petersen

Guys et gals,

After owning 6 Imprezas since Oct'96, I think a change is on the cards, still have the Forester S/TB though, so not totally leaving the fold.

I am 95% certain that I am going to buy a 996 C2 or C4 and am going to test drive (order maybe) one on Saturday. I am also thinking about testing a M3 out from a due dilligeance perspective as I can not think of any others cars that I could buy, bearing in mind that I need to drive into the City (of London) daily and it's a 70 mile round trip and I do not want just 2 seats as I have the Elise already. So I need some form of 4 seat'ish practicality that I can use daily, so a TVR/Noble type is out and I would never drive a hairy-chest mobile like a Jag....

Soooo, does anyone have a view and/or any experiences as to what to go for? The C4 will cost me £65K new and a M3 is £43'ish new, so there's a big difference in price and is a C4 worth £22K over a M3, although I always said i'd never own a BMW and do not think I can unless it's that much more exceptional over the C4 or my Impreza.

I would gladly appreciate some comments and feedback.

Stuart

catalunya199

crikey got any jobs available with that sort of money

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

How about a Ferrari 360 Modena?

or a house in France with the cash left over?

Dejavue????

F

Gastro

...why not go for a C2.. that will make it a little cheaper ?

Gastro

petersen

C2 is £60K so only a saving of £5K although my pref would be a C2 but there's not many new ones knocking around before Jan next year

Squizz

Have you said this out loud to yourself in the same sentence as Porsche 911 ????

petersen

Yep, that's why I said 'ish as I wanted to have the opportunity of putting a bottle of milk on the back seat and I can not do this with the Elise!!!

Coopz

Wish i had your money!!

Mate's just got brand new m3, nice but a getting a bit common.

I no you've said you need 4 seats but i'd go for a TVR Tuscan, fecking gorgeous!

petersen

TVR's are cool, The T350C is gorgeous, but they are too unreliable to be a daily commute!!!

Does anyone have experience on a new 996, C2 or C4???

Stu

Coopz

No they are so much better than they were, my dad has just chopped in his Griffith for a new Tuscan and it's the best car out there at the mo!

Duck_Pond

M5?

I have a mate who is selling a black one. Far cooler than an M3, and IMHO much better looking. Houses 4 people in luxury, and has 4 doors, unlike the M3.

P

Stuart

Have just been through the very same thought process. Current drive is a MY2000 which has been fantastic but want a change. Short-listed a nearly-new C2 or a new M3 on the basis of needing good reliability for 15k + miles pa etc like yourself.

Drove both and now have an M3 on order for 1st Sept. Still want a 996 but couldn't find a second-hand one with the right spec so will have one of those next... Driving the M3 you will see that it's virtually as quick and although 'only a 3 series' is still a special car. It's also difficult to justify an extra 15k for the 996 although I think I could still manage that myself on the basis its a 911!! Also managed a reasonable discount on the M3 which was a surprise.

(I Also wanted to own a BMW bofore Mr Bangle makes them all look sh*te!!)

And the best part is I'm keeping the Scoob for sprints & hillclimbs so I figure I'll be a lucky man!!

Either way you'll end up with a top motor, enjoy!

Matt

Adam M

could the guy selling the M5 possibly post some details of it or email them to adam@22b.com,

also why not consider an audi RS6.

very very quick, massive practicality, good looking, cvomfy yet still supposedly a very good drivers car.

I would avoid the M3 as they are looking common and are about to be made average by the CSL which doesnt offer the creature comforts.

Saying that, I think the C2 and C4 are common too.

WRX_BLUES

The new Carrera 4S was voted 2nd in the Evo Car of the Year test after the NSX Type R.

[Edited by WRX_BLUES - 7/24/2003 3:03:35 PM]

Old_Fart

Went (still going) through the same process. 911 is where my heart lays, but I don't like it enough to get rid of the 22B for it, and it's so damn impractical (got 2 kids)... I don't want three cars.
So i've been thinking about the M3, the S4 Avant (prefer shape to saloon) and the RS6 to keep the 22 company (I have an STI8PPP and I don't really like it)..but none light my fire like the 911 ownership would so I'm kinda paralysed right now.
In your situation I'd recommend (assuming test driving both doesn't absolutely clinch it one way or another) the new 996, keep it for a year and sell it on for little loss.
The M3 is approaching the point where supply of secondhand examples will outstrip demand and residuals *will* crash (imho)
You sound like me, you've got a 911 itch and the M3 would have to be twice as good dynamically for you to choose it over the 911.
When the next 911 version comes out...and it goes back to round lights from the current fried eggs(allegedly)....I probably won't be able to resist.
Rgds
Chuck

Duck_Pond

Adam M - it's on ebay at the moment - Click here

Pete Croney

Adam

I've told him to get an M5 but he won't listen

RS6 is a good suggestion.

Old_Fart

Is this the Peterson who lives local to me Pete? Or used to at least? Howdy! In that case.
Cman

Pete Croney

Yes Chuck, that's him.

Old_Fart

Thanks Pete, a legend returns
I was hoping that by now Stuart would've realised his other ambition and be running a rallycar and a pub in the carribean.
(Stuart we swapped a few emails a couple years back..I live(d) down the road from you but we never did meet in that dodgy old local pub, or at the gym LOL)
Rgds
Chuckster - trying not to give away location clues! )

DaveBlueRA

Give me the scooby over them anyday of the week

Pete Croney

Dave, you haven't read the thread.

Chuck, he has got the rally car, but not the pub

DaveBlueRA

Well i wouldnt have them. Prefere the scoob

petersen

Chuck,

Mate, got the rally car and the trailer!!!!. That's why I moved as I could not fit all the cars on the driveway!!!

Still thinking about the Pub in the Carribean, but how am I going to live there and get my hard-on every month by driving Hafren, Sweet Lamb or Resolven??? Rallying is toooo addictive to move away and the only real rallying in the Carib is in Barbados!!

Anyway, i'd miss Pete too much!!!

Stu

Brewstaa

mmmm tough one!

What I did was lower my sights to the 330Ci which is a cracking car for any journey. With the money I saved ordered an STi8 which I collect tomorrow :-)

best of both worlds!!!

simakinen

Hello Stuart,
I think i can make comment on this subject,as i have done something similar in the last 12 months.After swapping from evo to subaru and vice versa more times than i care to remember, i thought it was time to make a clean break altogether and deceided on M3 or 996.After test driving both there was only one car in it by a long way,the Porsche.I ordered a brand new 996 C2,and waited 5 months for it.The car came and i was very pleased with it.I have a little girl who used to sit in the back, and she did struggle a bit to get in and out, and get comfy on any sort of decent journey, so the back seating is not worth much really.I then deceided to go the whole hog and bought a 996 turbo.The car was awesome, the performance was fantastic.Once i had got used to the performance of the turbo,the porsche dream started to wear a little thin, when you consider the amount of money stuck in it.This feeling gradually began to consume me to the point where i finally deceided to sell it,which i have now done.It is my opinion that you can have as much fun,if not more,in a subaru or evo which you can get hold of by the scruff of the neck and drive the pants off them.You just dont feel like doing that with a £90k car.I now have an STI 8PPP and feel relieved that i have had the porsche and come out the other end not too worse off.The experience of owning a porsche is very nice, but to really enjoy it, i feel you have to want it very badly.This is just my experience and thought i would pass comment on this subject.Regards, SIMON.

ARRON BIRD

Have owned M3.
I would go C4 or C4s and loose not a lot when selling.
M3`s bubble has burst now so be prepared to take a dive....great car tho all the same but if I had the choice and could go to circa £60K it would be C4S.

zip106

A customer of mine has got a C4S and are having lots of trouble with it. It keeps loosing power and almost cuts out as you pull away in any gear! All dealers have said is that it is something in the ECU but it is a factory problem and they can't rectify it and it has happened to a few people!As customer actually fetched the car from Germany ( through a UK dealer ) they have been told that THEY have got to take it back to get it checked out!!
And we thought Subaru dealers were bad!