[Alfisti]

I've been looking for near 18 months.

[ShocknAwe]

I think trying to find a good example of your E46M3 hero would be the best option, since you already own a big F8x.

Or Porsche. Depends on how versatile you want the car to be.

Do you modify cars?

[R N M]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I think trying to find a good example of your E46M3 hero would be the best option, since you already own a big F8x.

Or Porsche. Depends on how versatile you want the car to be.

Do you modify cars?

I don’t mod except for minor cosmetic stuff and exhaust.

E46 are beautiful but I don’t have time to deal with reliability headaches and im not knowledgeable on fixing cars myself.

[R N M]

My brother has a 991.2 cab in PDK which i have driven quite a bit. While its a great car - I prefer the motor in my F80.

I do want to experience 911 T and other 911 models as they are different especially depending on options.

GT350 is probably the most reasonable option for me - just the “Mustang” stigma and below average build quality is giving me 2nd thoughts.
Otherwise it sounds amazing, V8 and has great manual trans. I really enjoyed driving it.

[heavyD^2]

GT350 is a great car but the oil consumption issue is a bit of a downer if you plan on driving the car a lot.

[jeff113]

I was in a similar situation when car shopping 18 months ago. At the time I was trying to stay under $70K. Here's my breakdown:

1) 2013 E92 M3 CP Manual
I prefer a car that was developed from the ground up as a sports car, not a 3-series chassis. Also I owned an E92 335 and thought it would be too similar.
2) 2020 Shelby GT350
An excellent choice, especially at today's prices. Owned a C6 Corvette at the time and desired a nicer interior. As some have stated, it still looks very similar to a $27K Mustang.
3) 981 Cayman GTS / GT4
Fell in love with a 987.1 Cayman that I rented. Ended up buying a 981 GTS. Would've got a GT4 if the budget allowed. If I sell the GTS, I'll probably replace it with a GT4.
4) 991.1 911S /4S / GTS
The GTS was out of my budget. The 991S would've been good, but I prefer mid-engined Porsches.
5) 1st gen Audi R8 - prefer V10 but very few out there
R8V10 was out of my budget. Considered the R8V8, but thought I would regret getting the V8 later on. The premium for a bright color is also outrageous on the R8.
6) Ferrari 360 - Always a dream car of mine when I was younger but in my price range it would be F1 trans and scared of maintenance/reliability...
The manual 360s were out of my price range. Also it's nice to have a car where you don't worry about putting on miles.
7) BMW E46 M3 - another car I always wanted when i was younger
Not a fan of the E46.
8) Lexus LC500 - used around $70k is amazing value for one of the best NA V8s
It'll be a cold day in hell before I drive an automatic Lexus.

I looked at the C7 as well, but wanted to try something new after driving a C6 for 7 years. The depreciation should be pretty slow on the manual C7s.

[New2Roundel]

Personally, if I was in the shoes of the OP, the last thing I'd want is another M3. If I had the money for something more special, that's probably where I'd go: Cayman, 911, R8, 360. I'd pick from there based on the drive, purchase price, and appetite for maintenance costs.

[dgoldenz]

Originally Posted by Josh-PA

This is my opinion of the T as well. All three of the cars you posted are PDK i/o a real manual. The base .2 is really an awesome car. With a manual transmission Sport Chrono doesn't add a lot of value (just the engine mounts). Its definitely not a must have option. If you get serious about checking out .2s I'd be happy to chat about my search. I started looking for 'the car' in November and didn't find the right one until March. I learned a lot during that time.
Also re: CPO... it's nice but adds pretty significantly to the purchase price and ties you to Porsche dealer service. Rennlist guys have gotten very good pricing on the top Fidelity warranty for much less than the CPO premium and you can use it at a dealer or an indy. Just $0.02. It also gives you shopping flexibility to not buy the car at a Porsche Dealer.

Fidelity can be great but it's also only available while in the manufacturer 4-year warranty period.

[JeffB-M3]

My buddy has a 360 and he's deduced that if he doesn't drive it the R&M costs aren't too bad. I think he's put like 3,000 miles on it in 5 years. Personally, I don't understand buying a car you don't drive. Sorry for the digression.....

I've driven an R8 V8 and it is very comfortable and livable as a daily (excluding any cargo / storage space needs) but don't know much about R&M on them.

[baege]

Gotta confess I love these what to buy posts (check my history you will see I am a repeat offender in asking for such advice myself )

OP, tell us a little more about what you value in the driving experience and you'll get better advice

how much do compact size and visibility matter to you?
are you more into the feel of power and acceleration or handling?
do you need something with low end torque?
how much does refinement and build quality matter to you?
how much does cache or status of the car matter to you?

for me it's always been about the smiles per mile in the driving experience. After my 2014 Cayman S, I've driven a bunch of cars looking to replicate the highs I had with that car when I first got it. The only car that has really blown me away and I see as a keeper (well at least until I get bored of it ) is the R8 V10 6MT. Mind blowing instant throttle response and acceleration, wicked sound, awesome transmission.

If you really can't stretch the budget to fit an r8 v10 manual, and if you're worried about repair costs, I would go for a 981 Cayman S 6MT, you don't need the GTS, a properly optioned S will offer a close enough driving experience at a much lower price.

I havent' driven a GT350, the closest I came was a bullitt, but the sheer size of that thing put me off, it also felt just a little sloppy, like the C7 I owned for all of 3 weeks. If you are used to german cars, you might tire of the "sloppy" feel that I would expect a gt350 might have in nuanced ways.

if you are sticking to 75K, I would definitely put a 2014-2016 Cayman S at the top of your list.

[R N M]

^
I’m looking for a “special” car that is raw and sporty. Also one that will hold its value. Since i will be trading in my BRZ, it would be nice to have a manual.

For this car i need to have fun and sound over speed / performance. Thats why i want NA engine that sounds great stock.

I had a great experience at Porsche dealer and test drove 991.1 GTS. I felt right at home in this thing. Looks and Sounds great - even has burbles in Sport + mode. Steering is even heavier than in my M3 and very direct. In terms of dynamics, it’s exactly what im looking for. It has GTS spec interior with alcantera and red stitching/highlights.
A few negatives - its PDK, price is well over $75k and no rear camera.

I would like to test drive 981 Cayman but not many S and GTS available. From a looks and desire stand point, i much prefer the 911 though.

[Alfisti]

Controversial opinion, the 991 GTS feels ...... soulless, like a marketing exercise, compared to it's 997 brother. No i don't know why, i honestly don't.

[Darth One]

Well if you’re looking for ‘raw’, then cross all the BMW’s off your list. M’s are for doing a lot of things well, including refined daily driving. And please dear God why is Lexus even on your list

Of the Porsches, the only one that really offers a ‘raw’ driving experience by my definition is the GT4. So I’d have crossed them off the list - EXCEPT you say that the 991 is perfect. If you love that car, then get it in manual. You don’t need the GTS trim if you want to save money. You’re not going to do any better IMO. The Caymans are more nimble and balanced, but the 911’s set the bar higher.

[Leftkeylife]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Controversial opinion, the 991 GTS feels ...... soulless, like a marketing exercise, compared to it's 997 brother. No i don't know why, i honestly don't.

I don't understand how it's a marketing exercise in the 991 but the 997 isnt. Same ethos for both. The 991 GTS especially with the NASP engine was purely sublime and magic if you ask me. The 997 was incredible and still love everything about them, but the 991 was a step or two upwards from that car.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by jstein55

Not really controversial, a lot of people prefer the 997 to the 991.

The models below I can't choose between them but the 991 GTS just looks a little too plush maybe.

[Darth One]

"Soulless" is not the word I'd use to describe the 991, but I understand what you mean by this. Definitely more refined than the 997, although i seem to be overusing that word in this thread. Also a lot less analog, but better tech

[dgoldenz]

I will again vote for 981 GTS. Meets all your requirements and is under budget. They’re the same price now as they were 2-3 years ago.

[baege]

Originally Posted by R N M

^
I’m looking for a “special” car that is raw and sporty. Also one that will hold its value. Since i will be trading in my BRZ, it would be nice to have a manual.

For this car i need to have fun and sound over speed / performance. Thats why i want NA engine that sounds great stock.

I had a great experience at Porsche dealer and test drove 991.1 GTS. I felt right at home in this thing. Looks and Sounds great - even has burbles in Sport + mode. Steering is even heavier than in my M3 and very direct. In terms of dynamics, it’s exactly what im looking for. It has GTS spec interior with alcantera and red stitching/highlights.
A few negatives - its PDK, price is well over $75k and no rear camera.

I would like to test drive 981 Cayman but not many S and GTS available. From a looks and desire stand point, i much prefer the 911 though.

given what you are looking for then I would say a 991.1 6MT (whether S or not) should be your target

they offer a relatively raw driving experience, awesome sound and are holding their values very well

now the trick is finding a good one, something that might not be so easy, something I am experiencing in my search for an R8 v10 6MT that has gone a good 9 months so far...

[R N M]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Controversial opinion, the 991 GTS feels ...... soulless, like a marketing exercise, compared to it's 997 brother. No i don't know why, i honestly don't.

Have you driven one?
991.1 GTS has the detuned motor from GT3. It sounds great and has enough comfort features to make it car that you can drive with ur wife and not get divorced lol.

997 are nice as well but I prefer the looks of 991 especially interior.

[R N M]

Originally Posted by Darth One

Well if you’re looking for ‘raw’, then cross all the BMW’s off your list. M’s are for doing a lot of things well, including refined daily driving. And please dear God why is Lexus even on your list

Of the Porsches, the only one that really offers a ‘raw’ driving experience by my definition is the GT4. So I’d have crossed them off the list - EXCEPT you say that the 991 is perfect. If you love that car, then get it in manual. You don’t need the GTS trim if you want to save money. You’re not going to do any better IMO. The Caymans are more nimble and balanced, but the 911’s set the bar higher.

The only M im seriously considering is a E92 M3 in manual. It has hydraulic steering and amazing engine.

Need to drive a 981 Cayman still.

[R N M]

Originally Posted by baege

given what you are looking for then I would say a 991.1 6MT (whether S or not) should be your target

they offer a relatively raw driving experience, awesome sound and are holding their values very well

now the trick is finding a good one, something that might not be so easy, something I am experiencing in my search for an R8 v10 6MT that has gone a good 9 months so far...

991.1 GTS in manual would be a homerun.
I’m looking at the S and 4S as well.

The good thing about 911 vs R8 is there are a Lot more 911 stock to choose from and a lot of them are sold by Porsche dealers with certified warranty. Majority of R8s listed are by 3rd party dealers. v10 manual would be epic - good luck in your search 👍

[Leftkeylife]

Originally Posted by R N M

Have you driven one?
991.1 GTS has the detuned motor from GT3. It sounds great and has enough comfort features to make it car that you can drive with ur wife and not get divorced lol.

997 are nice as well but I prefer the looks of 991 especially interior.

997 was still a sports car while the 991 moved in Grand Tourer that slices and dices like a sport car.

Also, just to correct you, the 991 GTS did not have a defined GT3 motor, it had a 9A1 motor from the 991S (I have one) with the X51 power kit which comprised new tuning, intake and a full exhaust. Other than that they share the same general structure. Any 991S could be fitted with the X51 kit as well. X51 on a 991 was over an 18k option from the factory so that alone pays for the upgrade over the S not to mention all the other things it got that you can and can’t get, but it sounds like you know that well enough. It is an absurdly great engine, and very satisfying to drive at any speed.

Either way, the NASP engined 991s are quickly becoming more and more sought out. They will be a great investment car in the coming years. I know my mint 991S with only 5k miles, but with a manual, PCCB, about as much leather inside as one can spec and Paint to Sample is a keeper.