The Best Five Sports Cars Under $45,000 | Kennan Picks

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In this episode, Kennan Rolsen, Managing Editor of Cars & Bids, gives us his top five sports cars for under $45,000. And gets out on the road in one of his picks, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
00:43 CARS & BIDS!!!
00:57 Thign Kennan Considered When Making The List
02:07 Pick #1: The Gen 1 Dodge Viper (Surprised?)
05:34 Pick #2: The Lotus Elise
07:37 Pick #3: The BMW M-Coupe "Clown Shoe"
10:19 Pick #4: The Depreciated Porsche Pick (911 997.1 Carrera S)
12:40 What About THIS Car? The Aston Martin V8 Vantage
13:25 The Engine
15:30 Stepping Inside The Aston Martin
18:32 Driving The V8 Vantage
24:49 Outro
#carsandbids #sportscars #cars #top5

[@astaticboi]

So nice of Doug to let his son review a car

[@nitro805]

I don't see Hoovie in this video...

[@YoungFrankMatthews]

Bro just say you are a piece of 💩 and you wish you had friends that can put you on to something special they built it ok bro no need to be hater

[@YoungFrankMatthews]

@@nitro805you too bro it’s not these successful guys fault you’re a piece of 💩 I know it hurts to see them drive and own cars you never will it’s ok tho there’s always gonna be scum bag haters in the world and you just happen to be one of them

[@2prize]

life partner*

[@Poatan.chama.]

​@@nitro805you know hoovie is older then doug right?

[@bradnelson5971]

Were these Emily approved?

[@chartreux1532]

Sadly Rumor has it that Emily left Kennan last week because of their extreme Difference in Taste regarding Super Cars. Emily is more of a Wiesmann MF4/MF5 kinda Girl while Kennan is more into Ferrari But i hope Kennan keeps going and now has more in Common with his new Girlfriend (enter one of the other Names Doug mentioned in that Video) Prost & Cheers from Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps

[@sesto194]

​@@chartreux1532ist das ein witz oder waren die wirklich zusammen?

[@elvinburgos3552]

Don’t you mean Sandra?

[@nathangiles8258]

You have come a long way Kennan, much more natural on camera. Great video :)

[@m-sportrevival8449]

2006-2008 BMW Z4 M Coupe. Rare, fast, reliable, and aging very well. Best kept secret in sports cars.

[@Guene6spd]

Stunning, too. Especially in a blue, red or green. I owned a non-M with baseball glove color leather and wish I would’ve ordered an M in that spec with a blue exterior. Sadly, that was above budget.

[@bretthansen8166]

People always want the ZO6 but a C6 Grand Sport with the LS3 engine is a phenomenal car for the $, the base ls3 C6 manuals as well. 👍🏻

[@rwilson4073]

Even the LS2s are a decent buy seeing how much cheaper they are than the LS3.

[@SSVladi]

C6 manual probably the best car for the money. I own one and targa top in California is the best part about it

[@BingBangBrine]

True and more robust but also they are all hard to find in manual so may as well get the z06

[@y0ungtchalla420]

Facts, C6 grandsport M6 Coupe, handbuilt LS3 with Dry sump system and forged crank without the valve drop concerns of z06 and can still take off top. So underrated

[@jaypioh]

@@SSVladi I've got a C4 targa and it's also very splendid to drive on good days. C4, C5 and C6 are the best bang for your buck out of any other car.

[@zacht678]

Kennan is the type of guy to say he didn’t consider American cars…then talk about a viper for 10 minutes right after.

[@julianevans9548]

'most'

[@Nic_8121]

Kennan is the type of guy to review his dads old Aston Martin

[@Chrispy72]

I really like the restrictions set, -Relatively exotic -Manual trans -reliable enough to not drain your bank account like a f355

[@laskos02]

So baby Doug likes 60% of Doug cars 😂

[@ramonmendoza2510]

Baby Doug 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@embiggens1]

When I was a young dude I used to say I'd only drive a manual until the day I died. I didn't make it to 40. Modern autos are pretty great, and I hurt often these days lol.

[@bimbettocavallo]

The biggest problem with the 997.1 Carrera S is bore scoring more than IMS bearing

[@patsyypatsyy6458]

Kennan is doing so good! Love this :)

[@dwb468]

Hello Kennan! Love your suggestions and detailed input. Suggestion: As the perfect intro for forthcoming "Kennan Picks" you could flail your arms in the general direction of the subject vehicle and vehemently announce "THAT" is a (subject vehicle) and today we're going to...and wait, there's more. This could lead to a future Cars & Bids segment called "THIS & THAT" where Doug & Kennan discuss (X).

[@C12sR]

An Alfa Romeo 4c for me

[@nicknylin9676]

Cheaptest one in the nation on AutoTrader right now is $52.2k.

[@grantwilsterman]

Also, no manual.

[@C12sR]

@@nicknylin9676 I’m from the uk, there is a 4c for sale for £35995 which is just shy of 45 thousand dollars

[@dk2853]

No manual

[@stevelovescars]

Ugh, if the 4C had offered a manual the model would be legendary. I sooo wanted to love it but my drive in one left me a bit underwhelmed and it pretty much all came down to the transmission and the resulting farting sound from the exhaust on less than aggressive upshifts.

[@supraracer23]

Why not consider an early 4.7 V8V vs the 4.3? I thought the 4.7 was the superior engine in just about every way. I think early 4.7 manual coupes can be found in the $45k range, so what makes you gravitate towards the 4.3?

[@lawrencefearon6830]

Your biggest problem with the Viper would be the heat from the side pipes. Burned legs were very common. Car & Driver was frying eggs on the door sills lol. Definitely one of the most addressed aggravations. Today there's aerospace grade thermoshielding for owners wrap the exhaust with and protect themselves. Your lady friends will appreciate that even more.

[@IH8AI]

Kenan just replaying Doug's greatest hits with this list

[@ericjust6238]

I focused on European cars for this list… first the dodge viper lol

[@ForgetfulFoot]

987.2 and 981 cayman boxster. Both relatively modern with great auto and manual choices. Plenty of aftermarket and independent support. Good reliability. Amazing to both daily and track drive. Its a shame. As i wanted a 997. But theres just no competition.

[@edventures9884]

If I had $45k rn I’d be looking at a Lotus Evora, Porsche 996 C4s, base 911 997, Lotus Elise s2, c6 corvette Z06

[@chartreux1532]

As a German its super interesting but also funny how much the Prices differ between Sports and Super Cars between Europe and the USA. Like, take the Dodge Viper, those are so rare over here in Europe, even a heavily used 1st Gen with Issues costs like 50k + Meanwhile the BMW M "Clow Shoe" as its called in the US is way cheaper than in the US. Could go on forever but its super interesting Prost & Cheers from Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps

[@hami_1012]

Aber grundsätzlich ist es krass wie viel günstiger Autos bei denen sind. Ich meine bei uns fängt alles fahrbares bei 2-3000€ an, dort gibt es 1. Gen Cayennes/X5 für 3 stellige Summen, sowas finde ich krass

[@anaswarjayakumar852]

Kennan forgot the F-Type

[@itz_mpmatt]

Bro said he's covering reliable cars not jaguars 💀

[@LargeMachEAuto]

@@itz_mpmattnot to mention sticks are very rare and not available with a v8

[@amazingjason455]

@@LargeMachEAutoYeah, too bad they never made the right one: V8, manual, RWD.

[@ethank7497]

V8 F-types sound amazing but the mid-level 6 handles better, and could be had with stick

[@butlr732]

@@ethank7497the v6 does not handle better lol that’s just what people say to justify not getting the v8. The engine block is literally the same, minus 2 cylinders.

[@gordoeinstein]

I appreciate your inability to hold back the laughter when stating "reliability" as being a criteria.

[@AaronBuma]

I'm down to 1895 lbs dry with my Elise!

[@karuedoingthings]

I recently got a B8 RS5, 70k miles for just over 30k and I think it was an absolute steal. Looked into the vantage but ultimately the RS5 made a little more sense. Barely see any of these out. Absolutely in love with it

[@sprattbooks]

What a timely video! I'm thinking of swapping my ND Miata for a 997.1 in the near future. Great info as always, Kennan!

[@williamconrad1087]

I too am a manual gearbox purist and my passion is my red 2017 C7 grand sport. Great job Kennan and if we ever meet I know we would agree on a lot.

[@TheVentrillion]

Kennan, this video was great. I really enjoyed it and you are a natural in front of the camera! Do more!

[@Soh90]

Literally all of those cars are on my dream list of car I want to own before I die. I have to say, I never considered a AM V8 Vantage, but now that you've mentioned it, what a brilliant car that thing is!

[@Bzt3819]

C6 Corvette Z06. End video

[@SDTZM]

bro shhhh… youre going to inflate the prices!

[@jcmartinez7527]

If only the interior wasn’t so bad, I’d wholeheartedly agree.

[@Mrremusakajack]

Not exotic at all sorry

[@cratervanawesome]

He's not old enough yet. Needs to be at least in his late 40s so he'll fit in with all the other guys at cars and coffee.

[@Hidef7564]

No

[@schnellgelb1746]

2013 Boxster S with less than 30K miles is an interesting alternative.Big advantage of the availability of Indie Service, easy/cheaper parts availability,lots of upgrade parts and huge Forum community support. Aston -not so much.

[@joshamann5921]

How hard is the conversion from Sportshift to manual? From my understanding, it's just an automated manual, so most of the parts are there, much like an E46 SMG

[@lbco5229]

As an owner of a 911 997.1S cabriolet and a 1995 Viper, I agree with this man’s recommendations.

[@chaoticlyfe]

I just got one of the cars I’ve been looking at for along time. Not 35-45k but 20k ish. An sl55 amg is an insane value and I’ve had it for half a month ish now and I’ve almost made it to the next oil change already 😂 love it

[@davidlane8811]

Oh fuck yeah! I got my 4.7 V8 on C&B in December and I have been driving the hell out of it… despite living in Alaska and we still have a lot of snow.

[@user-cj3vc5uo3i]

Kennan did a great job with this video!

[@clubracer6]

One of my favorite and I for one am glad it's not incredibly fast. That allows you to enjoy it more on the street without being a total felon all the time.

[@DRIVEWITHDRAY]

I love my M Coupe so much. I know y'all don't modify. but it's on proper KW coilovers and BBS LM. it drives like a dream

[@artsohc]

Best -Sports- PERFORMANCE Cars Under $45,000 The 5 in this video plus... Corvette C6 Z06 Corvette C7 Z51 03-04 Mustang SVT Cobra 12-13 Mustang Boss 302 11-12 Mustang Shelby GT500 2013 Camaro ZL1 Camaro SS 1LE F80 BMW M4 Audi RS5 Nissan 370Z Nismo Porsche Boxster/Cayman S

[@SpartanHighKing14]

Get a 2017-2020 Audi TTRS. 0-100 in 3.7 seconds Quattro all wheel drive Good technology and smartly designed cabin. Very comfortable with great trunk space. Very reliable and has an excellent factory motorplan. Has Audi's legendary 2.5L 5 cylinder engine One of the best exhaust notes Basically a baby R8

[@Ok_Mountain_8698]

No manual transmission though

[@bobhill3941]

You sold me, great choice.

[@bobhill3941]

​@@Ok_Mountain_8698You could do a conversation like people are doing with certain Ferraris.

[@BingBangBrine]

Boring

[@blackrippin]

No stick but the 2013 version has one and good condition one can be had for under 45k. A 5k model sold for 62ish on BaT a while back. He may have considered it and ruled it out for some reason. Their buddy with the Merci had one so maybe he brought it up.

[@danieltackett4089]

Nice video, nice list! European✔️Manual✔️“Reliable”✔️ are my criteria too. A V8 Vantage Roadster seems worth the wait. I’ve called the S54 M Coupe an M3 sampler: • E30 rear suspension • E36 chassis • E46 engine Good luck with your search Kennan.

[@DarkClosetOfTheMind]

I love my Gen 1 Viper and can attest it is a fantastic car. It's one of the few cars you can bring to any car event and get respect; that could be a tuner, classic American or Euro exotic.

[@burzane]

Nice video Kennan. You share the same passion for car as Doug.

[@Xander.N05]

Kennan there’s a Vantage volante manual for sale right now in my area! (That is if you don’t mind buying from Vancouver)

[@slowspecv69]

I would look into an evora s, great performance, great look, and a nicer drive then an Elise.

[@tylerdauber1175]

Oh Kennan! There is a super nice convertible v8 vantage for sale like right down the road from my house. After watching your video I FLEW to the internet to check it out! But alas, tis automatic. We'll get em next time 😂

[@beniciobaeza]

I’ve been interested in the 997.1 but the bore scoring terrifies me

[@mustuddd]

I own one. It's clean so far at 52k but I admit to being very nervous about it. Bore scope was crucial but I've never done oil analysis on it.

[@Bigale06]

2013 C6 427 is the perfect package, all the z06 powertrain but came as a convertible

[@GautamAtri]

I currently have a 2005 BMW 645ci Cabriolet 6 Speed Manual with only 57k miles and I agree, the Aston Martins of this era were exceptional. I would probably end up getting a DB however instead of the Vantage.

[@rexmundi9691]

The BMW z3mcoupe is tiny! super tossable, like amazingly so. Great quality. Also a very Kennan car.

[@inapinkhotel]

Kennan have you considered the OG BMW M2? the one with the N55? been seeing those go for around the $45k mark regularly

[@philcarrizzi]

It must be so wild to drive so many crazy cars that an AM feels like you're 'not going slowly necessarily." :-)

[@jimonsax]

Keep the solo Kennan videos coming, please!

[@DRIFTINGFORLIFE18]

Kenan why is the 4.3 better than the 4.7 to you exactly? Is it worth the 50Hp loss? Is it something in the internals that’s better in the 4.3?

[@OllsHale]

V8 Vantage is a top choice. Service it regularly, stick some Bilstein dampers on it and drive it… really not much to go wrong but the consumables can be expensive. In the UK they start at £20k!

[@mikehastings9147]

Bang for the buck? C6 Grand Sport manual! $12k less entry fee that you can use to see the USA in your Chevrolet, plus there's a dealership in any town of any size. I know I love mine!

[@danielruiz4856]

Another car i would really consider for this list that goes under a lot of people's radar is the Audi B8/B8.5 RS5. NA V8 revving to 8250 RPM. a better s65 without the BMW tax that is going on right now. Better build quality as well interior and exterior. if you want one with a third pedal settle for the B7 RS4

[@granttyler1254]

What about a 981 Boxster S?

[@kianooshdastan6651]

You should really step up to V12 Vantage S. The “sportshift” transmission is basically a manual that you have to learn how to shift with 2 hands and becomes very rewarding when you’re good at it. The exhaust is straight from the One77 and probably one of the best sounding ever. The market hasn’t realized yet how special these cars are. Roadsters were $220k+ new and now in the low $100s. These should be up there with the Murci soon. Thank me later.

[@roboticvenom1935]

But it's not $45K though

[@Dulanor]

A v12 Aston is not reliable nor within price range. The "sportshift" trans is awful. The exhaust is not "straight from the one77" Thank me now

[@Ficon]

Cheap exotics = deferred maintenance. I live in a major metro area and my Lotus options are Ferrari dealer or indy 8 hours away in another state.

[@Alejandro_BoniIIa]

But the Elise’s aren’t in the sub $45k catagory

[@rayjeung2804]

There’s a convertible for sale in Oakland.

[@reventon4547]

Not much to add. May be able to find a Nissan GTR in that price point if you dig deep, or a Vette.

[@skipijs5316]

Damn some of these comments are just mean, made by player hater’s, great list and commentary.

[@Carlb328]

And it has a beautiful luxurious interior it's perfect.

[@MrEdison351]

Kennan needs his own channel. He’s awesome.

[@eruc3ht]

I know you have an exotic requirement for the video, but I would include the Mustang GT350 and the M2 Comp at this price range.

[@roboticvenom1935]

You can buy a gt350 for 45k or less?

[@eruc3ht]

@@roboticvenom1935 all day

[@dk2853]

@@roboticvenom1935 Yes, 2016 models have come down to around that price.

[@blakewinnail5085]

That’s exactly what I was saying, no m2????

[@zombiehuntingrocker]

Kennan the type of guy to wear a watch on the wrong wrist

[@Xander1Sheridan]

the clown shoe is such an awesome car. I would love that or a BMW 318ti.

[@DR......]

Doug is the kind of guy...ow, wait....

[@MrDuncl]

One more year and you can have an Opel Speedster. The Elise's big brother also built by Lotus.

[@roboticvenom1935]

Opel speedster is brilliant but not sold in the US?

[@MrDuncl]

@@roboticvenom1935 Launched in 2000 so in 2025 some will be eligible for import under the 25 year rule.

[@realteamme]

If I ever have a 2nd fun car it will be the clownshoe. I adore it.

[@sohess]

I always assumed parts prices for the viper would be low but I saw a recent carwizard video where he said struts were something crazy like 800 a corner for rebuilt ones. Just an FYI

[@WIImotionmasher]

Kennan should buy the vantage , it'd be rad lol

[@kapiernegativ]

0-60 in under 4 seconds. Kennan Needs this.

[@starrdogchamp1]

the aston martin is my dream car. the vantage is one of them. kennzoil you lucky ba@#$d lol!

[@giannymarin9705]

2014 GT500

[@danielhussey3631]

What I say about convertibles.. “Why chop the roof off a perfectly good sports car?”

[@hawaiirealmedia5610]

Did Doug add his voice over the original voice? LOL!

[@ETr4d3]

As someone who hates manual - lexus lc500 or any newer 911 for under 45k

[@chefsaliva5317]

Is it possible to get a mezger engine Porsche for under 45k in good condition? Or has that ship sailed long ago?

[@orangecayman520]

Not in good condition no. Maybe like a super rough 996 Turbo cabriolet though

[@kirkericson2722]

@@orangecayman520 tiptronic cab with over 80k miles

[@amazingjason455]

Kennan is the type of guy to shave three days before going on camera.

[@zacharyprimo492]

more kennan!

[@09juliancarr]

The early cars had budget Multimatic dampers - they were not good quality and give the ‘crashy’ ride. A damper upgrade will massively improve the ride without compromising the handling

[@NJ-bx9wj]

The Lexus LC 500 is also a great relatively new option

[@bradenmchenry995]

That’s a gt not a sports car

[@roboticvenom1935]

​@@bradenmchenry995the V8 vantage is a GT car buddy. I've had the pleasure of driving a 2010 model(which is even faster) and it's not really a sports car. It's a bit in-between but it's not even on the same plane as a viper, m coupe, Elise, etc. Lc500 is a brilliant option but you also can't find one for $45K. It's not European so the resale value is quite high. It might never drop to 45k for a good condition model

[@smamq]

It is, but he wants a manual. As much as I LOVE Lexus, the entirety of the brand just does not care for making a "sports car." Even the IS500 that they hyped so much was a let down. Sure the NA V8 is probably one of the best, but the rest of the car is ...meh. This is coming from someone whose favorite daily is an IS.

[@marvinonstage]

Why not consider a 2016 Jaguar F-Type convertible. The manuel for the F-type is super rare, very exotic looking, sounds great (just watch Clarkson on Top Gear drive it) very reliable and you can get it for under 45k

[@SomeMadAussie]

But can you get these cars with an unlimited mileage bumper to bumper warranty?

[@amazingjason455]

I guess I’m the only one who wants a manual V12 DB7.

[@MattBlack6]

I watch these videos from Australia and it makes me sad. The cheapest V8 Vantage for sale here is $82,000 for an automatic coupe.

[@Lou-f]

That’s only 53k us

[@JamesM-hb2cj]

C7 corvette z51 is clearly the answer here, not even close. Has the same transaxle and mid front engine setup as the vantage, except lighter and more power and modern tech and magRide and CarPlay. And readily available in manual convertible - or the top comes off in the coupe. No brainer

[@bretthansen8166]

I’ve had C4-C7 vettes. I think the C6 grand sport is the good buy. The LS3 engine is more reliable than the LT1 engines in the C7 to me. Both phenomenal cars for the $ however 👍🏻

[@JamesM-hb2cj]

@@bretthansen8166 love the c6 GS can’t go wrong with that, personally I think the c7 has better inputs and a more rewarding overall experience but that’s just me. LT1 is plenty reliable as long as you have the manual and don’t use Eco mode. If you get the auto … not so much haha, cylinder deactivation will kill it

[@husiyuan930517]

I concur. One thing I need to add is that the coupe actually holds so MUCH luggage, so it's incredibly practical. Roadtriping in a C7 coupe with multiple large luggage bags is an unbeatable experience. In fact, I once helped my friend move to a different apartment using only the C7. I even pushed a twin size mattress in the back. Some part of it was still hanging out in the back, but it was a short city drive so completely safe. Just shows how deep and wide the trunk space is. Incredible car.

[@JamesM-hb2cj]

@@husiyuan930517 agreed. Personally I went for the vert because like Kennan I live somewhere where the weather is nice so wanted to take full advantage. But the fact that the coupe has a removable roof and so much cargo room is also a win. I know Kennan wanted “exotic” and I don’t think the c7 is that, but considering he also wants a manual vert it’s unlikely he’ll get that in the Aston, so gotta compromise something. For me, it was down to these exact cars (c7 and older v8 vantage), and once drive in the c7 and I was sold. Aston looks better and is more exotic, but give me the performance, driving experience, modern tech, open roof, and reliability of the c7 any day

[@roboticvenom1935]

Dude you did NOT even try to watch the video! He mentioned he was going for exotic/rare vehicles for this price range. So you won't see cars like mustangs, corvettes, m3's, etc. The Corvette z51 is not even REMOTELY exotic. It's the exact opposite it's generic, that's why it's not on this list.

[@markmcelwain6546]

I'm considering selling my 2006 V8V on Cars and Bids and then I see the car from a different angle and rethink it. I'd argue it's the best looking car under $50k

[@TurophilePublication]

I’ve never seen somebody know what to do with there hands less than Kenan

[@atWay.]

XKR 🤤

[@violinmiata]

High mileage 996 turbo should be on the list, but might be too much money. A pristine second generation MR2 turbo with low miles and a catalog of parts thrown at it would be in this category as well, everyone loves these cars and the market shows it. Immaculate E39M5 is around here too. Or three questionable e60 M5’s Too many choices= happy car people

[@chriskeiper7117]

Can you get a first gen Audi R8 in this price range?

[@roboticvenom1935]

It's gonna be really hard and it'll be the automatic

[@derekschipper8721]

I think the lowest I’ve seen was high 50s

[@michaelciullo4788]

Thumbs up for the Viper

[@cartergarnon6299]

RS4 cab

[@quincyxan23]

987.2 Cayman S anyone?

[@DR......]

Only one on the list I'd go for is the Aston Martin.

[@rememberedtoys]

Zestiest intro in cars and bids history