New old stock (NOS), or old stock for short, refers to aged stock of merchandise that was never sold to a customer and still new in original packaging. Such merchandise may not be manufactured anymore, and the new old stock may represent the only current source of a particular item.[1] There is no consensus on how old a product must be to be NOS, and some people reserve an NOS label only for products that are actually discontinued. – Wiki
Not to be confused with nitrous oxide engine offerings, also known as NOS in the automotive hot rodding world, the handful of SUV’s below are what I could find of older vehicles with almost no miles on them – or damned near new in unicorn terms. They’re not terribly special otherwise, but I was sitting in my home office watching the snow fall and the plows at the ready, and thought why not?
Interestingly, I started writing this on January 19th when CarMax inventory was maybe 50,000 cars. On January 21st we are up to 65,319 vehicles! Pre-Covid CarMax held maybe 50,000 cars in inventory year round, and beefed up to 70,000 around the end of their financial year (spring). I’m already seeing some fascinating cars, unfortunately most are higher than my unicorn cap of $35,000. Think I’m going to have to up that. There was a time when CarMax offered lots of cars in the $5,000-8,000 range, and rarely one over $100,000. (Here’s the link to the first one I ever saw in 2017 – a Mercedes AMG GT S). Now the cheapest cars (3) are $9,000 and there are 36 cars on their lots that are over $100,000. The market has gone mad. Anyway, let’s get to the SUV’s. It’s still 19 degrees in Leesburg. Maybe when it warms up I’ll find us a real unicorn?
This 2014 GMC Terrain Denali is eight years old, and has only a couple of hundred miles on it. Adequately, but not opulently equipped, no third row, and a decent 301 hp six cylinder driving the front wheels, it’s mostly interesting as a bit of a time capsule. GMC sold about 100,000 units of these first generation Terrains yearly.
Find this single owner, accident free 2014 GMC Terrain Denali here in Las Vegas.
Stock # 21719671 VIN # 2GKFLUE36E6346763
Maybe you want a more trucky-truck? Well, here’s the fifth generation Toyota 4Runner that’s been around since 2009 – a good 13 year old design – although this is a 2011 model. So it was relatively fresh when new, but is now quite aged. But it has less than 3,000 miles on it and is also damned near new. Also has a V-6, 270 hp, and is rear wheel drive only.
I have some experience with the original first generation Toyota pickup on which the 4Runner is based, having bought several thousand for some friends in the field. Believe these lads are headed through the Khyber Pass. The platform actually debuted in 1984.
Features are few, and yet it is a nice example of a basic 4Runner. It’s a body on frame truck with a tow hitch and will last another 10 years and probably not even worthy of MaxCare. Find it here in North Shore, Louisiana.
Stock # 21629601 VIN # JTEZU5JR3B5028172
But the snow continues to fall and we really need to think about 4WD. In the New Old Stock (NOS) category let me share this 11 year old, 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. Real Jeep 4WD, a 290 hp six cylinder engine, and a tow hitch. Not much else. Aux jack. Bluetooth. Not even heated seats. Man up.
Last weekend I drove my 4WD Jeep from Virginia to New Jersey in the sleet and snow, and I have to say the truck just adds a level of confidence and safety that makes for a reassuring drive. Of course, this gives me the chance to share my photo from 25 years ago, when I crossed the Nabatean spice route through the Judean desert in a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Will save for another day the drive where I got lost for a considerable amount of time out there four-wheeling alone. Idiot.
You can fine the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee below here in Spokane, Washington.
Stock # 21671418 VIN # 1J4RR4GG8BC555815
Maybe you don’t need a trucky-truck or a spartan Jeep and want a NOS crossover with just enough AWD and nice features to make a slushy commute civilized? Here’s an eight year old Toyota RAV 4 Limited with just 5,765 miles on it. Seat heaters, rear view camera, navigation, power hatch for groceries – what’s not to like? Well, the 176 hp four cylinder for one thing.
But can you really trust a little crossover in the rough? Another opportunity to shamelessly post pix of my first generation Toyota RAV 4 I also took off-roading in the West Bank in 1996, even getting air behind a real Jeep. Proud of that little RAV, although we will ignore the time I buried it in the mud while out solo and had to pay $200 for extraction. You haven’t off-roaded until you’ve failed at off-roading.
This one-owner pristine Iowa car below is now in Phoenix here.
Stock # 21938939 VIN # 2T3DFREV7EW211837
