Author: Chuck Banks

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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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Quick Hit – Nearly New 2011 Nissan Cube Krom. Someone Somewhere Likes This.

Cube sideAdd the Nissan Cube Krom to the list of cars I didn’t know existed, perhaps for good reason.  I like looking for older, ultra low mileage cars in the CarMax inventory and this little unicorn just keeps catching my eye.  Turns out Nissan’s Krom editions were opportunities for buyers to choose lots of accents and options that weren’t available on the run of the mill cars.

Back in 2011, when this car was new, someone actually spent about $22,000 and made the choices you see here.  Not sure what they really thought of that choice, since the car was only driven 10,000 miles in the nine years since.  I love the color and I love the ballsy faux chrome front end, and I love that 2011 was the last year for these Krom cars.

Here’s a review from Automobile Mag back in 2011.  Cubes in general never sold very well.  I suspect there are not a lot of Cube Kroms out there.  It comes with a 1.8 liter 122hp four banger.  I wondered at the “Power/Cycle” knob by the shifter and had to Google it – turns out it rotates through accent lighting.  Who knew?  Why?

Rental cube Full disclosure, because my then-teenage daughter suggested it, on a vacation to Texas I actually rented me a Cube.  In the land of pickups no less.  The things we do for love.  Don’t tell my wife I posted this.

 

 

If a Nissan Cube Krom is your thing this is a nearly new one for half price. Find it here in Athens, Georgia.

2011 Nissan Cube Krom $12,998 10k Athens 5-20

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Happy Mother’s Day – The Queen’s Range Rover (Sorta) for $23,998!

My mother never had a license or drove a car in her life, and passed away last year at 92.  And here’s Queen Elizabeth II driving a Range Rover at the ripe old age of 93 (when the photo was taken I think – she’s 94 now!).  Ignore the media hullabaloo that she’s not wearing a seat belt, it’s still impressive.  Live on the edge at that age!RR Side So to celebrate here’s a low mileage 2012 Range Rover Sport HSE unicorn at a bargain price.  Once sold for about $80,000 and is now $23,998.  Or less than 20,000 British pounds if you’re so inclined.  This Range Rover Sport is adequately equipped, with four wheel drive, optional nine speed transmission (not sure that’s accurate – thought they only had an optional eight speed?), heated steering wheel and so on.

Not tremendously equipped, but good enough.  Same with the 375hp 5.0 liter V-8.  Good enough, although I’d have to wait on the occasional supercharged Range Rover that drops into the $25,000 range (like this one from last year).  Or if supercharging is too much oomph, this stupid cheap one at $16,998 that stayed on the net for a very short time would do. Here’s the review from 2012 in Top Speed.  Of course, I’d especially want MaxCare to protect myself from repair bills.  Find this two-owner California car here in Loveland, Colorado. 2012 Range Rover $23,998 45k Loveland

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