A Springtime Solar Eclipse Means Time For 10 Convertible Unicorns!

April 18, 2024April 18, 2024

A Springtime Solar Eclipse Means Time For 10 Convertible Unicorns!

After playing three hours of country music in a Virginia brewery Sunday April 7th, I immediately drove deep into the night to Cleveland to be in the path of totality for the April 8th solar eclipse. It was spectacular. (The Eclipse above? Unremarkable, I guess. For more fun, check out this old blog of mine on eclipses!) I had hoped to cruise there in the BMW M3 with the top down, enjoying all things sunny, but I still had all my music gear and so it was the Merc SUV again. Got me thinking, though, about how special convertibles are in spring and fall. I’ve owned three and think everyone should own one at least once in life. So I picked out 10 CarMax unicorn convertibles – cars with less than 60,000 miles, priced below $45,000, and with either some driving enthusiast credentials or at least not something you see on the road every day.

At the moment CarMax has over 63,000 cars on the lots, and only 533 convertibles. Mazda takes top honors with 100 (all Miata MX-5’s, although one CX-30 is listed as a drop top!). Chevy is second with 76 (Camaros and Corvettes), followed by Mercedes at 70 (SLC’s, E400’s, and C300’s), and BMW at 68 units. The most expensive convertible at CarMax is a 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 3LT at $95,000 – only 204 miles on it – the cheapest is a cute 2013 Fiat 500 Pop at $13,000. Lots in between. I’m leaving out some good and salutary cars like Miatas and Mustangs and Beetles only because of abundance. Too many to feel unique.

A case could be made for the Polish-built Buick Cascada as a now extinct attempt by GM to introduce the Opel convertible to the US from 2016 to 2019, as well as the Volkswagen EOS, an even smaller hardtop convertible with Golf innards. The Buick wasn’t interesting enough and there aren’t any EOS’s at CarMax right now. And no Nissan Murano Crosscabriolet’s. Or Range Rover Evoque convertibles.

Let’s jump in.

The Porsche Boxster S is an easy choice. Mid-engined, manual transmission, and a sweet flat-6 engine at a fraction of the cost of a 911. And right up front I have to say CarMax, it should be mandatory that ALL convertibles advertised include a picture of the car with the top down!

Not a lot of features on this car, other than air conditioned seats. The 315 hp 3.4 liter motor makes it special. And because it’s hidden, no motor picture on this one. Originally selling for maybe $50,000, it hasn’t depreciated a whole lot. And probably won’t. It’s a two owner, accident free car found here in Tucson, Arizona.

Stock No: 25278196 VIN: WP0CB2A88DS132828

I don’t know much about Mini Coopers, but what I’ve learned has been from my friend Hans. And he usually pings me when a John Cooper Works Mini is on the market and so I thought I’d try to get ahead of him on this one.

The newest car on today’s list as a 2023. Also in its favor – it’s yellow (like the sun!) and another photo with the top down. It’s not a cheap car, selling for maybe $40,000+ new and after 13,000 miles, selling for about the same amount now.

This little Mini (redundant?) is loaded, though. Automatic cruise control, Apple CarPlay, and a heads up display are all modern features. If the trunk wasn’t the same size as the glove box it could be a fun road car. It’s powered by a 235 hp, 2.0 liter turbo four and I’m surprised to see 0-60 mph is only 6.3 seconds. Is that right?

No need for Maxcare I guess since this is still under manufacturer warranty. Find this German built Mini here coming soon in Plano, Texas.

StockNo: 25483370 VIN: WMW63DL07P3P34869

How about some American muscle. The only Corvette convertible that meets my unicorn specs comes next.

Pretty basic Corvette Stingray here. Pretty blue, black wheels, yellow calipers, and a drop top. Not a lot of features – it has Apple CarPlay because it has an aftermarket stereo. It’s fast and sleek and the only way to get a cheaper Chevy V-8 convertible would be in a Camaro, and the Camaro doesn’t have the panache of a Corvette.

What makes the Corvette special is the 6.2 liter naturally aspirated V-8, rated at 455 hp. It’s a light car at 3,300 lbs, and fast. The combination of a good motor and a convertible makes drop top driving audibly fun. Mostly that comes in V-8’s and flat-6’s. Anyone have a four cylinder with a satisfying sound? Guess my Italian Fiat had that. By the way, the Corvette engine bay photo below is the only one I’ve ever seen with a side view. Is that because of the way the hood opens?

This 2016 Corvette Stingray sold new for maybe $52,000. It’s a single owner car and is currently being shipped to West Sahara, Nevada. Here’s the link.

StockNo: 25706858 VIN: 1G1YB3D74G5125126

I’ve had two soft top convertibles, and at the moment a hard top convertible (2013 BMW M3). For daily driver, year round use I prefer a hard top convertible. And that brings us back to an original “driving rich” unicorn – the Mercedes SL550.

CarMax always seems to have a half dozen low mileage, well equipped Mercedes SL550’s on hand. This one is less than $31,000 and fits the bill. It’s not terribly well equipped, but has heated and cooling seats and the wonderful air scarf neck warmers, should spring not be sprung in your area any time soon.

The Mercedes has a 4.6 liter twin turbo V-8 making 429 hp, and 516 ft-lbs of torque. It weighs a good 700 pounds more than the Corvette, trading weight for a retractable hard top. Still does 0-60 mph in the mid-fours.

The 2013 Mercedes SL550 has been shared by five owners over the past 11 years, although with no accidents. Right now it’s in Los Angeles – here’s the link.

StockNo: 24920605 VIN: WDDJK7DA1DF010782

Below we have a 2015 Audi S5 Premium Plus that’s just good enough to make the list and yet not terribly exciting (to me). The 2013 S5’s were the first with the 333 hp supercharged, 3.0 liter V-6, after Audi’s long run with the venerable 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine with 354 hp. The V-6 is just as fast, just doesn’t sound the same. And since CarMax doesn’t carry 2012 (or older) European cars now, no more V-8 S5’s. However, from time to time CarMax will have an Audi RS5 that sported a V-8 until 2017. The RS5 has almost a hundred more horses.

This is a low mileage, low dollar Audi soft top with the Technology Package, a Bang & Olufsen audio system, and not a lot else. Again kudos for the photo with the top down.

I take that back. The Audi S5 has AWD, unusual for a convertible. For the record, at CarMax only Audi, BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes have AWD convertibles. (Jaguar has this badass 2018 Jaguar F-Type R with 550 hp and AWD but it’s $52,000!) Below are examples of CarMax’s new “Cosmetic photos available” section for some cars – this Audi has a paint blemish on the bumper and on the fender.

Car and Driver dashed to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds in the V-6 S5, which is brisk by any standard. They also rated the coupe as tops over the Cadillac ATS 3.6 and the Lexus RC350, for what it’s worth. If you’re more youthful and technologically progressive than me (and most people are) you can get over the V-8 vs V-6 thing and enjoy this motor just fine.

This was a $55,000 car when new and is half that now. The single owner Audi S5 is currently reserved in Clackamas, Oregon, and you can find it here if you want to track or read more.

Stock No: 25452153 VIN: WAUCGAFH3FN009585

Next we have a practical, if you will, Volvo C70 T5, convertible. I like the hardtop convertible, although the weight makes a slow car slower, and yet few buy Volvo’s to push the performance envelope (Polestar notwithstanding). The C70 is a safe car that Autoblog says is “a handsome luxury hardtop convertible with elegant coupe lines that seats four.” I think the car is lovely with the top up or down.

The C70 has the Climate Package, adding heated seats and rain sensors and headlight washers. It’s Swedish tidy inside, and with only 15,000 miles over 11 years it’s fresh.

The downside is a 227hp inline 5 cylinder, a 2.5 liter powerplant that pulls the front wheel drive convertible to 60 mph in the mid-seven second range. Again, Volvo’s not known for performance cars, and this would try my patience. My standard today, though, was a convertible that has some style to it and one you don’t see at every stop light. The C70 T5 fits the bill.

The car is just $23,998 – about $20,000 less than when it was new – and is on reserve here in Norcross, Georgia.

StockNo: 25467726 VIN: YV1672MCXDJ143182

Here’s another very pretty, very affordable, and not very common hardtop convertible that’s also not very athletic. The 2015 Q60 was once the G37 and still is a fancier Nissan 370. Not necessarily a bad thing. This is a beautiful car and the upside of a car that was dated in 2015 and despite a 2016 refresh, didn’t sell well and was put down in 2023, is that like the Volvo, they’re not spotted on every street corner.

Nothing at all wrong with the interior, and it looks well maintained after eight years and 54,000 miles. Heated and air conditioned seats, navigation, and a Bose sound system. Always wondered why Nissan didn’t buy Infinity audio and rename them Infiniti? Room for four. Sort of.

Infiniti carried the same 3.7 liter V-6 power plant with 325 hp from the much cheaper Nissan 370z until 2017, when an upgraded 3.0 liter V-6 twin turbo made its debut. With the 3.7 0-60 was in the mid-fives, and the newer engine cut a full second off of that. (FWIW – Infiniti unleashed a Q60 Red Sport 400 with, you guessed it, 400 hp in hardtop only!)

This 2015 Infiniti Q60 is a two owner, accident free car currently reserved here in Gastonia, North Carolina. It was once a $50,000+ auto and is selling for the same price as the low mileage Volvo C70 above. Which one would you buy?

StockNo: 25294928 VIN: JN1CV6FE3FM810232 LINK

Let’s get back to legitimate performance cars. When I started writing this piece in Cleveland, after the eclipse a week ago, this hot BMW M3 was not yet on the market. I had included in this draft an identical black M3 that was $2,000 more with 6,000 more miles. That’s what freaks me out every time I prepare to buy a car – next week something better will come along. FOMO.

Yeah, it’s red and somebody is gonna say “ticket magnet” the way you can’t mention Pintos without reflexively smirking “self-immolation” – both references are highly exaggerated. Research has shown that white cars get more tickets than red (Let’s ignore there are more white cars on the road than red – doesn’t help my case.)

If you’ve been here before you know I own a silver version of this car and have a bias. Two years ago I bought a 2013 M3 hardtop convertible, the last year for V-8 M3’s, and love it. Well, I did – drove it to meet an old friend for breakfast this morning, and he showed up in a silver 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo. Sigh.

The heart and soul of the M3 is the 4.0 liter, naturally aspirated V-8. It’ll growl it’s way to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds in “M” mode. BMW ran V-8’s in M3’s from 2007 to 2013, with six cylinders before and after. Keeping in mind CarMax only offers 11 year old or newer European cars, the days are numbered for getting one from CarMax and protecting it with a MaxCare warranty up to 125,000 miles and until 2029. That said, I paid about $5,000 for my MaxCare and haven’t gotten my money’s worth (yet). I’ve put 15,000 miles on it in two years and it hardly breaks.

Don’t wait! This M3 has the back seat wind deflector. It’ll go missing soon. Had to pay $300 to get one.

The 2013 BMW M3 is a real auto enthusiast car, and a red one will get some attention at cars and coffee. I paid $41,000 for mine with 34,000 miles I think, and this one is $10,000 cheaper – but with almost the same mileage. (Make me an offer? Was planning to keep mine two more years but that 911 Turbo looked sweet this morning.) This one is available in Golden, Colorado here.

StockNo: 24832537 VIN: WBSDX9C55DE785352

Going to stick with red cars here on out, since I liked the white/red ticket research from above. This one is a real nice 2019 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth. And a “Fix It Again Tony” comment will get you banned, for being inaccurate and unimaginative! (My 1971 Fiat 124 Spider was one of the most reliable cars I ever had!) This one comes with a no kidding manual transmission. And it’s red. Gotta be fun.

This generation of Fiat 124 Spiders is, of course, a Mazda Miata in vestiário. From 2016 to 2019 Mazda manufactured the 124’s using the Miata MX-5 platform, although the motors were legit Italian Fiat powerplants (the transmission was still Mazda’s.) The 124 is five inches longer than the Miata. And almost 200 pounds heavier, with more sound deadening material. Disturbing fact – CarMax will offer MaxCare for European cars up to 125,000 miles, and for Japanese cars to 150,000 miles. Both cars are built in Japan, but the MaxCare warranty is still reduced for the Italian-badged one. That ain’t right.

The Fiat 124 Spider Abarth has modern stuff like cross-traffic alert and heated mirrors and a rear view camera, and yet a traditional sports car interior. I tried one on once, or at least I tried to, and found it was tighter inside than my 1971. Found Miatas to be too small for me also (I’m 6’4″ and 225 lbs – atm.) The power plant below is a 1.4 liter turbo four, and unfortunately makes the same 160 hp that’s in the non-Abarth 124’s. Only does 0-60 mph in the low six second range. Disappointing, but my old one took 10 seconds to get there. This one has an upgraded suspension over the base 124, though. And a manual transmission!

Here’s a Car and Driver comparison between the Fiat 124 Abarth and the Mazda Miata. Unlike the Miata, the 124 is (again) extinct and no longer being imported. It sold maybe 5,000 units a year, so a bit rare. Not a bad car, and not a total Miata clone. Retained some historical Pininfarina styling. Here’s the link to the 2019 Fiat 124 Abarth, currently on reserve in Spokane, Washington.

StockNo: 25271376 VIN: JC1NFAEKXK0141887 LINK

Hear me out on the next, and last red unicorn to make the list. It’s a weak case, but not ridiculous. This is the cheapest, not seen everywhere, legitimately holds four adults, convertible you’re going to find at CarMax. Emphasis on cheap. It’s $18k and has only 30,000 miles. (Its identical twin just sold elsewhere on CarMax for the same price with 20,000 miles – you missed a bargain by a week!)

Take the time to read the timely election-themed Car and Driver review here from 2012. It’s wonderfully written. Spoiler – it opens with, “Like a single-issue candidate, the Chrysler 200 convertible has stumped on one appeal. In the car’s case, it’s that the top goes down.”

The review also says the “200’s handling is no longer spastic and clumsy” and that it’s actually well sorted out for a front drive, 4,000 pound car. (I think “No longer spastic and clumsy” was also on my ninth grade Phys Ed report card.) The 3.6 liter V-6 motor pumps 283 hp and does 0-60 mph in about the same time as the Fiat 124 above. Not sure if that’s good for the Chrysler or bad for the Fiat.

My M3 and the Corvette Stingray above are perfect for dropping the top and roaring into local breweries this spring, Chris Stapleton streaming from the Bose. But I would not be embarrassed to cruise (slowly) into our Virginia wineries in this Chrysler 200 with the top down, listening to Kenny G on the CD player. I’m that old. And with MaxCare available for another five years and 120,000 miles I could do that long enough to pay for the car with my social security checks. Now I’m sad. Heading to the bar. If this car’s for you it’s currently reserved here in Gastonia, North Carolina.

StockNo: 25491124 VIN: 1C3BCBFG0DN724042

August 25, 2023August 25, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stock No: 24462335 VIN: SAJWA0HB7CLS45542

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

Stockno: 24502433 VIN: SAJWA0HP4FMU65358

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

Stockno: 24337773 VIN: SAJWA0FB5CLS37782

November 21, 2022November 20, 2022

Ghost Cars – If You Didn’t Save Them, You Won’t See Them

I was corresponding with a blog reader buddy about the 2015 Mercedes S65 I had on hold and he was surprised it was out there – didn’t see it on the CarMax web page when searching for V-12’s. It reminded me of the peculiarities of searching and tracking unicorns on CarMax.com and the app. They operate differently but on both one can save cars to your profile as favorites. Once there, you still have visibility on the car regardless of status. On the phone app, a car might say “Currently Unavailable” after being saved with no further information. On my laptop, though, more information is provided on saved cars that are not “currently available“. The listing will share if the car is “reserved” or “shipping“, and if being transferred will indicate where it’s going. On the laptop web page it will also indicate whether a car is “sold” – but it doesn’t delete them.

For very special cars I’ll leave them in my saved section even after being sold and get pleasantly surprised when they sometimes show up again after being returned. On both the app and the web page you can see the latest price for the vehicle even if it’s unavailable, but only on the menu showing all the cars you’ve saved. Once you click on the car the price is “N/A”. Because of all this rigamarole I’ve been including the stock number and VIN when I blog. You can always search by the stock number and find cars that are “currently unavailable” and don’t show up when searching by brand, type, cylinders, etc. With that, here are a couple of “ghost” cars that remain in my saved file but haven’t been offered for sale in a while. They may or may not show up again as available.

Here’s a rare one, a 2017 Alpina B7 that was on the net briefly then went underground while being transferred to Raleigh, North Carolina. Not a lot of B7’s in the USA (a few hundred imported yearly?) and while it has the same horsepower as the V-12 M760i, Car and Driver described the B7 as “the quickest dealership-sold BMW we’ve ever tested, with 60 mph arriving in 3.4 seconds.” Say’s it’ll do 193 mph. FWIW here’s the link to the Car and Driver review, and it has a nice recap of how Alpina came to be.

Picture above could be the interior of the M760i or even the 750 – only real giveaway is the logo on the steering wheel and the cool Alpina graphic embedded in the speedo. This B7 is loaded with Apple CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, the Driver Assistance Package, Executive Package, and Luxury Package.

The Alpina B7 leverages the 4.4 liter twin turbo from the 750 but adds boost, special pistons, Alpina intake, exhaust, and intercoolers to get the 600 hp. It’s mated to an eight speed ZF automatic transmission.

Only 400 2017 Alpina B7’s were imported to the USA, and they were priced at $137,000. As noted, the ad says N/A for a price, but in my saved file it shows it’s selling for $59,998. That’s a helluva deal. Track this 2017 Alpina B7 here in Raleigh – currently reserved for some lucky buyer. Or maybe not?

Stock # 23467006 VIN # WBA7F2C39HG543846

May 24, 2022May 26, 2022

A Pair of 2012 911 Turbo S Convertibles – Not Many of ‘Em. Not Very Cheap. But Very, Very Fast.

In 2012 Porsche introduced the third generation 911, designated the 991. But Porsche also still sold in 2012 brand new second generation 911’s – the 997 series. So I’m never sure until I check out the interior of a 2012 Porsche 911 which one it is. Both of these 2012 models are in fact 997’s, just like my old 2008 model I picked up from CarMax for less than $40,000! Except these two are stupid fast convertibles that sold new for $170-200,000, depending on options. Only about 2,100 911 Turbo S convertibles were sold worldwide. A unicorn? Autotrader shows only five for sale, all for more money and lower miles, and none offer MaxCare for another five years and up to 125,000 miles of coverage on a 10 year old race car. Also, there’s a live auction underway on Bring a Trailer for a similar 2012 car – ends on May 25, 2022 and it’s at $63,000. I’ll bet it doubles in the last hour. (5-26-22 Update – the BaT car sold for $121,000. I was close.)

Not much in the way of features inside. Sports chrono. Navigation. Decent audio. No rear view camera.

The 2012 Porsche 911 Turbo S was rated at a ridiculous 523 hp from the 3.8 liter six cylinder, and sprinted to 60 mph in under three seconds. Top speed was just under 200 mph. The car is AWD and runs with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplung) transmission. This particular model is a four-owner, accident free car currently in Irving, Texas. Find it here.

Stock # 22415867 VIN # WP0CD2A95CS773243

September 24, 2021September 24, 2021

Farewell 2009 and the 2010 Euro-Purge Complete? (And a Beautiful 2010 Cadillac Consolation Prize)

A number of times I’ve written about the CarMax “policy” (meaning I think a sales manager told me this but I cannot find it written) of offering for sale cars not more than 12 model years old, and 10 for European cars. Recently a sales rep told me that’s because of the CarMax policy of offering MaxCare on everything they sell, and they need an underwriter that will cover even those older cars. Given that we are well into the 2022 model year – there are right now 33 CarMax used cars from 2022 – the purge of “old cars” is underway.

Hey Mick! This van looks badass and I think has your name on it.

Two weeks ago there was a lone 2009 Acura MDX available that is gone. If my arithmetic is correct that’s 14 model years ago! In fact, the choice of years on the CarMax website now begins with the year 2010 (although on the iOS version you can still choose years going back to 2007 – just not going to get any hits). Last week there were a handful of 2010 European models for sale. Today there are none – not a single European car from 2010 – only 142 2010’s at all of the almost 42,000 cars CarMax is selling today.

This low mileage single owner accident free Cadillac may be worth its own blog post!

So we are truly down to American and non-European foreign cars that are 13 years old, and for 2011 – of which CarMax has all of 338 models of all kinds on the lots, there are only 25 European cars. Makes me a bit wistful. Anyway, for what it’s worth, the best unicorn left from 2011 happens to be this bargain Boxster with low mileage and a low price. Get it while you can here in Clackamas, Oregon – and you can still get a five year, 125,000 mile MaxCare warranty! If I were a betting man I’d say 2011 European cars will be scare shortly at CarMax.

August 20, 2021August 20, 2021

The Most Expensive CarMax Unicorn EVER!

$162,998. That’s what you wanted to know. But that’s not all you need to know. This 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S is hardly a unicorn by my old $35,000 ceiling (that I am so going to blow through soon) but it is the most expensive CarMax car I’ve ever seen. Thought it was a misprint when Mustafa sent it to me last week, and when it disappeared from the web within minutes I was sure. But it’s back. Is it a good deal?

I think 7/11 designed the cup holders just for Grosse Gulps.

No. Well, maybe in a relative way. There are 12 of these for sale on Autotrader.com today, and as it turns out this is a fair price for a 2020 911 Carrera 4S. But according to Car and Driver the 4S model gives you only AWD over the regular 911 S. Everything else about the car….trim, output features….exactly the same. Oh and a gas tank that holds about 3/4 of a gallon more fuel. The additional charge for a 4S over an S is $7,300 according to Car and Driver. But wait there’s more! Car and Driver’s as tested model had a base price of $121,000 and with options and AWD topped out at $140,000. So not only is AWD the only plus to this car (and that’s not insignificant, for what it’s worth) the car is selling used for more than it sold for new! Damn. Puts it in the same league as the Chevrolet SS and Corvette C8!

The car includes the Porsche cargo bay tub. Surprisingly the 911 front end will hold a standard suitcase.

The 911 4S does outperform the standard S. How much? I’ll leave you with the Car and Driver narrative. “The 443-hp twin-turbo flat-six, eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and all-wheel-drive system all feed a ruthless launch-control program that turns air and gasoline into effortless and repeatable performance. Is 2.8 seconds to 60 mph better than 2.9 seconds? Objectively, yes. Is it worth $7300? We’re uncertain about that one.” Well, I am certain that if you can afford this car you can afford MaxCare, even though the 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S here in Tampa is still under manufacturer warranty.

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021

Quick Hit – 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera Black Edition. Slightly Unique. Slightly Inexpensive.

Porsche offered only 1,911 “Black Edition” 911 models in 2012, one of almost two dozen 911 variants for the final year of the 997 line. I always have to doublecheck the 2012 911’s – Porsche also replaced the 997 with the all new 991 line in 2012 so you can find both listed as 12’s. This 2012 911 Black Edition is a beauty and a bit of a unicorn.

Few cars have such a sleek silhouette to me!

Visually, the only way I can tell the 997 from the 991 models is the totally redone interior. I know Porsche pros note all the exterior cues but I’m not one of them. This interior layout is identical to my recently-sold 911 and a bit plain for me. The Black Edition adds a Bose 13 speaker audio system, monochromatic interior with specially trimmed door sills, gauges, sport steering wheel, emblems, and other cosmetic doodads. So far, the Black Edition seems to be mostly an appearance package.

It would be totally okay to ignore whether the Black Edition is special or not. The car is still a Porsche 911 and a wonderful driving experience. The 3.6 liter naturally aspirated motor runs a 4.4 second 0-60mph sprint, drawing on 345 hp and a seven speed PDK automatic transmission. As I’ve described in my road trip with Etta, my 2008 911, the handling is astonishing. I’ve been on the fence on whether to buy another 911 and as I write I’m feeling the enthusiasm to do it again. Not this car – I need a 991.2 – and yet this car is right for someone at only $47,998. It was once close to $90,000 new, and with only 36,000 miles it’s not a bad deal. My 2008 car was $34,998, purchased in 2018, and since then very few 911’s have been offered by CarMax for under $50,000. Only a handful under $60,000. MaxCare? I’d say yes. My plan was $3,500 I think, and while I did not have enough repairs to cover that cost, CarMax refunded $1,100 of pro-rated MaxCare when I sold the car. Why not? This 2012 Porsche 911 Black Edition is offered here in Renton, Washington (was in California last month). Enjoy.

March 22, 2021March 22, 2021

Where Are All The Cars Max? All Time Low Inventory (And Two Porsche Test Drives)

I’m curious what’s going on with CarMax inventory this month. I’ve not seen numbers this low even during the depths of Covid. I’ve written here and here, with the point being inventory tends to beef up before the end of the fiscal year (theirs ends in February) and drops off by fall. I’ve seen them carry over 70,000 cars nationwide and drop to 40,000. But 23,000?! This while industry analysts say used car prices are wildly increasing? I have no idea why – perhaps that’s why I just buy ’em and drive ’em and leave the thinking to others. I went in to my CarMax at Dulles in Northern Virginia to pick up a 911 for a test drive (below) and this was my view when wandering the lot.

Sales lot as gapped as an Appalachian kid’s mouth.

What I do know is that it’s still a hoot to be looking for my next unicorn. Yes, my plan remains to buy an enthusiast SUV first, then figure out what comes next, and yet when a decent 911 shows up I gotta try. This one popped up at my Dulles dealer at a reasonable price, albeit for a one (minor) accident car. CarMax now offers a TruFrame (I think) independent (I hope) report on cars with a reported accident that should give us confidence the car isn’t twisted. The real reason I wanted to drive this car is that I was persuaded the 991 (2013-2019) Porsche 911’s drove far more comfortably than my 2008 911 based on a test drive months ago, and I needed to revalidate that.

The short answer is yes…and no. When I dialed in all the most comfortable settings and drove like a commuter, the car was fairly civilized to drive. A little road noise from the summer tires but not bad. The problem was I kept choosing the most aggressive settings and wailing loudly down the exit ramps. The car is a beast. I loved it. And here’s the kicker. When I dropped off a book at the library for my wife, a beautiful young lady in leggings spotted me taking the selfie above and shouted “I think you should buy it!”. She was quite persuasive. I also just completed my latest 7,000 mile cross country drive (in the S600 – story for another day) and once west of the east coast I saw maybe two 911’s the whole trip. The car seems common in Northern Virginia and rare elsewhere. What to do? For the record, not one young lady gave my S600 a shout out. And for what it’s worth, as I’ve mentioned before now when you reserve a car for a test drive CarMax lets you add your intentions for trade in, financing, and best of all, MaxCare options. Allowed me to see what MaxCare would cost without begging a sales rep for a screen shot.

Let’s ignore that I seem to be wearing the same clothes in every CarMax selfie. I took this Macan Turbo home for a 24 hour test drive to get my wife’s take on whether it would be right for our “family” compact SUV. By “family” SUV I mean mostly mine, but one she would be comfortable co-driving on a family trip or taking to work when her potato Buick Encore is in the shop. She refused to drive my S600, my 911, or other wacky cars I bring home.

I really, really wanted to like the Macan, mostly because the Turbo has almost 40 hp more than the other baby SUV’s in the hunt. Yes, I dig the PDK transmission and matching rev downshifts that make me giggle. But two things ruled this car out. One is there is no smart key on the Macan. Seems silly but I’ve been ruined by my Mercedes and just don’t have the energy anymore to put a key in the dash and turn to start. The second was this goofy rear view mirror. I’m 6’4″ and the driver’s seat is always all the way back. No problem – plenty of legroom. But the mirror doesn’t accommodate tall people. Set at its widest angle, I got only a good view of the Macan haunches. Drove me nuts. What’s left?

The Mercedes GLC43 AMG next to my S600 in Boise.

To recap, the four compact enthusiast SUV’s we are considering are the Porsche Macan Turbo (fourth place) Audi SQ5 (third place), the BMW X3 M40i (second place), and the Mercedes GLC43 AMG (first place but haven’t taken one home for the wife to drive). I drove a rental GLC300 from Virginia to Kansas two years ago and it was pretty good. On my cross country drive to Portland I stopped by the Boise CarMax and drove the only fully equipped GLC43 CarMax has nationwide and absolutely loved it. We’ll ignore that I pulled on the lever to drop the second row seat backs flat, and on a whim wondered if I pushed on the button the seat backs would raise – instead the button broke off and disappeared in the wheel well. I’m sure that can be fixed. I would buy the GLC43 tomorrow but feel no need to pay the almost $2,000 transfer fee to the east coast. Will sit tight and see if one shows up closer to home. But I did shoot this downshifting shot and I gotta ask, for those of you who have rev matching automatics….does it ever get old? I so hope the wife likes a GLC! Then the hunt for my next true unicorn begins in earnest.

December 30, 2020December 30, 2020

300+Hp Four Bangers – Seven Not So Spartan Alternatives to Big Motor V-8’s!

These are not them. The cars above are in fact the fleet of cars available at CarMax 18 months ago I covered here that reflected the 600+ horsepower club. A BMW 760, Audi S8, and a couple of GM products. (Since then there’s even been this monster 760hp Mustang GT500!). Anyway, when I covered the high-horsepower cars I wanted to write a piece on impressive high-output four cylinder unicorns – the 300+ horsepower club. And fate has dealt me a cruel Christmas, in that I’m down with Covid and need things to do while in solitary confinement (doing fine, thank you!). So why not take a moment to write about the seven CarMax unicorn models that top 300 horsepower from little four cylinder motors. Some may surprise you.

The granddaddy of these cars is the Subaru WRX STI. Not the fastest or best handling, but almost 20 years ago Subaru rolled out the Impreza WRX and a road ready rally car. The Impreza and WRX split in 2014, and the STI is the most potent Subaru you can buy at CarMax. Rumor has it the 2021/2022 WRX will pack a more powerful 400hp motor!

With a 2.5 liter 305hp engine and a six-speed manual transmission the car is good for a low-five second 0-60mph run. It’s AWD and yet Car and Driver was only able to eek out a 0.93 g lateral grip, far less than some of the hot hatches to follow. The car sold for maybe a hair under $40,000 new, and is offered here in Parker, Colorado – fittingly just an hour north of Pike’s Peak!

With a wacky but innovative three-pipe exhaust, a monster wing, and lots of scoops and wedges the Honda Civic Type R is hard to miss. The first Type R to make it to the US, the 2017 model debuted at $35,000 and seemed like a bargain for such high performance.

Red motor and red interior to remind you this is not your commuter Civic. With 306hp from a 2.0 liter turbo and a six-speed manual, the powertrain pulls this 3100 lb “sedan” to 60 mph in about five seconds flat. Some reviewers have gotten less. Here’s the Car and Driver review from 2017 where they gushed over the Type R entry into the US, and in a later test they were able to pull 1.02 lateral g’s on the skid pad. Impressive in that it’s only 2WD. It also comes with Apple CarPlay and automatic cruise control, if you just want a commuter. The car was $35,000 new and is now here in Richmond, Virginia almost at MSRP!

Sticking with hot hatches, but pivoting from Asia to Germany – here’s a badass Ford Focus RS, with a whopping 350 hp from a 2.3 liter turbo. Imported only from 2016-2018, the RS beast hit 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and ran all the way to a 165 mph top end.

The engine bay is pretty damned dull for such a hot car. The Ford was more expensive than the Subaru and the Honda, starting at $41,000. Car and Driver described the Focus RS as having “explosive takeoffs, all-wheel-drive grip, drift mode can unlock your inner Ken Block.” (I had to Google Ken Block. Rally driver. Now I know.) The Focus RS is also AWD. It also pulls more than 1 g in lateral grip. Unfortunately, CarMax doesn’t have any of the 2018 models available. With only 1,000 imported, and as the final year of production, would think there’s some collection value to them. Find this pretty Nitrous Blue model here in Birmingham, Alabama.

My favorite I think, because it is the fastest and almost the most understated. The fins on the front fascia I could do without, and maybe the rear spoilers could go, and then it would just be an unassuming small sedan, right? A baby Benz that costs anywhere from $50-70,000 depending on options. But only $38,998 as the lease and factory warranty nears the end. Why is it so alluring?

The motor. This hand-built and autographed AMG 2.0 liter puts out a whopping 375 hp. With AWD and a seven speed dual clutch automatic it’ll do 0-60 in less than four seconds. Preposterous. It’ll also pull 1 g per Car and Driver, who loved everything about this Mercedes here except for its price tag – more than a C63 AMG with a beefy V-8. But it’s depreciated to match the price of the other four bangers. The CLA45 will run to a governed 155 mph, unless it has the AMG Dynamic Plus package, then it’ll top out at 167 mph. Enjoy this ruby red racer here in Norcross, Georgia.

I really, really don’t want to like this Mustang but I do. And yet it confuses me. A real Mustang has a snarling V-8 and the 2015’s and up have the independent rear suspension that makes them handle nicely and this one is yellow, which I really dig, and it’s a six-speed manual. But it’s an itty bitty turbo four cylinder, the first in a Mustang since the SVO’s of the 80’s. A 2.3 liter turbo four pumping 310 hp, 10 more than the Mustang V-6. Sigh. (Okay full disclosure, I had a Merkur XR4ti once – also with a 2.3 liter 175 hp turbo Pinto motor like the SVO. Loved it.) Here’s the Car and Driver review of the automatic version of this Mustang.

But the Mustang only weighs 3,600 lbs (looks so much bigger and heavier!) and will still rip off a low five second 0-60 mph run. Maybe a half second off it’s V-8 kin, and yet it will sip 30 mpg on the highway. I have never heard one of these on the road and think I would be confused by a Mustang with a turbo whirr and hum. If you can get over that, it’s got a fine cockpit and a lotta style, and it’s the cheapest of the seven 300 hp four cylinder cars! This five year old Mustang is available here in East Haven, Connecticut.

**2018 Volvo S90 Plug-In Hybrid T8 Inscription**

This may be cheating. Technically a 2.0 liter four cylinder like the rest, but this big sedan is augmented by a 10.4-kWh Lithium-Ion electric motor. Together they make a massive 400 hp, the most in this group. That hybrid puts it in a sub-5 second 0-60 mph category, very fast for a frugal but luxurious car. Here’s the review from Motor1, where they described the Volvo as “efficiency done with style.”

This Volvo has the most handsome interior and by far the richest list of features. Apple CarPlay, auto cruise control, seat massagers, Bowers & Wilkins audio, it has it all. Surprisingly it sold for $82,000 new and just two years later it’s less than half that. A real bargain. I suspect this is the one car I could own and enjoy almost like my S600 for long distance cruising. But there is one deal breaker for me – it’s made in China. I’m not ready for that. If you are, it’s available here in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Last but not least, a real 365 hp four cylinder mid-engined sports car. A fourth generation Porsche Cayman flat four, going 2.5 liters. Oddly, it’s not as fast as the Mercedes CLA45 AMG at 4.1 seconds to 60 mph, but it will out handle and out class the Benz.

The interior is identical to the Boxster and the 911, as they have been since inception, and smartly appointed. The driving position is even better than my 997 911. I got a kick out of the engine bay photo – nothing to see here! Move along! Here’s the Car and Driver review from 2018. They were a little underwhelmed by the GTS compared to the S models but not unhappy with the car at all. Just unclear on the value. It was an $80,000 car when new just two years ago, and honestly has not depreciated hardly at all. At this price it really doesn’t make my unicorn cut, but it is a 300+ hp CarMax offering. Find it here in Houston, Texas.

So that wraps up all the 300+ hp four cylinder cars you can get at CarMax at this time. There are some oh so close bridesmaids that would be fun, such as the 292 hp Audi S3/VW Golf R, the 291 hp Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR, and even the 263 hp Mazda3 Mazdaspeed. I do enjoy big motors, and yet some of the most fun cars I’ve had, including my 1971 Fiat 124 Spider and my old Ford Fiestas, have been four cylinders. None of them matched the 300 hp of these cars and yet still a pleasure to rev. Having 300 hp in these would be quite the hootenanny!

March 7, 2020

Quick Hit – Cheap Porsche Cayenne SUV Daily Driver – $19,998

2009 Porsche Cayenne S $19,998 43k Littleton 3-20 Who doesn’t need a basic AWD SUV unicorn to haul mulch and tools and the family and the occasional tail gate party? One with a little style and oomph? Thinking a low mileage 2009 Porsche Cayenne S might fit the bill, especially a one-owner, accident free Texas “truck” that even comes with a tow hitch. A real working man’s truck.

This one sold new 11 years ago for about $60,000 given the options (Bose stereo, heated seats and steering wheel, moonroof, and satellite radio – yes that was a paid option back then). The 385 hp V-8 pulls this 5,000 lb vehicle to 60 mph in just over six seconds – not terribly quick – per this review in Left Lane News in 2008.

A GTS or Turbo Cayenne would be a bit faster, but I’ve never seen one near this price. This 2009 GTS I wrote about last fall was $25,000. Also covered a nearly identical 2009 S model here last summer priced at $24,000. I think with the MaxCare warranty (a must) and taxes this 2009 Porsche Cayenne S would wind up being $25,000, and that still seems to be a bargain. Find it here in Littleton, Colorado. 2009 Porsche Cayenne S $19,998 43k Littleton 2 3-20