SpeedLives

currently i have an old, boring 2000 bmw 328i slushbox. it's about time to move into something newer & better. i was thinking about an e46 m3, but then a mechanic friend got me interested in 996 c2's, also. he's worked on just about every car, exotic and common, and says that porsches are very reliable(which i know of, seeing as how porsche is always at or near the top in jd power rankings). i would like to get a 996 c2(preferably with the x-51 package, the extra power would be nice. don't wanna regret not getting it in the first place) 6 speed, because, well, it's a porsche, and insurance would be cheaper on it compared to the m3 as well; this was the case for another friend who went from a '03 m3 to a '03 996tt- his insurance went down by a nice amount. just curious, would anyone here pick an e46 m3 over a carrera 2\4? if so, why? my questions are; 1) how reliable are 996s? i believe i remember reading that '02 and newer were 'less problematic' compared to the '99-'01, is this true? specifically talking about the carrera. i've searched around, and have seen that one SCARY problem is the IMS\RMS issues- which seems like MANY have had to buy a new engine, because porsche won't acknowledge it. but then, i also saw the thread with jim pashas article on how reliable the 996\986 engines are. so what's the deal with this? i'm confused... 2) searching on the forums, would i be correct to assume that working on these cars yourself is not that difficult if you've got the right tools and are mechanically inclined? 3) are there any other differences on a 996 carrera 4 and c2 besides all-wheel drive vs. rwd?? what does the x-51 package add to get more power, exactly? can you add more power to it later on with ease if you can't find one with the x-51 package? how much hp are we talking here, in both the carrera with and without x-51? :thankyou: in advance!