I had company cars for many years that was a nice perk; but for the 2nd car I preferred to buy a used low-mileage car a couple years old optioned the way I wanted. Living in the rust-belt, I bought a couple of vehicles from sun-belt states a few times when wanting an older vehicle I liked 10 or 15 years old. Fly there and drive it back. After starting my biz requiring me to drive 35-40k a year, bought an ’03 Olds Aurora in ’05 with only 9,700 miles on it. (Also had a ’97 the first ride I bought after starting my biz I handed off to one of my kids).
I offered the dealer $20k on it figuring a low ball offer considering this car sold new for almost 40 grand, every option and the 8 engine. They countered with…$21k. Fine. Car with under 10k on it…barely 2 years old dang near half the cost new. Another ride (I had picked up out of state) was a ’90 Riv cuz my mother had one rusted to shit she just loved. Found one searching the net with 30k on it, one owner in 2009. Flew out to pick it up, it was all that had been advertised, looked like new always garaged. Funny as my mom was afraid to drive it fearing she’d damage it! Well, she didn’t have a garage moving to an apartment so I kept it in my garage most of the time and drove it more than she ever did. I’d tell her enjoy the car ma, dump your old one falling apart! Nope, she’d have none a that lol. I put maybe 15k on it over 6 years.
When she passed away, it was sad to sell it; but too much chit and cars for my garage. Sold it for the same price she had bought it for. And the guy that drove 60 miles to buy it was in his 80’s, lanky guy 6 feet tall, watching him finagle himself in that car as it sat low. He was a guy that also just loved that ride; I knew it was going to a nice home...for a while anyway.
