Congrats! I subscribed a long time ago because your generation of SLK has always been my favorite and I almost pulled the trigger on getting one several times. Interestingly, the car I most often cross-shopped it with was a BMW 135i - came close to getting a couple of those too. I will enjoy watching your journey! PS: I ended up getting a Jaguar XF-R, which is waaaaay overkill for my normal 5-mile commute. Not really a rational decision but I'm having fun!
Thanks! I appreciate you following the channel! Yes, I think the SLK and 2 series are pretty evenly matched. Your Jag sounds like a blast! I almost bought one myself a couple years back. No such thing as overkill :) !
I'm so sorry about your SLK, but glad you are alright and it didn't turn you off from Motorsports! I am a big fan of your channel. Mercedes is my favorite car brand and in my mind the SLK 350 manual is probably their only TRUE sports car. So I was delighted when I found your channel. As a fan of track days, driving a slk350 on track would be like a dream to me. I rented a gen 1 Cayman S for a weekend and fell in LOVE with that car and it's my goal to someday own a Cayman. But for now I drove and cross drove alot of cars including everything on your list. Had a track ride in a 135i and figured that would be a good default car if I couldn't find a good match. The 228i manual M-sport was on my list if I could find one at the right price. I ended up with a super low milage well optioned "Drivers spec" 128i. The predecessor to your car. I'm still not sure it's the right car for me, but it checked all the boxes and at the low price, it pushed me over and made me buy it. The 128 is a bit dull on the street, but comes together impressively on the track. It matches up well with the BRZ/86's. Got a track ride in a BRZ and it deffinantly is a PURE sports car. The 128i is more of mini GT car then a sports car. Sorry for the long rambling post. I'm excited to see how you get along with the 228i. Also a few questions, did you consider any AWD cars? WRXs are popular at the track, but I personally prefer and love the Evo X / Ralliarts. I own a Audi A3 (aka golf R with a GTI tune) and absolutely love it, but it drives like a fwd on the track. Why wasn't the Fiesta ST on your list??? I have already tried to trade my 128i for a low milage ST with recaro's ( don't tell my beemer 😳)!
Thanks for watching and your message! I miss my SLK and I do think it’s an under appreciated sports car. The 228 was a surprise to me - I hadn’t watched the 2 series with any longing (except maybe the M2) and I had a wide open list after my SLK was gone. I’d say I was open to AWD cars but cars like the Fiesta didn’t make my list because I didn’t really want a front wheel drive car. I think what’s been done with them in recent years technically means they aren’t the track failures they might have been before, but for me, it was about consistency as I learn to track drive. With only half a dozen chances a year to hit the track (at max) I didn’t want to split my learning and driving dynamics beyond different disciplines for front and rear wheel (or AWD) drive. That said, if I had found a Focus RS in my price range, I’d have considered it and I just helped a buddy buy a Velocitor N which I lust for.
@@BetweenTheWheels I 100% understand the need or association of a track tool being RWD. But as you probably know light weight and track car go together just as well. Fiesta ST is gem, it's a Mazda Miata 4 door hatch with far more torq, minus the rwd. Any thoughts on the Chrysler Crossfire??? The undercover Mercedes sports car. Less power, slightly less weight then the SLK but with a super ridged chassis. They are stupid cheap too! Many mint condition sub 50k mile cars at the 10 grand price point!
There are a few front wheel drive cars that could sway me, Mini Cooper JCW, Civic Type R. The Crossfire was a car I considered for a short while but it never grow on me.
Well, poop! I was looking forward to seeing all the mods for the school bus.... Oh well. LOL Seriously, I hope you have a blast with the BMW! I like it! Looking forward to following you on this new journey!
As an SLK 'double dipper' I really enjoyed your videos. I had an R171 280 that was totalled in an accident and replaced it with the R171 350 (both auto's). So after 3.5yrs with the SLK's I've now decided to bite the bullet on getting rid of my 350 and she'll be gone in a couple of days. I've been looking around trying to decide what to get in it's place and eventually decided (without realising what you'd done) it will be a 2015 or 16 228i M Sport with the auto box but going the convertible route as i still want a drop top. Looks like I'll need to get back into watching your channel!
@@BetweenTheWheels Good to be back except I've up'd the ante a little. Tried an M235i drop top today with a stage 2+ tune to 410bhp. At the very least I think it'll be a 235 now rather than the 228. Lovely either way though!
Nice video. Agree that this is a great platform and have an M240i. After having a variety of vehicles with manual transmissions over the years, I also agree that this auto is excellent. It shifts faster than I can and I've had many decades of practice.
I’ve owned two Z4s, both with the 6 cylinder. I don’t remember the HP on the mark 1, maybe that was it. My second one was the 35is - had overboost and would surpass 335 hp. I love the Z4, but for me, it felt a bit long in the nose for the track. As a GT car I think it’s hard to beat.
It’s a safety test done on many tracks with convertibles that uses a straight edge - sometimes literally a broomstick - which is placed from the roll bar to the top edge of the windshield. If the driver with helmet on can’t sit under that stick without touching it then the car fails and sometimes will not be allowed on track. It’s a rollover precaution.
@@BetweenTheWheels I had assumed it was something like that.. I found your channel earlier, thanks for the entertaining and informative day. Im an SLK lover* and the new BMW looks nice. * I owned a 1998 SLK 280 and now own a 2012 SLK 250
If you are going to drive a 4cyl then at least you know you have one of the best ones on the market. The BMW 4cyl will easily out perform pretty much anything that isn’t a V8 or larger. Especially now that BMW 230i makes 300lb of torque.
