Author: Chuck Banks

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Quick Hit – Another 1 of 500 BMW Alpina B7 L Models for “Cheap”

B7 SideThis is the newest BMW Alpina B7 unicorn I’ve seen CarMax offer, a 2014 “L” model for $39,998 – a good $100,000 less than when new just six years ago (or the price of a new Camry?).  It’s fully loaded, with auto cruise control, heads up display, lane departure, blind spot, heated/cooling seats, and even includes my beloved night vision. (I had to have it in my Mercedes S600 – I almost NEVER use it!)

b7 wheelAlso has the full rear seat entertainment system treatment.  The rocket ship is good for 194 mph, or a 0-60 mph run in 4.2 seconds if you run outta room trying for top end.  Here’s the 2013 Car and Driver review.

I’m puzzled because CarMax has the 4.4l twin-turbo V-8 engine listed as 500hp, and every review I read says it pushed 540hp.  Obviously MaxCare is a must to protect against B7 bankruptcy.  For comparison, here are the other Alpina B7’s I’ve covered.

Previous Alpina B7’s at CarMax

In September, 2017 I spotted this 2011 B7 in Duarte, California, selling for $39,998 with 43,000 miles.

February, 2018 brought us a nearly identical 2011 B7 model in Los Angeles for $39,998 but with 41,000 miles (yes, had to check the VIN to make sure they weren’t the same!)

And in May, 2018 this 2012 B7, another California car with higher miles at 56,000, sold for a mere $33,998!  I predicted a quick sale and it went in a day.

In March of 2019 we saw this 2012 model for sale in Chicago at $40,998 with 49,000 miles (also had a $65k B6 for sale then too!)

May of 2019 we saw three B7’s for sale at the same time – a 2012 and two of the higher-horsepower 2014’s, all in the $40-48,000 range.

Wrote about this one  that was mysteriously sold in August 2019 for $37,998, and popped up for sale again at the same dealer for $39,998 this year.  No idea how that happened.

This 2014 two owner, accident free race car is available here in Charlotte, NC – a little frightened because I’m in Fayetteville, NC now.  An omen?2014 BMW Alpina B7 L $39,998 41k Charlotte 7-20

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Quick! Stupid Good Deal on a C63 AMG!

Had to pool over and post after seeing this while at a stoplight. This beautiful blue 2009 Mercedes C63 AMG unicorn just surfaced up north much to my surprise. Only $21,998 and 31,000 miles. Sweet 6.3l V-8, detuned from the E63 to 451 hp. Navigation and heated seats. It’s a one owner car, and yes that one owner did have an accident in Kirkland, Washington some time back. But it is a very low mileage car and a very low price. It’s also a pretty hot car.But it is a very low mileage car and a very low price. It’s also a pretty hot car. CarMax generally sells European cars not more than 10 years old, and this 11 year old sedan is a bargain. It’s also a perfect candidate for Max care. Think about it, you get a warranty until this car is 16 years old. And with this mileage you can probably buy another 100,000 miles coverage. Find it here in Hartford Connecticut.

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One Year Wonder – 2008 Opel…errr Saturn Astra – $7,998

astra sideThis isn’t my normal unicorn, and yet I’m sure this car appeals to somebody, somewhere.  It does something for me. First it’s extinct, as all Saturns are.  Second, it’s a one year wonder, in that Saturn imported these Astras only in 2008.  Third, and I kinda gave it away, it’s a German Saturn, a European GM Opel, which makes it unique in its own right.  The Opel Astra was the second biggest selling hatchback in Europe (after the VW Golf).

And this one has a manual transmission! And it’s been driven only 4,000 miles yearly in California, and in Havre de Grace, Maryland near my home town!  And normally I wouldn’t recommend the MaxCare extended warranty for a car this simple, but did I mention this car is A) extinct, and B) German?  And yet I always think there’s something nifty about owning a car under warranty through it’s 17th year, and for another 100,000 miles, without worrying about repairs. Continue reading “One Year Wonder – 2008 Opel…errr Saturn Astra – $7,998”

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Quick Hit – Exclusive (and Cheap) Jaguar XJ Supersport – When Normal Supercharging Isn’t Super Enough

xjss sideThere’s a whole lot to like about this 2011 Jaguar XJ Supersport unicorn.  Pretty much all of the options in all of the other Jaguars were standard in the Supersport.  Auto cruise control.  Twelve hundred watt, 20 speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system.  Seat massagers.  Rear seat DVD system.

And more power.  The “normal” Jaguar XJ Supercharged saloon had 470 hp – the Supersport has 510 hp.  Good for mid-four second 0-60 mph and a governed 161 mph.  In this 2011 Motor Trend review they described it as “The Quickest Production XJ Ever”.  The Supersport isn’t terribly more distinguishable than the Supercharged, other than more wood, aluminum, and leather, and special for this car wheels.

But this big Jaguar is also really, really inexpensive at $23,998, and has really, really low miles – driven maybe 2,500 miles yearly.   The price leaves plenty of room for MaxCare to protect against unexpected repairs.  This two owner, accident free car sold originally for over $110,000. Find it here in Reno, Nevada. 2011 Jaguar XJ SSupersport $23,998 22k Reno 6-14-2020

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Quick Hit – Range Rover Evoque HSE Convertible and BONUS Murano Cross Cabriolet – “Not Much Sport; Even Less Utility”

RR Conv sideSorry about two Range Rover posts in a row but this deja vu SUV unicorn caught my eye.  The 2017 Range Rover Evoque HSE convertible.  Fascinated that this didn’t go so well for Nisssan with the two door, faux luxury convertible SUV, and hadn’t realized Range Rover headed down the same path.  That said, this 2017 Car and Driver review suggested the Range Rover is actually not a bad car, if what you want is a “niche within a niche.”  I also stole the not much sport….line in the headline of this post from Car and Driver.

And I had to borrow the photo of the car with the top down from them, since CarMax rarely (and foolishly) provides photos of their convertibles with the top down.  This Range Rover Evoque has the 2.0l four banger good for 240hp, and it is not fast by any means.  But it rides well.  Disappointed that new it sold for close to $60,000 and is only discounted by 25% after three years.

Fortunately, it has some manufacturer warranty left and perhaps the MaxCare warranty isn’t too expensive.  I’d think long and hard about getting MaxCare – I mean CarMax shot the marketing photos with the car already in the garage!  So if a convertible two door SUV is your thing, find this one owner California car here in Sacramento.2017 Range Rover Evoque HSE Cab $44,998 21k Sacramento 6-10 Continue reading “Quick Hit – Range Rover Evoque HSE Convertible and BONUS Murano Cross Cabriolet – “Not Much Sport; Even Less Utility””

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Quick Hit – Another (Cheaper) Range Rover – $18,998!

rr sideSomething about a Range Rover Sport HSE selling for less than $20,000 seems like a bargain.  Here’s a 2010 model with 59,000 miles for only $18,998.  Other than the 2009 model selling for $16,998 last fall (covered here) I haven’t seen one this cheap.  The 2009 model had the 300hp V-8 and this 2010 has a new 5.0l V-8 rated at 375hp.  It’s a bit faster, but it ain’t fast.  But it is luxurious. A chance to “drive rich”.

Here’s the 2010 Car and Driver review covering the introduction of the then latest Range Rover offering.  Beware, when I wrote about this 2012 Range Rover on Mother’s Day a reader pursued it and learned the MaxCare warranty that makes these unicorns worthwhile, was approaching $9,000 for the maximum coverage.  That’s a bit steep.  I always recommend calculating how many usable miles one expects to drive and match the warranty accordingly.  The warranties are always five years, but you can choose the mileage cap you want – 100,000, 125,000, or maybe 150,000 for this Range Rover.  The warranty goes up with each cap.  rr int 2This is a two-owner Texas SUV, and yes, one of those cowboys had an accident and pretty clear that contributes to the discounted price.  If that doesn’t bother you, find it here in Irving, Texas.2010 Range Rover $18,998 59k Texas 6-9-20

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Quick Hit – Pretty Little 2009 Jaguar XF. Low Miles. Low Price.

XF sideSurprised to see this 2009 Jaguar XF pop up at only $13,998. So many lesser used cars one could buy if you want to play it safe. Not that this is a high performance unicorn, but it does have considerable style and adequate oomph from the 300hp 4.2 liter V-8.  Car and Driver seemed enthusiastic enough in this 2009 review, when the XF first replaced the “S” model.

The car sold new in the upper $50,000 range, and while I see four or five comparable 2009 models on Autotrader for less, none of those are available with MaxCare. That’s the CarMax advantage – lock in a five year, 100,000 mile warranty on an eleven year old car and avoid unexpected repair bills. If that’s not a worry then I’d pass and buy a supercharged XF elsewhere. Find this one owner, accident free California car here in Buena Park. 2009 Jaguar XF $133,998 42k Buena Park 6-3-2020

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First One – 2019 BMW M850l X Drive!

M850 sideNot a lot to cheer (or write) about with CarMax unicorns lately.  Inventory has dropped to the low 30,000 car level from a high of over 70,000 cars just as the coronavirus hit, dealerships went on lock down, and employees were laid off.  But out of the blue comes this beautiful 2019 BMW M850l X Drive, the first of its kind with CarMax.  Technically not in my unicorn range at $81,998, and yet it’s pretty special so here it is.  And it’s hot off the press – it’s listed a “Coming Soon” – a new feature on the CarMax website.  Oddly I can see this car on my laptop but not the iPhone app.

Anyway, this BMW M850 is all wheel drive and cranks 523hp out of its 4.4 liter twin turbo V-8.  Good for 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds.  Here’s the full Car and Driver review.  The highs – “Brilliant driving dynamics in the right context, sweet mother lode of torque, gloriously impractical.”  The lows – “Lacks visual drama, can be claustrophobic, gloriously impractical.”  One reviewer thought it looked like a Honda Accord coupe from the side.  I think the rear looks like a Lexus LC500.

The verdict – “A half-price grand tourer with full-price performance.”  The car sold new for maybe $120,000 and is now a third less.  Love depreciation.  For what it’s worth, the BMW M8  won its division at the 24 hours of Daytona the last two years, over my beloved Continue reading “First One – 2019 BMW M850l X Drive!”

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Yet Another 1 of 248 – 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis With Ultra Low Mileage*

MarquisStill intrigued with these Panther-platform dinosaurs, especially the ultra rare ultra low mileage ones.  Only 248 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis models made in the final year.  This one has only 14,000 miles (*although sadly during one of those drives in 2018 the car was in an accident in Florida).  And the 4.6l V-8 only packs 224hp – just a few more than a four cylinder VW GTI of the same era.

But that big beautiful (heated) bench seat, column shifter, and four-dead body trunk (or suitcases and golf clubs) takes me back to another time. Here’s the last 2011 I posted about two years ago…lower price but higher miles.  If you can get over the accident, this one’s way nicer.  And just for fun, the great NY Times review “Heavyweight for a Requiem” from back in the day is to good not to reprint.  My favorite lines:

  • It’s the kind of car dad bought because his buddy at the Kiwanis Club owned the
    dealership and he didn’t want something flashy like a Lincoln. A car you could wear
    a hat in.
  • Wallowing anachronism that it is, the Grand Ma has its charms. It rides as if the tires aren’t just smothering out the road’s divots, but giving each of them a somber, dignified burial.
  • The engine’s initial response is strong, but it quickly runs out of breath and by 5,500
    r.p.m. it’s exhausted. The transmission sort of slides at that point into the next gear
    and heaves a sigh of relief.
  • InsideLine.com clocked it accelerating from a standstill to 60 m.p.h. in a leisurely 9.3 seconds; it also plowed through a quarter-mile run in 16.8 seconds while reaching 83.9 mph.
  • Somewhere along its developmental journey the Grand Marquis
    picked up power rack-and-pinion steering that is shockingly sweet, with good oncenter feel, precise calibration and good feedback. 
  • This is a car unconcerned with carving corners or blitzing across the
    autobahn. It’s built for people who have lived long enough to have already had all the drama they want in their lives.
  • INSIDE TRACK: You may miss it, but you didn’t really want it.

Find this 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis LS here in Orlando.  Where else?!

2011 Mercury Marquis $15,998 14k Orlando May 2020

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Quick Hit – 2009 BMW 750Li for a Stupid $15,998.

BMW 750 sideAgain, to quote one of our readers, “driving rich” is the whole ides of this blog – acquiring high end, highly depreciated unicorns from CarMax and leveraging their bumper-to-bumper MaxCarewarranty to protect against extraordinary repairs. I wish I could remember who sent that to me.  Anyway, this low mileage, 11 year old long wheelbase BMW 750Li is very, very nice for a stupid low $15,998.  It’s also the first year of the fifth generation, no bubble-butt trunk lid.

Here’s the review from Car and Driver when the car was new.  When the car sold for just under $100,000.  And here’s a long term testfrom Automobile magazine.  It’s modestly equipped with blind spot monitors, lane departure, rear DVD, and seat massagers,  and also comes with a 4.8 liter twin-turbo V-8 good for sub-five second 0-60 sprints.  This is a real autobahn cruiser at a used Corolla price.

I would not own this without MaxCare, and my experience is that MaxCare for 750’s is expensive.  But with a starting price of $15,998 it’s worth a try.  Think about it – the warranty can protect you until the car is 16 years old, and for maybe almost 100,000 more miles.  That’s driving rich.  Find this two owner, accident free luxury car here in Pleasanton, California. 2009 BMW 750 $15,998 54k Pleasonton

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