Quote:
Originally Posted by John V
I guess if I were in your shoes with an M3 in the garage I'd have a really hard time pulling the trigger on another expensive sports car. I don't really see the point. Don't they execute pretty much the same mission? Maybe that's just an indicator of how detached I've become from modern BMWs. I don't really see the point of the M3, as it exists today  |
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by FC
As for the M3, well, I have young kids with activities. Often times friends need rides to and from games.
If I am being honest, I do have some regrets for not having just bought a GTI. I had a feeling this may come up. Kids are now walking to school so the sedan is not as needed, and COVID has only made things worse. But I love having it and I love the setup with the Miata. It just looks dumb if I get the 981S.
|
It comes down to whether you need to carry more than 1 person someplace. Obviously the Boxster can't do that. In every other way, the Boxster is the more fun car to drive; I'm not even sure that the M3 is better on trips, because I find that car weirdly tiring to drive on the highway. But really, I remember driving a 986 and an E36 M3 back to back (ish) in 2001 and coming to the same conclusion. I don't think the intended mission of the M3 has changed that much, even if it's porked up a lot over the years and basically turned into an E39 M5.
I take FC's point that it feels extravagant to have both an M3 and a Boxster, and there's some merit to the idea of selling the M3, getting a 981, and replacing the M3 with a GTI (which would do better in the winter, as well). Selling the M3 would also let you avoid expensive out-of-warranty costs in a few years.
But the M3, as unfavorably as it compares to the Boxster, is still a hell of a lot more special feeling car than the Golf--even the R. The days when you *do* have to carry more than one person, you'd miss it.