UPDATE I can personally vouch that Carmax pricing is for real, someone didn't like the color of her special order so walked and she ate her $500 deposit. I found her factory order on the Carmax website
www.carmax.com Saturday night, hours after it posted, drove up to LAX Sunday afternoon when they opened and bought it. There were two others people trying to test drive it while I did the paper work routine. Actually finding this car was kind of weird as I used my own posting in these forums, I was looking to see if there were any further comments to this thread and I clicked on my previously posted Carmax link for fun and found the car.
Carmax was an amazing place it was very interesting to watch all the associates who were actually "running" doing real work selling cars at their "no haggle pricing" below MSRP. This was pretty refreshing when I compare it most of my local dealers selling 300's with stickers saying MSRP +8K market adjustment (both C's and Limiteds) .
I did waffle a little – “don't get bummed out over this” - but after talking to my wife on the cell, I really considered buying a fully loaded Limited with the Luxury group (1K under MSRP). However after driving both cars the C was just smoother (I am not talking raw power here but normal driving), I felt the Limited had a slightly annoying constant low rumble/vibration in the drive train. My sales associate said I wasn't the first that had commented about this difference. This smoothness issue was the kicker, I choose the 300C – then about 40 minutes into the paperwork my wife calls on my cell phone and tells me to get the V8 – her reason:
“Jon there are lots of used V6’s for sale, but no one is letting go of the V8’s there has to be a reason, something special about 300C - get the V8”
No suprise here but her call did vindicate my choice a bit.
IMHO, I think the visual trim differences on the 300C (mirrors, misc. trim and wheels) on the C simply make the car much more appealing than the 300 Limiteds I guess I like the look even more than the Hemi – maybe I am just getting a bit old. But I have to admit the Hemi packs a hell of a punch, my old BMW 740il feels a bit anemic in comparison.
Black 300c only option: Moon roof - I love this car