(By Tom Lohnes) – In today’s car world, many consumers consider anything other than an SUV or pickup truck impractical and irrelevent. Although this is far from the truth, the increase of SUV sales and the median price for a new car are directly tied to this consumer mindset. If you are familiar with YouTuber Tyler Hoover, better known as Hoovie’s Garage, you will know that he likes to do things differently, and he might just be onto something with his latest video. Check out what unorthodox but surprisingly practical daily driver he is using now, a 2004 Maybach 62 he bought for only $44,000
That’s right, for the same price as a loaded 2023 Kia Sorento, you can have the nicest car in the world 20 years ago that stickered for over $500,000 at the time. With features such as a partition and intercom system between the front and back seats, a 550-horsepower V12 under the hood, and even car-seat anchors in the back seat, Tyler proves throughout the video that this seemingly unobtainable vehicle is actually a legit daily driver if you are willing to deal with the fuel costs of a 12-cylinder. For those concerned with reliability, Mr. Hoover is known for buying the cheapest-possible versions of vehicles, and this is no exception. His example has over 100,000 miles, and the only concern is a loose belt tensioner. Everything else, including the hydraulically powered rear doors and ridiculous sunroof that can change opacity works.
Even better, Tyler also takes his new daily on a mission to pick his kids up from school to prove the Maybach’s practicality. Along the way, he mentions the sublime ride quality, the immense torque from the boosted V12, and the absolute ease in which the Maybach can obliterate its rear tires. As he is driving the kids home, he notes some more practicality features, such as the snack cabinet, “homework table”, and the champagne cooler in which he packed with blue Gatorade. And finally, the icing on the cake, he isolates himself with the partition as his kids make as much noise as they please in the back. Truly a fantastic family vehicle.
Although this is definitely a crazy idea for anyone with half a brain, it does prove that anything can be a daily driver if you look hard enough. So, the next time you are looking for a new Toyota Highlander, think of how cool your children will look getting out of the back of a Maybach at school, and then reconsider.
Flagging flagships. Its a great club to be a member of, for a while…Once the first major service is due, the fun begins! I drive a “free” Audi A8 and my best friend rolls a “free” BMW 760Ti V12. If we couldnt do our own work, they would both be at the breaker. Time to teach the oldest kid how to replace a high pressure fuel pump or rebuild a 6spd auto trans!
I am with this guy. When the BMW dealer salesman comes to me and says the price of this certified used car is $60K I show him pix of cars I can have for the same price and probably lower maintenance costs — like a drop-dead gorgeous black 1957 Imperial with a 392 hemi and a 4-barrel. Exceptional is no more expensive than common. In 1966 a new Sport Fury with options that made it a truly exceptional car went for about $4,500 new. Now think about the cars that were classic in 1966 that you could have bought for the princely sum of $4,500. Do you know Nick Mason of Pink Floyd bought his Ferrari 250 GTO (now worth more than $40 million) for $64K in 1977? Nobody expects that rate of return, but it shows the difference between spending your money on common and spending it on exceptional.