low mileage caddys?

[joeb]

I have a 96 seville with 100k. runs ok with a few issues. I saw another 96 in the paper yesterday with 36k miles for sale. seems it was owned by an elderly man and the family is selling it. they want 5500 for it. I am looking for a 2nd car and that price is right in my range. I was thinking that it seems like the average age of caddy owner is high. would this lead to low annual miles due to not being driven a lot? or does it just seem like caddy's are old folks cars?

[GreenMachine]

I think it actually comes down to people buying luxury cars once their kids leave the nest, which then inturn makes them older

In the 90's since they were big, not rear wheel drive, and cadillacs lack of an add campaign really lead them down a dead-end, but now they are actually getting into the BMW market and starting to get the younger crowd, the CTS is the first example, and the Catera didn't do so well so I don't even count that one.

With that said the old lady car is good, but the problem may be that they didn't change the coolant on time, will probibly need some wide open throttle cleaning out. Need to still go over them if the maintenance records are not on hand.

[Bruce Nunnally]

The average age of Cadillac buyers is still high, although the company is trying to change that by offerring cars and advertising to a younger audience. Economically, older people generally have more disposable income than younger people as a group, so true luxury cars (priced at $40K+) tend to be sold to older people.

Right now with gas prices up and rising, any used car with a V8 is harder to sell. With 0% financing and incentives at many dealers, any used car is harder to sell.

I was reading an interesting article lately about how a lower mile older model car can actually be a much better deal than a higher mile newer car. So much depends on condition of the car, and newer models tend to offer newer features, but generally I suppose miles on a car is fairly indicative of wear.

I would be cautious about a car that has been sitting for a while though, yes.

[Poobah]

Garages and carports in retirement communities across the country are full of all manner of (generally conservative) cars. Most of them, for the most part, just sit there. Their owners don't commute back and forth to work or use them for business. Retirement communities are often laid out with stores, churches, hospitals, and other frequent destinations close at hand. The cars are used mainly for occasional vacation trips, trips to visit the family, or infrequent trips to other destinations beyond the immediate neighborhood. The cars are kept and often meticulously cared for out of the pride of ownership and sense of freedom car ownership provides. As the owners age, health and vision issues often reduce the use the cars actually get. Some of them sit with dead batteries, soft tires, and a thick coating of dust from lack of use. Most of them have very low mileage but age and lack of use also takes a toll. Many of these cars end up being sold in estate sales. Without a doubt, some very nice, clean cars can be found by shoping in these areas but one must pay particular attention to items such as cooling systems, fuel systems, corrosion, tires, belts, hoses, seals and the like that simply deteriorate from age and lack of use.

[WarrenJ]

Garages and carports in retirement communities across the country are full of all manner of (generally conservative) cars. Most of them, for the most part, just sit there. Their owners don't commute back and forth to work or use them for business. Retirement communities are often laid out with stores, churches, hospitals, and other frequent destinations close at hand. The cars are used mainly for occasional vacation trips, trips to visit the family, or infrequent trips to other destinations beyond the immediate neighborhood. The cars are kept and often meticulously cared for out of the pride of ownership and sense of freedom car ownership provides. As the owners age, health and vision issues often reduce the use the cars actually get. Some of them sit with dead batteries, soft tires, and a thick coating of dust from lack of use. Most of them have very low mileage but age and lack of use also takes a toll. Many of these cars end up being sold in estate sales. Without a doubt, some very nice, clean cars can be found by shoping in these areas but one must pay particular attention to items such as cooling systems, fuel systems, corrosion, tires, belts, hoses, seals and the like that simply deteriorate from age and lack of use.

WOW Poobah, that was a very big mouthful!

I can't remember when I last saw so many thoughts squeezed so tightly in a single cogent paragraph.

Nice post!

Regards,

Warren