Is $1800 for a 99 Cadillac DeVille a good deal?

[GearheadTool]

1999 Black Cadillac Deville- 4 Door Sedan-132k miles-*** EXCELLENT MINT CONDITION!!! *** Glossy Paint--Body and Interior Free Of Wear--No Rust--4 Speed Automatic Transmission--4.6L V8 North Star Engine--
18 mpg Combined city/hwy--16in Mag Wheels--Traction Control--4 Wheel ABS--Cruise Control--
Black Roadster Top with SunRoof-- Beige Leather Interior-- Front Power Lumbar Seats, with Heat--Digital Instrument Panel--Leather Trimmed Steering Wheel with Tilt--Power Antenna,Windows, Door Locks & Side Mirrors--Rear Window Defroster--Heat & A/C --Intermittent Windshield Wipers---AM/FM Cassette-6 CD Changer Located in the Trunk.--No Accidents--Clean Title History--Runs & Drives Well ...AFFORDABLE LUXURY CADDY!!!!!!!

 

[Boomer]

Affordable until you pay to have work done on that Northstar engine.

 

[spk2000]

Looks like a nice clean car but test driving would tell how motor runs and if tranny is working properly or not. Check all the main fluids and make sure they are in good condition. Even better if there is a documented amintenance history that is verifiable by receipts or dealer documents. Good luck.

 

[nitehawk55]

Originally Posted By: Boomer
Affordable until you pay to have work done on that Northstar engine.


^^this .

Never what you pay for a car it's what you have to put into to keep it running , that's where the money pit begins .

 

[Tdbo]

Money pit, Period. That is as bad (or worse) than the Volvo.

 

[GearheadTool]

.. I see.

Just asking because we are shopping for a new car, and she always DID like the DeVille.

I lucked out in finding the Volvo and it had NO major mechanical issues, after we got the brake rotor in the back taken care of.. I know that "If a car has a big problem then a car has a big problem" but this one DID catch my eye. Costs $200 less than the Volvo did, too...

Next few weeks, we will see. But I would have LOVED to snag this one.

(Remember all manner of [censored] we went through when looking for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and then figuring out she was literally too big for the Subaru, the wheel wouldn't turn when she squeezed into it. And that was a year 2002 Outback, I think, so... Volvo and Cadillac didn't have that problem, neither would JGC because of how the wheel is. We look for cars with NO RUST; EVERY JGC had rust.)

 

[The motor guy]

It may be a 14 year old cadillac but it's still a cadillac. Gonna cost out [censored] to fix it. It's like

 

[GearheadTool]

Lincoln Town Car?
1994-1996 Chrysler New Yorker with the 3.5?

 

[440Magnum]

Those cars are *wonderful.* Right up until the second that they're awful. The Northstar engine is a marvel of power, smoothness, and stuffing all of it into a tiny lightweight package. Its also pretty reliable with few small piddly problems, until it just flat blows up. Usually head bolts pulling out of the block or some other issue with head sealing. At that point, it gets VERY expensive to replace or repair.

When I see a Northstar Cad that looks this good for this cheap of a price, my first thought is "they know the Northstar has a serious problem and is on the way out."

Pass

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
It may be a 14 year old cadillac but it's still a cadillac. Gonna cost out [censored] to fix it. It's like


I know, but she tells me the DeVille used to be her favorite car..

Says she had an OLD one where the only issue was that "Th hat was stuck on and wouldn't stop blowing" had to disconnect a wire to get it to stop. This like 20+ years ago.

Maybe now that all the snow is leaving us, we have more options.. we are Volvo-shy now, I think (pretty sure she wants something else for the next one.)

LTCs and DeVilles are her favorite, all I can say is that a Lincoln Town Car plays prominently in what she is used to, without going into TMI. (It is an "Executive L" version, I think. Can't get those for normal.. correct?)

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Those cars are *wonderful.* Right up until the second that they're awful. The Northstar engine is a marvel of power, smoothness, and stuffing all of it into a tiny lightweight package. Its also pretty reliable with few small piddly problems, until it just flat blows up. Usually head bolts pulling out of the block or some other issue with head sealing. At that point, it gets VERY expensive to replace or repair.

When I see a Northstar Cad that looks this good for this cheap of a price, my first thought is "they know the Northstar has a serious problem and is on the way out."

Pass



I am getting the impression that it will be another car.

I have even seen 2001 DeVilles in creamy white paint for $1800. Do you think those are "bombs" too? Would changing fluids help th engine, and I do mean APPROPRIATE shop-bled coolant flush, with sealer tabs?

Asking because if I show her this she will want it, or one just like it. And rust-free...

 

[GearheadTool]

.. IS the 1994-1996 Chrysler New Yorker w/ 3.5L engine a good car? (Has bench seat and column-shift.. LHS doesn't and I know nothing about those cars)

I know LTCs... are.. well.. "old." But how ARE they?

^^ and all these cars suck in the snow but the snow may be over now.

Trying to figure something out that ISN'T a rusted-out Jeep Cherokee, cramped Econocar (I saw a $500 Cavalier. TOO SMALL FOR HER) and otherwise un-inspectionpassable.

 

[mrsilv04]

Perfect. Another car to destroy... just like the government did.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
Lincoln Town Car?
1994-1996 Chrysler New Yorker with the 3.5?

I owned a 93 Vision TSi, which is mechanically the same car as a 94-96 NYer (first-generation iron block 3.5L with a 42LE trans, LH chassis). We put 260,000 very reliable miles on that car- it was probably one of the best vehicles I've ever owned. But now, those cars are just flat *used up.* Don't go near one unless its a cherry low-miles example, and THEN you're going to have to go through the 3.5 and replace every rubber part just to be sure. That engine is rock solid, BUT you have to take care of it. Overheat it, and the aluminum heads will warp. Its got a timing belt that has to be replaced every 100k (but the first-gen won't bend valves if it breaks like the second-gen 3.5 will). Its got phenolic fuel rails that were prone to cracking if they were stressed by being installed too roughly or banged around when changing spark plugs. The water pump is timing-belt driven, so if it starts leaking its a timing belt job. The front case could also corrode behind the water pump mount if there was a small leak left during installation. Note that all the things I'm mentioning are more affected by TIME than by miles.

For its era, it was a moderately high performance engine (roughly the same power density as... ta-da! the Northstar, which was introduced right at the same time). And so its a little higher maintenance than say, its 3.3L pushrod cousin.

The car itself has a lot of things that took miles just fine but deteriorated with time- the plastic headlamps sucked. The dash on the LHS/New Yorker was more prone to sun damage than the one in the Vision/Concorde/Intrepid. ALL of them ate steering rack bushings every every 6-8 years for some reason.

Again- a nice car in its prime, but likely flat used up by now.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
Volvo and Cadillac didn't have that problem,

Town Car or Crown Vic.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
Lincoln Town Car?
1994-1996 Chrysler New Yorker with the 3.5?

The Town Car would probably be the most logical of that segment. They are durable and parts are reasonable. Stay away from the Chrysler unless you like transmission repair.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
Volvo and Cadillac didn't have that problem,

Town Car or Crown Vic.



I am a GM guy but I have to agree. Probably harder to find one of these for that price though. Northstar engines are nice but have been awful when it comes to headgaskets etc. Also a PITA to work on. I would recommend looking someplace else unless you are looking to give it a major lookover and repair

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Perfect. Another car to destroy... just like the government did.


You already know that you'll get the play-by-play.

We don't even HAVE this one yet, BUT.. Yes, I will probably change ATF, oil.. guilty.

 

[GearheadTool]

It might, *MIGHT* actually be a Town Car.

I have a sneaking suspicion that her livery driver friend will sell her one of his LATE-MODEL (5 years old) Towncar Executive Ls. the one wth the huge backseat (L version.) And she ha sa disposition to it, because:

1. He drives her when she works late, paid for by the company.. i hate that. (""job perk. Uggh.)
2. She told me she bought cars from him before. I don't like the guy.

Could it be.. that the Town Car really IS better than this Caddy? It's all about how much $$$$ it costs.

Sam got us out of a jam with the Volvos brakes but I can assure you we don't want a Volvo this time. Too much bad sentimental value.

Can almost guarantee it is between DeVille (that I find) and an LTC. Almost.

 

[eagle23]

Go with the Town Car or Vic. Mechanically similar and long-lived...note the number of them used as limos and taxis.

The Vic is less complex. I may be mistaken but the TC has air suspension which can collapse.