Buying a Used Car Driven by a Lady?

donedeed on 06/09/2017 - 09:46
Last edited 06/09/2017 - 10:03 by 1 other user

So I'm just browsing through cars on carsales and I noticed a trend by some females in the seller's comment something along the lines of "driven by lady".

Do women… I mean "ladies", think that because they're a "lady" that the car is supposed to be kept meticulously and not thrashed? Do they think that it would inflate the value of their car?

I would think that if a "lady" owns and drives a car, it would actually be quite the opposite. I think they would neglect it more- not wash the car regularly, and even if they do, probably through those automatic car wash machines, so on and so forth.

I take pride in looking after my car. Wash it regularly. Ensure it's serviced on time. Not thrash the car when on the road.

But if I was to put my car for sale and mention "drive by gentleman", people would probably think I'm crazy.

Am I missing something?

Would love to hear other people's thoughts.

Automotive

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2017 - 09:49
    +72

    Generally “female driver, driven by lady, driven by lady of the night”
    Means their son, husband, alpha male drives the car, generally thrashes it, and probably will have mechanical issues but as the buyer you’ll deal with the sweet lady owner who you will assume has never driven it over 2000 rpm.

    • Scrooge McDuck on 06/09/2017 - 12:01
      +43

      I think it means the handbrake is loose, there's hand cream rubbed into the steering wheel and nail polish spilled somewhere inside the car.

      • 2ndeffort on 06/09/2017 - 12:25
        +6

        and suction cup marks on the rear windows where the cute plush toys were stuck

      • montorola on 06/09/2017 - 14:08
        +30

        Not to mention if it's a manual car…. that instantly means the clutch is on its way out lol

        • Scrooge McDuck on 06/09/2017 - 14:11

          Not to mention if it's a manual car…

          Very rare these days, but point taken.

        • spersephone on 06/09/2017 - 14:46
          +7

          @Scrooge McDuck:

          Not rare by choice! Some of us desperately search for a manual car and the salesperson (usually men!) try to talk us out of them as they're hard to find.

        • Abaddon on 11/09/2017 - 10:35

          @spersephone: Perhaps Mr McDuck meant it's rare to find a lady owned manual car.

      • pegaxs on 07/09/2017 - 19:07
        +3

        The rear vision mirror, steering wheel buttons, power window controls and every cup holder is full of foundation powder residue.

    • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2017 - 20:56
      +1

      +1

      I am more skeptical that it is abused by a duuuude hence why they feel a need to add this ridiculous but of nonsense.

      When someone says something absurd, it's a very strong way to admit their insecurity.

      • Diji1 on 09/09/2017 - 20:03

        That's patently absurd man.

  • Halo375 on 06/09/2017 - 09:52
    +51

    I think it's just an old stereotype that has failed to die - people rarely sell cars and don't know how to advertise it, they're sticking to the old terms they think will inspire trust in the seller. To be honest - we're all equally bad/good at maintaining and driving our cars.

    • mskeggs on 06/09/2017 - 09:56
      +20

      And it isn't very helpful that the OP brought in his own stereotypes of what a "gentleman" would do.

      • Halo375 on 06/09/2017 - 10:05
        +26

        A Gentleman would probably have his butler wash the car.

        • oscargamer on 06/09/2017 - 10:16
          +37

          A butler would never wash the car. That's the chauffeurs job….

        • nismo on 06/09/2017 - 21:38
          +6

          @oscargamer:
          So it's a Chauffeur driven car and not a gentleman driven one at all!

        • Halo375 on 08/09/2017 - 15:47

          @oscargamer: I bet Alfred washes the Batmobile!

        • oscargamer on 08/09/2017 - 16:00
          +4

          @Halo375:

          as well as the bat helmet !!!

          polishes it very often i hear.

        • Halo375 on 08/09/2017 - 16:56
          +2

          @oscargamer: Hahahahahaha, what sort of Batman comics are YOU reading?

        • oscargamer on 08/09/2017 - 19:25
          +4

          @Halo375:

          obviously the wrong ones……

      • donedeed on 06/09/2017 - 10:52
        +7

        I didn't bring in any stereotypes of what a "gentleman" would do.
        I only said what I personally do.

        • ttc72 on 09/09/2017 - 21:28
          -3

          I would think that if a "lady" owns and drives a car, it would actually be quite the opposite. I think they would neglect it more-.. your words ..

        • donedeed on 10/09/2017 - 12:32
          +2

          @ttc72: you need to read mskeegs comment again.

        • ttc72 on 10/09/2017 - 18:50
          -1

          @ps90: YOUR words are a stereotype..

        • donedeed on 10/09/2017 - 20:33
          +1

          @ttc72:you clearly didnt read his comment and my response to it. Please read them again.

        • ttc72 on 11/09/2017 - 07:59
          -1

          @ps90: I did.. it's not his comment, it's you that is bagging women out..

        • donedeed on 11/09/2017 - 10:48

          @ttc72: You clearly didn't read it properly did you? Mskeegs' original comment had nothing to do with stereotyping "ladies". Mskeegs said that I brought my own stereotype of what a "gentleman" would do. But I didn't bring any stereotype of what a "gentleman" would do in my original post.
          Yes I did stereotype what a "lady" would do. But that wasn't what mskeegs was talking about.
          Next time, read properly before you say anything.

    • magic8ballgag on 07/09/2017 - 09:12
      +6

      To be honest - we're all equally bad/good at maintaining and driving our cars.

      Gender equality in Australia? Tell him he's dreaming!

    • Diji1 on 09/09/2017 - 20:06

      we're all equally bad/good at maintaining and driving our cars.

      Right, woman equals man, you're making complete sense.

    • Musing Outloud on 10/09/2017 - 16:36

      I'm not sure I'd have a problem with the old stereotype because the new stereotype would have me running a mile from the car:

      Here, see Ladette to Lady: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2sc4OXvClg

  • mskeggs on 06/09/2017 - 09:55
    +1

    Ask for proof she is a lady.

  • geek001 on 06/09/2017 - 10:03
    +12

    The term would not sway me one way or another. I mean I have seen how my sister looks after her car. There are always wrappers everywhere, most of her shoes and her smelly gym bag. Oh and she doesn't service her car until some lights show up on her dashboard.

    • jlogic on 09/09/2017 - 14:10
      +1

      Damn right, wouldn't touch my sister's car with a 10ft pole. Thrashed and banged and dinged. Service when she can be bothered.

      • Word on 10/09/2017 - 15:58
        +2

        "Thrashed and banged and dinged"..

        Similar situation with my sister's car, who has managed to crash her car on three occasions.

        Furthermore, she insists none of these accidents were her fault.

        ""Maybe"", I'm just supposed to believe that someone just happened to put a pillar in her way? or the tree was blocking her view so she decided to knock it down… with her car???

        Siblings and their inability to take responsibility for their actions, how they make us laugh.

  • biozet on 06/09/2017 - 10:16
    +1

    Don't care about gender but I probably have an ageist agenda. If the car has an older driver I probably prefer it for some reason…that's my prejudice as a second hand car buyer.

    • Aniseed Steed on 06/09/2017 - 11:09
      +6

      Not too old or senile that they drive without changing the oil.

      Also look out for cars that won't go into 5th gear because the old lady never used the 5th gear.

      Speaking from personal experience.

      • Euphemistic on 06/09/2017 - 13:15
        +6

        I had a friend who bought a 10yo car with about 40,000km on it "elderly owner, only driven to church on Sundays" type. Perfect condition, but once she started driving it regularly a some of the hoses failed and it developed a couple of oil leaks because it hadn't been used enough to keep all the seals fresh.

        • Slippery Fish on 07/09/2017 - 21:23

          If they fixed it them self that'd be a cheaper second hander.

        • BartholemewH on 08/09/2017 - 01:34
          +1

          We bought a VW Polo with 10,000k's on it as a work vehicle and it is absolutely shagged from not being driven enough (it's a tiny TDI).

        • Diji1 on 09/09/2017 - 20:08

          @BartholemewH: You're not supposed to do that to cars!

        • BartholemewH on 09/09/2017 - 20:11

          @Diji1:
          I do have a relationship with cars, but VW Polos don't form part of my appetite.

        • DarwinBoy on 10/09/2017 - 14:56

          @BartholemewH:
          I bought a 06 smart fourtwo real cheap. 6 years old and only 4000km on it. Since done 80k and no issues. I was a little worried about the lack of km and what that could mean but so far so good.

        • BartholemewH on 10/09/2017 - 15:36

          @DarwinBoy:
          I thought the problem with the Polo is the DPF due to being diesel. It's a known issue.

    • 2ndeffort on 06/09/2017 - 12:30
      +7

      Older drivers are normally old enough to have discovered what happens when you dont look after your car and as a result look after it a bit better. Conversely maybe they are also old enough to have had to pay exorbitant servicing costs and worked out that it is cheaper to run the thing into the ground then just flog it off to a naive younger person before it finally siezes up!

      • serpserpserp on 09/09/2017 - 22:23
        -1

        This last bit. Old people do not look after their cars. They run that shit into the ground and think because they hose the dust off of it every now and then the car is basically "as new" because they are entitled boomers.

  • bobbified on 06/09/2017 - 10:30
    +6

    "One lady owner" - not sure why, but I picture a habibi driving it (probably the area I used to live in and the mates I had growing up!).

    I wouldn't believe any of that unless it was like a pink Nissan Micra or something.

  • Drifter on 06/09/2017 - 11:06
    +19

    This is a stereotype that continues to be perpetuated by sexist women. They are of the view that a car that's driven by a woman is better than a car that's driven by a man. Utter rubbish.

    Regardless of the sex of the seller or what they tell you about the car, you should always do all the necessary pre-purchase checks and inspections.

    • MessyG on 09/09/2017 - 08:33

      No it's not - women pay lower insurance premiums for cars for a reason.

      • [Deactivated] on 09/09/2017 - 12:04
        -2

        Women have managed to pay less for their insurance because god forbid if they had to pay more than their banana-wielding counterparts, there would be the same uproar for gender equality as there has lately been with women supposedly getting paid less than men.

        • MessyG on 09/09/2017 - 12:05
          +3

          Yeah nah insurance companies don't give two shits about uproar, there are plenty of other insurance situations where women pay equal. Premiums were reduced because they made less claims. But hey, don't let the facts get in the way of your opinion!

      • Shwayne on 11/09/2017 - 14:45

        Couldn't the fact women pay lower insurance premiums on average be entirely explained by the fact women generally drive vehicles that are cheaper to insure?

        • MessyG on 11/09/2017 - 15:15

          From the Canstar insurance website:

          This is because statistically, women are safer drivers anyway, making fewer claims on average than male drivers and incurring far fewer traffic offence violations. When a female driver is involved in an accident, the damage caused is also statistically not as bad as when a male driver is involved.

          UK and US websites also state that women occur far less drink-driving offences too, couldn't find Australian stats.

        • Shwayne on 11/09/2017 - 15:18

          @MissG: Doesn't insurance not pay out when a drink-driving offence has taken place? Why would they factor that into the risk calculation?

        • MessyG on 11/09/2017 - 15:24

          @Shwayne: Essentially a higher risk driver, more likely to have worse car crashes, death of another human in future claims.

  • Aniseed Steed on 06/09/2017 - 11:31
    +1

    I don't fall for the marketing spiel because I know sellers are only looking after their own interests.

    • poboy on 07/09/2017 - 12:41
      +14

      I disagree. I believe most people put up a car ad to protest against vaccines.

  • biozet on 06/09/2017 - 11:43
    -3

    is a car owned by a promiscuous female more desirable than a 'lady' car? which type makes a better driver? one type may prefer to be driven compared to the other type

  • Cheeper on 06/09/2017 - 12:05
    +2

    It is just a selling spiel. I like the one that says "first to see will buy" or "a good goer" groan..
    Saying it was driven by a woman, elderly person just indicates it has not had the hell beat out of it by a kid with a big attitude disorder who is addicted to burn outs. Although some family member may have taken it out for an italian tune up occasionally? You never know.
    Every used car must be considered purely on its condition for its price.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/09/2017 - 10:55

      Without those spiels how is car sales going to sell a higher word limit (not sure if that's still a thing).

      It's just going to read.

      <Colour> <year> <model> <mileage>
      <roadworthy state (yes/no)>
      <List of flaws that someone who was pepper sprayed 5 minutes ago would spot.>

  • 2ndeffort on 06/09/2017 - 12:31
    +2

    I wonder if the seller that thinks they are entitled to a better sale price because the car was driven by "a lady driver" would also be the same person that was offended if males made jokes about lady drivers and parking etc.

  • Reveen on 06/09/2017 - 12:32
    +2

    ♫Yeah yeah yeah She's a Lady
    Listen to me baby, She's a Lady
    Whoa whoa whoa, She's a Lady♫

  • Euphemistic on 06/09/2017 - 13:20
    +57

    Non-smoker is the only tag I take notice of in car ads. Everything else has a good and a bad connotation.

    "Owned by mechanic": either fastidious in maintaining it, or couldn't be bothered after working on someone else's car all day and knew it would keep running without oil for a few thousand kms?

    "Elderly driver": Had a easy life or didn't ever rev it hard enough to 'blow the cobwebs out' or get it up to running temperature on a trip?

    "Owned by enthusiast": drove it flat out everywhere sideways, or spent more time in the garage polishing and servicing it?

    "Great learners car": easy to drive, small or spent the first 6 months bunny hopping and getting the clutch dumped and gears ground by a learner?

    etc etc.

    • donedeed on 06/09/2017 - 15:56
      +2

      You summmed it up perfectly

    • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2017 - 11:41
      +1

      "Owned by enthusiast": drove it flat out everywhere sideways, or spent more time in the garage polishing and servicing it?

      I enthusiastically service my car 'betty', every Saturday morning.

      • Euphemistic on 08/09/2017 - 12:43

        oil change or wash? I suspect the latter, which is not really servicing is it?

        • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2017 - 14:01
          +3

          Oh, She gets a servicing.

  • Islund on 06/09/2017 - 13:24
    +2

    Have you seen 'lady drivers' these days?

  • Gunther on 06/09/2017 - 13:38
    +3

    To me, a lady drivers = wornout clutch plate

    • Halo375 on 06/09/2017 - 14:52
      -2

      No, if we're sticking with stereotypes - women can't drive manual!

      • Sensiekatie on 07/09/2017 - 09:15
        +1

        I can and have until very recently always had a manual. I would still if I didn't have knee issues. I prefer them as you don't ride the brakes as much because you use gear changes to slow down the engine.

        • Fobsessive on 07/09/2017 - 22:38

          There's always the auto-manuals. Engine braking works well with them.

      • ttc72 on 09/09/2017 - 21:31
        +6

        I am female and I drive a 30m long truck with a 18speed road ranger non synchro gearbox. I bet most of the 'men' on here bagging women out couldn't drive it, and I bet they couldn't reverse it either :)

        • Gunther on 10/09/2017 - 17:25
          +2

          Congrats, but unfortunately you are the majority

    • ttc72 on 09/09/2017 - 21:29
      +1

      I'm female and I drive a non snychro road ranger 18 speed crash box.. Can you drive one of those?

  • yoonibear on 06/09/2017 - 13:40
    +1

    Driven by lady, A1 condition, genuine km…

    • dealman on 08/09/2017 - 16:09
      +2

      That tells me that the seller is from an overseas country which is usually a red flag.

      I don't think we have a problem of kilometres being not genuine. That's typically an issue in Asia where you have 'services' offered to roll back kilometres.

      • JOCKz on 17/09/2017 - 09:26

        Happens here also

  • [Deactivated] on 07/09/2017 - 08:18
    +3

    It means it was vacuumed regularly , and had its wheels shampooed on nights out

  • kanter on 07/09/2017 - 08:41
    +1

    One of stereotypes as meaningless as "I wash my car regularly therefore I take good care of it"

    I know people whose car is spotless but actually never service them and delay any repair because it costs money, put super cheapo tires but wax them so they look shiny and good

    • pegaxs on 07/09/2017 - 19:14
      +1

      Right up there with "owned by auto mechanic"…

      I ask, why no service history and it's always the same, I'm/father's/husband's a mechanic and service it ourselves…

      As a mechanic, yeah, nah, it just rings alarm bells for me. It's usually means it's about to die or about to cost more money than what a owner/mechanic could be bothered with repairing…

  • Sensiekatie on 07/09/2017 - 09:22

    I don't know that it makes any difference at all.

    However, I wouldn't knowingly own a fleet vehicle or ex-rental (which are fleet vehicles too). It may be just a Queensland thing, but "not my car so I can do what I like" is the mentality.

    At a course I did a few years ago, the guy said that he had been involved in an investigation into fleet vehicles in Qld (government and non-government) and they found that they were in poor condition and badly maintained.

  • Lady B on 07/09/2017 - 11:21
    +12

    I'm a Lady (capital L - bought the title, on groupon, 15% off). Have had the same granny car 15 years. 13 years ago started being told that the clutch was spent. 3 different mechanics gave me lists of things that needed work. 1.5 A4 pages long. Took her to RACQ inspection centre - where they cut it down to 0.5 pages worth.
    Have had the clutch cable tightened once, and it's still going, 13 years after being BSd by mechanics that I'd need to spend $1000 on a new clutch.
    Perhaps, "lady" drivers are regularly conned by mechanics into getting unnecessary work done, therefore their cars have been attended to and worked on more often by the "experts". Since generally "lady" drivers are lacking in the confidence and knowledge to second guess these mechanics who act like they have degrees in rocket engineering. We're more likely to trust the BS and not do any work ourselves.
    Not this Lady. But for many, it's very easy to believe the old stereotypes, and think that we're not capable of doing any of this work ourselves, and it's best left up to the men folk, who apparently are born with innate mechanical abilities 😂😂😂 There are girls out there who are too scared to top up windscreen fluid.
    This could be one of many reasons why people think "lady driver" is a good thing.
    I see "lady driver" and imagine figurines, used baby wipes and skittles stuck between seat cushions….😂😂😂

    • fruit on 08/09/2017 - 08:27
      -4

      TL;DR

      • User166092 on 08/09/2017 - 08:59
        -7

        TL;DR Woman takes simple question and decides to turn it into a sexism issue.

        • miicah on 08/09/2017 - 09:38
          +3

          Never had your girlfriend come home after a service only to find out they made her get new brake pads, machine the rotors and top up the blinker fluid?

        • Illian on 08/09/2017 - 19:01
          +7

          @Lady B: "As a woman I can't actually be sexist"

          This is some of the stupidest troll shit I've ever read and we don't need it clogging up the responses. I believe in equality, obviously unlike yourself, and I hope you realise that saying you can or can't be something because of what's between your legs is a perfect example of sexism. You are such a sexist that you're sexist even against your own self. It would be disgusting if it weren't so ironically sad.

        • IamEzza on 08/09/2017 - 19:39
          +4

          @Lady B:

          It doesn't need to come from those in positions of power and even if it did men don't have a monopoly on positions of power.

        • Drifter on 08/09/2017 - 19:48
          +3

          @Lady B:

          As a woman I can't actually be sexist, as sexism comes from those in positions of power (as does racism - definitions of words matter).

          This is the most ignorant statement I have ever seen on Ozbargain. You claim that definitions of words matter, yet your own definitions of sexism and racism are factually wrong.

        • Lady B on 09/09/2017 - 05:53
          -7

          @Adonael: you probably need to acquaint yourself with a dictionary at some stage. And all the actual sexist comments on this thread.
          While women can be just as prejudiced, resentful, angry and hurt as men, we can not be sexist, because women do not hold economic, political and institutional power. Inigo says "you keep using that word - I do not think it means what you think it means".
          You are getting your words and their meanings mixed up.
          And remember, I never said this "lady driver" thing is sexist. I said women are currently at a disadvantage with confidence and knowledge, which in turn becomes an idea that "all the work has been done by a qualified mechanic, even when unnecessary". There are a great many men who know just as little about maintaining their vehicles and also get taken advantage of. Just not as many as women. Hence the "lady driver" stereotype. It'll change, as more boss dads of ALL their kids tell them to put down their toys and come watch as dad does an oil change. This is a good thing. 😉

        • Drifter on 09/09/2017 - 09:05
          +1

          @Lady B:

          you probably need to acquaint yourself with a dictionary… While women can be just as prejudiced, resentful, angry and hurt as men, we can not be sexist, because women do not hold economic, political and institutional power.

          Wrong! Show us the dictionary that says that.

          Even if we assume your incorrect definition is right, you'd still be wrong. There are women who are in positions of power over men so your claim that women can't be sexist is wrong even under your own incorrect definition.

        • Diji1 on 09/09/2017 - 20:16
          +2

          @Lady B: I would love to see the dictionary that had that definition of sexism oh and racism, please do show us.

          The people saying this are usually the ones with a vested interest in gaining power over other people. They're happy to use racism and sexism to do so if that wasn't already obvious. I guess we know where you sit.

        • MementoMori on 11/09/2017 - 01:51
          +1

          @Lady B: 'we can not be sexist, because women do not hold economic, political and institutional power.'

          Except for say, all these women - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_and_appointe…

        • quaddie on 11/09/2017 - 12:45
          +1

          @Lady B:

          Let me reacquaint you with the definition of sexism:

          Merriam-Webster

          Oxford

          Neither of these dictionaries agree with your hysterical ideas of sexism.

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