Reason #1 – I drove the Mercedes GLE63 from Virginia to Seattle and back, with more than a bit of craziness along the way. Most of of it captured on a dashcam. That’s about a hundred hours of video to sort through so I can write a wildly entertaining blog post on that.
Rental BMW 530i in Monument Valley
Reason #2—My friend (we’ll call him “Jerry”) rented this 2024 BMW to drive his son from Virginia to California, and I flew out to drive back with Jerry. I have another blog post to do on that road trip, without violating his privacy, of course.
Virginia Beach Marathon – Back When All My Parts Worked
Reason #3 – I have been inspired to resume writing a book on my marathon running experiences, which has consumed much of my free time. I had set it aside for years, and now I have a November deadline to complete it. For what it’s worth, there are more than a few similarities between cross-country driving and marathon running. Someday, maybe I’ll write a piece on that!
All that rationalizing aside, I’m taking an afternoon coffee break from writing about running to blog about these Corvettes. I also got a notification this morning that a gentleman, who I believe goes by Jim, just signed up to follow the blog, and I thought I owed it to you all to stop whining and actually write a blog post.
These Corvettes really don’t fit my standard model for unicorns because they are way over my new threshold budget of $45,000. They’re unique because they’ve hardly been driven—less than 999 miles each. I’m still amazed that CarMax is able to buy up so many ultra-low-mileage cars. At the moment they have about a half dozen cars, three years old or more, with less than 1,000 miles on them. In fact, bump that up to 10,000 miles and you get about three dozen muscle cars, most less than $40,000. Does anyone know why owners don’t drive them more?
The standout here is the 2016 Corvette Z06 above. Over eight years old and less than a thousand miles on it. And a convertible to boot. The C7 Corvette was manufactured from 2014-2019 and was the last of the front-engined cars. The C7 was developed to offset the research suggesting the C6 Corvette had become an “old man’s toy”. The head of Chevy marketing thought too many people saw it as the car of “the successful plumber.” (thanks to Wiki for that – no offense to plumbers?)
Our next two contestants are newer C8s: a red 2020 Corvette Stingray and a black 2023 Corvette Stingray—both in 3LT trim. The 2020 was the first year for the C8, and the mid-engine was GM’s first since the 1984 Pontiac Fiero. These 2020 and 2023 models have targa tops that can be stored in the boot. Not quite a convertible.
The 2016 Z06 (below) surprisingly offered Apple CarPlay with the MyLink 8-inch touch screen, a heads-up display, and air-conditioned and heated seats. The interior looks damned near new, as it should with so few miles. The 2016 Z06 had the Performance Data and Video Recorder with Navigation feature. and front curb-view cameras. Nice to have. The GM of old, though, continued to use the same switches and buttons across more pedestrian models like the Impala and Suburban, detracting a bit from this sports car’s panache.
I don’t know why I said panache. I never use that word, and if I did, I should have saved it for the C8 interior below. It’s very…panachy? As modern and high tech as the whole car. I love that whole bank of buttons on the right side of the console. Pretty sure zipping around turns my passenger wife would be gripping that and accidentally turning stuff on and off. I once sat in a C8 and found it way more roomy and comfortable for my 6’4″ 225-pound frame than the C7. The bulkhead behind the C7 driver’s seat prevented me from reclining the seatback to get more hip room. Not so in the C8, even with the big motor behind me. That said, I found it harder to ease through the C8 doorway and into the cockpit than the C7, and pretty sure I’d be banging my door into every car I parked next to. It was not for me as a daily driver.
The 3LT trim upgrades the 2LT interior to leather-trimmed everything, and Napa leather sport seats with carbon fiber accents. The 3LT upgrade was $4,650 on top of the $7,300 for the 2LT features – an additional front HD camera and HD rearview camera, rear cross-traffic alerts, and blind-spot monitoring. The 2LT also provides heated and cooling seats and a heated steering wheel. Read in Top Flight Automotive: “A feature you might choose for your 2LT trim is the automatic front-lift tool. With just the click of a button in the center console, this tool elevates your front bumper about two inches from the ground to keep your Corvette scrape-free. It’s important to note that this option isn’t standard and is only offered for the 2LT and 3LT trims at an additional price.” I can’t tell if these 3LTs have that – CarMax doesn’t have a tab to search for it.
The 2020 Corvette Stingray has a mere 693 miles!
And the 2023 looks like only 724 miles. (Unfortunately, CarMax’s photo of the 2016 Z06’s dash was taken with the display turned off, so no mileage display. The service history shows an inspection in late August at 940 miles. I’d bet that’s close now.)
The 2016 Corvette Z06 is powered by a monster 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 (above), making a whopping 650 horsepower. With an eight-speed automatic, it will knock out 60 mph in just three seconds. The top speed is 186 mph. Supercar performance on the cheap?
The 2020 Corvette Stingray 3LT engine bay.
The 2020 and 2023 3LTs are powered by far less powerful naturally aspirated V-8s, also 6.2 liters, producing “only” 490 horsepower. But with the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, no manual available anymore, the C8 is still faster to 60 mph, hitting it in 2.7 seconds. Top speed is 194 mph. Highway mpg is 27….obviously not at that speed.
CarMax’s photo of the 2023 engine bay shows the plastic protective cover, which looks dented.
The 2016 Corvette Z06 sold new for maybe $90,000. It hasn’t depreciated very much in eight years. It’s a one-owner, accident-free car that’s been in California from the start. Right now it’s here in Palm Springs. Although the car hasn’t been driven enough to deserve an oil change it has been serviced. I’d still spring for MaxCare for another five years and 150,000 miles. And drive the hell out of it. Quickly.
Stock No: 26422360 VIN: 1G1YU3D62G5601343
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 3LT listed new for perhaps $71,495, although if I recall, nobody was getting the first-year C8 Corvette out the door for under $90,000. I may remember wrong. Of interest is the photo above, which shows a price drop of $2,000. Since I started writing, it has dropped another grand to $69,998. Is CarMax getting itchy to unload this Corvette? It’s a one-owner Florida car currently here in Fort Lauderdale.
Stock No: 26412626 VIN: 1G1Y82D41L5113752
Finally, the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 3LT sold new for about $78,000, or at least that was roughly the MSRP. However, I still don’t think they were really available for that. This one has hardly depreciated in a year, although it was in a “moderate” accident in Greenville, South Carolina, which might give me pause. It’s still under manufacturer warranty, but I’d still do MaxCare. It’s not a coveted 70th-anniversary car, but it’s still a world-class sports car. It’s currently reserved for a drive here in Augusta, Georgia.
I still can’t understand the CarMax applications. When I searched on my desktop PC, I found that this 2013 Mercedes ML63 AMG was not visible. It is on my iPhone app, though. I saved it in my CarMax favorites so I could find it while writing on the desktop. It shouldn’t be this hard to keep track of unicorns! I would hate to lose track of such an affordable AMG SUV.
Fun fact: When I lived in Alabama in 1993-1994, a couple of states in the US were competing to land the new Mercedes factory that would build the ML-class SUV. Alabama won and threw in an incentive to have the Alabama National Guard clear the land for the factory. The first generation ML rolled off the line in 1997 as a 1998 model, the W163. The second generation ran from 2005 to 2011 (W164), and the third generation from 2012 until the naming convention changed to the GLE class in 2015. And 20 years after that factory opened, I own a fourth generation, if you will, GLE63 AMG! When I lived in Alabama, I drove a Merkur XR4ti – a German sedan with an American motor. My GLE63 is American-made, with a German motor. Not sure what to make of all that.
The ML63 AMG is an excellent sleeper SUV, with almost nothing on the outside giving away the performance it’s hiding. The 5,100-pound SUV will hit 60 mph in about four and a half seconds. Maybe 154 mph top-end governed. It sports active damping control, active anti-roll bars, and airbags. Braking happens by AMG 15.4-inch front with six-piston calipers up front and 13.6-inchers in the back. The ML63 has Distronic Plus active cruise control, although not listed on the CarMax site as a feature – drives down the price? Also has blind spot detection, active lane-keeping assist, and Parktronic parking assist. Quite a lot for a 12 year old Mercedes.
Inside, the ML63 offers a 13-speaker Harman Kardon LOGIC7 sound system, heated and air-conditioned seats, and navigation. Alas, there are no seat massagers. However, it’s a comfortable enough two-row SUV. There are people who need three rows, and this ML63 wouldn’t work for them. I only need two rows and have an aversion to hauling around a third row buried in the cargo floor, presuming I’m losing trunk space. Who knows if that’s true?
The 2013 Mercedes ML63 is so fast because of the 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8, which produces 518 horsepower, mated to an AMG Speedshift 7G-Tronic transmission and AWD. A performance package was available, pumping horsepower up to 557, but I have no reason to believe this one has that. Mercedes spotters might know.
The 2013 Mercedes ML63 AMG, similarly equipped, sold for $107,000 new. This one-owner, accident-free SUV has spent its entire life in California. It’s selling for just over a quarter of that now. Throw in MaxCare, of course, to protect yourself when that motor or the airbags go bad on you. That’s the whole point of this, right? You can find this affordable 2013 Mercedes ML63 AMG here in Los Angeles, California.
Regular readers know I’m a bit of a dinosaur. Addicted to fossil fuels. My decision tree on car motors starts with the number of cylinders (12 preferred) and works down to eights, sixes, and an occasional four for special cars. Entertained a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) once when feeling guilty about my gas guzzlers, but never a true electric vehicle (EV). I know they’re economical and luxurious and quick and quiet. Just can’t see myself in one just yet.
But this one is consistent with my unicorn theory as an enthusiast’s vehicle and deeply depreciated. Like $200,000 new down to $87,000 depreciated. And crazy fast. Like shot out of a cannon. Speaking of which, thanks to reader Cannon for bringing this to my attention and pointing out why the Porsche is special.
The 2020 Porsche Taycan Electric Turbo S is rated at 750 horsepower and 774 lb-ft of torque with both electric motors spooled up, and with AWD silently screams to 60 mph in 2.4 seconds, per Car and Driver. Shocking! The third quickest vehicle they’ve ever tested. As fast as the Bugatti Veyron. Their review also points out this is the first EV with a multi-speed transmission (2 to be exact) and will hit an estimated 162 mph. The down side is range – 192 miles. A Tesla will do over 300 I think. (Read somewhere that 95% of the EVs sold in America are still on the road today. The rest were able to be driven home. 🙂 )
Car and Driver also notes the Taycan will charge from 5 to 80 percent in 22 minutes at the most powerful charging stations, although they are far and few between. Last, Car and Driver distinguishes the Taycan over other EV’s by writing, “Equally unusual, there is no one-pedal driving in the electric Porsche. The Taycan bucks EV convention and provides minimal or no regenerative braking when the driver lifts off the accelerator, depending on which of the three selectable modes is in use.” I have no idea why that matters.
The 2020 Porsche Taycan Electric Turbo S has a handsome interior, with Apple CarPlay, air conditioned and heated seats, and a Bose audio system. (You know what Taycan owners listen to on the Bose audio? AC/DC, ELO, or something current.) Not a very long list of features for a $200,000 car. Can’t see it in this CarMax photo, but Car and Driver also notes, “The Taycan’s hood slopes away too fast to see it from the cockpit, framing the road between its suggestive fenders. ” Having owned a 911 I sort of get that, although “suggestive fenders” sounds like something you’d see in an online dating app?
Front and rear boots have plenty of luggage space for those 192 mile trips.
Making light of this Porsche Taycan Electric Turbo S, and yet this is a serious high performance EV that I wouldn’t say no to if it showed up in my driveway. Still steamed that CarMax is sometimes weaseling customers with only one key. On such a high end car no less. The Porsche may be under manufacturer warranty for a bit, and MaxCare is available for five years and up to 125,000 miles.
At the moment this single owner, accident free EV race car is reserved here in San Jose, California. It says price unavailable, but it’s listed for $86,998. Cash or charge (ha!). Track it with the stock number and/or the VIN below if it doesn’t show up in your search. Thanks again, Cannon!
The most rewarding part of being an amateur blog writer is to hear from readers that share an interest in finding CarMax unicorns, and especially when they’ve bought a few of their own. I’ve exchanged email as with as many of you as I can keep up with and even met a few for coffee or a beer. Last week I got a wonderful email from Seth Steiner, a writer himself, who stumbled on this blog after he bought a pair of CarMax unicorns – a 2017 Mercedes GLS550 and a 2017 CLS550!
Here’s his 2017 GLS550 and the email (shared with his permission), with some commentary from me if I can figure out how to distinguish it from his email:
Hello! My name is Seth Steiner, and I just stumbled across your website today and I found it really interesting. (Chuck Comment: At this point, I’d publish anything Seth sends me. I’m that easy.) I (as I imagine you do as well) enjoy perusing the CarMax website looking for the most interesting vehicles they for whatever reason choose to have in inventory. This comes after our family ourselves picked one of these cars up. Back in September of 2023, my family decided to begin looking for a new car, which from the get-go was decided would be a Mercedes, likely a GLS. What we didn’t know going into this hunt was what we’d stumble into; a Designo Cardinal Red 2017 GLS550 WITH a Designo Quilted Espresso leather interior. A spec I have not seen a single other example of.
(Chuck Comment: Designo, is pronounced “di-ZEE-no”, I was told, after saying it wrong. Per Google AI “Mercedes-Benz “Designo” is a program that allows customers to personalize their Mercedes-Benz with custom paint, leather, and interior trim options. The “Designo” package is available for select models and includes a multi-layered process that uses nanotechnology to protect and ensure the durability of the materials. Some of the options that are available through the designo package include:
Paintwork: High-gloss colors or matte finishes.
Upholstery: Nappa leather in solid or two-tone colors, and ceilings with a Dinamica suede appearance.
Cabin trim: Exotic woods, hand-stitched leather, and stone granite can be selected.”
Back to Chuck –I have seen indications that the paint was another $6,000+ and the interior $3,000 + in 2017 – maybe a $10,000 upgrade to Seth’s GLS550? I would have to agree that this is a rare GLS550!)My estimate is Seth’s GLS550 was easily a $100,000 SUV.
(Back to Seth) What makes this even better is the fact that it was listed online for $42k, but said $48k on the window sticker. Because of this blunder on CarMax’s part, we ended up getting the car for the lower of these two prices! We had to order the car in from CarMax of Tampa into our local store (Capital Blvd Raleigh) for $199, but upon first seeing the car we knew it was the one. Driving it and feeling the 449hp Biturbo V8 just confirmed it.
I asked Seth to share his buying experience, as I never want to appear to be just a CarMax shill, and maybe others don’t have the same pretty good engagement I have had. His response follows:
The buying experience on both cars was lovely. Ordering them to our local store was a breeze. Both of the sales guys we interfaced with were super friendly and easy to work with, and the express pickup option worked especially nicely, as it made paying for the cars easy considering we didn’t have the money quite ready to pay for the cars immediately (just had to transfer but that took a day or two.)
BREAK IN THE SETH ACTION – A GLS550 AVAILABLE NOW!
Thought it would be a hoot to see what comparable Mercedes’ might be available if Seth’s GLS550 got your attention, and this was the best I could do. Not bad, but it’s not a Designo (found a pair of lesser Mercedes Designo SUV’s at CarMax today and will add those at the very end!) This is a 2018 Mercedes GLS550 that is pretty much the same platform.
Motor Trend reviewed the 2017 Mercedes GLS550 and confirmed it was the “the S-Class among SUVs.” It’s a luxury SUV with heated and cooling seats, seat massagers, and Apple CarPlay. Oddly, doesn’t say it has auto cruise control. Can that be?
This may be the most inviting pair of third row seats I’ve seen in a while.I continue to be flummoxed by CarMax’s cheap as hell one key policy, but what the hell is this?! Is the second key stashed in a piece of luggage in a Greyhound station?
The Mercedes GLS550 (both Seth’s and this 2018 model) sport a 4.7 liter twin turbo V-8 pushing 449 horsepower through a nine-speed transmission, good for a very low five second 0-60 mph sprint. This is one roomy and luxurious SUV that doesn’t suffer in performance. It’s available here in Hillside, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. It was once a (maybe) $90,000 SUV available for half that.
Stock No: 25956099 VIN: 4JGDF7DE9JB127877
Back to the Seth Steiner Story.
From Seth: We loved the powertrain of this car so much that we had to get another car with it, leading for us to get a CLS550 (in a more boring spec) from CarMax, but it only had 36k miles, which was great! Snagging two cool cars that totally fly under most people’s radars from CarMax has been awesome and I totally see why you have a blog dedicated to it! (Chuck Comment: Love you man!) Anyways, the CLS is a 2017, just like the GLS. We did not end up opting for MaxCare just because we’ve got a guy who has a little shop that has done good work on our other, non CarMax Mercedes (an 05 E320 and 06 ML350.)
Chuck Again.
So like the GLS550 I had to do my best to find a CLS550 available now at CarMax that might compare. Again, found a pretty good but lesser vehicle. This time a 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 at a low price, with low mileage.
This 2014 CLS550 is almost identically equipped as the 2018 GLS550 above, even with seat massagers, sans Apple CarPlay. It’s a rich silver over tan car, but has the older interior compared to Seth’s CLS. Both cars are second generation. The CLS550 ended in 2023. 🙁 The original, first generation CLS was to me one of the most original designs of its generation. Unfortunately, while based on the E-class platform that fit me fine, the CLS roofline raked a bit dramatically behind the driver, and pushed down on my head.
Absolutely handsome, hardly worn interior.
The 2014 Mercedes CLS550 made 402 horsepower from the 4.7 liter twin turbo.
The 2014 Mercedes CLS550 sold for maybe $72,000 a decade ago. It’s available now for 40% of that here in Modesto, California. It’s also good for MaxCare for five years and (almost) 100,000 miles!
Stock No: 26040071 VIN: WDDLJ7DB3EA101376
The Rest of the Seth Story
I asked Seth to share his buying experience, as I never want to appear to be just a CarMax shill, and maybe others don’t have the same pretty good engagement I have had. His response follows:
Funny thing is we have a free oil change for the GLS that CarMax gave us a pass for, but we can’t seem to get them to pick up the phone and let us book it (advice on scheduling service there would be appreciated!!) (Chuck Comment: Sorry Seth, I missed your question when we were swapping emails. Best I can tell you is I have had a wonderful experience with my Dulles CarMax by wandering in, hanging out in service, and doing my best to be a non-demanding customer with the customer service reps. They have come to know my cars, and when my primary guy ((Ryan)) is out the others are very nice and helpful. Ryan is a superb rep, and I leave him a Christmas card with a gift card for a local restaurant every year (and an extra one he can give the CarMax mechanic who busts his knuckles on my cars). He loves talking cars and I will stay and chat until it seems I’m in the way. I think so many customers are unpleasant, shall we say, and demanding, the reps appreciate a patient one. I actually HATE the CarMax phone menu trying to book service. It blows.)
Final comments from Seth:
The buying experience on both cars was lovely. Ordering them to our local store was a breeze. Both of the sales guys we interfaced with were super friendly and easy to work with, and the express pickup option worked especially nicely, as it made paying for the cars easy considering we didn’t have the money quite ready to pay for the cars immediately (just had to transfer but that took a day or two.) The positive experience on the GLS is what had us buy two other cars from them. (There’s also a 2016 GLE350 we bought before the CLS but that was traded because we didn’t like how it drove lol.)
So far both cars have been absolutely repair free. The TPMS sensors on the GLS have been a little wacky and it’s just thrown the A0 service light, but otherwise it’s been perfectly fine. The CLS (which we’ve really only had for 2 months so far) has been PERFECT and an absolute joy to drive.
Both cars we bought, barring a few minor issues (GLS having weird rear bumper fitment issues, mostly) have been perfect, and the experience as a whole is what has me checking out the CarMax website all the time looking for whatever seems cool. It’s been a lovely experience overall.
DESIGNOS!
What follows is a pair of Mercedes SUV’s with Designo trim; an older 2014 ML350 (before switching over to the GLE) and a 2018 GLE43 AMG. The quilted seats are the give away. My take? The ML350 is a damned good buy if you’re not hung up on horsepower and all vain about AMG stuff like I am. Interesting that someone would splurge for Designo on a basic ML350, though. Similarly, the GLE43 is more modern with some AMG credentials, and yet I’ve driven the six cylinder GLE43 and GLE53 and found them wanting for horsepower. My twisted logic is if it doesn’t have the AMG badge, adequate performance and luxury SUV features are great. But if you want horsepower and the AMG mystique, it needs to have a V-8 (or V-12!) under the bonnet. But that’s just me.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks, and thanks to Seth for sharing!
Time for another Popeye’s “Mild or Spicy” batch of cars. All are low mileage, third generation Mercedes SLK unicorns, diminutive retractable hard top convertibles with quite different personalities. They are a bit rare for different reasons. One is 50% less expensive than the other two. Worth it to upsize?
The Wiki page on SLK’s let me know “”the former name “SLK” was derived from sportlich (sporty), leicht (lightweight), and kurz (short).[1] . Sounded unfamiliar to me, in that I have never been caller sporty, lightweight, or short. The SLK was produced in Bremen, Germany from 1996 until 2020, although renamed the SLC in 2016 when Mercedes changed their naming convention.
(Apologies for vanishing since June – made a trip to Ireland, returned to a full work week, and generally recovered and goofed off for a few days. Thanks to new reader Seth for unknowingly giving me the nudge to complete this today!)
A Proper Top Down Photo!
The “mild” version is a 2013 Mercedes SLK250, with 31,000 miles. Front seat heaters, Harman Kardon sound system, panoramic sunroof built into the hard top, and otherwise pretty basic. What makes it special?
As I understand it, the SLK250 was the last Mercedes sold in the USA with a manual transmission! The six-speed manual, offered from 2013-2015, makes this baby-SL a bit more fun, given it only has a 1.8 liter four cylinder pumping 201 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque. Car and Driver coaxed 60 mph in the low six second range. Mercedes only sold a little over 4,000 of the SLK250’s, and only a small number of those were manuals in the US.
The SLK is a “compact executive roadster” – a UK term I hear, designed by Bruno Sacco, an Italian-German engineer and designer. The interior is handsome and tight. No big infotainment screens back in 2013. The trunk (below) includes the same kind of protective panel as in my 2013 M3 – the retractable hard top cannot be stowed in the trunk unless the cover is in place.
Car and Driver reviewed a nearly identical 2015 model and enjoyed the handling and the “well-sorted” manual transmission – the little turbo motor not so much. A small turbocharged engine can be fun in a small roadster, and I suspect this 3,300 lb car could be fun with the top down on a windy road.
The 2013 SLK250 sold for less than $50,000 when it was new almost a dozen years ago. It’s now about half that, and with pretty low miles. It’s a two-owner, accident free car that’s spent its time in Ohio and Kentucky, Find it here in Houston, Texas.
Stock No. 25731536 VIN: WDDPK4HA9DF051406
A Mild SLK250 With A Manual Is Nice – A Spicy SLK55 (Or Two) Better!
The SLK was also sold with a 302 hp, 3.5 liter, V6 that was probably faster than the SLK250, but didn’t have the manual transmission. For a real spicy SLK, though, the SLK55 AMG is the bomb. (Do people still say that?) Same starting point with the chassis and body, upgraded with an AMG touch. This one is a 2013 model.
The ”spicy” SLK is the fire breathing SLK55 AMG version, stuffing a naturally aspirated 5.5 liter, hand built V-8 into the engine bay, making 415 hp. With the seven-speed automatic, Motor Trend ripped 4.2 second 0-60 mph runs in the SLK55, faster than a comparable Mustang GT. They also noted the SLK55 cost about twice as much as a Mustang GT, though – maybe $80,000 vs $40,000 comparably equipped. (Can you really equip a Mustang to match a Mercedes?)
The SLK55 AMG interior don’t look all that different from the more civilized SLK250. Chronometer peeking up from the dash gives it away. The burgundy seats grow on you. So does the “Air Scarf” neck ventilation in the SLK seat backs – same as the SL class. As I write it’s well over 90 degrees here in Virginia and I passed on driving the M3 with the top down today. If I had Air Scarf……. All three SLK’s have the $2,500 option “Magic Sky Control”, what Motor Trend calls “the cool nanoparticle party trick that turns the glass roof from clear to opaque at the touch of a button.” Car and Driver was more kind, noting it “adds to the airy sensation, and it brings extra relief to the tight cockpit.” I kind of like the idea of having a sunroof in a hard top convertible at all!.
Forgot to mention this SLK55 has only 16,000 miles on it. Hardly broken in! The 2013 Mercedes SLK55 AMG is an accident free, three-owner car from Texas, Tennessee, and Missouri. Right now it’s here in Dallas.
Stock No. 25989143 VIN: WDDPK7FA8DF065589
Bonus Car – Another SLK55 Listed Since I Started Writing!
This one is a 2014 Mercedes SLK55, also low mileage and also well within unicorn price range. In fact, had I not seen the 16,000 miler above I would have been all silly over this find alone.
I do prefer the tan interior more. Not much else different. Ran the CarMax “Compare” feature and it tells me the only difference is the 2014 does not have the sunroof (it does) and the 2014 doesn’t have the driver assistance package – I cannot tell if that is accurate.
I can tell the 2014 only has one smart key per the photo, and that just frosts my butt. The 2013 SLK55 has two! And try as I might, I could not get a high enough resolution screenshot of the AMG engine builders’ signatures on the motors to see if the same builder put together the 2013 and the 2014 motors. Thought that would have been cool as hell!
The 2014 Mercedes SLK55AMG is maybe the best deal here at $32,998 – $7,000 less than the ultra low mileage 2013 above. Use that $7,000 to buy Maxcare! All three are eligible for the extended warranty for 60 months and up to 125,000 miles. That’s anywhere from 90,000 to 109,000 miles of worry free driving on 10 and 11 year old Mercedes. That’s why I dig MaxCare so much. This 2014 Mercedes SLK55 AMG is here in Portland, Maine.
First, happy Father’s Day to the Dads out there. My Dad was a fan of station wagons, and while I didn’t find any traditional wagon unicorns at CarMax today I did stumble on this Audi Q5 that just might have met my father’s standards for a family car. Cheap. Old. Limited technology. What he would not have appreciated is that it’s the only 2012 European car available of the 61,000 cars on CarMax lots. As I’ve mentioned before CarMax tends to keep US and Asian used cars up to 12 model years old, and European cars up to 11 (they once told me 10 – not so), occasionally an odd car slips through. It was last sold in August of 2023 in Orlando and is “Coming Soon” to the Orlando CarMax, so wondering if they bought it back or it was traded in? This Audi Q5 has only 17,000 miles – makes it a little unique.
The first generation Audi Q5 started in 2008, and this is a pretty simple version. Heated seats, CD player, power hatch, rear view camera and a panoramic sunroof. My Dad was of the “just more stuff to go wrong!” generation and would have preferred roll up windows and the only options would be radio and heater. The seats look brand spanking new.
There were no third row seats, I think, 12 years ago in the Q5’s. Just room to “haul stuff”. My father was a self-acknowledged hillbilly from rural Kentucky and West Virginia, and most of the station wagons he bought were Ramblers, with an occasional Chevy and an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser with those too cool roof windows! While he might not seem the type to own an Audi, he once surprised us by bringing home a late 60’s Opel Kadett and a VW bus once. Neither lasted long at our house and no idea why. He went back to Ramblers.
The 2012 Audi Q5 came with either a 2.0 liter turbo four, or the 3.2 liter naturally aspirated V-6. This one has the six. It makes 270 horsepower and with the six-speed Tiptronic automatic hits 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. Not great but not awful for 4,400 lbs. As with all Audis, it’s AWD.
This 2012 Audi Q5 is “Coming Soon” to Orlando, Florida. Here’s the link. It once sold for maybe $45,000. (I don’t think my Dad ever spent more than $500 on a car.) MaxCare coverage is available up to 125,000 odometer miles or 60 months – until the car is 17 years old!
Before I bought the Mercedes S600 I gave the Ford Taurus SHO a looksee and a test drive. Thought the price point and hoped for performance would make it a bit of a unicorn. Decent room inside, felt fast when I drove it, and oddly the center tunnel pushed my driving leg inward and decided I couldn’t live with that. And, of course, my vanity nudged me towards more exclusivity. That has cost me a bit over the years. Never blogged about the Ford Taurus SHO and these two caught my eye. By the way, when looking for YouTube videos hoping for something on how the SHO sounds, I stumbled on this guy’s YouTube channel. It’s “about fat persons and normal cars general public can afford with splash of exotics some times. In this video we will review a 2019 Ford Taurus SHO from a fat person‘s perspective.” Reminded me of my leg hitting the console and generally other cars that don’t work for me. At 6’4″ and 230 pounds I may have to subscribe!
In addition, while shopping this spring for my daughter’s car I ran into CarMax’s change to the two key policy, and so I wrote CarMax to ask about it. They answered, and I see it’s illustrated with these to Taurus’s (Tauri?) and will add some comments at the bottom.
Recognize this? Was the official car in MIB 3 – but probably not THIS one?
Above is a 2012 Ford Taurus SHO with a low price tag and low miles, and below is a 2018 model with a higher price tag, modern infotainment, but more miles. Still not sure if I had to have one, which one I’d choose. The SHO variant of the Taurus The first (1989-1991) and second (1992-1995) generations had a cool Yamaha built V6 mated to a Mazda built five speed manual transmission. Cool sleeper and had a good friend who owned one. Loved the idea. Back then 0-60 mph in the mid six second range was good for a family sedan. Was looking at old comp’s on Autotrader and found this 1995 SHO with a crazy 8,700 miles on it – for $21k`!
Third generation SHO’s (1996-1999) sported a 3.4 liter V8 motor but with an automatic transmission. Like the idea, but Wiki tells me everything I need to know about the SHO, including a failure rate of at least 1,200 out of 20,000 of these engines at the 50,000 mile mark – a problem that can be fixed, though, by having “the camshafts welded”. Beyond my talent and patience level. But here’s a 1999 on CarGurus in Butler, Pennsylvania for a meager $7k, with 92,000 miles.
Enough plagiarized history. Ford skipped a decade of Ford Taurus production sans SHO and brought back the sport sedan in 2010 with a fresh body, and whole new array of performance and creature comfort upgrades. The latest (and final) generation SHO has a 3.5 liter V-6, with a pair of Garrett turbochargers, a six-speed transmission, AWD, and a brake-based torque-vectoring system and sprints to 60 in the low five second range. It’s significantly faster than the previous generations, despite weighing a thousand pounds more. Crazy.
The 2012 model has a nice two-toned interior, air conditioned and heated seats, Bluetooth and a rear view camera. The 2018 SHO is way nicer, with modern features such as Apple CarPlay, cross traffic alert, blind spot monitor, and a heated steering wheel. The center stack below left on the 2012 looks quaint – almost vintage, and the 2018 on the right, even at six years old, looks relatively “fresh” with touch screen controls. Both of them have the rear power sunscreen as standard equipment, kind of nice.
A must for family sedans is a big boot, and the Ford Taurus accommodates. This is the first time I’ve run into the CarMax photos with the trunk filled with luggage. Pretty sure it’s the same CGI (if that’s the right word) that would fill my house with fake, nicer furniture for the real estate listing if I sold my house, but it works.
CarMax also now shows the features like CarPlay in photos!
The motors are identical and unchanged over the years. Car and Driver did a pretty good review here back in 2013, mostly liking the performance and value, although dinging the car for it’s bulk, torque steer, and throttle lag.
The 2012 Ford Taurus SHO sold new for maybe $40,000 and the 2012 is half that, and been driven about 4,000 miles a year. It’s a four owner, accident free car available here in Salt Lake, Utah after a dozen years in the mid-Atlantic.
Stock No: 24724095 VIN: 1FAHP2KT5CG119231
The 2018 Ford Taurus SHO is $7,000 more and 13,000 more miles, but with the added infotainment maybe it would be my pick if it were a little cheaper – low $20’s. It does have a history that includes a minor front end hit, probably rear ending someone during its six year life in Texas. Both cars are eligible for MaxCare for another five years and up to 150,000 miles, so plenty of road time left on either. This one is here currently in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Stock No: 25313761 VIN: 1FAHP2KT2JG137957
Want to hear about the two key scam? Keep reading.
I’ve run with this Popeye’s Mild or Spice unicorn theme twice, with this kickoff in August 2023 comparing six pairs of enthusiast and enthusiast-plus cars, and again in December with a couple of Mercedes SL’s. No idea if it’s of interest to you all but I’ll keep winging it. Not going to chicken out. Heh-heh-heh.
2013 Jaguar XK with 20,000 Miles
Just going with one pair this time, a (relatively) mild and beautiful 2013 Jaguar XK, and a spicier 2015 Jaguar XKR – the last year for the XK’s. Jaguar produced this car from 1996 to 2006 as the XK8 (X100 series), and until 2015 as the XK (X150 model). The second generation XK debuted an all aluminum chassis and body panels, dropping weight by 200 pounds. The second gen also eliminated wood trim in the cockpit. Heresy.
Most of the XK’s I’ve blogged about have been black or silver, with the exception of this green one I transferred in and declined. Surprised me to see a red one. More interesting, the car was local to me – a one owner car that spent its whole life in Vienna, Virginia, 15 miles away from my home.
2015 Jaguar XKR with 39,000 Miles
In my humble opinion, both cars are gorgeous. If you’ve been here before, you know I’ve flirted again and again with buying an XK. Transferred several into my CarMax over the years and couldn’t make the commitment in the end. No sunroof the first time (the ad said it did – turns out none of them have sunroofs!), and the last time I felt squeezed in the leg room – and later found the sales rep left the key box from the window jammed behind the driver’s seat, reducing leg room considerably. By then I was out.
The 2013 XK engine bay. The red paint probably gave that away?
Normally the obligatory motor photos go at the end of the blog, since I’m not convinced most folks care to see modern engine bays that are mostly plastic shields hiding the important stuff. I do. And the motors are what mostly set these two cars apart. The XK hosts a 5.0 liter aluminum V-8 with 385 hp and 380 ft-lbs of torque. The XKR has a supercharged variant of the same motor, making 510 hp and 461 ft-lbs of torque. Both have six speed ZF automatics. The XKR hits 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, not supercar fast but respectable, and the XK in just over five seconds. Both are governed at 155 mph. The XKR gets more performance upgrades in the chassis and suspension. Having driven both, I’d agree the XKR is a bit more stiff. It should be. It’s spicier.
But in the words of Hawkeye, the owner of the dealership where I bought my first car, “why you wanna look under the hood anyway? Nuthin’ under there but a dirty ol’ motor!” Let’s go inside the cabin of these luxury touring machines, shall we?
The 2013 XK (above) and 2015 XKR (below) are identically equipped inside, mostly, with heated and air conditioned seats, heated steering wheel, and Bowers & Wilkins audio. The XKR has the “bespoke” stitching option that I’ve not seen before. The cars are 2+2 seating, meaning two adults in the front and two gym bags in the back. Or two cases of John Smiths’ Newcastle Brown Ale.
The Jaguar XK’s are hatchbacks, I guess, although not as spacious in the boot as say, an Audi S7 due to the slope of the rear. But it’s not nothing and should hold some luggage or golf clubs just fine.
Of all the reviews I read, nobody liked the infotainment controls so I left them out. My wife hated the PRNDL (PRNDS?) knob and refused to drive it, so I left her out too. As we all know, with electronically controlled transmissions, there is no longer a need for a lever of any kind. Rotary knob should do just fine once you get used to it.
The 2013 Jaguar XK sold for maybe $90,000 new and has less than 20,000 miles on it. Pristine. The 2015 XKR was maybe $110,000 and still only 39,000 miles. Both are eligible for MaxCare for 60 months, and up to 125,000 miles. I’d buy the warranty.
The 2013 Jaguar XK is here in Newport News, Virginia. It’s a one owner car, accident free beauty.
Stock No: 25749435 VIN: SAJWA4FB1DLB49808
The 2015 Jaguar XKR below is “Coming Soon” to Austin, Texas. It’s a two owner car, Florida and Texas, and appears to have rear ended someone in Pompano Beach in 2018. Bummer. Here’s the link to the car so you can track when it becomes available.
After playing three hours of country music in a Virginia brewery Sunday April 7th, I immediately drove deep into the night to Cleveland to be in the path of totality for the April 8th solar eclipse. It was spectacular. (The Eclipse above? Unremarkable, I guess. For more fun, check out this old blog of mine on eclipses!) I had hoped to cruise there in the BMW M3 with the top down, enjoying all things sunny, but I still had all my music gear and so it was the Merc SUV again. Got me thinking, though, about how special convertibles are in spring and fall. I’ve owned three and think everyone should own one at least once in life. So I picked out 10 CarMax unicorn convertibles – cars with less than 60,000 miles, priced below $45,000, and with either some driving enthusiast credentials or at least not something you see on the road every day.
At the moment CarMax has over 63,000 cars on the lots, and only 533 convertibles. Mazda takes top honors with 100 (all Miata MX-5’s, although one CX-30 is listed as a drop top!). Chevy is second with 76 (Camaros and Corvettes), followed by Mercedes at 70 (SLC’s, E400’s, and C300’s), and BMW at 68 units. The most expensive convertible at CarMax is a 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 3LT at $95,000 – only 204 miles on it – the cheapest is a cute 2013 Fiat 500 Pop at $13,000. Lots in between. I’m leaving out some good and salutary cars like Miatas and Mustangs and Beetles only because of abundance. Too many to feel unique.
A case could be made for the Polish-built Buick Cascada as a now extinct attempt by GM to introduce the Opel convertible to the US from 2016 to 2019, as well as the Volkswagen EOS, an even smaller hardtop convertible with Golf innards. The Buick wasn’t interesting enough and there aren’t any EOS’s at CarMax right now. And no Nissan Murano Crosscabriolet’s. Or Range Rover Evoque convertibles.
Let’s jump in.
The Porsche Boxster S is an easy choice. Mid-engined, manual transmission, and a sweet flat-6 engine at a fraction of the cost of a 911. And right up front I have to say CarMax, it should be mandatory that ALL convertibles advertised include a picture of the car with the top down!
Not a lot of features on this car, other than air conditioned seats. The 315 hp 3.4 liter motor makes it special. And because it’s hidden, no motor picture on this one. Originally selling for maybe $50,000, it hasn’t depreciated a whole lot. And probably won’t. It’s a two owner, accident free car found here in Tucson, Arizona.
Stock No: 25278196 VIN: WP0CB2A88DS132828
I don’t know much about Mini Coopers, but what I’ve learned has been from my friend Hans. And he usually pings me when a John Cooper Works Mini is on the market and so I thought I’d try to get ahead of him on this one.
The newest car on today’s list as a 2023. Also in its favor – it’s yellow (like the sun!) and another photo with the top down. It’s not a cheap car, selling for maybe $40,000+ new and after 13,000 miles, selling for about the same amount now.
This little Mini (redundant?) is loaded, though. Automatic cruise control, Apple CarPlay, and a heads up display are all modern features. If the trunk wasn’t the same size as the glove box it could be a fun road car. It’s powered by a 235 hp, 2.0 liter turbo four and I’m surprised to see 0-60 mph is only 6.3 seconds. Is that right?
No need for Maxcare I guess since this is still under manufacturer warranty. Find this German built Mini here coming soon in Plano, Texas.
StockNo: 25483370 VIN: WMW63DL07P3P34869
How about some American muscle. The only Corvette convertible that meets my unicorn specs comes next.
Pretty basic Corvette Stingray here. Pretty blue, black wheels, yellow calipers, and a drop top. Not a lot of features – it has Apple CarPlay because it has an aftermarket stereo. It’s fast and sleek and the only way to get a cheaper Chevy V-8 convertible would be in a Camaro, and the Camaro doesn’t have the panache of a Corvette.
What makes the Corvette special is the 6.2 liter naturally aspirated V-8, rated at 455 hp. It’s a light car at 3,300 lbs, and fast. The combination of a good motor and a convertible makes drop top driving audibly fun. Mostly that comes in V-8’s and flat-6’s. Anyone have a four cylinder with a satisfying sound? Guess my Italian Fiat had that. By the way, the Corvette engine bay photo below is the only one I’ve ever seen with a side view. Is that because of the way the hood opens?
This 2016 Corvette Stingray sold new for maybe $52,000. It’s a single owner car and is currently being shipped to West Sahara, Nevada. Here’s the link.
StockNo: 25706858 VIN: 1G1YB3D74G5125126
I’ve had two soft top convertibles, and at the moment a hard top convertible (2013 BMW M3). For daily driver, year round use I prefer a hard top convertible. And that brings us back to an original “driving rich” unicorn – the Mercedes SL550.
CarMax always seems to have a half dozen low mileage, well equipped Mercedes SL550’s on hand. This one is less than $31,000 and fits the bill. It’s not terribly well equipped, but has heated and cooling seats and the wonderful air scarf neck warmers, should spring not be sprung in your area any time soon.
The Mercedes has a 4.6 liter twin turbo V-8 making 429 hp, and 516 ft-lbs of torque. It weighs a good 700 pounds more than the Corvette, trading weight for a retractable hard top. Still does 0-60 mph in the mid-fours.
The 2013 Mercedes SL550 has been shared by five owners over the past 11 years, although with no accidents. Right now it’s in Los Angeles – here’s the link.
StockNo: 24920605 VIN: WDDJK7DA1DF010782
Below we have a 2015 Audi S5 Premium Plus that’s just good enough to make the list and yet not terribly exciting (to me). The 2013 S5’s were the first with the 333 hp supercharged, 3.0 liter V-6, after Audi’s long run with the venerable 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine with 354 hp. The V-6 is just as fast, just doesn’t sound the same. And since CarMax doesn’t carry 2012 (or older) European cars now, no more V-8 S5’s. However, from time to time CarMax will have an Audi RS5 that sported a V-8 until 2017. The RS5 has almost a hundred more horses.
This is a low mileage, low dollar Audi soft top with the Technology Package, a Bang & Olufsen audio system, and not a lot else. Again kudos for the photo with the top down.
I take that back. The Audi S5 has AWD, unusual for a convertible. For the record, at CarMax only Audi, BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes have AWD convertibles. (Jaguar has this badass 2018 Jaguar F-Type R with 550 hp and AWD but it’s $52,000!) Below are examples of CarMax’s new “Cosmetic photos available” section for some cars – this Audi has a paint blemish on the bumper and on the fender.
Car and Driver dashed to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds in the V-6 S5, which is brisk by any standard. They also rated the coupe as tops over the Cadillac ATS 3.6 and the Lexus RC350, for what it’s worth. If you’re more youthful and technologically progressive than me (and most people are) you can get over the V-8 vs V-6 thing and enjoy this motor just fine.
This was a $55,000 car when new and is half that now. The single owner Audi S5 is currently reserved in Clackamas, Oregon, and you can find it here if you want to track or read more.
Stock No: 25452153 VIN: WAUCGAFH3FN009585
Next we have a practical, if you will, Volvo C70 T5, convertible. I like the hardtop convertible, although the weight makes a slow car slower, and yet few buy Volvo’s to push the performance envelope (Polestar notwithstanding). The C70 is a safe car that Autoblog says is “a handsome luxury hardtop convertible with elegant coupe lines that seats four.” I think the car is lovely with the top up or down.
The C70 has the Climate Package, adding heated seats and rain sensors and headlight washers. It’s Swedish tidy inside, and with only 15,000 miles over 11 years it’s fresh.
The downside is a 227hp inline 5 cylinder, a 2.5 liter powerplant that pulls the front wheel drive convertible to 60 mph in the mid-seven second range. Again, Volvo’s not known for performance cars, and this would try my patience. My standard today, though, was a convertible that has some style to it and one you don’t see at every stop light. The C70 T5 fits the bill.
The car is just $23,998 – about $20,000 less than when it was new – and is on reserve here in Norcross, Georgia.
StockNo: 25467726 VIN: YV1672MCXDJ143182
Here’s another very pretty, very affordable, and not very common hardtop convertible that’s also not very athletic. The 2015 Q60 was once the G37 and still is a fancier Nissan 370. Not necessarily a bad thing. This is a beautiful car and the upside of a car that was dated in 2015 and despite a 2016 refresh, didn’t sell well and was put down in 2023, is that like the Volvo, they’re not spotted on every street corner.
Nothing at all wrong with the interior, and it looks well maintained after eight years and 54,000 miles. Heated and air conditioned seats, navigation, and a Bose sound system. Always wondered why Nissan didn’t buy Infinity audio and rename them Infiniti? Room for four. Sort of.
Infiniti carried the same 3.7 liter V-6 power plant with 325 hp from the much cheaper Nissan 370z until 2017, when an upgraded 3.0 liter V-6 twin turbo made its debut. With the 3.7 0-60 was in the mid-fives, and the newer engine cut a full second off of that. (FWIW – Infiniti unleashed a Q60 Red Sport 400 with, you guessed it, 400 hp in hardtop only!)
This 2015 Infiniti Q60 is a two owner, accident free car currently reserved here in Gastonia, North Carolina. It was once a $50,000+ auto and is selling for the same price as the low mileage Volvo C70 above. Which one would you buy?
Let’s get back to legitimate performance cars. When I started writing this piece in Cleveland, after the eclipse a week ago, this hot BMW M3 was not yet on the market. I had included in this draft an identical black M3 that was $2,000 more with 6,000 more miles. That’s what freaks me out every time I prepare to buy a car – next week something better will come along. FOMO.
Yeah, it’s red and somebody is gonna say “ticket magnet” the way you can’t mention Pintos without reflexively smirking “self-immolation” – both references are highly exaggerated. Research has shown that white cars get more tickets than red (Let’s ignore there are more white cars on the road than red – doesn’t help my case.)
If you’ve been here before you know I own a silver version of this car and have a bias. Two years ago I bought a 2013 M3 hardtop convertible, the last year for V-8 M3’s, and love it. Well, I did – drove it to meet an old friend for breakfast this morning, and he showed up in a silver 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo. Sigh.
The heart and soul of the M3 is the 4.0 liter, naturally aspirated V-8. It’ll growl it’s way to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds in “M” mode. BMW ran V-8’s in M3’s from 2007 to 2013, with six cylinders before and after. Keeping in mind CarMax only offers 11 year old or newer European cars, the days are numbered for getting one from CarMax and protecting it with a MaxCare warranty up to 125,000 miles and until 2029. That said, I paid about $5,000 for my MaxCare and haven’t gotten my money’s worth (yet). I’ve put 15,000 miles on it in two years and it hardly breaks.
Don’t wait! This M3 has the back seat wind deflector. It’ll go missing soon. Had to pay $300 to get one.
The 2013 BMW M3 is a real auto enthusiast car, and a red one will get some attention at cars and coffee. I paid $41,000 for mine with 34,000 miles I think, and this one is $10,000 cheaper – but with almost the same mileage. (Make me an offer? Was planning to keep mine two more years but that 911 Turbo looked sweet this morning.) This one is available in Golden, Colorado here.
StockNo: 24832537 VIN: WBSDX9C55DE785352
Going to stick with red cars here on out, since I liked the white/red ticket research from above. This one is a real nice 2019 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth. And a “Fix It Again Tony” comment will get you banned, for being inaccurate and unimaginative! (My 1971 Fiat 124 Spider was one of the most reliable cars I ever had!) This one comes with a no kidding manual transmission. And it’s red. Gotta be fun.
This generation of Fiat 124 Spiders is, of course, a Mazda Miata in vestiário. From 2016 to 2019 Mazda manufactured the 124’s using the Miata MX-5 platform, although the motors were legit Italian Fiat powerplants (the transmission was still Mazda’s.) The 124 is five inches longer than the Miata. And almost 200 pounds heavier, with more sound deadening material. Disturbing fact – CarMax will offer MaxCare for European cars up to 125,000 miles, and for Japanese cars to 150,000 miles. Both cars are built in Japan, but the MaxCare warranty is still reduced for the Italian-badged one. That ain’t right.
The Fiat 124 Spider Abarth has modern stuff like cross-traffic alert and heated mirrors and a rear view camera, and yet a traditional sports car interior. I tried one on once, or at least I tried to, and found it was tighter inside than my 1971. Found Miatas to be too small for me also (I’m 6’4″ and 225 lbs – atm.) The power plant below is a 1.4 liter turbo four, and unfortunately makes the same 160 hp that’s in the non-Abarth 124’s. Only does 0-60 mph in the low six second range. Disappointing, but my old one took 10 seconds to get there. This one has an upgraded suspension over the base 124, though. And a manual transmission!
Here’s a Car and Driver comparison between the Fiat 124 Abarth and the Mazda Miata. Unlike the Miata, the 124 is (again) extinct and no longer being imported. It sold maybe 5,000 units a year, so a bit rare. Not a bad car, and not a total Miata clone. Retained some historical Pininfarina styling. Here’s the link to the 2019 Fiat 124 Abarth, currently on reserve in Spokane, Washington.
Hear me out on the next, and last red unicorn to make the list. It’s a weak case, but not ridiculous. This is the cheapest, not seen everywhere, legitimately holds four adults, convertible you’re going to find at CarMax. Emphasis on cheap. It’s $18k and has only 30,000 miles. (Its identical twin just sold elsewhere on CarMax for the same price with 20,000 miles – you missed a bargain by a week!)
Take the time to read the timely election-themed Car and Driver review here from 2012. It’s wonderfully written. Spoiler – it opens with, “Like a single-issue candidate, the Chrysler 200 convertible has stumped on one appeal. In the car’s case, it’s that the top goes down.”
The review also says the “200’s handling is no longer spastic and clumsy” and that it’s actually well sorted out for a front drive, 4,000 pound car. (I think “No longer spastic and clumsy” was also on my ninth grade Phys Ed report card.) The 3.6 liter V-6 motor pumps 283 hp and does 0-60 mph in about the same time as the Fiat 124 above. Not sure if that’s good for the Chrysler or bad for the Fiat.
My M3 and the Corvette Stingray above are perfect for dropping the top and roaring into local breweries this spring, Chris Stapleton streaming from the Bose. But I would not be embarrassed to cruise (slowly) into our Virginia wineries in this Chrysler 200 with the top down, listening to Kenny G on the CD player. I’m that old. And with MaxCare available for another five years and 120,000 miles I could do that long enough to pay for the car with my social security checks. Now I’m sad. Heading to the bar. If this car’s for you it’s currently reserved here in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Marooned in a Marriott in Colorado Springs during a blizzard 1,700 miles into a cross country drive, and with nothing on CarMax catching my attention, I’m thinking it’s a perfect time to blog about the road trip I took not too long ago to the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. The ostensible purpose of this post is to provide an update on my 2021 Mercedes GLE63 AMG, and some of the quirks and fixes I’ve endured since the last update in January, and I’ll do that, but the more fun stuff is sharing some dash cam footage of the drive south, the foray onto the Daytona Beach, and accompanying the SUV home on the Amtrak Auto Train.
On the drive to Daytona I rolled past 10,000 miles logged on this 2021 Mercedes GLE63 AMG under my ownership. Found an open stretch of I-95 south towards Richmond and rocked the GLE63 up a bit as my trip odometer crossed 10,000 miles. Interesting, I guess, to see since I bought the car I’ve averaged 19.1 mpg and 35 mpg, in 287 hours behind the wheel of this 600 hp SUV. The gas mileage and average speed have been about the same, from the S55 to the 911 to the S600 to the M3. It’s my lot in life regardless of the car.
Veered off I-85 around Henderson, NC and took back roads through Darlington, SC before rejoining I-95. On those two lanes I once again enjoyed the immense thrust, if you will, of the 600hp V-8 passing others when safe. Having that much oomph influences what’s safe. Here’s a selection of those passes, amateurishly edited by The CarMax Unicorn graphics staff. Let me know what you think?
Made it to Daytona, watched the 24 hour race with my good friend Jerry in the Champion’s Club Lounge (offset by lodging in the roach infested Motel 6), and after the race drove the GLE63 onto the beach, a tradition. Another two-minute video for you here:
Was really a hoot to get the Mercedes onto the same spot I parked the Fiat a few years back. Hurricanes destroyed the palm trees and the retaining wall, and a new place has been built next door. And the Fiat has a new owner. But it’s the same spot.
And in both cases there was a loop playing in my head, “Don’t get stuck! Don’t get stuck! Don’t get stuck!”. Last year I watched from my hotel balcony the dude in the RV below trying to dig himself out, and having to suffer the embarrassment of calling a tow service for help. I would abandon my car first.
After the race and goofing off at the beach, it was time to head north, I’ve taken the Fiat 124 and the BMW M3 on the Amtrak auto train, and would have taken the S600 two years ago but Daytona gave me covid so I aborted and drove home. Left the dash cam on for the loading/unloading, and thinking if you’ve ever had an interest in this unusual mode of travel, you might enjoy this eight minute video.
Well that was fun. Now back to the 10,000 mile (on my watch) update on the GLE63. I covered my 10,000 miles in the seven months since buying the car, and the disappointments I’ve had have nothing to do with the driving experience. It’s a fast, luxurious, high-tech SUV. My frustrations have been over the brakes, the tires, and the uneven level of customer service at my local Mercedes dealership. I think I have the first two fixed, still working on the third.
In the last update I noted the front brakes started screeching at 20,000 miles. Not a warranty item. Mercedes wanted $2,600 to replace the pads and rotors, and only offered a one year, 12,000-mile warranty on their work. Some forum members noted replacement was sometimes necessary every 10,000 miles and I was bummed. I shopped around, and the local cars and coffee club members recommended Honest Tom’s of Sterling, Virginia, so I went there. Honest Tom agreed to install FCP Euro brakes, which come with a lifetime warranty, for about $500 less than Mercedes, and I thought I scored. But FCP Euro couldn’t source the brakes. The independent mechanic still did my brakes for $2,200 and warrantied them for two years, 24,000 miles. Still ahead. While I was at it Honest Tom completed my Service A for $500 – half of what Mercedes charges.
I’ve had Conti’s on several cars, but never summer performance tires. These are nail magnets.
The tires have been equally frustrating. In six months, the rear Continental summer performance tires picked up three tire-killing nails, and replacements ran $600 each. I only had to pay for two since the third one was now covered by Mercedes road hazard. What a bargain. But I was still frustrated that nobody other than Pirelli makes all seasons, the Pirellis would run $3,600 a set, and they were on backorder until at least spring. Even Tire Rack couldn’t help. Did I mention I’m sitting in Colorado in a blizzard?
After much internet research I found Nitto all season tires, staggered and in my size, priced at $1,200 for a set of four installed. At Walmart. No shit. Walmart doesn’t advertise them as fitting my SUV, though. I called Tire Rack for advice and they said Nitto is a sub of Toyo tires, and nothing wrong with them. However, my Continentals are rated at 186 mph, and the Nittos only 168 mph. I’ll take my chances. There was some buffoonery at Walmart getting them installed but it got done properly. Reviewers have generally approved of the Nittos but some said they were noisier than they would have liked. That gave me pause, and as you can see below the tread pattern is big, and yet on this road trip I don’t hear or feel them at all. The motor growl and the stereo, while not loud, easily offset any tire noise.
Now I have a spare set of rear, summer performance Conti’s I don’t need, taking up space in my garage, But they were $600 each, so what do I do?
The last significant engagement with Mercedes was a safety recall. “The fuel pump impeller might not meet current specifications regarding its material characteristics. As a consequence, the impeller might deform and contact the fuel pump housing, resulting in mechanical resistance on the impeller. This could cause the fuel pump to stop operating.” That could be a problem.
Happy to say Mercedes quickly replaced the fuel pump, no small feat given the fuel tank had to be drained and dropped to do so. At the same time, while in for service the dealer reset a fuse under the passenger seat that caused my power socket to fail. When I picked up my car I found they had broken the plastic trim that covers the seat bracket, and left it hidden under the seat. Pretty much every visit to this Mercedes dealer includes these surprises. My service rep ordered a replacement and fixed it no charge, and yet I think it’s time to try a different dealer. Still not as happy as I am with my CarMax service folks.
And with that, signing off to (hopefully) head through the Rockies tomorrow and continue my journey. But my car was totally cleared off when I went into the restaurant for dinner tonight, and an hour later it’s buried again. And the snow keeps falling. Thanks for hanging in there with me.
