Category: Mercedes Benz

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Five for Five – Five 2017 Cars for Five Year Blog Anniversary!

Just hit the five year anniversary of the CarMax Unicorn Blog and thought I’d take a minute to say thanks to the folks who are still reading this from time to time as I still enjoy writing this from time to time. The numbers say I’ve only blogged 31 times so far this year and I normally do 60-80 posts annually so I have some catching up to do. Admittedly, when I’m obsessively searching for my own unicorns I don’t get around to blogging about yours as much as I’d like. And this year not only did I buy two of them (the M3 and the CT6), I sold my 1971 Fiat with a little coverage here and I’m still working on selling my 2010 Mercedes S600 (having conversations with several of you on that car now!). Still getting 2-3,000 visitors a month so will keep this going another year! And oddly, the 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis LS posting here retook the lead from a Cayenne as the blog with the most views ever. Sigh.

When I married my wife in 1996 I started commemorating anniversaries by doing a one of something gift for year one, a pair for year two, three of something for the third anniversary and on. Was easy to be imaginative up to year 12 (particularly enjoyed linking gifts to the nine planets for our ninth, before Pluto dropped out) but I was totally out of ideas as we celebrated our 26th this summer. Maybe I didn’t think we’d make it this long when I started the tradition?

Anyway, for the fifth year of the blog thought I’d go with five unicorns that were actually brand new cars back when I started the blog and are now interesting used cars. Thanks for hanging in there with me and hope you like them.

I like this 2017 Audi S8 a lot, given that it checks (almost) all my boxes for an S600 successor. Fully loaded with Apple CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, seat massagers, and over 600 hp from a twin turbo 4.0 liter V-8 powerplant. And since I started this blog post a few days ago, it dropped $1,000 in price! But I’m hanging in there for the most autonomous driving capability I can get (the Cadillac CT6 spoiled me) and my amateur take is for the German car makers 2019 was a generational improvement. I cannot tell how much auto-driving is available on this Audi.

This car sold new in 2017 for almost $120,000. It sprints to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds. Yup – 3.3 – supercar speed in a 4,700 lb sedan. Oh so tempting. Find this 2017 Audi S8 here in Irvine, California.

Stock # 23108469  VIN # WUAJ5AFD4HN901220

I also like this 2017 Corvette Stingray with less than 2,000 miles. It packs a big 6.2 liter, 455 hp naturally aspirated V-8. Why don’t people drive their cars?! This one looks as clean as when it was new. A bit old school with the motor in the front!

Someone paid about $60,000 for this Stingray in 2017. It hasn’t depreciated at all. This stupid low mileage Corvette moving here to Hillside, Illinois but you can still track it.

Stock # 23187843  VIN # 1G1YB2D7XH5100050

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The End Is Near…….for Some 2010 and 2011 Unicorns!

CarMax inventory is returning to pre-pandemic levels – about 60,000 as I write – and things are changing. Not easy to see, but perhaps you can tell what the cars above have in common? If not, they’re 2023 cars – used cars – at CarMax lots. Only a handful, and yet it means CarMax is moving into a new inventory year and will be jettisoning some from long ago. Traditionally, CarMax says they offer European cars up to 10 years old, and all others up to 12 years old. In the five years I’ve been blogging, that really hasn’t been the case. There are (technically) 12 year old European cars still in the fleet, although not many. Of the 519 2011 model year cars nationwide there are only 41 European cars left. At some point there will be none. Some of the more interesting ones I’ve included below. For non-European cars, there are a whopping 156 cars from 2010 – two offered below. As you know, I love that CarMax will sell nearly bumper to bumper MaxCare warranties for cars that are now up to 13 model years old! And as part of this nostalgic post, here’s the link to last year’s post when 2009 models were sunsetting.

I (almost! Update below.) missed the opportunity to write about a 2011 Mercedes CLS550 available last month. It’s significant because 2011 was the last year for the C219 “shooting brake” model before it was redesigned in 2012. Maybe CarMax will get one last one. For now, here’s a 2011 Mercedes SL550 with an unbelievably low 17,000 miles on it. It’s being transferred at this time. MaxCare available for another 108,000 miles. With a 5.5 liter V-8 making 382 horsepower, heated and cooling seats (with massagers), Bluetooth, air scarf – it’s a fairly nice old convertible.

I believe the car is headed to Irvine, California. Here’s the link if you want to track it.

Stock # 22955064  VIN # WDBSK7BA1BF161828

UPDATE. Here’s the 2011 Mercedes CLS550 I thought had been sold. It’s back for $23,998 at 53,000 miles. Nice four door coupe. It’s back in Phoenix. Stock number 22953003.

What we have below is a truly obsolete car – a Saturn. Thought I had seen the last of these at CarMax some time back, but here’s an Outlook from 2010 – the final year of manufacture. It’s not the greatest SUV every made and only 3,600 were sold in the final year. It has a modest 281 hp 3.6 liter six cylinder and not much technology. It’s definitely cheap by CarMax standards at $10,998. Surprisingly, there are only about a half-dozen cars less expensive than this one out of 60,000 in the inventory. Used to spot unicorns for half this price.

Interestingly, CarMax is going to 150,000 miles for MaxCare but only 36 months. This 2010 Saturn Outlook is priced at $10,998 and in being transferred to Houston, Texas. Here’s the link.

Stock # 21947867  VIN # 5GZLRUED3AJ197696

The year 2010 also saw the last Cadillac DTS roll off the line, and this one’s a beauty – if you can get over the fake convertible vinyl top that takes us back to the 1920’s and 1930’s when automobiles hoped to replicate the style of horse and carriage coach builders. While you probably think I have a deep knowledge of these automotive topics, I stole this vinyl top background too from an eBay Motors blog. Odd it has a sunroof in the fake convertible roof. No shame.

This 2010 Cadillac DTS is less than $20,000, really low miles, and for an old GMC has some surprising features; seat massagers, lane departure and blind spot warnings, heated and cooled seats, Bluetooth, Bose sound – but no rear view camera. It does have the anemic 275 hp Northstar V-8, and it also has about 122,000 miles and 60 months of MaxCare available! It’s a platinum edition here in Southlake, Georgia.

Stock # 22551884  VIN # 1G6KP5E9XAU133371

Not obsolete, but this 2011 Mercedes E550 is just one handsome, 14,000 mile German family car. The 382 hp V-8 ain’t even broken in. It’s nicely appointed, with a Harman Kardon sound system.

This 2011 Mercedes E550 Sport is a one owner, accident free car available here in Doral, Florida.

Stock # 22844553  VIN # WDDHF7CB1BA420943

While on the subject of beautiful, low mileage German cars, how about this 2011 BMW 328 with less than 9,000 miles! Not even driven a thousand mils a year. Looks almost new inside. The 328 has a 230hp inline six cylinder not unlike the one in the 2002 BMW 330, and the 1992 525i I once owned. In all of them I could not understand the strong acceleration from such little horsepower. The car is selling for $26,000 a dozen years old.

This 2011 BMW 328 don’t have much in the way of modern technology – seat heaters and parking sensors and Bluetooth – but it has a ton of personality. Find this one owner, California car here in Burbank.

Stock # 22905123  VIN # WBAKE5C59BE755035

If you’re aware of specific models that are about to sunset (European 2011’s and non-European 2010’s) please let me know. Will do my best to track them. Thanks for reading.

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2010 Mercedes S600 V-12 For Sale – Mine!

The time has come to sell my beloved 2010 Mercedes S600 (W221) while there’s plenty of MaxCare extended warranty left for the next owner, and so I can pursue my next unicorn. The short version is this; the car has less than 96,500 miles and the free (to the buyer) transferable MaxCare warranty is good until 125,000 odometer miles, or February 2024, whichever comes first. If you’ve read this blog at all, you know it’s all about driving deeply depreciated cars I can’t afford to repair, but the financial risk is transferred to MaxCare – “driving rich”. The car sold new for over $150,000 and is offered at $25,900 OBO on Autotrader (Link Here) and however many other Mercedes Facebook groups I can find. Shoot me a message if you are interested or have questions. I’m happy to share the service history, MaxCare details, and more photos. The Mercedes data card is at the bottom of this blog as well.

There are W221 S600’s on Autotrader for more and less money, with more and less mileage. Twenty total I think. This is the only one with an extended warranty. When I sold my 2004 Mercedes S55 it was also still covered by MaxCare, and the buyer and I met a local Mercedes dealership. I offered that anything he found that I had not noticed, we’d turn the car in and get it fixed. And we did. He gained confidence the car was solid, and he got to see the MaxCare coverage work. More than willing to do that again with this S600. That’s why the price is a little above Autotrader’s market average.

The full text of what I would have put on Autotrader (had they not limited me to 2,000 characters!) is at the bottom. What I hope to share here are some of the nuances of owning a Mercedes S600. I’ve driven it from Virginia to Oregon and back twice on pandemic runs to see my youngest adult son living in Portland, and during one of these the description of “driving from a comfortable recliner, in your living room, in a bank vault, on a bullet train” came to me. I covered Crawfordsville, Indiana to Cheyenne, Wyoming alone in a single day – 1,050 miles in just under 13 hours including gas and McDonald’s. Felt like a short drive to Grandma’s. If I can figure out how to post my dash cam video you can watch it all! I also took the car on another thousand mile loop through the Virginia countryside in the early days of the pandemic. It was my cocoon. Did an 1,800 mile run to the 24 Hours of Daytona and back last January. Previous owners put 45,000 miles on the car in nine years. I added 50,000 in three. I love driving this car.

I became a CarMax/Maxcare addict after enjoying over $35,000 in “free” (to me) repairs to my 2004 Mercedes S55 AMG – a car I paid $21,000 for plus maybe $3,500 for MaxCare. CarMax never flinched on the repairs. So far I’m over $15,000 in MaxCare repairs for the S600. The most expensive fixes have been the seats – twice. I don’t know the exact amount because a number of repairs in the early days were listed as “No Charge” on the service documents. Later they had the dollar amounts. I paid $7,500 for MaxCare when I bought the car and I’ve clearly gotten my money’s worth.

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Quick Hit – Cheap Naturally Aspirated 2013 Mercedes SLK55

Tradition has it that “May Day was celebrated by some early European settlers of the American continent. In some parts of the United States…….small baskets usually filled with ….treats and left at someone’s doorstep. The giver rings the bell and runs away.”* That’s the best excuse I can come up with this May 1st to post this sort of small European basket filled with treats capable of a fast getaway. A bit of a stretch. A bit of a unicorn.

* Per the historical expert Wikipedia.

The 2013 Mercedes SLK55 AMG, sometimes called the Mercedes Miata, is a two-seater with a naturally aspirated V8 motor. The car was produced as the SLK from 1996 until 2015, after that it was renamed to the SLC model in accordance with Mercedes badging changes, and switched from the V8 to a six cylinder, becoming the SLC43. Only Mercedes itself knows how many SLK55’s were made – I just lost an hour reading Mercedes enthusiast forums where owners themselves are trying to track how special their cars are. The best I can tell is someone is tracking motor numbers by VIN and thinks there were around 3,500 total.

(If you want to see a bit of history, here’s the link to one of my first blog posts ever in 2017, on a 2007 SLK55 selling for $21,998. That would have been a steal – and still under MaxCare!)

The basket of treats mentioned above really includes only seat heaters, Bluetooth, rear view camera, nav, and a Harman Kardon audio system. It’s a handsome cockpit, but not opulent. Analog car like my M3.

The seats do have the very nice Mercedes Air Scarf feature, heating the neck and shoulders (or top of your head if you’re tiny). The seats are also the same color as my M3‘s – not sure what Mercedes calls them but mine are “fox blood”. Creepy name but better than red. Included this picture really to show that unlike the M3, there’s no back seat. No matter how unusable my M3 back seat might be for humans, it’ll still hold two guitar cases and a gig bag. Also, most cars with bolsters this big tend to show wear and tear over the years – these seem fairly fresh.

Hardtop convertibles lose trunk space, some more than others. The protective shell above has to be in the “down” position before the automatic folding process tucks the roof and rear glass into the trunk. With the shell up, it’s easy to fit a large suitcase in there. Even down there’s room for a carry on (or amplifier!) back there. (Side note – I never read the instructions for my convertible and got my roof stuck half closed. Thought I was going to have it towed. Realized I left a six pack of soft drinks in an area of the trunk I didn’t think mattered and it got wedged. Thought about reaching in there to dislodge it and worried I’d be that guy that lost his arm in a freak convertible accident. I got the roof to raise and was able to secure my Diet Cokes. So glad I didn’t have it towed to CarMax and have them ridicule me for years.)

Kudos to CarMax for the rare photo of a convertible with the top down. A little less of a “pug” look. The upside of this being a two seater is unlike the BMW M3, there are no permanently raised headrests looking goofy all the time.

The SLK55 AMG is really about the 5.5 liter hand-built V8. It produces 415 hp, 398 ft-lbs of torque, and per Motor Trend will hit 60 mph in a spectacular 4.2 seconds. (The car in the Motor Trend review looks identical to this one inside and out – how cool would it be if it was the same?) I can attest there’s just something awesome about a high-revving naturally aspirated V8 that can’t be matched by a turbo. The car sold new in the upper $70,000 range. It’s now half that nine years later, and MaxCare is available for another five years and up to 125,000 miles. Find it here just outside Chicago in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Stock # 22552936  VIN # WDDPK7FA0DF052559

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Quick Hit – Three’s Company: A Third Mercedes CL550 Now Available!

Last week I found this beautiful white-over-tan 2014 Mercedes CL550 with only 23,000 miles on it selling for $42,998. Here’s the link to that car. Seems that only a few hundred CL550’s were imported annually, making this a unicorn. And out of nowhere CarMax now has two more CL550’s, a bit older, more mileage, but far cheaper. The first one below is to whet your appetite – the second is a far better car and deal.

The first is a 2011 model with 58,000 miles. All the same features as the more expensive one, less adaptive cruise control. The 2011 model ran with a 4.6 liter twin turbo V-8 rated at 382 hp, a good 47 hp less than the 2014 model. Tradeoffs for $8,000?

I’m always fascinated when CarMax sells high end European cars that are almost a dozen years old and offers MaxCare warranties until the car is almost 17 years old. MaxCare is available for 60 months and 125,000 miles on this one. Find it here in Centennial, Nevada.

Stock # 22442117  VIN # WDDEJ9EB3BA026810

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Quick Hit – 1 of 237 2014 Mercedes CL550 $42,998

This 2014 Mercedes CL550 has been on and off the web for months, I believe. I’ve started to write about it and paused, either because I was including it in a lengthy blog about a bunch of cars and changed my mind, or it went into “Currently Unavailable” status. It’s been back for a few days so here we go. The CL class started way back in 1992, and this 2014 is the final year of the third generation spanning 2006 to 2014. The successor to the CL is the S-class coupe. As far as I can tell only 237 2014 CL550’s were sold. A unicorn?

From the B-pillar forward (if it had a B-pillar!) it would be the same cockpit as an S-class sedan and looks and functions the same as my S600. I’d feel real comfortable here. Not lost on me it’s the same color combo as the CT6 I just gave up. Grrrr. I’ll get over it.

The CL550 is AWD (4Matic), and has auto cruise control, seat massagers, heated and cooled seats, and a Harman Kardon sound system. The coupe is such a pretty car from the angle above. From the front I always thought it a bit porpoise-like.

The CL550 is powered by a 4.7 liter twin turbo V-8 rated at 429 hp mated to a seven speed automatic, good for sub-five second 0-60 mph runs. The car sold new eight years ago for probably $120,000 and is now depreciated to about a third of its sales price. I like that. MaxCare is good to 125,000 miles and the max of 60 months, and with the ultra low mileage on this car – only 23,000 – you could cruise 20,000 miles a year worry free. Not a bad deal for $42,998. Rare car and out the door for under $50,000. Find it here in Kearny Mesa, California.

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How High Will Gas Go? Unicorn Alternatives Until V-12’s Rule Again.

The world is going to hell in a handbasket. Because of the tragic Russian invasion of Ukraine, gas prices in the USA averaged $4.25 a gallon for regular and over $5.00 for diesel as I write. Fortunately my V-12 Mercedes S600 is in the shop for last minute repairs before I sell it. But we still gotta drive, right? Thought I’d put together a short list of cars I might be tempted to drive if I had to endure these prices long term. (Of course I say that as I prepare to pickup a 24 test drive of a BMW M3 V-8 this afternoon!) Unicorns? Only during these times.

Let’s start with an electric vehicle (EV), the controversial 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E SELECT. I’ve seen them on the road and the design doesn’t offend me, I just wish Ford hadn’t contaminated the Mustang brand on this EV. But since I drove a pitiful (borrowed) 1978 Mustang II with the 84 hp four-cylinder to my high school prom I guess I have little credibility here. Is is an SUV? A crossover? A car? Who cares. It’s electric! (Boogie, woogie, woogie)

The Mustang Mach-E Select has 266 hp and will do 0-60 mph in less than five seconds – not bad – and go maybe 270 miles on a charge. Middle of the pack EV performance. It’s fairly well equipped with auto cruise control and Apple Carplay. Car and Driver liked it so much they gave it an “Editors’ Choice” award. The car sold for maybe $50,000 new, and is now selling at a disappointing premium of $53,998 here in Potomac Mills, Virginia.

Stock # 22328427  VIN # 3FMTK1RM6MMA10386

Next we have what I thought was the gold standard for EV’s, but don’t hold me to that – a 2018 Model 3 Long Range. CarMax today has 253 Teslas on the lots, ranging from $41,998 for a Standard Range model to $156,998 for a Model S Plaid rocket ship. I chose the 2018 below for no other reason than it was “reasonably” priced and a long range model. It’s similar in performance to the Mustang, albeit with a little less range (200 miles?!). Same with features.

The 2018 Tesla Model S Long Range rolled out to mixed reviews. Car and Driver noted the highs as “satisfying handling, impressive tech integration, looks and feels like the future.” The lows were “Not the price we were promised, not the range we were hoping for, the questionable build quality we’ve learned to expect.” This was probably a $56,000 car new, and is now $43,998 here in Kearny Mesa, California.

Stock # 21960104  VIN # 5YJ3E1EA4JF008630

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Which Do I Want – Jaguar XKR or Mercedes SL550? Which Do You Want?

Considering both of these unicorns, and both thrilled and disappointed by each. I had the Jaguar for a 24 hour test drive in early January, noted some mechanical and cosmetic issues, and almost a month later they offered it again (allegedly after fixes) for another 24 hour test drive. I did pay $99 to have it transferred from Newark so it was sort of reserved for me until I didn’t want it, although it wouldn’t be the first car CarMax “lost”. I have not driven this SL550 but a few months ago I drove a similar one and was quite surprised at how fast it was. Let’s get to the cars.

2012 Jaguar XKR. $36,998. 47,000 miles. Supercharged 5.0 liter V-8 with 510 hp.

2013 Mercedes SL550. $45,998 41,000 miles. Twin-turbo 4.6 liter V-8 with 429 hp.

The interior of the Jaguar seems spartan compared to the Mercedes. The seats aren’t uncomfortable for short rides, although the seat back seemed to have little to no cushioning. It wasn’t very adjustable and when the seat back bumps against the rear “seat” it automatically moves an inch forward. Wasn’t a fan. The infotainment system is painfully archaic. Jaguars of this era also have a problem with tacky steering wheel controls – actually sticky and gummy, not unfashionable. Googled it and a known problem with lots of home made attempts at fixing, none reliable. Liked the heated seats and heated steering wheel.

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Quick Hit – 1 of 417 2016 Mercedes SL550 Mille Miglia 417 Special Edition

The matte black finish on what is normally an elegant Mercedes SL550 caught my eye first. Then the 417 logo on the head rest puzzled me. Retreated to my extensive automotive library (aka Google) and immediately learned this car is a one of 417 special edition models commemorating Mercedes unexpected win in the 1955 Italian road race called the Mille Miglia. Sixty years ago a Mercedes 300SL was driven by a pair of Americans to a first place in class and fifth overall over the 1,000 mile road course. The race started at 4:17 am and the 300 SL’s race number was 417, hence the “417” moniker. Me thinks that’s a little odd but as the last year of the R231 platform before the 2017 refresh I guess Mercedes needed a marketing boost. This 2016 Mercedes SL550 Mille Miglia 417 Special Edition sold new for perhaps $120,000 and six years later is available at half that. A unicorn.

Car and Driver made note of the extensive use of red stitching and interior trim, writing “It’s not discreet, but it is well executed.” I’d second that. I don’t hate it although it’s an awful lot of race car aesthetics on what is still a JR Ewing car (and yet a model I am seriously considering – more on that tomorrow). It may be a low end niche collector car someday due only to the low numbers?

Not only does the head rest have the Mille Miglia 417 logo, it’s home to the wonderful Mercedes Airscarf heated blower to keep the neck and shoulders warm during top down fall runs to the winery. I really, really like this.

Even the rims get red lips. The color is officially Designo magnetite black metallic paint finish. I wonder how many times at cars and coffee I’d be asked if it was wrapped? I think I like it, although I wish something more had been done to the car’s performance. Borrow some bits from an SL63, perhaps?

The Mercedes SL550 is powered by a 4.7 liter twin turbo V-8 and a seven-speed automatic transmission, good for 60 mph runs in a windblown hair over four seconds. Not an SL63 but still very fast. The V-8 makes 449 hp and 516 lb-feet of torque at only 1,800 rpm. I drove a 2013 SL550 not long ago and mistakenly thought it was the older 380 hp SL550 – was stunned at the acceleration. Top speed is a governed 155 mph. This car is loaded and a data card search revealed it actually does have auto cruise control (Distronic Plus) even though not noted by CarMax. Might cost more if it did. Use the savings for MaxCare – this one will not be cheap to fix. Find this two owner, accident free Mercedes SL550 here in Rivergate, Tennessee.

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Quick Hits – Back to the Basics V-8 Enthusiast Unicorns

After writing my Fiat story and the low mileage SUV piece I though I should get back to covering some fundamental cars that (mostly) met my original parameters for unicorns – less than $35,000, not more than 60,000 miles, and if possible be an enthusiast car. Unfortunately, the crazy used car market has boosted prices significantly, and I may have to up the cap to perhaps $45,000? Well, I picked the following naturally aspirated V-8’s for no other reason than I found them interesting, and I’m writing from Daytona after watching the Rolex 24 Hour race, where I had hoped the V-8 Corvettes would be more competitive. Let’s jump in.

First, how about a bright orange 2014 Dodge Challenger SRT-8 Core? A stripped down version of the SRT-8 392, it pumps 470 hp from a 6.4 liter motor linked to a six-speed manual transmission. (For all the muscle cars in this post I picked manual transmissions only – seems right and salutary.) The car is good for mid-four second 0-60 mph sprints and burnout after burnout fun. Brakes strong, surprisingly comfortable on the highway, but not terribly well equipped. But because it’s an American car, MaxCare is available for another full five years and up to 150,000 miles.

You can find this 2014 Dodge Challenger SRT-8 here in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Stock # 20804911  VIN # 2C3CDYDJ7EH284379

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