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Old 02-08-2008, 09:12 AM   #12
Hops
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: N. California
Posts: 26
I drove my best friend's E46 convertible for about three months while he was processing a divorce. About six months after that I bought a 2005 987S. He and I have since compared these two cars. Both cars have 18" wheels and the 6-speed, so this is a fairly apples-to-apples comparison.

Consensus is that the M3 wins the engine comparison and the 987S wins everything else. Keep in mind we have not once gone out and looked up the auto mag test results side by side. Real world is the only thing that matters to us, and the M3 only wins for the feeling of straight ahead pull/acceleration across the powerband.

The four areas where I felt the 987S won by the clearest margin were 1) braking feel and performance (I scared my friend's pants off with a late brake the first time he was in the 987S), 2) precision of turn-in (tighter, more controlled), 3) ride comfort (the M3 feels stiffer, like it could knock your fillings out on the worst road around here, but you do not get better handling in exchange), and 4) sound - the M3 sounds high performance to be sure, but the 987S sounds like a well-tuned orchestra of intake/engine/exhaust.

Bottom line here is that both cars are fabulous and criticizing either is just being picky. If I needed a back seat, an M3 would be a great choice. Since I don't need a back seat (I have a WRX wagon for hauling kids and stuff) and I find the Boxster S to have more than ample power for street driving, its many strengths overwhelm the M3's advantage in power. The other truly subjective factor for me is that the M3 doesn't feel all that different from other sedans I've own when cruising down a highway, while the Boxster always feels like a Boxster.

Jay
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