[pnoble]

Today I dropped off my M5 and picked up my new 997S. Arctic silver, full black leather, active sports seats, sports chrono, Bose, etc.

After three years of perfect bliss I felt more than a little sad as I cleaned out and abandoned my M5, but I have to say that my first 20 minutes in the 997S quickly erased my pain!

For anyone:

* Not able or willing to wait
* Not sold on SMG
* Not sold on the design genius of Bangle
* Not sold on iDrive
* Able to live with two less seats..................

Head over to your friendly Porsche dealer!

* Beautiful build quality
* Intoxicating good looks
* Terrific performance
* Lots of buttons and/but a surprisingly intuitive interface
* A real cockpit feel

I instantly felt the same passion I felt when I picked up my M5 three years ago, and then some.

See you, guys. This message board is still the best. None can compare! It has been a great three years.

TTFN,

Paul






*

 

[Mike0804]

You're not getting off that easy, bud. Let's see some pics of that new beauty.

 

[simmikie]

Today I dropped off my M5 and picked up my new 997S. Arctic silver, full black leather, active sports seats, sports chrono, Bose, etc.

After three years of perfect bliss I felt more than a little sad as I cleaned out and abandoned my M5, but I have to say that my first 20 minutes in the 997S quickly erased my pain!

For anyone:

* Not able or willing to wait
* Not sold on SMG
* Not sold on the design genius of Bangle
* Not sold on iDrive
* Able to live with two less seats..................

Head over to your friendly Porsche dealer!

* Beautiful build quality
* Intoxicating good looks
* Terrific performance
* Lots of buttons and/but a surprisingly intuitive interface
* A real cockpit feel

I instantly felt the same passion I felt when I picked up my M5 three years ago, and then some.

See you, guys. This message board is still the best. None can compare! It has been a great three years.

TTFN,

Paul






*

Great choice and enjoy!!! Some pics will definetly be in order!

:M5thumbs: simmikie

 

[M!]

good stuff! i think u summarized very logically why go for the 997S. nice. enjoy.!

 

[Stem]

Two years ago I had ordered a second M5 to go with the first. (yes..two in one household) BMWNA wouldn't let me get get the rear sunshade that you can order anywhere else in the world. I drove my M5 1/2 mile to the P-car dealership. They will let you order anything you are ready to pay for!

What a remarkable marketing concept!

I canceled the second M5 and now have a 996 also. It is a great situation. The BMW is a street car you can take to the track and be resopectable at DEs. The Porsche is track car you can drive on the street.

I've got 87,000 miles on my M5 and dont' think the iDrive and Bangle-butt are enough to make me rethink the e39 yet. It is a classic!

The 997 will probably arrive before I get rid of the e39!

 

[SC'dKellenersM5]

Paul,

I too would choose the new 997 if i were to get rid of the m5...*if i was going to buy in the same price range* as it keeps the driving experience purer than alot of the newer vehicles comming out.

I took a ride in my local dealers S and i loved it, i would love to trade in my leased m3 for it but im already paying that so no more money spent for me

Best of luck..enjoy...and where are the pictures?

 

[pnoble]

Here is a photo (or maybe not, since I'm not sure I downloaded it right), but anyhow the advertising photos look better, and the car itself looks even better in real life, in my view.

It is voluptous, sensual, sexy.......everything BMWs used to be before the Bangle era.

Interestingly Autoweek reviewed the new MB CSL with gushing prose about its looks. Frankly, I don't think it looks great in photos, but in real life...wow! (I saw it at the Geneva Auto Show last year).

After three years the 7 series is beginning to grow on me, unit I see it's butt! Maybe I'll fall for the E60 in three years too, but it will be three years too late for BMW. (From the start there are some angles that flatter the car - from the back it looks interesting to my eye, though vaguely Japanese, but from the side, comical - especially the back that looks about to slide off.)

Great automotive design generates an immediate, total visceral response. The new Aston Martins, many of the Ferraris, Porsches, etc. Not intellectual and not bits of it. The whole enchilada! Same with women!

I think Bangle and his crew have damaged BMW more than BMW cares to admit. If they keep brining out new models they can hide erosion of sales per model, but surely their costs are rising as they have to tool up for more and more models. (E60 sales were down in its first year of production, double digit, over the last year of E39 production when I last looked.)

Oh, well. Not my problem.

 

[canysmc]

Great replacement vehicle. But keeping the Beast and getting the 997S would have been ideal. Pictures and opinions will be anticipated.


PS: Now that my deposit is in for the E60 M5, all I need is to be able to put a deposit on the 997tt. :1:

 

[pnoble]

Great replacement vehicle. But keeping the Beast and getting the 997S would have been ideal. Pictures and opinions will be anticipated.


PS: Now that my deposit is in for the E60 M5, all I need is to be able to put a deposit on the 997tt. :1:

Couldn't agree more. Unfortunately I only have one garage space for myself! An E60 M5 and a 997TT would be a great combo. I'm envious at the thought!!

 

[bayerischemotor]

Congrats!

The new Prosche 911 is just beautiful. And the sports-chrono is a must! :thumbsup:

And I hear you! What's up with this Bangle guy? -Why can't BMW management just kick him out. The new M5 is nice, but I think the E39 M5 is so much nicer. And the new 5-series and Z4 has lost their "cockpit feel". I had a Z4 for 3moths before I bought my current M5, and I was utterly disapointed. Maybe it's extremely ergonomic, but beautiful?

The new M5's interior :crying:

 

[bayerischemotor]

The seven series is OK, I like it, but the new 5'er resembles a japanese Toyota from behind... It looks like the old Avensis model.

Is there a "Bangle hate club"??? :M5thumbs:

 

[Carrera2RS]

Nice trade buddy !

 

[pnoble]

The seven series is OK, I like it, but the new 5'er resembles a japanese Toyota from behind... It looks like the old Avensis model.

Is there a "Bangle hate club"??? :M5thumbs:

A Bangle hate club?

There is an international Hate Bangle Federation, with offices in fifteen countries, I think!

The worldwide BMW enthusiast community has been up in arms over the man for the past three years since the introduction of the new 7 series.

 

[CEC]

Nice choice Paul. If the wife would let me get a 2-seater the 997S would be my first pick.

How is the ride over our not-so-perfect roads in these parts? Do you use it as your daily driver?

 

[dmz]

I have nothing against Porsche. They make excellent cars. The only bad thing about Porsche is that you HAVE to pay for every option. When they say Base model they really mean base. by the time you get a loaded car you are looking at $20k over the base price. And with the 996 you'll get non of those money back when you sell the car. I hope the resale value for the 997 is much better. :crying:

Two years ago I had ordered a second M5 to go with the first. (yes..two in one household) BMWNA wouldn't let me get get the rear sunshade that you can order anywhere else in the world. I drove my M5 1/2 mile to the P-car dealership. They will let you order anything you are ready to pay for!

What a remarkable marketing concept!

I canceled the second M5 and now have a 996 also. It is a great situation. The BMW is a street car you can take to the track and be resopectable at DEs. The Porsche is track car you can drive on the street.

I've got 87,000 miles on my M5 and dont' think the iDrive and Bangle-butt are enough to make me rethink the e39 yet. It is a classic!

The 997 will probably arrive before I get rid of the e39!

 

[Ashok Arora]

Congrats on the new car! Do keep visiting the board, especially the 911 owners section :byebye:

 

[MEnthusiast]

Paul,
Congrats!!! :thumbsup: Now bring forth those pictures!!!

 

[Mr Kram]

Congrats on the purchase. Too bad you couldn't keep the beast too. See you on 6speedonline!

 

[chunpng]

Paul,

Congratulations to your new car. It is definitely a more exciting car to drive, even when compared to the E39 M5. But don't you just miss the HUGE torque down low in the M5 though? How does it feel like to punch the Carrera S in 6th at about 2k RPM?

I love my combo. (E39 M5 and 993 RUF BTR), no lust for any other car right now. May be forever.

CP

 

[pnoble]

I have nothing against Porsche. They make excellent cars. The only bad thing about Porsche is that you HAVE to pay for every option. When they say Base model they really mean base. by the time you get a loaded car you are looking at $20k over the base price. And with the 996 you'll get non of those money back when you sell the car. I hope the resale value for the 997 is much better. :crying:

And how!

Base on an S is $79K, . Mine cost $93K. It takes some getting used to after BMW where there were only a handful of relatively inexpensive options on the M5 and just about everything included in the base price, including three years of service.

The 997 is expected to hold its value very well, from what I have read, and this may be partially due to it being at the front end of a 6 or 7 year model life.

PS: Here is my sticker info!

Base $79,100.
Metalic Paint $825
Full Leather $3,315
Mats $115
Adaptive Sports Seats $2,695
Self Dimming Mirrors $385
Heated Seats $480
Crested Wheel Caps (!) $185
Sports Chrono $920
Sat Nav $2,070
Bose Sound $1,390
CD Changer $650

Destination Charge $795
Total Price $92,925

Talk about nickel and diming you to death! It was pre-ordered by the dealer. I believe you can ride the price up into the $110-120,000 range if you ad a little carbon fiber here, wood there, plus color-coordinated seat belts and other automotive madness.

But as you say, its your choice and the quality is exceptional as has been the service at the Porsche dealership so far frankly.