Author: Chuck Banks

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Quick Hit – 2013 BMW M6 On Sale? Dropped $3,000 Today

M6 side
2013 BMW M6 (sorry about the silly plus sign – embedded in CarMax photo!)

Been tracking this 2013 BMW M6 for maybe a month when it was in the high $30’s but as a V-8 and not a V-10 it didn’t feel like that much of a unicorn so didn’t write about it – until today when it dropped $3,000.  Believe it’s the third price drop on the car.  At $31,998 it’s starting to feel like a 560hp bargain.  It’s fully optioned – even has night vision!  Wondering how much MaxCare you could buy with that $3,000 savings?

This is the latest generation (F13/LX93) M6 and as far as I can tell only a few hundred sell new annually.   Check out this review from Car and Driver, indicating a 0-60mph in 4 seconds – and that the car sold new for maybe $110,000.  The current $31,998 is looking like a deal.  Find this three owner car here in Doral, Florida. 2013 BMW M6 $31998 52k Doral Jan 2020

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Quick Hit – 3rd Cheapest Porsche 911 in Two-Plus Years!

911 top downBeen tracking Porsche 911 unicorns at CarMax since the summer of 2017 and there have been a total of three that were less than $40,000.  Two of them I snagged (bought one  – Etta posted here, and declined on one because it had manual seats and I didn’t fit!), and the third is this one – just listed for $39,998.  The down side….it’s a one accident car, and it’s a convertible (unless you want a convertible – the one I drove was noisy as hell).  The up side….it’s a 911.  There’s few sports cars with the racing heritage or the handling of a 911.  I first saw them race at Le Mans in 1981 and first drove one in 2008 and have always been smitten.  They are very, very special cars.

NEVER thought I could afford to own or maintain one until I scored Etta from CarMax two years ago.  Absolutely love the way my 911 accelerates – even for a base 325hp Carrera (this one is 345hp) and corners, and the biggest disappointment is that the damned thing has not broken enough to recover my MaxCare outlay!   I’m sure it will.  If you’ve always wanted a Porsche 911 but like me were wary of the initial outlay or repair costs, maybe this is your starter 911?  Find it here in Orlando.  And kudos to CarMax Orlando for providing photos of a convertible with the top down!2009 911 Porsche Carrera $39,998 56k Orlando 1-12-20

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Real Quick Hit – 2010 Mercedes E550 $17,998

Thinking I need to post this quickly. Seems like a bargain – luxury, low miles, low price. The 2010’s “only” had 380hp – same as BMW 550 and Jaguar XF V-8’s of the same era. Also thinking with tax and MaxCare you could be out the door for $23,000. Yes it’s a 10 year old car but easy way to drive semi-rich! Find this two owner car here in Duarte, California.

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The Daily Driver I’d Choose If I Only Had $10,000 To Spend? Really.

$10000Say you need a daily driver and times are hard, or you’re cheap frugal, and really don’t want to spend a lot on a car – but you want some fun, some style,  and self-respect on the road.   What do you do?  What would I do?  CarMax has 1,548 cars for sale nationwide priced under $10,000.  Filter that by my self-imposed unicorn ceiling of 60,000 miles, and that number dwindles to 183 prospects.  Most of those are Chevrolet Sparks and Sonics, Nissan Versas, Smart cars, and Mitsubishi i-MIEV’s (looks like that applicance that sweeps your living room floor when you’re not home).  All fine commuter cars but no soul, no individuality on the interstate.Fiat 500 side My choice would be this 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo.  Really.  While it’s not a 160hp Fiat 500 Abarth (that’ll run you $12,000!) it’s also not the 101hp base Fiat 500.  It’s a 135hp, 2,500 pound car that rides good enough, quick enough (for $10,000), gets over 30mpg, and has that Italian style and flair.  Here’s a cute review from Car and Driver back in 2013.  I would definitely drop some lire on MaxCare – it is an Italian car after all!

But mostly, I’d pick this Fiat 500 Turbo for my selfish nostalgic reasons – in the summer of 2010 before these came to the US and I lived in Europe, I rented one in Norway for a bucket list solo drive from Oslo to the Artic Circle.  I drove 25 hours – 14 hours up in a day, and 11 hours back (different route) in a day, and almost 1,500 miles round trip – and not once was I uncomfortable or disappointed in that little car.  Loved it.  If you really, really want to read the whole story, here’s my write-up in Trip Advisor after I returned.  So yeah, I have an emotional enthusiasm for this little Fiat and could easily daily drive it.  And tempting – this single-owner Fiat 500 Turbo is here at my local CarMax dealer!2013 Fiat 500 Turbo $9599 53k

HONORABLE MENTION Continue reading “The Daily Driver I’d Choose If I Only Had $10,000 To Spend? Really.”

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Happy New Year! Here’s a 2020 *Unicorn* for 2020!

M2 sideTechnically this doesn’t meet my *unicorn* standards (Less than $35,000, under 60,000 miles) but I wanted to wish readers a Happy New Year to start 2020 – and it’s a real driver’s car and got my attention amongst the 13 used 2020 models in the CarMax inventory.  I once asked a CarMax rep why damn near brand new cars are up for sale and he told me most of these are repossessions.  Interesting.

This 2020 BMW M2 Competition sold new very recently for a good $60,000, so not much depreciation in the selling price of $55,998.  I thrive on depreciation.  The short take on this short M2 from this Car and Driver review suggests adding the M4 Competition engine to the M2 Competition in 2019 was a good thing – the 405hp twin-turbo inline six mated to a six speed manual transmission is good for a four second flat 0-60mph run.

The down side, in the review, is that the M2 Competition beats the hell out of the driver on the road but is exhilarating and rewarding on the track.  No need for MaxCare – the car is still under manufacturer warranty.  Find it here in Virginia Beach, Virginia.2020 BMW M2 Comp $55,998 2k Virginia Beach 1-2-20  Continue reading “Happy New Year! Here’s a 2020 *Unicorn* for 2020!”

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The Daily Driver I’d Choose If I Only Had $15,000 To Spend – 2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged

Jag XF 34Thought I wrote about this unicorn – the first year Jaguar offered 420hp supercharged V-8 engines in the XF line – but I suspect it was a car that was gone as fast as it was listed.  It returned recently and yesterday dropped $1,000 to a bargain price of $14,998.  The car sold for over $60,000 new.  It’s fairly well appointed with heating and cooling seats, heated steering wheel, blind spot monitor, rear view camera, 20″ wheels, and Bluetooth.

Was pleasantly surprised by this Car and Driver review that gave the car kudos for a decent ride on high performance tires, .87g on the skidpad, and a five second 0-60mph run.  CarMax has about 11,000 cars under $15,000 and under my self imposed mileage cap of 60,000 miles, but this is the one I’d pick as a daily driver.

Of course, by the time you add MaxCare, and I wouldn’t own it without the warranty, and taxes, it would be a $20,000 car.  Find this one owner car here in Salt Lake City, Utah. 2009 Jaguar XF Superharged $14,998 51k Salt Lake 12-30-2019

HONORABLE MENTION!

THESE WOULDN’T HURT MY HEAD IF I HAD TO DRIVE THEM.2011 E350 $14,998 52k2008 Cad CTS DI $13,599 60k2011 BMW 335d $14,998 56k2008 Cad DTS $14,998 26k2008 Lexus ES350 $14,599 45k

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Merry Christmas! E-Mail Followers……E-Mail Me For Your Present!

Just wanted to thank those that have signed up to follow this blog of mine on a regular basis (all 83 of you so far!) and wish you a very Merry Christmas.  In fact, shoot me an email and say hello just to let me know you’re still here, and I’ll send you a little present to express my appreciation.  Hope you had a good day and looking forward to blogging more for 2020 – my third year of this hobby!

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Screwed Again – CarMax Botches My Unicorn Transfer and S65 Gone

I dig CarMax because I can drive deeply depreciated unicorns at a decent price and be protected from repair risk because they sell a great MaxCare warranty on everything on the lot. But they sure suck at routine processes sometimes. Found this 2015 Mercedes S65 coupe in California. New it was $235,000 and four years later it’s selling for $79,000. But it was on its way to Albuquerque before I could strike. Fortunately that buyer backed out and I put the car on hold. Called my sales rep who agreed to get it off hold and let me pay to transfer to Dulles. But while on hold for me Albuquerque blew it and accepted a transfer to Fredericksburg, VA (ironically not far from me). Neither Dulles, Albuquerque, nor Fredericksburg dealers would reverse what they all admitted was a mistake so I engaged corporate in Richmond. Best they can do us offer me a free transfer from anywhere in the country because the S65 is sold. Bastards. I’m so tempted to find the crappiest $5,995 car I can from the most expensive, distant dealer (Spokane) and have it transferred to Dulles. Ugh.

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Quick Hit – Bargain 510hp 2012 Range Rover Sport – $25,998

RR sideI love this unicorn.  Don’t see a lot of Range Rovers in red.  Don’t see a lot of supercharged Range Rovers for $25,998.  Don’t see any other 500+ hp SUV’s for under $35,000 – BMW X5M’s and X6M’s sometimes come close (check out this X6M with 555hp for $36,998 in Tuscon).  Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8’s don’t have the oomph and cost more.  Mercedes GL63’s top 550hp but also cost twice what this Range Rover does.

This supercharged Range Rover is ripe for MaxCare though – repairs aren’t cheap.  Minor point – CarMax has this car listed under the more luxurious Range Rover category and not Range Rover Sport.  The Sports are usually cheaper – regardless $25,998 is a good deal for a single-owner Ranger Rover Sport Supercharged.  Find it here in Sacramento.

2012 Range Rover Super $25,998 43k Sacramento 12-11-19

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