Hip to Be Square: Why Young Buyers Covet 'Grandpa' Cars

WSJ ^ | 05/09/2006 | By JENNIFER SARANOW

[Responsibility2nd]

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Jabari Bryant didn't go to a car dealership to buy his new car last fall. The 28-year-old went to a retirement community in Tybee Island, Ga., where for $2,000 he bought a navy blue 1988 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham from a man who was "at least 83."

The seller said "his eyesight was going and he had no use for the car," recalls Mr. Bryant, an automobile glass installer from Savannah.

Young people today don't want their father's Oldsmobile -- they want their grandfather's. Some of the hippest wheels for under-30 drivers today are models commonly identified with seniors: Oldsmobiles, Buicks, Chevrolets and Cadillacs from the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.

From Collins Ave. in Miami Beach's South Beach neighborhood to International Blvd. in Oakland, Calif., teens and young adults are cruising in "grandpa" and "grandma" cars that they have painted bright colors like lime green, outfitted with fancy sound systems and propped up on monster-truck-style wheels. They're sweet-talking their grandparents into giving up old cars and offering to buy them on the spot from strangers.

Television shows, such as MTV's "Pimp My Ride," and rappers, including Snoop Dogg, are helping to drive the craze. There's even a new magazine, Donk, Box & Bubble, dedicated to the tricked-out-oldie-car culture.

For U.S. car makers, struggling to lift sales, it's a painful irony that the models striking a chord with young buyers aren't those rolling off the assembly lines today but rather ones made decades ago. Detroit's marketers are trying to figure out how to ride the trend without ruining it.

[Responsibility2nd]

My mom (age 83) has a one-owner, low miles, very nice condition 1989 Caprice Classic.

Not that I'd ever pimp it out someday, but yeah, it's worth some money for sure.

[Betty Jane]

We picked up an '85 Buick LeSabre two years ago for $700. It had 80,000 miles on it and all the maintenance records. It is a nice comfy ride. And no we didn't pimp it out either.

[SF Republican]

With gas at $3 those car prices will be going down a bit too. The 70s had a fuel line the size of a water hose.

[cripplecreek]

I had Matador wagon just like this but mine was banana yellow. I called it the screamin yellow banana. It was a good running car and it hauled donkeys. My grandmother wouldn't let me drive her 73 Chevelle.

[sgtbono2002]

These cars have style , They dont al look alike. they are big and safe. You can pick up a good Buick Roadmaster with a 350 Engine that gets 25 MPG and runs like the wind for about $2500 bucks. They also have big backseats, and we all remember those dont we?

[Right Wing Assault]

Why pimp it out? Show some restraint. You don't have to remake everything you touch. They look better 'original'.

[mtbopfuyn]

Cars today are BORING. Cars a few decades ago had personality.

[Shimmer128]

fondly.

[capt. norm]

My great uncle (an Iowa farmer) has in his garage, a 1948 DeSoto with less than 20,000 miles on it.

He also has a blacksmith shop on the farm and does a lot of mechanic work on combines and other farm impliments, so he faithfully keeps the car clean (replace fluids, etc.) and it goes out for a long enough drive to warm it up every couple weeks during nice weather.

When I was about 10 years old or so, I used to love to watch him use his forge to make metal parts that were needed immediately. It was really close to making them from scratch.

[ConservativeMind]

Today I saw a local rap fan driving a K-car with music bounding from it.

I looked down at him as he went by and just smiled. They can have those cars--I don't know many who would seek them otherwise.

[SRU308]

Best story here all day.

As a police officer in Oakland, CA, believe me when I tell this atricle is 100% accurate when it comes to this car trend in the urban/black communities.

I like to pull over the stolen ones the youngsters are always driving around in. :)

[Responsibility2nd]

K cars. Yeah I remember those. They might have been pieces of junk, but they saved Chrysler's bacon, remember?

[krb]

My first back seat experience was in the front seat of a 1963 Dodge Dart with a girl named Heidi....sigh...

[Conservative Firster]

1996 Buick Roadmaster wagon with fake wood and glass roof panel

[Muleteam1]

Cars had real class in the 1950s. This is my high school car. It was ten years old when I bought it from a little old lady (for real).

[Responsibility2nd]

Now some of those Roadmasters came with the Corvette engine. And from what I understand, they command 7-8 grand maybe more.

Kinda like what a 1993-1995 Impala SS is in today's market. From what I've seen, a good condition 10-12 year old Impala SS can still bring in some $12,000.

[bk1000]

Bought my little girl a 93 Volvo just to keep her in one piece. I knew it would be a cool car but it took her a bit to figure that out.

[Eepsy]

Ahhh, the only car I ever coveted...

[Ainast]

I had one of those. everytime I went to the taco bell the servers would ask me how much I wanted for it lol.

[WorkingClassFilth]

This...

http://www.gmphotostore.com/images/53217392_pr.jpg

...is far cooler.