Some links in this article go to car listing and parts sites. Some of them may be affiliate links, which means Department 69 may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details are in our privacy policy.
Prices checked October 23, 2026.
A mid-engine Porsche with a manual gearbox still has a market benchmark under $21,000. A six-cylinder BMW roadster is under $14,000. These are the seven German sports cars we think are still good buys this fall, with what good ones cost right now, the problem to check on each, and where to find one.
Prices below are the CLASSIC.COM Market Benchmark (CMB) where one exists. It is a single value built from recent sales, so treat it as a midpoint. Low miles and good records push a car above it. Where classic.com has no benchmark, we list recent Bring a Trailer results instead.
The list at a glance
| Car | Years | Benchmark or recent sales |
|---|---|---|
| BMW Z3 2.8 / 3.0i roadster | 1998 to 2002 | $10,663 (2.8), $13,870 (3.0i) |
| BMW 135i coupe | 2008 to 2013 | $12,000 to $31,000 on BaT in 2026 |
| BMW Z4 3.0si | 2006 to 2008 | $15,894 |
| Porsche Boxster S (986) | 2000 to 2004 | $17,021 manual |
| Porsche Boxster (987.1) | 2005 to 2008 | $20,321 manual |
| Porsche Cayman S (987.1) | 2006 to 2008 | $29,686 manual |
| Porsche 911 Carrera (996) | 1999 to 2004 | $30,244 to $33,096 coupe, manual |
1. BMW Z3 2.8 and 3.0i roadster
What good ones cost: classic.com puts the Z3 2.8 roadster at $10,663 and the 3.0i roadster at $13,870. It lists the 2.8 under 1998 to 2000 and the 3.0i under 2001 to 2002.
Why it is a good buy: It is the cheapest way into a straight-six BMW convertible on this list. Euro Premium Parts lists the 2.8 with the M52 engine, and the basic engine work is covered in our M52 guides below.
What to check: Euro Premium Parts says the single-VANOS M52 in the 2.8 is known for a rattle on cold start as the VANOS seals wear. On the later 3.0i engine, it flags a crankcase ventilation (CCV) system that often clogs. On both, it warns that the plastic expansion tank, radiator end tanks and thermostat housing crack with age.
Our guides: BMW M52 torque specs and how to tell an M52, M52TU and M54 apart.
Sources: classic.com, Z3 2.8 roadster; classic.com, Z3 3.0i roadster; Euro Premium Parts, Z3 reliability guide (June 2026).
2. BMW 135i coupe
What good ones cost: classic.com does not publish a benchmark for the 135i. Coupes that sold on Bring a Trailer in 2026 went for $12,000 (a 2012 M Sport six-speed in October), $12,750 (a 2011 in August), $18,500 (a 2009 six-speed in August) and $31,000 (a 27,000-mile 2010 M Sport six-speed in September).
Why it is a good buy: It is a small coupe with a turbocharged straight-six, and the cheapest of those sales came in below the Z4 3.0si benchmark. The wide spread also shows how much mileage and history matter here.
What to check: 2008 to 2010 cars use the N54 twin-turbo engine. ECS Tuning says its electric water pump is known to fail around every 60,000 miles and puts the car in limp mode, and that the high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) can fail in a similar way. 2011 to 2013 cars use the N55. Euro Premium Parts lists HPFP wear and a plastic charge pipe that can crack under boost as known N55 weak points.
Our guides: BMW N54 torque specs and BMW N55 torque specs.
Sources: classic.com, 135i (no CMB shown); Bring a Trailer, 1 Series results; ECS Tuning, how reliable is the 135i N54; Euro Premium Parts, N55 engine guide (August 2026).
3. BMW Z4 3.0si (E85 roadster and E86 coupe)
What good ones cost: classic.com puts the Z4 3.0si at $15,894. It groups the roadster and the coupe together and does not split by gearbox. The lower-output 3.0i sits at $12,442.
Why it is a good buy: You get the N52 straight-six in its stronger 3.0si form, and the benchmark sits about $1,100 below a manual 986 Boxster S.
What to check: Euro Premium Parts names two N52 problems on these cars. The Valvetronic eccentric shaft sensor can fail and cause limp mode or rough running. The electric water pump can fail and cause fast overheating.
Our guides: the N52 engine is covered in our E90 torque spec reference.
Sources: classic.com, Z4 3.0si; classic.com, Z4 E85/E86; Euro Premium Parts, Z4 E85/E86 reliability guide (June 2026).
4. Porsche Boxster S (986)
What good ones cost: classic.com puts a manual 986 Boxster S at $17,021 and a Tiptronic at $13,343. When we checked, it showed both benchmarks as falling.
Why it is a good buy: The manual S benchmark is lower than the $20,321 benchmark for a manual base 987.1 Boxster. It is the cheapest Porsche on this list.
What to check: The IMS bearing. LN Engineering says every Boxster, Cayman, 996 and 997 from 1997 through 2008 with an M96 or M97 engine uses a sealed IMS bearing, and that Porsche gave it no service interval. LN also points out that a replacement is preventive. It does not fix an engine that has already failed. Ask for records showing whether it has been done.
Our guides: 986 Boxster torque specs, IMS bearing options for the 986 and 987 and brake pads for the 986 and 987.
Sources: classic.com, Boxster 986; LN Engineering, IMS bearing guide and FAQ.
5. Porsche Boxster (987.1)
What good ones cost: classic.com puts a base 987.1 Boxster at $20,321 with a manual and $18,323 with Tiptronic. A manual Boxster S of the same generation is $26,867.
Why it is a good buy: It is the newer generation of Boxster for about $3,300 more than a manual 986 S at the benchmark.
What to check: LN Engineering says 2006 to 2008 Boxsters use a larger IMS bearing that cannot be replaced without taking the engine apart. It also says 2005 was a transition year, so the model year alone does not tell you which bearing a 2005 has.
Our guides: 987 Boxster and Cayman torque specs and IMS bearing options for the 986 and 987.
Sources: classic.com, Boxster 987.1; LN Engineering, IMS bearing guide and FAQ.
6. Porsche Cayman S (987.1)
What good ones cost: classic.com puts a manual 987.1 Cayman S at $29,686 and a Tiptronic at $21,042. A base Cayman with a manual is $24,171.
Why it is a good buy: It is the fixed-roof version of the 987, and the manual S had the most cars for sale of any 987.1 Cayman version on classic.com when we checked (39). More cars on the market means more room to be picky.
What to check: The same IMS point as the Boxster above. LN Engineering lists the 2006 to 2008 Cayman with the larger bearing that needs a full engine teardown to replace.
Our guides: 987 Boxster and Cayman torque specs.
Sources: classic.com, Cayman 987.1; LN Engineering, IMS bearing guide and FAQ.
7. Porsche 911 Carrera (996)
What good ones cost: classic.com splits the 996 Carrera in two. A manual coupe is $30,244 for the early cars, which it lists as 1997 to 2001, and $33,096 for 2002 to 2004. A manual cabriolet is $26,104 early and $28,001 late. Tiptronic coupes sit around $22,000 for both.
Why it is a good buy: It is still the cheapest way into a 911. For context, our 997.1 buyer's guide found a manual 997.1 Carrera coupe benchmark of $42,781.
What to check: The IMS bearing again. LN Engineering's guide covers every 996 Carrera, and its point that a replacement is preventive matters most here. Ask for records, and have a specialist inspect the car before you buy.
Our guides: 996 torque specs and the 996 IMS bearing, risk and what to do.
Sources: classic.com, 996.1 Carrera; classic.com, 996.2 Carrera; LN Engineering, IMS bearing guide and FAQ.
How we picked
We looked for German two-door cars with six-cylinder engines that still sell for under about $35,000, going by the classic.com benchmark or recent sales. Each one also had to have parts and DIY information that is easy to find. We checked prices on classic.com and Bring a Trailer and listings on CarGurus on October 23, 2026. Problem notes come from LN Engineering, ECS Tuning and Euro Premium Parts. Prices move, so check the sources before you buy, and get a pre-purchase inspection from a specialist on any of these cars.