My newest car in the fleet is a 2006 BMW 7 Series, Alpina. It is super low, it is so low that I have to take the jack saddle off the jack to get it under the car. Had to do the same thing on my 914-4 when I was racing it. See it comes back on topic. Unlike the 914-4 which is a ton full of gas, my 7 series is a bit more .... lets say refined.

I used a small jack for the 914, worked out great, but then I was lifting maybe a half ton at a time.

I am now looking for a great low profile high quality floor jack. Of course I AC Hydralics Jacks. But I am open to suggestions if someone has something they have used that gets down in the 3" range.

Low pro HF. They are good. Much better quality than years ago.

Stephen - Good ol' Harbor Freight has a Daytona line. Long reach with a 3 1/4 in starting height. Here's one.

Just looked at the HF flyer today. On sale. A 3 ton that lifts from 3 1/8" to 19 7/8". Use a 20% off super coupon.

Ditto on what Mark & Chris said . HF.

Love my AC DK20Q

I have one of the Daytona jacks. Actually pretty good quality for the cost.

I had one blow out on me last weekend, 1000 miles from home. The plug flew off, into the weeds. It was pouring fluid, but I had enough to get the car on the trailer, then it went into the scrap pile.
It was about 2 years old, so no the quality isn't great, the price is yes, quality nope.

The pic is me trying in vain to find said plug....

Too bad you tossed it, I see the plug...

Doubt they will be reunited, the plug is in SC, the jack in NY. It was good riddance, the jack was always finicky.

What did you replace it with?

And I was kidding about the plug...

***double post***

So.... not a word about the 356? Come on now.

I didn't, there was enough fluid in the jack that even with it pumping out everywhere I had enough hydraulics to get it on the trailer.

62 T6B sunroof car, Euro delivery, still has the Euro heating and the license plate holder.

Not many garage jacks see that sort of service. They roll better on lift with a strip of plywood on the dirt and sod.

Oh, I meant once you got back to the shop and tossed it, did you replace it with anything? Might be good information for the OP.

Beautiful 356, even in its current state.

No, it's been a shitty jack since we bought it, and we have 4 other real ones at the shop so I was happy to see it leave. I think we bought it on the road one time when we needed one, the price was great! Quality was not. I'll have to check what brands the other ones are, one is a Craftsman, had that one for over a decade.

2 yrs old... plug blew out ....maintenance...buy warrantee...alum. jack in dirt ?

Buy warrantee on a jack that has been junk since day 1? Spend more money on it? Like I said, we bought it one time on a road trip when we needed it in a pinch, but it has always disappointed. And yes I always bring an aluminum jack on road trips, try lugging a steel jack through the woods.

Here are the workhorse jacks we use around the shop.
We have Big Red Brand, and Larin brand.

I recommend going with a good steel jack if you plan to leave it at the shop and it doesn't need to go anywhere. The good steel jacks and the cheap aluminum HF jacks are about the same price, but the steel heavy duty ones last years and take a beating. The HF race style aluminum jacks do not last, they look cool, and they're cheap, but they don't last. The black Larin jack I've had for about 15 years, never left me hanging.

Another handy jack to have in your arsenal is the motorcycle/gearbox lift jack, the blue one pictured. It works very well when you need a more stable platform for engines and gearboxes.