996 vs E46 M3 - 2024 Ownership Cost

Hello everyone! Cross shopping for a secondary weekend car to supplement my MK7.5 GTI daily. I am looking between a 996.2 C2 and an 03+ E46 M3, both manual and convertible (these are my requirements). I have seen a few threads about 996 vs E46 before, but not many that are post early 2010's - we've now had enough time to assess these cars as they advance in mileage. I am hoping to not spend more than 30k to get the car purchased and sorted maintenance wise. Also would like to keep maintenance costs generally lower over time, hence this post. I am aware of IMS/RMS for the 996 and VANOS, rod bearing, subframe for the M3... other than it depending on the particular example, do we have any knowledge here of which might be cheaper to maintain on the whole, given an example of those cars that already has those items sorted? Thanks everyone!

I'm sure the thread has been done before but I'd like a cleaned up version of it. Could someone compare and contrast the following: Reliability/Maintenance/Durability/Longevity Handling/Power/Feel Cost/Ownership... Thanks

Reliability/Maintenance/Durability/Longevity - The M3 wins here, from my experience, the 996 is far less reliable Handling/Power/Feel - M3 feels more tq but I believe the 996 is a hair faster, the feel of the 996 dominates the M3 if you are more a fan of sports car. The e46 M3 feels soft and much more like a lux than a sports car. Cost/Ownership...- M3 would be cheaper to buy and cheaper to own.

I know the M3 has the VANOS issue which is an expensive fix, but the 996 has the RMS issue. What else is typical of the 996 in terms of expensive count on them type issues?

i have owned a E46 M3 and currently own a C4S (chip/intake) and can say that the 996 is much more prone to problems. I literally beat the sh*t out of my M3 every single day and it never died. It is a truly amazing car. One of the best in my opinion. You give up a lot to get a little in the 996 but to me that little was worth it.

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Quote: ... I think that you can rebuild the VANOS and actually squeeze out more power for less than a grand. You can't do anything to a P-car for less than a grand.

What are your purposes for the car? Street use only? Occasional DE or Autocross? It matters as each car has inherent strengths and weakness. For what it's worth, my buddy has both. The M3 has proven to be no less expensive to own than his 996. Standard maintenance seems right about the same (comparing Inspection II's and valve service for the E46 vs the 30 service for the 996). Driving experience- the 996 trumps the E46 in spades. More feedback, quicker response and challenging nature at the limit. The 996 is lighter, slightly quicker, provides a fantastic amount of driver involvement that the E46 doesn't. The E46 is punchier down low but that's about it. It feels larger, more lethargic in it's reactions. Not saying it's bad, just not as good. I've had a chance to co-drive a decently prepared car a e46 M3 a few years ago for a season in autocross. The M3 is more forgiving to drive fast but the 996 seems to be a bit quicker but it's harder to extract that performance. But when driven right the 996 is amazing when driven to it's strengths can be quite a bit quicker than the M3. Practicality- E46 has the advanatage of more space for passengers and better trunk. Everyday driving comfort- Stock to stock the 996 is better with normal suspension (non sport). I've never driven a sport suspension car (MO30) but I hear it's only moderately more stiff than normal. BMWs tend to be overly stiff on their compression valving but have soft springs so it gives them a harsh initial hit on a bump but pretty soft rebound. The 996 is much better at controlling it's springs. For me I'd pick the 996 but it depends on what you use the car for. Performance and driving dynamic are key for me and I have a second vehicle as a daily. Never have any downsides to my 996 as I don't drive it if I need playload space. If it's your only car, maybe the E46 is your ticket. PS- for background I'm quite a Bimmerhead as well. My last car was an E36 323is that was prepared for DSP in SCCA (autocross) and my local chapters classing. I have had the opportunity to pretty much drive every variant of the 3 series starting with the E30. They are phenomonal cars for what their purpose is. The 911 is just more focused.

I'd take the E46 M3 with stock 19's personally--it's such a sexy looking car and the interior feels like it has much more quality than the 996. It'd be better suited as a DD as well and you can get it fully loaded.

...not this thread again. Only thing I'll point out, as long as you're doing your own maintenance work neither is really expensive to maintain if you ask me. The difference is many DIY'ers will shy away from the valve adjustment on the S54 in the M3 which is easily an $800-1200 charge at the dealer. I just did mine a few months back and it was actually quite easy. Rented the shim kit and tools from a guy on M3 forum, probably had $150 in the valve service when it's all said and done. Pre '03.5 M3's that had the bearing recall have to run Castrol motorsport 10w-60 motor oil which is $10 a quart. I run $10 a quart oil in the 996 too so that really doesn't matter to me but could to some. Other than that it's just routein stuff, plugs, fluids, filters, etc on either car. None of that work is hard to do. 996 is the easiest oil change I've ever done in my life too. Andy

I think I would be happy with either, however I think the advantage goes to the 996 911 in terms of what makes you FEEL more special. It is like a unicorn car while I think the E46 M is easily washed out in comparison. I am mainly concerned with repairs and the likelyhood of significant problems. RMS is a big one.

in my experience, the bmw is only fun when your going really fast or into turns. but the 996 is fun whether you are going like 25 or just cruising or just driving around at slow or fast speed. its overall balance, and handling is better but M3 is mass produced cars and there are great deals to be had if you with BMW

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Quote: Again, I am more focused on whether I will buy a 911 and end up hating myself because something crazy went wrong and I should have known it was coming.

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Quote: You'll end up hating yourself more for buying the M3 everytime you see a 911 pass by. About a year ago I was having trouble deciding between the 2 as well. Drove a couple of M3s, & ya, they're fast. But these days, a lot of cars are "fast." The problem is they're not a Porsche, because a Porsche is simply a Porsche: it's got soul. It has that special feeling. I ended up buying the 996 & couldn't be happier... Also, my brother recently traded in his 997S for an E90 M3, & he says there's no comparison in feel, fun, etc. He regrets it. Take into consideration that the E90 is a big step up from the E46 as well. But hey, in the end it all comes down to what matters to you the most. Bimmers are pretty much bullet-proof. That same bro of mine bought a 7-Series way back when he was in high school, & he still has it, now with almost 200,000 miles! He's never had problems with it. So if you want a bullet proof car that'll seat 5 comfortably & haul *** while still feeling luxurious, get the M3. But if you want to be astonished, & drive with a grin from ear to ear all the time, get the Porsche. For being the true sports car that it is, it's actually pretty comfortable for DD, & the back seats aren't a problem for me either 'cause my passengers fit fine. No matter what car I'm driving, the passengers are always sexy, slender girls, & they fit fine in the back of the 996, so no need for a luxury car, lol. ...Plus you can't argue with those sexy lines in the sig right below

Your biggest cost of owning a 996 will be brakes and tires ( depending on how often you drive it and how you drive the car). In spite of the infrequent RMS and the Intermediate Shaft issues, the 996 is actually a pretty reliable sports car. See the link below and compare with others: http://www.anusedcar.com/index.php/t...el/porsche-996 If the RMS is what ultimately worries you than buy CPO or a reliable aftermarket warranty that covers those parts or buy a 996 that has had the failure and chances are slim the second engine will do the same. Good Luck!

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Quote: CPO is only good for 100k or 6 years past original drive off date... That would mean I'd have to buy at least a 2004 and even so I'd only have a year of warranty.

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Quote: True, bought mine with a CPO that lasted an additional 9 months but after that ran out I was able to get an additional 3 year aftermarket warranty through the local Porsche dealer which essentially covers everything but wear and tear parts- it wasn't cheap but I have peace of mind from the dreaded RMS.

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Quote: Meh, aftermarket warranties... pretty sad that a car has to stoop to that level where it is that unpredictable or expensive to fix that you need 9 years of coverage just to stay sane.

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Quote: get a vette...

he said he was afraid of something going wrong

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Quote: Actually Corvettes are extremely reliable... but I'm not sure if it's my cup of tea

M3 will cost you a lot less and be more reliable. Won't be half as fun to drive as the 911 tho. I had an '03 911 and it had nothing but problems. Spent 8k in repairs/upgrades in a year and then gearbox issues arose which would have cost 8-10K to fix. I got rid of the car and am now driving a Z4. I hate it. Problem is I can't get the Porsche out of my head. So if you buy the Porsche you may have to pay, you'll have the time of your life, will never want to ever drive anything else, but if you get rid of it after emptying your pockets, oh well, welcome to my world. My advice is if you buy the Porsche, be ready to keep it for good, buy a warranty, and don't, i repeat don't ever get rid of it. Unless you get another one. It's like flying first class, once you do it, you never want to ever be in coach. Drive the Porsche and every other car will feel like crap.

If you want a fun car, but engine failure is your main concern, why not go with a Cayman? The newer engines have a much smaller chance of failure, & although I haven't been in a Cayman, I hear all good things about the driving experience. I mean, it is lighter, more nimble, mid-engined, & Porsche engineered. Although they don't have as much power, but they're cheap as hell right now. You can mod it with all the money you save.... Of course, it'll never be a 911 . But it also won't be boring like an M3. ... But, if even a Cayman gets your panties up in a twist about reliability & blah blah blah, stop posting & buy a Civic. There's no such thing as a reliable exotic, or even semi-exotic. Infact, Porsche is probably the closest there is to one. Look at what the Ferrari & Lambo guys pay for maintenance, & their cars have problems too. Comprared to those cars, Porsches are actually cheap to maintain, even when things break. Even Maseratis & Aston Martins are more expensive to maintain & repair.

not sure if you have the mod bug or not, but the E46 is very easy to mod on the cheap. Lots of good tuners out there. Good luck with either.

996 RMS issue, it's so rare that I don't see why it gets so much forum coverage. if you look under a prospective car and it's bone dry at the seams, it's just not going to get an RMS leak. and even if it does, it;s just a minor drop here and there. not catastrophic engine death fercrissakes!

i blew the engine on a e36 m3 a while back and the reason turned out to be a faulty oil jet under one of the pistons. $9k repair.

I havent owned a 911 but I have owned an e46 M3. They are expensive to own. I was under CPO warranty but I kept track of the covered work. It added up over 8K the last year I owned it. Lots of limp mode sensor stuff, throttle body sensor, fuel delivery issues etc. Oh and as noted inspection II is very expensive.

This may be a crazy suggestion (although i am doing this with my car). Buy a high mileage 996 in the best condition you can find and have Jake Raby or Fabian Roock do a 3.6 conversion with LM Engineering components. The motor will set you back $15-17k all said and done. But you might be able to find a high miler or a roller (bad motor, like my car) for around $10-$12k. I am doing this because i already own the car and it needs a motor. but my research has increased my faith in the aforementioned engine builders over the factory porsche motor.

Before I bought my 996 I had to test-drive the M3 after hearing and reading about what great cars they are. I always wanted a Porsche and did not care much about cost of maintenance or reliability...after all they are German made cars. If you want a reliable and affordable maintenance vehicle, buy a Toyota or Honda, otherwise buy the car you are passionate about. That having said, I found the M3 more tame and less in torque, need to rev it to get the power. The engine sounded like it was stress out all the time. To say the least, I was a little disappointed after all the media hype. Once I drove the 996, there was no doubt...it a driver’s machine from heaven. Drive them both and buy the one you love, everything else is secondary. Good luck

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i own both and they're very different cars. ducatiS4R puts it well below. the M3 is an incredible all round performer that IMO could be a practical DD. my 996 doesnt necessarily feel faster, but has that harder edged no compromise sports car feel.. steering position/feel, handling, simplicity in form/function that the M3 doesnt have. you give up a lot that the m3 has to get this, but IMO its worth it. that said, i still miss the M3 which i sold recently =( Quote:

I had an 1999 cabriolet and after a few M3's and 335's walked all over me I decided on my present p car. 333hp compared to 296hp w/ a rag top, it was nasty. Dont know if a chip would of made it better or not. I have respect for the m's. But I sure do miss the ragtop on nice days.

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Quote: I own both an E46 M3 manual Cabrio and a 996 Carrera 2. I totally agree with this post. The m3 feels generally quicker but seems much harsher and appears to carry more weight into the corners. The 996 feels lighter and more delicate. However, the M3 is bullet proof and the 996 certainly is not !!!! The 996 is being rebuilt at the moment(aaaaaaaaargh !!!!) and there wont be change out of 6000 pounds. The M3 just keeps marching. The 996 just feels much more special to drive.