dke

You said you were considering an M3. Here's what I can tell you as an M3 owner. It is a nice car. Far more subtle than the Cobra or the Vette or Viper. Better interior, better creature comforts, better milage, power sunroof. Bigger back seat than any of them (easier access). Better trunk than a Mustang (bigger and bigger opening, interior liner, etc.). More comfortable ride than any of them. And the balance is incredible -- I just always know when the back end is coming around, and how much. Very predictable.

Any of them are going to beat you in the 1/4 -- but not by THAT much. Once you get over 100, the power in the other cars starts to take over. (I can run close or even get a jump on them to about 60-70, they start piling on a lead after that, and after 100, I watch them disappear into the distance). On the twisties, it's a drivers game. A vette is a better handling car. I bet the M3 will eat the Cobra (not on a track, and not with too many long straights), and compete with the Viper (again, not on a track, and not with any straights). I prefer the Vette to the viper, in predictability. I imagine good viper drivers can do a better job than I've seen -- most can't drive the car. Vette drivers often can.

One thing I love about the M3 is the short hood and visibility (as well as utility). You know where the nose ends. The Mustang is next in that but it is a little longer than I like (and a little less utility) -- but is the bargain in cost. The vette is low and long, and the Viper feels like you're riding in the back seat (steering the motor that's way out in front of you).

If you want a day-to-day convenience car, and don't mind the price, the M3 is great. The Mustang is next; pretty close even a Shelby will run you a lot less. (You could buy 1 1/2 Cobras for the cost of the M3). The M3 and Vette compete in price -- but the Vette varies. It is low, less comfortable, less utility, and depends on the suspension. The Z06 is a mans go-cart or poor-mans super-car. It runs like mad, but isn't a fun daily driver (unless you live in So Cal or somewhere where they don't have pot-holes, and you don't mind looking up at all the other cars). The Viper takes all the negatives of the Vette and magnifies them, with few returns on the upside. (More power, but I hated the feel of actually driving it).

So you can get a Cobra, blow $12.5K in customization and extras (if you want any), pay an extra $2.5K in gas (over the M3 and life of car), and still pocket $5K in cash. Residuals, the M3 will probably depreciate less. I don't mind my M3 at all. But in value for performance, the Cobra is still the better car than any of them. If you want a race car for the street (poor man's super car), and only seat two, then I'd go for the vette.

crazyhorse

I've driven a couple of M3s, they are very nice. I just like the torquey V8 power so much that I couldn't buy one. I'm anxious to see what they are going to do with the next generation (M4, from what I understand).