hi i am new to this forum. I found it and I know it is the perfect place for my question. I am considering buying a 1999 seville STS. all it needs is new headlights but the thing concering me is the mileage 153,000. I know caddys can run forever but I was just wondering if the car is worth buying with that mileage.

THANKS!

BGlynn, 153,000 is a lot of miles for any mechanical vehicle, and the chances of engine accessory failure, suspension component failure, and just plain body wear (headlights?) are very real. A '99 is now 10 model years old, so that mileage represents 15,300 miles/year average, 3,000/year over the national average. This car has been driven hard, and your take on "run forever" is off the mark. The entire Seville run has had its share of bugaboos, expensive breakdowns, and above-average maintenance costs. The '99 model is a good car, but is not especially known for its longevity or reliability.

There are newer and less maintenance-prone Sevilles to be had. As the old song goes "You better shop around.....".

I agree with Sub, there are better models to be found. I've been looking at Seville's for a year and still haven't found what I like. It all comes down to maintenance. Does the car have records? If so, you would be a whole lot better off. The late 90's Seville's had many issues, and they got better with the 2000 model year revamp of the Northstar which included some tuning and allowing the engine to run on regular gasoline better. Here is just a short list of common problems with Sevilles:

Headgasket repair is the biggest; if blown, can cost anywhere from $2500 to $4000 depending on dealer. Usually happens around 90-100k miles so if they have already been repaired you should be fine. Having the coolant changed is the best way to help prevent the headgaskets. GM recommends every 5 years/150k miles for Dexcool and 2 years/30k miles for the green stuff. Make sure the coolant has been changed. Check for oil leaks as well. One of the most common problem with the Northstar is a leaking rear main seal. Very expensive repair.

Another common problem is suspensions. These cars use expensive shocks that cost $1000 a piece. Most people switch to a passive setup for $600 for a set of 4. Electrical bugs include stereo failures, instrument cluster problems, etc. If the car has a sunroof look out for leaks, and check the trunk for leaking as well. This can both be solved by a new seal. Check for codes as well; turn the car on and press the Info ^ and On/Off Button on the instrument cluster. The display should blink for a second and it will ask "All Codes?". Press On/Off and get a pen and paper and write down anything that has Current next to it (ex. RSS C0662 Current). If it says history, you're fine.

My biggest word of advice: do a search. These forums are filled with countless pages of information about these cars. I couldn't even tell you all the issues that these cars have. Get yourself a cup of coffee and set aside a couple of hours to check out these forums. Also, take a look at the Northstar section for anything concerning the engine.

These cars are beautiful, fun to drive vehicles. However, they require maintenance beyond any 'ol Toyota of Honda. If the car has been taken care of and you have records, I'd say your good to go. If the car has been ragged out, check again. The market for these cars isn't great and you can find many a great Seville for a bargain price.

Thanks for the feedback. Both of you are right this isnt the one for me. Thanks for all your help. Now I know where to go when I need answers from people who really know cadillacs!

But tell us where that 99 is - some of us might need parts cars.

Definitely go for a 2000+

Mechanical issues aside, 99 is my favorite year. It has the steering wheel without the CC built into it,It says only P, R, N, D, 3, 2, 1 instead of all of them with a bar under the gear youre in on the cluster. Picky, yes, but I like it! 2000 is a compromise, you give up the prndl thing to get the ability to use 87 gas.

Damn I've never noticed that before, and I've driven 2 '99 STS's; looks better IMO. From what I can tell, the pre-2000 models have better performing engines.

Mechanical issues aside, 99 is my favorite year. It has the steering wheel without the CC built into it,It says only P, R, N, D, 3, 2, 1 instead of all of them with a bar under the gear youre in on the cluster. Picky, yes, but I like it! 2000 is a compromise, you give up the prndl thing to get the ability to use 87 gas.

99 does not require premium. I am running mine on 87 and there are no problems. Still goes :burn: :getaway:.

tman also failed to notice that the bar under the drive selection, in the mechanically superior 2000+ Sevilles, is not static: It moves as the driver operates the car into the performance shift algorithm realm by telling at a glance what gear the car is currently in without having moved the stick. A tiny change, but invaluable if you're doing the twisties at 3 a.m. and want to know if you have enough "foot" to get into a lower gear out of a corner......