[skyline408]

Great thread, I enjoy the OPs experience and open perspective. If I was in his position, and based on his comments, I'd pick the comp X.

But..... I would test drive an Giulia Quadrifoglio first.

I did prior to getting my G80, but the car has and still was on my mind. It was an amazing visceral experience, made all the right sounds and steering feel was definitely better than the M3.

At the end of the day, I choose the M3 as it was a 'safe' choice and having several prior gen M3s, I knew the experience would be good, but im not going to lie and say the Giulia is still on my mind. It was that good. I even told my wife to test drive it and she came back with the biggest smile on her face. The car invokes all the emotions if you are a car enthusiast.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by vbb

Obviously I can't fully know your situation, but as someone that has owned a 997 Turbo and now owns a G82 manual (though there were a few cars in between), I can definitely attest that you'll get more practical usage out of the M3/M4.

This is no knock on the 997 at all. In fact, if I had the financial means to just keep a car sitting in the garage not to really be driven, I'd have another 997 Turbo or GT3 for the long haul. The prices on those are only going up, especially as new 911 prices get so amazingly high. The 997 is such a great bridge between old/classic and new. But like you, I have teenaged kids and will soon have 4 drivers in my household, and I just can't justify having something that expensive sitting in the garage as a collectors item. We do have three vehicles now... a minivan for the family hauling duties and my wife's primary vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler for family fun, light utility and bad weather commuting (and possibly as a first car for my eldest), and then my M4. The M4 has very usable backseats for the times when I have more than one child with me, is quite comfortable for my regular commuting (about 20mi round trip), is a ton of fun when I want to drive spiritedly, is a great car to take out for date night with the wife, and is also fun to take to the local cars and coffees. Plus, for me, the manual transmission is a must have. It makes the car that much more engaging and fun. I use this car at least twice and maybe three times as much as I would a 997. I don't like to waste money, and having a pretty car in the garage NOT being driven just seems like a waste to me, even if it is holding or gaining in value. Maybe one day I'll be able to collect cool cars, but not today.

So, that's my take on it. I definitely think you should get the G80 (and I'd suggest a manual, but if your ankle is bad maybe that's not for you). The 997 will always be the better sports car, but the G80 will be the better car to own.

Thanks! I appreciate your perspective as you're nearly in exactly the same situation I am. As I tell my wife, see, I'm not as weird as you think I am. LOL.

Yeah, the manual thing isn't happening. After I drove a local member's car just for a few minutes in mid-June, my ankle started hurting within 24 hours. And I can still feel it. That was just a 10 minute (if that!) drive. So until this bad boy gets some surgery, it's a no go. I probably should have an ortho look at it, as it's been bothering me for years.

I agree with your thoughts. I made up my mind last week, discussed with wife, all is good and I am pursuing allocations. And now that I've stopped debating, I've been focusing more on enjoying the 997. And it IS a spectacular car. But it's so impractical. This weekend the wife was out at Costco, my son had the other Cayenne at work and I was out in the 997. I needed to pick up the grocery order....but i couldn't as it wouldn't fit in the 997. I had to go home, wait for her to come home, then go back out.

Yeah, total first world problems. But Secret Supercar Owner posted a new blog on his website this weekend and one thing he said resonated HARD with me, since he was discussing his 997 GT3 RS: "The GT3 RS arrived in early 2017. It spent its first year and a half with us based in Dallas which was just the wrong environment for it. It wasn’t until I moved the GT3 RS up to the mountains of Montana in the summer of 2018 that I really started to bond with the Porsche and appreciate its brilliance"

I have felt that way about both my 911's. If I lived someplace in the Northeast, the Smoky Mountains, PNW, Colorado, NorCal, etc where I had some good roads....the tradeoffs would undoubtedly be worth it. But driving it on straight and boring flat poorly surfaced concrete roads, where the nearest good driving roads are 45 to 60 minutes away just doesn't give you the appreciation. I get why the Hellcats and modified Corvettes are the rule here. Straight line speed is the name of the game, the twisties you have to hunt for. The G80 won't be the sports car the 997 is by any means, but I will enjoy it more, and enjoy more OF it, than I do the 997.

Originally Posted by skyline408

Great thread, I enjoy the OPs experience and open perspective. If I was in his position, and based on his comments, I'd pick the comp X.

But..... I would test drive an Giulia Quadrifoglio first.

I did prior to getting my G80, but the car has and still was on my mind. It was an amazing visceral experience, made all the right sounds and steering feel was definitely better than the M3.

At the end of the day, I choose the M3 as it was a 'safe' choice and having several prior gen M3s, I knew the experience would be good, but im not going to lie and say the Giulia is still on my mind. It was that good. I even told my wife to test drive it and she came back with the biggest smile on her face. The car invokes all the emotions if you are a car enthusiast.

Good advice. I will do so. But I don't deal well with maintenance queens, and if I remember, the Giulia is pretty tight in the back and my son is 6'3". Moreover, I seem to recall the Giulia came out pretty much the same time as the M3 did.......the F80 M3 that is. Yikes! Oh, and driving Porsches for years, I'm a bit tired of super old Tech.

[Uvo]

My 2 cents:

1. We are not getting younger, buy whatever makes you happy. Car can meeet all your demands, but if it doesnt make you happy when you see it in parking lot or driving, its a wrong car. Heart is very important

2. Whatever you choose, keep it away from your kid. For them it is important to have a car, not a rocket. Rocket can come with time and experience. I had very bad car accident when I was 18 and pretty mature for my age. 16 is still a baby. He wants to learn stick and get a rwd feeling? Mazda Miata 1.6 is more than sufficient 😁

3. Regarding G80, I also went for stick and RWD, who cares that comp is 0.364365 secs faster, its matter of driving the car for sake of driving, not spredsheet.

GL!

[W///]

I can really resonate with this, although I don't have any kids yet. While I've been really proud to have the M's that I do, they're honestly just collecting dust apart from the M2C, and even then I only drive it once a week. They're mostly paid off, but like you OP, I just hate seeing them sit there needing maintenance nor do I have time to wash them.

I've thought many times about downsizing, and went to see how the G80 fits my needs. I rented a G82 in Munich while I was there for work for a day, and didn't come away in love with it. It was a 2021 Comp.

While I do think it would make a fantastic daily, it's just not what I need as I do have a company DD. It's crazy fast, but I just think it was synthetic and didn't have much of a personality when you were just driving it around normally, which I can totally understand that being a good thing. I personally prefer the F8x because they feel alive even at slow speeds, but I do understand that they are pretty bouncy.

Porsches have always been one of my favorite brand and it was a bucketlist of mine to own one. But the market is just way out of control, so that has really cooled off my interest.

P.S I've also thought about what would happen if I had a foot or knee injury. All my M's are manual so I'd have to liquidate all of them. Scary thought!

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by skyline408

But..... I would test drive an Giulia Quadrifoglio first.

I did prior to getting my G80, but the car has and still was on my mind. It was an amazing visceral experience, made all the right sounds and steering feel was definitely better than the M3.

Just re-watched this video. Thomas is 6'2", as am I, and my son is 6'3". My daughter is short at 5'3" but my wife is 5'10". There is no way the 4 of us would fit in this car.

I would rule it out on these grounds alone.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

No if you have to ask the question.

[BryanCO]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Thanks! I appreciate your perspective as you're nearly in exactly the same situation I am. As I tell my wife, see, I'm not as weird as you think I am. LOL.

Yeah, the manual thing isn't happening. After I drove a local member's car just for a few minutes in mid-June, my ankle started hurting within 24 hours. And I can still feel it. That was just a 10 minute (if that!) drive. So until this bad boy gets some surgery, it's a no go. I probably should have an ortho look at it, as it's been bothering me for years.

I agree with your thoughts. I made up my mind last week, discussed with wife, all is good and I am pursuing allocations. And now that I've stopped debating, I've been focusing more on enjoying the 997. And it IS a spectacular car. But it's so impractical. This weekend the wife was out at Costco, my son had the other Cayenne at work and I was out in the 997. I needed to pick up the grocery order....but i couldn't as it wouldn't fit in the 997. I had to go home, wait for her to come home, then go back out.

Yeah, total first world problems. But Secret Supercar Owner posted a new blog on his website this weekend and one thing he said resonated HARD with me, since he was discussing his 997 GT3 RS: "The GT3 RS arrived in early 2017. It spent its first year and a half with us based in Dallas which was just the wrong environment for it. It wasn’t until I moved the GT3 RS up to the mountains of Montana in the summer of 2018 that I really started to bond with the Porsche and appreciate its brilliance"

I have felt that way about both my 911's. If I lived someplace in the Northeast, the Smoky Mountains, PNW, Colorado, NorCal, etc where I had some good roads....the tradeoffs would undoubtedly be worth it. But driving it on straight and boring flat poorly surfaced concrete roads, where the nearest good driving roads are 45 to 60 minutes away just doesn't give you the appreciation. I get why the Hellcats and modified Corvettes are the rule here. Straight line speed is the name of the game, the twisties you have to hunt for. The G80 won't be the sports car the 997 is by any means, but I will enjoy it more, and enjoy more OF it, than I do the 997.



Good advice. I will do so. But I don't deal well with maintenance queens, and if I remember, the Giulia is pretty tight in the back and my son is 6'3". Moreover, I seem to recall the Giulia came out pretty much the same time as the M3 did.......the F80 M3 that is. Yikes! Oh, and driving Porsches for years, I'm a bit tired of super old Tech.

Re the g80 and 997. Makes sense.

Your description is also why I find it mostly silly when so many on this forum try to comp the g80 and 911 (any generation). Both are great cars but very different.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by BryanCO

Re the g80 and 997. Makes sense.

Your description is also why I find it mostly silly when so many on this forum try to comp the g80 and 911 (any generation). Both are great cars but very different.

Exactly. When people start saying "this car and that car are the same because they can do the same thing relatively similarly" I think...ok, I can open a box using a pair of scissors just about as well as I can a box cutter. But that doesn't make a pair of scissors a box cutter. They both just happen to do one thing very similarly. One is made for it and is better at that one thing (opening a box) but can't do a whole host of things the other can do (scissors) very well.

[DO444]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Hey all, wanted to get your thoughts on my current car situation. I tend to be wordy so I'll try to give the TLR first.

Currently have two cars for myself. A 2014 Cayenne Diesel and a 2011 997.2 Turbo S. I ended up in this situation as the Cayenne was my wife's old daily, the Turbo was my weekend car and I had a Model 3 as my daily which got sold when we got the new Cayenne.

I haven't been in this situation long, as my son is in High School and working for the summer, so he kind of hijacked the Cayenne Diesel for himself. I'm shopping for cars appropriate for a 16 year old and having a heart attack at the state of the used "cheap car" market, but my goal is to find something before the end of the summer. I COULD just give him the Cayenne but as good of a driver as he is, I don't feel it's a good life lesson to hand a 16 year old a Porsche as their first car, even if it's 10 years old with 125k on it and worth less than a used 2017 Accord. Plus....I've been repairing this car for 10 years and know what the bills have been like and I don't need that.

I could daily the Turbo, but TBH, living in the Houston area are roads are boring, flat, and straight. My work commute is about 8 miles each way. It's not a practical car at all, and if I need to pick up my daughter at practice or after school activities, it's only me and her, can't pick up her friends or anything.

I really don't want 4 cars. 4 cars worth of washing and maintenance. Plus that would leave one car in the driveway and we get hail here. And TBH I've had a 911 in the garage since [...]

You could buy it, but there is a guy in NJ who apparently knows a better way…

[Needsdecaf]

Thought I should update the thread. Thank you all for those that weighed in with both positive and not so positive comments, lol.

In the end I stopped farting around and pulled the trigger. As someone said, if I'm asking, I'm over the 911. Time to move on and send it to a good home. I was lucky that Day Laborer was able to find an allocation with a great dealer close to home. Now the fun begins!

[hinckley]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Thought I should update the thread. Thank you all for those that weighed in with both positive and not so positive comments, lol.

In the end I stopped farting around and pulled the trigger. As someone said, if I'm asking, I'm over the 911. Time to move on and send it to a good home. I was lucky that Day Laborer was able to find an allocation with a great dealer close to home. Now the fun begins!

Congrats man! Great color. Specs?

btw, I know from personal experience, you're not really "over" the 911, you've just accepted reality and moved on.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by hinckley

Congrats man! Great color. Specs?

btw, I know from personal experience, you're not really "over" the 911, you've just accepted reality and moved on.

haha, I'll never be over the 911. You are right. I will own one again, just gotta wait for life to change.

Build is as follows:

Comp XDrive
Silverstone / Black Full
Carbon Trim
825 Bicolor Wheels
Red Calipers
DAPP
Parking Asst
Exec Pack
Vented Seats
Lasers
Drive Recorder

I'm stoked. First M car.

[Berzerker]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

haha, I'll never be over the 911. You are right. I will own one again, just gotta wait for life to change.

Build is as follows:

Comp XDrive
Silverstone / Black Full
Carbon Trim
825 Bicolor Wheels
Red Calipers
DAPP
Parking Asst
Exec Pack
Vented Seats
Lasers
Drive Recorder

I'm stoked. First M car.

With that much in, I'd just go all in with the M Drive Professional as well. There's also some M Performance Parts that are port installed like floating hub caps you can add.

Also grats on the allocation! How long did you sit on the "order received" until it went actually into scheduled for production?

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by Berzerker

With that much in, I'd just go all in with the M Drive Professional as well. There's also some M Performance Parts that are port installed like floating hub caps you can add.

Also grats on the allocation! How long did you sit on the "order received" until it went actually into scheduled for production?

Haha, gotta stop somewhere.

The allocation was a 112 status when I got it.

[mwat]

Congrats on the order! Hopefully it fulfills your needs.
I'm in the camp of give the kid the cayenne however, you said yourself he appreciates it and is a good driver. (Might also teach some mechanical skills for DIY repairs)

Lot's of kids crash cars when they're young, but a lot of kids also never have an accident until much much later if at all.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by mwat

Congrats on the order! Hopefully it fulfills your needs.
I'm in the camp of give the kid the cayenne however, you said yourself he appreciates it and is a good driver. (Might also teach some mechanical skills for DIY repairs)

Lot's of kids crash cars when they're young, but a lot of kids also never have an accident until much much later if at all.

Thank you!!

The boy is currently driving the Cayenne as I couldn't stand to sell it for $15k - $18k only to buy a equal aged, equal mileage Honda / Huyndai / Toyota that's been beat on by an Uber driver the last 5 years.

The used "cheap" car market is RIDICULOUS. I literally saw a 2012(or thereabouts) Accord that had a CarFax with an odometer rollback warning on it. And it was VERY clear from the carfax that it had way more than the "73,000 miles" it was being advertised as having as it had multiple entries from 75-115k miles over the years before it mysteriously went back to 60k.

This steaming turd was being sold at a Honda dealer. Not a Honda "specialist" a full blown Honda dealer.

After I saw that, I pretty much just said Eff it.

[mwat]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Thank you!!

The boy is currently driving the Cayenne as I couldn't stand to sell it for $15k - $18k only to buy a equal aged, equal mileage Honda / Huyndai / Toyota that's been beat on by an Uber driver the last 5 years.

The used "cheap" car market is RIDICULOUS. I literally saw a 2012(or thereabouts) Accord that had a CarFax with an odometer rollback warning on it. And it was VERY clear from the carfax that it had way more than the "73,000 miles" it was being advertised as having as it had multiple entries from 75-115k miles over the years before it mysteriously went back to 60k.

This steaming turd was being sold at a Honda dealer. Not a Honda "specialist" a full blown Honda dealer.

After I saw that, I pretty much just said Eff it.

My logic would have been exactly the same. Good moves all around! Enjoy.

[gunmike1]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

haha, I'll never be over the 911. You are right. I will own one again, just gotta wait for life to change.

Build is as follows:

Comp XDrive
Silverstone / Black Full
Carbon Trim
825 Bicolor Wheels
Red Calipers
DAPP
Parking Asst
Exec Pack
Vented Seats
Lasers
Drive Recorder

I'm stoked. First M car.

Congrats! My M3 Comp Xdrive is in port ready to come across the pond. I was originally looking at getting a 911 of some sort or possibly a Cayman GTS, newish or used, but the prices are just absurd compared to pre-pandemic. At a certain point even if I can afford something, paying way over MSRP on anything, especially an expensive used car with limited warranty time, just became too much for me to justify. I’m pretty frugal, as my most expensive previous car is a 2016 Chevy SS (manual) that I got for just over $38K new during a 20% off sale in July of 2016. I’m actually going to get well over what I paid for it when I sell it, which kind of blows my mind. Anyway, once the Porsches went out the window I landed on the M3 Comp Xdrive for much the same reason you did, versatility. It can tear up a road nicely, but I can carry the family or my elderly mom or in laws in comfort. It’s big enough to hold a lot of stuff for a big shopping trip or a road trip with luggage. It’s new so I have the warranty to fall back on. It’s a lot of money compared to what I’ve been willing to spend before, but I’m 45 years old, and can easily afford it at the moment. I figured I should take advantage of that situation while I have it, and buy the car while I’m still able drive it hard and enjoy it. In a couple years who knows if I have a health problem, for some reason finances get tighter, etc. I just don’t want to miss that opportunity and end up being 75 with a new Corvette that I never take over 25 MPH, like my neighbor. I’m sure you will love your car when it comes in.

[kgelfen360]

Originally Posted by gunmike1

Congrats! My M3 Comp Xdrive is in port ready to come across the pond. I was originally looking at getting a 911 of some sort or possibly a Cayman GTS, newish or used, but the prices are just absurd compared to pre-pandemic. At a certain point even if I can afford something, paying way over MSRP on anything, especially an expensive used car with limited warranty time, just became too much for me to justify. I’m pretty frugal, as my most expensive previous car is a 2016 Chevy SS (manual) that I got for just over $38K new during a 20% off sale in July of 2016. I’m actually going to get well over what I paid for it when I sell it, which kind of blows my mind. Anyway, once the Porsches went out the window I landed on the M3 Comp Xdrive for much the same reason you did, versatility. It can tear up a road nicely, but I can carry the family or my elderly mom or in laws in comfort. It’s big enough to hold a lot of stuff for a big shopping trip or a road trip with luggage. It’s new so I have the warranty to fall back on. It’s a lot of money compared to what I’ve been willing to spend before, but I’m 45 years old, and can easily afford it at the moment. I figured I should take advantage of that situation while I have it, and buy the car while I’m still able drive it hard and enjoy it. In a couple years who knows if I have a health problem, for some reason finances get tighter, etc. I just don’t want to miss that opportunity and end up being 75 with a new Corvette that I never take over 25 MPH, like my neighbor. I’m sure you will love your car when it comes in.

Yea same I cannot justify spending double on 911. I know it’s 911 but it’s just too much IMO. I know some will say different and maybe it’s matter of how much cash u got but M3 xdrive checks all the boxes for me as u described and still let’s me have high performance car.

[hhkb]

Originally Posted by kgelfen360

Yea same I cannot justify spending double on 911. I know it’s 911 but it’s just too much IMO. I know some will say different and maybe it’s matter of how much cash u got but M3 xdrive checks all the boxes for me as u described and still let’s me have high performance car.

100% on the same page. I’m paying $80k for my M3. A new 911 would be like $120k. That’s a ton of money!

[gunmike1]

Originally Posted by hhkb

100% on the same page. I’m paying $80k for my M3. A new 911 would be like $120k. That’s a ton of money!

A new 911 from what I’ve seen will be way over the already high base prices ($115K for a base 911 with 385 HP). In 2020 I figured a decently equipped 992 Carrera S with most of the options I wanted at $130K was worth it. Now the base price on the S is way higher than in 2020, and good luck finding one for less than $20K over sticker. For me I just can’t justify so much more money for it. I drove a 991.2 GT3 at the Porsche Experience and that is an utterly amazing car to drive. The sound, the speed, the tremendous handling, it is all next level. It is so well built and solid you can tell that you can beat on it all day and it will keep on going. But paying $240000 for a GT3 just isn’t going to happen with me. The M3 is similar in a straight line to a new Carrera S, can’t touch the 911 in handling (but is no slouch), but is vastly more usable, practical, and family friendly. I’m think I’m getting my money’s worth with the M3 since I’ll be far more likely to use it often than I would with a 911.

[hhkb]

Originally Posted by gunmike1

A new 911 from what I’ve seen will be way over the already high base prices ($115K for a base 911 with 385 HP). In 2020 I figured a decently equipped 992 Carrera S with most of the options I wanted at $130K was worth it. Now the base price on the S is way higher than in 2020, and good luck finding one for less than $20K over sticker. For me I just can’t justify so much more money for it. I drove a 991.2 GT3 at the Porsche Experience and that is an utterly amazing car to drive. The sound, the speed, the tremendous handling, it is all next level. It is so well built and solid you can tell that you can beat on it all day and it will keep on going. But paying $240000 for a GT3 just isn’t going to happen with me. The M3 is similar in a straight line to a new Carrera S, can’t touch the 911 in handling (but is no slouch), but is vastly more usable, practical, and family friendly. I’m think I’m getting my money’s worth with the M3 since I’ll be far more likely to use it often than I would with a 911.

There’s a reason why the M3 is so popular!

The 911 is also popular for a reason, and many M owners seem to graduate to the 911 eventually.