1997 Cadillac Seville SLS...

[vacerator]

Correct Greg,

and the 5.3 litre narrow banked Chevrolet V8 also had sealing problems. Note that was not like a 90 degree banked truck engine. It also had modulated displacement for fuel economy.
The 3800 supercharged engines were more durable, and nearly as powerfull. Some wanted more V8 low end torque, so GM obliged.
I have driven both. Once the supercharger spools up, you get pushed into the seat back.

 

[stricklybojack]

.
New idea...
'99, 105k miles, new tranny by dealer, always garaged So Cal car.
Like the look better and the price is much better too, with a little talking down.

 

[vacerator]

Nice, but

it has 40,000 more miles on it. Garaged? The top staining says otherwise, unless that's a shadow. A new trans so soon? Maybe because it was driven hard?
But if you like it, and get the price even lower, why not.
Check out the Cerealmarshmallows guy's cars on youtube to compare condition. He has a lot in/near San Diego off of I8 towards El Cajon.
He has very few cream puffs for sale.

 

[askolover]

Still has a Northstar in it, but as I said, YMMV[this post was last edited: 7/15/2016-02:55]

 

[ilovewindex]

You've made no mention of price (nor is it my buisness, although i am looking)

But looking on San Diego CList..'

Heres the Eldo your looking at (or listed above)
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/5646894754.html

96 Deville (without the ugly fake top) with 48K
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/5673938144.html

01 Eldo with 88K for $4800.00
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/cto/5642031506.html

98 Seville (owner has bad spelling/grammer)
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/5674960354.html

98 Seville in National City with 109K
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/ssd/cto/5673570580.html

This is my Fav.. 91 Coupe Deville
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/ssd/cto/5673570580.html

 

[vacerator]

The two bottom listings are

the same car. Not a DeVille.
I mean really, if you can buy anything in decent shape that runs well for 2 or 3 grand?
That '96 Sedan DeVille is 48,000 mile cream puff, and if it has been detailed to hide wear, they did an awfully good job at it. No car payments either, and affordable insurance.
There seem to be some nice low mileage cars around San Diego. Maybe older folks who have retired don't drive much, or ride the trolley system. We have no mass transit here other than busses. You'd never see a 1996 car with such low mileage on it. My 2007 has 93,000 on it, and it has had few added over the past couple of years.

 

[cuffs054]

I miss the "DeVille and the Seville and the Eldorodo and the Fleetwood" You used to be able to know what each model was. I cut Cadillac some slack when I bought the SRX, but wth is a ATS, CTS, DTS? I so miss the old days. I can't even think what the SRX replacement is called.

 

[askolover]

XT5, built in Spring Hill, TN at the former Saturn plant.
At least Lincoln is reviving the Continental name.

 

[repair-man]

Somehow I just don't see a Cadillac Fleetwood or Sedan deVille on the showroom floor anytime soon. But I really do like a lot of Cadillacs new exterior styling. I particularly like the new XT6. They always seem to (me anyway) manage to put a hint of old designs in the new models. I don't find the newer interiors as appealing. Too European for my taste. Although I admit that I am old school in taste. I long for the days of white pin tucked leather. And that wouldn't work too well in an XT6. I currently have a 2002 Deville DTS and love it. It's very low use (about 2K miles a year in the 7 years I have had it) but at 52K the Northstar does leak some oil and coolant. I like the interior which is very similar to the cars that this thread is about. It drives perfectly and smoothly but I think I would be just as happy if it had the 3800 V6. I can see myself buying a used XTS or XT6 in the future. That is when the $60K+ price is down under $20 K.

 

[vacerator]

The CT6

is the new Cadillac flagship. Same 3.6 litre high feature V6 engine as the XTS, on a slightly larger Epsilon platform.
The only V8 Cadillacs are the CTS V, or Escalade.
Chrysler still offers a hemi V8 on their 300 sedan.
Our kids just turned in their 2014 Equinox (also built in Spring Hill) for a Chrysler Pacifica. Way more room, and V6 power. Luxury leather seating, 'stow and go", rear climate controls. very nice!
70% US or Canadian content. V.I.N. number starts with 2, so Windsor Ontario final assembly. 1 denotes USA, and 3 Mexico. J is Japan, K Korea, W is Westpahlia Germany (VW), and B Bavaria (BMW). BW for Mercedes and Porsche cars out of Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemburg.
ZA is South Africa, as seen on some Land and Range Rovers.

 

[stricklybojack]

.
Saw the Eldorado today. It has always been garaged in a very dry area of San Diego, BUT the first two years of it's life was spent near the beach and it's damp salty air. Sooo there is a bit of minor rust around screws in the trunk area and the aforementioned staining from the gold trim on the roof. Likely morning dew condensed and left the rust colored marks.
This was certainly not a crime puff like the SLS appears to be in the pictures (it's now sold), but could be close with a few weekends of sweat equity invested at a much lower price.
The owner described it as being, "a living room on wheels." He's not ready to sell until another vehicle to his liking is found, so I chose not to get behind the wheel just yet. You sit low with the dash sort of towering above, maybe a seat adjustment would make it more palatable in that regard.

 

[stricklybojack]

.
To clarify, it should read, "cream puff". And I did get behind the wheel, but I didn't actually drive the car.

 

[vacerator]

Being a G body car,

like the last Riviera, Park Avenue, leSabre, and Bonneville, the Seville and Eldorado are smaller, and I would not say a living room on wheels. DeVilles were HZ bodies, until the 2000 model year, then moved to the G on a longer wheelbase and wider floor pan. They did share suspension pieces.
A car exposed to salty sea air with rust around the screws anywhere is not a "cream puff" for sure. If you can see rust, there is more beneath the sheet metal surface.
Cadillacs are known to rust on the deck lids along the chrome trim at the bottom.
Caveat emptor, buyer beware.