View Single Post
      03-31-2013, 01:13 AM   #43
Gripster
Captain
Gripster's Avatar
United_States
145
Rep
981
Posts

Drives: E93 M3
Join Date: May 2005
Location: San Diego

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
2013 BMW M3  [0.00]
Quote:
Originally Posted by baege View Post
I also went thought the 981S vs. used 911 debate. The problem for me is that CPO 2010 and up 911's go for upwards of $80000 here in the great white north. I am contemplating a bare bones cayman S that will be less pricely than that and for that I get a brand new car with warranty for 4 years instead of CPO warranty for maybe 3 years at best. I also like the option of buying an extended warrany for the cayman at 3 years and keeping it another 3 years if I feel so inclined. I don't have that option with a CPO 911.

As for depreciation, I am not sure the cayman is going to depreciate any faster than a CPO 911. The 911's tend to lose their value significantly when they get off warranty.

Your 911 is beautiful. A 911 has always been a childhood dream of mine as well. Maybe one day.

How would compare the 911 to the 3.0SI? Driving my SI always brings a grin to my face and so I was amazed at how much better the 981 was at doing that.
I went from a 2007 3.0si to the 911 and there's a big difference between to the two. Both deliver plenty of grins, but of a different sort.

Z4

Very tosssable - I could throw it into a corner and it always made me smile because it was easy to get the rear tires loose without the sense that I was going to spin the car. Some people complain about the electric steering, but I am not one of them. It always talked to me and I always knew what the front tires were doing. The Z4 was always such a hoot to drive quickly - I never felt like my point to point progress was going to set lap records, but it was always with a huge smile.

What became less satisfying over time was that the 3.0si engine seemed to run out of breath at the top of the rev range and how tiring the car was for long journeys. My wife refused to go anywhere over an hour in it, so I never got to use it as much as I wanted.

911

It's only been a few weeks and I am still exploring the 911 but here are my impressions thus far. Firstly there's a big jump from 255hp to 345hp. The car pulls really hard no matter what gear or what speed and that's seductive. It's easy to put yourself into license losing territory in the blink of an eye. Unlike some cars (e.g. 335i) the engine does not overwhelm the chassis. The car is all about grip - massive gobs of mechanical grip. It is just so composed through the twisties and I haven't been able to exceed it's limits responsibly on public roads.

It's a much bigger car though and you can really feel the weight when you carry speed into a turn. Moreover the weight is at all the back of the car and I am less confident on turn-in - I just don't get as much info through the steering wheel into a corner unless I am under hard braking. It can even feel floaty at times. The payoff is on the corner exit where the grip is simply outstanding and I can just fire the car out of the corner like a rocket. Here the joy is in the cars unfettered composure - it's just so capable and feels like it has so much more to give.

Shifter - this is sublime. It snicks so precisely than rowing through the gears is something that I will do just for fun. If you thought that the Z4 shifter was sweet (and I did) the Porsche is on a whole new level. I know that PDK is quicker on the 0-60 stopwatch, but I will keep my 3-pedals thank you very much.
__________________
2013 M3 (E93) - ZPP/ZCW/DCT
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/image.php?u=26275&type=sigpic&dateline=1208140506
Appreciate 0