2004 M3 or 2000-2001 aero 911?

I�m staring at about $42-3K for an aerokitted 2000-2001 996 with low miles. I�m also looking at my cousin�s M3 which is an �04 with 12K miles that he�ll sell to me for $45K. -M3 has full factory warranty thru 2008 -911 would be no warranty and more of a mystery since family member owns the M3 currently -I have concerns around RMS and other failures on the 911, though it looks like many of you have had a trouble-free ownership experience I�m not sure which one to go for. Just wanting to get your thoughts on your 911 experience when it comes down to reliability. M3 has known to be very reliable save for the early build rod bearing issues which is actually in pure numbers very low number of incidents. It�d ruin my 911 experience if I get hit in the wallet for repairs� at least with the M3, I am protected for about 2 more years. the heart is with the 911, but the heart/mind combo is with the M. does the 911 experience make up for the bigger "risk"? Thoughts?

One of my good freinds has the '03 M3 and it's fast, and comfortable. I like the look outside, mean and tough. However, the interior seems small in the 3's, not that the 911 interior is big, it's even smaller but I expect that................................. Also, his car will hang but it's not as fast............

I think they're similar in straight line speed. Nominal diff if any. I actually think the M3's interior feels bigger than the 911.

If your heart is with the 911, go with it.... Otherwise you'll regret it

I went from an 03 M3 to an 02 M Roadster to a 04 911. I thought the M3 was too big and heavy. My car had the 19" rims which look great, but it made the ride too stiff. The power band on the 911 is much better IMHO. Drive them both and decide. If your so concerned about the risk, buy the M3 and upgrade in a few years. Also, remember that the E46 M3 is going to take a huge depreciation hit once the new V8 M3 comes out.

Ben, the M3 is more useable and the interior probably bigger, I'm just not a fan of the inside, I guess. When I get in, all I think about is the 5 series and how much more comfy it is.............. Don't know if that makes sense. My friends car is very quick but still not as quick as my car, maybe the mods, I don't know but I pull away from him every time. Maybe you should just buy my car so I can get a TT and be done with it............... She just got new wheels/tires!

my friend just bot a 04 M3, will swap-drive and let u know....

I went from a 993 to the E46 M3. After less than 2 years I'm hunting for a 993/996. M3 is great but at the end of the day I still jones for my 911. It doesn't help that ALL my friends have 911s of some vintage.

dallas, can you e-mail me at [email removed] and give me the full story on your ride? This is a tough (but good) decision making oppty!

Ok, I've got your email. I'm still thinking............................... and twisting. Thanks!

2 different cars, the only thing I think they have in common, is the fact they are built in Germany.M3 is an awsome little car, fast, handles O.K and a great daily driver. The Porsche is quick and Handles well like a Porsche...I like the fact that the bimmer has warranty, and thats a great piece of mind, but do you think you will be happy with it? I know I wouldnt be, but you have to drive it.

I love both of these cars, and came oh so close to getting an M3 last year. I love that car. Stock performance off the line is damn near identical, and any variance can be attributed to driver skill or lackthereof. I am a huge BMW fan and love the M3 and pretty much every BMW made. I have owned a number of them. I bought my first 911 this past December. I was fortunate to get a new car of the old stock. I.e. I got a brand new 996 in December of 2005. Anyway, I am pretty big on the warranty and getting a known entity vehicle. I don't have the knowledge or time to work on them myself and would be having to go deep into the wallet without the warranty to defray some costs. Therefore if I were in your shoes I would go with the M3. That is just my personal take. Now if someone is offering an M3 vs a 911 and they have the same miles, same warranty, never wrecked, etc and the only difference is price then I take the 911 every time.

Hmm, this sounds familiar. I had previously owned an E30 M3, and I was thinking about making it 3 in a row, but honestly BMW put me to sleep with the stying of the latest M3, inside and out. I know the M3 finally has the motor that it lacked in the previous versions, but.... it bored me, and that is tough for me to say since I have been driving M3s for 14 years (Am I getting old now?). Instead of an '01 996, I saved a few bucks on a '99 and kept my E36 M3 to drive to work everyday. I vote for the 996; lots of style and performance, you will not be bored, and you will stop wishing you had one.

This is all very recent for me... so I got to tool around in my cousin's M3 (the one I'm looking to buy) and the aero 2001 911 on a sunny seattle weekend (just yesterday). I kinda felt slightly underwhelmed in the 996. It looked good. It sounded good. The interior even with full leather left me kinda all right. It was low miles so the interior was in great shape. The M3 def felt newer and it is, but with only 8K miles fewer than the 911 that is 3 years older. the chassis felt solid overall, but still not a 911. neither were nearly as raw as my Comptech SCed/Fikse S2000 which is now going thru inspection on a for sale. both had more torque, but in VTEC the S2000 just sounds like a motorcycle and screams to 9K. top down adds a lot too, but i'm ready to move on. so the 911 and M3 both felt heavy. The M3 has got that bulldog stance ESPECIALLY when lowered on deep dish 19s. The Porsche is nice and lithe. more organic, less aggressive look. lean. I'd lower both on 19" HREs on PSS9s right away. TOUGH choice man!

I would actually recommend going a different direction, giving up the aero and adding a few more dollars to move up to an 02' Carrera. Much better performance than the M3. Get one certified and you won't have to worry about any initial issues. I wouldn't fixate on an aero car. You could always update a car instead since several manufacturers make urethane and fiberglass versions of the bodywork. Unless you are looking for downforce at the track, it is really styling and added weight. You should be able to easily find a low mileage 00' for under $40K. The M3 is an interesting proposition, depending on how long you plan to own it. If you don't plan on owning it very long, go for it. Otherwise, I would walk away from it. New M3 buyers are getting harder for dealers to find. Ask your dealer on how long they are now stocking them and what kind of discount they are taking off new. It is a fairly saturated market and a lot of buyers are going to wait knowing the new V8 model is only a year away. With the new model, resale is going to plummet as it did with the E36 when the E46 came out. You may have noticed prices are already starting to fall. To make it even worse, the new 335i Twin Turbo coupe is going to have close to the same performance for a $10K+ lower price and easily meet your target price range. Waiting for the 335i would probably be a better option if you are looking to go the Bimmer route. Buying an older 996' will certainly have a much better resale in the long run.

I JUST went through this EXACT thing. I was about to buy my first real sports car. I just couldn't decide what to do. I tossed and turned, and researched and test drove and researched more, and drove some more. The final contenders: Contender 1: 2004 M3, 20K miles, $43,500. Contender 2, 2000 996, 38K miles, $38,900. Contender 3: 2005 Benz C55 AMG, 10K miles, $50,000 + a little (but Mercedes is offering 2.9% financing on these, so it was within my budget...) [I tossed the MB because the sales people were pushy.] 2 things made the decision for me: First, my fiancee said (keep in mind, she's not a car person, she's a speak your mind without a filter person), "making a 3 series into a sports car is just stupid. If you want a sports car, buy a Porsche - don't try to squeeze a round peg into a square hole." Now I'm not knocking the M3, because I know it is a good car and would get respect - but some of the cache might be lost on the average Joe. I knew it would be a great car with BMW behind it (and from experience - I'm on my 3rd BMW as well). But it just wouldn't be the same as a 911 - and I've always REALLY wanted a 911. - besides the interior of the M3 was basically my current Bimmer all over again (2004 330i). second: check on adding a 4yr / 48,000 mile warranty to your Porsche. I checked, got the price on the best one (exclusionary coverage, bumper to bumper, basically everyting is covered). It only added 3G's to the price. This warranty is not one of those "you pay first, and we'll reimburse you later" plants. The dealer / repair place gets paid directly from them (and I'm only out $100 bucks per deductible). I haggled a bit and got the dealer to come 2G's off the 911. SO, I ended up buying it for $36,900 with the warranty pushing it up to $39,900. That was just 3 DAYS ago (Saturday, April 22). Let me tell you it was worth it!! I have NO regrets, and don't think I ever will. The 911 is SOOOO sweet. It drives awesome and looks unbelievable. The M3 is an awesome car, but it just isn't a Porsche. Every M3 and Corvette I pass takes a second look. Not to mention every Mustang GT, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Camaro, and Infinity. The ONLY down side is -> I always dreamed of having a Porsche, and now I have one, so I need to get a new dream. Woe is me... -td

hahaha congrats td! -M3 is not a sports car... it is a GT -non-aero 996s look worse than stock bodied M3s... M3 to aeroed 911... they both look good, one just is not a 911. so in my case, M3 clearly over a non-aeroed 911 so a non-aeroed 911 is just not an option. -i come from a supercharged s2000 so... i actually am getting to a more sedated, relaxed car... not as raw, but again, the honda is not a 911 tough call. i guess my goal would be to find a CPOed aero 911. how realistic is this?

If a 996 fits your life style, i.e., you don't need a useable back seat, go with the 996. If you buy the M3, chances are that you'll regret your decision within a few weeks.

This won't make things any easier...but I went through the same decision a year ago...I bought the M3. I just now bought the 996 Aero..I'm not getting rid of the M3 no way no how. As similar as the two cars are...they are also drastically different in their own right. I love my M3 and will likely be buried with it. I'm sure the 996 will soon grow to the same level on me though...otherwise I wouldn't have purchased it. Andy

If ultimately you value peace of mind over the driving experience, then you should probably opt for the rational choice -- M3. It's by no means a second-class citizen, but it provides an altogether different experience. Someday, just maybe, you might find yourself in regret yearning for the 911, but at least you'll have the consolation there won't be any potential out-of-pocket repair expenses with the M3 from now to 2008.

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I am not sure if I agree with the comments about non-aero 911's. The non-aero cars look more classy. The MY02+ body styling without aero or even side skirts has really grown on me, especially when lowered. They are instantly recognizeable on the road. I would feel a little less of the older cars (99-01) because they had the front end from the Boxster and hence blend in like a Boxster only when you see the front end. I could see a point in wanting an aero car to differetiate it. But if looks are what you are after, why get an M3? I don't see that many 996's on the road and I easily spot them. M3's look like other 3 series, which are everywhere. You have to see the side vents or the 4 exhaust tips to tell it is an M3. There are a lot of 3-series cars out there, so I don't notice them. Are you more concerned about what you are looking at when you open your garage door or what other people see when you are driving? For me I care most about the look and feel in the driver's seat.

M3's hood, quarter panels, tires and rear are also different, much more agressive stance.

What you post is true, but I believe the point is that everyone immediately recognizes a 911, whereas lots of people will cofuse an M3 with a 3 series.

Is the hood, quarter panels or tires different? Never noticed, but I'll take your word for it. Personally, I don't belive the 1/4 panels are different since it is built on the regular 3 series frame. Since 18"s were a standalone option on the regular 3 series as well as included in the Sport Option with the lowered stance, they aren't a dead givaway. The Sport Option cars even got the M3's front bumper and side skirts. Of course there is that little "M" logo on the trunk, but I am sure you could just buy one of those too. There are a couple of options that could make the Bimmer stand out: a vintage M1 or a Z8. On the other hand, I just took a look at the current resale on these cars. Thank God, I didn't buy one last year. I would have lost $5K on a used one in less than 6 months. Resale is already dropping hard. 01'-02' are going for under $30K, 03's for under $35K. Given this, I don't think I would pay over $40K for an 04'. But with their falling resale, they are becoming a good bang for the buck. The question is, how close are they to hitting rock bottom? I suspect they will drop they are still going to drop a lot with the next M3 coming out soon, but they are a good alternative to someone contemplating with trying to afford a 996.

Howabout both? M3 and 996?

01'-02' are going for under $30K, 03's for under $35K. Given this, I don't think I would pay over $40K for an 04'. But with their falling resale, they are becoming a good bang for the buck. The question is, how close are they to hitting rock bottom? I suspect they will drop they are still going to drop a lot with the next M3 coming out soon, but they are a good alternative to someone contemplating with trying to afford a 996. I wonder if the decline is because of the new M3 or rapidly increasing gas prices. If you can afford to pay $60K+ for a car, the price of gas probably isn't a concern, but how about the guy who has to stretch his budget to afford a $40K car. I averaged around 18 MPG in my '02 M3, so there wasn't a lot of time between fillups. Also, who's to say that the price of gas won't continue to climb to $4 or $5 a gallon or higher. If Iran or Venezuela cuts its production, who knows how high the price will climb. So in this kind of environment, it's not surprising that the market for isn't strong for used poor mileage cars.

Yes, front panels are flarred wider than the other 3 series, it allows room forwider front tires, 235 or245 front (I think) 265 rear, 18" standard, 19" optional for the m3 only. Even with these differences, I agree, they still do look like the normal 3 series in passing. There also seems to be a lot more M3s on the road compared to 996s (or any other 911). 996 stick out in a crowd , I think, more than an M3. If passengers (kids) weren't a consideration, I would opt for the 996. The most attractive thing going for the M3 is the SMG on the track. It's a little jerky on the street. Performance is very close, driver would probalby make the difference

I would bet hard money is isn't the price of gas. Just look at the recent increases in resale on older 911's, especially 964's. I have a colleage that is looking for an older 911 (a 3.0L S/C or a 3.2L Carrera). He is starting to get sticker shock at looking at ones with less than 100K miles. 930's are pushing back in the $40's. Even low mileage S/C's are now up the $20's. These cars defintely aren't fuel misers. Although 04' 996's have finally started moving down, the rest of the 996's haven't budged. Some of the older Ferraris, including 308 QV's, have come up too. Plus have you seen what a gas guzzling vintage big block hemi is going for? An original hemi Cuda recently went for over $400K at the Barrett Jackson auction. FYI, Iran isn't as much of a source as you think. Most of our oil comes from Iraq. In fact, we consume 80% of their distribution annually. Wonder why Bush was in such a hurry to get in there...

The top suppliers to the 'mericans: - Canada (alberta tar sands anyone?) - Mexico - Venezuela

Just a guess on my part. The big differance between the older Porsches and other vintage cars and late model M3s is that the M3 will be used by most as their daily commuter whereas the older Porsches will typically be used as pleasure cars driven primarily on weekends.