Cheap sports cars are always fun. When you’re buying a cheap sports car, you’re allowed to go a bit nuts. If they’re cheap, they can be a bit silly, a bit risky and a bit out of left field. When buying a family car, it’s best to be sensible and logical but a sports car, especially one well under budget, can be a bit dumb in the best of ways. In this new video from Everyday Driver, they buy two different sports cars for un $7,500 and are going to compare them over the course of a year. The two cars they bought were the BMW Z4 3.0i and the Mercedes-Benz SLK 280.
Both cars in this test meet all of their criteria; two-door, two-seat sports cars with manual transmissions and rear-wheel drive. Both are German and both are soft-top convertibles. The question is: which one is better?
While they don’t have a definitive answer to that question just yet, as this video is merely an introduction to each car, it seems pretty obvious from the video. The BMW Z4 3.0i seems like the much better sports car. It’s more sorted, handles better, has the better engine and isn’t as controversial looking.
What’s interesting is that, despite not being the Z4 M, the little BMW Z4 3.0i is still a great sports car. In fact, it still ticks similar boxes; it has a big straight-six up front, rear-wheel drive, a manual transmission and excellent chassis balance. Sure, it’s not as sharp, nor does it have the same steering feel, but it’s still a great little sports car and one that can be had for cheap. Plus, some new coilovers, upgraded brands and maybe some subtle engine mods and the Z4 3.0i can be an outstanding sports car.
For enthusiasts looking for something on a budget that’s fun and even a bit silly, these two cars could be your ticket.
