Any potential major issues with a 2012 Cadillac SRX with 169k?

I’m looking to get this vehicle from a used car lot… :grimacing: i understand the miles are ridiculously high, but this car has everything I want! I’m willing to do some preventative work, but i was hoping you guys could provide some more insight of any major potential issues i could be facing… Single woman with no bf and no knowledge of cars so any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

If you were my daughter, I’d tell you not to buy any Cadillac.

And if you did, don’t bring it to me to fix!

Tester

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Why do you want a Cadillac, of all things, and a used one at that?

You do know they’re expensive to repair, right? And one with 8 years and 169K miles is going to need some repairs…

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Give us some alternatives to consider. How much do you want to spend?

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@BDazzle - The chance that anyone here is going to say buy this thing is slim . Plus the fact that repair will be expensive as others have said .

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What ever you end up buying have a independent mechanic inspect it the 100$ or so you will spend that way will possibly save many $$$$ later on down the road.

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I was informed this car is quite expensive to repair, but I’m a glutton for punishment, it appears… I really would like an SUV or crossover for around $7k.

My grandparents had a few Cadillacs, so I’ve been around them my whole life… I don’t believe they ever let their cars hit 100k+ but I was never aware of major issues with their vehicles.

If 7000.00 is your budget then you don’t need this vehicle . I don’t know if that is your cash point or that is all you want to borrow and it is not my business . I really think you need to do more searching and find something with less miles .

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Classic case of “Champagne taste on a cheap beer budget”. What you need is a Toyota Corolla/Chevrolet Prizm, Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, Dodge Neon, Honda Civic, or similar. I might even get a Kia Rio or Hyundai Accent if the price is right, and the miles are low. A Cadillac–especially a Cadillac SUV is for people who want to show off an image of wealth/bling, but it sounds like you don’t have the actual wealth needed to support such a vehicle.

And remember that whatever used car you buy, there are going to be significant maintenance and repair costs, because people who are planning to sell or trade-in their vehicle don’t put a dime into it that they don’t have to. In other words, expect to have to pay to replace the timing belt (if equipped), tires, suspension components, etc, and budget accordingly. So if you spend your last dime to buy the car, or worse finance something based on a monthly payment which you can barely afford, you’re going to be in for a world of hurt when something breaks.

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Mimileage not a problem for that price lpng ss msintrnsnce has been done prior. Suggest to pay $100 to ur shop for prepurchase insp brfore writing any checks. Should be ok but a more reliable suv is honda odydsey from trports here. Rely on what ur shop telld u.

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Your question is one that no one can answer. It’s a 9 year old car going on 200k miles so any and every thing on it is a coin flip.

I think that you would be far better off to not even consider an abomination like a Cadillac. To me they are nothing more than a Tahoe with an aloof air about them.

To try and figure out the final nail in the coffin, should I ask how much they’re asking for this thing? It might be doable but I’d want a backup slush fund because any repairs will not be cheap. The more bells and whistles a car has the more it costs to keep those bells and whistles working.

With that budget if you need a CUV, then look at a 2007-2008 Honda CRV or Toyota RAV4 from a private party. Have it inspected.
The Cadillac might be good for someone who does his/her own work and even then not at that price.

Those engines are built in strange ways with things like internal starters. Maybe that model isn’t, but it’s too old mile-wise. Don’t worry about having no boyfriend; it would not help much.

Old cars may have a lot of miles but they usually didn’t get them without repairs. That one is living on a prayer.

The Cadillac SRX is built on a platform similar to the Chevrolet Equinox, not the Tahoe. The powertrain is the same as the Equinox, 3.6 liter engine.

Some people have a fear of purchasing any used car.

Having the Cadillac badge will will register more complaints from owners in reviews.

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I’m not seeing any major issues with these other than complaints about weak low beam headlights, Co-worker has owned a similar vintage Chevy Equinox and didn’t have any major issues, recently traded up to a Buick Enclave.

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That may be true for some Cadillac drivers but certainly not all. Some people simply like the features and options better than a Honda or Toyota, and for a great many people a car is more than just getting from A to B.

I was hungry tonight and certainly a can of chili, an apple and a glass of water would have provided me ample nutrition and filled my stomach for a minimum price. But the tri-tip, grilled onions, scalloped potatoes, salad with fresh cucumbers and heirloom tomatoes, and mushrooms with blue cheese were much more satisfying. There’s more to life than dollars and cents.

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@BDazzle
As a woman who has never been able to do my own car maintenance, I’m going to offer some advice to consider based on my experiences.

There are two things you most need to base your car buying decision on.

First is your safety. We ladies need a reliable vehicle to stay safe. It’s just a fact of life we are more vulnerable to risk if stranded.

Second is the practical distinction between what you need versus what you want. So while it is reasonable to want a particular type and size vehicle with upscale features you need to make sure that whatever you buy will meet your needs within your budget to buy AND maintain as reliable transportation.

As to advice about the specific vehicle you are asking about, the other posters are offering very good advice based on their expert knowledge.

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@George_San_Jose1, are drinking and typing again ? :wink:

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I would not buy a used SRX, any year, any miles. All years are “Much worse than average” on Consumer Reports. Could it be ok? Sure, but why push your luck?

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