Mercedes S550 – The Carmax Unicorn Blog

March 21, 2019March 21, 2019

Quick Hits – Three Decent Mercedes S550’s – And Spyshot of Rare S550 Igloo!

2009 S550 34

CarMax usually has plenty of Mercedes S550’s that meet my unicorn standards ($35,000 or less, 60,000 miles or less) so I don’t cover them much. But this low budget model, and two low priced, low mileage S550’s caught my eye. I love the ride of the S600 I just bought, but not everyone wants a gas guzzling V-12. These S550’s – especially the 2012 – will get you the luxury ride and still have plenty of oomph. The 2009 S550 above is a bit of a bargain, although it did have a rear impact accident six years ago. Find the 2009 model here in Tampa. 2010 SIDE

The 2009 S550 and this 2010 “only” have 382 hp, and that should be enough to cruise the interstates. The 2010 is a bit pricey at $32,998, but it has a stupid low 12,000 miles – Continue reading “Quick Hits – Three Decent Mercedes S550’s – And Spyshot of Rare S550 Igloo!”

May 13, 2018June 7, 2018

Cheapest S-Class Ever (2007 S550)….and Ignore the Risk of M273 Meltdown!

2007 S550 By themselves, S550’s aren’t really unicorns ($35,000 or less, 60,000 miles or less) given that today CarMax has six of these on lots nationwide. Not rare. And this one technically isn’t either, with 67,000 miles. But rarely do CarMax S550’s drop below $25,000. Snaring an S550 for less than $20,000 is a deal. Of course, it’s only a deal with MaxCare bumper to bumper protection, because this three-owner model will be expensive to fix. I suspect the warranty will be offered to 125,000 miles, and five years from the date of sale.

And the warrant is CRITICAL for a 2007 S550 per Jalopnik and their piece “For The Love of God, Don’t Ever Buy A 2007 Mercedes-Benz S550” from 2016. Jalopnik warns that this model is cheap to get into, but has a little gear called the “M273” that will catastrophically fail and meltdown your S550 engine. And that takes me back to the premise of the CarMax unicorn – with the MaxCare warranty I really don’t care if pistons explode through the hood into the night sky. Jalopnik warns that the cost of used replacement S550 engine with installation is around $6500. CarMax or Mercedes wouldn’t put in a used engine, so it will likely be a new engine and this car will run forever!

I don’t think you’ll find a more luxurious ride at this price. Find it here in Irving, TX – if the link is dead it’s sold, on hold, or being transferred. I suspect this car will move in days. 2007 S550 $18,998 67k

August 29, 2017June 27, 2018

Mercedes Unicorns Part VIII – The S-Class, When Only The Best Will Do (W221)

Flagship. Luxury. Executive. World class. Call it what you want, the S-Class is the top of the line when it comes to big comfortable sedans. Here’s what Car and Driver had to say, “For more than 50 years, S-class Benzes have been the most succulent sausages in the Teutons’ tray of vehicular sauerkraut.” I wish I could write like that! My S55 AMG was a W220-era behemoth that was the finest Mercedes offered in 2004 at $120,000. I nailed it for $25,000 with MaxCare warranty. I’m hoping someone else read this and drives home the finest car they’ve ever owned for Honda prices. CarMax has 26 S550’s nationwide and seven that meet my unicorn standard of less than $35,000, less than 60,000 miles. Below I’ve included a sample of what’s available as of late August, 2017.

Car and Driver Review – 2007 S Class

Motor Trend 2012 S Class Review

Here’s a pair of ridiculously low mileage S550’s in Florida and North Carolina. These cars are 9-10 years old with less than 3,000 miles driven yearly. Pre-2012 they have the 382hp V8 and every luxury accessory you can think of. Yes, they have the hideous hump back trunk but I can get over that for the right price. There are always S550’s of this era for less than $30,000 but low mileage cars move fast.

S Class First Pair

Continue reading “Mercedes Unicorns Part VIII – The S-Class, When Only The Best Will Do (W221)”