Mercedes Benz – Page 8 – The Carmax Unicorn Blog

October 10, 2019

Quick Hit* – Low Mileage 2009 Mercedes CLS550 (W219) “Shooting Brake” – $21,998

2009 CLS side The first generation CLS550 remains one of my favorite body shapes. Produced from 2004 through 2010 but not at all dated to me. And CarMax only carries European cars up to 10 years old, so just one more year to snag one of these unicorns and capitalize on MaxCare. Built on the E-class platform but far more style, and not as gigantic as the S-class. Decent power with the 5.5 liter 382hp V-8 and 7-speed automatic. Adjustable suspension.

Air conditioned seats and (finally) Bluetooth – for calls only, as Mercedes has that funky interface in the glovebox for music. Real cup holders, not the single mechanical robotic piece of crap I had in Guenther, my S55 that had me spilling open coffee cups into the passenger footwell while cruising on the highway, leaving a huge brown stain on the carpet like a murder scene. Not that I’m bitter.

Here’s a decent review from New Car Test back in the day. The 2009 Mercedes CLS550 sold for more than $70,000 new, and only 2,527 units were sold in 2009. Thinking $21,998 isn’t too bad for a 10 year old German car eligible for MaxCare – the great bumper to bumper warranty good for another 100,000 miles of risk free driving. And this car has really low mileage for a 2009. Find this two owner car in Los Angeles here. If the link is dead it’s sold, on hold, or being transferred. 2009 Mercedes CLS550 $21,998 35k LA *Quick Hit means I have to post something short and sweet because A) the car may be gone soon B) I don’t have the time to write a lengthy piece and C) I don’t think you all want to read long essays all the time.

September 29, 2019

2009 Mercedes CLK550 – $15,998. (Time is Running Out!)

CLK side Surprised to see this great little Mercedes unicorn show up on CarMax this weekend (would be even better to see a CLK55 AMG!). The CLK550 is a nice coupe sporting a 380hp 5.5 liter V-8 and 7-speed automatic good for a sub-5 second 0-60mph sprint. Checked out the data card and found it has a sport suspension and AMG wheels/skirts package.

According to this lengthy and very positive NewCarTest review from 2009, the car sold new for maybe $57,000. For a 10 year old car, 38,000 miles is very low and should lead to a decent MaxCare warranty plan – maybe up to 150,000 odometer miles and for sure five years.

Why the “time is running out headline”? Because CarMax doesn’t sell European cars more than 10 years old, and the CLK line ended in 2009. Maybe there’s time for a CLK55 AMG, but not much. 2009 Mercedes CLK550 $15,998 38k Modesto CA

September 23, 2019September 22, 2019

400hp Low Price Porsche Cayenne GTS Work Truck (And a Better BMW X5!)

2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS $24,998 52k LA This 2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS listed here in Los Angeles got my attention at a price point of only $24,998, and with 57,000 miles it fits nicely in my made up unicorn world ($35,000/60,000 miles or less).

Thinking not bad for a 10 year old SUV (former Porsche CPO), and with a 400hp naturally aspirated V-8, 4WD, a tow hitch, front and rear seat heaters, Bluetooth and Bose, it has the minimum I would need in a work “truck”. Throw in the MaxCare warranty and tax and probably out the door for $30,000. Not bad for a Porsche Cayenne GTS that once sold for over $70,000.

But this Motor Trend review clocked it as a six-second 0-60mph, and while I’m sure it handles well, it’s kind of…slow. It’s a three owner one accident SUV and also lacking a number of features – third row seat, rear view camera, air conditioned seats – so I kept looking. 2012 BMW X5 $22,998 53k Fresno What I found was this 2012 BMW X5 XDrive50i for $2,000 less and about the same mileage, and also with a 400hp (twin-turbo V-8), 4WD, and a tow hitch (pictured, but not listed as a feature!). But it also has the Cold Weather Package (front and rear seat heaters AND heated steering wheel), Premium Package, Technology Package, rear view camera,

third row seats, and air conditioned seats. Does everything the Cayenne does and more, for less money, and per this Auto Guide review was faster than the Cayenne GTS. And no accidents. Unclear to me how the BMW X5 compares handling-wise, and if it matters, it’s a little less panache than the Porsche. But that’s all. Find it here in Fresno. It’s a bargain.

Continue reading “400hp Low Price Porsche Cayenne GTS Work Truck (And a Better BMW X5!)”

September 18, 2019

175mph/Sub-4 0-60 mph Family Wagon for Fast Vacations: 2012 Mercedes E63 AMG

2012 E63 side This family rocket sold new for maybe $110,000, so depreciated to $63,000 doesn’t really put it in my unicorn price range, but these are pretty special wagons so thought I’d include it.

Last E63 AMG wagon I covered was this 2018 E63 AMG S that sold for a whopping $92,000. That was a 600hp 4wd model, so I guess for $30,000 less you only get 2wd and 518hp. That said, this single owner 2012 model only has 6,000 miles on it — driven less than 900 miles yearly. Car and Driver had a great review of the car when it was new here. They dug it.

I do too, from the hand-built motor to the auto cruise control (that’s actually the vool night vision control pictured!) to the massive cargo bay. Absolutely MUST get the MaxCare warranty to protect against blowing up the motor or transmission drifting with the kids. Find this beaut here in Costa Mesa, California. 2012 E63 Wagon $62,998 6k Costa Mesa CA

September 12, 2019

Quick Hit – Zombie 2011 Mercedes E63 Drops $3,000, What’s CarMax Up To?

2011 E63 $29,998 55k Kentwood MI Wrote about this 2011 Mercedes E63 unicorn here in July, after it appeared and disappeared several times in days. Well it has been off the net for two months and it’s back. It moved from Illinois to Michigan, dropped $3,000, but it’s the same car. Why no pix? I’m finding more and more cars are being listed as “New Arrivals” after transfer or a price reduction, even though they are not. I’m tracking about 200 cars in my profile, so will be watching! If you can’t trust a used car salesman, who can you trust? The original ad and car pix are below. I’d certainly spring for MaxCare – read my 2004 Mercedes S55 saga here, and even my failed attempt at buying an E63 here. Still a great car. If only there was an E65! Find this model in Kentwood, Michigan here.

July 31, 2019July 31, 2019

Quick Hit – 604hp V-12 Family Car – Was $200,000 New – $40,998 Now.

S65 side You want this car. You need this car. If I hadn’t already bought a V-12 S600, this would be my car. Not a lot of V-12 unicorns left in the family car world, and BMW has announced it’s dropping V-12’s after this series of 760 sedans.

So here’s your chance to pick up an exclusive 2010 Mercedes S65 that once sold for $200k for a piddly $40k. Only a couple of hundred make it to the states every year. This single-owner car has low miles (6,000 yearly), and yeah maybe with 604 hp and 738 ft-lbs of torque (like a Dodge Ram dualie?) it’s been driven hard, but who cares? That’s where the MaxCare warranty comes in – covers the twin-turbos, the transmission, the air suspension – whatever you plan to tear up while tearing up the highway. And it has night vision!

Here’s the Jalopnik review from 2009. Find this beast here in Irvine, California. 2010 Mercedes S65 $40,998 56k Irvine

July 22, 2019

1 of 355 – 2009 Mercedes SL65 AMG V-12: $188,000 MSRP – Yours for $43,998

SL65 34 This unicorn is hot off the press – so hot no photos yet so borrowed a few from the web. Best I can tell from the Mercedes forums is there were only 355 2009 Mercedes SL65 AMG’s imported – and the original price was north of $188,000!

The twin-turbo, 6.0 liter V-12 puts out 604hp and 738 lb.-ft. of torque, good for 3.7 second 0-60mph runs. Per the datacard this one has the Designo alcantara interior. It goes without saying that MaxCare is a must – how cool to get another five years on a 10 year old supercar? Here’s a review from Road and Track and another from Motor Week. Find this two-owner (Texas and California) car here in Irvine – it says non-transferable but certain sales reps, like my favorite one Si Sultan, can get the car moved. 2009 SL65 $43,998 54k Irvine

July 21, 2019

Mercedes SLK 55 AMG’s – Five Years, $11,000, and 60hp apart? Sportlich (sporty), Leicht (light), and Kurz (compact).

2009 slk side 2014 slk side The Mercedes SLK is the most diminutive of the Mercedes Benz drop tops and comes across as a nice little commuter convertible with a four or six cylinder motor, but stuffed with a snarling, hand-built, AMG 5.5 liter V-8 it becomes a far more formidable sports car – matching its snub nose revolver look. I so want the SLK55 AMG to have the 500hp supercharged V-8, and yet I guess smarter car guys than I have figured out that there are limits to how much oomph this little frame can hold.

The 2009 SLK55 AMG unicorn at $28,995, with only 49,000 miles, has depreciated just over 50 percent in 10 years. This five owner car doesn’t show as nicely as the two owner, far more modern and tighter 2014 SLK55 AMG with only 30,000 miles. The 2014 has also depreciated just over 50 percent from its $87,000 original price in only five years. Kind of fun to see the evolution from the second generation (R171) 2009 model and the third generation (R172) 2014 model. Both naturally aspirated 5.5 liter V-8’s, and yet horsepower jumps from 355 in the SOHC 2009 to 415 in the DOHC 2014. Both have AMG Speedshift 7G-TRONIC transmissions.

The 0-60 mph times drop from 4.9 seconds to 4.5 seconds, with a top speed of 174mph. Interesting to see gas mileage go up from 14/22 in the 2009 to 19/28 in the 2014 despite the boost in horsepower and increase in curb weight by just over 100 pounds. The overall car length increased by two inches to 163 inches from 2009 to 2014, and yet the wheelbase and cockpit dimensions are unchanged.

The 2014 has racy nice carbon fiber interior and the 2009 looks clean but dated. I kind of dig the Air Scarf heated collar. Here’s an Automobile Magazine review of the 2009, and an Autoweek review of the 2014. The 2009 SLK55 can be found here at Dulles, Virginia and the 2014 here in Indianapolis, Indiana. I’d be looking for the MaxCare warranty for either one – not cheap to fix.

July 5, 2019

Zombie Unicorns – Back From The Dead 2011 E63

This 2011 Mercedes E63 unicorn popped up in my search already bookmarked – meaning I had tagged it once before in my saved cars. Sure enough a good four months ago I recommended this to a reader but it disappeared from the web before he could see it. Not sure where it’s been and why, but it’s here in Illinois.

I love a “cheap” E63, with the gnarly, handmade 6.3l, 518hp V-8, and actually bought one two years ago (see the whole sorry saga here). Unfortunately I love my V-12 S600, too, but at times I don’t love the bulk of my big car and think an E63 (or CL65?!) would be more practical. Wouldn’t own either one without MaxCare! This is a three owner Florida car with decent miles that’s made its way to Illinois. Enjoy.

2011 Mercedes E63 $32,998 54k Glencoe, ILL

June 15, 2019

Quick Hit – Nice $26k CL550

Not a lotta Mercedes CL’s out there so this relatively cheap one caught my attention. The coupe version of the S-class is well appointed with AWD, heated steering wheel, night vision – all the necessary stuff for a luxury cruiser.It’s a five owner east coast car. It only has the 382hp V-8, though, but it’s $10,000 cheaper than this 2013 in Georgia – a nicer, more powerful car that started at $40k months ago and has inexplicably dropped to $36,998 and still not sold. Find the 2010 CL550 here in Frederick, Maryland.