I am a bit conservative on my finances so I am hesitant to commit myself to debt over a car. My solution- buy a late model luxury car with relatively few miles. You eliminate the extreme loss incurred in value as you initially drive a new car off the lot. You maintain your standards and expectations for a dramatic reduction in cash outlay.

This philosophy is nothing new. The challenge is to find these hidden gems in a fairly safe and worry-free atmosphere. I have found that a combination of internet searching and good old-fashioned shoe leather works best. Many non-Cadillac dealers can provide an excellent source for great cars. Usually they want to promote their own brand, so they are willing to sell off their trade-ins at a competitive price. It is my experience that individual owners are also an excellent possibility. Ebay is a favorite of mine.

Lastly- more and more used car dealerships are handling luxury cars. We have a wonderful dealership that provides the framework of any new car dealership, but it is comprised of individual car dealers combined in one show room and lot facility for your convenience.

I am enjoying my “almost new” Caddy at half the price of a new one. Enjoy the road.

I visited a car dealership in Birmingham, AL over the weekend. They were very friendly and not pushy at all. I hate it when a sales person shadows me and they did not do that. I was very pleased with that aspect because I generally leave quickly if I feel like I am going to get hounded. I am usually pretty knowledgeable about the vehicles before I arrive to the lot as I am always reading the latest reviews at Consumer Reports. Sometimes I like to test the knowledge of the salesman that I am dealing with by asking questions that I already know the answers to. The salesperson that I worked with had good answers to everyone of my questions. This is important for a car dealership. You always want your staff to have knowledge about the vehicles that they are selling. They definitely passed that test. The last thing I would mention is that they were very willing to work with me on the price. Some car dealerships make it sound like it’s an inconvenience to negotiate and almost act as if you are taking food directly from their kid’s mouth.  Those three things are what I believe makes a good car dealership.