Well, I finally did it! 

Still looking good, 14 years later.

I finally listed my '96 Mustang for sale on CraigsList. It wasn't an easy decision, but I tried to make the smart decision... for once!

It was primarily an economic decision. I would "lose" less money by selling the '96, as opposed to keeping it, and selling the '06. I keep hearing about how it is becoming a "collectible" car soon, and will be going up in value. That might be true, but I can't hold onto it for another 15 years!

No matter how much I like the '96, I know that it just isn't worth "that" much. This is due to the high mileage, not to it being in poor condition. I had checked out several other comparable listings and I found similar cars with substantially less mileage, many were around 150K. They were priced quite a bit higher than my car, but the selling price is always flexible. Truthfully, unless the buyer is looking to keep the cost as low as possible, I'd have to say that those other cars were a better buy. That's not to say that my car is a piece of junk. Of course, I'm just going on what the ads said, the reality of those other cars might be something quite different. I know the background of my car.

I'm asking 3,500 for it. That is a bit more than I'd expect to get, but I wanted to leave some wiggle room. I'm willing to deal, but it all depends on how motivated the buyer is. 

In reality it's always a buyers market, especially if you're selling a car that isn't in high demand. 

My primary intention with selling this car is freeing up some more space, as well as ending some of the constant carrying costs of owning the car. I just paid the registration for 2025, as it was going to expire in November. So whether or not I was going to keep it, it was best to pay it. Likewise, I had to have the car smogged for the registration renewal and the possible/hopeful sale anyway.

Of course, the insurance is a constant expense. Mechanical repairs can always crop up, I'd just replaced the oxygen sensors in November, and the battery in June. These are not unusual replacements, and bigger expenses like a new set of tires looms in the not too distant future. 

Tires are a real biggie as they are quite expensive. 

I recently put a new set on my '06 Mustang and that, combined with the registration renewal, set me back a bit over a grand. I hadn't been driving the '06 very much because the tires were getting thin, so I didn't really have a choice. I would anticipate that a new battery will be in my future next year. I felt that it was a lot of expense for a car that I hadn't been driving very much.

I originally bought the '06 because I wanted a car with lower mileage, with the hope that major mechanical repairs to the engine or transmission would be unlikely for many, many, years. At my age, and in my circumstances, I wouldn't be adding too many miles a year to it. The '06 could last me for the rest of my life! (That's either a reassuring, or a chilling thought!) It was not because I was dissatisfied with my old '96, but with over 200k on the clock, I was concerned that something major might go wrong in the future. If the '96 was my only hobby car, that wouldn't really be an issue, but since I have so many cars, these expenses are starting to get out of hand. That's the real problem, too many cars.

Again the cost of new tires is a big concern. Both my F150 and my Navigator are going to need new tires soon. Both will be at least, 1,000 bucks a pop, probably more. With my F150 it's not too much of a concern because I plan on keeping the truck indefinitely, which will allow me to amortize the cost over the years. With my Nav, it's a bit more up in the air. Will I keep it long enough to justify the expense?

The '06 Mustang has 100,000 miles less on the odometer compared to the '96's 219,000 miles. If I sold the '06, I'd lose the potential 100K worth of future service, as well as the future life of the new tires. And I'd definitely lose money, because the car is not worth more now, than what I paid for it. I only get the benefit if I keep it and use it. 

So the economic argument for keeping the '06 easily outweighs that of keeping the '96. Keeping the '96 opens me up to a lot of potential expenses, so selling it has now become imperative.

With old cars it's usually not possible to trade your old car in as a partial down payment on another car. Most car lots are not going to want to take the car in trade. Those that will, usually do it as a ploy. The trade in allowance is already factored into the asking price for their cars.

My stable of cars has gotten out of control over the last few years. This coming year I plan to cut down on that number.

I hope that the '96 will sell soon to a good buyer. 

If it doesn't sell with the first listing, I'll have to reduce the price and try again. 

Time will tell.

                                ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am happy to report that I did sell the '96. It was getting to the end of the CL listing period and I hadn't gotten any nibbles. I wasn't too surprised, as the Holidays are a tough time to sell a hobby car. Most people are dealing with the expenses of gift giving and travel, and will delay an unnecessary car purchase until after the beginning of the new year.

Older hobby type cars, usually require finding the right buyer, someone who has a particular interest in a certain type of car. They often have been searching for just the right car, at the right price. 

The buyer was a young man, and as it turned out, was already a Ford fan. He told me that he had owned a Crown Vic ex police car, and currently was driving a 90's Ford F150. Definitely a guy into "Panther Love," which also made him a fan of the earlier 4.6 Modular Motor. 

We made an appointment for him to check out the Mustang and afterwards, took a fairly long freeway test drive. I showed him the inch and half thick file of receipts. The Mustang had been running like a champ, and he was definitely interested. But he wanted to sleep on it, a sensible idea, and would let me know the next day.

Wouldn't you know it, I got another inquiry about the car that afternoon. The guy wanted to come and check out the car that day. I told him that I had a pending sale and would let him know if the car would still be available. 

I received a text from the potential buyer that evening, confirming his intent, and we agreed to meet the next day. 

It was a bittersweet moment as I watched the '96 Mustang drive away after so many years of being in my life, but I hoped that the new owner would enjoy owning it. Right after completing the sale I had an hour and a half drive to an out of town family event. 

During the drive I got a call from the buyer, the car had stalled out and refused to restart while driving over the hill to the Santa Cruz area! He asked if I had any idea what could have caused that to happen. Needless to say, I was shocked and disappointed, as the car had been running like a champ, up until the moment I sold it. At that moment I couldn't think of anything except that he should have it towed home. I turned this event over and over in my mind during the evening. Later I received a text where the buyer told me that the car eventually restarted and he made it home without another incident. That made me feel better.

That night, I wrote the buyer an email that described how the Idle Air Control valve had caused a similar problem in the past, probably ten years ago. I had initially cleaned it, and that cured the problem until I replaced the valve. He replied and told me that the car hadn't had any more incidents since getting home. I felt that the best thing would be to just replace the valve, they aren't very expensive, and they are easy to reach. It's located in the front of the throttle body.

I had intended to include my Haynes repair manual with the car, but couldn't find it in all the Christmas commotion at my house. I found it a couple of days ago. I decided that I would ship it to him along with a note and some money that would pay for a new IAC valve. 

Hopefully this will get the car back on a good footing, and he will be able to enjoy it during the New Year, and for years to come.

I have never intentionally sold a car to anyone that I thought was a ticking time bomb. I have never filled a crankcase with STP, a radiator with oatmeal, or a differential with saw dust. As a buyer of many old, used, and abused cars myself, I know that there are no guarantees with old cars. The only guarantee is that anything can happen, and usually will. I depend on my pre purchase inspection and accessment, and then roll the dice with a fair amount of confidence. If something goes wrong, then I just take it in stride, it's all part of the old car game.

I had owned that '96 Mustang for quite a long time, 14 years. Over that period, I fixed what it needed, and it rewarded me with good service over that time. I will miss it. 

However I am fortunate to have a nice memento of that experience.

It's only the rear quarter panel, but a Mustang guy knows!

When my youngest daughter was in high school, she chose the Mustang as the subject of an art class project. The painting is entitled "Little Mustang." It has been, and will remain on display in my den, as a tribute to all the good times.

Happy New Year to all! 

 Year end wrap up 2024.

image source: Dreams time.com

I'm looking to go in a different direction for '25. (Haven't I heard this somewhere before?)

Primarily I plan to downsize my fleet. Besides the constant expense of insurance, registration, and routine maintenance, I just don't get to drive my current cars enough. A lot of the time, they just sit.

No, I'm serious this time!

As I get older I want to simplify my life a bit, and make better use of the time that I've got left. I also don't want to leave my Wife with a mess of stuff and old cars to deal with when it's time for me to cash in my chips. Whenever that might be. 

I would like things to be more manageable. Not just financially, but in the efforts required.

I just finished replacing the water pump on my Riviera, after changing the oxygen sensors on my '96 Mustang. Both jobs were more difficult than I had anticipated. I'll share the process of changing the water pump in future posts.

Truthfully after all was said and done, the work wasn't that bad. It was just tiring and frustrating, and I ended up with more aches and pains afterwards than I'd like. If either of these cars were my only hobby car, then it wouldn't be that bad, but with four cars, the likelihood that I'll be crawling around and under one of them is pretty inevitable. 

I also want to make things easier on my finances.

I really want to avoid being blindsided by the need to buy another new set of tires, a pretty big expense. 

I bought a set for my Riviera that set me back over 600 dollars.

Then I bought a set for my '06 Mustang which cost me over 800 dollars. 

When I have to buy a set for my Navigator, that will probably set me back over a grand. 

That's fine if you keep the car and amortize the cost over time, but if you suddenly sell it, you are out of luck. You won't get much of that money back.

Of course this is all easier said than done. Realistically I just have to accept that my cars aren't really valuable and not really worth that much. The asking prices will have to be low enough to catch an interested buyer, and the market will determine that. It doesn't matter what I think or feel about them.

I've been looking at a lot of later model used cars. By that I mean 10 to 15 year old cars. 

There are lots of upsides with this type of car. They are new enough to be relatively low mileage, and they can be found in like new condition. All I would have to do is keep them clean and maintained, and drive them. 

Sounds good to me! 

Still, there's that nagging thought about getting  a true vintage car. I've never had one, and its an experience that I feel would round out my narrative.

I don't think that I'd want to take on a real project. Make that, I know that I don't want another project! A running and driving car would be what I'd like to get. Something that has good parts availability. I think that I'd have to cut back on the number my newer hobby cars, and I'd like something that would fit in my garage.

Besides my cars, there is another aspect of my automotive enthusiasm, this blog.

Things seem to be going pretty well in that department. Readership has gone up a bit. Total page views have now exceeded 76,000. I find that pretty impressive, since this is a small, penny ante amateur operation with limited appeal. 

It seems that I've been fortunate and have been able to generate new content on a regular basis. I have been contributing to a larger automotive website in an attempt to get my writing in front of a bigger audience. It's been a fun experience, though that will be winding down. On my own blog I can write about anything that crosses my mind, but on the other site, I have to conform to their guidelines. Still, it has contributed to my growth as a "writer," at least as an amateur. I'm certainly not going to be the next Hemingway!

Or Peter Egan!

I've got a lot of things that are going on that will keep me quite busy next year. There's a lot of work that I've deferred on the house and yard. I'm still enjoying producing the blog and I think that I will continue to enjoy fussing with my cars, but maybe on a somewhat reduced level.

Like I do every year, I'd like to thank everyone that takes the time to read my blog, that makes it all worthwhile. I hope that you can continue to enjoy the voice and stories of the common man, told in a manner that is positive and entertaining. 

Best of luck in the New Year with your life and endeavors, automotive and otherwise. As we all know, there's more to life than cars!

 I didn't follow this advice.

My Wife likes old trucks as long as they are only decorations.
I don't think that she would enjoy a vintage truck ride to LA.

Instead I took the heavily traveled road. On a quick, down and back, two day drive.

Interstate 5 on the way to Los Angeles.

I was a man on a mission, I found something for sale on CraigsList that I really wanted, and I was determined to buy it. 

I had been looking for it on my local CL for some time, but had been unsuccessful. LA area is a bigger place than the Bay Area, so why not look there? 

This trip called for a big load space, so the truck was the vehicle best suited for the trip. I hadn't been down to the LA area in my truck since I bought the '06 Mustang and towed it back. Most of my truck driving has been local, around the Bay Area.

It's been running fine, though on that last trip south I was a bit concerned over the health of the transmission. Especially since I had just had the transmission rebuilt on the '07 Mustang. However, I haven't had any indications of potential problems so I felt confident using it. I just checked the fluids, and topped them up. Luckily I fixed the rear brakes last Summer. Now it stops like velvet. The tires are nearing replacement time but there was still enough tread to make me feel secure, barring a monsoon! The truck is getting old, it's 17 years old, and I really should change out the belts and hoses. Maybe next year. I just gave them a visual check and they looked fine, no seepage visible on the hose connections. The serpentine belt didn't even have any minute cracks. 

I have done the LA and back, no layover, banzai drives before, but as I get older I don't relish driving all night, if I don't have too. I don't see in the dark as well as I used to.  I knew that the weather was going to be good, with no rain. That was a good sign. I also have to be careful about causing eyestrain by spending a lot of time reading on the computer before driving at night. I use Walmart reading glasses, but I think that next year I'm going to the eye doctor and get a custom set of reading glasses made up. 

My Wife was going to accompany me on the trip, so she booked us a layover in Solvang. 

I had been communicating with the seller since before Thanksgiving, and arranged a meeting for the first week of December. He seemed to be a very nice and helpful guy, but I was hoping that he wouldn't sell the item before I could get down there! 

Although I don't prefer driving on I-5, primarily because it's so boring, it is the fastest route. The meeting with the seller was to take place after 12:00, so I figured on an early start. I would like to hit the road by 6:00 am, and we did mange to make it by 6:30, a pretty good start.

We ran into some fog crossing the Pacheco Pass on 152 and I became concerned that we would be engulfed in Tule fog on the trip down. I've driven in that stuff and it's no fun and can be very dangerous. Luckily it lightened up once we were driving south on I-5. 

I like to say that I seek a Zen like harmony with the road and traffic conditions while on long drives, and I was able to do that on this trip. Most of the way the speed limit was 70 mph. and I didn't go any faster than that. If a trip is going to take six hours, why rush and blast down there at 85 mph? You might be able to save maybe twenty to thirty minutes. I'll admit that I'd done that many times in the past. Now, I'd rather cruise and relax.

Besides, that's how you get the best gas mileage. 

photos source;kidcas

It might not be the "promised land" but I was glad to get there.

The seller lived only a couple of miles off the 405 freeway in West LA. Having worked in LA, and lived in the area for a few years, I have a familiarity and good feeling about the area. We made the meeting right as I anticipated at 12:15. After the deal was made, we headed for US101 for the trip home. This was where my Wife was going to get what she wanted out of this trip. She wanted to check out various stores on the way back. The first stop was the Camarillo Costco where I filled up the truck. We had covered 390 miles and after gassing up I calculated the fuel economy was 19.55 mpg. That's about as good as it gets, and shows that the truck is in fine tune. 

Then we stopped at the Cracker Barrel gift store where my Wife found a couple of things that she wanted. Right across the parking lot was a Pottery Barn outlet store, so that was her next stop.

The weather was beautiful, clear and warm. Typical December weather in the middle Coast. After that we continued on to Solvang where we would spend the night. 

I've spent a LOT of time waiting in these parking lots!

The next day we stopped at an antique store in Orcutt, then on to the Hobby Lobby in Santa Maria. Hobby Lobby would be the destination in San Luis Obispo, and finally in Morgan Hill. I probably spent three or four hours waiting outside of stores that day, but I didn't mind, I was enjoying the drive and I had obtained my prize. Besides, when I volunteer to take my Wife someplace, I never try to hurry her up, I want her to take her time and enjoy herself. She always does her part in planning the lay overs.

The truck ran fine and was comfortable, but I sometimes wish that it had cruise control, The door ajar sensor in the door started acting up again, sounding the chime and lighting the message in the odometer read out screen. It was annoying, but finally it stopped chiming and just lit up the message continually. Oh well, the important thing is that the truck ran fine and that we had an uneventful trip. 

What was I so fired up about buying that I was willing to drive over 750 miles to get it?  I'll share that in a future post. 

 Ride or Die.

The Boozefighters Hollister Ca. 1948
photo source: TEARA the encyclopedia of New Zealand.

This is a term that I have started becoming aware of lately. It's not a term that I'd ever heard of, or used in my own life, up 'til now. I picked up the meaning through context; it means someone that is completely loyal to you, and will always have your back. I would imagine/hope that this relationship goes both ways! 

I googled the meaning, just to be sure. Nothing worse than when some old guy starts using a popular slang term while not quite understanding the nuance of what it really means. That's just embarrassing.

The internet stated that it comes from an old '50's biker saying. That a true rider would only stop riding at their death. Also that they would die if they were forced to stop. According to this source it was picked  up by hip hop culture and entered mainstream usage by that channel. 

Not a Booze Fighter, but I did my share of riding.

I was heavily into bikes in the mid 1970's, not only owning and riding, but also reading many different motorcycle magazines. Straight John mags like Cycle World and Cycle, more off beat mags like Street chopper, even more off beat mags like Big Bike, Choppers and finally a decades plus subscription to Easy Riders. Which was as hardcore biker as it got.

I don't recall ever hearing that term. Our saying was; Ride to live, Live to ride. I even wrote that on the back of my helmet when I was in high school. 

Whatever, culture is ever changing, especially popular culture.

What does any of this have to do with the old car hobby as interpreted by yours truly?

It all seemed easier back then, it was all looking forward.

I got to thinking, my bikes were my main transportation back then. Not only that, they were an important part of my self perceived identity. They exemplified my personality. I really identified with them.

So what about my four wheeled machines, has there been one that I would say was me?

I get the feeling that the last time that I felt that way about a car, was with my '66 Buick Riviera. I drove that car everywhere, all the time. It may not have been pristine, but I loved it anyway. 

A rough beauty.

Fast forward to today, and what do I own now that generates those same kind of feelings?

Can I still even harbor any feelings like that? Now that I'm an old man, I don't really care about "things" that way anymore. There have been a lot of cars that I've owned, that have gone down the road. I even cut myself off completely from motorcycles and riding. That was hard for some of my family and friends to accept and believe. 

Sometimes, just to kill time, I will start at the beginning of the CraigsList car listings and just scroll through them from the first page. Not using any filters or searches. Just going through each page. 

Why would I do that?

I'm looking to see if anything jumps out at me and grabs my eye. Grabs my attention, and especially my imagination. 

Most of the vehicles listed are just mundane generic stuff. Toyotas, Kias, Hondas, Chevys and Fords. European luxury and sporty cars roll by under my gaze, but I seldom click on them to check them out further. I've been down that road before, and I'm not going back. Who needs the heartbreak?

Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, Chargers and even Corvettes. High performance stuff doesn't get my attention anymore.

There are always some vintage projects that require a closer scrutiny before I dismiss the idea!

Do I currently own something that I could consider as my "ride or die?"

Oddly enough, it may be the vehicle that I have owned the longest, and the one that I even bought brand new.

My '07 F150 has always been one of my favorite machines. 

It's not a fancy model, it doesn't even have a V8 engine. But it has what I wanted then, and is still very useful to me. It's a long bed, I just never wanted a short bed truck, what's the use of that?

It's a standard cab, but the standard wasn't ordinary that year. The access cab has little clam shell doors that open to an 18 in. inside storage area. That has made it even more useful. It has a split bench with a big fold down arm rest. Those seats are so comfortable, they remind me of the seats in my '70 Coupe de Ville. 

It's the lowest trim and equipment package, an XL  work truck, but that's exactly what I wanted. Rubber floor mats and hand crank windows. A V6 engine.

The truck is quiet, rides and handles really great, The V6 has adequate performance and can even return 20 mpg. with careful driving. Under normal driving conditions I never feel that I'm suffering any penalty. I lucked out and found a green work truck. Most are white, but this shipment had a red, blue, and especially my Forest Green truck. The dark gray bumpers, black grille and light gray interior, make it look like a more expensive model. The color scheme really flatters this truck. It really was love at first sight.

I liked it when I bought it, and 17 years later, I still like it and drive it with pride. I might be surrounded by shiny new, dolled up, crew cab luxury trucks, and big Ford Super Duty F250s, 2500 Silverados, and 3/4 ton Rams, but that doesn't matter to me at all. This my truck, and it's all that I need and want. 

My truck and I have shared some road adventures.

The second candidate would have to be my '96 Mustang. It's funny that a car that I initially "settled for" won me over and became a favorite. That's why I still own it almost fifteen years later! At one time, I said that if I had to settle for only owning one hobby car, if it was my Mustang, then I could be satisfied.  

It looks even better to me after 14 years of ownership.

Of course, I couldn't keep that promise, and there have been many cars that have come and gone in those almost fifteen years! But the Mustang is still here, and again, I really enjoy driving it. Yeah, it's not that fast, and there are lots of regular family cars that are quicker. But it is fast enough, handles well, and is still fun and relaxing to drive. While it is not a model that is vaunted by enthusiasts, like the earlier 94 and '95 GTs which carried the 5.0 Windsor motor, it doesn't matter, That Mustang is my car.

It's a good feeling to own something that you really enjoy and appreciate. Maybe it's a bad habit to constantly peruse CL, looking to see if anything catches my eyes. Will this make me dissatisfied with these two vehicles? 

Maybe, but I just don't find many other vehicles that compelling. As much as I talk about getting an old car, I just can't get that excited about it. I have owned quite a few older cars through the 70's, 80's, and even up to the 1990's. Kind of been there, done that. I won't completely dismiss the idea, but I would have to simplify my situation before that can happen.

Who knows? The new year is rapidly approaching, and I have given everything about my involvement in the car hobby a lot of thought. The question is; "Will I actually make any changes?"

 I just can't stay away from online used car lots.

2010 Lincoln MKS AWD
8,950.00

The MKS was one of the final sedans in the Lincoln line up. It was the largest model, their flagship. It was replaced for a short time by the new Continental. This MKS is a platform mate of the Taurus.

I'll have to admit that I wasn't too impressed by it's styling when it debuted. The front end was okay, but it had a very high belt line with a prominent boot. It's a flowing design with a long hood and short deck, but it looks kind of tall. I had checked one out on a car lot in Hayward. I'd gone there to look at a Cadillac XTS. I came away with a much better impression of the XTS.

Parked a couple of  cars away was a white MKS. I knew what it was, though it seems like the MKZ has been a much more common sight. The interior was a combo of black, and a weird black brown leather. I didn't find the interior to be a pleasant color scheme, even by itself. Paired with the white exterior it was less than impressive. 

That's a tall rear end!
The horizontal chrome bar helps, and it does have a nice set of dual exhaust.

The roof line is similar to a fastback, but the way the belt line curves up results in a heavy looking C pillar and quarter panel. Especially since there is not a little triangular window behind the door. The view from directly behind displays a high, somewhat blocky rear deck. The tail lights didn't do anything to improve the appearance in my initial accessment.

I would add a nice double pinstripe along the side,
just above the door handles,

Looking through CL recently, I came across this black specimen. In black, the car started to look better to me. When I looked at the black interior I was even more impressed. I had gone to see a MKZ at another lot in Hayward. The interior of the MKZ was very similar to the MKC that I had test driven in Santa Rosa. It's more modern looking in design and it has the dash mounted transmission control buttons. 

You can call this old fashioned, I'd say that it's more traditional.

The MKS has an interior that reminds me more of my Navigator. This MKS is a 2010 model, so that makes sense. It is a more squared off, straight lined dash design, with a shift lever in the console and a steering wheel hub that is similar to the shield shaped design of my Navigator. This particular car has built in navigation and a big moon roof. That's pretty much all the high tech stuff that I want.

It has a nice big sunroof, a real plus.

The black leather interior looks high quality, and the wood inserts are integrated into the dash and door panels. I have said that I had sworn off black interiors, but I find myself liking this one quite a bit. I had also sworn off black cars, but this car looks pretty good in black, this is probably the best color for it.

The reflection line on the rear quarter is where the pinstripe 
would go.

The exterior is kind of a mixed bag. I like the hood and grille. The upswept belt line results in a modern interpretation of the formal roof. That's not very common. Most cars like the Cadillac and the MKZ have a small triangular widow behind the door. Later model Lincolns come with some very nice wheels, I don'r see any need to upgrade to an aftermarket design.

This car has a "face" that has grown on me over time.

This particular car is powered by a V6 engine. If it's anything like the motor in my Flex, I would imagine that it would have plenty of power. I would also imagine that fuel economy would be similar. The Eco Boost concept hadn't yet been adopted. This car also has AWD, something that I've been curious about. Yes, I'm keeping in mind that the engine has the notorious "water pump in the motor," but the mileage is fairly low at 102,000. So it might hopefully be quite a while before that issue presents itself.

I am kind of curious about the turbo four, especially in regards to fuel economy. This car is rated at 16 City/23 highway, that's okay, but it's below the 21/31 of the MKZ. The MKC lands in the middle, with 29 mpg. highway estimates. 

I have driven an MKC and I liked it, though the power delivery isn't quite as smooth as a V6, it was still very pleasant.

I  find it kind of find it funny that I'm starting to consider cars that I used to reject completely out of hand. But that's what happens when you decide to move up to newer models, this is all that there is. I can't muster up too much enthusiasm for vintage cars at this point, and those prices! They just don't seem worth it to me.  

One of the nice things bout looking at later model cars is that there is a lot of them available, and their prices go down as they age. The trick is to find the right car in the right condition and mileage, at the right price.

Truthfully, that's the fun part.

I hope that everyone had a nice FriendsGiving, or Thanksgiving, and will have a happy Holiday season. 

 

 More on more doors  

The face that only a Mother, or a Cadillac lover could love.

Has it come to this?

I have been wondering a lot about that lately, do I want to own another real vintage car?

I'm always looking through CL for bargains.

Besides that '40 LaSalle that I've been posting about, I just saw this '55 Cadillac a couple of weeks ago.

I have had a thing for mid Fifties Cadillacs for a very long time. I finally got one back in the 1990's, a four door hardtop.

It's not as sleek as the hardtop models, because the roof is
much taller and the tail is not as long.

There aren't any pictures of the right side, but from what I can see, the car looks to be in good shape.  For 1955, the rear window had the "Florentine Curve" bright molding that looks particularly good on the hardtops. It doesn't look as graceful on a sedan, but it's a nice touch.

Certainly an elephant in the 
driveway.

This looks like a nice place to spend time.

That's a real nice interior. It's not done in authentic materials, but so what? Most cars in this price range come with  pretty worn out and stained upholstery. This had to cost a fair amount of bucks. I've never had a car reupholstered.

It looks very inviting, I'd bet that it even smells nice and clean. 

The original Cadillac V8 was long lived
and reliable.

The seller states that the car runs really well, and all the windows work. Miraculously it still has the original air cleaner in place. The seller states that all the lights are in good shape and work. It doesn't have a/c which is just as well, as it likely wouldn't work anyway.

It looks like it's challenging the buyer,
"Let's do it Bro!."

This reminds me quite a bit of my '56 Sedan de Ville hardtop. I sure do love the face of this car! The '54's and '55's have smooth flat quarter panels without the jet pod shape. This is much cleaner.

A very basic four door sedan, nothing glamorous. 

For most of my enthusiast lifetime, these were the bottom of the barrel in my mind's eye. Though this model was the best seller that year. 

This car however looks pretty good, straight, complete, reportedly currently running well with a nice redone interior. 

The car had been posted without any pictures of the interior, which was a mistake. The price has been pretty reasonable, it started at 4,900 bucks then the seller amended it to 3,900 firm, Now it's dropped again to 3,698. 

It just gets better.

If I bought this car I would immediately have it painted, a medium dark blue, like my '97 Explorer, with a white top. I would not remove all the trim, that would be likely to break old clips and studs. I'd just have the trim masked and left in place. 

A good running car, with a redone interior and a new paint job, Wow! This would be a finished car, wouldn't that be nice. 

In earlier postings the seller asked for cash plus a good running car. I get the idea that they may have inherited the car, or bought it at a really low price, They don't want to keep it and complete it, they just want to move it on. 

This is my '56, which I owned almost 30 years ago.

A car like this really hits me in the heart, I wanted a mid 50's Cadillac for years, since I was a grade school kid. Sure, I'd prefer a coupe or a two door hardtop, but this car is available, affordable, and in good condition. Sedans are really solid, and a Cadillac never really suffers for having four doors. 

This is a Series 62 sedan, and these are seven inches shorter in length than the hardtop models, that makes them look a bit stubby, but it should fit better in my garage. The '55 has a cleaner rear design than the '56 and the hood has a narrower more prominent center section.

A '55 would be more conducive to everyday driving, as it would be much more modern than the '40 LaSalle. It has power steering and brakes, as well as an automatic transmission. It would be easier to fit it with radial tires.

Though it's more of  a "Godfather Part Two" kind of car, instead of an early Noir car, it's still very cool and "fedora and pinstriped suit "ready. Film Noir actually came into prominence after the War, from 1950 to 1955 or so. So it actually has real cred in that area.

So, would this satisfy my itch for a real vintage car? 

Maybe.

Currently I've just been following the car on CL. I would like to go check it out, but it's in the Sacramento area. 

 More comparison shopping.

2013 Cadillac XTS 13,000.00

Because looking at cars is just fun.

This one caught my eye because of the nice color combo.

The light grey interior compliments the white exterior.
It reminds me of my old Jaguar XJ6.

This is another late model car that I've started considering.

My attention has become focused on later model used cars. My anticipated price range has accordingly crept up to the 10-15,000 dollar level. At this price I would expect to find a lower mileage, very well kept example. This is more than I have ever spent on a "hobby car." Although it wouldn't actually be considered a hobby car, it would be something that I would regularly drive.

From what I've read and seen online, the XTS would be very similar to my current Riviera. Very smooth, solid and quiet riding. The XTS is the final Cadillac front wheel drive sedan. There is still a FWD Cadillac cross over. 

I like the large headlamps as well as the chromed grille.
It shares the current Cadillac front end appearance.

On closer inspection you'll notice that the tail lights
stand slightly taller as 'mini fins." A nice touch.

The styling of the XTS is modern and on first glance, is maybe just somewhat generic. However on  closer inspection, it still has plenty of Cadillac heritage Art and Science design cues. It even has some classic Cadillac design cues that reveal themselves. The large chrome grille, The lettering style on the chrome deck lid panel, it even has "fin like" vertical tail lamps. Cadillac has played up the tall vertical tail light theme on several current models.

The backseat is spacious enough, wide enough to accommodate
 an occasional center passenger.

The XTS is no longer in production. The period that it was built spanned 2013 to 2019. It was the flagship of the line for many years, though many derided it because it was FWD, and in their minds, it was not competitive with other luxury marques. This might be true, but a lot depends on what you are comparing it to.

The door panel displays a fine design.

Modern Cadillacs don't compare or compete with the top models from Mercedes and BMW, and especially the Uber marques like Bentley and Rolls Royce. Cadillacs are much less expensive.

It's also true that the imported competition is primarily RWD or AWD. Cadillac made this model available in all wheel drive also.

The most popular models from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes are the smaller sedans and CUVs. That's also the case for the Japanese and Korean marques. The Lincoln line is now exclusively SUV/CUV. I believe that the largest selling Cadillac is the XT5 crossover. 

The CT6 was a larger RWD model that supplanted the XTS. Unfortunately it's production life was short, only from 2016 to 2020. It's odd that the CT6, with a bespoke RWD platform, as well as a bespoke V8 engine option, did not meet with the approval of the buying public. I found that particularly sad, since this car was configured the way that all the pundits said that they wanted.

Lately my preferences have turned almost completely towards luxury type vehicles. I don't find myself currently attracted to performance oriented cars.

The interior of the XTS looks suitably upscale. I like the design of the instrument panel and door panels. The seat upholstery is nice. I also like that it has a console mounted shift lever. Though I have finally made peace with the Lincoln push button, dash mounted shifter set up. The presentation of the interior is somewhat flashy, especially in comparison to the Lincoln MKZ and MKS, which are more understated. But Cadillacs have been flashy for quite a long time.

The V6 engine provides plenty of performance and highway fuel economy is in the high 20's. I've seen some reviews where the driver stated that they saw 30 mpg. on highway trips. That's pretty good for a relatively large luxury vehicle. I prefer the simplicity of a N/A V6 engine, and would avoid the turbo V6s. The other newer Cadillac sedans have the turbo four as a base engine. I've read of problems with that engine, especially in the smaller ATS models. Maybe that  is related to the availability of a manual transmission, which results in the car being driven harder. Which is also related to the driver demographic.

Initially I was pretty turned off by the XTS, I didn't want another FWD car. I also wasn't knocked out by the styling. It's funny that after researching all these later models that I began to find them all more attractive than I did initially. These are the cars that are available. They are very nice driving, quite good performing vehicles.

What about a vintage model? Do I still think about those?

I saw a pretty nice, affordable '55 Cadillac sedan on CraigsList. It looked to be in good condition,  reportdly running well, with all the accessories in fine shape. It also had a reupholstered and finished interior, a major point in it's favor.  Something rare for a low priced car. Though it definitely needs a paint job. 

It's not a glamorous model like a hardtop coupe or convertible, it is the plain Jane posted sedan, though it was Cadillac's best selling model that year. These are a bit shorter than the hardtop coupe, the rear deck is seven inches shorter, with a total length of 217 inches. I kept my longer '56 Sedan de Ville in the same garage.

I've been taking a lot of time to think about a possible purchase, but the prospects don't look promising.

Once you decide that you're not going to buy a car from the '50's or '60's,  you will find yourself becoming more accepting of modern designs.

Compared to earlier Cadillacs, and I'm referring to pre 2000 models, the XTS is quite compact. I've sat in the newer series CTS sedans, and they are noticeably narrower, with a tighter rear seat. Realistically, I only need something that is comfortable for four occupants, so the CTS is as suitable as the XTS. It really comes down to the driving experience that I want, RWD or FWD. It seems that the RWD Cadillacs have caught up the BMW in driving dynamics.

The other choice is whether or not I want a sedan or an SUV. 

I have to admit that I no longer find any penalty with an SUV. I think that they are more practical and useful. Since I'm not considering any sporty coupes, I don't see a styling penalty either. Most are pretty handsome looking in my eyes. 

I would like something smaller than my Navigator and Flex, which is why I have been leaning towards the Lincoln MKC. Since I took one out for a test drive, I'm pretty familiar with the look and feel of these cars. I liked the one that I drove.

Thinking and looking is cheaper than buying. Since I still need to slim down the herd  before I buy, there's no real hurry. 

I haven't fixed the Riviera or the garage door ...yet.