Why do so many Lincoln cars (maybe majority) owned by black people?
Posted by Training-Rip6463@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 136 comments
I'm an immigrant in the US for a decade now and I've made some interesting observations about cars and car brands here.
Like how Subarus are overwhelmingly owned by women compared to men. (I later leaned that this is because Subaru marketed it's cara to lesbians in the 90s).
The second association I made was between Lincoln cars (especially their older sedans) and black people. If I see one, 8/10 times it's being driven by a black person.
Why's this? is it a cultural or marketing thing? genuinely curious.
ImpliedSlashS@reddit
Subaru stopped that marketing? It’s still working. /s
otterland@reddit
The stereotype still holds true in my neighborhood but also Subarus are very popular with young liberal hipsters which I find hilarious because I live in a state that barely gets any snow. I like Subaru but all-wheel drive in Middle.Tennessee is just adding complexity and cost. Just get an HRV or Mazda 3 you dorks.
jccaclimber@reddit
Not recently, but I’ve spent a lot of time on KY and TN on steep/loose backwoods fire roads. All in warm and usually dry weather. Occasionally you meet a hill that’s legitimately difficult in a 2WD vehicle, but comically easy in an AWD or 4WD vehicle.
I do agree that 95% are for getting groceries just like picking trucks, but snow isn’t the only use case.
otterland@reddit
It's an identity signifier 99% of the time. Subarus are great, I'm cool with queer people and bassists, but in group virtue signaling with cars is dumb. I've lived around here half my life and never needed more than two-wheel drive. Even in the snow the rare times that we get it. We also have the urban Taco Lesbian crowd that don't use their trucks as trucks and suffer the 12mpg. But it's good to know that the queer community and the dipshits who live out in the suburbs who vote in opposite direction can share a culture.🫶🏼
jccaclimber@reddit
I think you’re over thinking the virtue signaling with cars part. Ultimately their friends have the car, so they have the car. Most people look a what is familiar then buy the same. I’d be surprised if more than 1% of the buying population is actually taking politics into account when buying a car. The rest are just parroting a cool fact they learned along the way, which didn’t actually impact the purchasing decision.
Head_Rate_6551@reddit
Honestly he’s not wrong, Subaru is built on virtue signaling, it’s literally thier corporate message, the Subaru love promise…
xTheGame69@reddit
I sold Subaru
It's not true at all
Most bought them because the AWD is fantastic for the money. It's on par with Audi and unless you're buying a real 4wd not much is better
Also great safety ratings. Tons of room. Fairly simple interior designs. Pet friendly (can bring dog to show room) Good enough MPG.
And economical price when compared to Toyota or Honda
It's really a no brainer. They really sold themselves. People that had them tended to be Subaru family with everyone having them
That's how i got into it.
Head_Rate_6551@reddit
If you’ve been out a few years you don’t know what I’m talking about, google the Subaru love promise, they absolutely have created a marketing message wholly pertaining to virtue signaling. Then they levy the workload on to us dealers for no pay… basically forced charity
xTheGame69@reddit
Yea we did that. We volunteered and made a love garden at a local school
Heavy_Gap_5047@reddit
What's "fantastic" about it?
xTheGame69@reddit
It's a great value
No-Necessary7135@reddit
Love except for the BRZ and WRX which is...hate?
timmmarkIII@reddit
I live in Palm Springs/Cathedral City. They never need all wheel drive here.
otterland@reddit
I mean they're a very nice little compact car until you get a catastrophic puncture 30,000 mi into a set of tires. And then you either have to buy a full set of tires or get one shaved if that's even possible in your location.
1994univega@reddit
Just want to say how funny it is to see other xbikers in the wild
True-Radio2943@reddit
I live in Sedona, AZ and seemingly every third car here is a Subaru.
Go figure.
otterland@reddit
If somebody a Crosstrek sized car without the complexity of AWD. Oh yeah, the Honda Fit they stopped importing. Almost identical interior volume.
The Hyundai Elantra Touring was from the same time period and a really good format.
They make small Euro wagons but they don't have that same cachet of ease of maintenance.
Green_V_559@reddit
My Grandma gave me m Grandpas 1997 Lincoln Town car when he passed away. I remember picking up one of my co-workers who was a large African American man. He was probably 6'4 and pushing a little over 300 lbs. He took a seat in the passenger seat and lost his mind with how he was not only comfortable, but that he actually fit. I would imagine that that is where alot of the appeal comes from. Usually you are only getting that much room in a SUV. I work for Dodge now and the Chrysler 300 and the Charger have enough space to where they dont feel AS crammed compared to other sedans, but they still wont be as comfortable as in a Lincoln Town Car.
Telstar2525@reddit
This is a racist post
3Time4Eater3@reddit
Why is any of this important?
XtraChrisP@reddit
Luxury cars that don't hold value, become available to a much larger group of people. In your case, perhaps you live in an area with a higher population than others.
Wisco777787@reddit
Every Lincoln I see is an old white person. New Lincoln and Buick crossovers are all old white people.
ImpliedSlashS@reddit
I’m an old, white, affluent yid douche. I think I just told you what I drive.
upsidedown-funnel@reddit
Corvette would be my guess. With just the old douche part.
ImpliedSlashS@reddit
As a BMW owner, I’m insulted
00goop@reddit
Most Lincoln drivers where I live are middle class white people that wanted a luxury SUV.
PerformerBrief5881@reddit
Lincoln navigator is my neighborhood car.
upsidedown-funnel@reddit
Eww the newest one looks like a temu full size Range Rover. 🤮 $ can’t buy taste
Colonel460@reddit
Well the Chrysler 300 was the go to gangster choice for black folks for a long time . Pretty much a stereotype.
FunSignificance3034@reddit
I wonder what conclusions the OP will draw about Nissan owners
PowerSpool@reddit
Im black there isn't and hasn't been a single Lincoln in my family lol.
Now Cadillac and Buick on the other hand definitely.
NeedleworkerNeat9379@reddit
I would say Buick is even more popular among Black people today than Cadillac
Better-Credit6701@reddit
The majority of Lincoln owners are white people, 59 years old which is slightly older than Cadillac owners
seanx50@reddit
Richer Buick owners
Massive_Bullfrog8663@reddit
If you couldn't afford a Lincoln or a Caddy, it was a Buick 225...
too-left-feet@reddit
That’s a deuce and a quarter in my lingo
SayAnythingAgain@reddit
The stats might look different in the used car market. I've known many white and black people that would rather buy a nice used car and save $20k-$30k from new. I think maybe black people prefer Lincolns, Lexus, and Cadillac (read: luxury), while white people chase Audis (performance) and BMWs (performance). I assume this comes down to preference. My bias is more of an observation in northeast Ohio vs. anywhere else.
Cubejunky@reddit
That’s funny, in my small corner of the US (SW FL) I see the opposite, I see way more White people with Cadillacs, Lexus, cars and SUVs. And way more Black People with Euro luxury cars and SUVs, BMW in particular seems to be the most popular, followed by Mercedes, I don’t see a lot of Audis and Lincoln’s to comment. Now I am in a richer area, so I don’t now how many are new vs used, I’m gonna guess if they are used, the aren’t very used for either side.
Watchespornthrowaway@reddit
Whenever I’m getting my merc serviced the entire waiting area is 100% Black people.
PawPawsLilStinker@reddit
That's gotta be the best, just chopping it up talking Mercurys
Unusual_Gear_2781@reddit
Agreed! I live in Toronto, and have heard BMW referred to for decades as a “black man’s wagon (bmw)” lol… however, aside from the cash money millionaires, I seldom see Cadillacs driven by black people in this demographic
unbroken_cycle@reddit
Luxury is absolutely the draw
Mac-Tyson@reddit
Historically though Cadillac has a much higher prestige in Black American Culture. Cadillac and Mopar are the American brands most associated with Black Culture traditionally.
JT00000000000000@reddit
In the great depression, Cadillac was the first American car company to allow direct sales of their cars to black customers
PawPawsLilStinker@reddit
Manufacturers sold directly to customers during the depression?
MediumAcceptable129@reddit
Yeah but the people OP is talking about are usually blasting shitty music so you notice them more
unbroken_cycle@reddit
Yep. That’s me. MKC and 59
ImpliedSlashS@reddit
Sounds like you’re older than me. 62 and BMW i4. /s
Disastrous-Tank-6197@reddit
Most Subaru owners that I know are men.
allbsallthetime@reddit
This is anecdotal, much like your observations, but my dad was born in 1936, with exception of a 1970 Thunderbird, he drove exclusively Lincoln Town Cars. Although the last car he owned was a fancy mini van for hauling stuff and it was easier for him to get in and out of.
He was white.
My wife's rich white uncle also drove exclusively Lincolns. He bought a new one every couple years.
I grew up in Detroit, I remember seeing significantly more Cadillacs then Lincolns.
But, I don't really pay attention to the people driving the cars and really don't care who drives what or why they choose to drive what they drive.
I think most people, including me, drive whatever they can afford and/or whatever is available and affordable.
Lumpy-Process-6878@reddit
In my area, the black vehicle of choice is Mercedes. Caddies are predominantly driven by white folks.
Samsonlp@reddit
What's the source of your statistic?
Heavy_Pack3378@reddit
Rejatedly, the black community has a strong affinity for Cadillacs because it was one of the first dealer networks that would actually sell to them because of the cancerous racism that exists in our history. It’s a good story!
BrilliantThought1728@reddit
I thought it was because of depreciation and rap music
xTheGame69@reddit
Pontiac ???
Icy_Comparison_1029@reddit
Where the hell did you get this from?
JimmyCradle@reddit
And, https://cascadiafoodbev.com/how-black-americans-saved-cadillac-during-the-great-depression-the-untold-story-of-luxury-status-and-survival/
JimmyCradle@reddit
https://www.indieauto.org/2024/11/25/did-african-american-car-buyers-save-cadillac-in-the-1930s/
Heavy_Pack3378@reddit
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1995/12/24/cadillacs-cultural-turn/7374f4c7-b78f-4007-9938-51ab24bf3522/
Heavy_Pack3378@reddit
https://jeffreykass.medium.com/black-people-and-cadillacs-211632b160a4, among many historical accounts of it.
Jonny-Raze@reddit
And Challengers and Chargers.
jccaclimber@reddit
Interesting, I didn’t realize they’d taken the Hennessy route.
soloshandpuppets@reddit
you know even as an anthropology student, finding out some new shit that relates to racism still fascinates me every time.
NeedleworkerNeat9379@reddit
This has to be something local to your area. Most Lincoln owners aren't Black and most Black people care nothing about Lincoln. There are stereotypes but Lincoln isn't is any of them.
walledisney@reddit
Hi op
Can you define what a "black person" is?
Training-Rip6463@reddit (OP)
Same vibes as "Define a woman" 🤣
Heavy_Gap_5047@reddit
Because there's no Pontiac anymore.
otterland@reddit
Your sample size is pretty small and so is mine. I live in a probably 70% black neighborhood and you see the classic cars that you see in any lower income neighborhood including the classic beat up Nissan Altima or Maxima. But a very common genre of car that you see are 10 to 20-year-old luxury level cars that people are buying for cheap and just driving the wheels off. That of course includes Lincoln, but you also see Mercedes and Audi and even Tesla around here. But they're older ones that will eventually get hit by a crazy repair bill and get junked or sold for cheap. It's not the dumbest thing in the world, you sort of spin the lottery wheel and buy a $6,000 luxury car knowing that it has some potential issues and drive it for a couple of years till it shits the bucket. At the end of the day you get to drive a luxury car for less than $300 a month unless you start throwing money at it.
TNC-ME@reddit
Exactly that. Even if it's a used vehicle, it's still a LUXURY used vehicle. Even if it doesn't have much life left on it it's still going to be a very comfortable and quiet ride compared to any other vehicles that age.
Bonus points if someone buys it who doesn't drive often, because then you get the most bang for your buck.
otterland@reddit
Apropos bang for buck for low mileage drivers: I share a home with my elderly mother in this neighborhood in a nicer pocket. I'm her mild caretaker as she's slightly disabled. She needed a new car last year as her beloved Kia Soul was finally hit by the gangs last year so got it fixed and sold it for $6600 to CarMax. She needed easy entry/exit and since I'm the mechanic I got her a high mileage CRV with the K24 she can just slide into. (If you wrench you know why this choice).With bringing it all back to perfect maintenance it cost $6000. It's the EXL so very nice. Fresh ceramic tints as she's got light sensitivity, new timing chain, fluids, tires, and even some cozy sheepskin seat covers. I just did the third transmission service this week and it drives as new. She drives 5K per year and this car will last her the rest of her life while looking shiny and new and presentable to her snobby rich friends. Her rich friends are old money so a low key but well kept 2010 CRV is a cooler flex than something more ostentatious. Some of them still drive 80s German cars. These millionaires have given her compliments on a fuckin' 2010 soccer mom CRV. Good wax and sensible tints, LOL.
BothEntertainment00@reddit
It's a brand that old people like, I see white mostly in them but black people of the same age like them too. It's what they know.
concow77@reddit
I also noticed the same thing with Jaguars in Northern California
SokkaHaikuBot@reddit
^Sokka-Haiku ^by ^concow77:
I also noticed
The same thing with Jaguars in
Northern California
^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
silicontruffle@reddit
Because Lincoln emancipated the slaves so we have to buy his car.
accountforfurrystuf@reddit
Lincoln/Cadillac are not sustained off black Americans
smallcarbro@reddit
Black people are the most American people and are generally loyal to domestic brands. A lot of them prob worked for Detroit.
xTheGame69@reddit
Most black guys i know drive Honda
JoeFromStPaul@reddit
This seems to be a trend in Chicago.
chinacat2u2@reddit
Nissan has entered the chat…
xTheGame69@reddit
Idk any women that own a Subaru i know about 8 guys that have one
From WRX to BRZ to outback
Practicality_Issue@reddit
I don’t think it’s a race issue honestly. There’s a subset of people in America that like larger, roomier cars, and they also like the American design aesthetic.
Compare the size of a Camry to a Lincoln, or a Challenger. Compare a Honda Accord to a Grand Marquis.
Not everyone likes SUVs either. I don’t particularly. I’d much rather drive a sedan or station wagon over an SUV any day - but how many choices do I have?
myredditlogintoo@reddit
I think your experience is a very narrow window that's not really representative of reality.
bankablecoma24@reddit
Weirdo behavior
Better-Credit6701@reddit
It isn't my experience, I looked it up a while back. You know, facts
ProJoe@reddit
Then post the facts. If you looked it up, should be easy to back up what you said.
phoenix823@reddit
I think this is it. Nobody around me drives a Lincoln. At all. They're all Ubers.
allahakbau@reddit
Nissan and dodge. both shit brands also loved by them
reidft@reddit
Literally never hear of this before, geriatric white guys are the poster children for Lincoln
Motor-Drama-1421@reddit
Bro has only seen a Lincoln in Are We There Yet?
PhotographLess6194@reddit
No, not Lincoln, but I’d say majority black people own Nissan Maximas though
nightmareFluffy@reddit
This will be weird, but I have exactly one black friend and he drives a Lincoln MKZ. So...I guess you're right in some sense?
bmxracers@reddit
I’ve noticed regression in society and this post and many of the comments are a perfect example. People just say things without actual facts to support their conclusion. Sign of the times from the top down. Just say and do whatever because there are no consequences.
04limited@reddit
Maybe just your perception but 8/10 Lincolns I see are owned by old white folk
ironicmirror@reddit
Stereotypes
Jumpy_Childhood7548@reddit
Lol! Black consumers bought about 10% of the Lincolns sold in 2020, but are about 13% of the US population.
bpoftheoilspills@reddit
New Lincolns are typically bought by rich white people. Used Lincolns are typically bought by non-rich black people - they signify luxury but don't hold their value because they're expensive to maintain, which explains both.
Heavy-Duty-Wombat@reddit
Cheap “Luxury”
Final_TV@reddit
interesting response
FearlessChange@reddit
They’re not wrong
Blu_yello_husky@reddit
Its because big, rear wheel drive sedans have always been a big part of African a American culture. its not just town cars, its also cadillac devilles and chrysler 300s. Also, your limited view is probably due to living in a low income area where young black men are more commonly seen driving older american sedans. I see mostly old white people or homeless looking people driving lincoln town cars around my area
TheChazman1962@reddit
In my neighborhood back in the 70s it was cadillac.. mainly fleetwood brougham.. pimps drove lincoln continental.. now that stereotype has long past I believe.
Skid-Vicious@reddit
When I was 19 I bought a ‘72 Fleetwood Brougham w/ hydraulics at a police auction, drug seizure. The hydraulics were cleanly woken as they were still Cat yellow and stuck in the top position
Two tone brown and gold with American Racing wire baskets. My Dad is an engineer who worked in hydraulics, took him an hour to get it all working. It was pretty janky, just a 3 way momentary switch on the end of taped up cable for control. Click it one way and it would power up, with the back being lighter it would come up first. When fully extended it was ridiculously high , you could crawl underneath on your hands and knees, springs were just floating at the top.
Letting it down you coild either drop the rear or the front and the rate was controlled by an adjustable bleeder screw in the trunk, either a niiiice and slow settle down or a free fall lol. Had a big piece of steel plate welded to the crossmember for a skid plate but I went through multiple transmission pans from flame flex. I worked at Baxter Auto Parts off the 1-5 in delta park and when I’d get to work I would drop in on the ground. Looked pretty killer sittint in the ground.
Anyways when I’d drive down MLK in the two tone “Bro Ham” people would just go nuts. Pretty infamous car for the time I had it.
TheChazman1962@reddit
That was the hoopdee back in the day
SoundMedal@reddit
Chrysler 300
HL12122106@reddit
So what ?
Icantw8@reddit
From my experience, blacks seem to love Jeeps more than anything.
HDauthentic@reddit
Not my anecdotal experience at all
bronzecat11@reddit
Not hardly. Blacks stop buying Lincolns when they downsized them in the 80s. A few celebrities would buy Navigators but the cars were a nope.
gamingmedicine@reddit
I don't think this is accurate. The main brand ambassador for Lincoln is Matthew McConaughey, a white male in his mid-50's.
ImpliedSlashS@reddit
Only way he drives a Lincoln is if they provide it free to him
spasticnapjerk@reddit
Lincolns and Cadillacs.
I think it's tradition. Redlining was a thing and some people weren't allowed to buy an expensive house in the nice area of town even if they could afford it. So they spent that extra money on nice cars.
I have no idea if this is true or not.
Jonny-Raze@reddit
I see most African Americans driving Caddy’s, Challengers, and Chargers.
WholeGarden7590@reddit
17 years ago everybody in da hood had a Buick Century
EvenLettuce6638@reddit
I own a mid-70s Oldsmobile Cutlass.
I've had multiple people offer to buy it from me, but they've always been black. It's just a thing.
Smooth_Discussion367@reddit
BTW most luxury brand I've seen driven by black people is Mopar the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger
TexasSk8@reddit
My 59 yr old lesbian sister owns a '93 TC that is her weekend driver, daily is a F150.
Smooth_Discussion367@reddit
Many times a higher priced luxury brands has better build quality, if you asked me which has better chance of lasting 20 years a Cadillac Fleetwood or Chevrolet Impala. I'll take the Fleetwood everytime
Beneficialsensai@reddit
Cadillacs too cracker!
Sweet_Common_55@reddit
You miss spelled chargers, challengers and altima
benz58@reddit
Man, you have a lot to learn.
-bad_neighbor-@reddit
I only see older white mens in these cars to be honest… or limo services.
nopester24@reddit
Perceived luxury
SnooFloofs9998@reddit
I don’t know about the Lincoln preference,but there is some uncommon knowledge about how colored folk actually saved Caddillac during the depression by marketing to blacks when most(domestic )makes would not even sell a new car us,hence there multi generational popularity among American Blacks that has unfortunately wained quite a bit.
thejt10000@reddit
I don't think this is true. https://matrixbcg.com/blogs/target-market/subaru
sedatehate@reddit
Spelled Nissan Altima wrong.
newtonreddits@reddit
Wait til you find out of Mopar owners
tibearius1123@reddit
And Hayabusa owners.
Logizyme@reddit
Pretty common for many used luxury brands.
Lincoln, Mercedes, Cadillac. Typically bought new by older people, wealthy people and car-services.
Later when they are sold used they might be purchased by someone who wants the status appearance and QoL features of driving a luxury brand but may be less decerning about issues the older car may have.
BrassBondsBSG@reddit
Going for flash and chasing clout as opposed to building durable, enduring wealth
josh_moworld@reddit
Add clapped out BMW and Infiniti to the list
Friendly_Biscotti_74@reddit
With yellowed headlights
Equivalent_Thievery@reddit
I've not noticed this about Lincoln.
But if you said dodge...
rubenthecuban3@reddit
This is true for some of the older Lincoln’s. Other cars similar are like Chevrolet impala. I’ve wondered too. I bet their friends bought one so they like it too. Just like Subarus and suburban women
NoPollution5410@reddit
Where I live the only people I use driving Lincoln’s are older white people
RummyMilkBoots@reddit
Haven't seen many Lincolns around here in awhile. Used to be Caddies and Buick Electra 225s
Fancy_Chip_5620@reddit
Local demographics