Bought a Cheap Sports Car - $7,500 Cheap Sports Car Challenge 01 - What we bought | Everyday Driver

[@reactor4]

This is probably the most relevant video for 95% of your viewers

[@thomasthuene3173]

Two years ago I was in the market for a "cheap" (

[@carsinruin6102]

Z4s are finally getting some love after almost 20 years. It's a car that bridges the gap between purely analog BMWs and the computers BMW makes today

[@VilleGarde]

Had a 2004 Z4 3.0. Miss it sometimes.

[@shahinchegini9953]

Got a e86 z4 coupe 3.0si manual, cant see myself letting go of it anytime soon!

[@bangly]

I have a 2003 3.0l z4. I love it so damn much

[@DanteDAndreaTrebleMonkeyStudio]

Agree 100% absolutely love the Z4

[@jacksmoke3731]

@@shahinchegini9953 got the same thing, its got 100k miles and stuff is starting break...its becoming a money pit

[@Xmvw2X]

The one good thing about the Mercedes is that they still have every part on that car and every car they've ever built pretty much forever. It's one thing that they do as a company that literally no other does. You need some random bracket or handle on your 50 year old Merc? They have it, brand new, oem. It's probably not cheap, but they still have every part of every car they make.

[@patrickmartin3322]

That is really cool

[@poopscoop5836]

Yeah its one of the main reasons you see the most mercedes on the road in terms of 30-50 year old cars.

[@scoutmaster314]

I may have found an exception to that when my power steering pump went out on my C32 AMG. It was a different pump than the regular W204 or the C55. There are videos on how to put the innards of another pump into the AMG housing. I went with one from a junkyard. I still have tge one that came out of it if someone wants to rebuild it.

[@hanslubas]

The thing with the Z4 and the Z3 before it? BMW and it's OEMs keep churning part after part for it because they sold so many. That and when they grow older, the ECUs get easier and engine swapping becomes more common. Back to maintenance parts, I own both an SLK and a Z3 and the parts on the Bimmer are much cheaper and much more available because E36/E46 OEM parts are in steady production.

[@Xmvw2X]

@@hanslubas It's also super nice you can hop over to Rockauto and buy a part for cheap. Plus you can get new oem sheet metal for like $150 a piece which isn't bad at all. My brother and I rebuilt an entire front end of a little E36 318i, including a new painted hood, fender, lights, all the plastic bits, bumper, fogs, front bracing parts, etc. for like $1500 all said and done, which isn't half bad at all. (a friend drove it into the back of a vehicle while not paying attention).

[@jcnlaw]

2004 Z4 E85 original owner here. 56,000 miles (as of 10/2020). M54 in-line 6 engine. Manual 6 speed / sport pkg. I am a well-known divorce lawyer by day but transmute into a BMW Z4 tech on my own Z4 on the weekends. I will likely have this car forever. Here is my two cents: a) if you have the interest, tools and garage, this car is fairly easy to maintain and repair; b) the car is very fun to drive, tire selection is critical for grip in wet weather. The car is great in warm weather but terrible in the snow, c) due to sport package, the front and rear tires on my Z4 are different sizes, so tire rotation is not possible. If you push the car, you will need rear tires more often than you may like; (over the years, I have had 4 sets of tires. The car perform MUCH better with NON-RUN FLAT high performance tires. There is no spare, so a can of Fix a Flat and a plug in air compressor is in my trunk. Never needed it and hopefully never will). d) keep that engine oil and engine oil filter clean! e) since I perform 99% of the labor on my Z4, I ONLY use Genuine BMW or OEM parts. Some of the engine repairs and maintenance can take several hours and some of the parts can be hard to reach, so it makes sense to use ONLY the Genuine or OEM parts. This is especially true for any rubber or molded parts. You want a perfect fit and do not want to re-do a lengthy repair due to an out of spec. rubber or plastic part from China or elsewhere. f) if everyone had a roadster, there would be more joy in this crazy world (and likely fewer divorces). Enjoy!

[@richardmahoney9415]

This is gonna be good here I’m liking these cheap car challenges

[@ohoboh0]

One year ago i bought the cheapest SLK200 (2006) in my country for 4000 euro. It had 310 000 km. For 1 year i put 20 000 km on it and its still runing fine, without any issues! Great little fun car!!

[@vintagewoodshop2978]

I actually tried to buy that Z4! I ended up with a ‘07 out of Tucson with only 40k miles. I’ll be following this series closely!! 🤘🤘

[@bitmen1296]

I remember seeing these cars as a teenager and falling in love with the idea of 2 seater roadsters. I’m glad you guys picked these cars because I never see these pop up in reviews and I think they’re both terribly underrated.

[@donaldclary846]

I have a 2003 BMW Z4, 2.5, manual with 58,000 miles. I brought it 3 years ago and LOVE it. I'm looking forward to this series!

[@petebrown6356]

I bought a 2005 SLK350 in 2012 with 55k miles for $19k. It now has 113K miles, the only issue I've had was a crankshaft position sensor failure. It was easy for me to replace myself for $35. The hard top convertible has had no issues and it's really fun to drive. People think it's a $50k car. It's easily been the best car I've ever owned.

[@twgood5882]

Love the drone shots. This could have been sponsored by Utah Ministry of Tourism.

[@kuebby]

@@zedfret No, Mormon.

[@SpaceMissile]

yeah those were very nice. also good for checking for cops. lol

[@dawsonjohannes613]

Graduated college, got a job as an engineer, and bought a Fiesta ST because of these guys AND I found it on AutoTempest. Very excited to see this challenge play out.

[@professorfinessor5363]

Getting my ME degree and just bought a FiST too!!

[@dawsonjohannes613]

@Cuffs Extremely. Since I posted that comment, I tuned the FiST (Mountune), sold it, purchased a 2020 performance pack BRZ, sold that, and purchased a brand new 23 GR86. Life is too short to drive boring cars!

[@blakestone75]

I really wanted a Z4 when I was I high school. Now... I really want one again.

[@georgeshalhub5312]

blakestone75 new one is fantastic

[@georgeshalhub5312]

Prime Artemis nope I’m 6”2 I fit perfectly

[@paulm6481]

The engine in that BMW is bullet proof. Straight six and no turbos. Was used in 3 series and 5 series in early 2000s. That Mercedes is a freak show. BMW on this one to go with, before BMW went cheap with turbos.

[@ShiroZ31]

Bulletproof if you can keep oil and coolant in it.

[@Richard-HiFiMan]

I enjoyed the N54 powered 2007 335i manual I had, and loved the N54 2009 Z4 I owned for a few years. Even better once I dropped a stage 2 COBB tune on both.

[@ahoneyman]

If you stripped out the entire car to a bare shell and started over it could be reliable. Short of that no thanks.

[@mry82]

I am sure you looked into this, but with that BMW M54 3.0 watch: -cooling system, esp. the expansion tank... -disa valves sometimes fail sending plastic into the intake... G.A.S. (german auto solutions) makes a rebuild kit immune to the common failure... -oil pump nut can back off leading to pump failure (more common on 3.0s due to the resonance or some such)... -vacuum leaks and CCV failure (G.A.S. makes a really cool kit to replace the entire CCV system too)... I have both G.A.S. products on my 3.5L e46, but am in no way affiliated with the company; I just have great respect for how elegantly they have addresses those failure points.

[@shahinchegini9953]

I may be worng but doesnt that have a N52 engine?

[@mry82]

@@shahinchegini9953 They did later, but this one is an earlier M54 model. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Z4_(E85)#Models

[@VBeatstep]

Don't forget the Vanos seals or the fuel filter! I know many people who've neglected those two things

[@M3LKS]

oil pump nut is only problem when you take it on a track regularly - long periods high rpm vibrations. For street driving its nothing to worry about.

[@mry82]

@@VBeatstep good points! Beisan has a kit for the Vanos, but given the time frame he will have the car he may get away without it (same for some of the things I mentioned before). Fuel pump is a maintenance item for us m54 nerds too... I tried to mention the catastrophic failure points, lol. He said something about the steering and struts... might need LCA and/or other bushings if it is anything like the e46.... I've got poly everywhere, even the rear subframe mounts. Best wishes!

[@DaddyDan77]

You know what would have been hilarious? If one of you had bought a Chrysler Crossfire.

[@kylerpi]

One of them did, the crossfire is an SLK with different sheet metal

[@nirfz]

@@kylerpi but the generation before the SLK in the video. (The crossifre is a first gen SLK with different wheels and sheet metal not a second gen like the one in the video)

[@epbrown01]

@Jonathan Losito Yep, in my opinion the Solstice GXP doesn't get enough love. The cheap interior and atrocious trunk space are offset by the power and handling. And no other car I've ever owned garnered as many compliments from women.

[@snowdog993]

Ya think? I own one. Don't underestimate it.

[@SpaceMissile]

@@epbrown01 i looooooveeeee the solstice (and saturn sky). Almost bought one but went with a GTI because i was hauling stuff to/from dorms still.

[@gizmo7592]

I love how the slk looks like a baby slr McLaren…😂

[@fleezyp]

Correct me if I’m wrong but that clk model was assisted by the mclaren team (til 2006 if I remember right)

[@forzafestiva1]

U sir are smoking good shit 👏

[@themotorist7829]

SLK55 and a supercharger 😜

[@dudndadn12212]

I miss these days, simple, manual NA german cars.

[@tren133]

I almost bought a 2012 BMW 328i coupe (E92), and looking back on it now, that might have been the last old school BMW that they ever built. Normally aspirated inline 6, 6 speed manual, no iDrive, hydraulic power steering... Starting in 2013, you can't get any BMW with all those features anymore.

[@lash9400]

Bangles first gen Z4 is still looking a dramatic looking roadster, it really has aged well.

[@SquireJethro]

This is going to be a great season. It's fantastic you got sponsorship for this series. I've missed the past few podcasts, so maybe it was revealed, but I would not have guessed the SLK!

[@michaelhony1645]

That scenery/ Expect Roadrunner and Wyle E. Coyote to pop up

[@DinsdalePiranha67]

I haven't visited the southwestern US in many, many years. I might have to make a trip out that way again; it is a beautiful part of the country despite being hotter than hell in the summer.

[@philtripe]

@@DinsdalePiranha67 and getting hotter! we just destroyed our record of 99 days over 100 here in Tucson, meanwhile we shatter daily records nearly daily

[@DinsdalePiranha67]

@@philtripe I grew up in Imperial Valley, CA. The four seasons there were summer, December, January, and February. :) And with all the open canals, humidity was more than you would expect in a desert.

[@christianfranco3502]

The E85 is a classic sports car and with a strong strong engine. I might be biased as a Z4 owner myself but it really is the better of the two machines.

[@DanteDAndreaTrebleMonkeyStudio]

Agreed

[@jbailey690]

Have been fortunate to have owned both so there is no bias from me. And you are definitively wrong. Upgraded from a Z4 3.0 to a SLK350 Launch Edition, while both are truly great criminally underrated cars the SLK is definitely superior in nearly every regard. Even the looks of the exterior and interior favor the Mercedes. The Z4 while inferior is still a great car, don't get me wrong. Definitely glad I didn't settle for the 280 after having driven both, the 350 separates the 280 from the Z4 considerably.

[@youtubeonly520]

@@jbailey690 Considering you just said the Z4 looks worse than the Mercedes I have to assume everything else you said is also painfully wrong.

[@jbailey690]

@@youtubeonly520 considering you own neither and are a nobody who cares what you think? Btw traded that Benz for a Audi TTRS, makes the Z4 even more irrelevant. Run along now in your busted miata and go hook up at a family reunion 👍

[@taylorcaldwell8277]

Unbelievable scenery on that drive! I love the American Southwest. Great video as always Paul & Todd. Thank you so much!

[@macstone9719]

My daily in Germany is a 2003 BMW Z4 3.0 manual. In great shape, full specs :-) Slightly tuned to 260 HP, great exhaust. I love it. Best buy for the money.

[@paulpellico3797]

had the very same job last year. i ended up getting a nice 2008 pontiac solstice GXP. 300 for trifecta tune. new intercooler. all good. very fast. beautiful. BEST car without a trunk

[@arttatman1465]

I bought a 2007 SLK and i love it. But you are absolutely right about the dead spot in the steering feel. But once it gets past that its game on. Ive only had it since march, so we'll see how the maintenance goes. Its due for a trans fluid change

[@Balisage]

I literally just answered the "what car would you buy for 7500" when I bought my 350z a year ago. 2004, 60,000 miles, boosted, and runs like a dream for $7,499. Someone else's money pit became my cheap sports car and I couldn't be happier.

[@Balisage]

@Myname Isunavailable I was hoping they would chose a z car. But maybe they are a bit played out. At least these choices are different.

[@TheEmpoleon123456789]

@Myname Isunavailable The only failure point with that engine I think is the water pump potentially destroying the timing system upon failure, since the water pump sits inside the timing cover. I think if that were to be preemptively addressed, the VQ is a very reliable engine and the car is very fun to drive

[@jonnyg234]

Honestly the perfect choice!

[@lordmaster5522]

There are plenty of better options for around $7K for a manual rear drive car. •350Z/370Z or G35/G37 •Honda S2000 •Mustang/Camero/Corvette/Challenger •Toyota MR-Spyder •Used Supra or RX7/RX8

[@lordmaster5522]

@trublu97 Most of them are 2-seaters or could be configured as 2-seaters except for the G35/G37, Camero, and RX8. Mustang GT350R is 2-seater and the A90 Supra is also a 2-seater.

[@Dynamics99]

Own two Z4's. Once the car is nearing 100k or past it you need major maintenance: Cooling system $250 - Radiator, Upper & Lower Hoses, Thermostat, Expansion tank. Front Control Arm Bushings: $20-$25, CCV System: $40-$100. Oil Filter Housing Gasket $2-5, Valve Cover Gasket: $30, Spark Plugs $25-$35, Coil packs: $150-$180. That's about it as far as I can think. I have two Z4's. One with 135k with all the maintenance done and another with 96k awaiting maintenance. So for $530-$600 the maintenance should cover for the next 100k miles. Oh and do not forget about pads and rotors.

[@dogdoc1]

Have a '01 Z3 3.0i manual roadster with 191k miles. It is one of my favorite cars, and it still get compliments and won two car shows. 🙂

[@chrisluecke3341]

Great start to this series. I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with for these cars. I really hope Paul does before and after shots of his detailing.

[@philp7012]

Z4 is the longest ive ever owned a car. Everytime i think about something new I can't beat the value of it. 987 boxster is double or triple the price. The slk is a very different car.

[@thirdpedalnirvana]

I love how the Mercedes looks. Can't say I'd ever choose the car, but it's cool. Hey Paul, now we both have cars from the mid 2000's that most car enthusiasts won't give a second look until they realize we have a rare manual version.

[@rileysperbeck532]

Like the choice! Picked up an ‘04 Z4 like that for a grand less, better paint in silver/black, lower miles, sport options. Point being; I feel a bit sorry lookin at that thing, but everything he says about it is spot on. It’s a lovely well balanced car that surpasses its age and price

[@smilingman17]

I got a R171 SLK200 from '08 this year and i once did a 10h drive from Italy to Austria, through heat and pouring rain... did complain a lot about the rain in austria, but 0 complaints about the car, it was super comfortable +the mountain roads were amazing in this car

[@daverunner3397]

I have a black on black, 2003 BMW Z4. 3.0 liter, 6 speed M suspension. 175,000 miles. Love that thing.

[@Wayne_de]

Todd said, "I would have bought myself the nicest NC Miata I could get." Amen!

[@TraxxofAOT]

R171 is always the best looking SLK, but I’m biased as I have a 55

[@machtschnell7452]

One year they had a very F1 elevated nose look. This car is not it.

[@TraxxofAOT]

True, but even still, I see it better looking then any other model of SLK

[@ianmuir3640]

David Daniels I have a 2007 Slk 350 in mint condition had it a year now great car great engine

[@paulg1358]

@@ianmuir3640 I concur! Own. a 2005 350 slk a year now . Fast fun car ! Truck for work and Mercedes for fun!

[@evansisgreat]

The editing in this episode is noticeably better. Camera crew on point as usual, some really nice shots. Keep going guys!

[@paullaverty3038]

Bought my Z 4 3 years ago from Texas 30. 6000k 11800 miles. a steal of a deal. love this car. I think now is the right time to buy. Before they start going up in price.

[@rumporridge1]

They already have been creeping up

[@jason5776]

Ever since I've discovered car channels likes this I've approached buy cars so differently instead of buying a boring old honda or toyota I've been able to find cars like this for the same price and fun to drive

[@61percentodicarica]

Todd's so excited, and Paul chose a car I never understood, fantastic! I love the beginning of this series

[@arapaimagold8088]

Love the Z4, ride quality has that grand tourer feels and not really tiresome for long distance driving.

[@jumhig]

Gonna follow this, I have a 2005 SLK 350 auto (270 HP). Goes like a rocket, but I think a manual gearbox is better for this type of car. Its more of a pretty fast comfortable cruiser than a track car.

[@kalebcoleman2772]

Love the choices. I probably would have gone for a 986 Boxster.

[@randomelvis3359]

Press “sports” button on Z4 the steering is more responsive Activating sport mode makes the BMW Z4 Roadster feel even more dynamic. Just press the "Sport" button and the vehicle's electronic control units switch to sportier settings for the engine, steering and transmission. From a happy Z4 E85 3.0L owner 🤘🏻

[@bladerunner6282]

i'm liking the z4. that's THE color combo for the Z cars. when i was in the market for a new-to-me sportscar, the Z was on my list, but finding such an old car in the kind of excellent condition and low mileage that i wanted eventually turned out to be too difficult.

[@PragmaticPragmatic]

I was having trouble finding a Z4 I liked (my budget was $10K). Ended up with a higher mileage C6 for 12.5K.

[@boobeepbeep5075]

I picked up a single owner, 47k mile Z4 M54 3.0 last year for 11,9 from a Dealership ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@rumporridge1]

BooBeepBeep this past February picked up a 2006 3.0si Z4 with 38K in super dupa pristine condition. N52B30 engine I can eat dinner off. Amazing car. And of course it’s a 6 speed manual.

[@boobeepbeep5075]

@@rumporridge1 Thats dope, I've got the 6M in mine too, no other way to drive one. Although I love my M54, I've always wondered how the extra power bump in the si feels in the N52. Congrats brother

[@NaniteAlex]

I LOVE your choices. These cars were new when I was in elementary school, and I remember fantasizing about them. There's a charm to mid-level roadsters that exotics don't have, and I love that we'll be learning intimate knowledge with these two. While I thought the Z4 was the better choice at first, I'm now leaning towards the SLK (even though I usually agree with Todd more often on this show). Looking forward to the rest of the series!

[@jbailey690]

Have been fortunate to have owned both so there is no bias from me. Upgraded from a Z4 3.0 to a SLK350 Launch Edition, while both are truly great criminally underrated cars the SLK is definitely superior in nearly every regard. Even the looks of the exterior and interior favor the Mercedes. The Z4 while inferior is still a great car, don't get me wrong. Definitely glad I didn't settle for the 280 after having driven both, the 350 separates the 280 from the Z4 considerably.

[@ericlovett9870]

As an ‘07 Z4 Si owner, I am excited to see your series. Frankly, anything with a manual transmission these days is exciting to watch. Perhaps this series will contribute to a renaissance in interest in the pure driving experience a “stick ‘ transmission can offer. Millennials beware!

[@scottbutler2343]

Gotta say, both of these choices surprised me. It's like throwing a dart wearing a blindfold and just going with whatever it hit...but they work. Thank you for opening our eyes.

[@RumblestripDotNet]

Yep know all about the Merc V6 balance shaft issue. Happened to me at 156K miles in my E350 wagon.

[@NaniteAlex]

0:07 oooh that's a playful shot at Hoovie's Garage

[@Wildman2291]

Owned two Z4s and both were fantastic. Cheap to maintain and super fun, luxurious, beautiful and unique. Will have to get another!

[@dougantelman2369]

I have a 6 speed manual SLK350... love it

[@rembo183]

Excellent review! I got a 2008 NC Miata last year and it’s a fantastic bargain. It looks new on the exterior and has minor signs of age in the interior. It’s a PRHT and it’s automatic and had 78k miles and I paid $10k out the door. It’s been a blast to drive and no maintenance issues. I strongly agree with your review and understand the obvious enthusiasm. There’s absolutely no reason to spend more then $10k.

[@JBsC6]

Autotempest for car shopping rocks......these two little convertible sports cars are fun. I think i prefer the z4

[@bufordwashington7272]

Nothing better than a good used car challenge. I looked at boxsters and Miatas, sl, slk and beemers when I wanted a daily, drifter, autox'r and I'm 6'5" so I went with a low miles $12k 99 c5 and hi mile $2k 88 c4. Love them both but excited to see how these do

[@pininfarina575]

oh man. this gen Z4 coupe is really intriguing to me... maybe because a friend in high school had one and we drooled on it.. just scary to pull the trigger on one knowing it's an aging BMW...

[@kristopherbell7158]

Yes, the coupes are more expensive now than the convertible

[@kaga1310]

I have bought my first BMW a 2004 Z4 2.5 (manuel transmission, manuel roof) last spring, without testdrive and I love it.

[@FoolOfAToke]

As an owner of a Z4 (M Coupe*), I love seeing the platform get some attention. Tall guys who don’t fit in a Miata, look here. (I am 6’4”)

[@ytbradshaw]

Great timing. I'll hit one year with my '04 Z4...the same spec as this one but black...this weekend. 146K miles and only a cracked expansion tank on my watch. I knew mine had accident repairs and was missing a few covers/decorative bits and got it for $5,900. It's awesome!

[@thehauke7981]

Love the old Z4. They’re the last generation pure driving focus. And the styling aged well

[@quietenglishman4179]

That road. That car. Same colour as my 2005 Z4 and I love it. Looks even nicer with black leather interior and a black roof. Lovely. I bought it four years ago. Wish I had nice sunny, dry weather to drive about in.

[@telluricscout]

If you get a Z4, get the facelift 'SI' version from 2006. You'll be much happier. I had the original and now I drive a 2006 2.5 Si which is great. Many improvements over the original - including the steering.

[@RockstarBruski]

Cinematography on this video is spectacular! Love the drone shot with the bmw driving through the rock mountain and all the other wide shots of the desert mountain beauty! 👍😎👍

[@philbiker3]

@16:50 the adaptive steering you have discovered is a feature of the car. My 2014 6mt slk does the same thing; I don’t know if the first generation did. It is designed to go all day on the autobahn at 100 mph without the front end being squirrelly. When you turn the wheel further for backroads sport driving the steering becomes much more responsive. That is a feature that Mercedes puts into many cars most notably sports cars. The manual transmission, if it is as good as the one in my 14 or my previous 2005 C Coupe, is an absolute pleasure. Mercedes makes very great manual transmissions it is a shame they don’t sell them here in the USA any more.

[@JAMESFERNANDEZ]

Its interesting how since the last 15,18 years the car's design keeps being so up to date! If u'd change the normal lights for led lights and the interior with a modern touch screen, these cars would look new! btw, love the drone footage!!

[@johngardner9041]

Nice to see my old Z4M Coupe again. Ironically, I'm now driving a $7500 Miata (mint '95M). Looking forward (as always) to the series. Nice camera work (as always) by that Chance guy. :)

[@stephen300o6]

I bought a Z4 3.0. Ridiculously cheap, was fun and faultless all through our road trip down through Germany, Italy and up the route Napoleon through France.

[@stephanvelines7006]

Chris Bangles Flame Surfacing design has aged well, as this E85 Z4 proves. Its key lines influenced the successor, the E89. Another great example is the E60 5series. A well maintained one still is a good looking car. The design gave the cars a contemporary, XXI. century look. Only individual details may show the age like the lighting technology, that made a great step with the implementation of LED technology. For sure the Bangle design era wasn’t there to last, but looking back at it, it was a breath of fresh air in the automobile community.

[@Dolby109]

Cudos for actually finding two different manual German cars. My first thought was they where both going to be boring auto's, which IMO disqualifies it from being called a "sports car". But you did well.

[@theazureguy8101]

back in 2000 I purchased new a 2001 slk320 - it proved to be a great auto. Had it for 9 years and 140,000 trouble free miles.....still to this day my favorite car. I now own a 2018 C7 which is I am also enjoying...

[@recyclespinning9839]

What about the lifter problems on the Z4????

[@Mattypeeperz]

What a fantastically interesting pair of cheap sports cars you guys picked. I am very excited to follow your year of ownership.

[@peterscott2662]

That's that only generation SLK that I like, but it's the more aggressive front end version that I like. Probably on more expensive models.

[@sophisticated]

My next car will be an r171 2009+ SLK300 with the AMG package which is the refresh version of this with the engine fix. The r170 is very reliable as well.

[@emmanuellehuu8818]

Ive came up with my 924S, 1987, for 2300$ CAD ;)

[@daverunner3397]

I have a BMW Z4, M54B30 3.0, 6 speed, M suspension. 178,000 miles. Triple black. Love the thing.

[@JF-dc5qd]

I had a 2007 SLK280. Automatic. Got it used in 2012. Loved that car. Ran perfectly. Was totaled in December ☹️. Replaced with a 2005 SLK55 AMG. Really nice car, but has more issues. Sharp looking roadsters. Get lots of looks and comments.

[@Sooopa_Doopa]

MB actually made a 270 hp SLK350 as well as a 300 hp C350 sport, and both were available with a manual transmission

[@charleshoshizaki9866]

Should’ve looked for a 6 speed slk350 276 hp 3.5L Just like a Z looking for a manual myself but very hard to find in California

[@youngbrokeenthusiast1742]

Yep pretty hard to find, took me a year and half to find mine. They are all literally on the east coast. Georgia, Florida, Texas

[@Richard-HiFiMan]

When I had my 2005 SLK350 manual back in 2011 it was the only one for sale in Texas. Very rare to find one for sure.

[@coryadams8390]

Been watching you guys for years, so glad you started doing this segment can’t wait for these reviews I’ve been looking at getting both of these cars. Love your show you guys do really great work!

[@EverydayDriver]

Glad to have you with us. Thank you!

[@CarsNVideoGames]

That BMW is sweet, great color!

[@alg4633]

I test drove a 2007 Z4 before purchasing a 2004 Boxster and it felt really Front heavy and unbalanced. Perhaps it was the specimen I was driving. The Boxster felt well balanced and even and roomier inside. Looking forward to more reviews.

[@aaroncostello8812]

Back in the day I had a 'gray market' 1988 Mercedes 190E 2.3 with a manual transmission. One of the most awesome cars I have ever owned.

[@CrazyGamer109]

Cheap car challenges are the best! Especially in the 2 seater convertible segment

[@TheDownbeatruler]

I have a 06 Z4M roadster with 57k miles and it been sitting in my garage for years lol. This video makes me want to take it out for a drive.

[@stevenrumfitt2239]

Get thing out msn ! Have some FUN 🤩

[@marcstamper9079]

Excellent channel. Content is concise intelligent relevant. I fully enjoy the impromptu discussions en route. Great work. Keep it up 👍

[@Bmwguy2011]

Brilliant car choices. You’ve really got me enthused! I do t need to stay at 7500 myself. But getting German rear drive manual na 6 2 doors? You’re hitting the ball out of the park!

[@trevorhsu6357]

Honestly, hearing about these two cars really just validated my purchase of an NC2 even more

[@kevinalarcon1420]

I picked up a 2003 Z4 a few months ago for $3,000. Only thing not working was the top. Excited for the series. Glad to know I got a steal.

[@stevensumner3146]

Another great vid thank you for sharing. Really enjoy the blend of information through real world road trips 👏

[@anaswarjayakumar852]

Honestly these cheap car challenges are bringing back a bit of old Top Gear nostalgia.

[@ruku0203]

Great car choices... but spectacular footage. That scenery is breathtaking! Best of luck with those bargain beauties, boys.

[@jqwill1987]

Good job coming up with new content 👍 Glad to see something different

[@carsinruin6102]

I actually cross shopped these two cars and bought a 3.0i with 6spd Manuel and sport package.

[@DinsdalePiranha67]

My experience with buying a used Benz has so far been a good one. I bought my wife an '02 E320 six years ago and it hasn't required much beyond the usual regular maintenance. Based on that I'd be willing to take a chance on an SLK - except I'd really rather have a Corvette, or even another Miata.

[@jbailey690]

Having owned 3 C5 Corvettes and my current car being a Launch Edition SLK350 if you're looking at the sub $15k price point definitely go with the SLK. Don't get me wrong I really liked 2 of those 3 Vettes and have a ton of Vettes in my family and while its tradition I'm glad I broke it and went with the SLK and will never look back. Haven't and wouldn't own a Miata, I know it handles well but it's not even in the same league in every other regard.

[@varmastiko2908]

@@jbailey690 What would you say are the main reasons an SLK is better?

[@reinhart482]

Would love to see budget increased for Z4M vs SLK55 AMG.

[@Richard-HiFiMan]

I owned both a 2003 Z4 3.0 auto 5 speed, and a 2005 SLK350 manual 6 speed. Both are a blast to drive and offer plenty of "smiles for the miles". They do have their drawbacks which I'm sure you'll find over time, but nothing that's out of the ordinary for BMW and Mercedes from that era, nor for cars that are 15 years old. I'm actually looking at adding another roadster/convertible to my stable, and both of those are on my list. As well as maybe another Boxster (had a 2001 5 speed), or maybe a second gen Audi TT Quattro. Enjoy the cars, and I look forward to the updates.

[@ferrari4joey]

I have a 2006 SLK 350 with the six speed manual. More power than that 280. Love it.