Theoretical new car for me

I am starting to get that new car bug again. I have had my M3 for about four years now, and as much as I love it, it will sooner or later be time for me to move on. I've promised myself not to buy a new car until the E90 M3 comes out. With the praise that the E60 M5 has recieved, I fully expect the E90 M3 to be nothing less then spactacular. That idea of a high revving 400hp BMW V8 is incredibly appealing to me, so I will hold out on purchasing anything until it comes out and I have test driven one. However, being the flexible guy that I am, I'm planning on checking out a few other cars for possible purchase. You guys have read me rant on and on about BMWs and the style of car that I like. I would like to hear your opinions on what I should look at in the next year or two.

So far my ideas are...

1) Porsche 996 Carrera S- Its an amazing car. I like the styling, I like the handling, I like the engine.

2) Porsche 997 Carrera S- Everything that the 996 is, just a little better. The interior is much better then the 996. I am hoping I could find one under $60-65,000 within two years, but I am afraid that might be asking for too much.

3) Porsche Cayman S- Possibly a better car then the 911? Mid-engined, RWD and lighter then the 911. Plus I could buy a new one rather then a used 911. Only problem is that it might have the same, "I wanted a 911 but could only afford this" connotation that the Boxster gets.

4) Lotus Elise- This might be one of the last times in my life I would be willing to bend more towards performance then comfort, so I might want to go all out and get this little monster.

5) Benz SLK350- I kinda like the hardtop convertable. Normally I am opposed to convertables seeing that I live in one of the rainiest cities in the US, then travel to Seattle all the time... but the hardtop makes it a viable option.

6) Something else?

I will use this new car in much the same way that I use my M3. Primarily a daily driver that I like to track once in a while. It needs to be quick and good looking. Comfort is preferred but not my #1 concern at the moment. The new M Coupe (MZ4) with the same S54 engine that my E46 has is coming out in the next few years, so I will probably consider that too. Please do not mention the Corvette, it just isn't going to happen.

This may sound crazy, but would you consider a Noble M12 GTO 3R? You can probably get one for the same price as you're willing to spend on a Porsche 996/997.

You get the performance and handling of a Ferrari Enzo for around $58k. I think the styling on that car is beautiful. :smokin:

For more info -- http://www.1gracing.com/index.html

Sorry if this is way out of your league.

http://www.fast-autos.net/noble/m12gto3r2.jpg

I like the 997 alot :)
of course a vette is faster and cheaper...

This may sound crazy, but would you consider a Noble M12 GTO 3R? You can probably get one for the same price as you're willing to spend on a Porsche 996/997.

You get the performance and handling of a Ferrari Enzo for around $58k. I think the styling on that car is beautiful. :smokin:



That is an interesting option. I have heard that they were at least feasable for street use, but I think that it is a little too much of a track car to use as a daily driver. I also have my doubts about the reliability. Good idea though.

of course a vette is faster and cheaper...

If by cheaper you mean cheaper looking and cheaper interior... I've driven a C5 Z06, and while they are very fast cars, I just can't stand the interior, the transmission, and the fact that I would see another one every other time I drive to work. I actually come from a GM family, and hear all about the Vette' and how great it is all the time. Its just not for me.

That is an interesting option. I have heard that they were at least feasable for street use, but I think that it is a little too much of a track car to use as a daily driver. I also have my doubts about the reliability. Good idea though.



If by cheaper you mean cheaper looking and cheaper interior... I've driven a C5 Z06, and while they are very fast cars, I just can't stand the interior, the transmission, and the fact that I would see another one every other time I drive to work. I actually come from a GM family, and hear all about the Vette' and how great it is all the time. Its just not for me.
Very true.
if you want the fastest car for the money you get a vette, if you want a more lux performance car you dont get a vette.
They do mak great DD with their awesome gas mileage though
:lol:
The C6 Z06 would make a killer weekend car...
I'm partial to Porsche's though actually.
As top gear said, their engine might be in the wrong place, but it just made em work harder.
In ep this week the 997 was faster than an M6 and the new Austin martin in the wet despite the lowest hp of them.. by like 5 seconds.
They also said the same thing about the Boxster..
Richard was all "whenever I talk to boxster owners they always give me a list of reasons why they don't have a 911 and we all know its because they afford it" or something like that.
Kinda sucks when it's actually a capable car.
Guess that's what you get for picking a premium auto maker.
It's also quite funny with the Porsche club and the 914...

The benz and lotus sound nice, i'd get the lotus now.. and get another car (benz) later when you don't feel like racing or w/e you're into. Just an idea

wouldnt the lotus be no more of a daily driver than the noble, i hear their interior is a little lacking, because of trying to make it so light and you can like see a bnch of the mechanical parts in the back through the cab.

u must be rich, what do you do for a living? wish i could worry about whether my next car was gonna be a porshe or a mercedes.:)

did you say rain?
rain and elise do not mix, in more ways than one.
for me, when it comes to cars, the smaller the better and with the 911 growing every year, i find it hard to say no to the cayman in this respect. if only it didn't have those silly vertical gills and them fog lights on the front.

if it was me though,
it'd be a toss up between the elise and the cayman
and i'd also think seriously about a 993 turbo.
..but i also can't help thinking that the elise, in any car collection, would be the toy of the group....
there's no chance of you guys importing an S1 elise is there?

Porshe 911 996. It can be daily driver and it's a beast on the track. Is the Carrera S the Turbocharged one?

if it was me though,
it'd be a toss up between the elise and the cayman
and i'd also think seriously about a 993 turbo.
..but i also can't help thinking that the elise, in any car collection, would be the toy of the group....
there's no chance of you guys importing an S1 elise is there?

While I have not driven a 993 Turbo, I have driven a 996 Carrera 4S, and I didn't like the AWD as much as I liked the RWD Carrera S. I also tend to like N/A engines more then Turbo ones, even though the turbos generate more power. Call me crazy. I also like the interior of the 996 alot more then the 993.

Is the Carrera S the Turbocharged one?

Nope, the Carrera S has a stronger, higher displacement engine and a stiffer suspention then the regular Carrera. The 911s with turbos are the 911 Turbo and the 911 GT2.

i choose the 997. the 997 is super sexy and run's 12's all day long n/a. has a waay better interior, and has better manners.

however a C6 is also a very viable option. that is also very beastly. but if you could afford a 997 cerrera S you would not need to look at a C6 since they both perform almost identical. ( its just that one has waay better steering feel and looks waay better )

While I have not driven a 993 Turbo, I have driven a 996 Carrera 4S, and I didn't like the AWD as much as I liked the RWD Carrera S. I also tend to like N/A engines more then Turbo ones, even though the turbos generate more power. Call me crazy. I also like the interior of the 996 alot more then the 993.911 GT2.

well, the 993 is pretty low rent compared to the 996....
but then again, in the time that it takes for them to put together the 996, they would've only put together the dash for the 993.
make of that what you will.
(this is something that was relayed to me from a long time 911 driver and current 996 GT3 owner who doesn't like the 2WD 996s as much as his old 993)

as for handling.
the 993 is much, much livelier than the 996, even in 4WD form as it is in the 993 turbo. Much of this is down to the power/torque hike from air cooled (and sohc) to water cooled (and dohc), which resulted in ever more sophistacated traction control, which is the main thing 'killing' the effect of the 911, not to mention that the 993 has a shorter wheelbase and narrower track than the 996.
i'd recommend hunting down a 993 turbo for a drive, even if it's just to rule that one out.

biggest thing about the 993 turbo, is that i can't see prices for it changing any time soon.
if you really don't like it, you could most probably get what you paid for it a year down the line.

did you say rain?
rain and elise do not mix, in more ways than one.



Have you ever Driven an Elise in the Rain?
Because it sounds like you have no idea what your talking about.

i was talking about the roof.

i was talking about the roof.


So, like I asked, you've driven one in the rain have you?
Or for that matter tried to assemble the roof?

i was passenger in a 135 during a not too pleasant downpour on the A12 heading towards Southend about three years ago.
the roof was already in place.
ten minutes down the line, there was a drip forming.
the driver told me that getting the roof up and 100% secure is a bit hit and miss.

If it was an early S1 then some of them had trouble with the roof sealing across the front.
But it was fixed on the later cars, along with a few other changes that makes the roof much easier to fit.
That said, if your driving an Elise in the rain you will usualy be grinning to much to worry about a little water.