Hey everyone... havn't been here in a while, been real busy (don't worry, I still stop by and catch up on everything :))

anyway, to make a long(er) stroy short (more details later..... maybe tomorrow) I am going to be selling my car, just real quick.... it was a project car, and my fatehr is a complete *******, and threatens to not do any work on it until I agree to a whole bunch of bs junk...

anyway, I have been looking at other cars... I love Caddy's, just love them. At first I wanted a late 80's Brougham.... but a few things made me really not want it too much (really, really bad for power, and a few other things, my mother has a '89 and it is nice)

So then I was looking at '91 DeVille's and saw they were also a coupe, so I told myself I want a '91 Cupe DeVille (which has the 4.9) so I was looking on ebay and stuff, and found out other options I like (digital dash etc..) anyway I looked in one of the local for sale type of book things and saw a '91 Coupe DeVille, local. anyway it is black (love black) with the gold emblem package (works for me... my mothers Brougham has the gold package) with black leather interrior (what more could I ask for?) although I don't think it has the digital dash :( I don't care though. So I called about it, and the guy's son is a qualified auto mechanic, and he did all the maintenance on it, quite a few things were replaced (recently had a new radaitor, windsheild, tires, motor mounts, shocks and struts and good brakes etc..) engine runs great, car does not need anything at all, minor scratches and dings outside, interrior is only alittle worn, no rips or tears.... and it was listed for $2200..... although I would offer $1800 in cash and he wouold probally take it (when I first called, a co-worker was there, and told me he really wants to sell the car, and would go down to $1800 cash... not definate, but he really wants to get rid of it)

so I know that is a killer price... and I am sorry for rambling on... but here is perhaps the only one bad thing wrong with the car:

It has 170k miles... granted most of those are highway miles....it is still quite a bit (this would be my first car) now, I have been doing reasearch on the Caddy 4.9 and found it is a very good engine.... but my mothers boyfriend (of almost 15 years, heh.... he has a '87 Brougham) as I was telling him about it, he was trying to steer me away from the millage saying, I only have maybe 50k tops before I would need major work done, and that is puching it. So what I want to know is, just how strong are these engines? will they run for a long time? the guy was saying how the maintenance has been kept up, (I was talking to the son, the father is away on a bussiness trip) and his father changed the oil religously etc.... I was trying to convince Richie (mom's bf) about the millage issue, but he seemed kinda firm on what he thought.

The guy passes my house everyday coming back from work, so we made arangments that he would stop by tomorrow evening, and Richie would be here also.

So what I am wondering is, just how long is it until I am looking at putting money into the engine? and around what millage would what have to be done? a complete rebuild or what? anyone have any personal information? links? I really gotta know by tomorrow (less then 24hours)

and finally does $1800 seem a fair price for this car? it has everything I want in it....but the miles are kinda high, sorry for the real long message, I do that often ;) But please guys, help me out.

-Rick

Hey, for the reason why I chose to sell my car and get the Caddy, go here:

http://gaownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6914

If that car did last another 50,000 miles with no major repairs, you would be driving one heck of a nice car for about $.04 (four cents) per mile. That's a pretty good deal. I'm paying $.24 cents a mile for my Ranger (w/crank windows and no power locks).:o
Anytime you buy something used you are taking a risk. The only thing you can do is do your homework and check the car out as much as possible and hope that it's as good as it looks.
I don't know any of the technical stuff about that motor though. Maybe someone else can help with that part.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I would take it to an independent shop and have them inspect it. If EVERYTHING turns out ok, then go for it. If you get to 220k i think you will get quite a lot of car for the money.

Remember, mileage is all relative--- by how well it was taken care of.

Yeah, if I did get even 50k miles out of it now, that is good.....a guy that owns a local machine shop is very good friends with my father, and in most casses when my father rebuilds an engine, it's only at tops like $600..... so even *if* it did get rebuilt, it is still not that much money.

Well, the guy will stop by tomorrow, the biggest thing would be convincing Richie (mom's bf) that it'll last..... about taking it to a independent shop, yeah that's a good idea. Richie aslo was saying how I still have a couple of months (turn 16 July 1st, I'll get my permit then, and go for my license maybe a mother or so after that) and that I can shop around more.... but from how the guy has been describing the car, it has everything that I was looking for, including color. but the miles. on that same note, it's not like I would be driving 30 miles/day, I would drive to school and back (3 miles away) and then to whereever I work (figure 3-8 miles away, maybe alittle more) and other misc. areas, so I wont be adding up the millage that much.

I dunno, I'll have to see, I mean there are so many "what-if's" like what if I just got the engine rebuilt/found another with less miles on it in a few years etc.... although that is a ways off....

my Grand Am has 170k miles on it, the PLAN was to rebuild the car so that it is brand new (rebuild engine, new paint, other work, switch interrior to better one in the parts car etc...) but.... it dosn't look like any of that will work out.

sorry for rambling on, if anyone else has any other advice, or info (links etc..) then please, post it, I'll be checking back tonight and tomorrow.

Thanks for all the info guys :)

Originally posted by elwesso

Remember, mileage is all relative--- by how well it was taken care of.

yeah.... thats another thing, it does have high miles, but they are highway miles (if your familer with this area, the guy went from the mid-hudon valley to Albany and back often, or every day or something like that, so it was all highway miles) Also the co-worker was saying that is has a hitch on it becuase the guy races snowmobiles and would tow a little snowmobile trailer to Canada and be up there for a week or so doing races (with the snowmobile)

The son (who is the mechanic) said the maitanence has been kept up, the oil was changed often, the car/engine was never neglected and never gave them problems.... and I know (this applys to any car I get) I will take good care of it, I love cars, and would love my car alot and I couldn't see running it into the ground (like some kids at my school do, then get mad becuase when their parrents buy them a newer car, it's not the kind they wanted)--- on that same note, I will be paying for this car with my own money (just like I did with both of my Grand Am's, so I am hoping to sell them and get back what I paid)

The more I think about it, the more I think the deal is good, the car has got to be sharp looking, it's a black coupe, with all gold emblems, with black leather interrior and tinted windows. When I was talking to the co-worker (who rode in the car often) he said, (I knew what it looked like, but I was just letting him explane it to me) he was like, the best way I can describe it, is it is a huge black Caddy that looks like it cam right from the Mafia, it has a big a$$ engine with tons of power and is a really nice car. (I am sure it's big, although I heard it is about 2 feet shorter then my moms '89 Brougham.... which can be a good thing :) ) just gotta see how it goes and when I see the car (I havn't even seen it or pictures yet, so who knows what it's really like)

I'll keep everyone posted on what's going on though, Thanks for all the help.

There is one question you can ask him, and watch his face as you ask it, "can I take it to my mechanic for a once over." I agree with Wes, and you can tell if he is hiding something.

The engine is only PART of the issue. The TRANS is probably due to go soon too. Quite possibly before the engine. Either way, I'd be willing to bet that in the next 50K miles, you MAY be looking at both engine AND trans trouble. Certainly not a guarantee but more of an educated guess.

Sounds to me like you are going to do what you will no matter what is said here, But I've got a funny feeling that you are getting so worked up about this car (which you haven't even SEEN yet) that you are not going to be acting too rationally. It happens to the best of us, it's all part of life. But in order to counteract this tendency to make decisions you may regret later, the advice about taking it to an impartial mechanic (who might just be someone like your "******* Father") is key here. Your Father could probably recommend one if you could humble yourself long enough to listen to him.

I have a friend of mine selling a 4.9 out of a '91 (I believe), it came out of a totalled (from the rear) Caddy with only 70k miles on it. I think he wants $300 for the motor. It is in GA. If you could get the car for $1800, then put a $300 motor in it (plus labor), you'd have a little over $2100 into a car that would last you for over 100,000 miles (drops it to $.02 /mile). Just a thought.