Sometimes a car’s color and design combine to make a striking package, and that’s what got my attention about this 2015 Mercedes CLS550 unicorn. CarMax has 88,000 cars for sale today, around 6,000 are red, and of those, only 100 are Mercedes.
As an aside, I created an innovative tool I’ll call a “pie chart” to illustrate the color breakdown. I would patent it if I were smart enough to make the slices match the car colors. Two points to be made here: one is that three-quarters of the cars on CarMax lots are your basic black, white, gray, or silver. Not much interest in colorful cars in the US at the moment. The second is that there are technically eight “pink” CarMax cars. There really are four; the others are mislabeled. The four are “Barbie” pink Jeep Wranglers – one a diesel and one a PHEV! Enough already.
The CLS has been one of my favorite designs since its introduction in 2004. The second generation launched in 2010 and ran through 2018, and the one above is a facelifted model. It’s a lovely red over tan. Eyecatching.
I wouldn’t call the interior dated – more like “traditional” for its time. I once owned, for about 48 hours, a Mercedes E63 AMG with the same interior, and it fit me well. This car has automatic cruise control and automatic parking, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated, cooling, and massaging seats, Harman Kardon audio, and the Driver’s Assistance Package. That’s a fairly loaded car only wanting for 4Matic. Like all CLS models, it’s a four-seater only.
Under the hood is a 4.7-liter twin-turbo V8 rated at 402 horsepower. Coupled with a nine-speed transmission (9G-Tronic), the CLS550 hits 60 mph in 4.7-5.0 seconds, depending on who you believe. Quite respectable for a non-AMG car. The engine bay looks brand new.
The 2017 Mercedes CLS550 sold for maybe $74,000 new almost nine years ago. It’s depreciated adequately, and priced at $32k, there’s hopefully room in the budget for MaxCare for another 85,000 miles and four years of risk-free driving. At the moment, the car is reserved here in Memphis, Tennessee. The stock number and VIN are below if you want to track it that way. If you’d like some first-hand feedback from one of my readers and a CarMax enthusiast, check out this exchange I had with Seth Steiner, who owns one of these CarMax CLS550’s. Auf wiedersehen!
This post is a little special. It marks the eighth anniversary of my little corner of the internet: The CarMax Unicorn Blog. Eight years of hunting down rare, fast, and sometimes impractical cars. While most people see CarMax as a place for gently used Civics and family-approved SUVs, I see it as a safari—where the occasional unicorn pops up between the beige herd. Today’s roundup? Eight unicorns worthy of the anniversary spotlight. Enjoy.
Opening with a sleeper, a 2014 Mercedes-Benz E550 sedan. Not an AMG, reasonably priced, low miles, well equipped. This car is for the more secure driver who doesn’t need to be flashy. That’s not me just yet. This car sold for maybe $65,000 new. Car and Driver said the “smooth twin-turbo V8” translates to “grandma’s luxury sedan that secretly eats Mustangs for breakfast.” (Sorry, Jerry.) This is also the last year for a V8 in a vanilla E-class that’s not an AMG version. I think that’s about the same time all 5-series V8’s for BMW became “M550’s”?
Above, we have a handsome interior where we can find adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, heated and cooling seats, and a panoramic sunroof. Below is the 4.6-liter twin-turbo V8, which produces 402 horsepower. With AWD, the Mercedes hits 60 mph in only 4.5 seconds. The same as Guenther, my 2004 S55 AMG. And this is not an AMG!
I love that this 2014 Mercedes E550 is priced less than $30k and has a ridiculously low 16,000 miles on it. Hardly broken in. This sleeper is coming soon to Omaha, NE. Track it here.
Stock No. 27507414 VIN WDDHF9BB2EB028372
The Mercedes is a very nice, very fast sedan, but it’s not rare with over 67,000 E-classes of all trim levels sold in the US in 2014. Below we have a 2016 Jaguar XJ Supercharged, more rare with only 3,834 units imported.
The 2016 Jaguar XJ Supercharged was also more expensive than the Mercedes when new, at perhaps $90,000. Car and Driver noted the “aluminum chassis, charismatic V8… basically a British muscle car wearing a tux.” I like the black and white scheme, like a Panda or cop car? Or a tux, but Car and Driver beat me to it.
Inside, we have the standard Jaguar interior, aka luxurious. This one has heated, cooling, and massaging seats, a heated steering wheel, adjustable suspension, and Meridian audio. Alas, no adaptive cruise control. I think the angry red shrieking Jaguar on the shift knob is a bit much, though.
The big cat sprints to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, a whisker below the Mercedes, thanks to the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 rated at 470 horsepower. Only rear wheel drive, though.
This more exclusive 2016 Jaguar XJ Supercharged is available here in Phoenix, AZ. At $34,998 and only 28,000 miles, it’s a solid, limited-run unicorn that will make you feel like you’re driving rich.
Stock No. 27206652 VIN SAJWA1CE7GMV94093
The Jaguar is nice for gentlemen (and ladies) wanting refined performance, and yet for something more visceral, more German, more raw, and more rare, I’d offer up the 2015 Audi RS7 below. Somewhere on the auto forums, it is said fewer than 2,000 of these hit our shores annually. In fact, of the “RS” Audis, only the RS5 broke 3,000 units sold! Audi only sold 8,000 or so “7” models combined (A7/S7/RS7) in 2015!
The 2015 Audi RS7 sold for maybe $110,000 when new a decade ago. This one is not as nicely appointed as the Jaguar, but it does feature adaptive cruise control, a heads-up display, and Bang & Olufsen audio.
Car and Driver buds liked its “supercar pace, hatchback practicality.” Translation: it’s a rocket ship with a Costco trunk. I have always loved the A7 shape, especially the earlier models, and the gigantic trunk.
The Audi RS7 is most badass under the hood, though, with a “tiny” 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 good for 560 horsepower, and with AWD and an 8-speed tiptronic transmission, it stomps to 60 mph in only 3.4 seconds.
This is a lot of car for $43,000, and given its high-performance drivetrain, MaxCare is a must. That will push you close to $50,000 out the door, and you’ll be pleased with how quickly you will go once out that door, I think. At the moment, this RS7 is on reserve in Cool Springs, TN. Here’s the link.
Stock No. 27430045 VIN WUAW2AFC6FN900489
Perhaps you like an Audi four-door, and yet you want something smaller, newer, and yet with spunk and exclusivity? And maybe you’re not obsessed with big motors like me? How about a more diminutive 2018 Audi RS3? It’s a good 20 inches shorter than the RS7, almost the same price, and half as many miles. Stunningly, it is just as quick as the RS7!
The 2018 Audi RS3 was a $60,000 car new. Car and Driver raved about the 5-cylinder noise “half rally car, half angry chainsaw.” The criticism at the time was that this was a lot of money for a small car with a cramped back seat. Now that it’s depreciated to $44k, it’s more reasonable. I’ve tracked CarMax RS3’s for a year or two, and they were all in the $50-60k range. This is the cheapest one I’ve seen to date.
Surprisingly, the RS3 features auto cruise control, which I did not expect. Also has Apple CarPlay, seat heaters, and a bunch of safety features, although not too much else in the way of appointments. It does have a 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder motor generating a whopping 400 horsepower. Coupled with the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic and AWD, it hits 60 in 3.5 seconds and has an Audi-claimed top speed of 174 mph.
This special little Audi RS3 is on its way to Puyallup, WA. Track it here.
Stock No. 27601964 VIN WUABWGFF9J1905332
Here in America, though, we love our SUV’s, especially ones with a third row. If this were a Zoom call, I’d ask how many of you have actually ridden in the third row as an adult. I have, in a Suburban, over bad roads, and I still need chiropractic work because of that (or so I think). When I bought my Mercedes GLE63 I deliberately avoided three-row SUV’s. I’ll never use the seats, and although minor, they do take up cargo space even when folded flat. A lot of folks want a third row, and some want high performance and unicorn exclusivity. The Mercedes GL63 AMG is all that and more.
The 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG was the last year for GL’s before they were rebranded as “GLS” vehicles. Yes, you could enjoy a very nice GL550 (and here’s a nice Designo for about the same price), although the GL63 AMG adds the AMG Airmatic Sport Suspension, high-performance brakes, the AMG sport exhaust, and the AMG body styling – and 121 more horsepower! The GL63 easily sold for $120,000 new and is a quarter of that now. That’s some wonderful depreciation for us unicorn hunters.
This SUV has heated, cooling, and massaging seats, a heated steering wheel, a Harman Kardon audio system, a rear entertainment system, automated parking, adjustable suspension, and, while it doesn’t say it has adaptive cruise control, looking at the steering wheel stalks, I have a hunch it does. Loaded.
The GL63 is powered by a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 rated at 550 horsepower, and with a 7-speed dual clutch transmission and AWD, will hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. Car and Driver reviewed it and said, “Imagine a 5,800-pound family hauler that thinks it’s a drag racer. Terrifying and hilarious.”
In addition to being luxurious, fast, and rare, this once-$120,000 SUV is now $33,998 and has only 36,000 miles. This is a steal. Track this family hauling race car here. It’s reserved in Killeen, TX, where everything is big.
Stock No. 27637669 VIN 4JGDF7EE1GA679032
Maybe you haven’t started a family yet, or are an empty nester like me, and have no interest in an SUV at this time. Well, like the RS3, the car below has now dipped into unicorn pricing territory and is a bit special – the BMW M850i xDrive. I was fortunate enough to attend the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019 when the car made its U.S. debut. As the successor to the 6-series, it seemed big and exotic as a grand touring coupe. Sometimes, though, I look at it from the side and see Mustang. Car and Driver thought Accord Coupe. BMW owners don’t pay $112,000 to be confused with a Ford or Honda. And it certainly doesn’t have the panache of the first-generation 8-series, with its hideaway headlights and V-12, a good 25 years ago.
The 2019 BMW M850 I xDrive may not be a stunner outside, but it’s a world-class performance car and damned nice inside. It’s a lovely cockpit, although not loaded. Apple CarPlay, heated steering wheel, Harman Kardon audio, heads up display, and heated and air-conditioned seats. But damn, those seats look comfortable.
As with all modern BMW V8’s, they get the “M” moniker even if not a full “M-series” car. It doesn’t matter. The M850 has the same 4.4 liter twin turbo, although amped up to 523 horsepower. With an eight-speed ZF transmission and AWD it hits 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, the quickest of the eight cars I’m including today. For what it’s worth, a true “M8” coupe can be had from CarMax for another $20,000, and that buys you another 94 horses, and only a tenth of a second or two faster. Worth it?
You can find this 2019 BMW M850 here in Irvine, CA, where it’s currently on reserve.
Stock No. 27453214 VIN WBABC4C52KBU96194
The BMW is a big two-seater. If you’re in the market for something more nimble, and even a convertible, how about a Porsche Boxster with less miles for less money? The one below is the only one in the unicorn range (<$45,000 / <60,000 miles), and CarMax only has three at any price. They used to carry far more. Same with Caymans – only a handful anymore. What gives?
This is a 2015 Porsche Boxster, and a pretty basic one at that. Heated and air-conditioned seats, Bluetooth….and parking sensors. Not even a rear-view camera. But it is a terrific handling Porsche and quick enough. Car and Driver considers the Boxster “the gold standard for ‘fun with the top down‘.” Porsche sold just over 3,000 of these in 2015.
Inside the Boxster is the same as the Cayman and 911. This is a third-generation Boxster, the first originating in 1996, and it’s one newer than Etta, the 2008 Porsche 911 I enjoyed for a few years. I can tell you once I got the seat angled just right, I never had to adjust it again, even on long trips, and was always comfortable. And I’m 6’4 220 lbs. Unfortunately, the Boxster has no back seat, and the firewall prevents reclining much at all, so I cannot fit in one.
That’s the rear trunk above, and the front trunk below. Or is it the other way around? Unlike the rear-engined 911, the Boxster is mid-engined and thus the extra trunk in the back! If there was a picture of the motor, that’s where I would share that the base model is a 2.7-liter flat six rated at 265 horsepower, and only 206 ft-lbs of torque. It has a seven-speed dual clutch automatic and zips to 60 in about 5 seconds flat. The Boxster doesn’t accelerate as quickly as any other car in this group of eight, and yet the handling, the open-air cockpit, and the wail of the flat-six make for a spectacular motoring experience.
After the 2016 model year, Porsche switched to a turbo-four in the Boxster and Cayman (as 718 Boxsters and 718 Caymans), a different sound. Although the 2015 Boxster sold for around $50,000, and this one hasn’t depreciated much in 10 years, it’s the cheapest Porsche sports car CarMax has. This low-mileage 2015 Boxster is on reserve in Oxnard, CA. Here’s the link.
Stock No. 27426885 VIN WP0CA2A89FS120662
Sometimes my blog posts make it seem like I have a bias towards European cars, and it only seems that way because, well, I have a bias for European cars. I’ve been obsessed with cars since I was a boy, and when I moved to Germany in the Army at the age of 20 (still a boy), I was overwhelmed by the variety of enthusiast cars. But I’ve also owned Toyotas, Hondas, Acuras, and even a Mazda RX-7. So to wrap this up, I looked to the East for something unusual and found this.
This being a 2015 Hyundai Genesis Ultimate. Why? It’s a big coupe, based on the Hyundai Genesis sedan platform, featuring a V6 engine, a manual transmission, low mileage, and a low price. Sometimes I rue not having a stick shift anymore, now that my Fiat 124 is gone, and I run through the CarMax inventory looking for a cheap three-pedaler just to thrash through the back roads. This seemed to be a “good enough” coupe.
Inside, we have a decent cabin with seat heaters, Bluetooth, navigation, an Infinity sound system, and a six-speed shifter. What else would you need in a spare car?
Usually, I’d say a lot, but this is less than $24,000. Only 34,000 miles. And even though the venerable ten-year, 100,000-mile Hyundai drive train warranty has expired, I’d pass on MaxCare. This is not an unreliable car, nor an expensive one to fix. That said, it’s been suggested that the Hyundai Genesis coupe is a good candidate for drifting, and if that’s your plan, maybe MaxCare is in order?
The 2015 Hyundai Genesis Ultimate might be a tough sell as a unicorn, although there aren’t too many of these coupes. I recall the hoot I had driving a 6MT Nissan Altima coupe cross-country a couple of times for a friend, and this Hyundai reminds me of that car. Someone is having the 2015 Hyundai Genesis Ultimate shipped to Albany, NY. Track it here.
Stock No. 27131119 VIN KMHHU6KJ0FU130566
That’s a wrap for my eighth anniversary blog. I am grateful for the comments and the email exchanges we’ve had about your experiences with your own unicorn hunts. Still hovering at about 200 email subscribers for the last few years, so I think I’ll keep poking around the CarMax web page every day, hoping to find something unusual that would make someone say, “You bought that at CarMax?!” Thanks for hanging in there with me.
The 2014 Mercedes CL550 was the final year for the model before it was retooled as the S-Coupe, and only 410 were sold in the USA – some as AMG models, of course. Qualifies easily as a unicorn. It’s a Grand Tourer, but far more luxurious than performance-oriented, like the Jaguar XKR covered earlier this week. It’s also quite understated. On the rare occasion I see one on the road, I have to do a double-take to make sure it’s not an E-class, or even a C!
While that low profile makes it a bit of a sleeper, this was once maybe a $130,000 car, and folks who spend that much tend to want to be seen, I suppose? Inside, it’s all luxury. From the B-pillar, if it had one, forward, the cabin is identical to my beloved and former S600. The car is loaded – 10 out of 10 per CarMax. Heated and cooling and massaging seats. Heated steering wheel. Distronic adaptive cruise control. Sunrood. Power rear sunshade. It’s a fantastic ride.
What’s not wonderful is the back seat below. I suspect it’s not uncomfortable once back there, but not since I owned a 1986 Merkur XR4ti have I had to open a two-door, flip the seat back forward, and watch grown adults do the limbo into a coupe back seat. It ain’t natural. Or healthy. And as I’m learning with my two-door M3, as I get older, even tossing a gym bag or twelve-pack into the back seat of a two-door is getting harder and harder. Everything goes in the passenger seat or trunk. But if that’s not a problem for you, this is a wonderful two-seater. Or a four-seater if you’re cruel to passengers.
The trunk in the coupe looks the same as that in a four-door S-class, but it’s almost two cubic feet smaller. Still room for a couple of suitcases, though. For two.
Yes! Night vision assist! If you’re new to the blog…I had this in my S600 and thought it was cool as hell, but pretty much useless. I loved showing it off to friends, and I once tried to see how far down the interstate I could drive looking only at the NVG display in the dash, but it’s kind of a novelty. And I kind of want it again.
Below we have the 4.7-liter twin-turbo V-8 powerplant, the same as in the 2014 S550 sedan, and the S550 coupe that succeeded the CL550 in 2015. It makes 429 horsepower and 516 ft-lbs of torque at only 1800rpm. That, along with AWD and a seven-speed transmission, will move this 4,700-pound coupe to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Impressive.
The 2014 Mercedes CL550 is a bargain at $31,000 and only has 31,000 miles on it. It’s got a lot of life left, especially with MaxCare. The car was right up the road from me in Laurel, Maryland. But since I bookmarked it, someone arranged to have it shipped to Irvine, California. That’s a hefty $2,000 shipping fee! You can track it here, should they oddly choose not to buy it.
Last week, a West Coast CarMax offered a rare 2016 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S600 for $51,998. Wrote about it here. This week, an East Coast CarMax makes available this stunner, a 2015 Mercedes-Benz S600 (non-Maybach) unicorn that I think is a far better deal as a beautiful daily driver. Slightly lower price. Ridiculously low miles. Same performance.
The “vanilla” S600 is above, the Maybach below. There is a subtle difference. The Maybach is stretched a good eight inches over the standard S600. Of course, the Maybach is far more exclusive and the benchmark for “driving rich.” Both cars are selling for about the same as the average new car price for 2025 and are anything but average.
Back to the 2015 S600. It’s got an unblemished cream interior and looks like a Designo, but I cannot tell for sure. It’s got everything: heated, cooled, and massaging seats, a heated steering wheel, automated cruise control, night vision, Bang & Olufsen audio, and rear seat entertainment. It has a heads-up display, although it is not listed in the features.
The backseats are the same, but different. Both have footrests and rear seat entertainment, but you can see the extra legroom in the Maybach from the extra eight-inch wheelbase. Otherwise, with reclining and massaging rear seats in both, they are quite similar.
No dummy/blanks in the dashboard feature section and two keys! The Maybach only had one. Edge to the vanilla S600. And the mats in the trunk of the S600 below look pristine. This car has hardly been driven (or somebody threw in some new mats?)
Both the 2015 S600 and the 2016 Maybach S600 share the same motor – a smooth as silk 6.0-liter V-12 that makes 523 horsepower and 612 ft-lbs of torque. Because the “base” S600 is lighter than the Maybach by 300 pounds, it sprints to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, a hair quicker than the 4.7-second Maybach. Both are governed to a top speed of 130 mph. For the record, I was surprised rolling through Texas in my former 2010 S600 when I went for top speed to learn that it was also governed at 130! Times have not changed.
At the moment, this 2015 Mercedes S600 is reserved here, at my very own Dulles, Virginia dealership. I have signed up for an email alert should it become available again. I may want to drive it. The Maybach sold new for nearly $200,000, and this 2015 S600 for maybe $170,000. The Maybach has 55,000 miles and is selling for $51,998. The S600 is priced at $49,998 and only has 17,000 miles. MaxCare is available for five more years and up to 125,000 miles. The Maybach is more exclusive, and the rear seat condo is nice if you want to coddle your passengers. However, the 2015 S600 is a very nice sleeper and is just as fine up front for the driver. Honestly, if the S600 had Apple CarPlay and self-driving, I’d seriously consider jettisoning my GLE63 and buying this car. It’s gorgeous. And a bargain.
It’s been a dozen years since I bought Guenther, my first Mercedes unicorn, and 7 1/2 years I’ve been blogging about CarMax cars, and in all that time, I’ve never seen a Maybach for sale by CarMax. Imagine my surprise to see this one for just over $51,000. Beautiful, rare, 2016 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S600. A V-12.
The 2016 Maybach sold for around $200,000 new, which also surprised me – I had presumed it was much more than a vanilla (if there’s such a thing) S600 or even an S65 AMG, both high-end V-12 S-Class Mercedes models, too. It’s tough to find production numbers, but estimates on the web suggest that 10% of Maybachs are sold in the USA, which translates to 500-600 per year. More unicorn credentials.
The Maybach has almost everything I want in a big Merc. Automated cruise control, heads-up display, seat massagers, heated and cooling seats, heated steering wheel, Burmester audio, and automated parking. The sedan even has the business-class footrests in the back, which I’ve never had. I sat in a CarMax S65 once that had them, and I was too tall to fully extend the seats and sit comfortably. It doesn’t matter – I got no chauffeur and my wife would refuse to drive my S-Class cars anyway. The Maybach has rear seat entertainment, which I had in my S600, and no one ever watched a DVD in the years I had it.
You can see from the panel below that the car is equipped with night vision, which I loved having in my S600, even though it was pretty useless other than as a novelty. Cool to show friends at night. What the car doesn’t have, which I now must have after owning a GLE63 AMG, is autonomous driving and Apple CarPlay. You could probably add CarPlay, although I’d be reluctant to putz with the Burmester. It also has ONE KEY. Still bullshit, CarMax.
The bonus beyond the exclusivity and luxury appointments is the big V-12. It’s a 6.0-liter twin-turbo engine making 523 horsepower and an impressive 612 ft-lbs of torque at just 1,900 rpm. The Motor Trend review gushed at a 0-60 mph sprint in only 4.8 seconds, but I’m not terribly impressed. That’s about the same as Guenther, my 2004 S55 AMG, and my 2010 S600 ran. I expected more. On the other hand, handling at 0.90 lateral G for a 2 1/2-ton sedan was quite good. I can’t imagine rear-seat passengers finding that acceptable. That’ll get the chauffeur fired.
This nine-year-old Maybach has had three owners in Houston, Las Vegas, and El Cajon. It’s accident-free. MaxCare is available up to 125,000 miles and for another five years. And you don’t want this Maybach without MaxCare! I suspect it will cost around $7,000, and I expect you’ll recover that at least three times over. Find this beautiful car here in Murrieta, California. It’s currently reserved, and you can track it using the stock number or VIN below as well. I predict it will sell very quickly, or linger around for a long time, like the 2016 S65 AMG coupe that I swear has been moving from CarMax dealership to dealership for over a year. Time will tell.
Just before Christmas, I had a major upgrade to my 64-year-old vintage body – a brand-new high-tech knee. For the first three weeks, I relied on this 2025 Walker, lightweight aluminum frame with a carbon fiber cross member, two-wheel drive up front, and rubber stopper braking in the rear. A whopping 350 pound capacity. The original MSRP was $30. No warranty. Same with the new knee, I presume. Last week, I transitioned to a cane and snuck out to drive my SUV. Gas-to-pedal movement excruciatingly tweaked the knee, so I have canceled my plans to drive to Florida for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona this year. Sad and disappointed, and to distract myself I sifted through my “saved” CarMax unicorns and sharing a few below. Let’s get started.
Opening with a 2016 Lexus GS F, a relatively high-performance sedan that sold in limited numbers from 2016 until discontinued in 2020. Less than 2,500 were sold in the US, and most of those (1,418) were sold in that inaugural year. Car and Driver dug the torque vectoring differential and thought the car handled exceptionally well, yet dinged it for not being on par with the Audi RS7, the BMW M5, and the Mercedes-AMG E63. I never really thought it was meant to compete with those.
The GS F has heated and cooling seats, Mark Levinson sound, auto cruise control, and a heads-up display. It is a nice-looking four-door sedan with a tidy and luxurious interior. What makes it fun is the 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V-8 motor that makes 467 horsepower. With an eight-speed automatic transmission, it hits 60 in 4.4 seconds.
Car and Driver shared some disappointment with the performance given the $87,000 price tag when new. Eight years later, it’s half that at $43,998. Is it a bargain? Don’t know, but it is a decent, fast family car, and you won’t see many of them on the road. You can also get Maxcare for another five years and 100,000 miles. Is it necessary for a Lexus? This one is on reserve here in Laurel, Maryland.
Stock No: 26838218 VIN: JTHBP1BL8GA001594
And below, we have a trip down memory lane, with the lowest-priced Porsche 911 I’ve seen at CarMax in years. It is not the bargain I found with Etta, my 2008 911, that I loved despite its shortcomings, but given used car prices, maybe track it and see if it drops below $50,000?
This is a 2014 Porsche 911 Carrera, a base model that I’d view the same as my 2008 – an entry-level 911 to test the waters and see if a rear-engined iconic sports car is for you. Enjoy it, thrash it, then sell it and bide your time to get the 911 you really want. Or just be content with this one. The CarMax description says it’s burgundy over black. I can’t see the burgundy in the photos. If it is, it would be nice to have around my town, where we are enjoying the Washington Commanders NFL team making a playoff run (for now) we haven’t seen in decades. (For you non-football fans, the Commanders’ colors are burgundy and gold.)
The 911 is pretty bare inside. No rearview camera. No steering wheel controls. Heated seats, Bose stereo, and navigation. Just a 3.4-liter flat-six-cylinder engine that produces 350 horsepower and 287 pound-feet of torque, 0-60 in 4.4 seconds, and a top speed of 179 mph. Subjectively, it is a wonderful one-of-a-kind engine note from behind and inexplicably great handling. My 2008 911 was a “997” model that I loved, although it really beat the hell out of me on even mildly bumpy roads. Hated that. From mid-2012 to 2016 Porsche produced these 991.1 models, with a wheelbase a good five inches more than the 997 predecessor. I test-drove one, and it was light years more civilized in town and over uneven pavement. I want one. (Starting in 2017, all 911’s are turbos, and I’m not sure I want to give up the thrashing sound of a naturally aspirated motor.) When the time comes to replace my M3, I must find a 991.1 for “cheap,” with more options.
The 2014 Porsche 911 base model sold for maybe $85,000 new, and ten years later, this one is “only” $53,998. That is not a huge amount of depreciation; it is the cheapest 911 we’ve seen in years. My 2008 was also ten years old, but I paid $36,998, and it had only 34,000 miles. I would also offer that I paid another $3,000 for MaxCare, and it was barely worth it. Here’s the lengthy analysis, but the short version is that MaxCare paid for $4,100 in repairs, and because I did not transfer the warranty to the buyer (a dealer) when I sold the car, MaxCare refunded me just over $1,100. The Porsche 911, like my BMW M3, didn’t have expensive mechanical warranty fixes like my Mercedes S55 and S600. I’m too chicken to roll the dice and buy a Porsche 911 without MaxCare, though. If you’re in the market for an entry-level Porsche 911, this car is available in Irvine, California here.
Stock No: 26922560 VIN: WP0AA2A90ES107023
The 2015 Volkswagen CC VR6-4 Motion-Executive below caught my eye somewhat because of the lengthy and interesting name. Really, the VR6 motor got my attention, as I remembered the transverse-mounted six-cylinder from the VW Golf R32, back when the VR6 was a 3.2 liter. By 2015, it was up to 3.6 liters. More on that later.
The Volkswagen CC is to the Passat what the Mercedes CLS-class is to the E-class, a swoopier version of the basic sedan. Loses some rear-end room but comes with more style. The CC VR6-4 Motion-Executive comes with heated and air-conditioned seats, navigation, and, check this out, seat massagers! That’s for the executive butt, I think.
Here’s what I’ve learned from Wikipedia about the VR6 motor that makes this a bit of a unicorn. Wiki says, “The name VR6 comes from the combination of German words “V-Motor” and “Reihenmotor” meaning “inline engine” referring to the VR-engine having characteristics of both a V-layout and an inline layout.” Not sure what to make of that. The engine has only 10 degrees between the cylinder banks, which makes it perfect for stuffing a V6 into a small engine bay. One cylinder head for two banks of cylinders.
More fascinating, the same engine in this VW CC was used to power the six-cylinder Porsche Cayennes from 2010 to 2018. Even more mind-blowing, VW-Porsche-Audi jammed together two VR6 motors to make the over-engineered W12, the 12-cylinder engine that powered select Audi A8s (check out this one I considered from CarMax at a ridiculous s$35,000!) the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, the Volkswagen Phaeton, and even some VW Touregs.
Back to this VW. The VR6 makes 280 horsepower, not a lot, and pulls the AWD (4-Motion) sedan to 60 in an unremarkable 6.4 seconds. This one-owner, accident-free car sold new for perhaps $45,000, and with only 24,000 miles, is now $20,998. It’s on reserve at the moment here in Lexington, Kentuky.
Stock No: 26182579 VIN: WVWGU7AN4FE801791
Back to Japanese cars. Remember the Acura RL? This is not that. The RL gave up the ghost in 2012, replaced by this, the Acura RLX. The RL was pinged for being too small, and reviews suggest Acura got the message. The RLX is a full-size sedan that’s bigger and more comfortable. Just under 18,000 RLX models were sold from 2012 until 2020, and I cannot remember the last time I saw one.
The 2014 Acura RLX was fairly high-tech for its day, with a camera and radar-driven auto cruise control that could bring the car to a halt if traffic ahead came to a stop. Even had lane-keeping assist. I was amused that the two screens in the dash confused the Car and Driver reviewers – nowadays, two or even three screens are considered contemporary. With such low mileage, this 10-year-old Acura looks almost brand new.
The Acura RLX is powered by a 3.5-liter six-cylinder powering the front wheels only and is good for a sub-six second 0-60 mph run. Not bad. Other than the VR6 ingenuity, it’s quite similar to the VW CC – but bigger and faster.
The 2014 Acura RLX sold for $50-60,000 when new and is only $22,998 at the moment. It’s listed here as “Coming Soon to the Laurel, Maryland CarMax, the same place as the Lexus GS F at the top of this piece! I really don’t think MaxCare would be warranted for this car. Last thing – what’s the deal with the headlights? Cool high tech, or bizarre?
Stock No: 26446060 VIN: JH4KC1F55EC000802
One last car. It’s not an enthusiast car by any means. More of a novelty I was unaware of and wanted to share. The 2019 Infiniti QX30 Essential. The Nissan/Infiniti clothed Mercedes GLA250 was sold from 2017-2019 in the US. Engines from Germany. Assembled in the UK. Kind of cool, except the GLA250 ain’t exactly the finest Mercedes ever made. It’s good enough, I guess.
Check out the QX30 above and the GLA250 below. I believe the QX30 has more style.
The QX30 has leather seats, Bose audio, and AWD, and with only 6,400 miles, it looks very fresh inside.
The QX30 is above, and the GLA250 is below. While I love tan interiors, I think I prefer the Infiniti layout. Infotainment display embedded in the dashboard, and not one but TWO cupholders! The Mercedes vents are more impressive to me.
Both cars are powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, good for 208 horsepower and AWD, and a 0-60 in the low six-second range. Not bad.
This 2019 Infiniti QX30 Essential is available here in Orlando, Florida. It was once a $40,000 car. The price is high because of the ultra-low miles. If you really want one, CarMax has 42 QX30s at the moment! I must admit I have been tempted by the 375 horsepower GLA45 AMG as a local runabout, but never the base GLA250 – and didn’t know the QX30 even existed!
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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!)
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1. Buick. 2. BMW 3. Mercedes 4. Jaguar 5. Volkswagen 6. Acura 7. Audi 8. Polestar
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.
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.
The most rewarding part of being an amateur blog writer is to hear from readers that share an interest in finding CarMax unicorns, and especially when they’ve bought a few of their own. I’ve exchanged email as with as many of you as I can keep up with and even met a few for coffee or a beer. Last week I got a wonderful email from Seth Steiner, a writer himself, who stumbled on this blog after he bought a pair of CarMax unicorns – a 2017 Mercedes GLS550 and a 2017 CLS550!
Here’s his 2017 GLS550 and the email (shared with his permission), with some commentary from me if I can figure out how to distinguish it from his email:
Hello! My name is Seth Steiner, and I just stumbled across your website today and I found it really interesting. (Chuck Comment: At this point, I’d publish anything Seth sends me. I’m that easy.) I (as I imagine you do as well) enjoy perusing the CarMax website looking for the most interesting vehicles they for whatever reason choose to have in inventory. This comes after our family ourselves picked one of these cars up. Back in September of 2023, my family decided to begin looking for a new car, which from the get-go was decided would be a Mercedes, likely a GLS. What we didn’t know going into this hunt was what we’d stumble into; a Designo Cardinal Red 2017 GLS550 WITH a Designo Quilted Espresso leather interior. A spec I have not seen a single other example of.
(Chuck Comment: Designo, is pronounced “di-ZEE-no”, I was told, after saying it wrong. Per Google AI “Mercedes-Benz “Designo” is a program that allows customers to personalize their Mercedes-Benz with custom paint, leather, and interior trim options. The “Designo” package is available for select models and includes a multi-layered process that uses nanotechnology to protect and ensure the durability of the materials. Some of the options that are available through the designo package include:
Paintwork: High-gloss colors or matte finishes.
Upholstery: Nappa leather in solid or two-tone colors, and ceilings with a Dinamica suede appearance.
Cabin trim: Exotic woods, hand-stitched leather, and stone granite can be selected.”
Back to Chuck –I have seen indications that the paint was another $6,000+ and the interior $3,000 + in 2017 – maybe a $10,000 upgrade to Seth’s GLS550? I would have to agree that this is a rare GLS550!)My estimate is Seth’s GLS550 was easily a $100,000 SUV.
(Back to Seth) What makes this even better is the fact that it was listed online for $42k, but said $48k on the window sticker. Because of this blunder on CarMax’s part, we ended up getting the car for the lower of these two prices! We had to order the car in from CarMax of Tampa into our local store (Capital Blvd Raleigh) for $199, but upon first seeing the car we knew it was the one. Driving it and feeling the 449hp Biturbo V8 just confirmed it.
I asked Seth to share his buying experience, as I never want to appear to be just a CarMax shill, and maybe others don’t have the same pretty good engagement I have had. His response follows:
The buying experience on both cars was lovely. Ordering them to our local store was a breeze. Both of the sales guys we interfaced with were super friendly and easy to work with, and the express pickup option worked especially nicely, as it made paying for the cars easy considering we didn’t have the money quite ready to pay for the cars immediately (just had to transfer but that took a day or two.)
BREAK IN THE SETH ACTION – A GLS550 AVAILABLE NOW!
Thought it would be a hoot to see what comparable Mercedes’ might be available if Seth’s GLS550 got your attention, and this was the best I could do. Not bad, but it’s not a Designo (found a pair of lesser Mercedes Designo SUV’s at CarMax today and will add those at the very end!) This is a 2018 Mercedes GLS550 that is pretty much the same platform.
Motor Trend reviewed the 2017 Mercedes GLS550 and confirmed it was the “the S-Class among SUVs.” It’s a luxury SUV with heated and cooling seats, seat massagers, and Apple CarPlay. Oddly, doesn’t say it has auto cruise control. Can that be?
This may be the most inviting pair of third row seats I’ve seen in a while.I continue to be flummoxed by CarMax’s cheap as hell one key policy, but what the hell is this?! Is the second key stashed in a piece of luggage in a Greyhound station?
The Mercedes GLS550 (both Seth’s and this 2018 model) sport a 4.7 liter twin turbo V-8 pushing 449 horsepower through a nine-speed transmission, good for a very low five second 0-60 mph sprint. This is one roomy and luxurious SUV that doesn’t suffer in performance. It’s available here in Hillside, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. It was once a (maybe) $90,000 SUV available for half that.
Stock No: 25956099 VIN: 4JGDF7DE9JB127877
Back to the Seth Steiner Story.
From Seth: We loved the powertrain of this car so much that we had to get another car with it, leading for us to get a CLS550 (in a more boring spec) from CarMax, but it only had 36k miles, which was great! Snagging two cool cars that totally fly under most people’s radars from CarMax has been awesome and I totally see why you have a blog dedicated to it! (Chuck Comment: Love you man!) Anyways, the CLS is a 2017, just like the GLS. We did not end up opting for MaxCare just because we’ve got a guy who has a little shop that has done good work on our other, non CarMax Mercedes (an 05 E320 and 06 ML350.)
Chuck Again.
So like the GLS550 I had to do my best to find a CLS550 available now at CarMax that might compare. Again, found a pretty good but lesser vehicle. This time a 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 at a low price, with low mileage.
This 2014 CLS550 is almost identically equipped as the 2018 GLS550 above, even with seat massagers, sans Apple CarPlay. It’s a rich silver over tan car, but has the older interior compared to Seth’s CLS. Both cars are second generation. The CLS550 ended in 2023. 🙁 The original, first generation CLS was to me one of the most original designs of its generation. Unfortunately, while based on the E-class platform that fit me fine, the CLS roofline raked a bit dramatically behind the driver, and pushed down on my head.
Absolutely handsome, hardly worn interior.
The 2014 Mercedes CLS550 made 402 horsepower from the 4.7 liter twin turbo.
The 2014 Mercedes CLS550 sold for maybe $72,000 a decade ago. It’s available now for 40% of that here in Modesto, California. It’s also good for MaxCare for five years and (almost) 100,000 miles!
Stock No: 26040071 VIN: WDDLJ7DB3EA101376
The Rest of the Seth Story
I asked Seth to share his buying experience, as I never want to appear to be just a CarMax shill, and maybe others don’t have the same pretty good engagement I have had. His response follows:
Funny thing is we have a free oil change for the GLS that CarMax gave us a pass for, but we can’t seem to get them to pick up the phone and let us book it (advice on scheduling service there would be appreciated!!) (Chuck Comment: Sorry Seth, I missed your question when we were swapping emails. Best I can tell you is I have had a wonderful experience with my Dulles CarMax by wandering in, hanging out in service, and doing my best to be a non-demanding customer with the customer service reps. They have come to know my cars, and when my primary guy ((Ryan)) is out the others are very nice and helpful. Ryan is a superb rep, and I leave him a Christmas card with a gift card for a local restaurant every year (and an extra one he can give the CarMax mechanic who busts his knuckles on my cars). He loves talking cars and I will stay and chat until it seems I’m in the way. I think so many customers are unpleasant, shall we say, and demanding, the reps appreciate a patient one. I actually HATE the CarMax phone menu trying to book service. It blows.)
Final comments from Seth:
The buying experience on both cars was lovely. Ordering them to our local store was a breeze. Both of the sales guys we interfaced with were super friendly and easy to work with, and the express pickup option worked especially nicely, as it made paying for the cars easy considering we didn’t have the money quite ready to pay for the cars immediately (just had to transfer but that took a day or two.) The positive experience on the GLS is what had us buy two other cars from them. (There’s also a 2016 GLE350 we bought before the CLS but that was traded because we didn’t like how it drove lol.)
So far both cars have been absolutely repair free. The TPMS sensors on the GLS have been a little wacky and it’s just thrown the A0 service light, but otherwise it’s been perfectly fine. The CLS (which we’ve really only had for 2 months so far) has been PERFECT and an absolute joy to drive.
Both cars we bought, barring a few minor issues (GLS having weird rear bumper fitment issues, mostly) have been perfect, and the experience as a whole is what has me checking out the CarMax website all the time looking for whatever seems cool. It’s been a lovely experience overall.
DESIGNOS!
What follows is a pair of Mercedes SUV’s with Designo trim; an older 2014 ML350 (before switching over to the GLE) and a 2018 GLE43 AMG. The quilted seats are the give away. My take? The ML350 is a damned good buy if you’re not hung up on horsepower and all vain about AMG stuff like I am. Interesting that someone would splurge for Designo on a basic ML350, though. Similarly, the GLE43 is more modern with some AMG credentials, and yet I’ve driven the six cylinder GLE43 and GLE53 and found them wanting for horsepower. My twisted logic is if it doesn’t have the AMG badge, adequate performance and luxury SUV features are great. But if you want horsepower and the AMG mystique, it needs to have a V-8 (or V-12!) under the bonnet. But that’s just me.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks, and thanks to Seth for sharing!
Time for another Popeye’s “Mild or Spicy” batch of cars. All are low mileage, third generation Mercedes SLK unicorns, diminutive retractable hard top convertibles with quite different personalities. They are a bit rare for different reasons. One is 50% less expensive than the other two. Worth it to upsize?
The Wiki page on SLK’s let me know “”the former name “SLK” was derived from sportlich (sporty), leicht (lightweight), and kurz (short).[1] . Sounded unfamiliar to me, in that I have never been caller sporty, lightweight, or short. The SLK was produced in Bremen, Germany from 1996 until 2020, although renamed the SLC in 2016 when Mercedes changed their naming convention.
(Apologies for vanishing since June – made a trip to Ireland, returned to a full work week, and generally recovered and goofed off for a few days. Thanks to new reader Seth for unknowingly giving me the nudge to complete this today!)
A Proper Top Down Photo!
The “mild” version is a 2013 Mercedes SLK250, with 31,000 miles. Front seat heaters, Harman Kardon sound system, panoramic sunroof built into the hard top, and otherwise pretty basic. What makes it special?
As I understand it, the SLK250 was the last Mercedes sold in the USA with a manual transmission! The six-speed manual, offered from 2013-2015, makes this baby-SL a bit more fun, given it only has a 1.8 liter four cylinder pumping 201 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque. Car and Driver coaxed 60 mph in the low six second range. Mercedes only sold a little over 4,000 of the SLK250’s, and only a small number of those were manuals in the US.
The SLK is a “compact executive roadster” – a UK term I hear, designed by Bruno Sacco, an Italian-German engineer and designer. The interior is handsome and tight. No big infotainment screens back in 2013. The trunk (below) includes the same kind of protective panel as in my 2013 M3 – the retractable hard top cannot be stowed in the trunk unless the cover is in place.
Car and Driver reviewed a nearly identical 2015 model and enjoyed the handling and the “well-sorted” manual transmission – the little turbo motor not so much. A small turbocharged engine can be fun in a small roadster, and I suspect this 3,300 lb car could be fun with the top down on a windy road.
The 2013 SLK250 sold for less than $50,000 when it was new almost a dozen years ago. It’s now about half that, and with pretty low miles. It’s a two-owner, accident free car that’s spent its time in Ohio and Kentucky, Find it here in Houston, Texas.
Stock No. 25731536 VIN: WDDPK4HA9DF051406
A Mild SLK250 With A Manual Is Nice – A Spicy SLK55 (Or Two) Better!
The SLK was also sold with a 302 hp, 3.5 liter, V6 that was probably faster than the SLK250, but didn’t have the manual transmission. For a real spicy SLK, though, the SLK55 AMG is the bomb. (Do people still say that?) Same starting point with the chassis and body, upgraded with an AMG touch. This one is a 2013 model.
The ”spicy” SLK is the fire breathing SLK55 AMG version, stuffing a naturally aspirated 5.5 liter, hand built V-8 into the engine bay, making 415 hp. With the seven-speed automatic, Motor Trend ripped 4.2 second 0-60 mph runs in the SLK55, faster than a comparable Mustang GT. They also noted the SLK55 cost about twice as much as a Mustang GT, though – maybe $80,000 vs $40,000 comparably equipped. (Can you really equip a Mustang to match a Mercedes?)
The SLK55 AMG interior don’t look all that different from the more civilized SLK250. Chronometer peeking up from the dash gives it away. The burgundy seats grow on you. So does the “Air Scarf” neck ventilation in the SLK seat backs – same as the SL class. As I write it’s well over 90 degrees here in Virginia and I passed on driving the M3 with the top down today. If I had Air Scarf……. All three SLK’s have the $2,500 option “Magic Sky Control”, what Motor Trend calls “the cool nanoparticle party trick that turns the glass roof from clear to opaque at the touch of a button.” Car and Driver was more kind, noting it “adds to the airy sensation, and it brings extra relief to the tight cockpit.” I kind of like the idea of having a sunroof in a hard top convertible at all!.
Forgot to mention this SLK55 has only 16,000 miles on it. Hardly broken in! The 2013 Mercedes SLK55 AMG is an accident free, three-owner car from Texas, Tennessee, and Missouri. Right now it’s here in Dallas.
Stock No. 25989143 VIN: WDDPK7FA8DF065589
Bonus Car – Another SLK55 Listed Since I Started Writing!
This one is a 2014 Mercedes SLK55, also low mileage and also well within unicorn price range. In fact, had I not seen the 16,000 miler above I would have been all silly over this find alone.
I do prefer the tan interior more. Not much else different. Ran the CarMax “Compare” feature and it tells me the only difference is the 2014 does not have the sunroof (it does) and the 2014 doesn’t have the driver assistance package – I cannot tell if that is accurate.
I can tell the 2014 only has one smart key per the photo, and that just frosts my butt. The 2013 SLK55 has two! And try as I might, I could not get a high enough resolution screenshot of the AMG engine builders’ signatures on the motors to see if the same builder put together the 2013 and the 2014 motors. Thought that would have been cool as hell!
The 2014 Mercedes SLK55AMG is maybe the best deal here at $32,998 – $7,000 less than the ultra low mileage 2013 above. Use that $7,000 to buy Maxcare! All three are eligible for the extended warranty for 60 months and up to 125,000 miles. That’s anywhere from 90,000 to 109,000 miles of worry free driving on 10 and 11 year old Mercedes. That’s why I dig MaxCare so much. This 2014 Mercedes SLK55 AMG is here in Portland, Maine.
