Author: Chuck Banks

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BMW B7 Binge – Three Exclusive Luxury Sedans

Used to seeing the occasional BMW Alpina B7 unicorn in the CarMax inventory, and maybe a B6 from time to time, but today there are three B7’s for sale in the $40k range. Only a couple of hundred of these $130,000+ sedans make it to the US yearly. Add a couple grand for a five year, 150,000 mile MaxCare warranty and you’ve got a worry free long distance cruiser! This review (and BMW press release suggests the 2013 and up models amped up to 540hp (and 194 mph top speed!) but CarMax lists all three at 500hp. Not sure why. This 2012 model is the “bargain” at $40,998 with AWD, auto cruise control, black on black, and heated steering wheel – but not much else. Find it here in Shaumburg, Illinois – full ads at the bottom of the page. In the middle of the pack is this 2014 for $44,998. It’s an L model, just the Cold Weather and Executive packages – no auto cruise control…but if you’re into baseball the interior must have come from Wilson.It’s here in Burbank, California.Last is this beautiful 2014 L model at $48,998. Got the NASCAR look black wheels, Driver Assist Package, auto cruise control and nifty video screens in the back. Find it here in Murrieta, California.

Here’s the ads for all three: If it were me I’d be happy to get into the Alpina club with the $40k model, although this year we’ve seen two in the high $30’s at CarMax. Enjoy.

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Quick Hit – Cheap Volkswagen CC VR6 – Mini CLS?

Never occurred to me but this review took notice that the 2009 Volkswagen CC VR6 resembles the first gen Mercedes CLS that I thought was cool (and still do). CarMax offering this smartly styled, low mileage (42k), three-owner (one accident) 280hp AWD German sedan here in Austin, Texas for $13,998. If only it had a manual transmission!

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Quick Hit – First Audi Q8!

Not really a unicorn at this price, but amused that a used 2019 Audi Q8 is already on a CarMax lot. Only 5,000 miles and at $64,998 it’s about $12,000 less than a new one (priced one out with same packages on Audi’s web site). BTW – experimenting with blog post on phone – appreciate patience! Unremarkable review on Car and Driver except intrigued it’s the same chassis as the Bentley Benteyga and Lamborghini Urus (and just saw a Urus roar away from a stoplight here in Leesburg, Virginia this morning!). Suspect it rides well although underpowered. No need for MaxCare – still under dealer warranty for some time. Find it here in Columbus, Ohio. 

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Quick Hit – 2010 Camaro With 2k Miles! Need You More Than Want You……

2010 Camaro….and I want you for all time.  This adorable 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS unicorn has been on a CarMax lot in Wichita lot for over a week and got an alert today it dropped $1,000 (again).  C’mon….it has been driven just over 200 miles PER YEAR by a single owner!  I would even skip the MaxCare warranty – no need. It’s a new car.

With a 400hp 6.2 liter V-8, pristine interior, and a six-speed automatic, it’s perfect for enjoying driving the main road, searching in the sun for another overload.  Or maybe you just need a small vacation.  Car and Driver described this car as “Quiet + Calm Ride = Surprising Comfort” in the 2010 review.  Find this nearly new Camaro in Wichita here. 2010 Camaro $23,998 2k Wichita

 

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Bargain Bullitt – 1 of 1,400 and Will Be Gone By The Weekend

New Bullitt

Old BullittThe 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt unicorn below popped up today in Georgia.  Too new to have photos on the web yet so added a file photo.  The attraction of this car is the stupid low miles, not to mention it is one of 1,400 made in 2008 and pretty damned cool.  Here’s the last one that I covered from CarMax that was quite high-mileage, and a few more I found here with low miles and price tags north of $20,000.   Saw one with 4,000 go for $22,998 at CarMax.  However……check out the disclaimer below on the CarMax vehicle history page.   I have no idea what that means but maybe that’s why this Bullitt is a bargain?    Here’s a pretty favorable review from Road and Track back in the day.  Maybe you already bought a 2019 model – add an older one to your collection!  Add a cheap five year, 125,000 mile MaxCare bumper to bumper warranty and drive the snot out of the car.  Find this Bullitt here in Norcross, Georgia.  If the link is broken it’s sold, on hold, or being transferred.  Will add photos when they pop.2008 Ford Bullitt

Bullitt Disclaimer

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The CarMax 600hp Club – 19 Hot Rod Unicorns

Corvette front

The Trump administration and the Iranians are circling once again and oil prices are skyrocketing – what better time to pick up a bargain 600 hp unicorn before they become extinct!  And CarMax has 19 of these high-horsepower bad boys on lots nationwide.  Almost all of them are General Motors products, with one Audi and one BMW from our (for now) European ally, the Germans.  Been watching, and (surprise) no Hellcats have made it to CarMax, and Ford isn’t making a Mustang that bucks 600.  So here’s what we have today (CarMax listings at the bottom).

M760 SideThe lone BMW M760 is a beautiful, big sedan that squeaks in at 601hp from a 6.6 liter twin-turbo V-12.  This is the motor Rolls Royce uses in the Ghost and Wraith, I’ve learned.  If you’ve been here before, you know I have a thing for V-12’s.  (Check out my S600 with a measley 510hp here.)

This 2017 BMW M760 has only 14,000 miles, and is loaded with AWD, auto cruise control, and a business class backseat – at 206″ long it’s almost business jet sized – and tops the price list today at $97,998.  According to this Motor Trend reveiw the M760 once sold for maybe $170,000.  It’s a one-owner car still under dealer warranty (buy the MaxCare Continue reading “The CarMax 600hp Club – 19 Hot Rod Unicorns”

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One of 30 in US – 2013 Jaguar XJ L Ultimate

And now for something really exclusive – a limited edition Jaguar unicorn that sold new for $155,000 (if you could find one) offered six years later for $50,998.   Only 30 imported into the US.  All in the same color – Black Amethyst.  All with a 510hp supercharged V-8 and eight-speed transmission.

The front seat looks about the same as all the other XJ’s but the back seat….oh the back seat.  From this Road and Track review when introduced at the Beijing Auto Show:  “…the real hedonism starts with the press of a button, when a small table—machined from solid aluminum and edged with piano black trim—levitates from the center console. It can swing to either side on its pillar, and raising it reveals a flocked storage compartment beneath that contains a pair of bespoke champagne flutes, dramatically lit with a phosphor blue glow.  We all know that where there are champagne flutes, champagne is likely to be nearby. So a large bottle of Moët & Chandon (sold separately) can be chilled in a compartment between the seats, and when this cabinet is opened, the bottle presents itself, lit up with the same theatric blue.”  The car also includes built-in iPads and keyboards in the seat backs.  And herringbone ebony wood trim.  And a 15 channel, 20 speaker Meridian sound system.

Proceed with caution, though.  In six years this car has had six owners, and I got it from a reliable source that it was once purchased and returned to a CarMax dealer.  The owner and CarMax shared concerns about the high cost of warranty repairs under MaxCare.  And yet, here it is on the market again.  Also noticed what looks like a fair amount of wear and tear on the switches.  Takes away from the lustre of a very exclusive car.  But pretty sure you won’t see many like it on the road, and your passengers will thank you for the creature comforts in the back!  Check it out here in Louisville, Kentucky.   If the link is dead it’s sold, on hold, or being transferred.  2013Jaguar XJ L Ultimate $50.998 37k Louisville

 

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Quick Hit – Final Four Pontiac Survivors?

By no means advocating these cars as unicorns, but writing from Minneapolis before attending the NCAA Final Four and two things come to mind.  First, been here 24 hours and I cannot get over how many Pontiacs are on the road here.  Azteks, G-cars, Vibes….I stopped counting at about two dozen in an hour or so, all in downtown Minneapolis.  Googled it but no answer on why so many.  Maybe just GM territory?

Anyway, got me to thinking that CarMax tends to limit inventory to cars no more than 10 years old, and the day is coming when there will be no more Pontiacs for sale since they went out of business in 2010.  Here’s four of the six Pontiacs still on CarMax lots.  The G3 is a Daewoo piece of shit.  The G6 GXP at Dulles may be a 2009.5 model, a bit rare.  The Vibe is really a Toyota Matrix and probably not a bad car.  Understand only 97 2010 Pontiac Vibes were made before the Pontiac shutdown – now that would be a unicorn!  And to think you can get the bumper-to-bumper MaxCare warranty for another 100,000 miles, until these extinct cars are 15 years old!

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Quick Hits – Three Decent Mercedes S550’s – And Spyshot of Rare S550 Igloo!

2009 S550 34

CarMax usually has plenty of Mercedes S550’s that meet my unicorn standards ($35,000 or less, 60,000 miles or less) so I don’t cover them much.  But this low budget model, and two low priced, low mileage S550’s caught my eye.   I love the ride of the S600 I just bought, but not everyone wants a gas guzzling V-12.  These S550’s – especially the 2012 – will get you the luxury ride and still have plenty of oomph.  The 2009 S550 above is a bit of a bargain, although it did have a rear impact accident six years ago.  Find the 2009 model here in Tampa.  2010 SIDE

The 2009 S550 and this 2010 “only” have 382 hp, and that should be enough to cruise the interstates.  The 2010 is a bit pricey at $32,998, but it has a stupid low 12,000 miles – Continue reading “Quick Hits – Three Decent Mercedes S550’s – And Spyshot of Rare S550 Igloo!”

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