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YOUR RESEARCHBest steering feel - BMW or Porsche?
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Replace entire steering rack)
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It felt marginally better after the upgrade (they replaced the entire steering rack).
Leading evidence: 'Replace entire steering rack)' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'e36' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace entire steering rack)' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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The Porsche has loads more power and grip; I use my 330i as a DD and have had it on the track multiple times.
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Suspected cause
The pinnicle of the 3 series in terms of steering feel is probably the E36 with the E30 close behind (some feel the E30 is the best of the series but that is a discussion in it of itself).
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e36
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Suspected cause
The pinnicle of the 3 series in terms of steering feel is probably the E36 with the E30 close behind (some feel the E30 is the best of the series but that is a discussion in it of itself).
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My E46 M3 is better...but still not quite like the feel you get form the 996.
Perhaps this will create a few "religious" arguments?
I own an '01 BMW 330i and an '02 base 911. Love both cars. The Porsche has loads more power and grip; I use my 330i as a DD and have had it on the track multiple times. I haven't had a chance to take the 996 to the track yet (have only owned it for 6 mos), but am really looking forward to that.
With that as background, my summaries of both cars (companies) are:
BMW has absolutely telepathic steering feel and precision. Low speed, high speed, you name it.
Porsche has a bit more vagueness at low speeds; as speed increases, the car just gets better and better
** Heresy alert ** Would I be happier with a BMW with similar performance to my 911 (i.e., Dinan 335) than my 911?
Its subjective and different in the model generations.
My Porsche has better feel after the suspension upgrade to Pss9s and GT3 sways than my BMW. Its not in the same league. 01 BMW was the only year they made the steering even lighter than before resulting in customer complaints. Have you driven a E36 M3? That was comparable to Porsche steering.
No, I haven't driven an E36 M3, although I do hear a lot of good things about them. I actually feel my 996's steering feel is lighter than my 330i's, so I wouldn't necessarily
want
to duplicate the Porsche steering, at least at low speed. I actually prefer the BMW's.
Well as an owner of both a 2001 996 and 1999 E36 M3 I can tell you that on the track the 996 is the complete package; meaning that you can throttle steer a 996 and that is something you can't do with a stock engine E36 M3. That aside the steering is slightly heavier in the E36 M3 because there is more mass over the front tires. The front of the 996 is light compared to the E36 M3 and that contributes to the lightness you feel in the 996.
For what it is worth I would take a E36 M3 to learn to drive on the track before a 996, but once you master the E36 M3 then I would take the 996. The 996 is a drivers car through and through. Just my 2 cents from experience.
i own an '01 325 as well.... and i have to agree for daily driving the bmw's steering is better than the porsche... but on the track its not even close to what the porsche gives you....
I drove a 335i and an M3... the 335i steering feel is a joke... what is BMW thinking here...
the M3 is also disappointing for a car of that caliber but lots better than the 335i...
I have owned a BMW and currently own a 996 C2, a Cayman, and a slightly modded 1984 Carrera. The BMW had great feel, but it was not in the same ballpark as the Porsches, imo. In fact, the '84 Carrera has the best steering feel of any of them, by quite a margin. That car has truly telepathic steering.
The steering on my wife's 2007 328xi is incredible - wonderful feel, and not light. The Audi is too overboosted. The Porsche steering is great, but very different feel from the BMW. The BMW and Porsche are very different cars, so comparing their steering is like apples and oranges - both excellent, but different. I've always loved the feel of BMW steering.
Stop it.... just STOP IT!!!
How the hell would you know how the steering on the Porsche feels? They are talking about about how the steering feels when the car is MOVING!
Good morning, Phil!
It's been a while since I've driven a BMW... But, in the last comparison I made, the steering in my 914 felt much better than the steering in a friends 320i.
Having driven most of the 3 series body styles that have come out in the last 10 or so years and comparing them with my 996, my subjective opinion is that the Porsche is quite a bit better. The pinnicle of the 3 series in terms of steering feel is probably the E36 with the E30 close behind (some feel the E30 is the best of the series but that is a discussion in it of itself). Subsequent generations have declined in steering feel and provide too much of a boosted feeling.
The 911, provides much of what the E36 M3 had with steering feel, with more sensitivity and feedback than the E36. The 996 is much sharper in feel and feedback. In this sense, it provides you with much more information of what the car is doing and when it will let go. The E36 can mask this a bit. Only after you modify the E36 quite a bit do you get the same sort of feedback.
You guys clearly aren't comparing the 996 to an early E36 M3. My old '95 M3 had the worst steering feel ever. Horribly vague and with a huge wheel and slow steering box. That's what I hated most about that car.
My E46 M3 is better...but still not quite like the feel you get form the 996.
I had an early '01 330CiC and actually got BMW NA to foot the bill to update the steering to the "post - '01" steering under warranty. I've owned BMW's for many years - and was very disappointed with the move from my '97 328is to the 330 - the 328 felt alive at least - the 330 felt completely dead, lifeless, numb... It felt marginally better after the upgrade (they replaced the entire steering rack). It still wasn't as raw as my 328...
The 996 steering is in a different league - comparatively:
1) The 996's ratio is much quicker compared to the 330 - feels much more sporting. The M3 is a solid improvement over the stock 3 in any incarnation (e36/e46/e90).
2) While the 996 may feel "light," you get plenty of feel transferred from the tires to the wheel communicating grip, etc. What you need when driving at speed, near limits, is a steering wheel that communicates grip, or lack of grip - and let's you know how to keep control of the car... I just love the steering on the 996 - it's light enough to keep me from feeling like I'm muscling the wheel, yet it still 'talks' to me...
3) I think Phil is right about the lack of road feel when that stupid ignition lock is engaged...
I have an '06 330I and much prefer it's feel to the 335i. The 335i felt horrible to me as it seemed hard to steer. Prefer the 330i over the Porsche as well.
Ugh....I hate my '87's steering feel.......my arm almost dies to make a turn.
I loved the way the 996's feel. Matter of fact, the slightly boosted steering was the first thing I missed moving to the '87.
I know autocrossing is out of the question in the '87, my arms could not take that......
With that said, I have driven all the E46 line-up and about 4 M's and I can say I like the 996's feel over the Bimmer.
But, I do agree, about the very slow speed quickness of the E46's, its pretty good.
Currently in the garage sorted best to worse by steering feel:
Yamaha 125 TTR pit bike
997 Cup
Cayman S (GF's)
996 cab (pss9)
84 911 euro cab (GF's)
650CI (new (to me) toy. I love this car)
Formula 330SS (steers like a boat but better than the Jag)
Chevy Silverado with Max Tow
XJ8 (GF's)
Three-point turn, hell!! Just crank the wheel hard either way (all 9 revolutions) and gun it! The car pops up on the curb, across the sidewalk, onto the lawn, back across the sidewalk, and jumps off the curb. Then I am on my way!
I learned this routine watching the Golden 80's Show on the Florida Blue Hair channel!
I just did a track day with my brother. His 01 330 coupe with the sport option and my stock 996. The 330 was really easy to drive fast and is a really good car, but better steering feel than a 996? I'm both biased and much more familar with my car, but in my opinion, at speed the Porsche is better.
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
