Pair of Pretty and Pricey Alpinas (Say THAT Three Times Fast!)

March 20, 2019

Pair of Pretty and Pricey Alpinas (Say THAT Three Times Fast!)

A few BMW Alpina B7 unicorns have appeared on CarMax lots over the last two years and always amazed that they linger and take days and days to sell. Here’s a 2012 that was cheap and a 2011 that I covered that was a bargain. Have only seen one BMW Alpina B6 and that’s this one, and it has been on and off the CarMax website over the last few weeks (one of my blog readers had it transferred to him but declined to buy).

Alpinas are a bit rare – a couple of dozen B7’s and B6’s are listed on Autotrader relatively close in price to these – but none are available with the coveted MaxCare warranty that transfers the repair risk to the seller and not the buyer. Both of these cars are sub-4 second 0-60 mph luxury cars. Saw my first Alpina 5-series when I lived in West Germany in the early 80’s and still have a soft spot for these esoteric rockets. Yeah M5’s and M6’s are legitimate luxury hot rods, but Alpinas get the nod from car guys in the know. b7 side.JPG

The B7 has “only” 500hp and is pretty well loaded with auto cruise control, stretched, and most modern amenities – such as a heated steering wheel, AWD, heads up display. Here’s a Car and Driver review of a similar car priced about $135,000. This B7 is a three owner Florida and Illinois car, only $40,998 and is available here in Chicago. If the link is dead the car is sold, on hold, or being transferred. B6 SIDE This 2016 B6 is in the 600hp club (think I need to do a piece on the select CarMax unicorns with 600hp?), and is far more expensive at $65,998 but with fewer miles (12,000 vs 49,000) and even more luxury options (did I mention night vision? Makes up for the bordello red interior!). The car sold for roughly $130,000 new three years ago. Check out this Car and Driver review from 2016. This B6 is a single owner car available here in Huntsville, Alabama – the techno-hub of Alabama!

March 6, 2019March 4, 2019

Quick Update – 2010 BMW 650i Black Beauty Unsold and Reduced $2,000

2010 650 $22998 52k still here 3-4

Well this nice big BMW 650i coupe is still on the market, on the same lot here in Sacramento, a whopping 4 1/2 months after I wrote about bubble butt BMW’s in October 2018. See “Beauty and the Beast – BMW 650i Unicorns” here. This unicorn has been reduced $2,000 since last fall. For about the same price you could score a slightly older but far more gnarly 500hp V-10 M6 like the cabrio below – but not everyone is up for the harsher ride……but the V-10 screams to 8,000 rpms and is far more thrilling. The one below can be found here in Boston. I still wonder if I should have bought this one back in the day…..it was a bargain! 2008 M6 Cabrio $24,599 58k Boston

January 7, 2019

Quick Hit – Cheapest M3…and a Better One For $7,000 More.

CarMax tends to sell a lot of BMW (E90) M3’s in the upper $20k and lower $30k range, usually in higher numbers and higher mileage than I’d prefer for unicorns. Right now they have 50 M3’s for sale all the way up to a 2018 for $69,000. But these two caught my eye – a high-mileage 2008 for only $22,998, the cheapest M3 I’ve seen them sell, and a low mileage 2009 for $29,998. Here’s the Motor Trend review of the E90 M3 from back in the day.

The 2008 is a hard top convertible and an automatic, the most plentiful, cheapest configuration you’ll find at CarMax. It’s high mileage at 81,000 miles, and on other car forums (fora?) folks moan that used M3’s are often beat all to hell, but as always, I say “who cares?!” as long as you buy the MaxCare bumper to bumper warranty. Don’t care how trashed the mechanicals are as long as they are covered for another 50,000 miles.

This one has some wear and tear but the seat bolsters are fine – as with my 2001 BMW 3-series they are the first to go with big butts sliding into the driver’s seat. It’s about the engine (8,400 rpm red line!) and the handling and the braking. Find this two owner car here in San Jose – if the link is dead the car is sold, on hold, or being transferred.

This single-owner 2009 M3 is neither a hard top convertible nor an automatic, and really low miles for a 10 year old car. The body lines are tight and neat, uninterrupted like the hard top convertible. And with MaxCare I think you can get another five years and ridiculous 100,000 miles of coverage – drive the snot our of it worry free. Find this one here in Memphis. 2009 M3 $29,998 33k Memphis

November 12, 2018

The (Nearly) Perfect Unicorn for Veterans – AWD Diesel F10 BMW. You Earned It.

Col. Stephanie Wilson, 72nd Air Base Wing commander, waves to the crowd at the annual Midwest City Veterans Day parade Nov. 11. Walking along with Colonel Wilson’s Humvee were CAPT. Ed McCabe, Strategic Communications Wing ONE and Task Force 124 commander; Col. Michael Green, 72nd Mission Support Group commander; and 72nd ABW Command Chief Master Sgt. David Tuck. (Air Force photo by April McDonald)

Haven’t done a holiday themed unicorn blog yet, but it’s Veterans Day, and thought I should pick out a special unicorn for those who have served. Didn’t take long to punch in the requirements. Had to be 4WD/AWD, of course – don’t want to be restricted to asphalt. And diesel. The third world thrives on diesel. Run flat tires – not stoppping if we can avoid it. Room for four shooters and all their gear. Low profile color. And 21st century troops need technology – heads up display to stay focused on the horizon, rear view camera and blind spot monitoring to track bogeys, Bluetooth to communicate with Hqs, and a killer sound system for when off the net. Cold weather package because pretty much everywhere in the world it gets cold at night, and the US military owns the night. Bummed I could not find something with all this and night vision, too! And just in case you read no further, thanks to all who have served in the armed forces in defense of this great nation. Check out Jason Isbell’s tribute, “Tour of Duty”, for those who came home safe.

050426-M-9019H-006 U.S. Marines examine mortar rounds and a BMW automobile in what they believe to be a car bomb in the making during security and stabilization operations in the Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 26, 2005. The mortars and the car are part of the 20 weapons caches that U.S. Marines from India Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment found during the operations. DoD photo by Lance Cpl. Brian M. Henner, U.S. Marine Corps. (Released)

Only one vehicle had pretty much everything needed, and at first I was bummed it was not a Humvee (there’s one at the bottom of this page as a back up plan. Military folks always have a back up plan). It’s a BMW!. But then I thought after all our troops have been through, this would be a really sweet ride. And having been to Iraq and Afghanistan, I know our Special Operations Forces are not unfamiliar with BMW’s, and BMW is not unfamiliar with tough places either – especially armored BMW’s. (Somewhere in a shoe box, pre-internet days, is a picture of me driving a lightly armored BMW 320 in the Middle East!).

At $34,998 this 2016 BMW 535 dxi would be a really nice unicorn for any road warrior. I was actually surprised to find a two-year old car with low miles, still under factory warranty. Means MaxCare will be really cheap and take this car to 2023 and 150,000 miles without paying for a repair. The diesel will only be getting broken in by then! The expensive electonic gizmos would all be covered, though, and well worth it.

The in-line, twin-turbo six-cylinder diesel puts out 255hp and 413 ft-lbs of torque, and with an eight-speed automatic is good for a mid-5 second 0-60mph run and get this, a 550 mile cruising range on a tank of diesel! Stole some of that from the great Car and Driver review in 2014 (car was unchanged for 2016), where they estimated a fully optioned AWD 535d would run close to $90,000. If that was the price tag for this California leased car, here it is at a deep discount two years later at almost a third the price. I love me some depreciation. The 2015 model was named the Diesel Car of the Year. Even the great and candid Jalopnik reviewer dug it. This is a car I could learn to love on road trips. Owned an E34 1992 BMW 525i in-line six when I lived in Germany and could pull off 600 miles on a tank, and comfortably cruise as long and as far as the bladder could handle. Find this car here in San Jose, California. 2016 535d $34,998 37k San Jose

Continue reading “The (Nearly) Perfect Unicorn for Veterans – AWD Diesel F10 BMW. You Earned It.”

October 17, 2018

Beauty and the Beast – BMW 650i Unicorns

The second generation BMW 650i (E63), along with the 750 of the same era, were bubble butt BMW’s that were hard to like. Perhaps if the equipment, price, and miles were right, I could. They certainly were for the 2007 BMW M6 I regret passing on last year ($24k, 44,000 miles – wrote about it here). CarMax doesn’t carry a lot of E63’s, except for an occasional and dwindling supply of M6’s, but I found one and share it below.

At the same time, the third generation BMW 650i (F06) – a far more beautiful car from the rear – has been dropping in price to unicorn territory. I’m surprised how affordable these far more stylish, and better performing 650i’s are. When Car and Driver reviewed the 2012 BMW 650i…..back in 2012, they whined that big coupes – “two door luxury” were nearly dead. I’m not so sure – Mercedes morphed the CL550 to become an enormous S-Coupe, Lexus has the RC500, and I’m thinking a two door Panamera is coming. Anyway, thought it would be fun to post these cars at the same time. (Came close to adding a 2008 39,000 mile M6 that keeps showing up and vanishing daily that is oh so close to the one I passed on in NJ, and happens to be close to me – but as of tonight it’s off the net. But stay tuned.)

This 2010 BMW 650i V-8 produces “only” 360hp but is still good for a mid-five second 0-60 mph sprint. Car and Driver called it “lumpy and semi-demented-looking” – harsh, but funny and from the rear accurate – but if you can get past it’s rear, it’s still a big luxurious GT coupe. Here’s a ho-hum review from 2010 – perhaps at $80,000 the car should have delivered more, but for $25k it’s a better deal? Only 3,050 of these coupes were sold in 2010 – you won’t see a whole lot of them on the road. I very much recommend the MaxCare warranty to drive almost repair free for another 100,000 miles. This one is a three-owner California/Nevada car available here in Sacramento. If the link is dead the car is sold, on hold, or being transferred.

2010 BMW 650 $24,998 52k Sacramento

The 2012 BMW 650i is a twin turbo V-8 boosted to 400hp, nailing 0-60 mph in the mid-four second range. You also won’t wince when eyeballing from behind. In fact, I found the feuerwehrfahrzeug red coupe with the semi-blacked out wheels to be quite striking. With options it topped out closer to $100,000 just seven years ago. Here’s the Car and Driver review from 2012 that’s also ambivalent on the car – the most impressive point for me was the Bang and Olufsen audio system on this car was a $3700 upgrade! BMW sold four times as many of these third generation coupes than they did second generation. Perhaps Car and Driver’s death knell was premature? This 2012 BMW 650i is a four owner, one accident car found here in Las Vegas – same deal on the link.

2012 BMW 650i $32,998 39k Las Vegas

BONUS CAR!!!!

Just in case there are blog readers who slog through to the bitter end, here’s maybe the best value of all…..a beautiful 2012 BMW 650i also with 400hp, not as well equipped as the red one above and with 17,000 miles more, but at $5,000 less! That savings will likely pay for the MaxCare warranty. It’s a three owner accident free car that ironically spent some time in Leesburg, Virginia, where I live, before moving to California this summer.

2012 BMW 650i $27,998 52k Irvine CA

September 24, 2018

Another (nicer) BMW 760 V-12 Unicorn!

Last Saturday a reader pointed out the 12 cylinder BMW 760 I wrote about in July (and is still for sale here in California!) may be a dying breed unicorn for CarMax and I was ready to agree with him, when this second one – a 2013 with low miles – surfaced in Louisville, Kentucky the very same day (details at the bottom of this post). This white one is way nicer, with lower miles and well-appointed – so much so that the car opened at $40,998 on September 21st, and when I decided to blog today I see it’s gone up $1,000 in price. That’s rare, but not unheard of. I watched one unicorn increase in price several times by a thousand or two over the course of a week. Oddly, the higher mileage 2013 in California only dropped once in price by a thousand since July, and is still out there. In all cases, you’re either a fool, filthy rich, or a BMW mechanic yourself if you buy these cars without the bulletproof MaxCare bumper-to-bumper warranty! No offense.

My simple test for options on BMW’s of this era? Check out the bank of buttons on the left of the steering wheel. Five slots. The now $41,998 / 46,000 mile 2013 BMW 760 is on the left above, the $36,998 / 57,000 mile 2013 BMW 760 on the right. The only thing missing is BMW Night Vision on the right. I don’t know why I need night vision – carry Navy SEALS on a raid? Run moonshine and evade the cops (it is a Kentucky car, after all)? But once I saw how it worked on a Mercedes S600 I wanted it. My next car will have it. Anyway, the guide to the features is below, in case you were wondering.

BMW Buttons

Take a look at the 2013 BMW 760Li beauty with all the options here, in Louisville, Kentucky. If the link is dead the car is sold, on hold, or being transferred. I’ll bet it sells before the $36,998 one!

2013 BMW 760 $41,998 46k Louisville

September 20, 2018

2008 BMW M5 is Back – Now in North Carolina but Same Price?

I think this 2008 BMW M5 (V-10) unicorn has been moving around sine June or July. I first spotted it in Frederick, Maryland but lost track of it when I wrote about it here in August. Today it surfaced in Greensboro, North Carolina, after moving to Pennsylvania. Disappointed it remains at the original price of $30,998 – but not a lot of 500hp V-10 M5’s out there you can get a five year, 100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty like MaxCare. It’s an accident-free, three owner Florida/New Jersey car with a nice blue exterior and an interior called “gray”, but a nice off-white? Maybe that’s why the wife won’t let me decorate. I’d like to see this car drop to $28,998 or below. Find it here in Greensboro – if the link is dead it’s sold (I doubt it), on hold (possible), or being transferred (again!).

2008 M5 $30,998 52k - Greensboro

August 21, 2018

First BMW X6M Unicorn – 2011 for $34k. Only a few thousand in the USA!

2011 BMW M6 $33998 58k LA Once is awhile a BMW X5M comes close to unicorn status, but not seen an X6M until this week. Something about a 555hp, 5,100 pound SUV that does 0-60 in 4 seconds flat and brakes like hell that makes me want to run errands in this. There would be groceries all over the cargo floor, but oh what fun it would be. The car sold for over $100k new and is now at $33,998 – easily affordable and manageable with the MaxCare warranty. Here’s the Car and Driver review. Find this California car here; if the link is dead it’s sold, on hold, or being transferred.

August 15, 2018December 31, 2018

Get Your BMW V-10 While You Can – 3 Left – by Chuck Banks and Ahmed Gardezi

M6 Engine V10 My CarMax service tech seemed surprised when I told him about the BMW M5 and M6 unicorns with V-10’s still on the lots. He was sure there was a policy decision to not carry them anymore. I sure hope he’s wrong. Every time I think CarMax is done with 10 and 12 cylinder engines one pops up. Audi S6’s and S8’s with the 10 cylinder Lambo engine are rare – one this year. Two Mercedes S600 V-12’s and one BMW 760Li V-12 in the last year. At some point there will be no more V-10’s and V-12’s from CarMax that we can protect with the MaxCare bumper to bumper warranty, and that will be sad. I remember when CarMax carried Volkswagen Phaeton’s with MaxCare warranties. Wish I had one. So here are three BMW V-10’s for $30,000 or less. Enjoy.

Have to start with this 2008 BMW M5 last seen in Philadelphia. Last night it was available – tonight it is not. First saw it in Frederick, MD maybe a month ago and before I could share, it went missing. Showed up in Lancaster, PA (I think) and again, disappeared before I could post. Last night it was in Philadelphia and I’ll be damned if it isn’t off the net again. I’m posting hoping it resurfaces – it’s a pretty color combination and reasonably priced for a 10 year old M5. Will update with a link if it pops back up!

2008 M6 Next on my list is this 2008 BMW M6 in Boston. It’s not a great deal, with higher mileage, an accident in its history (it was a NY car!), but the same price as the one available in Hartford, CT in June. But it is a 500hp V-10 M6. Just like the one that got away – the 2007 M6 with 44,000 miles that was selling for a ridiculous $24,000 that I passed on in NJ last summer. Sigh. Not sure how often I get these cars right, but I know I got the 2007 wrong – that was a deal. Find the 2008 M6 here; if link is dead the car is sold, on hold, or being transferred.

2008 M6 28998 63k Boston

2008 M6 Convertible Side Shot Last, here’s a 2008 BMW M6 convertible. Not a big fan of the convertibles – the M6 of this era already suffers from a big butt, and the ugly soft top doesn’t help much. But top down, this V-10 roars and is probably right for someone. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! It’s also low mileage for a 2008. This M6 is in Chattanooga; if link is dead the car is sold, on hold, or being transferred. 2008 M6 Convertible 26998 41k Chattanooga

August 10, 2018August 11, 2018

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….

750 Surprised 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 CLS This 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