£80,000 BMW M4 Comp vs my poor little 997.1

b9boy · 21 Apr 2018

Had a fantastic day today in the glorious sunshine.

I write some freelance copy for BMW CAR magazine and today tested an E92 M3 V8 Competition Pack car against a brand new M4 Competition Pack complete with carbon brakes and plenty of extras.

As an ex- E92 CP owner I have a soft spot for them (as Boba fett will no doubt understand) but putting my personal preference aside they are such good cars.

We got some great shots, had some laughs and some fun and I look forward to putting the words together.

Anyway after the BMW Press Car departed I jumped immediately into my 997 for a fresh comparison and OMG, it just felt amazing. Such an analogue car compared to the digital M4. Steering feel, brakes, engine, gearbox- all just so much better resolved!!

Only 325bhp versus 444 but the Porsche just makes such good use of what it has.

I covered the same roads for a direct comparison butreally the two cars are poles apart.

My Mrs met me on the drive when I returned and asked "well??".

My reply was "if the M4 is worth £80K then my 997 is worth half a million quid".

I am 100% genuinely surprised at the outcome but suppose it's just goes to show I am an analogue car kind of guy?

kozzi · 21 Apr 2018

I sold My M3 after I cleaned both it and my turbo one Sunday. It was nice on its own but when compared the Pork was just that much better really in every way, for what I used them for, anyway. My wife still likes M3's

FZP · 21 Apr 2018

Bravo,
Great summary. I've recently found a new appreciation for my 997, so to hear your thoughts, it's great to here I'm not the only one. I've had a few encounters with 500bhp cars and they don't romp away as I expected. The way that a 911 uses its tools is a thing to behold.

s2000db · 21 Apr 2018

I'm lucky, I've got both!

And as a DD the M4 is great entertainment, however the biggest difference is in the steering, the electric rack isn't a patch on hydraulic ones yet, imo....

JonnyBaddeley · 21 Apr 2018

Good to hear you weren't disappointed when jumping back in the 997. I've just bought my wife a dsg Golf edition 40 and it's very quick and accomplished but the analogue thrill is missing. I've got these to play with fortunately, both manual and I enjoy the analogue M3 just as much as the 997, it is fettled though. Can't see myself in much else tbh even though I'm sometimes tempted my a manual M2.

MisterCorn · 21 Apr 2018

If you think the 997 is good you should stay away from an early 996, you might do a little sex wee.
I love my 996.1 C2 and E46 M3 CSL for exactly those reasons. For me they are pretty much the pinnacle. We will never see them again.

MC

shantybeater · 21 Apr 2018

JonnyBaddeley said:
Good to hear you weren't disappointed when jumping back in the 997. I've just bought my wife a dsg Golf edition 40 and it's very quick and accomplished but the analogue thrill is missing. I've got these to play with fortunately, both manual and I enjoy the analogue M3 just as much as the 997, it is fettled though. Can't see myself in much else tbh even though I'm sometimes tempted my a manual M2.

Lovely E36, once the 996 of the m3 world but now such a rare beauty!

b9boy · 22 Apr 2018

JonnyBaddeley said:
Good to hear you weren't disappointed when jumping back in the 997. I've just bought my wife a dsg Golf edition 40 and it's very quick and accomplished but the analogue thrill is missing. I've got these to play with fortunately, both manual and I enjoy the analogue M3 just as much as the 997, it is fettled though. Can't see myself in much else tbh even though I'm sometimes tempted my a manual M2.

It's good to see there are some BMW fans on here too

Love the red E36. Is it one of the earlier 3.0 models? I have a soft spot for those, much nicer to drive than the later Evos day to day.

Those early Motorsport wheels look superb too 8)

b9boy · 22 Apr 2018

MisterCorn said:
If you think the 997 is good you should stay away from an early 996, you might do a little sex wee.
I love my 996.1 C2 and E46 M3 CSL for exactly those reasons. For me they are pretty much the pinnacle. We will never see them again.

MC

The M3 CSL is a stunning piece of kit. Strangely I never quite gelled with the ones I drove but time changes perspective although on anything other than a track than SMG box :nooo:

It's good to see the market is giving them the recognition they deserve now although the consequence of that is that most will get squirrelled away into collections

Boba fett · 22 Apr 2018

Funny how so many Porsche owners keep an M buy its side.

I was out yesterday all round the coast in the M3 V8, roof down, it was epic, the noise is just awesome, and I got a wicked tan as well.

Its just the perfect allrounder :thumb:

mangobay · 22 Apr 2018

Really good to read this write up.
I'm a bmw fan boy too and totally agree with s2000s comment above. I have an M4 as a daily and I love it for its all round ability but it's the steering feel and in part the suspension. The 997 is a sports car and that's all it has to be and handles soooooooo much better and connects you to the car in a totally different way.

I have an E46 m3 too and that's better but still not a patch on the Porsche set up. I guess that's where a lot of the extra money in the new car price goes...

I have just put a deposit down for the new M2 Competition to replace my 4 yr old m4. That could be a lot of fun I hope.

sim996 · 22 Apr 2018

I bought the wife an M135i, i never really understood BMW's, but they are brilliant cars, they drive so well. Just need her to pass her test and get used to it and we can get an M3, if the little M-lite is anything to go buy, a full fat M must be brilliant.

JonnyBaddeley · 22 Apr 2018

b9boy said:
JonnyBaddeley said:

Good to hear you weren't disappointed when jumping back in the 997. I've just bought my wife a dsg Golf edition 40 and it's very quick and accomplished but the analogue thrill is missing. I've got these to play with fortunately, both manual and I enjoy the analogue M3 just as much as the 997, it is fettled though. Can't see myself in much else tbh even though I'm sometimes tempted my a manual M2.

Click to expand...

It's good to see there are some BMW fans on here too

Love the red E36. Is it one of the earlier 3.0 models? I have a soft spot for those, much nicer to drive than the later Evos day to day.

Those early Motorsport wheels look superb too 8)

Yes an early 3.0. Vastly underrated cars these. aP brakes, motorsport diff, coilovers and polybushed. Purple tag steering rack. Awesome handling. Keeping it red is the challenge! Ha ha.

Boba fett · 22 Apr 2018

Think the M3 V8 was the swan song..The vert was the perfect allround car!!

FZP · 22 Apr 2018

This car still remains the best test drive I've ever been on. No dealer in the car, just 2 mates and myself. Fast and the Furious would have been proud.
I keep suggesting to the Dragon that it would be a suitable next car.... :grin:

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