I've seen the dark side: porsche

[m3f_nixtfy_c9201d70ed]

I briefly considered buying my neighbors 99' Carrera recently it was cherry with 40,000 miles for $31,000. I just could not justify the trade off of not having a practical car without a back seat. Sure the Carrera would not have depreciated much, but in the long run I did not want to drive it daily. The Porsche would do circles around the m3 if driven porperly. The Boxster IMO is the same kind of car it's just harder to live with if it's a daily driver like our m3's.

[m3f_Dakhar_517a2ad3bd]

Well, as I said in an earlier post today, it aint all about HP. But having said that, if you can wait 2 years BMW is coming out with 400HP in the M3, and optional 300HP in the 3 series.



Kinda strange this universal HP arms race, with us needing to reduce our dependence on oil. But that's a very different discussion, isn't it? eace:



And according to Roundel this month, the new M car will be branded an M1, not M2. I'm very excited about seeing one of those...







400 hp.... I think I just stained myself....

[m3f_KUpolo]

Hey Kupolo you get the S4? or you still sitting on it?



Sitting on it for now. After doing a bunch of reading on them, it is pretty clear that you do not want to own one out of warranty. I drove a few of them and they definitely don't have the road feel that the M does, but it is certainly a much more practical car for Colorado.



I think I may end up waiting until the V8 has been out another year or two and try to pick up a low mileage CPO. I really like the bi-turbo six better I thnk, but cost of ownership seems to be HUGE!

[m3f_Edgy_592e912c16]

KUpolo, you're contemplating leaving us!!!



You're right on, lots of horror stories here in metro DC area about Audi mechanical problems and LONGGGG waits for service appointments at dealerships. And far fewer indie mechanics work on Audi than BMW.

[m3f_///sleeper_f29d08a5a4]

KUPolo, Yeah, I've heard a lot of issues w/ people chip tuning them and running WAY too much boost and stuff and blowing the stock turbos. What other mech. issues do they have? I'm in CO too and had been looking at some S4 Avants.

[m3f_KUpolo]

KUpolo, you're contemplating leaving us!!!



You're right on, lots of horror stories here in metro DC area about Audi mechanical problems and LONGGGG waits for service appointments at dealerships. And far fewer indie mechanics work on Audi than BMW.





I'm going to stick around for a while. Right now I can't find anything I woudl enjoy drivng as much as the M. :thumbsup: The Audi is not nearly the car that the M3 is when it comes to road feel IMO. It's just that with all skiing and kayaking that I do, an AWD wagon would be really nice. Right now I steal my GFs Subaru Outback Sport, but that thing is no just fun to drive. It sounds like the engine is going to explode everytime I drive up a steep mountain.



KUPolo, Yeah, I've heard a lot of issues w/ people chip tuning them and running WAY too much boost and stuff and blowing the stock turbos. What other mech. issues do they have? I'm in CO too and had been looking at some S4 Avants.



It seems like a lot of people have had trouble with the turbos doing funky stuff. If anything goes wrong on these cars, it is like an automatic $2000 repair, which there is no way I'm going to swallow.



The V8 seems pretty cool, but it was wedged in there with a shoe horn, so I imagine that any non warranty work would be a nightmare as well.

[m3f_jesusrdzc]

I came across that same thought about getting an M3 or a Boxter.

To tell you the truth my father had big influence on my decision. He owns a Carrera 4S and the car is great. Porsche's are Porsche's here and in China. But he did made a rader harsh comment regarding the Boxter. "The boxter is for someone that cant afford a 911." Some how thats true, every boxter owner I have chated with always tries to justiffy why he did not buy a 911.

How nows maybe the Japs may come out with something cool, they always do.

I also agree that BMW is going in a rather uggly dessing direction. That´s why Im gettin My M3 now. If the new M3 appeals to me I might buy it but by that time I might be married and I might be having to think on a nice SUV. Maybe a Cayenne or a VW Tuareg.



Good luck in your decision.

[m3f_bmw4life13_0098c1d2b1]

The one thing I can't stand about the m roadster is the plastic rear window. Why couldn't bmw add a glass rear window that folds into a compartment like all the newer converts?

[m3f_E36Pilot]

My dad has a 996 coupe but we drove some boxsters and the boxster S before buying the 996. In terms of driving pleasure... I much prefer the Boxster S. The 996 feels like a touring coupe whereas the Boxster S feels like a true sports car. The handling and the road feel are exceptional, and it's no slouch in a strait line. I really don't understand why so many people give it flack. My dad ended up going with the 996 not because he didn't like the boxster, but because the 996 offers just enough more usable space. My family is a bunch of shrimps so we can actually use the back seat, :-) and I've fit a set of skis/poles and boots in the 996 for a trip to the mountains.



As an aside, I helped swap engines and bodies from 2 '74 914s. The finished product was a nice body with a nice engine and that car was fantastic to drive! Those that knock the 914s don't know what they're missing.

[m3f_NAKE36]

What is all this that I read about earlier in the post about BMW and Japan or China or something? Why is everybody saying BMW is taking a turn for the worst?

[m3f_salty_80d4b8491b]

What is all this that I read about earlier in the post about BMW and Japan or China or something? Why is everybody saying BMW is taking a turn for the worst?

BANGLE. The departure he has taken BMW on is a trip in the wrong direction. If you sit in a new 5 series, it will be obvious that the company previously run by engineers is now run by the marketing department.

[m3f_Yop]

get a used carrera