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I'M 72, and you won't see me in some large sedan as a daily driver.
I bought my Dakota r/t new in 02, and I fully intend to be driving it for many years to come.
It's quick, looks good, and is paid for.
What more could I ask for except better mileage?
I am looking at a Mazda 3 hatchback for a "run-around car".
I use the truck as my daily driver, and work, but want something other than my classic to drive around town.
Yes some older folks still like the land barges. My FIL used to talk about Buick Roadmasters.
But many I know prefer smaller vehicles. My dad (79) has been driving small cars most of his life and just recently replaced his Fit with a Tacoma truck. My FIL now drives a Cadillac CTS and is perfectly happy with it. As he has slowed down, he appreciates a vehicle that is easier to park.
The wealthy senior crowd seems to really like the Lexus LS.
I think the stereotype of seniors wanting giant cars is dated.
My husband is 70 and he likes his 1998 Saturn SL2 with manual transmission. I have the same car, a year older. He keeps wanting to get an MG but it wouldn't be practical and he's had many of them already.
Other older people are driving Hundais (sp?) and other compact cars that are economical and practical. Today's seniors in their 60s and 70s never did like the gas guzzlers, for the most part.
I agree the stereotype is somewhat dated but it's still very prevalent. Many of the retiring baby boomers aren't into the big-luxo-barge vehicles but it seems once you get to the late 60's into the 70's and 80's; you see more and more of the older folks driving the big Cadillacs, Lincolns, and Buicks.
It's a bit late now but I should've taken a picture of one of the churches in the Mesa/Apache Junction area on a Sunday morning in mid February; you'll see more big luxury vehicles than anything else. I have an aunt and uncle that live in one of the 55+ communities in that area and when I visit them, I drive around the community and see more Buicks, Cadillacs, Lincolns, and Lexus vehicles than anything else. Oddly enough there aren't many minivans but quite a few small crossovers including the very popular Lexus RX350.
I can't see many of these older folks downsizing to a smaller car simply because it's much more difficult to enter/exit. The DTS, Town Car, Lucerne all sit up high enough to which you can easily get in and out of the vehicle without having to pull yourself out or slide yourself in. It's actually quite common to find some of these vehicles from 2006 and 2007 with less than 10K miles on them! If you're in the market for a used luxo barge, come to Phoenix in the winter!
Some cars like Toyota Avalon, Lexus ES, Hyundai Azera, still cater to such a market, I suppose. But none are as big as a LeSabre or Town Car (or offer V8s).
They'll end up buying whatever the market has to offer, that suits the majority of their wants or needs. It may be a switch for some of them, but they'll still buy. In a few years some other cars (possibly crossovers or SUVs) will be the perennial favorite of the retiree crowd. My parents are at retirement age and have 2 Lexuses (1 SUV). None of their peers are driving Town Cars or DTSs either. Even my dad assumes that Town Car drivers are old farts... not that he's much younger. But that's the perception. And there's probably some truth to it.
Since the people who are approaching retirement have been driving SUVs and other cars for the last 10-20 years, I'm guessing they'll continue with what they like.
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