having owned both cars and presently having the 987S firstly they are different cars, i now use my 987s as my second car which is perfect but if i was only going to have one car i would probably go with the M3.
Porsche Plus is just the handling and fun you have with the car, the M3 is more sanitized and is much quieter but cant compare with the 987S for putting a smile on your face. Just depends on if the noise and harsh ride (i am running 19's) are ok with you then go the 987.

 

I’m not one for straight-line speed, or highway pulls but power is always a deciding factor. M3 I don’t know if you mean 46, or a 92. To add power to the M would much easier. The Boxster is just too slow. I asked myself yes I want to own a mid-engined sports car, but when the chips are down I don’t want something that was sold with a weak lethargic little engine just so it fit nicely into a marketing plan. Grill away. The first time I drove the e46 m3, and I mean really drive. The sound, the power, the feel, all stock! I smiled to the point it hurt. If putting the top down makes you feel important, wow I wonder how Porsche owners get labeled co*ks. Maybe the girls are just staring because they are comparing yours to theirs . 05 up Porsches have all been calmed down and computerized to the point anyone can get in and go fast and maybe even not crash. Personally I think they are too soft, quite, and civilized (gt3,gt2 withheld). To get them to the point they should have been sold you are going to tag on an addition 5-6k to the price with how many private party cheep e46’s there are, even low mileage. They are great because they are not special, just honest drivers cars. Can be as wild of a ride as you want. You can even get it up to 4 or maybe 500hp with some bolt ons if it is too tame for you still. Try modding a Boxster to those numbers! All of that with a back seat, and some space. If you want to leave it stock, and you want a comfortable ride, that at the push of a button can be livened up, the 987 is a great option. I think it is one of the best daily drivers around. Test driving will help you decide very quickly. Seeing how many of these cars there are out there it might even be a possibility to find a dealer that has both for you to drive back to back. Personally I think the Porsche is much easier to push through the corner, but with some skill the m3 is just as capable. After the apex pulling onto the straight, that part cannot be fixed with skill, only parts, dollars, and power. That is where the m3 shines. If it were me, I would look at a Carrera vs M3. The S4 has always been a favorite of mine, but it is really heavy and your looking for a weekend fun toy, not a dd fun toy.

Good luck, let us know what you choose.

 

Glad you like your M3, but getting other people to pick an M3 by crapping all over Boxsters and Boxster owners on a Boxster forum is probably not the way to go...

Maybe I put my top down to have a good time, not to be a "self important ****"?

And you want to talk about a car being over computerized I am sorry man but BMW with their iDrive stuff is the industry leader there.

 

Drive them and decide, but 06+ M-roadster with the S54 gets my vote if you want a weekend vert.

 

 

I can see both sides here - if straight line acceleration is your thing the M3 is a bit quicker than the 987S and a lot quicker than the standard 987, but it is not anywhere near as precise in steering and braking as the 987S. I think we all agree also that the chassis could take more power but we know that Porsche need to maintain some differentiation between the Boxster,Cayman and 911 for sales and marketing reasons. Question for me comes down to this - M3 is a more GT style of car, excellent performance and much more comfortable especially on a day to day basis and the 987S is a lot of fun on a good road. As i have owned both for over 2 years each i think i may have some insight but i am sure someone will know better......

 

I did read your post and it is written in a very trolling fashion. Even if your views are logical you don't present them well. You should be able to talk about the virtues of the M3 (of which there are many) without acting as if the Boxster is somehow a piece of junk. Also, this is my second Boxster S, I have been driving Boxsters for almost 5 years now, I like how you just assumed I only have one year of wheeltime though.

Anyways, who buys a car to go racing on highways? I don't think that is what the topic starter is going for. He wants a weekend car for driving fun. The drop-top roadster is the obvious choice. Your statement about the only point of a convertible is to make one feel important says a lot about your (mis)understanding of sports cars in general. I've driven multiple 911's including GT3s and I would keep my Boxster S over those cars because I simply don't need the extra horsepower. Speed is not everything to everyone, and I suspect that someone who is in a position to own a secondary car just for the weekends probably realizes that.

The fact is, the Boxster fills a hole in the market. The only other mid-engined roadster in it's price range is the Elise, and that almost doesnt qualify as a real car given it's stripped out interior and tinnitus inducing engine.

 

No they don't. What they do come with stock from the factory is fade prone brakes, hideous understeer, and a curb weight that would make Oprah Winfrey proud.

So sad that the e36 was the last of the great M3's...

 

It's not even Monday yet.

 

Hi,

I have a 03 M3 and 08 Boxster.

If I was picking one for my third car for weekends, such as AFKC is looking at, I would go for the Boxster.

I enjoy my M3 alot. It has lots of power, handles quite well, sounds good, is pratical, and fun to drive.

But I find the Boxster better balanced. The M3's stock configuration does understeer, and I find I have to really work the car at AutoX. The Boxster is nicer to drive through the tight course of cones.

For a 3rd weekend car, where practicality is low down on the list of deciding features, I would choose it over the M3. I often go along with friends of mine who have sport bikes when they go on their rides. I enjoy the Boxster over the M3 for these spirited drives up the valley.

If you are planning track days, you better check what they allow for convertables. Locally, I can run the Boxster, but I have heard about other locations requiring extensions on the roll bar. There may be other requirements, I don't know.

At track days, my M3 is faster but track days aren't about being the fastest one there. If you want that, get into racing. (Thinking about it, if I was only interested in track days, I think I would go with the M3 in the long run, with a plan to modifying the car a bit) But for a mix of weekend drives with the top down, some autoX, the odd track day, I would go with the Porsche.

My last words on the subject is that you probably won't regret either car. I wouldn't.

 

Thank you for all the good input! There were more replies than I thought there would be. Just so everyone knows...I have driven them both several times. Love them both, that's why I wanted your input. I am kind of leaning toward the M3. My wife has an S4 cab so the top down portion of it really doesn't matter. I am looking for fun factor for me. Not concerned about impressing anyone with the top down or the Porsche label. I have owned a couple of Porsche's, and that is why I am kind of leaning toward the M for something different. I own the cars for me, and not concerned with others opinion to address some of the posts above. I am currently looking at an M3 that I am thinking about pulling the trigger on. Please feel free to provide feedback....see below...thanks again for the input.

...looking at an 03 M3 Carbon/Black 6spd Coupe..40K miles excellent shape, few minor rock chips on the front, all records, 2 owners, 19 inch wheels (no curb rash at all), cold weather package, new tires,inspection 1 done/needs 2...I have driven several, and this one drives great. $24k??

 

There is one listed on here, for $25k. Seal grey with all the right mods including Brembo GT brakes. You would be crazy to not consider that!

Truth is both are not straight line cars, with the M3 being more practical and the Boxste being a better drive.

 

^ please pm me a link to the car

 

Now is defiantly the time to be buying a 46 too! Just looking at autotrader, there are quite a few good ones for amazing prices, and I’m sure you can deal them down a little more too. Are you looking for smg or manual? Also out of curiosity what do you like about the car?

My first time bringing a smg up to the limiter 1st – 3rd on a tight section of road just put a smile on my face. So raw and visceral. I initially thought the gearbox was very novel but it would get old after a wile, plus feeling out of the loop without a 3rd pedal.

 

So why bother even posting here to begin with? Regardless, it sounds like you've made up your mind and you should start posting in a BMW forum.

And I'll stick with my Boxster S.