Category: Monthly Finds (…but unicorns move fast! These may be gone.)

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Quick Hits – Once a Year Mercedes AMG GT S For Sale! One of 1,200 in the US.

GTSNot even close to a unicorn, but occasionally I scroll up to see what’s the most expensive thing on CarMax lots nationwide.  Surprisingly, there have been a handful of $100,000+ used cars.  Last August I wrote about the 2017 AMG GT S  with only 2,000 miles that listed at $114,998 in July, 2017, with regular price reductions of a grand here and there over two months until is appears to have sold at $104,998 in late September.   Hasn’t been another AMG GT for sale since.

This August brings us one more sleek 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S for a mere $94,998.  Only 18,000 miles, two owners in two years, also available in California (same as last year).   Nice Motor Trend review back in 2016 posted 3.5 second 0-60 and a 195 mph top speed.  Perhaps a $150,000 car opening at $95,000, and I’m gonna guess will go below $90,000 before it sells.  Still under factory warranty – MaxCare will be cheap!  Find it here in Sacramento – if the link is dead the car is sold, on hold, or being transferred.

2016 Mercedes AMG GT S $94,998 18k Sacramento

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Quick Hits – Another XJ8 For Cheap, And The ONE Reason To Buy It

Been working much and writing little, and when I wait to think deeply about the unicorns I’m finding they are too often gone by the time I blog.  So without further ado….

Been writing this blog for a year (hmmm…probably time to do a recap? Quit?) and with this 2008 XJ8 there have now been a whopping total of five of these old-school Jaguar unicorns offered by CarMax.  I’ve covered them all.   The 2009 XJ8L with 59,000 miles that sold for $19,000.  The 2008 XJ8 with 50,000 miles also at $19,000.  The most beautiful 2008 XJ8 Vanden Plas at $21,000 and only 27,000 miles.  And the dirt cheap 2007 XJ8L at $15,000 and 54,000 miles.  This one is also a bargain at $16,998 and 57,000 miles.  Oh yeah, the reason to buy it?  It’s already 11 years old.  CarMax is proud to offer MaxCare, a really good bumper-to-bumper FIVE YEAR warranty on everything they sell, up to 100,000 miles or more.  That means you could be driving a 15 year old Jaguar in style, and have zero concerns about unexpected repair bills.  Crazy, right? Enjoy.

2008 JAG XJ8 $16998 57K LANCASTER

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Quick Hits -Brand New (?) Decade Old Challenger, and Other Low Mileagers

Been working much and writing little, and when I wait to think deeply about the unicorns I’m finding they are too often gone by the time I blog.  So without further ado….

Not a big fan of these big, bloated, retro-Challengers, but finding a 10 year old one with less than 2,000 miles is kind of cool.  Okay, it’s not brand new but damned close to a time capsule.  This is the kind of car I choose from National Rental Car when they let me pick anything on the lot for the same price, and I choose with my 12 year old brain.  An hour down the road I’m regretting it.  But this one has a manual 6-speed to channel a good-enough 372 hp, Bluetooth and a sunroof, and not much else – like visibility out the rear window and no rear view camera!  Got a kick out of the original owner keeping it at 710 miles through sale in 2017, and the last owner adding a whopping 1,200 or so more in the last 18 months.  Abusive.  Wouldn’t even add MaxCare. Find it here in Boston.

  (And as a bonus, throwing in a couple more cheap Challengers at the bottom!)

2009 Challenger RT $24,998 2k Boston

2009 RT $21,998 19k

2009 SRT-8 25998 19k

 

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Quick Hits – A Pair of White Knights for $22k – BMW 750i and Merc CLS550

Been working much and writing little, and when I wait to think deeply about the unicorns I’m finding they are too often gone by the time I blog.  So without further ado….

750Surprised at the price tag ($22,998) of this 2012 BMW 750i, a two-owner California car.  With 400hp from a twin-turbo V-8 and a boatload of luxury features, this once nearly $90,000 car would seem to be a bargain – with MaxCare of course to avoid stupid high repair bills.  Drive rich.  Find it here in Los Angeles.  If the link is dead it’s sold, on hold, or being transferred.

2012 BMW 750 22998 55k LA

2008 CLSThis first-gen CLS-550, more sleek and far better looking than its angular successor, is also even less expensive than the BMW.  At $21,998, or $50,000 less than it sold for 10 years ago, this relatively low mileage sedan seems to offer style at a bargain.  It’s admittedly a little older and little slower than the BMW, giving up 18hp, and the interior isn’t as plush….and yet for the price of a Camry you can driver one of the prettiest Mercedes of the modern era.  IMHO.  Find it here in Indiana.

2009 CLS550 21998 50K INDY

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The Last of the V-8 S4’s…With a Stick!

V8 S4No real reason to want a little Audi S4 with a big V-8 engine, other than the rumble and roar and bragging rights.  This 2009 Audi S4 unicorn was the last year the car was powered by a 4.2 liter V-8, transitioning to a supercharged V-6 for 2010.  The V-8 is not much faster, but at least the fuel economy sucked.  And it’s a little nose heavy.  But a 340hp V-8 engine AND a manual 6-speed AND a convertible AND low mileage (5,000 miles/year) AND a low price ($18,599) AND a pretty blue color when so many are black or silver…….makes this an attractive scooter for summer.  Car And Driver had the sedan as one of its 10 Best Cars for 2009 and ran the convertible to a top end of 162 mph!  Throw in the MaxCare warranty for another five years and 50,000 miles for a couple of grand and you’ll have an unusual, inexpensive car that almost seems vintage already.  The car was $57,000 new.  Here’s a Car Guru review if you want more info.  Here’s also the link to the CarMax page; if it’s dead the car is sold, on hold, or being transferred.  My hunch is this one moves quick…..like the last of the V-10 S6’s that got scooped up a few weeks ago before I could even write about it!

2009 Audi S4 $18,599 46k Chicago

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Five Year Old V-12 Bimmer – Over $100,000 Less Than New – By Chuck Banks and Mustafa Gardezi

760 REAR VIEWBeautiful BMW with a wicked and rare 535hp V-12 unicorn.  Somebody paid about $150,000 for this 760Li just five years ago, and it’s now selling for $37,998 with 57,000 miles.  Looks like roughly 10,000 7-series were sold in 2013, and as far as I can tell 2% of those – or 200, were the V-12 760’s.  Checked the VIN and this one has the $5,200 “Individual Package” with Merino leather and the $3,700 Bang and Olufsen audio, but sadly no night vision.  Why skimp there? Especially when the buyer chose to spend $50,000 more for a new BMW 760 than they would have for a BMW 750?! Perhaps to get that .3 sec 0-60 edge?  I wouldn’t care – the V-12 roar is worth every depreciated penny.  It goes without saying, but I have to say it anyway because someone will moan “these are expensive to fix!” that you do NOT own one of these without the MaxCare warranty, effectively shifting financial risk to CarMax for a few thousand more.  Find this four owner LA car here; if the link is dead it’s sold, on hold ore being transferred. 2013 BMW 760 V12 $37,998 57K

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M5…M6 – Whatever It Takes (to own a V-10) for less than $30,000!

2008 M5 V10Some cars are all about the motor.  And some motors are more special than others.  I’m tracking the dwindling number of V-10’s and V-12’s carried by CarMax, and I think snagging one of these unicorns with the MaxCare warranty is still a bargain.  Special engine – no unexpected repairs – what’s not to like?  The 500hp BMW V-10 found in the 2005-2009 M5 and M6 is pretty special.  I drove both, with the SMG transmission, and snapping through the gears up to 8,000 rpm is a pretty exciting (scary?) rip-roaring experience.  Old school horsepower mated to a high-tech transmission.  I’m still kicking myself for not buying the 2008 M6 with less than 40,000 miles for only $23,998.  That was a deal.

For now, these two are available from CarMax.  The one owner California M5 link is here; if it’s dead the car is sold, on hold or being transferred.  The Connecticut M6 link is here; same story on the link. 2008 BMW M5 $29,998 49k Santa Rosa CA

2008 BMW M6 $28,998 39k HARTFORD CT

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1 of 634 – 500hp Club. 2008 CLS63 AMG. $100k Unicorn for $27,998 – by Chuck Banks and Ahmed Gardezi

CLS63I love big V8 horsepower and big sedans that do 0-60 in 4.1 seconds.  I love taking advantage of other people’s depreciation.  I love owning expensive to buy and more expensive to repair cars that aren’t my problem with the MaxCare warranty.  Even 10 year old first generation cars that came to America in limited supply.  The Mercedes gurus show 5,775 2008 Mercedes CLS’ were imported, and only 634 were the 507hp beasts shown here.  Yes, it’s a five-owner car making its way from Florida to Vegas to Bakersfield, home of Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens.  Here’s a good review of a similar CLS63 in Car And Driver.  This once $100,000+ car reminds me much of Guenther, and makes me nostalgic.  Find it here – if the link if dead it’s sold, on hold or being transferred.  Surprised it’s been around a week  – $27,998 plus a warranty seems like an opportunity for the right buyer.

2008 CLS63 $27.998 51k

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1 of 71 – 2008 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Car Replica….signed by Emerson Fittipaldi

Indy CorvetteOkay, there were 500 2008 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Car replicas sold by Chevrolet, butaccording to the pace car registry only 148 had a manual transmission, and of those only 71 were convertibles.  Special enough for me.  The pace car came with the Z51 suspension, the “NPP” dual mode exhaust (and pretty much no one knows what the NPP stands for), chrome wheels, two-tone interior, and personally signed and numbered by Emerson Fittipaldi on the right rear fender.  And the cheesy graphics on the sides.  This two-owner car has fairly low miles and can be found here in Columbia, SC.  If the link is dead the car is sold, on hold, or being transferred.

 

2008 Corvette Indy $29,998 24k

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Update – MaxCare Coverage for the 1 in 1,963 Porsche 911 50th Anniversary

Me and 911Had the opportunity to be in Tampa and dropped in on this beauty I wrote about last week.  The 911 – not me.  The 2014 Porsche 911 50th anniversary car and currently the most expensive vehicle CarMax has nationwide.  It will be hard to get back in Etta, my 2008 unicorn, but at $109,998 you could buy THREE of my base Carreras!  Anyway, had a chance to chat with sales rep Royal Dombrow and get the MaxCare coverage options and cost.  I was really surprised how cheap the warranty was.  This car still has some factory warranty, limiting CarMax’s risk somewhat, but for just another $5,000 you can drive this puppy another 100,000 miles without an unexpected repair bill.  The car is still on the lot – call Mr. Dombrow (813-625-7467) and go make an impulsive buy.  It’s one of only 1,963! (Get it?)

911 MaxCare

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