M3 vs. 911 vs Corvette etc. - Which is most fun?

[Rmitchell248]

From my experience / opinion in all of these cars you mention.

Corvette will be the fastest and most power it handles good but the steering feel lacks response (it sucks) c5 zo6 was much better.

Porsche will have the beat steering feel Yet be the slower of the 3

BMW will have the best average of the handling/power.


For what your describing I'd go with the Porsche.

[graider]

Originally Posted by DefBringer

After driving the e92 M3 in M-mode (or whatever it's called), I felt the car definitely stiffened up and was sufficiently "fun" for me. Would I like it to be sharper and more direct? Sure.

I need a car I can daily drive and isn't *too* punishing so the Lotus cars are out. Z4 M's are a blast but I need a fixed roof.

I'm interested in these cars but open to suggestions.

'08-'09 Z06
'10 Corvette Grand Sport
'06-'07 911 Carerra S
'10+ M3
'09 GT-R
'08-'09 Cayman S

GTR or Z06.
if it is

[graider]

Originally Posted by KKM3

Yellow corvettes scream I have a small penis.

i have yellow car and mine is twice as big than you fool.

[graider]

Originally Posted by Z K

I have driven the Cayman S many times, I'd say a Mitsubishi Evo will spank the Cayman S in both straight line and cornering whether on back roads or track days. Trick triple differentials with S-AYC, pin point steering and butt hugging Recaro seats really makes the car stand out and drive like no other AWD car. Throw in 4 door passenger space and a trunk and it is pretty utilitarian too. Of course it is a rather punishing ride in every day driving.

But along the lines that the OP is looking for, I'd suggest the Cayman S too.

agree. love the evo.

[KKM3]

Originally Posted by graider

i have yellow car and mine is twice as big than you fool.

Lol. All in good fun. Honestly, I was bored and just wanted to stir the pot a bit. Don't let my dumb comment bother you.

[KKM3]

Originally Posted by Mitchell

From my experience / opinion in all of these cars you mention.

Corvette will be the fastest and most power it handles good but the steering feel lacks response (it sucks) c5 zo6 was much better.

Porsche will have the beat steering feel Yet be the slower of the 3

BMW will have the best average of the handling/power.


For what your describing I'd go with the Porsche.

If your talking acceleration, it really depends what variation of the Porsche and corvette you are comparing. I've pulled on a few corvettes and my Porsche is just a plain Jane carrera s. Steering feel def goes to the Porsche but overall I gotta say, I love my m3, it is truly a spectacular car.

[KKM3]

Originally Posted by shift@red

A Carrera S is faster than an M3 by a good amount (6mt or dual clutch), and a 997.2 carrera s will be pretty close (driver's race) with a normal c6 and with pdk the 997S is faster.

Your right, the Porsche is faster but the m3 feels faster and more power than my c2s The throttle response in the m3 is brutally fast compared to my Porsche.

[KKM3]

Originally Posted by shift@red

Sport button on in both, throttle response is close...but compare the m3 to a gt3 and it feels like you're driving a lazy auto.
I also don't think the 997 feels slower than the m3 either. The 997s ESP with pdk feels faster.

I am a big Porsche fan but I'm gonna have to disagree with u. The m3 engine is way more responsive in any mode you are in. Try stabbing the gas at 4k rpm in each car back to back and see which car snaps ur neck more. Every passenger I drive in both cars come away saying that the Porsche is fast, but when in my m3 they hold on for dear life because of how explosive the power delivery is. The Porsche is more subtle in it's power delivery. The engine is the m3 is far more advanced and light years ahead of the Porsche when it comes to response. 8 individual throttle butterflies which makes the m3 feel explosive when you punch the throttle is a feeling that u feel in only a few cars in the world. Too bad they made the m3 so big and heavy. It could have been epic if they cut the fat and kept closer to e46 dimensions. The 2011 gt3 I drove was amazing but again throttle response is better in the m3.

[devo]

Originally Posted by KKM3

I am a big Porsche fan but I'm gonna have to disagree with u. The m3 engine is way more responsive in any mode you are in. Try stabbing the gas at 4k rpm in each car back to back and see which car snaps ur neck more. Every passenger I drive in both cars come away saying that the Porsche is fast, but when in my m3 they hold on for dear life because of how explosive the power delivery is. The Porsche is more subtle in it's power delivery. The engine is the m3 is far more advanced and light years ahead of the Porsche when it comes to response. 8 individual throttle butterflies which makes the m3 feel explosive when you punch the throttle is a feeling that u feel in only a few cars in the world. Too bad they made the m3 so big and heavy. It could have been epic if they cut the fat and kept closer to e46 dimensions. The 2011 gt3 I drove was amazing but again throttle response is better in the m3.

Can't really say that explosive power when it comes to throttle response is good nor desirable. Can't agree with the GT3 comparison either.

[KKM3]

Originally Posted by shift@red

Gt3 is probably the single car with the best throttle response I've ever driven. No m car, Ferrari or anything has been nearly as good. The m3 epically pails in comparison.
I believe even Chris Harris said the m3gts couldn't even match a reg gt3 for engine/throttle response. So the best m3 they could make couldn't...not a chance a reg m3 will come close at all.

Nope

[graider]

Originally Posted by KKM3

Lol. All in good fun. Honestly, I was bored and just wanted to stir the pot a bit. Don't let my dumb comment bother you.

hehe, i was just joking as well bro.

[Darth One]

i have a GT3 and an M3. i'm no race driver or anything but i would give a slight edge in throttle response to the GT3 (although the M3 power button closes the gap some), but a huge advantage in 'fun' factor to the GT3. to me, a fun car that has great throttle/steering response, is wonderfully communicative, and just works seamlessly with its driver. the kind of car that makes you feel like a much better driver than you are. oh, and it has to be as fast as fuck around a track too

the GT3 is better than the M3 for me at all of the above (although i've not personally taken either to the track yet). but the comparison really isn't fair because Porsche set off to build a track car with minimal compromises for the street, while the M3 was designed to do all things well. oh, and the base price of the GT3 is literally double that of the M.

i will always grab the keys to the GT3 if i'm in the mood for a fun drive, but there are definitely times when i feel more like driving the M3. i do feel the M3 offers a ton more comfort and convenience (with DCT) while only sacrificing a little of the fun factor. bang for the buck, M3 wins by a mile.

as far as Corvettes, i've never owned one so will withhold comments. i drove a Z06 and it was definitely fast and 'raw', but not my cup of tea.

[devo]

Originally Posted by KKM3

Nope

Ha! Funny. Not true, but funny.

[KKM3]

Originally Posted by shift@red

Yes.

Funny how the guy above who owns both doesn't even agree with you. Youre wrong whether you admit it or not. I guarantee I have more seat time in gt3s than you and the gt3 is better. The gt3 rs even more so.

Ok, I've only driven a couple gt3's. One was a 2011 and another an 07. My impressions of both cars were very positive, especially the 2011. I liked almost everything about those cars, the steering was the best I've experienced in any car, the sound was intoxicating and you can go through a turn at much higher speeds without breaking a sweat, however i feel that my m3 is a touch more responsive to throttle inputs when in "sport plus" mode and light years ahead of my 997.2 c2s. I say this not to start a never ending argument, I'm just posting my observations given the fact I own both cars and drive them back to back all the time.

[alms211]

I've never driven a GT3.1 or .2 but owned a 997.1S and have driven a 997.2S and the throttle response in my M3 is better (with M power button engaged).

I have to believe that any versioned 997 GT3 would be at least marginally better than the M in the throttle response dept. No? The car is purpose built for the track.

A bit OT ---- Went on a run today with plenty of powerful cars (Gallardo, 997 Turbos, a ton of 996 TT's, an E46 M3, a 993, Z06, four Lotus's, a PanameraS) and I was simply amazed how well my DCT M3 fared. It always seemed to be in the right power band coming out of turns, etc. The sound was simply awesome. In the short period of time (30 days) that I've owned this car, I have determined that I may hold onto this one for a while.

[KKM3]

To above post... Yes you would assume that the gt3 a 150k track built car would have a more responsive engine than a car that costs half the price but I doesn't. The most advanced part in the m3 in the engine. Bmw, atleast up until now, has been known for investing a lot of resources and money into developing some of the most advanced engines in the world and not just for M cars. This is why bmw engines have won do many awards year after year. More than any other car maker. That is what bmw stands for Bavarian MOTOR Works.

On a side note, I recently drove a 2011 cayman s and I was SERIOUSLY impressed not just with the handling but the engine too. The engine was more responsive than my c2s and sounded beautiful.

[KKM3]

Originally Posted by shift@red

I guess we can just agree to disagree since the gt3/rs has the best throttle response and engine responsiveness out there.
That engine is better hands down a far better engine in every aspect than any m engine. Even the m3 gts even though it was new, couldn't even compete with a 5yr old gt3 on any level. BMW just isn't as good when it comes to engines/handling...and the gts was more expensive to boot.
I actually thought the responsiveness of my z4m coupe was slightly better than the e92 m3.

If you really want to know who makes the best...look at racing wins, and again it's overwhelmingly Porsche. BMW would need 50 years to catch them...assuming Porsche stopped racing altogether.

Porsche builds dedicated sports cars. Bmw does not. The gt3 can not really be compared to the m3 gts because the platforms are very different. The m3 is based off a luxury coupe/sedan where the Porsche was a purpose built sports car from the beginning. Even so the gts is Not
Far off the performance figures of the gt3. Your talking race wins and I'm talking engines. The fact of the matter is, when it comes to engines and not race wins, no car maker has one as many awards for engine of year, and praise for building the most advanced engines in cars as bmw has.

[Doc V.]

Originally Posted by DefBringer

For those of you lucky enough to have owned/driven any of the cars that people typically cross-shop M3's with, which of those cars have been the most fun to drive?

I don't mean "best lap times" or "best in a quarter mile", I simply mean which car, driven on public roads at legal speeds, offers the best driving experience?

For me, the best driving experience comes from lots of steering feel, lazer-like reflexes, and toss-ability. If this is my goal, what cars should I be looking at?

A driver's skill level with a car's controls plays a significant role in determining how the car responds to--how the car handles--the driver's inputs. Discussions of cars' throttle, steering, and braking characteristics become academic after the driver is removed from the evaluation of those cars' responses.

Drive the 911, the M3, and the Z06 and decide which of the three best fits your driving style. That car will satisfy your personal assessment of steering feel, "lazer-like reflexes" (I'm intrigued by the connotations of your simile, incidentally), and "toss-ability."

[B__M__W__RULES]

Wow..

[dasvolk]

Installing a better suspension setup with more camber really sharpened the M3 up for me. It eliminated the complaints I had about the car without making it uncomfortable to drive on a daily basis. That said I agree with people who say it's too soft stock and I fear that's the direction they're going with the next generation as well. I'm probably going to upgrade to a 998 in 2-3 years.

[TTony]

Originally Posted by saeyedoc

Sounds like you need to try a Cayman S or R. Mid-engine handling and feel can't be beat.

I agree. Try the Porsche NSX... I mean Cayman S. It's amazing how responsive the steering becomes when there's not an engine sitting over the front axle.