[cptobvious]

Gentlemen (and I use the term loosely),

Would love your thoughts and opinions and rants with regard to what vehicle I should purchase next.

Some context: I owned a HS DCT M2C for 2 years, but had to sell it back in September of last year. Absolutely loved it, and it broke my heart to part with it. Since then, financial situation has gotten much better, and I recently purchased a 6MT Cayman T, and love it. However, every time I have to drive my kids anywhere, I have to take them in my wife's 1.4L 2016 Jetta, which boasts a whopping 140HP. I want to gouge my eyeballs out every time I get in that damn car. So, I realize now that for my own sanity, I may need to expand the stable.

Here are the 2 cars I've been looking at. What do you think?

1. M3 Competition - When I spec it out on the configurator, I end up ~$80k
2. Taycan RWD - When I spec it out, I end up ~$90k

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

[DanG]

I would get an X3M. Better family car.

[failuretothrive]

M3 comp and use the money you save to buy a new front end

[jdubm2c]

Originally Posted by cptobvious

Gentlemen (and I use the term loosely),

Would love your thoughts and opinions and rants with regard to what vehicle I should purchase next.

Some context: I owned a HS DCT M2C for 2 years, but had to sell it back in September of last year. Absolutely loved it, and it broke my heart to part with it. Since then, financial situation has gotten much better, and I recently purchased a 6MT Cayman T, and love it. However, every time I have to drive my kids anywhere, I have to take them in my wife's 1.4L 2016 Jetta, which boasts a whopping 140HP. I want to gouge my eyeballs out every time I get in that damn car. So, I realize now that for my own sanity, I may need to expand the stable.

Here are the 2 cars I've been looking at. What do you think?

1. M3 Competition - When I spec it out on the configurator, I end up ~$80k
2. Taycan RWD - When I spec it out, I end up ~$90k

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Welcome back, Captain!
Too bad you had to get rid of your M2C. Both of your new car options sound good, but I have not driven or done much research on either. It should be a fun decision to research. Good luck!

[bri1042]

M3 6MT. But I'm biased. Glad to hear things worked out for you.

[Davil]

Yay. You are back.

M3C. Wonderful car.

[Tag]

Ello Capt, sad to hear you got rid of the M2c, seems like a lot of members here as of late are in the same boat as you. The G80 front is hideous, I hate it with a passion. Looks are subjective, so if you don't mind a fugly front end that only a mother could love and you always approach the car from the rear when getting into it that might work out. The RWD Taycan has gotten a lot of great reviews and doesn't have a butterface, but I've never driven one so can't help you there.

That said I have no idea what you should get that's fast enough to keep you happy and also great to scare the poop out of the kids when they won't settle down. Whatever you get I hope it works out for you and that you still pop in here when you can. GL

[scoale]

Originally Posted by cptobvious

Gentlemen (and I use the term loosely),

Would love your thoughts and opinions and rants with regard to what vehicle I should purchase next.

Some context: I owned a HS DCT M2C for 2 years, but had to sell it back in September of last year. Absolutely loved it, and it broke my heart to part with it. Since then, financial situation has gotten much better, and I recently purchased a 6MT Cayman T, and love it. However, every time I have to drive my kids anywhere, I have to take them in my wife's 1.4L 2016 Jetta, which boasts a whopping 140HP. I want to gouge my eyeballs out every time I get in that damn car. So, I realize now that for my own sanity, I may need to expand the stable.

Here are the 2 cars I've been looking at. What do you think?

1. M3 Competition - When I spec it out on the configurator, I end up ~$80k
2. Taycan RWD - When I spec it out, I end up ~$90k

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Had a drive in a Taycan 4S and WoW....amazing acceleration, handling, and steering. And very good looking

[6speed_M2]

M3 comp NO QUESTION. Just avoid the bucket seats, I wasn't a big fan of them after I got some seat time.

[veenut28]

Have you driven both? I've had my eye on the Taycan since the Mission e concept - which, by the way, should have been the actual name - but I think it's hard to justify the price when it doesn't even have an EV's one advantage of mind warping acceleration.

0-60 time of 5-6s is not slow except it absolutely is in a $90k car. The new M3 is a bit of a performance bargain in comparison.

Personally I'd get the base with the manual but that's a separate discussion...

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by 6speed_M2

M3 comp NO QUESTION. Just avoid the bucket seats, I wasn't a big fan of them after I got some seat time.

And the new "standard" M seats are REALLY good. My favorite BMW seats yet.

[baege]

my 2 cents

apples to oranges
ICE vs electric

but for driver engagement and viscerality ICE all the way!

[TrentMeister]

M3 hands down

[Skulinex]

How about a CPO F80?

[cptobvious]

Originally Posted by Skulinex

How about a CPO F80?

This is going to be absolutely heretical, but I actually REALLY like the look of the new M3. Even more heretical, I like the fact that it's a "baby M5." And what's absolutely amazing to me is that EVERY professional car review I've read or watched on YouTube has confirmed the hypothesis I threw out when we first saw the buck-toothed beaver grill - new designs are polarizing, but after time, people get acclimated and tend to come around. Of the 25 videos or articles I've consumed recently, only Doug Demuro talks about how he can't stand the look. Every other reviewer says, "I really don't mind the grills. They're much smaller in person." Too funny.

But, every single review I've read or watched thus far talks about how awesome the car is to drive. I think next step is to go test drive each.

Have any of you guys test driven the Taycan? Any thoughts, positive or negative?

[21M2]

I have a lightly used Edsel with a stage 3 tune that I'll sell you! Better looking than the new M3.

[veenut28]

Originally Posted by cptobvious

This is going to be absolutely heretical, but I actually REALLY like the look of the new M3. Even more heretical, I like the fact that it's a "baby M5." And what's absolutely amazing to me is that EVERY professional car review I've read or watched on YouTube has confirmed the hypothesis I threw out when we first saw the buck-toothed beaver grill - new designs are polarizing, but after time, people get acclimated and tend to come around. Of the 25 videos or articles I've consumed recently, only Doug Demuro talks about how he can't stand the look. Every other reviewer says, "I really don't mind the grills. They're much smaller in person." Too funny.

But, every single review I've read or watched thus far talks about how awesome the car is to drive. I think next step is to go test drive each.

Have any of you guys test driven the Taycan? Any thoughts, positive or negative?

I'm going to go highbrow on this.

The M3 is like that girl who may not be a 10/10 but she's just a freak and so you'll take the hit because...damn.

The Taycan is the 10/10 that won't put out.

Dude - if you think the M3 is hot, this one's a no brainer.

[cptobvious]

Originally Posted by veenut28

I'm going to go highbrow on this.

The M3 is like that girl who may not be a 10/10 but she's just a freak and so you'll take the hit because...damn.

The Taycan is the 10/10 that won't put out.

Dude - if you think the M3 is hot, this one's a no brainer.

Genius. Absolutely genius. :

[scoale]

Originally Posted by cptobvious

This is going to be absolutely heretical, but I actually REALLY like the look of the new M3. Even more heretical, I like the fact that it's a "baby M5." And what's absolutely amazing to me is that EVERY professional car review I've read or watched on YouTube has confirmed the hypothesis I threw out when we first saw the buck-toothed beaver grill - new designs are polarizing, but after time, people get acclimated and tend to come around. Of the 25 videos or articles I've consumed recently, only Doug Demuro talks about how he can't stand the look. Every other reviewer says, "I really don't mind the grills. They're much smaller in person." Too funny.

But, every single review I've read or watched thus far talks about how awesome the car is to drive. I think next step is to go test drive each.

Have any of you guys test driven the Taycan? Any thoughts, positive or negative?

I think large majority want baby M5 in terms of size, power, interior, and lower NVH. Those that really want something smaller/edgier/more agile will opt for M2. And its not just BMW that thinks this - look at the size/weight/interiors of the G80s competition.

See my comments above regarding Taycan 4s I drove...outstanding power, handling, and steering - but $$

[Davil]

Just test drive the M3C. It's no baby M5. It's no M2 either. It is its own very special thing. Smooth ride, fast accurate steering, amazing turn in, flat handling and goes like the clappers.

Also, I love the looks.

[bri1042]

I tried to put my week-and-a-half-with-it thoughts about my M3 in the M3 forum. I babbled a bit. It is it's own thing. A mini-M5, a more comfortable M3. Words actually fail on it. And for folk who still want an E46, that's who the M2 is for. Without any doubt.

[Tag]

Originally Posted by cptobvious

This is going to be absolutely heretical, but I actually REALLY like the look of the new M3. Even more heretical, I like the fact that it's a "baby M5." And what's absolutely amazing to me is that EVERY professional car review I've read or watched on YouTube has confirmed the hypothesis I threw out when we first saw the buck-toothed beaver grill - new designs are polarizing, but after time, people get acclimated and tend to come around. Of the 25 videos or articles I've consumed recently, only Doug Demuro talks about how he can't stand the look. Every other reviewer says, "I really don't mind the grills. They're much smaller in person." Too funny.

But, every single review I've read or watched thus far talks about how awesome the car is to drive. I think next step is to go test drive each.

Have any of you guys test driven the Taycan? Any thoughts, positive or negative?

Sometimes I wonder if the reviewers that gloss over the grilles are doing so as not to strain their relationship with BMW. I have not seen the M3 in person, but did see an M4 a week ago and did a walk around. You can read my thoughts here and here. If however you like/love the car and it checks all the boxes off for you that's all that matters.