Upgrade thoughs - S2? BMW M3?

[Sandspider]

Hi all

Had my 944 Lux for over 3 years now, and enjoyed (almost!) every minute of it. However, the demon of upgrade potential has been whispering in my ear. I wouldn't mind a car with air con, a bit more power, and a few more mod cons perhaps. (I slightly fancy rear parking sensors, though I know that makes me a small blonde-haired girl, and that I could add them to most cars as aftermarket items) So. I was considering getting an S2 - I know a fair bit about 944s now, and it makes sense to stick to a model I'm fairly familiar with. However, in the pub the other day, a friend mentioned selling his M3. (E36, so the nice old shape). I know this chap looks after his cars, so it should be a fairly safe buy, and the price seems reasonable. However, how would it compare to an S2? (In terms of fun, living with as an everyday car, thirst, servicing costs etc I do as much as I can myself at the moment, and would plan to keep doing so).

I imagine that someone here will have driven both cars? (So far, I've driven neither, but I will!) Which did you prefer, and why?

TIA,

Giles

 

[GlennS]

See thing is... no matter how good an M3 is, and I freely admit they're very, very good, for me they are always "just a saloon" and often hard to distinguish from a 316. A 944 is a sports car and feels and looks special every time it turns a wheel. There's a good argument for having a "Q car" but to be honest, that's what my Golf is for.

 

[edh]

You sit "in" a 944, and "on" an e36 m3.... It's the difference between a sports car and a sports saloon.

Fantastic engine in m3 though, shame about the steering . It's a quick car, on a par with a lightly nodded turbo.
I've never owned an m3, but have driven a couple. You have to use the performance to make it interesting, whereas any drive in a 944 is an event.

 

[Chrishazle]

Drove an M3 Evo in 1998 - dealers demonstrator, with the steptronic box. Damned thing nearly killed me! Shortly after that I test drove a 968 tip - which I bought and kept for 12 1/2 years. Stick with Porsche, you won't regret it, go for the 3 litre variety, you do find them with A/C.

 

[surrey 944T]

A good E36 M3 is a nice car to drive but a lot of them are pretty nasty to drive, let down by the terrible gear change / heavy clutch / poor steering. I've had a couple of 3.2 evo's manual and auto and the gearbox is terrible, avoid the auto box it will blow up (it's an old Alfa design). Rust is also starting to be an issue on them now.

They do go well, nice and smooth, lots of creature comforts, well made and amazing value at the moment.

A really well looked after S2 would be a better bet than an M3, and a turbo S is a much better car than an M3.

 

[DavidL]

Giles,
You're welcome to come and try my turbo if you're in the area. Ok its a little modified but all the better for it.

 

[ukmastiff]

Ill probably get slated for this but you see an m3 deing driven and think n*b ; you see a 944 and think
Mm interesting thats the difference. Both are great cars but only one has class written all over it for me.

Regards Mas

 

[Alpine]

I don't really get the whole M3 thing. Surely they are just fast versions of an ordinary saloon. The 944 is a proper coupe, and was classed as a "supercar" in its day. Completely different sorts of cars.

 

[andy watson]

ORIGINAL: ukmastiff

Ill probably get slated for this but you see an m3 deing driven and think n*b ; you see a 944 and think
Mm interesting thats the difference. Both are great cars but only one has class written all over it for me.

Regards Mas

Hhmmmmmmmmm!

See sig below

 

[ukmastiff]

Sorry andy its just the way it is

Its the ssme for boxster drivers isnt it , we all know the boxster is actually a great little car dont we ?

 

[andy watson]

[][][]

Mine's an E46 does that let off being a n@b a little??

1 st week of ownership got to say I love it....

 

[Hairyarse]

ORIGINAL: andy watson


[][][]

Mine's an E46 does that let off being a n@b a little??

1 st week of ownership got to say I love it....

Have you put pics up yet Andy? I've missed if you have!

EDIT: ...or have they been moderated out of the forum to help you not look like a n@b? []

 

[Sandspider]

Thanks for the input, gents.

It does tend to confirm what I thought, which is that it's probably better to stick with some form of 944. I have test driven several other modern sporty cars recently, and none of them handled like the Porsche, or were anything like the same experience to drive... (Every drive in my 944 is special). I will test drive the M3, but I think an S2 is probably the way forward.

Thanks for the offer, David - I still haven't managed to come by your way, but I will! I think I'd be after an S2 rather than a turbo - my impression is that the S2 is more useable every day, and that the engine is less stressed than that of a turbo.

Maybe the only thing to do is to go multi-car!

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: Sandspider

Thanks for the input, gents.

It does tend to confirm what I thought, which is that it's probably better to stick with some form of 944. I have test driven several other modern sporty cars recently, and none of them handled like the Porsche, or were anything like the same experience to drive... (Every drive in my 944 is special). I will test drive the M3, but I think an S2 is probably the way forward.

Thanks for the offer, David - I still haven't managed to come by your way, but I will! I think I'd be after an S2 rather than a turbo - my impression is that the S2 is more useable every day, and that the engine is less stressed than that of a turbo.

Maybe the only thing to do is to go multi-car!

Hi Giles

I'll just say that I wouldn't worry about the Turbo being stressed, even highly modified examples if mapped correctly will handle what's thrown at them. Also remember that the turbo is a 2.5 with larger water ways and less internal mass to rotate. I would guess that a standard turbo and S2 have similar stress loads under normal driving conditions. I'd also say that the turbo is a great car for daily driving, I've owned mine for 14 years and used it on a daily basis as its my only car, drives like a big pussy cat off boost and like a cheetah when on....

Good luck in whichever car you choose and have fun.

Pete

 

[foosh944]

If you buy an m3 you will just be another m3 driver along with the thousands of m3 drivers you see every day make a stand and stick out from the crowd and get an S2 you know it's the right thing to do

 

[andy watson]

ORIGINAL: Hairyarse

ORIGINAL: andy watson


[][][]

Mine's an E46 does that let off being a n@b a little??

1 st week of ownership got to say I love it....

Have you put pics up yet Andy? I've missed if you have!

EDIT: ...or have they been moderated out of the forum to help you not look like a n@b? []

Hi Andy

Managed to get out and clean her this morning and take pics before the bl"#dy rain came again!! I will post some up on my original thread and get the mods to ban Mas from posting.....[][][]

 

[Hairyarse]

Look forward to seeing - I bet it sounds good too?

 

[nick9one1]

I've always fancied a TVR, and you can pick Chimeras up pretty cheap now.

How well they handle has always been in question, but based on looks and the noise of the V8 they're pretty attractive option.
Full fiberglass body too, so very light and the only rust you need to worry about is on the chassis.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201212459120710/sort/default/usedcars/model/chimaera/make/tvr/radius/1500/page/1/postcode/dn365hq?logcode=p

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: nick9one1

I've always fancied a TVR, and you can pick Chimeras up pretty cheap now.

How well they handle has always been in question, but based on looks and the noise of the V8 they're pretty attractive option.
Full fiberglass body too, so very light and the only rust you need to worry about is on the chassis.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201212459120710/sort/default/usedcars/model/chimaera/make/tvr/radius/1500/page/1/postcode/dn365hq?logcode=p

TVR???????, your kidding right?? trust me when I say they are some of the worst cars built. Granted they sound nice when they run but there lies the problem, they don't run, well not often. My friend had a Chimera, I actually took him to the dealer in Henley to look at it, despite my warnings he bought the damn thing and regretted it soon after, needless to say he no longer owns that car. An example of the bad standard of workmanship was a brand new Tuscan R sitting in the showroom waiting for its unsuspecting first buyer, the bodywork was awful, in particular the A pillar which had ugly lumps of fibreglass just sitting there sticking out like a sore thumb. Mechanically they are even worse, another example, few years back at Santapod drag strip for a RWYB day, two cerbera's attended soundly lovely as they got ready on the line. Trouble is neither of them completed a run, both ending up leaving the strip on a flatbed one of which with a destroyed engine.

Be advised stay well away especially if your used to Porsche's, I'm not sayings that our cars don't have there own problems but that's due to their age, TVR's were bad before evening leaving the workshop....lol


Pete

 

[Catamax944]

I've driven a friends E46 M3 a few times, it also has a few mods to it ,very quick car but i wouldn't want to have it.
Only thing i very much like about it is the engine but nothing else, it feels very very heavy,steering is terrible,brakes the same and it just lacks in character.
I would take the 944 over it without any second thoughts.Many say the M3 is a drivers car but the 944 is 10 times that.