Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  High-maintenance car - 2002 Cadillac Deville
  By William Wu - November 21 - 3:27 am

  Ive been driving with Cadi for one year. I regret purchasing it and decided selling it recently. Ive put too much money into this car, and it isnt worth it.. A new problem would occur every three to four months so that I had to take it to get repaired. It just made me upset. As a student, I need a reliable car.

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  2003 Deville -- Land Yacht - 2003 Cadillac Deville
  By Stacey Kazacos - January 5 - 4:56 pm

  I bought the Deville with about 35K miles, 7 years ago. The car is best on a long trip when comfort and smooth highway handling count the most. My biggest problems have been with faulty sensors -- just about all of them to include: oil pressure, engine temp, airbag, steering, tire pressure etc. The actual components were NOT at fault. In every case it was the sensor. The other problem I had (which seems to be common among owners) is the power window motor failing. The electronic switches and displays are chintzy. Anyway, the motor is great. Uses about 1 quart per 1,600 miles. All that said, it is a fun car to drive on a trip. It depreciated quickly -- so I would shy away from buying a new one in the future.

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  money pit - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By jean-paul - December 21 - 11:26 pm

  northstar engine is garbage.

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  2001 for $2000 - 2001 Cadillac Deville
  By Mike E. - November 25 - 1:45 am

  I just recently bought a 2001 Deville in the typical "old person" color of tan. I needed a cheap car to get to and from work. It has 160xxx miles on it and cost $2000 So far it has not impressed me but for such a low cost, what can I expect. I was leasing a 2015 Kia Optima and this beater Caddy actually rides better than the brand new car. I was told prior to purchasing it that it will need a torque solenoid thing but the mechanic assured me that it could be replaced a little later on. I too have experienced the horror of the power windows not working. Currently the driver side front is the only one working but again... $2000

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  Could have really been great - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By SnoopDeville - October 6 - 2:40 pm

  Good: 1. It was pretty fast for such a big car (Used to laugh at civic SIs) 2. Got pretty good MPG at 23MPG all around and over 30MPG on the highway if you kept your foot out of it 3. The bench seats are awesome 4. Enough room to fit all your friends in the back seat.. (And it they pissed you off, they could all fit in the trunk on the way back) 5. It gives you a very protected safe feeling 6. Hitting huge pot-holes feels like running over gravel Now.. Why it got such a bad number of stars.. 1. I bought the car used it had 68K miles on it. 2. The car started to have over heating issues.. I replaced the radiator with a triple core aluminum dragster radiator off of a chevy dragster. The Thermostat didnt circulate the coolant until it was too late, which at 236 degrees for the system to start to circulate is what caused the issues with the head gaskets on these cars. Pulling the Thermostat and buying one made for a different engine (shortstar) and using that one with a bypass on the two 26K CFM fans cured the overheating issues. (NOTE: you cant do the head-gaskets on the 98-02 Northstar, since the head is structural and the engine will warp when you pull the heads.. Entire engine must be replaced) 3. When it rained the tail lights didnt work 4. The alarm would randomly go off. 5. Replaced the power window motors with other Cadillac ones, Twice, before using Toyota Camry ones modified to work in the caddy frames. 6. Dealership wanted to charge me 150.00 for Windshield washer blades.. (Are they high?) 7. Exhaust rotted off the bottom of the car (Stainless isnt a choice on a 40+K dollar car?) (No matter though some Super40 flowmasters and two 3-1/2in chrome tips sounded great) 8. quality of the interior materials are made from cheaper plastics than rubber maid garbage cans. 9. car had electrical issues, and eventually randomly caught fire. (Ironically after the fire department put it out, all it took was some new ignition wires and it started right back up. ) Verdict: These cars can be fantastic cars for people who have some automotive repair skills, they are also fantastic cars for people who live in areas where there isnt heavy traffic. If you live in the middle of mid-town Manhattan, look for a Fleetwood, which while these look alike the fleetwood LT1 is a much better engine. If you however are stuck on one of these for whatever reason.. Keep an open eye for coolant leaks, oil leaks, transmission slips, and mostly overheating. Have the person start and run the car, wait for the coolant fans to kick in before you buy one. Most of these cars are marketed at needing a "head gasket" however, you cant replace the head gasket on the 98-00 Northstar, the head is a structural part, and pulling it will warp the block, which will result in leaking head gaskets as well as other issues. If you find one without the over heating issue, replace the thermostat with a lower temp thermostat immediately, and replace the coolant fan switch with a manual, or adjustable one, choosing to kick on the fans at a much cooler temp (201 vs 236). Doing this will enable you to have a car that will get you around at a very low price.

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  My beautiful Caddy - 1991 Cadillac Deville
  By Jim W. - September 22 - 3:01 pm

  If this car wasnt so great looking Id had gotten rid of it a long time ago. Ive owned many GM cars and even a Dodge and VW Rabbit and this car has had more things go wrong with it then I have ever had with any other car. Major things like the on board computer, the fuel tank and fuel pump had to be replaced twice, A/C stopped working, and now the injectors are going bad. It has 97,000 miles on it. good points....gets excellent gas mileage even in town I average 20 - 23 and on the freeway at 65 mph I get around 28 to 31. the engine is very powerful and responsive. bad points there is always some little thing breaking down and repairing this car is very expensive

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  My favorite car Ive ever owned - 1990 Cadillac Deville
  By Alan - August 21 - 10:07 pm

  I bought this car for very cheap used. As I was short of money at the time but still wanted some power this was very enticing. The 4.5 V8 has a lot of get up and go. the suspension is quite soft so it usually feels like you are accelerating faster than you really are. For me, the engine has been very reliable. There has been very few fixes and none too serious. That being said, this is not an easy car to work on. there isnt a lot of room under the hood and if you have gorilla hands as I do it can be pretty tough. This car really shines when the interior is considered. After being spoiled with such comfortable seats for a long time any other car just isnt as nice. I stand 6 3" and sit comfortably in the front and back. The seats are very plush and everything feels like solid construction. Overall a great car. I have fallen in love with older Cadillacs. Im approaching 200k and still going strong. Love this car

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  RICH MANS CAR FOR WORKING CLASS MONEY! - 2004 Cadillac Deville
  By Dave Edwards - July 24 - 7:31 am

  The reality of these fine cars, is that the market has not been kind to them. But that is a good thing for a guy like me, who is on a budget, and wants a nice, classy car. My 2004 Deville Base cost $35,000.00 + new in 04, but in March, 2015- with 107k on the odometer, it cost me $4,000.00 out the door of the dealer, with all taxes and fees, and smog paid. I have since fixed all the things that were known issues at purchase. I put on new General Altimax RT tires, new cross drilled and vented rotors and ceramic pads all around, and a new heater blower motor. Buying all the parts on Ebay- NEW for about half the price of a local auto parts store... and my costs are at about $5,200.00 YES, I then had a drivers door window regulator failure! EBAY- NEW AC Delco Motor, 61.50, and regulator- 30.99 Labor- 75 bucks. The REAL reason these regulators fail, is because GM used nylon/ plastic guide wheels. If they were made of aluminum, there would have been far less problems. If you encounter regulator failures BUY ON EBAY. Ive heard that dealers can charge as much as 500 bucks to replace one. After seeing my mechanic do the job, I know I could do it myself. $168 is quite reasonable, Id say. A note- the dealer I bought from, was DRIVING this car from Reno, to Tahoe daily.... because he dug it that much. Now, its my turn. This car, is by far, the most classically handsome Cadillac of the last 30 years, in my opinion. It handles like a sloth. I dont like that so much, as I drove high performance cars all my life. That said- the great angry song of the Northstar V-8 when you get on it is a joy to hear! Mileage so far has been as bad as 18.0 city, and as good as 21+ highway. Havent taken it on a long highway trip yet. It is about the same as my Nissan Pathfinder. HEY! I bought a Cadillac, not a friggin hippie Prius! Im a very big man- 6-3" and large framed. This is the most comfortable, roomy car Ive ever owned. Im also a bass player. My whole rig, two small speaker cabinets, two bass guitars and stands, a seat, and an amp head fit in the trunk, no problem.

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  Good car when new, but its falling apart - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By danieluga - June 19 - 9:52 pm

  Bought the car new in November 1998. It was great for about 7 years/50,000 miles then started leaking coolant. 16.5 years/135,000 miles into its life it overheats going 15 miles down the road. Happily traded it in a few days ago for a new Prius. Cadillacs seem to be great when new but dont stick around for the duration. Northstar engines are economical and powerful but have issues...done with Cadillac

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  Keeper - 2004 Cadillac Deville
  By archielmj - March 13 - 11:30 pm

  Bought this sparkling mint charcoal 04 Deville in 2009 for 45% of what it cost new with 55,000 km on it and had never seen rain. Deep tinted passenger and rear window and put on a Corsa aftermarket exhaust to give it a sexy look and sound. 5 yrs later, ive changed the oil, put on a new set of Michelins and kept it garaged. I love cruising in safety and style and this big ol caddy gives me that. I cant imagine selling it since it wouldnt bring much, and to replace this level of luxury and comfort without laying out large money isnt going to happen. There is something to be said for the looks and manners of this 11 yr old car, and will likely keep it for another 10 years or more.