Seat Wear

["Murray Fisher" <murrayf@xxxx>]

 Re Erics query about seat wear and knowing how many miles on a car. I think in a nutshell, it is very difficult even for an expert to know. My brother was an auto dealer for 25 years and I sat in with him visiting a lot while he was "working". I sure got an insight into the crooked things people pull re mileage and condition....and dealers too!! 
Even with "laws" against it, speedos are still set back.....with our D's the Lambda counter can also be set back. Of course many do not know that gimmick. Your brake pedal pad can be worn but you can buy a new one for a few bucks. Your carpet can be worn, but you can replace it..or it might have been covered with a pad since new. The original tires on our cars could be a clue....most low mileage cars would have the original tires and if very low mileage, the measured tread depth would tell you something. Of course they might have been out of balance or alignment or driven very hard and worn down faster. MY tires are old and the rubber hard, but they measure and LOOK new! 
I one time purchased a brand X car with 110K miles on it. It looked and drove like new. It had been driven by a Caterpillar Tractor rep who drove from coast to coast and piled up the mileage, but no one ever sat in any of the other seats and it was serviced regularly and well. I have owned 8 Lincolns and on some put 140K miles with almost NO work done on them......the last two have very low mileage and I have had quite a few things done to them (under the warrantee, thank goodness). 
You just have to take ALL things into consideration and make the best judgment you can. I even had an expert mechanic check out a car for me years ago and he pronounced it in very good condition....it just about fell apart all the rest of the time I owned the Lemon. So much for the experts! But to give credit where it is due...NO ONE knows what will happen tomorrow!
Re MY particular DeLorean....supposedly it had 3443 miles on it. (original owner) I have had good luck with it but who knows for sure. The lamba counter checked out okay.....I went to the service station where the owner had it serviced and asked if they thought the mileage was accurate. I asked next door neighbors (without telling him), if they had seen the car since it was new and if they thought he drove it much! He was a car collector and had two garages and a quonset full of restored cars which he alternately drove...so I figure the mileage was probably correct.
Of course this brings up the age old question of whether a nice high mileage car is a better buy than a nice almost zero mileage car as to upkeep and wear and tear. I always think how many times those pistons have gone up and down in 90K miles versus 2K miles, not to mention all the other components....We all know that ANY rubber component deteriorates with age and the D is no exception...I have done nothing to my car in over three years now but fully expect to at some point and purchased it with that in mind.
Bottom line is, you never know for sure.
FWIW Dept.

Murray
Vin: 05962 Lic: DMC-XII
Washington State 



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