Category: Mercedes Benz

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Circle the Wagons! Eight Interesting Estate Unicorns

My Dad was a station wagon guy, and maybe someday I’ll own one if I tire of having an SUV. It’s a family tradition. I’m not sure what keeps me from moving in that direction. A couple of CarMax unicorn wagons hit the inventory, so I searched the inventory for more interesting ones that might be worth sharing. CarMax has 2,400 cars listed as “wagons,” although many are questionable. Four-door hatchbacks, really. I’m going to run through eight of them a little differently than usual and see if I can get this out quickly before they’re all gone. The “Highs and Lows” are all from Car and Driver reviews.

2015 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S

The E63 is a legitimate unicorn—a high-performance enthusiast car that has depreciated a bunch. At $48k, it’s just above my unicorn threshold, but maybe it’ll come down in price? It’s a beautiful color with low miles and a badass motor. Unfortunately, there are no rear-facing third-row seats like in normal E-wagons to let the kids watch the traffic disappear behind them.

HIGHS: This is not a vehicle for the measured and rational. It’s absurdity overload, unchecked enthusiasm manifest. It’s all ate up with hedonism

LOWS: It doesn’t have the 664 lb-ft this engine makes in the full-size S-class AMGs.

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2013 Acura TSX

I’m bracing myself for Roger’s wrath, but I’m intrigued by this 11-year-old Acura with only 900+ miles on it. I have no idea why people don’t drive their cars. It’s not a terribly sporting vehicle, yet you don’t see many of these on the road. It’s in a three-way tie for second place (whatever that means) on my list at $24,998. Last, probably no need for MaxCare for this Acura, although you could get coverage until it’s damned near vintage and another 140,000 miles!

HIGHS: One of those rare cars that needn’t be fast to be fun or have a trunk to be stylish.

LOWS: One more gear, please.

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE

What’s so special about a VW Golf Alltrack? Well, it’s one of two wagons at CarMax with a manual transmission. The other one is a VW Golf Alltrak also. That said, with AWD and a slightly elevated suspension, the VW could make a case that the Subaru Outback is also a wagon. Subjectively ruled the Subarus out for this. The other interesting thing about this wagon is it’s five years old and still under manufacturer warranty for another year and 24,000 miles. Again, no MaxCare is needed. How proud would my Dad have been if I had a manual transmission wagon?

HIGHS: Energetic handling, refined interior, generous cargo space.

LOWS: Below-average fuel economy, lazy infotainment-screen response, costly compared with the less SUV-ish Golf SportWagen 4Motion.

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2019 Buick Regal Tourx Essence

I like this Buick wagon way more than it deserves, first and foremost because it’s a German Opel, albeit with an American motor—like my Merkur. You’d think I’d know better. This is Buick’s first wagon since the enormous Roadmaster gave up the ghost almost 30 years ago. This Regal has nothing to do with the Buick Regals manufactured in the US until 2004, or the Buick Regal wagon of the 1980’s. Buick started importing Opels as Regals from 2008-2017, and then this estate from 2018 until it was discontinued in 2020. Makes this Regal a true unicorn, since it’s extinct.

HIGHS: Nice lines, huge cargo hold, low starting price.

LOWS: Recalcitrant transmission, commodity-car interior, neither sporty nor rugged.

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2014 BMW 328 XI

For $2,000 less than the Buick, you can get a more refined German compact estate, the BMW 328 XI. It’s five years older than the Buick and a few more miles. The drivetrains are similar – 2.0 liter turbo four cylinders making 240-250 horsepower and AWD, both hit 60 mph in about six seconds, but the BMW gets far better reviews as a driver’s car. The Buick has more modern features, like Apple CarPlay. Tradeoffs. Of course, I like the gold over tan senior citizen color combo.

HIGHS: Low and nimble feel, wagon cargo versatility, nearly 50/50 front-to-rear weight balance, closet hatchback.

LOWS: Creamy six-cylinder no longer available, gets pricey with options.

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2018 Jaguar XF S

Now that I think about it, the Jaguar XF S saloon may be the most solid unicorn wagon overall. Pricing, at $36,000, is right in the middle of the pack, and so is performance from the six-cylinder supercharged motor—a low five-second 0-60 mph. The “shooting brake” is also a lovely design. The only British car in the bunch.

HIGHS: Stunning looks, lithe dynamics, it’s a wagon.

LOWS: Lacks refinement for the price, subpar interior environment.

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2024 Volvo V60 Recharge PHEV T8 Polestar

A Swedish made, plug in hybrid, designed by “Polestar” and manufactured in a Chinese-owned factory? Third quickest to 60 mph on today’s list, after the E63 and RS6? Way too much for my simple blogging brain to digest. I understand Polestar to be Volvo’s acquired tuning shop, like AMG and Alpina, although entirely electric currently. As a 2024 model the Volvo Polestar is the most modern and well equipped on the list.

HIGHS: Impressive EV range, solid hybrid performance, did we mention it’s a wagon?

LOWS: Slow AC charging, modes buried in menus, limited front-row storage.

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2021 Audi RS6

Finally, the all around world class champion of high performance wagons, the Audi RS6. A few more horsepower and a little faster than the E63. The RS6 is considered to be more exclusive with far more limited production numbers than the E63. Can and Driver bemoans the exotic price, but if you have $90,000 to spare…..?

HIGHS: Mind-melting, brain-rattling V-8; light-footed dynamics; fun for the whole family.

LOWS: Thirstier than a salmon in the Sahara, exotic price.

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

LET’S TAKE A LOOK INSIDE?

(NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

The Polestar. You know it’s fast – it has yellow seat belts! Heated and cooling seats, Bowers & Wilkins audio, Apple CarPlay, auto cruise control, panoramic sunroof. Comfortable car.

The BMW 328. Could be just about any BMW 3-series. Clean tan interior belies 40,000 miles and 10 years old. Not much in the way or modern features. Not even a rear view camera. Pretty straight forward and ideal for folks who complain about too much automation?

The Acura TSX. Looks a little dated and despite less than 1,000 miles looks more tired than the BMW of the same age. CarMax calls it a “10” although all it has over the BMW is a rear view camera. Reliability over personality, I guess.

The Buick. Clean and Germanically efficient, too. Apple CarPlay, heated steering wheel, Bose sound system, navigation, and remote start. Nothing great to say. Nothing bad either.

The Jaguar. Has a sporting look to it. The same interior across the Jaguar brand in 2018. Heated and cooling seats, Meridian audio, navigation, safety stuff like cross traffic alert.

The Mercedes. I once owned a 2010 non-saloon version of this from CarMax for about 48 hours until something blew under the hood and I returned it. But in that 48 hours I found the cockpit to be a friendly place where everything was right where it was supposed to be. Well, except for the odd seat controls wedged between the driver’s seat bolster and the center console. Seems odd. This E63 is loaded. Auto cruise control, self-parking, seat massagers. If it had self driving and Apple CarPlay I would ditch my GLE63 and buy this.

The Volkswagen. That third pedal would be the clutch, and that’s what makes this more special and fun. This 2019 car also has Apple CarPlay, cross traffic alert, and heated “leatherette” seats. Adequate. A simple, functional, fun wagon to drive yourself.

The Audi. The interior says “RS” with the stitching and the upholstery. It’s high-tech. The cargo floor (way down below) has a motorized cover. It’s got the Driver Assistance Package and Executive Package. Auto cruise control. Heads up display. No seat massagers. I’m out.

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE WAGON FROM THE “WAYBACK”?

(Answers at the end!)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

1. Buick. 2. BMW 3. Mercedes 4. Jaguar 5. Volkswagen 6. Acura 7. Audi 8. Polestar

WHAT MAKES IT GO?

2021 Audi RS6

  • Engine & Drivetrain: 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8, 591 hp, 8-speed automatic, Quattro AWD.
  • 0-60 mph: 3.5 seconds

2015 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S

  • Engine & Drivetrain: 5.5L twin-turbocharged V8, 577 hp, 7-speed automatic, AWD.
  • 0-60 mph: 3.6 seconds

2024 Volvo V60 Recharge PHEV T8 Polestar

  • Engine & Drivetrain: 2.0L turbocharged I4 + electric motor, 415 hp, 8-speed automatic, AWD.
  • 0-60 mph: 4.3 seconds

2018 Jaguar XF S

  • Engine & Drivetrain: 3.0L supercharged V6, 380 hp, 8-speed automatic, AWD.
  • 0-60 mph: 5.3 seconds

2013 Acura TSX

  • Engine & Drivetrain: 2.4L I4, 201 hp, 5-speed automatic, FWD.
  • 0-60 mph: 7.6 seconds

2019 Buick Regal Tourx Essence

  • Engine & Drivetrain: 2.0L turbocharged I4, 250 hp, 8-speed automatic, AWD.
  • 0-60 mph: 6.1 seconds

2014 BMW 328 XI

  • Engine & Drivetrain: 2.0L turbocharged I4, 240 hp, 8-speed automatic, xDrive AWD.
  • 0-60 mph: 6.0 seconds

2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE

  • Engine & Drivetrain: 2.0L turbocharged I4, 250 hp, 8-speed automatic, AWD.
  • 0-60 mph: 6.1 seconds

AND FINALLY THE ADS, LINKS, STOCK NUMBERS AND VINS

This 2014 BMW 328 XI is here in Austin, Texas. It’s a single-owner car that got bumped in the butt once. Just dropped in price by $1,000. Wonder why?

Original MSRP: $42,000.

STOCK NO: 26476987 VIN: WBA3G7C50EKN36268

This 2013 Acura TSX is currently reserved here. It’s a one-owner car that spent the last 11 years in Dallas, Texas. Did I mention it has less than 1,000 miles?

Original MSRP: $32,000

STOCK NO: 25846374 VIN: JH4CW2H60DC000678

The 2019 Buick Regal Tourx Essence is being transferred to Columbia, South Carolina, at the moment. Here’s the link. It’s a two-owner Florida wagon. Buy MaxCare. It’s German.

Original MSRP: $41,000

STOCK NO: 26522155 VIN: W04GV8SX6K1015943

The 2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE is reserved here in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It’s a one-owner car that spent the last five years in Baltimore, my home town!

Original MSRP: $31,000

STOCK NO: 26154364 VIN: 3VWM17AU6KM503666

The 2018 Jaguar XF S is a two-owner car that’s been in Ohio and Kentucky and is reserved here in East Haven, Connecticut.

Original MSRP: $70,000

STOCK NO: 26512200 VIN: SAJBM2FV6JCY65617

The Mercedes E63 AMG S is currently reserved here in Irvine, California. It’s a two-owner California car that had one minor accident in 2021.

Original MSRP: $105,000

STOCK NO: 26554952 VIN: WDDHH7GB4FB123539

This Polestar is currently here in Orlando, Florida. Single owner, accident-free. Was leased just a few months ago – default?

Original MSRP: $63,000

STOCK NO: 26522012 VIN: YV1H60EP1R1616556

The 2021 Audi RS6 Avant is reserved here in Tampa, Florida. It’s a one-owner car that unfortunately rear-ended someone in Miami in 2023. Going too fast in a too fast car? Had to be towed away. Still the hottest wagon CarMax has.

Original MSRP: $116,000

STOCK NO: 26508128 VIN: WUA1CBF28MN903542

THANKS FOR READING!

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Quick Hit – 2013 Mercedes ML63 AMG – $27,998

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.

Stock No: 26336149 VIN: 4JGDA7EB8DA121582

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Seth’s Mercedes GLS (and CLS) Unicorn And 2 For You Too!

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!

Stock No: 25600326 VIN: 4JGDA5JB8EA391200

Stock No: 25740989 VIN: 4JGDA6EB2JB078969

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Mild or Spicy? A Trio of Mercedes SLK Unicorns – One Mild, Two Spicy!

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.

Stock No. 25693278 VIN: WDDPK7FA5EF092489

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A Springtime Solar Eclipse Means Time For 10 Convertible Unicorns!

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?

StockNo: 25294928 VIN: JN1CV6FE3FM810232 LINK

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.

StockNo: 25271376 VIN: JC1NFAEKXK0141887 LINK

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.

StockNo: 25491124 VIN: 1C3BCBFG0DN724042

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2021 Mercedes GLE63 to Daytona and Back on the Auto Train. Dash Cams and Danger. And a 10,000 Mile Update.

My 2021 Mercedes GLE63 AMG Sasquatch

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.

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Quick Update – My (Non-CarMax) 2021 Mercedes GLE63s AMG. Love It Or Leave It?

Last summer I strayed from CarMax and bought a 2021 Mercedes GLE63s AMG, a Certified Previously Owned (CPO) hot rod SUV I found in Santa Fe, New Mexico after a nationwide search that went on way too long. The whole saga was posted here. I’ve now put 8,000 miles on the car despite only one short road trip to North Carolina, and the experience had left me undecided on whether I love the car or whether I should sell it and start anew. Some unexpected repair expenses had me leaning towards selling, and will get to that later.

First, I want to document (in case any of you are IRS agents) that this is in fact a work “truck” and I frequently use it as such! Even my drive to Fort Liberty, North Carolina was for work! For the record, I only refer to it as a truck to make my family cringe.

That said, it’s a performance SUV first and foremost, and the fat summer tries have caused me some trouble. In July I picked up my first giant nail in one of these beefs and had to replace it – for $600. The tire was only available at the Mercedes dealership. Thought that was unfortunate since I’d really rather have all seasons on the vehicle but now I’ve got sunk costs. It got worse. Picked up another nail in the opposite rear tire a month later, and sunk another $600 for a new one. Thinking these high performance tires attract nails I started to explore just replacing all four with all seasons, only to find out nobody, but nobody, carries them. Pirelli makes a set sold through Mercedes dealers, but they are out of stock until spring (at least). Turns out the 22″ diameter is the problem. There are options for 21″ rims, and the GLE63 was sold with them too, but that means I gotta buy four new rims and four new tires. That’s a $3,600 proposition. Seems silly, but so does an AWD SUV I can’t drive in the snow. No room at home to store the summers. Still negotiating with Tire Rack on 21″ tire and wheel combos, and the weatherman is calling for our first snow this weekend. Looks like my BMW M3, with all seasons, will be my go to car?

Twice when I had the GLE63s at the dealer they’ve tried to fix the clamshell center console doors. A single button triggers both opening, except in mine only the left side opens regularly. Mercedes said it’s a known problem. The fix, not so much. The third time the dealer replaced the entire center console storage bin. Likewise, when I pointed out a fender flare was loose and the rear bumper molding had a 1/4″ gap on one side, the service manager agreed to order completely new pieces, have them painted to match, and installed. These fixes were done at no cost under warranty. In two weeks the GLE63s heads back to the dealer for Service A and a recall to replace the fuel pump (Mercedes learned the plastic fuel pump impellers fail). We shall see how that goes.

Back in 1993 I attended the US Air Force War College in Montgomery, Alabama, and while there the State of Alabama was courting Mercedes to put their first US assembly there. Alabama won the competition over rival states by donating the land and using the Alabama National Guard to clear it. We joked at the time that the new ML SUV’s to be built there would come with optional gun racks. I drove a Merkur XR4ti at the time, never imagining that 30 years later I’d own a luxury Mercedes SUV from the same plant.

Anyway, I wondered if some of these misfit parts were the result of assembly in Alabama, and not Stuttgart. Then I wondered about the hand-built AMG motors – were these shipped in from Germany or were they being made in Bama too? The service rep said he’s visited the Alabama factory and yup, motors made there. Disappointed. But not convinced. So I popped the hood all by myself and found the signature plate below. The engines are made in Germany. The umlauts say it all.

In early December the front brakes began to screech. Thought that’s a problem and had the Mercedes dealer check it out. The first answer was we could replace the front pads and rotors for $2,600 and the problem would probably go away. But they also said the pads still have 6/32″ and don’t need replacing right away. No wear indicator on. Maybe they’ll talk to the shop foreman and see what’s up. But they don’t and instead suggest maybe the brakes were glazed when I bought the car. My experience is the service techs are hit or miss on expertise and communications. Ryan the CarMax service rep is so much more conscientious. Replacements by Mercedes are warranted for 12 months, 12,000 miles. GLE63 owners on the forum say they sometimes replace brakes EVERY 10,000 MILES! Not for me, although I am looking into FCP Euro pads with lifetime warranty. Even my local Goodyear store warranty is 24 months/24,000 miles!

The tires and brakes are normal wear and tear items not covered by warranty and expenses are escalating. Before I commit to doing them, I decided to take a shot at selling the GLE63s to CarMax. I figure if they give me something close to what I paid last summer I might just cut my financial loss and start over. Besides, the car was not deeply depreciated and so I don’t feel like I got over on the dealership like I have in the past with CarMax. I miss that, too. CarMax has not had a current generation GLE63 (they have a few 2019’s). The appraisal below tells me they don’t want one. It’s $30,000 less than what I paid just few months ago, and $25,000 less than comparable Mercedes CPO GLE63s’ are selling for right now. CarMax prides itself on offering to buy anything customers bring in, and they will. That said, they can make the price such that no rational seller would ever take them up on it. I’m not.

Pretty sure I’m going to keep the car and love it, although I don’t have a course of action for the tires and brakes just yet. What helps make up my mind is a spirited drive through the rural roads of Loudoun County, Virginia. The audio in the video doesn’t do it justice. I think I’m going to lean into this car and enjoy it. I haven’t seen another one on the roads in the six months I’ve owned it, and that helps me feel a little special. Maybe when I take it to Daytona later this month for, uh, some business meetings around the same time as the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, it’ll feel like a unicorn.

History repeats itself. On New Year’s Day 2024 I tested positive for Covid again, so I went for a rural Loudoun County drive to the John Lewis Memorial Bridge to clear my head before checking into my hotel refuge (my goal this time is to not infect my family). The bridge is on a remote road that crosses Catoctin Creek. Built in 1889, according to the county it’s “a rare surviving example of a wrought iron truss bridge—one of only five still standing bridges built by the Variety Iron Company.” It’s peaceful here. And not unfamiliar.

Three years ago almost to the day – New Year’s Eve 2020 rather than New Year’s Day – I took a short road trip diversion to the same bridge in Etta, my 2008 Porsche 911 CarMax unicorn, after getting the devastating news that I had tested Covid positive. Things were much scarier then, with no vaccines and no Paxlovid. Tomorrow I will load up this Mercedes GLE63s with all the crap I brought with me to my isolation hotel and head home, and if the worst I have to deal with is finding brakes and tires for a badass 600 hp SUV, I guess I’m in a pretty good place after all.

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Mild or Spicy – 2013 Mercedes SL550 or SL63 AMG?

Holed up in another hotel on a business trip splurging on Popeye’s fried chicken and thought it’s time to revisit the mild and spicy post from August. Here’s the link if you missed it. The theme was just like Popeye’s, there are some pretty good cars out there in a reasonably fun version and the same car a bit hopped up – spicy. Well, here’s two more – a pair of Mercedes hardtop convertible unicorns! “Super Leicht”…or SL’s.

Above we have the relatively mild 2013 Mercedes SL550, with a ridiculously low 6,927 miles on it! Ten years old and hardly driven. Below, a spicy 2013 Mercedes SL63 AMG with more mileage, but cheaper than the SL550.

These are sixth generation SL’s, R231 models which were made from 2012 to 2020. The SL550 sold new for at least $106,000, the SL63 for more than $150,000.

The cars are similarly, but not identically equipped. The cheaper SL63 has adaptive cruise control and massaging seats, and the SL550 does not. The SL550 has the Harman Kardon audio and the SL63 the Bang & Olufsen (although CarMax lists it as having both the Harman and the Bang!)

That’s the SL550 wheel above, and the SL63 controls below.

Both convertibles have the wonderful Air Scarf neck warmers below.

What distinguishes the two the most are the motors – both twin turbo V-8’s. The “mild” motor is the 4.7 liter, 429 horsepower one in the SL550, with the SL63 sporting the “spicy” 5.5 liter, 530 horsepower engine. The SL550 takes just over four seconds to hit 60 mph – the SL63 just under four. Both have seven speed automatics and are governed to 155 mph top speeds. Reviews suggest the SL63 has an almost marine engine sound to it. Interesting.

At the moment, the 2013 Mercedes SL550 is on its way to Salem, Oregon and is selling for $41,998. Again, it has less than 7,000 miles on it and of course MaxCare is available up to 125,000 and another five years. Makes a nice sleeper. You can track it with this link.

Stock No. 25135608 VIN WDDJK7DA6DF019221

For me, the 2013 Mercedes SL63 AMG is the menu choice I’d make. It’s only $37,998 but does have 56,000 miles on it – and one minor accident involving the driver’s door. It’s currently reserved here in Sacramento, California. Of course, I’d rather have the best of both world’s – a low mileage SL63, but Isaiah bagged that one over a year ago! Here’s the link to that story.

Stock No. 25051893 VIN WDDJK7EA4DF006630

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Mild or Spicy? Fair Question for Chicken and Cars, and Six Menu Choices.

Earlier this week there was a decent preseason NFL game between the local Washington Commanders and my hometown Baltimore Ravens and that meant dinner in the recliner watching football. And football often means fried chicken. Popeyes being the closest joint I fired up the M3 and raced my way into the drive-through slalom for a four piece chicken meal with Cajun fries, cole slaw and a biscuit.

It didn’t take long for the dullness of preseason tryouts to set in, and so with greasy fingers I found myself scrolling the CarMax website for unicorns. And I noticed that just like the chicken choice at Popeyes, mild or spicy, many of these cars are available the same way. And so here are three pairs that you can have either way. The choice is yours.

First on the family-sized menu are a pair of Jaguar XF’s. Have to be careful here. Have gotten to know a great guy and Jaguar owner through this blog and we met for drinks once to talk cars. I mentioned this “mild or spicy” angle and implied his XJ was mild because there’s an XJR version. He noted his 5.0 liter V-8 was not exactly sluggish and he was correct. The 2012 Jaguar XF Portfolio below has exactly the same motor, rated at 385 hp, and runs a very respectable five second 0-60 mph time. The XJ only weighs a little more so probably not far off. Regardless, this XF reminds me of the unicorns I posted about when I first started this blog – it’s selling for $17,998, and there’s a slew of boring-ass cars you could be driving but don’t have to if you’re trying to keep costs down. Throw in a couple of grand for MaxCare and drive worry free, in style, for the next five years.

The black XF above is a little newer (2015), with fewer miles, and $11,000 more, but boasts the spicy, supercharged 5.0 liter V-8 making 470 hp. It is called (cleverly) the XF Supercharged! The additional horsepower drops the 0-60 time to 4.7 seconds and a governed 155 mph top speed. It also growls and snarls more aggressively. Sometimes that’s important.

The Portfolio interior (above) and the Supercharged interior (below) are pretty much the same. Nicely appointed, handsome trim. The Supercharged has a heated steering wheel and Meridian audio system. Both have heated and air conditioned seats.

The obligatory motor shots. Portfolio above, Supercharged below. I was hoping for something drastic on the Supercharged model, like giant intakes or orange heat panels like on a rocket ship, but no. To me indistinguishable. To Jaguar folks, I suspect they could spot the differences immediately.

The 2012 Jaguar XF Portfolio is milder than the Supercharged but is probably the better bargain. Eleven years old, decent mileage, burgundy over cream colors (just right for the Washington Commanders’ region), and a bargain price at $18k – sold new for maybe $60,000. It’s a four owner, accident free car. MaxCare to 125,000 miles. It can be tracked here as it’s on the way to Lafayette, Louisiana. And Lafayette is about 2 1/2 hours from where Popeyes got its start, just outside of New Orleans!

Stock No: 24462335 VIN: SAJWA0HB7CLS45542

The spicy 2015 Jaguar XF Supercharged below sold for maybe $70,000 and is now $28,998. It’s got quite the sleeper profile, with very muted exterior badging to indicate the super-stuffed motor. With only 40,000 miles MaxCare is available for another 85,000 – plenty of cruising cap. It’s currently on reserve in Clearwater, Florida so here’s the link to keep tabs on this quick tabby.

Stockno: 24502433 VIN: SAJWA0HP4FMU65358

(Secret Bonus Car below – a beautiful 2012 XF below with only 23,000 miles, a V-8 engine, beautiful blue over gray, and a $23,998 price tag! It’s here in Jacksonville, Florida.)

Stockno: 24337773 VIN: SAJWA0FB5CLS37782

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Finally – A New (Pseudo) Unicorn for Me!

It’s been nine months since I sold the Mercedes S600, and much longer that I’ve been bemoaning the challenges of finding my next unicorn. I finally took the plunge and picked up a 2021 Mercedes GLE63s AMG. It’s a (mostly) wonderful SUV that scratches (almost) all of my automotive itches. Unfortunately, I strayed from the fold and did NOT buy it from CarMax. I gave them every opportunity to wow me with a bust-the-budget dream car and just couldn’t get what I wanted – a loaded and exclusive SUV. Even flew to Florida last spring to see a CarMax GLE580 that was listed as fully loaded, only to find it lacked some features CarMax said it had. So I’ve gone out on a limb to buy a Mercedes CPO, paid for a Mercedes’ extended warranty, purchased it long distance from a Mercedes dealer in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and had it shipped to me in Virginia. It’s been a challenging journey.

Once I entertained buying a Mercedes CPO I settled on GLE63’s and GLE580’s, 2020 and up (2021 for GLE63’s – there weren’t any in 2020). Found limited quantities of both, and the 580’s were roughly $20,000 less than their AMG brothers. The GLE580 makes 483 hp and the GLE63 603. Both have a 48v mild hybrid power augmentation. The GLE580 does 0-60 in 4,3 seconds and the GLE63 in the low-threes. Justifying the additional $20,000 came down to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go for the higher horsepower and exclusivity of the AMG version. I’ve owned the car for almost two months now and haven’t see another on the road. If you want a professional review of this car read this Car and Driver piece. If you want to know about buying from Mercedes and my experiences, read on!

While I found limited inventory of GLE580’s and GLE63’s from 2020-2022 (my price range), even more frustrating was just how bad the Mercedes Benz CPO web site functions. It’s horrible. Far worse than CarMax. Even worse than General Motors. It’s simply not possible to choose wanted features and sort through the nationwide inventory. There are a very limited number of options to choose, and the results are unreliable. The corporate MB app forces the buyer to go to each dealer’s website to dive deeper on details. MB doesn’t even provide a link – have to cut and paste each dealer’s name and google them to find the dealership. THEN you find the car (again) and hope there’s an “iPacket” of vehicle records that will include the data card of options by description and code. There are three Mercedes dealerships near me, and only one offers iPackets online to find data cards. Otherwise, the buyer needs to reach out dealer by dealer by email or phone to ask for a data card, and tolerate obnoxious sales reps only motivated to get you to walk in the door. More than one sales rep flat out lied, or was bizarrely unaware of what features were actually available on their vehicles.

For example, I absolutely had to have a heated steering wheel. They are extremely hard to find on 2020-2021 GLE580’s. One sales rep told me the heated steering wheel was controlled by the MBUX infotainment system and that’s why I wouldn’t see the switch on the side of the steering wheel. Total bullshit. I finally found a really good guy at the Alexandria, Virginia Mercedes dealer who explained to me that the chip shortage of 2020-2022 resulted in features, such as heated steering wheels, being dropped from some models and reserved for higher end cars. He said some new vehicles even showed up during that time with only half the ambience lighting installed, and a $500 credit on the Monroney sticker! Bottom line, I trusted nothing and no one on features until I got the data card. And then I still overlooked stuff!

After months of searching I found this beautiful blue over cream 2021 Mercedes GLE63s AMG in Santa Fe with only 12,000 miles. It had all of the features I wanted, or so I thought. But it was over budget. Found another white one in a less preferred color scheme in Boerne, Texas, but it was even more expensive. And after I had mentally committed to going all in on the GLE63 over the 580….a nice 580 showed up in Tennessee for $20,000 less. But it sold. The blue GLE63 dropped a thousand, then another two thousand, during my indecision mode. During that time I asked the sales manager about pricing and he flatly refused to negotiate. “I put my best price on the internet.” Another week went by and I engaged a pretty helpful sales rep and flat out made an offer. Said I had to get the price under $100k or my wife would leave me. He checked with the manager (of course) who gave me an ultimatum – they’d accept my offer if I completed the financial part that day and wired them payment. It was as if they’d challenged my manhood or integrity and so I said done, threw caution to the wind, and wired them the whole kit and caboodle. And then waited on paperwork and wondered if I had been swindled.

Although the manager and sales rep assured me they did long distance transactions all the time, they just weren’t very good at it and certainly not timely. Paperwork FedEx’d to me had my name spelled wrong. The email from the finance guy spelled “Benz” wrong. The sales rep and the finance rep were friendly and helpful when we talked, and yet they took forever to return calls. Lots of apologies that they had live customers in front of them, implying that buyers a thousand miles away were less important. When the finance guy initially called me, after trying to sell me windshield crack insurance (I thought Ziebart protection was next) he quoted me the extended CPO warranty for $2,000 more than the sales manager had. I corrected him and he accepted my number – wish I had said it was free!

A week later the sale was complete and we turned to shipping. The dealership claimed they outsourced shipping, but it turned out to be nothing more than “we know a guy”. Jacob, from Global Auto Transportation in Los Angeles. A broker. and the dealership doesn’t arrange transport, I do. Jacob promised me he could get the vehicle booked within a few days, and it would be here in a week, for $1,200. And the normal arrangements were to pay Global $300 and then, get this, Venmo the driver the remaining $900 upon delivery. I saw nothing but extra charges and getting squeezed by the trucker on arrival if Global didn’t pay him and said no – I’d pay Global, up front even, but I wanted a cleaner contract. Jacob agreed, When the SUV was picked up in Santa Fe I texted the truckers (two Russians) and promised a decent tip if they took care of my car. They did, and after delivery I Venmo’d them a couple of hundred bucks, and got a really sweet “May God bless you” text back. They were the highlight of this purchase.

The Mercedes had New Mexico temporary plates good for 30 days, and I needed them. It took the Santa Fe dealer all that time to get me a title and the originals of the purchase documents. And the purchase order was incorrect and rejected when I went to the Virginia DMV. Fortunately, the finance guy at the dealership took my call immediately and within minutes faxed corrected documents to the DMV and just last week, I became legal. I held off writing this piece all this time wondering if it would work out, or if I’d have to drive the car back to Santa Fe and dump it back on them. But it worked out. Just took almost two months to get here.

The SUV is pretty spectacular. I try to overlook design shortcomings like the cupholders above. The cupholders will EITHER heat OR cool your drinks, but what if you have coffee and water – can’t do one of each? Unacceptable 🙂 I misunderstood the Smart Phone Integration package – it has wireless phone charging, and full Apple CarPlay and other integrated features…..but the phone has to be tethered with a USB cord. Was joking about the cupholders, but I really wanted wireless CarPlay. I missed that. I’ve since bought a puck, wired into the port and hidden in the glovebox, but running two Bluetooth connections (MBUX and the aftermarket) is clunky and drops calls. Will probably just run with a wired phone. Disappointing.

The massaging seats are wonderful, and well supporting on my 600 mile road trip. The aromatherapy (below), like the heated/cooling cupholders, is a bit of a novelty. The atomizer was missing when the car arrived so I dropped $100 on Amazon for a genuine “Mercedes Benz Genuine Flacon Perfume Atomizer”. It goes in a special mount in the glove box. Passed on Sport fragrance (was thinking locker room?) and went for “Freeside Mood”. Amazon said it’s “citrus and tea with floral top notes. Base notes include cedar- patchouli and ambergris.” I don’t know what that it, but I do know the first time my wife rode in the car she said something like “Good God, what’s that smell?”. Fortunately, it’s easy to turn off.

While we’re at it, the Mercedes also has the heated armrests – the center console and the door rest. I’m sure they will be critical come winter. It does have the heads up display I dig, although no night vision assist. The Driver Assistance Plus package (hands free driving, including auto lane change and stop and go assist in traffic jams), has been worth it. The 603 hp 4.0 liter V-8 is an absolute brawler……if you want it to be. Peculiarly, I’ve been driving it mostly in reduced power mode because I don’t need that horsepower all the time (or at all?!) and I might as well save on gas. And after 2,000 miles of driving, with only one 600 mile road trip, I’m averaging 19 mpg. That’s what I get in my 2013 BMW M3. And that’s why I sometimes wonder if I would have been just as happy with the “cheaper” GLE580? I’m usually driving the GLE63 the same way. Sort of how my BMW M3 is fine around town in normal mode, and yet hit the “M” button and it’s a race car.

Finally, let’s look at the warranty. The reason for this blog is because I’m a MaxCare addict. I like the financial protection of near bumper-to-bumper coverage on high-end cars and wouldn’t own one without it. Every time I looked at CPO’s, though, I found the coverage was only one year or so beyond the manufacturer warranty. CarMax sells five years from the purchase date from CarMax – not linked to the original sale date. That’s the differentiator. But I found the Mercedes CPO warranty is one year beyond the manufacturer warranty for free, and an additional two years could be purchased with an extended CPO warranty. My SUV is a 2021, and the manufacturer warranty is four years, through 2025. The CPO warranty adds a year, to 2026, and the additional two years I bought, for $5,960, will take me to 2028. That’s five years and unlimited mileage! I plan to drive the wheels off, and not worry about managing mileage. I am waiting for an opportunity to take the car in to Mercedes and see if this is as easy as it has been with my trusted rep Ryan at CarMax.

That’s my story. The car sold new for maybe $130,000 with all these options and carbon fiber trim and I got it for under $100,000 – not the unicorn deal I’ve grown accustomed to, and yet just this once it’s the right thing to do for me. I know it will be worth a third that when I’m done. When I replace the M3, I will no doubt be looking for a bargain at CarMax!

I’ll get back to blogging about CarMax cars now. And enjoying the best, or nothing.

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