Who have an M5 and a Porsche? And what can BMW learn from Porsche?

[Gustav]

SCH, greg and Dante have it: 996 Turbo and an M5. Who else got a Porsche and an M5? Would be interestingto hear something from the "Porsche camp" also.

SCH:


Greg:


And maybe some more pics?

[Marcelo]

I don't owna Porsche, never did, never drove one

However, we just sold our Audi TT (trade in for the M5) and I can only assure on thing: The brakes are AMAZING! this is my 0.02 about how BMW could improve their cars. I've owned many BMW's and NOONE ever satisfied me fully on its brake system/efficiency. Since everybody talks about upgrading brakes, using Porsche's brakes or similar, and being the Audi a Porsche partner, I can only imagine how much better the brakes on a Porsche are...yumi yumi yumi!

Marcelo

[speedycrw2]

I have a 2000 M5 and a 1995 C2 Track Car. As such they are very difficult to compare and contrast. However, prior to the 993 I had a '97 M3 that I used primarily as a track vehicle, although it was not nearly as modified as the 993.

I really enjoyed the M3 it was a blast to drive and rarely would let the driver get into any real trouble, if you start a relatively stock M3 doing anything but understeering you are in for a really big motor vehicle experience!

I love the 993 on the track much more "driver involvement" to run a the limit. This is especially true for my vehicle given the suspension has been tuned to dial out understeer.

I must say that the M3 was quite a bit more reliable than the 993 never breaking a single part in over 8000 track miles. The 993 has broken several suspension pieces one during the middle of a contested corner in a PCA practice session ( ). While it is unfair to judge the 993 because of the extensive modification, I have been disappointed with its reliablity factor in comparison to the more lightly modified M3.

The M3 ate through brakes at a frightenly quick pace on the track despite euro rotors and some massive air ducting. The Porsche (big reds) does not have quite the appetite for brakes even though the braking temperatures reach some amazing points (both cars ran Pagid Orange).

All in all, I'd say that Porshce might be able to learn a little bit about reliability from BMW and BMW might be able to learn a little bit driver involvement and brakes from Porsche. (note this seems to been recently reversed with the intro of the somewhat bland driving 996 and the rather exciting e46).

[Angel]

I'm working on my 996TT. Should have it by May unless I decide to hold off on a 2003 version. I found a couple of nice deals on an '01 but I have heard that the '03 will have some changes and more options available.

Options like the PCCB brakes found on the GT2 and a lower price tag on the X50 power kit. I also heard a rumor that the X50 package may become standard! $17,500 is too much for only 40 more horses (IMHO).

I will know more about what direction I am going once I find out some more info on the '03 model.

[Dux]

I've had them both...but you really can't compare the two.
One is a sports car, the other is a luxury sports car.
The Porsche was a C4, so the road grip was obviously different.
The Porsche was really noisy being air cooled, and the engine is literally strapped to your back. (Very little sound proofing)
The Porsche is so much smaller, which makes it feel really nimble.
The Porsche had NO creature comforts. Zippo. Nada.
Long trips are hard on your back and lower spine in a Porsche.
The torque in the M5 "feels" very different because of the sheer weight of the car.

But there is nothing like going around a corner in 2nd, in a C4. It really feels like you're on rails!!!
Some days I really miss the raw growl of that engine.
If there's one thing I would bring to the M5, is the Porsche transmission. - The M5's is way too notchy for what it is.
I also think the 911 wins hands down on depreciation as well.

Just my $0.02

[para22]

Originally posted by Gustav
SCH, greg and Dante have it: 996 Turbo and an M5. Who else got a Porsche and an M5? Would be interestingto hear something from the "Porsche camp" also.

And maybe some more pics?

I think that Oak also has both... if his name is Dante than i'm sorry to say that again , but i don't know who Dante is... anyway i didn't see oak's M5+996TT on one pic so i won't post it here...

[KirklandM5]

i have a boxster s and a beast....bmw needs to use fixed caliper brakes from AP or Brembo.

[M5Laser]

Angel,

You're getting a 996tt too?! Thats great! What a team!

[Aussie2U]

I had what most would believe the closest equivalent of the M5 bought from Porsche - the 928S4. Luxury, stealth, a little overweight, but a great V8 engine. Even in 1991, top speed was 172mph.

The 928 technology was always way ahead of it's time and the best example I know is the beautiful '95 GTS model. I'm sure 911 folks think of it as the "pig" Porsche, but it really was the best Autobahn cruiser around.

[Steve Beswick]

I don't have a Porsche now, as the M5 is my only car, but I had 13 in a row before getting divorced and having to ferry my young daughter around. in something larger.
My Porsches were everything from a 914-4, 914-6, '69 T, '69 S, '71E, '73 Carerra RS, '77 S, '79 Turbo, '79 SC, '84 Turbo, and my last, a heavily modified '89 Turbo.

As everyone else says, they are simply different beasts.

My feelings are that Porsche continues to update their cars throughout a model year, (making it sometimes difficult to find the correct part), but at least when they come up with something better, it's on the car immediately.
Seems BMW waits until owners scream for a change before they do anything. Like the brakes. Why I had to put Brembos on an $80K car to eliminate fade and haul the sucker down from speed is beyond me. Makes me wonder sometimes how serious BMW is about true performance or just the appearance of performance.

[A_Train]

After convincing myself in the past that BMW can offer 60% of Porsche’s sportiness plus a lot more practicality and that such a compromise will make me happy as a daily driver, I’ll leave the Porsche camp for BMW. But within a few days (hours, really) of being behind the wheel of the BMW, I realize how much I prefer the 100% sportiness of the Porsche and I don’t really care about nor need as much traditional practicality (when married with kids, things might change a bit). One would think I’d have learned my lesson after the first time...

It’s tough to compare the M5 and 996TT because there are many more differences than similarities, but the contrast is easy to pick up on with just a brief test ride of each. The best way to sum up the cars is that if deciding between the two and everything else being equal (a big assumption), and you think the Porsche is perhaps a bit too sporty, go BMW, and if you think the BMW is perhaps a bit too soft, go Porsche.

BMW makes some wonderful cars -- the Z8 and M5 stand out as accomplishing their respective missions and, taking those missions into account, were delights. The only currently produced BMW I’d label a true sports car is the M Coupe (not the M3), which I haven’t owned but really enjoyed driving it the few times I was behind its wheel. As a daily driver, nothing for me beats the 996TT (granted, with some minor mods to make it even sportier), though I understand why so many folks are in love with their M5's.

- A-Train

[BimmerBoyM5]

You mean what can Porsche learn from BMW????

IMHO, the interior sucks in a Porsche... Very Plastic and cheap feel. The BMW is the ULTIMATE Driving machine. I know it's meant to be driven, but if they are going to put the controls and creature comforts in the car - at least make an effort to make them nice.

They used to be!