Category: Enthusiast Unicorns – CarMax Bargains (Under $35,000)

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Five Quick Hits To Get Back In The Game

My Latest Ride

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!

Stock No: 26795637 VIN: SJKCH5CR3KA011100

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Another Enthusiast’s Successful Quest for a CarMax Unicorn

I don’t make anything off this money-losing blog. My reward is hearing from other CarMax unicorn enthusiasts about my blog posts, or even better, when you all find cars of your own that support the idea of finding deeply depreciated high-end cars and protecting yourself from expensive repairs with MaxCare. I got a very nice email from a gentleman we’ll call “Ian” to protect his privacy. As far as I can tell, he went through the entire car search unaware of this blog and only found out about it afterward. He was kind enough to share his story, which I greatly enjoyed.

I find it reassuring that I’m not the only one who treats a car search like a Rubik’s cube, with each twist affecting all of the other combinations available to me – or not. Am I all in on performance, luxury, or a balance of both? How much should I spend, and if I spend more (or less), how does that shape my choices? Do I want to recreate an experience I had with a previous car or get something totally different? Once I fill in those blanks, how many different cars fit the bill, and how do I pick between them? Then, I learn something new and start all over again. Reading Ian’s email, it’s clear he and I think alike on the search, and I suspect some of you do, too. So, I’m sharing it below, and I’ll occasionally add some commentary in red (to match his car). Enjoy.

2019 Genesis G70 Advanced $25,998 – 22K miles. Not his car – I picked it to illustrate the starting point for this search. CarMax Stock No: 26658683. https://www.carmax.com/car/26658683

Ian’s Story

The story of my unicorn from CarMax starts with my previous car, a Genesis G70 4-cylinder, I bought five years ago. That car also had an interesting story as I bought it sight unseen with a >20% discount over MSRP. The car was flawless; for a while, it was unique, and I received many compliments. However, it was my second choice at the time, as the car that stole my heart back then was the Audi S5 Sportsback. Right from the start, even though I liked my G70 a lot, I was thinking about other cars. The G70 nickname became “The Unloved.”

The G70 was leased, so around the 3-year mark, I started test-driving possible replacements. Like you (me), I tried to stay open to many options and considered both sedans and coupes. During those test drives, I discovered which features were important to me. Off the top of my head:

  • AWD, as I live in Washington State, and it rains for eight months of the year.
  • The engine sound, so V8 preferred, but I was also open to “nice” V6s.
  • HP, preferably over 400.
  • A bright color without overdoing it (my G70 was gray).
  • A moonroof.
  • Nice interior (which immediately disqualified Mustangs and Chargers/Challengers).
  • Able to trade in my G70 for tax purposes.
  • The price had to “make sense” (I’ll explain later that part).
  • Try to avoid fees from dealerships (VIN etching? c’mon) and transport fees from CarMax / Carvana.
  • Able to test drive the car (requirement from wifey).

A good requirements list. Not included, although he gets there in the search below, is what’s the mileage limit that will give you a decent amount of driving before hitting the MaxCare cap? (Remember, Chuck writing in red here!)

At some point in the search, I took a 2,000-mile road trip with my G70 and had a blast. After it was over, I kept thinking about how awesome it would be to make a similar road trip in a sports or GT car. I landed on the BMW 6 series with a nice V8 that checked all my boxes. However, the car had seriously depreciated because its engine was infamously unreliable, which led me to the rabbit hole of after-market warranty providers. That’s where I learned (from Porsche forums (that hurts :)) about the great CarMax MaxCare warranty. I added a new feature to look for: under some kind of warranty, whether it was the last 18-24 months from the factory, a CPO, CarMax, or Fidelity (one of the MaxCare underwriters). As is always the case, the target price starts creeping up, and you are over your initial allocated budget sooner rather than later.

CarMax has zero 650’s for sale right now. Just a bootleg photo from the internet for illustration purposes. Don’t mind me.

I found a 2014 BMW 650i at $40,000. However, I couldn’t convince myself to pull the trigger for financial reasons, so I spoke to a financially savvy friend, hoping that he would side with me, but of course, he didn’t. However, he had a great idea: he made me realize I was more interested in the experience of driving a fun car on a road trip but not so much in the actual ownership of the car.

On the one hand, my friends have been helpful to me, clarifying my priorities and evaluation choices. On the other hand, eventually, they will all get sick of hearing about my car searches.

I decided to rent the cars instead I might want to drive to get them out of my system. Over a two-year period, I rented several cars through Turo and took road trips in them. This was awesome as I got to know the cars more deeply, and I kept increasing my knowledge about what I wanted in a car. (I had not heard of Turo until Ian wrote; coincidentally, they’re in the news this week due to the New Orleans and Las Vegas tragedies.)

Some of the most notable ones are below. (I picked the CarMax examples, but they aren’t the ones Ian looked at.):

Random pick. Stock No. 26094758 https://www.carmax.com/car/26094758

Lexus LC500: It has an amazing engine note, a great interior, and gives you confidence when driving it, but it was heavy and cumbersome.

Stock No. 26157261 https://www.carmax.com/car/26157261

C8 Corvette: This was the sportiest and flashiest car I drove. It was a blast to drive but also not very comfortable or practical.

Been hoping to write about this one from my saved file. Low mileage V-8 convertible RS5 at a decent price. A real unicorn. Stock No. 25981400 https://www.carmax.com/car/25981400

2014 Audi RS5: the one with a V8, another incredible engine note, but the interior and tech made the car feel cheaper (at least to me).

617 hp! Stock No. 26549706 https://www.carmax.com/car/26549706

BMW M5: An absolute beast. A car that big shouldn’t be able to go that fast!
Jaguar F-Type P450: It was the Goldilocks car: not the best-sounding, fastest, or most practical, but 9/10 in every area.

Stock No. 26400445 https://www.carmax.com/car/26400445

BMW M4 Competition: This car won me over, as I wanted to hate BMWs, but I couldn’t. It has great handling, is very fast, and has lots of tech.

Then, it seemed that I would settle for a big-ish car like an Audi RS7. At the beginning of this year, I was so close to a green light on a beautiful BMW M550i, but I got cold feet at the last minute at the dealership, with everything ready to complete the deal. The reason? My G70 was flawless mechanically, serving me well for four years. It was still under warranty, and I couldn’t justify trading it for a 72K-mile BMW with no warranty.

The gamechanger.

The fever eased for a few months until about four weeks ago when I went out with the same friend who advised me to rent a sports car. He recently bought a used Audi TT in a sporty trim, and again, listening to the sound engine reignited the fire in me. Also, even though it had only been six or seven months since I almost got the M550i, I now looked at the G70 in a different light. It had only a couple of months left on its warranty; while the car was mechanically sound it had suffered cosmetically. All rims had curb rash, and tree sap had fallen on several spots. Its value as a trade-in was diminishing because I hadn’t properly taken care of it. I started looking at replacements again. This time, I was looking for smaller cars. At some point, I drove an Audi RS7 and RS5 back-to-back, and while I enjoyed the RS7, the RS5 felt just right, much closer to the size of the G70.

I continued searching for smaller cars, looking at two possible options near me: another G70, but with the V6 engine (after all, I loved the car) (a natural alternative – what if I just got a better version of what I have and love now?), and a red RS5. I test-drove both and disqualified the G70 as the brakes were severely worn (I should know how a G70 drives!), and it was black (not my favorite color). The RS5 became the new baseline. The car was very good (even though I’ve never liked the Audi shade of red), just was on the expensive side, and again, it would need a high-priced third-party warranty on top of the sale price.

After that weekend, I got another friend’s opinion on both cars, needing someone to bounce ideas off. However, when I showed him the V6 G70, he asked an excellent question – “what are you getting for the money you’re paying to trade up your car?” More power.  “That’s it?” he questioned. He had a point. If I were going to pay to replace my G70, I would have to get more than just two extra cylinders. I should be happy and excited about the car. 

Next, he inquired about my budget. I have always thought about it as “$XX,000 after my trade-in” with bands for 10K, 20K, and 30K. “And what does that mean in terms of a monthly car payment?” I mumbled. I haven’t thought about it that way. What I could do instead is to work backward from a monthly car payment and figure out how that translates to a purchase price. This is usually a bad idea (that’s the strategy used by new car salesmen). I have a great reference point: precisely this month, I’m paying the last installment on my wife’s SUV, which was $625 monthly. There will be no impact on our monthly budget if the payment for my next car is at that price point. And when I check an online car payment calculator with my assumptions (48-month loan, 6.7% interest, trade-in value), I get a top price of $50,000. But that’s all inclusive of tax, title, fees, and, more crucially, third-party warranty.

Using that advice as a guideline, I started looking at the cars I had loved on my road trips. I started with the Lexus LC 500. It wasn’t AWD, but it felt planted when I drove it, and I love its looks. I found a couple of them for sale. They were obviously above what I wanted to pay, but I figured I wouldn’t need a warranty, and they wouldn’t depreciate as much.

I moved on to my next choice, the Jaguar F-Type. F-Types are a bit tricky to shop and compare because there are so many variants: V6 or V8, the original and two facelifts, the packages and options. At least I knew I wanted a coupe instead of a convertible! So I went to CarMax and searched for F-Types… and this one came along: beautiful shade of red, great wheels, price is right, model year 2017, low mileage for the year… and it’s an R, which means 550 HP. On top of that, the car is in Oregon, a 3-hour drive from where I live.

But what am I missing here? What’s wrong with this car? I scrolled down and saw the rental history and theft report. OK, let’s go deeper: for how long was it rented? When was it stolen? Was it crashed afterward? In addition to the Autocheck report provided by CarMax, I retrieved its Carfax. The rental isn’t too bad: it seems it was a rental for about a year, from 28K to 40K miles. I can live with that. In addition, the car was very well taken care of during its first 30K miles. OK, let’s look at the theft report… and it’s nowhere to be found. Alright, was the car crashed? Nope, no record of any crash at all. So, long story short, a CarMax employee likely checked the wrong box when entering the car’s info into the system because I couldn’t find any other reference to the car being stolen. I think the car received very little market attention because of the listing errors. (I have spotted unicorns underpriced because the CarMax lister missed some options on the car. I have also found some unicorns that don’t have what the listing says it has and have been unable to get CarMax to lower the price. Can’t even get them to correct their error in the listing!)

OK, OK, what options does the car have? CarMax rates it a 9/10. I got the window sticker for the car, and the car looks awesome:

– $2,500 for the blade-forged wheels

– $2,500 for the extended leather package

– $2,500 for the Vision package (the most crucial package to have)

– $750 Black package.

Total MSRP when new: $113,000

CarMax price: $44,000. 60% depreciation in 7 years.

Am I still missing something? I cross-checked against all the options available for that model year, and it’s only missing two: color seat belts and a front defroster. Otherwise, it is fully loaded. However, the proper comparison is against the facelifted model years that came afterward. Those have a full touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and optional ventilated seats. But Apple CarPlay can be retrofitted, so I’d just lose the ventilated seats. I figure I will survive.

One last step: how much is my trade-in worth? During the Audi RS 5 test drive, I was offered $19K for my G70. I wanted to get $20K to make the math work. I got a CarMax appraisal… and it came back at $21K!  I have no doubt in my mind now I want this Jaguar F-Type. As I mentioned, the car is in Oregon, and I am in Washington State. I can get it transferred for free, but that would involve a wait of a few days, so instead, I decided to reserve it to test drive it right there in Oregon. If I buy it, the drive back home will also give me some highway time to test the car. It’s Friday night, and I make the earliest appointment, Sunday noon.

On test drive day, the car looked better in shape than I had expected. I notice some scratches here and there, but otherwise, it doesn’t look like a seven-year-old car. To my surprise, CarMax allows me to test drive the car for 30 minutes on my own (in Washington, they usually only allow you to take a short drive around the block!). Because I had completed a road trip with a Jag F-Type, I know how the car drives, and when I tested this car, I was surprised to discover it is buttery smooth. I want this car.

MaxCare was more expensive than I expected. I paid $4,500 for 5 years / 100K miles on the odometer, which wasn’t cheap and brought the final sticker price to $48.5K. But I stayed within budget thanks to the appraisal value and the tax benefit when trading in, plus the fact that I didn’t pay any transportation fee. I liked the car, but knowing it made sense financially made the whole experience even sweeter. I fell in love with the car and how I acquired it.

I’ve had the car for a few weeks, and it is simply perfect. I already took it to an independent inspection by a Jaguar Master Technician, and it came back perfect. “Great find”, he commented. I don’t know what else to say.

Anyway, thanks for your patience in reading all of this. I wanted to capture the story now that the details are still fresh on my mind, but I needed some external motivation to write it down, and that’s where you come in. I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who has had a similar experience looking (and finding!) a great deal at CarMax. I won’t purchase any cars for a while (ha!), and I hope my story shares some similarities to your experiences.

Cheers!

Ian

Thanks, Ian, for a thorough play-by-play on how you got from your Genesis G70 to a 550 horsepower 5.0 liter V-8 powered Jaguar unicorn within budget. Highlights for me the twists and turns a unicorn search takes, and hopefully, we get clarity on what we want and the fidelity of cars available within the budget. It feeds the notion that if we look hard enough, we can have it all, more car than we thought we could afford and protected by the MaxCare warranty from expensive repairs.

If you like Ian’s 2017 Jaguar F-Type R, here’s one in Colorado Springs that I just saw today. It’s almost identical, but it costs a little more money!

Stock No. 26549189 VIN SAJWJ6DL7HMK35936

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Circle the Wagons! Eight Interesting Estate Unicorns

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

2015 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S

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

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

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

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2013 Acura TSX

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

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

LOWS: One more gear, please.

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE

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

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

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

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2019 Buick Regal Tourx Essence

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

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

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

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2014 BMW 328 XI

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

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

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

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2018 Jaguar XF S

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

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

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

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2024 Volvo V60 Recharge PHEV T8 Polestar

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

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

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

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

2021 Audi RS6

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

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

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

THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW

LET’S TAKE A LOOK INSIDE?

(NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE WAGON FROM THE “WAYBACK”?

(Answers at the end!)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

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

WHAT MAKES IT GO?

2021 Audi RS6

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

2015 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S

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

2024 Volvo V60 Recharge PHEV T8 Polestar

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

2018 Jaguar XF S

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

2013 Acura TSX

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

2019 Buick Regal Tourx Essence

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

2014 BMW 328 XI

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

2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE

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

AND FINALLY THE ADS, LINKS, STOCK NUMBERS AND VINS

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

Original MSRP: $42,000.

STOCK NO: 26476987 VIN: WBA3G7C50EKN36268

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

Original MSRP: $32,000

STOCK NO: 25846374 VIN: JH4CW2H60DC000678

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

Original MSRP: $41,000

STOCK NO: 26522155 VIN: W04GV8SX6K1015943

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

Original MSRP: $31,000

STOCK NO: 26154364 VIN: 3VWM17AU6KM503666

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

Original MSRP: $70,000

STOCK NO: 26512200 VIN: SAJBM2FV6JCY65617

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

Original MSRP: $105,000

STOCK NO: 26554952 VIN: WDDHH7GB4FB123539

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

Original MSRP: $63,000

STOCK NO: 26522012 VIN: YV1H60EP1R1616556

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

Original MSRP: $116,000

STOCK NO: 26508128 VIN: WUA1CBF28MN903542

THANKS FOR READING!

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Quick Hit – Two of Two Thousand – Final Edition 2023 Chrysler 300C

Chrysler ended production (again) in 2023 with a limited run of final edition 300C models – 2,000 for the US market and 200 for Canada. A bit of a unicorn. Rumor has it all 2,200 cars were preordered within a half-day of becoming available in 2022. Chrysler beefed up some parts and trim here and there, but the coup de grâce was the upgrade to a 6.2-liter V-8 pumping 485 naturally aspirated horsepower. More than the SRT-8 but not as much, not even close, to the Hellcat motor that was never offered in the 300C anyway. Well, CarMax has two of these Final Edition models for sale. Autotrader has another 28 for a little more money, although none sell above the MSRP of $56,000 when new. Folks probably weren’t buying them as investments anyway.

The Chrysler 300C debuted in 2005 (not the 1950’s version) and hasn’t changed a whole lot since then. Car and Driver posted, “The 300’s styling, interior comfort, and driving dynamics earned it 10Best honors in 2005 and 2006.” The second generation spawned in 2011 and got a facelift in 2015. For better or worse, the 2023 Chrysler 300C is almost a straight-line descendent of the original. Sales started to plummet in 2019, and the model was discontinued in 2023. We will miss all the cool trim levels. Not just the SRT-8, but the Varvatos, the Uptown, and the Motown trim levels as well.

(My apologies to regular readers for plagiarizing here and there from my blog two weeks ago that included the 2019 300S. I’m hoping to cross-post this on David Fesz’s Facebook page, “Unique Cars For Sale 2.0“. Give it a look. Moderator Rick Jaeger is way more clever than I will ever be.)

The 2023 300C Final Edition got four-piston Brembos and a limited-slip 3.09:1 rear end. With an eight-speed automatic, it hits 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. I got a chuckle from Car and Driver’s review: “Chrysler unlocked a couple of unique achievements with the 300C. At wide-open throttle, we recorded 88 decibels, an absolute roar that tops even the Lamborghini Urus Performante. And this long, angry barge is also the only car in recent memory that can use every bit of its 160-mph speedometer.” Something to be proud of.

Inside, in addition to specially stitched and logo-embossed Laguna leather seats, the Final Edition gets a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, panoramic sunroof, auto cruise control, heated and cooling seats, rear heated seats, heated steering wheel, automatic headlights, and Apple CarPlay. And some carbon fiber here and there.

I have my own history with the 300. Back in January 2016, we had a blizzard in Northern Virginia on a Sunday morning, and I needed to be in North Carolina to work by Monday morning. My neighborhood was impassable. Airports and Amtrak were shut down, but the National Car Rental at Reagan National had a few cars for rent. I answered an ad on Craigslist offering 4×4 rides for $100, not much more than a regular taxi! I asked my daughter to take down the license plate of the Jeep when it came in case I got murdered. I did not. I rented a very nice Chrysler 300S and raced in the night down the single-plowed lane of I-95. It was a remarkable ride, and I had no complaints about the Chrysler. Like many rental cars, I could see myself owning them…..for a while.

The 2023 Chrysler 300C Final Edition is currently reserved here in Fresno, California. You can track it using that link or search on CarMax for the stock number or VIN below. It’s an accident-free car that oddly lists three owners on the road in just over a year. I wonder if that’s a paperwork issue, a repossession, or a sale and return to CarMax? It’s the lowest-priced 300C Final Edition I can find, and it’s still under manufacturer warranty for another two years and 26,000 miles. If MaxCare were cheap, and sometimes it is because you’re only buying the handful of years post-manufacturer warranty, I might recommend it mostly for the electronics and higher-tech doodads. The motor and drivetrain should be fairly reliable for this old design. As reliable as a mass-produced Chrysler can be. Scroll down if you’re interested in the second 300C Final Edition!

Stock No: 26506546 VIN: 2C3CCAPJ5PH542472

There is no need for screenshots of the lower-mileage one below, which costs $5,000 more. It’s an identical twin but with 3,000 fewer miles. This one is coming soon to my local CarMax in Dulles, Virginia! Here’s the link. You can also find it by the stock number and VIN below.

Stock No: 26187633 VIN: 2C3CCAPJ0PH501957

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Quick Hit – “The Most Polarizing Vehicle Ever at CarMax”

Regular blog readers know I’m not current on EVs and probably never will be. So I was surprised to get an email from a reader and car guru named Cannon giving me a heads-up on this Tesla Cybertruck unicorn – a $100,000 2024 pickup EV.

Cannon knows I have neither the time nor inclination to get smart on Cybertrucks, so he okayed me sharing what he wrote in his email. Pretty much, he said,

“This is the first Cybertruck I have seen them offer. It looks like the step down dual motor. It will be interesting to see how long they have it. Tesla just a few days ago dropped the Foundation series $20k premium to buy one. So the replacement cost from Tesla dropped to $80k. Can’t imagine a lot of folks will line up to buy this at $100k. I guess all it takes is one person though. The stainless doesn’t seem to age well. For a truck with 6k miles it looks dirty.”

Over the years, Cannon’s observations have been spot on. And the Cybertruck does look dirty. Here in Northern Virginia, Cybertrucks are not uncommon yet striking when spotted on our streets. I’m not a fan of the concept, but I have to applaud the boldness of the design. Visually, there is nothing like it on the road. I never noticed the giant single wiper until I clipped the photo above. The headlights are bizarre and severe.

The dash seems sparse and dull. I’d better be able to pull up Netflix on that tablet. I’m sure the dashboard is a work of art from a design point of view. The rest of the interior below looks more conventional.

I had no idea (duh) there was a storage bin under the hood, like a Boxster.

And the pickup bed is 6′. Looks conventional, too, under the cover.

By the way, Cannon also mentioned that CarMax has started selling Rivian’s, which I did not know. Started last spring. I’m a bit embarrassed to not have known that. Did I mention I’m not much of an EV guy?

You can track this 2024 Tesla Cybertruck here in Los Angeles, California. It’s a one-owner vehicle and is very much under Tesla’s warranty until 2028, at 50,000 miles. I have no position on whether MaxCare is right for EV’s, but it would only extend coverage by a year anyway. You have to wonder how much of a beating the owner took selling this car to CarMax, or whether it was a repossession? Enjoy.

Stock No: 26559418 VIN: 7G2CEHED1RA006343

I couldn’t help myself. My wife sent me the meme below long ago. If you’re a Cybertruck owner, forgive me.

I’m really not mocking the Cybertruck. I just needed the material.

But if I were spending $100,000 on an EV pickup, I think I’d go with the Rivian below now that I know they sell them. It’s freakish in a cool way and more traditional if you will.

And with the money left over from the Cybertruck, of course, I’d buy a Raptor!

Finally, I sing this song at every music gig I play. It seemed right here. Thanks again, Cannon, for the Cybertruck idea!

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Quick Hit – Zoom Zoom. Last Year Mazdaspeed3

“Mazdaspeed” started in 1967 as an independent racing team (per Wiki) and later ran a pair of Group C Junior cars in the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 12th and 18th overall. Surprisingly, I was there in 1983, and these photos of the 717C’s are mine. The Mazdas ran with the 13B Wankel rotary engine that was also in the first-generation RX-7. Another coincidence….my first grown-up car was a 1985 Mazda RX-7! It’s below, albeit with a 12A carbureted motor, not the 13B. A little-known fact is that when you’re young and buy your first two-seater sports car, your wife will become pregnant in months, and the car will be jettisoned for a sedan. Anyway, in 1991, Mazda won Le Mans overall. Wasn’t there for that.

What’s the point? Mazdaspeed was to Mazda what AMG is to Mercedes, and Alpina is to BMW, I guess. In 2003, the first retail Mazdaspeed Protege was offered, followed by the Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata in 2004, the Mazdaspeed6 in 2006, and finally, the Mazdaspeed3 in 2007. The Mazdaspeed3 continued in production until 2013. And that brings us to the unicorn below.

The first generation Mazda3 was introduced to the USA in 2004 as the successor to the Protege. The Mazdaspeed3 was imported from 2007 to 2013 with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder motor, turbocharged and intercooled. The second generation, launched in 2010, had bigger brakes and stabilizer bars and a number of engineering upgrades to the motor. And the hood scoop was legit, dissipating heat from the too-hot engine.

The Mazdaspeed3 also had a six-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential powering the front wheels. It zoom zooms to 60 mph in the low five-second range. The top speed is an impressive 155 mph.

The interior of this 2013 model is sparse, though. Bose sound, CD player, Bluetooth, a USB and aux port, and cruise control. CarMax rated it 2 out of 10 on features. Decent seats and a stick to row your own gears. A driver’s car, I guess.

The Mazdaspeed3 has a big old trunk and can haul some gear as a four-door hatchback.

The fun stuff is below a 2.3-liter, 263-horsepower motor with 280 ft-lbs of torque. Reviews suggest some torque steer, although it’s not horrible. It handles well. It’s a bit of a sleeper.

The 2013 Mazdaspeed3 sold for maybe $28,000 new. It’s only lost a third of its value in 12 years. My Mercedes GLE63 has lost a third of its value in the 16 months I’ve owned it! The 2013 Mazda 3 Mazdaspeed is here at the Dulles, Virginia store. Wait a minute! That’s my store! It looks like the car was sold by the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, CarMax and returned a few weeks and a hundred miles later? Wonder what that was about. I wouldn’t bother with MaxCare, really. Just drive.

Stock No: 25925209 VIN: JM1BL1L34D1824997

(By the way, if you’re into the Mazdaspeed3, take a look at this 2010 model I spotted in 2018. It was $19,998 and had only 10,000 miles on it!)

Care to see how the Mazda 3 Mazdaspeed stacked up against its rivals back in the day? Scroll down a bit.

Continue reading “Quick Hit – Zoom Zoom. Last Year Mazdaspeed3”
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Three Reasons (Excuses) I Haven’t Written Much and Three Corvettes That Haven’t Been Driven Much

Snowed In – Colorado Springs.

Reason #1 – I drove the Mercedes GLE63 from Virginia to Seattle and back, with more than a bit of craziness along the way. Most of of it captured on a dashcam. That’s about a hundred hours of video to sort through so I can write a wildly entertaining blog post on that.

Rental BMW 530i in Monument Valley

Reason #2—My friend (we’ll call him “Jerry”) rented this 2024 BMW to drive his son from Virginia to California, and I flew out to drive back with Jerry. I have another blog post to do on that road trip, without violating his privacy, of course.

Virginia Beach Marathon – Back When All My Parts Worked

Reason #3 – I have been inspired to resume writing a book on my marathon running experiences, which has consumed much of my free time. I had set it aside for years, and now I have a November deadline to complete it. For what it’s worth, there are more than a few similarities between cross-country driving and marathon running. Someday, maybe I’ll write a piece on that!

All that rationalizing aside, I’m taking an afternoon coffee break from writing about running to blog about these Corvettes. I also got a notification this morning that a gentleman, who I believe goes by Jim, just signed up to follow the blog, and I thought I owed it to you all to stop whining and actually write a blog post.

These Corvettes really don’t fit my standard model for unicorns because they are way over my new threshold budget of $45,000. They’re unique because they’ve hardly been driven—less than 999 miles each. I’m still amazed that CarMax is able to buy up so many ultra-low-mileage cars. At the moment they have about a half dozen cars, three years old or more, with less than 1,000 miles on them. In fact, bump that up to 10,000 miles and you get about three dozen muscle cars, most less than $40,000. Does anyone know why owners don’t drive them more?

The standout here is the 2016 Corvette Z06 above. Over eight years old and less than a thousand miles on it. And a convertible to boot. The C7 Corvette was manufactured from 2014-2019 and was the last of the front-engined cars. The C7 was developed to offset the research suggesting the C6 Corvette had become an “old man’s toy”. The head of Chevy marketing thought too many people saw it as the car of “the successful plumber.” (thanks to Wiki for that – no offense to plumbers?)

Our next two contestants are newer C8s: a red 2020 Corvette Stingray and a black 2023 Corvette Stingray—both in 3LT trim. The 2020 was the first year for the C8, and the mid-engine was GM’s first since the 1984 Pontiac Fiero. These 2020 and 2023 models have targa tops that can be stored in the boot. Not quite a convertible.

The 2016 Z06 (below) surprisingly offered Apple CarPlay with the MyLink 8-inch touch screen, a heads-up display, and air-conditioned and heated seats. The interior looks damned near new, as it should with so few miles. The 2016 Z06 had the Performance Data and Video Recorder with Navigation feature. and front curb-view cameras. Nice to have. The GM of old, though, continued to use the same switches and buttons across more pedestrian models like the Impala and Suburban, detracting a bit from this sports car’s panache.

I don’t know why I said panache. I never use that word, and if I did, I should have saved it for the C8 interior below. It’s very…panachy? As modern and high tech as the whole car. I love that whole bank of buttons on the right side of the console. Pretty sure zipping around turns my passenger wife would be gripping that and accidentally turning stuff on and off. I once sat in a C8 and found it way more roomy and comfortable for my 6’4″ 225-pound frame than the C7. The bulkhead behind the C7 driver’s seat prevented me from reclining the seatback to get more hip room. Not so in the C8, even with the big motor behind me. That said, I found it harder to ease through the C8 doorway and into the cockpit than the C7, and pretty sure I’d be banging my door into every car I parked next to. It was not for me as a daily driver.

The 3LT trim upgrades the 2LT interior to leather-trimmed everything, and Napa leather sport seats with carbon fiber accents. The 3LT upgrade was $4,650 on top of the $7,300 for the 2LT features – an additional front HD camera and HD rearview camera, rear cross-traffic alerts, and blind-spot monitoring. The 2LT also provides heated and cooling seats and a heated steering wheel. Read in Top Flight Automotive: “A feature you might choose for your 2LT trim is the automatic front-lift tool. With just the click of a button in the center console, this tool elevates your front bumper about two inches from the ground to keep your Corvette scrape-free. It’s important to note that this option isn’t standard and is only offered for the 2LT and 3LT trims at an additional price.” I can’t tell if these 3LTs have that – CarMax doesn’t have a tab to search for it.

The 2020 Corvette Stingray has a mere 693 miles!

And the 2023 looks like only 724 miles. (Unfortunately, CarMax’s photo of the 2016 Z06’s dash was taken with the display turned off, so no mileage display. The service history shows an inspection in late August at 940 miles. I’d bet that’s close now.)

The 2016 Corvette Z06 is powered by a monster 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 (above), making a whopping 650 horsepower. With an eight-speed automatic, it will knock out 60 mph in just three seconds. The top speed is 186 mph. Supercar performance on the cheap?

The 2020 Corvette Stingray 3LT engine bay.

The 2020 and 2023 3LTs are powered by far less powerful naturally aspirated V-8s, also 6.2 liters, producing “only” 490 horsepower. But with the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, no manual available anymore, the C8 is still faster to 60 mph, hitting it in 2.7 seconds. Top speed is 194 mph. Highway mpg is 27….obviously not at that speed.

CarMax’s photo of the 2023 engine bay shows the plastic protective cover, which looks dented.

The 2016 Corvette Z06 sold new for maybe $90,000. It hasn’t depreciated very much in eight years. It’s a one-owner, accident-free car that’s been in California from the start. Right now it’s here in Palm Springs. Although the car hasn’t been driven enough to deserve an oil change it has been serviced. I’d still spring for MaxCare for another five years and 150,000 miles. And drive the hell out of it. Quickly.

Stock No: 26422360 VIN: 1G1YU3D62G5601343

The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 3LT listed new for perhaps $71,495, although if I recall, nobody was getting the first-year C8 Corvette out the door for under $90,000. I may remember wrong. Of interest is the photo above, which shows a price drop of $2,000. Since I started writing, it has dropped another grand to $69,998. Is CarMax getting itchy to unload this Corvette? It’s a one-owner Florida car currently here in Fort Lauderdale.

Stock No: 26412626 VIN: 1G1Y82D41L5113752

Finally, the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 3LT sold new for about $78,000, or at least that was roughly the MSRP. However, I still don’t think they were really available for that. This one has hardly depreciated in a year, although it was in a “moderate” accident in Greenville, South Carolina, which might give me pause. It’s still under manufacturer warranty, but I’d still do MaxCare. It’s not a coveted 70th-anniversary car, but it’s still a world-class sports car. It’s currently reserved for a drive here in Augusta, Georgia.

Stock No: 26128144 VIN: 1G1YC3D44P5105218

Now back to marathons!

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

I still can’t understand the CarMax applications. When I searched on my desktop PC, I found that this 2013 Mercedes ML63 AMG was not visible. It is on my iPhone app, though. I saved it in my CarMax favorites so I could find it while writing on the desktop. It shouldn’t be this hard to keep track of unicorns! I would hate to lose track of such an affordable AMG SUV.

Fun fact: When I lived in Alabama in 1993-1994, a couple of states in the US were competing to land the new Mercedes factory that would build the ML-class SUV. Alabama won and threw in an incentive to have the Alabama National Guard clear the land for the factory. The first generation ML rolled off the line in 1997 as a 1998 model, the W163. The second generation ran from 2005 to 2011 (W164), and the third generation from 2012 until the naming convention changed to the GLE class in 2015. And 20 years after that factory opened, I own a fourth generation, if you will, GLE63 AMG! When I lived in Alabama, I drove a Merkur XR4ti – a German sedan with an American motor. My GLE63 is American-made, with a German motor. Not sure what to make of all that.

The ML63 AMG is an excellent sleeper SUV, with almost nothing on the outside giving away the performance it’s hiding. The 5,100-pound SUV will hit 60 mph in about four and a half seconds. Maybe 154 mph top-end governed. It sports active damping control, active anti-roll bars, and airbags. Braking happens by AMG 15.4-inch front with six-piston calipers up front and 13.6-inchers in the back. The ML63 has Distronic Plus active cruise control, although not listed on the CarMax site as a feature – drives down the price? Also has blind spot detection, active lane-keeping assist, and Parktronic parking assist. Quite a lot for a 12 year old Mercedes.

Inside, the ML63 offers a 13-speaker Harman Kardon LOGIC7 sound system, heated and air-conditioned seats, and navigation. Alas, there are no seat massagers. However, it’s a comfortable enough two-row SUV. There are people who need three rows, and this ML63 wouldn’t work for them. I only need two rows and have an aversion to hauling around a third row buried in the cargo floor, presuming I’m losing trunk space. Who knows if that’s true?

The 2013 Mercedes ML63 is so fast because of the 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8, which produces 518 horsepower, mated to an AMG Speedshift 7G-Tronic transmission and AWD. A performance package was available, pumping horsepower up to 557, but I have no reason to believe this one has that. Mercedes spotters might know.

The 2013 Mercedes ML63 AMG, similarly equipped, sold for $107,000 new. This one-owner, accident-free SUV has spent its entire life in California. It’s selling for just over a quarter of that now. Throw in MaxCare, of course, to protect yourself when that motor or the airbags go bad on you. That’s the whole point of this, right? You can find this affordable 2013 Mercedes ML63 AMG here in Los Angeles, California.

Stock No: 26336149 VIN: 4JGDA7EB8DA121582

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(Very) Quick Hit – (Very) Depreciated 2020 Porsche Taycan Electric Turbo S

Regular readers know I’m a bit of a dinosaur. Addicted to fossil fuels. My decision tree on car motors starts with the number of cylinders (12 preferred) and works down to eights, sixes, and an occasional four for special cars. Entertained a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) once when feeling guilty about my gas guzzlers, but never a true electric vehicle (EV). I know they’re economical and luxurious and quick and quiet. Just can’t see myself in one just yet.

But this one is consistent with my unicorn theory as an enthusiast’s vehicle and deeply depreciated. Like $200,000 new down to $87,000 depreciated. And crazy fast. Like shot out of a cannon. Speaking of which, thanks to reader Cannon for bringing this to my attention and pointing out why the Porsche is special.

The 2020 Porsche Taycan Electric Turbo S is rated at 750 horsepower and 774 lb-ft of torque with both electric motors spooled up, and with AWD silently screams to 60 mph in 2.4 seconds, per Car and Driver. Shocking! The third quickest vehicle they’ve ever tested. As fast as the Bugatti Veyron. Their review also points out this is the first EV with a multi-speed transmission (2 to be exact) and will hit an estimated 162 mph. The down side is range – 192 miles. A Tesla will do over 300 I think. (Read somewhere that 95% of the EVs sold in America are still on the road today. The rest were able to be driven home. 🙂 )

Car and Driver also notes the Taycan will charge from 5 to 80 percent in 22 minutes at the most powerful charging stations, although they are far and few between. Last, Car and Driver distinguishes the Taycan over other EV’s by writing, “Equally unusual, there is no one-pedal driving in the electric Porsche. The Taycan bucks EV convention and provides minimal or no regenerative braking when the driver lifts off the accelerator, depending on which of the three selectable modes is in use.” I have no idea why that matters.

The 2020 Porsche Taycan Electric Turbo S has a handsome interior, with Apple CarPlay, air conditioned and heated seats, and a Bose audio system. (You know what Taycan owners listen to on the Bose audio? AC/DC, ELO, or something current.) Not a very long list of features for a $200,000 car. Can’t see it in this CarMax photo, but Car and Driver also notes, “The Taycan’s hood slopes away too fast to see it from the cockpit, framing the road between its suggestive fenders. ” Having owned a 911 I sort of get that, although “suggestive fenders” sounds like something you’d see in an online dating app?

Front and rear boots have plenty of luggage space for those 192 mile trips.

Making light of this Porsche Taycan Electric Turbo S, and yet this is a serious high performance EV that I wouldn’t say no to if it showed up in my driveway. Still steamed that CarMax is sometimes weaseling customers with only one key. On such a high end car no less. The Porsche may be under manufacturer warranty for a bit, and MaxCare is available for five years and up to 125,000 miles.

At the moment this single owner, accident free EV race car is reserved here in San Jose, California. It says price unavailable, but it’s listed for $86,998. Cash or charge (ha!). Track it with the stock number and/or the VIN below if it doesn’t show up in your search. Thanks again, Cannon!

Stock No: 25631535 VIN: WP0AC2Y11LSA71904

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

The most rewarding part of being an amateur blog writer is to hear from readers that share an interest in finding CarMax unicorns, and especially when they’ve bought a few of their own. I’ve exchanged email as with as many of you as I can keep up with and even met a few for coffee or a beer. Last week I got a wonderful email from Seth Steiner, a writer himself, who stumbled on this blog after he bought a pair of CarMax unicorns – a 2017 Mercedes GLS550 and a 2017 CLS550!

Here’s his 2017 GLS550 and the email (shared with his permission), with some commentary from me if I can figure out how to distinguish it from his email:

Hello!
My name is Seth Steiner, and I just stumbled across your website today and I found it really interesting. (Chuck Comment: At this point, I’d publish anything Seth sends me. I’m that easy.) I (as I imagine you do as well) enjoy perusing the CarMax website looking for the most interesting vehicles they for whatever reason choose to have in inventory. This comes after our family ourselves picked one of these cars up. Back in September of 2023, my family decided to begin looking for a new car, which from the get-go was decided would be a Mercedes, likely a GLS. What we didn’t know going into this hunt was what we’d stumble into; a Designo Cardinal Red 2017 GLS550 WITH a Designo Quilted Espresso leather interior. A spec I have not seen a single other example of.

(Chuck Comment: Designo, is pronounced “di-ZEE-no”, I was told, after saying it wrong. Per Google AI “Mercedes-Benz “Designo” is a program that allows customers to personalize their Mercedes-Benz with custom paint, leather, and interior trim options. The “Designo” package is available for select models and includes a multi-layered process that uses nanotechnology to protect and ensure the durability of the materials. Some of the options that are available through the designo package include:

Paintwork: High-gloss colors or matte finishes.

Upholstery: Nappa leather in solid or two-tone colors, and ceilings with a Dinamica suede appearance.

Cabin trim: Exotic woods, hand-stitched leather, and stone granite can be selected.”

Back to Chuck – I have seen indications that the paint was another $6,000+ and the interior $3,000 + in 2017 – maybe a $10,000 upgrade to Seth’s GLS550? I would have to agree that this is a rare GLS550!) My estimate is Seth’s GLS550 was easily a $100,000 SUV.

(Back to Seth) What makes this even better is the fact that it was listed online for $42k, but said $48k on the window sticker. Because of this blunder on CarMax’s part, we ended up getting the car for the lower of these two prices! We had to order the car in from CarMax of Tampa into our local store (Capital Blvd Raleigh) for $199, but upon first seeing the car we knew it was the one. Driving it and feeling the 449hp Biturbo V8 just confirmed it.

I asked Seth to share his buying experience, as I never want to appear to be just a CarMax shill, and maybe others don’t have the same pretty good engagement I have had.  His response follows:

The buying experience on both cars was lovely. Ordering them to our local store was a breeze. Both of the sales guys we interfaced with were super friendly and easy to work with, and the express pickup option worked especially nicely, as it made paying for the cars easy considering we didn’t have the money quite ready to pay for the cars immediately (just had to transfer but that took a day or two.)

BREAK IN THE SETH ACTION – A GLS550 AVAILABLE NOW!

Thought it would be a hoot to see what comparable Mercedes’ might be available if Seth’s GLS550 got your attention, and this was the best I could do. Not bad, but it’s not a Designo (found a pair of lesser Mercedes Designo SUV’s at CarMax today and will add those at the very end!) This is a 2018 Mercedes GLS550 that is pretty much the same platform.

Motor Trend reviewed the 2017 Mercedes GLS550 and confirmed it was the “the S-Class among SUVs.” It’s a luxury SUV with heated and cooling seats, seat massagers, and Apple CarPlay. Oddly, doesn’t say it has auto cruise control. Can that be?

This may be the most inviting pair of third row seats I’ve seen in a while.
I continue to be flummoxed by CarMax’s cheap as hell one key policy, but what the hell is this?! Is the second key stashed in a piece of luggage in a Greyhound station?

The Mercedes GLS550 (both Seth’s and this 2018 model) sport a 4.7 liter twin turbo V-8 pushing 449 horsepower through a nine-speed transmission, good for a very low five second 0-60 mph sprint. This is one roomy and luxurious SUV that doesn’t suffer in performance. It’s available here in Hillside, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. It was once a (maybe) $90,000 SUV available for half that.

Stock No: 25956099 VIN: 4JGDF7DE9JB127877

Back to the Seth Steiner Story.

From Seth: We loved the powertrain of this car so much that we had to get another car with it, leading for us to get a CLS550 (in a more boring spec) from CarMax, but it only had 36k miles, which was great! Snagging two cool cars that totally fly under most people’s radars from CarMax has been awesome and I totally see why you have a blog dedicated to it! (Chuck Comment: Love you man!)
Anyways, the CLS is a 2017, just like the GLS. We did not end up opting for MaxCare just because we’ve got a guy who has a little shop that has done good work on our other, non CarMax Mercedes (an 05 E320 and 06 ML350.)

Chuck Again.

So like the GLS550 I had to do my best to find a CLS550 available now at CarMax that might compare. Again, found a pretty good but lesser vehicle. This time a 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 at a low price, with low mileage.

This 2014 CLS550 is almost identically equipped as the 2018 GLS550 above, even with seat massagers, sans Apple CarPlay. It’s a rich silver over tan car, but has the older interior compared to Seth’s CLS. Both cars are second generation. The CLS550 ended in 2023. 🙁 The original, first generation CLS was to me one of the most original designs of its generation. Unfortunately, while based on the E-class platform that fit me fine, the CLS roofline raked a bit dramatically behind the driver, and pushed down on my head.

Absolutely handsome, hardly worn interior.
The 2014 Mercedes CLS550 made 402 horsepower from the 4.7 liter twin turbo.

The 2014 Mercedes CLS550 sold for maybe $72,000 a decade ago. It’s available now for 40% of that here in Modesto, California. It’s also good for MaxCare for five years and (almost) 100,000 miles!

Stock No: 26040071 VIN: WDDLJ7DB3EA101376

The Rest of the Seth Story

I asked Seth to share his buying experience, as I never want to appear to be just a CarMax shill, and maybe others don’t have the same pretty good engagement I have had.  His response follows:

Funny thing is we have a free oil change for the GLS that CarMax gave us a pass for, but we can’t seem to get them to pick up the phone and let us book it (advice on scheduling service there would be appreciated!!) (Chuck Comment: Sorry Seth, I missed your question when we were swapping emails. Best I can tell you is I have had a wonderful experience with my Dulles CarMax by wandering in, hanging out in service, and doing my best to be a non-demanding customer with the customer service reps. They have come to know my cars, and when my primary guy ((Ryan)) is out the others are very nice and helpful. Ryan is a superb rep, and I leave him a Christmas card with a gift card for a local restaurant every year (and an extra one he can give the CarMax mechanic who busts his knuckles on my cars).  He loves talking cars and I will stay and chat until it seems I’m in the way.  I think so many customers are unpleasant, shall we say, and demanding, the reps appreciate a patient one.  I actually HATE the CarMax phone menu trying to book service.  It blows.)

Final comments from Seth:

The buying experience on both cars was lovely. Ordering them to our local store was a breeze. Both of the sales guys we interfaced with were super friendly and easy to work with, and the express pickup option worked especially nicely, as it made paying for the cars easy considering we didn’t have the money quite ready to pay for the cars immediately (just had to transfer but that took a day or two.) The positive experience on the GLS is what had us buy two other cars from them. (There’s also a 2016 GLE350 we bought before the CLS but that was traded because we didn’t like how it drove lol.)

So far both cars have been absolutely repair free. The TPMS sensors on the GLS have been a little wacky and it’s just thrown the A0 service light, but otherwise it’s been perfectly fine. The CLS (which we’ve really only had for 2 months so far) has been PERFECT and an absolute joy to drive.

Both cars we bought, barring a few minor issues (GLS having weird rear bumper fitment issues, mostly) have been perfect, and the experience as a whole is what has me checking out the CarMax website all the time looking for whatever seems cool. It’s been a lovely experience overall.

DESIGNOS!

What follows is a pair of Mercedes SUV’s with Designo trim; an older 2014 ML350 (before switching over to the GLE) and a 2018 GLE43 AMG. The quilted seats are the give away. My take? The ML350 is a damned good buy if you’re not hung up on horsepower and all vain about AMG stuff like I am. Interesting that someone would splurge for Designo on a basic ML350, though. Similarly, the GLE43 is more modern with some AMG credentials, and yet I’ve driven the six cylinder GLE43 and GLE53 and found them wanting for horsepower. My twisted logic is if it doesn’t have the AMG badge, adequate performance and luxury SUV features are great. But if you want horsepower and the AMG mystique, it needs to have a V-8 (or V-12!) under the bonnet. But that’s just me.

If you’ve made it this far, thanks, and thanks to Seth for sharing!

Stock No: 25600326 VIN: 4JGDA5JB8EA391200

Stock No: 25740989 VIN: 4JGDA6EB2JB078969

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