I know it's hard not to love everything about these gorgeous big boats, but what annoys you? What do you hate? What do you wish you could change? A lot of you have done some pretty significant mods, but what else do you really want?

I have my little list. For one, the steering is the worst, bar none, of any vehicle I've driven. Way too light, way too loose, and it does this goofy thing where it jerks itself to the right everytime to even slightly turn it that way. Our Roadmaster does EXACTLY the same thing, and it can be quite dangerous. Anyone else have this problem?

I also don't like the seats all that much. The back seat is great, and the fronts are big, but they're kind of flat and not very "cozy". I can never get all that comfortable like I can in my dad's Roadmaster with its thicker, plumper seats. These need more padding and more bolstering.

The stock stereo also sucks, but that can be taken care of. Another thing is the crappy climate control. This is a Cadillac, not an old VW! You can adjust the air flow, you can't set it to Recirc., etc. I realize this car is based on old technology, but why does our Roadmaster have all these adjustments and more--and it's a cheaper Buick?

Okay, I think that's about it for now. Anyone else?

I can agree with most of those points..

However, I think the seats are quite comfy... ALmost Lazy boy comfortable.....

What I dont like...

Overall, the car feels very cheaply made..... Plastics rattle, rear view mirrors shake at highway speeds, and other little noises like that- ones you wouldnt expect from the flagship model!!

Also another thing I noticed was wind noise!! Theres a LOT!! Road noise is VERY minimal, but there is so much wind noise its not even funny...

I think the stock stereo is decent enough... ITs not as good as others, but decent for easy listening.....

I cant stand the climate control... I like being able to control the airflow......

Maybe some of these things you could see if they are "plug and play" from the roadmaster???

I know it's hard not to love everything about these gorgeous big boats, but what annoys you? What do you hate? What do you wish you could change? A lot of you have done some pretty significant mods, but what else do you really want?

I have my little list. For one, the steering is the worst, bar none, of any vehicle I've driven. Way too light, way too loose, and it does this goofy thing where it jerks itself to the right everytime to even slightly turn it that way. Our Roadmaster does EXACTLY the same thing, and it can be quite dangerous. Anyone else have this problem?

I also don't like the seats all that much. The back seat is great, and the fronts are big, but they're kind of flat and not very "cozy". I can never get all that comfortable like I can in my dad's Roadmaster with its thicker, plumper seats. These need more padding and more bolstering.

The stock stereo also sucks, but that can be taken care of. Another thing is the crappy climate control. This is a Cadillac, not an old VW! You can adjust the air flow, you can't set it to Recirc., etc. I realize this car is based on old technology, but why does our Roadmaster have all these adjustments and more--and it's a cheaper Buick?

Okay, I think that's about it for now. Anyone else?




Please remember when these cars were new they were the best out there.
What are the kids that are 5 years old now, going to say about a 2003 CTS in the year 2015?

Mine's a Brougham D'Elegance. I like the seats and you're right that there isn't a lot you can do with the climate control since it's all automatic but it works good enough that I wouldn't be doing much with it anyway. It seems to do what it's supposed to perfectly fine.

Just about the only thing I don't like about mine is that you can't adjust the radio. Instead you've got 5 or 6 buttons that are pre-set. I saw in a newer owners manual online that it looks like you can at least set them on the '93s or one of the newer years but I guess that's an improvement they made on them because I tried on mine and it didn't work. I also don't like the fuel door that closes every time you let go of it. The cup holder also bounces around too much. I usually have to put my hand over the top of the cup or can that I have in it because the stuff tries to splash out.

I can agree with most of those points..

However, I think the seats are quite comfy... ALmost Lazy boy comfortable.....

What I dont like...

Overall, the car feels very cheaply made..... Plastics rattle, rear view mirrors shake at highway speeds, and other little noises like that- ones you wouldnt expect from the flagship model!!

Also another thing I noticed was wind noise!! Theres a LOT!! Road noise is VERY minimal, but there is so much wind noise its not even funny...

I think the stock stereo is decent enough... ITs not as good as others, but decent for easy listening.....

I cant stand the climate control... I like being able to control the airflow......

Maybe some of these things you could see if they are "plug and play" from the roadmaster???


The front seats are comfortable, but just seem a little too flat and thinly padded for me (at least the driver's side is).

I fully agree with the cheaply made comment. The door panels are very creaky and very cheap. The fake wood is especially bad. Doesn't fit all that well and one of the handles rattles on the back door. The dash is strangely made of a different, higher quality plastic and looks quite nice. Only one issue--the headlight module is loose somehow and falls out when I try to pull the switch on :( . It's a beautiful car, but very cheap Chevy-like in its build quality. I also think the frame and body could use some stiffening, as it just feels a little flexy to me.

As far as noise, I never, ever notice any wind noise. I do, however, hear lots of road noise, but that's probably because the tires are kind of worn and old. Engine noise is always whisper-quiet.

I also thought that maybe a few Roadmaster parts (like the climate control) could be switched. Don't think it can, as the Caddy seems to have completely different sized parts than the other B-bodies.

And what Im comparing it to is a absolultely perfect condition car, low miles and always in the garage....

Theres also that little spot on the side of the seat that gets that little hole.. WTF!!! Almost every FW ive seen has it!!! I also noticed the dash looks nice. Vinyl covered... ALong with the wood around the instrument cluster....

With noise, it only seems to be on a certain number of cars... SO far, Sal has noticed it and Ive noticed it.. Maybe someone during a certain build run was slacking!!!?

I bet that if it had a stiffer chassis that it would uncover even MORE little rattles.. :rolleyes:

I think that if I ever got one of these I would have to make mods to it to get it to the point that it should have been to begin with...

Brougham.. There is a way to set the preset EQ settings.. I cant remember how I did it, but its outlined in the owners manual.. Wasnt a real hard process....

So here is what I would do to change the car

1. Secure the rear view mirrors a bit so they dont flap in the wind
2. Fix the wind noise
3. Add sound deadening materials and supplementary fasteners to the door panels
4. Get rid of the plastic fake wood panel and get something that fits
5. Add a climate control module where I can control the airflow

I wonder if the head unit from the Q45 would fit in there. It would maintain the stock look and would add more adjustability....

Those are the only major things I think it needs... Other than little tiny things.. The exterior feels very solid, doors sound nice when you close them and the body panels feel very nice... Its just whenever GM uses plastic they really want you to think that they used cheap stuff.....

My 1991 Brougham is by far the best car I have ever owned. You just can't beat the trunk space and interior space with a stick. Not to mention that it is a great-looking style and finishings, without even any modifications.

But...
I wish it had the analog instrumentation as opposed to the digital. Digital instruments look nice, but are temperamental, especially as they age, and are prone to failure long before analog instruments. The repairs on digital are also very expensive.

The plastic/rubber body fillers that age quickly, especially in the sun, and crack and crumble are not nice. I would like to see a more durable material used in these areas - and we all know what areas of the car I am talking about.

I would change the glass composite headlamps to the old dual set. If one of the small headlights breaks, it is a cheaper and easier replacement.

I wish I had power window lock-out.

Use some material that could be replaced in the opera lights. That luminescent paper burns out over time and it is hard to find replacement lamps. It is not as easy as changing a bulb of some type.

What I really like...

I like the whole set-up of the climate control. It is designed for luxury, not efficiency. Just set a temperature, and the system basically does it all for you.

I love rear-wheel drive

You cannot get this type of interior space in anything but a Cadillac.

The look of the doors is classic - from the chromed door handles, woodgrain, chromed switches, real pull handles (not straps), and large courtesy lights. It is the best looking door panel design I have ever seen.

The quality of leather is high in the Cadillac Brougham, especially when compared with other cars on the market. It is smooth and supple, and if taken care of, will not crack or rip.

Almost nothing in 1991 had a power parking brake release, but it is a nice touch. Also the power locks that work off the gear shift. I have never before had this in any car.

The factory stereo is tops when it works properly. It was designed for "symphony sound" listening by folks like me.

And, of course, those lamp monitors. This is a real Cadillac touch, and is very useful and safety-minded, too.

As the old saying goes..."Drive everything else first." I have owned and driven many vehicles, and this is high-quality luxury.

Mine is a FWD Fleetwood, the one that was marketed from 1989 thru 1992 and then as a Sixty Special in 1993. The only thing that I don't like is that EVERY 1989-1993 Cadillac, from the Seville to the Eldorado to the Fleetwood to the deVille and the Touring Sedan and the Touring Coupe (Eldo) announced the model of the car on its side on the chrome finished bodyside moulding or the rear quarter panel (on deVilles), with the exception of the 1993 Sixty Special. This is sad, because it was the end of the Sixty Special name-usage after 55 years of Sixty Specials! Cadillac knew it was a one year only model, and wanted to save money, so no namplate was made up.
However, I am in the process of correcting that :) :)

Correcting it as in getting some lettering for the sides???????? please say yes!

Correcting it as in getting some lettering for the sides???????? please say yes!

Yup, that's what he's doin'. He had me measure the spacing on the sheet of chrome on the door (FLEETWOOD) so he can space his out correctly. His friend is a machinist and is crafting the letters for him, COOL EH? :bouncy:

So its going to say fleetwood instead of sixty special?

cursive script or printed lettering?

http://ebaumsworld.com/forumfun/misc5.jpg



by the FWD Fleetwoods!

So its going to say fleetwood instead of sixty special?

well my guess would be that since the Fleetwood lettering already exists and he's have the lettering made it's probably going to say SIXTY SPECIAL :suspect:

Wow! I started this thread about things people don't like about their Fleetwoods (the RWD ones) and now people are posting messages about lettering?

Not to sound rude, but what the heck is going on?!

I'll get this back on track for you guys. The only thing I don't like about the Fleetwood BROUGHAM!! is the fact that I have very little controll over weather or not the air is going to blow out out of the top or the bottom vents. Another thing that bothers me is the Olds 307, i think nothing under the 350 is appropriate for the largest car built in America. Although my Brougham cruises beautifully, it is seriously underpowered. The styling is perfect, i think the 90-92 brougham is the most beautiful car i can ever imagine owning. There are several things like the loose steering, the softnetness of the suspention on curves, that might bother people. I LOVE these things, at first i had to get used to it, but now i love it. I also have a 96 caprice with the heavy duty suspention and the LT1. I love that car too, but I miss those weird things on the brougham if i drive the Caprice for too long. I sold my first Brougham in the spring, and i couldn't take it anymore, i had to get another one, i even took out a loan to do it. In my opinion, the Brougham is a perfect car for cruising, but you should have another car to commute with.

what do I not like about my fleetwood? hmmm I Love the car but I do think its underpowered for being such a large car but I think I will be happy with that kinda gas mileage. I don't like the range of motion for the power seats. and my least favorite thing is the Heating system which is driving me nuts :banghead:

Wow! I started this thread about things people don't like about their Fleetwoods (the RWD ones) and now people are posting messages about lettering?

Sorry! You didn't say RWD nor Brougham, so I just thought you meant ANY car that said Fleetwood on it.......

There are certain cars that SHOULDNT have gotten the name... :D :canttalk:

Just kidding, the FWD FW are nice...

In my opinion, the Brougham is a perfect car for cruising, but you should have another car to commute with.

This is what its all about.. Not a good primary car (unless you drive on the highway all the time), but a perfect second car...

Well Sandy it IS in the RWD section :suspense: :p

Until I started using a different car for the winter I was using mine pretty much all the time. Sometimes I'd use a different car but that was usually when parking was going to be a problem.

I notice on my '93 DeVille there is hardly any road noise, not much engine noise (that'll change with the Flow Master muffler :D) but becuase the windows are not flush mounted, i Have a HUGE amount of wind noise.....

....about my mothers '89 Brougham.... well, that car needs ALOT of TLC..... I am hoping to restore it and actually put a good (well, powerful) engine in it in a couple years..... the speedo isn't working, so I don't know how fast I am going, but the rare times I now borrow her car, it seems like I have to have my foot to the floor for 30seconds just to merge with traffic at 60mph..... although it IS the car I learned to drive in and took my test in :D

Really though, it kills me to see such a nice car (ultra rare paint color combo, which is in bad shape, every extra option including Astroroof, and the huge Rolls grille which is probably aftermarket) but there are a few rust spots.... at first it wasn't bad, now it got under the paint, Hopefully in the Spring we will spend some time on it..... the thing is, my mother dosn't have alot of money, I keep telling her she she get more of a budget car, but she won't listen, and I would like to take the Brougham, and in a few years build it up.... since it has the 307, a 455 should be direct swap, but a 500 would be far more cool..... just things like, the drviers seat is ripped alot, armrest is, power driver seat dosn't work, half the climate controls don't work, car needs alot of TLC, and the way my mother treats the car gets me mad...... oh well.... only a few more years and hopefully I'll have it.....

Awwwwwwww Yes, The Ever Grace Fleetwood Brougham

If U Aint Go No Man, Hop Up In My Brougham.............

Got A Big Body, F, L, Double E, T, W, Double O, D Ninteen Nintey 4 Caddy.....


Whas Not 2 Like, Only Thing I Don't Like Is My Hubcap Missin From Right Front Wheeel
Other Than That Iluv It


Dpgc23

What I don't like in my 85 Fleetwood Brougham is..

1. (and this is personal, so I have to change this myself) is the car is the biggest I have ever driven and my (excuse the spelling) manueverability is awful, so I will only be parking in big open spaces :)

2. The "wood" grain interior could be better (but it's cool)

3. Better steering wheel (mine is a plain jane)

4. I have noticed the wind noise ( I thought I left the door ajar while on the free-way).

5. My back-end slumps just a little I don't know if I need air shocks or springs, but someone said that's how they are made.

Everything is I love about the Caddy, now I can feel like the Pimps, Players, and Ballers of old when I was 5-6 years old and their rides were immaculate.

Here's a nice end to this mess...a pic of my beautiful Fleetwood from today!

Here's a nice end to this mess...a pic of my beautiful Fleetwood from today!


Just one problem....I forgot to add the picture! :helpless:

Well... Wheres the pictures???? :confused:

Theres also that little spot on the side of the seat that gets that little hole.. WTF!!! Almost every FW ive seen has it!!!
Any idea what causes that hole?

I don't like that overly tempermental non-Fleetwood owners over moderate the Fleetwood section to the point that we can't even hold a comprehenisive discussion because your post might oneday dissappear. :rolleyes:

Dittos to H.R.S.

There isn't much that I don't like. I love my car.

I bought my Fleetwood last year from a dealer in Florida..... off E-Bay .I paid nine grand for it with 57,000 miles . Its the gold package with the gold grill emblems and the chrome lower panels all around.

Lets get to the pro's and con's .
I love the power of this Oldsmobile V8 ..it really hauls ass like no other Caddy Ive owned.I also like the body style .

Heres the con's

The ride is FAR less "floaty" than older models
The steering wheel jerks for no apparent reason at any time.
The seats aren't what they should be.
The stereo .......its a shame.
The fact that you cant open the doors when youre not in park is a pain in the ass.( I plan to DE-program it )
The traction control is UN needed,( de-programming coming also )
The rocker panel molding fell off... ( see avatar picture LOL )
And yes the heating system is for the birds.


Dont get me wrong guys ... Ive been around Caddy's my whole life ....they are definately the best luxury car for me ..but its just a shame that the staples that have always made a Caddy a Caddy arent present in this year/model.

But ....I still love it !!! And Im glad I bought it .

I bought my Fleetwood last year from a dealer in Florida..... off E-Bay .I paid nine grand for it with 57,000 miles . Its the gold package with the gold grill emblems and the chrome lower panels all around.

Lets get to the pro's and con's .
I love the power of this Oldsmobile V8 ..it really hauls ass like no other Caddy Ive owned.I also like the body style .

Heres the con's

The ride is FAR less "floaty" than older models
The steering wheel jerks for no apparent reason at any time.
The seats aren't what they should be.
The stereo .......its a shame.
The fact that you cant open the doors when youre not in park is a pain in the ass.( I plan to DE-program it )
The traction control is UN needed,( de-programming coming also )
The rocker panel molding fell off... ( see avatar picture LOL )
And yes the heating system is for the birds.


Dont get me wrong guys ... Ive been around Caddy's my whole life ....they are definately the best luxury car for me ..but its just a shame that the staples that have always made a Caddy a Caddy arent present in this year/model.

But ....I still love it !!! And Im glad I bought it .


You sound just like me! First of all, let me tell you that your car doesn't have an Oldsmobile engine if it is a '95...it has the LT1 from Camaros and Corvettes.

But I hate most of the things you do too:
-I think the ride is too floaty...anymore and I think it would be classified as an ocean liner!
-The damn steering system in both this car and our Roadmaster do the exact same jerk. It tugs itself to the left if you even barely tap it that way. This is annoying and very dangerous...always wants to jerk out of the lane!
-The front seats don't coddle me like the Roadmaster's do. Their great and I never get uncomfortable, but they could use more bolstering and a little more shape.
-The stereo sounds awful, like no one at GM ever listened to it before the car went to production. It makes the basic 6-speaker, CD system in our Avalanche sound like a concert hall!
-Locks are already de-programmed!
-Traction control kicks on all the time...very annoying!
-No rocker panels or anything else missing, but the ones of the front corners are a little loose.

Great car, but I'm beginning to not like driving it so much as a daily vehicle. I need something smaller and sportier but still comfortable, like a CTS.

:rant2: I know, you can yell at me for those last couple of sentences...

. . .What are the kids that are 5 years old now, going to say about a 2003 CTS in the year 2015?

"Squirrelly little compact spud, - the one they built before they got it right by adding 13" wheelbase, 5" to the track, and a 1000# of extra ballast. The 6-six was nice, though."

What I can't stand is the longer Cadillac waits to put something bigger out, the longer I have to wait 4 years afterward for some depreciation to wash off it. :crying2:

You know what I dont like??? RUST!!

On our 95 FW there is a lot of rust on the rear sway bars, differential carrier, and other assorted things..... There are places where the paint on the frame has come off and started to rust!!

36,000 miles, never driven in snow, hardly ever driven in rain, washed regularly (esp underbody)....

My 94 Q with 126k has NO rust underneath it except for a few bolts on the exhaust!!

You know what I dont like??? RUST!!

On our 95 FW there is a lot of rust on the rear sway bars, differential carrier, and other assorted things..... There are places where the paint on the frame has come off and started to rust!! . . .

10-4! But, just get it lowered enough so you can't see it! :hmm:

http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=275198

There isn't much that I don't like. I love my car.
I really like that SupaFly is a Fleetwood owner. ;)

You know what I dont like??? RUST!!
Mine has a couple of areas on the frame, but nothing like you describe on the rear axle. My front calipers and rear drums look like they were parked under the ocean though.

If you dont feel like spending alot to fix that, and the rest of the chassis does not look like a show car, just jack the think up, take off the wheels and tires, and take a bottle of black rust oleum and paint over the rust underneith, it'll make it look like new from the distance you usually see it (optional) and it'll help it stop rusting untill you take it apart and have it restored.

I have some pictures...... Stupid photopost :annoyed:

I will post this week.....

Like I say, its mostly just spotty.....

What do you guys thikn about undercoating...?? Good/bad?

Very happy with 96 wood.
Only thing I dont care for is lights activating by their self, at nightfall,or in my garage, and daytime runnin lights I could go without also.
On my Chevy workvan it is just a fuse to get rid of the daytime runnin lights.

I like to operate my lights myself. :)

I have some pictures...... Stupid photopost :annoyed:

I will post this week.....

Like I say, its mostly just spotty.....

What do you guys thikn about undercoating...?? Good/bad?

Not good on an old car. If you've got places that do rust proffing that they use oil spray get that done to it. It'll keep the rust that's there from getting worse and keep any more from starting.

So I guess the best thing to do would be to just keep it clean? Underbody sprayings often?

There is a bump on the passenger side front seat. It is supposed to house the exhaust pipe. Anyone who saw Fleetwood's underside knows that the exhaust pipes are not parallel and kind of placed weird. I seriously trought for a while that is was some kind of a body damage, until my mechanic said no, it actually how that car is designed. That hump really robs you of a leg room and the seat doesn't tilt as steep, thus robbing you of a thigh support as well. That is also present on now dead F-bodies and GMC Safari vans.
And they shouldn't have put those switches on the side of the seats as people sit on the edges of the seats and crush those weak plastic switches with their fat asses. Don't laugh. My dricer side switch is all cracked up as people never seat in the center. Somebody posed a question about tears on a leather seat in the front left or right corner, depending on a seat and that damn switch is why.
The Fleetwood Brougham's rear armrest sucks. It offers no support and other that a cupholder, serves no useful purpose.

Three things about my '81 Fleetwood Brougham bug me:

1).It's age is showing.It needs cosmetics (paint's a little poor,vinyl top needs
replaced).
2).For some reason,the right rear sags.I don't know if the air shock is bad,the spring has lost its spring ,or (Ihope not)the frame's bent.

3).The car hesitates at the 2-3 upshift.I think that's due to the modulated
displacement solenoids being disconnected.


Otherwise, it's still a great car in the 9 mos. I've owned it.At last I can recall the days of my misspent adolescense in the early 1980's.

.

1987 fleetwood brougham pimps car right got all the nice features like power windows locks ect. Where the *#@! are the cupholders!!!! :hmm: lol Now come on really who else has a lack of cup holders in there car. There are 5 ash trays no cup holders. I just thought it was interesting that my moms old 86 Nissan sentra had more cup holders then my caddy. Well I have proposed a plan to fix this along with the the stupid door panels which one of my friends leaned lightly on and it crack in everywhere so I am replacing that with lepoard fur so that my car looks pimped :coolgleam

1989 Brougham here...My biggest pet peeve is a total lack of cup holders, unless you count the round indentations on the door of the glove box. Wind noise is tiring but not overly intrusive, just turn up the radio. =P But seriously, I guess people didn't use to take cups with them in cars up until like 1990 or something. Heh. Oh, one more minor thing: having to take up two spots at the gas pump, thanks to the behind-the-licence plate design. I get enough dirty looks from hippies as it is.

This is what its all about.. Not a good primary car (unless you drive on the highway all the time), but a perfect second car...

Ha, mine is my daily driver. At this point I would hate to drive anything else! :coolgleam

hmm, the only thing i can think of is getting the stupid cupholder open. i think mine is broke or something cause you really have to put some muscle into it. and the second would be the steering jerks when turning left to right but that could be worn out tie rod ends. i dont get any wind noise though. it is completely silent. my friends 94 has bad wind noise in it though.

This is my first FWB, and my second Caddy. I have a 91 SDV, and it has been an excellent car, 4.9L and all. Excellent low end power, can be made the handle well if you are willing, braking is ok, but could be better.

The FWB is quieter, larger, firmer (V4P), in much much more control, has an LT1, need I say more?

The transmission is a bit rough compared to the 91 SDV, that one is almost seamless shifting and not even something to complain about ( I hate slip shifters! You know, when they make them so soft to shift they take forever to shift ) This one is a little firmer, but not objectionable, just noted. I am gues it is the V4P options on the trans. Even with 3.42's it doesn't get TCC lockup until 45 mph sharp. I don't mind at all.

Hardly any wind noise, fit and finish could be a bit better. I hate to say it, sometimes it feels like Cadillac just worked over a Caprice. Back in the old days....

But the LT1 overshadows it all, it is much more refined than any chevy I have ever driven (and most I have hated, my Pontiac would eat most alive, its a chevy-pontiac thing...). It is so smooth and nearly dead silent, even with a Mech fan.... The 4.9L sounds like a 2.8L Chevy in comparisson.

Did I mention it has an LT1?

Oh, yeah.... I guess I did..

Tom

I've had my 1995 Fleetwood Brougham for over 5 years, so here goes:

1. I absolutely HATE the digital dash, what a POS
2. Someone had to remind me of the FAKE wood. jeeez, all the other Cadillacs of the time had real wood, but not the Fleetwood, I guess GM knew they were going to kill it off and didn't want to spend the money. All my other Cadillacs have real wood except this one.
3. NO dual zone Climate control WTF?? The Roadmaster has it but not the Fleetwood?!?!?
4. No compass in the mirror.
5. No Bose option (factory CD stereo is ok though)
6. Doors automatically unlock when placed in park, security issue here GM are you listening????? (apparently you are, because later cars had this adjustable)
7. Steering wheel "assist boost" problem (noted elswhere)

Likes:
EVERYTHING ELSE. Seats, ride, room, styling, engine power, you name it.

BTW, the Fleetwood was not the flagship of the line , that spot was taken by the Seville, look at the MSRPs.

I think everybody here knows what I hate . . . yup that @%$#% $%$%& &^%&#$%^%^ *^&! *!$#$ #$%%^ 307! Sluggish and oil hungry!

I drive my Brougham every day and make a 100 mile highway trip 2-3 times a week. I love my car, but that damn 307 has got to go! I also love those Brougham seats and just the look of that car. I need to paint it, but when its clean, it still looks good. If my car didn't smoke, I be totally in love with it. I could deal with the lack of power because I like the feel of cruising in it. Plus I have a Silverado with a hell of kick!

What do stores have against blue floor mats?

I've had my 1995 Fleetwood Brougham for over 5 years, so here goes:

6. Doors automatically unlock when placed in park, security issue here GM are you listening????? (apparently you are, because later cars had this adjustable)
.

Scott Mueller told me about a link to reprogram the operation of the automatic door lock operation. If I find it I will post it, I know I saw it, but haven't looked into it much yet.

Tom

I don't think anything has been said that isn't on my list of pet peeves with my two '94s. I bought a second Fltwd, so that speaks volumes in itself, but if there were a bigger sedan available, I would have bought it.

I guess my biggest gripe is the automatic A/C-Heater controls. I think a lot of engineering man hours were wasted on a system that didn't satisfy the customer. My '78 Honda Accord had a better heating and A/C system.

I've recently been working on the exterior, and with a detailed inspection, you really see the results of not maintaining the finish. It's my own fault and I'm working to save what I can.

Let's see...

1969 Fleetwood Brougham

Pro:
- Power, power, power and tons of low-end torque.
- Can spin the tires even from a rolling start (related to the above).
- Thick, plush, soft leather seats. (See photo.)
- Real wood on the dash and door panels. (See photo.)
- Huge trunk.
- Rugged and reliable engine/trans.
- Rear footrests and reading lights.
- The overall size- 133" wheelbase and 228.5" overall length.
- The taillights- I love the '69 taillights, they kind of look 1950s-style, like the '57 Chrysler 300-C.

Con:
- Fuel mileage (but to be expected and well worth the power you get from the engine).

1971 Fleetwood Brougham

Pro:
- The overall size (113" w.b., 228.8" overall length)
- Big trunk.
- Reliable engine/trans.
- Rear footrests and reading lights.
- Can close and lock the doors without holding the button down (first year for that).

Con:
- The leather seats are much thinner than on the '69 and '70 Fleetwoods. Much better on the older ones.
- Fuel mileage.
- Less power than the '69 and '70.
- No more real wood inside.

I'd have to say there are about 50 things that I disliked about my STOCK CADDY but I fixed them I know that no other car could come close to perfection as the 94-96 fleet in it's price range of course :thumbsup:.

I'd say that rattles with the car just come with age and aren't subject to poor quality out of the last 5 cars I've driven that were 5+ years or older the fleet I have has been the quietest and least rattling.Actually it doesn't rattle anymore when ever something rattles I have fixed it I know most things listed in this thread can be fixed with a tissue etc.

like a rattling door panel can be fixed with some tissue in between the door panel and the squeky spot trust me it works and no one will ever know.

I thinks small imperfections are the owner's responsibility and aren't subject to a make or model.They just come with age and use.

I think If I compared the age and imperfections it currently has I'm very pleased there's only 1 tear on the interior the size of a quarter which only i can see before i sit down.

Well back to the subject the things I didn't like about my stock caddy

I'd say a couple thing off the top of my head i disliked were the VERY SOFT RIDE overly soft actually quite dangerous for my driving style. Cheap stock tires michelins with NO traction. Very soft sidewalls.

bigger side mirrors would've been better but oh well, sunroof should've been standard with brougham option, license plate gas filler-lock should've been standard, Radio was quite boring and simplistic(to be expected from stock on any car though), Lack of gauges at least a temperature gauge would've been nice and very useful/needed, Cheap brake system with rear drums I doubt rear discs could be more expensive than drums especially at a dealer level.

well that's all I remember but I know i can go on for a while I'm just too much of a perfectionist :cookoo: yet somehow my room is always messy :rolleyes:

1988 cadillac fleetwood brougham
things i dislike. power (olds 307), gas mileage, no cup holders, no guages just dummy lights, the steering problem, opera lights not working, the dumb plastic door panels that crack, oh, did i mention GAS MILEAGE. there are probably more, but other than that, the car is perfect for me and i love my brougham!

'95 Fleetwood Brougham (customized)
I've always loved what the car represented, old-school Cadillac. Those days are gone for good now. There ARE no ties to the past glory days of Cadillac.
That being said,
I've changed most, if not all the things I didn't like about the Fleetwood.
1. Needed to have a "sporty" version of the car.
2. Needed more power.
3. Needed to SOUND powerful.
4. Needed to handle better.
5. Needs more interior storage. Amazing how even the smallest cars these days have ten times the interior storge of these HUGE cars. :banghead:
6. Better fit & finish would be great, too many creaks/squeeks.

Hey, did I notice someone using my FTS name in their screen name?
I like it! :thumbsup:

Kevin Donovan
'95 Cadillac FTS
(Click the link to see my car)
http://members.cardomain.com/katshot

Hey Kat! I didn't want to copy your trademark exactly. I had an 850i doggin' my ass in the next lane for a while just yesterday. They just never know what's up do they? I love the new Cadys too. Mine-$11,500 five years ago plus $6,000 in mods and paint. Their Cadys-$40,000+, their Bimmers and Mercedes-$60,000 and up!!! LMAO

Fleet

Hate to bust your bubble, but 1969 Fleetwoods has plastic wood grain, not real wood. 1968 was the last year for real wod in Cadillacs until perhaps the allante if not that then the 1993 Seville & Eldorado. I had 1968, 69 and 70s before, only the 1968s have real wood - like my convertible :D

Also, your wheelbase is 133, not 113 (probably a typo)

Those were great years for Cadillac weren't they?

The newer ones have the power, but they don't have the look of the classics.

I liked everything about my 78 except no cupholders (although the space between the pillowtop seats worked fine), and fake wood. What the crap, that car cost more in 1978 than a new civic does 27 years of inflation later but we'll use plastic wood. PFF. The 425 was adequit power and pulled down maybe 10mpg which could be worse, wish it was a FI car though.

So I guess the best thing to do would be to just keep it clean? Underbody sprayings often?

Hey Wes,
The rusting is mostly due to the fact that the car isn't driven much. The battery slowly dying causes the excessive rust. On cars that aren't driven much, a battery disconnect is very useful. You have to think like a boater!

I can't find the posting, but someone in this thread said they didn't like the stereo because you couldn't change the settings. The tone preset buttons are adjustable for bass and treble tones. It's tooo complicated to explain here, but look at the owners manual (it's on line if you don't have the original). It explains the adjustments very nicely.
No, it's not a rice multi-band equalizer, but it's better than nothing.

Fleet

Hate to bust your bubble, but 1969 Fleetwoods has plastic wood grain, not real wood. 1968 was the last year for real wod in Cadillacs until perhaps the allante if not that then the 1993 Seville & Eldorado. I had 1968, 69 and 70s before, only the 1968s have real wood - like my convertible :D

Also, your wheelbase is 133, not 113 (probably a typo)

Those were great years for Cadillac weren't they?

The newer ones have the power, but they don't have the look of the classics.

Yes, I meant 133"!

Strange, I read from several sources (books) and heard from several fellow Cadillac owners that the '69 Fleetwoods had real wood. It was thin, but still wood.

The book, "Cadillac of the Sixties" says, for 1969, "All Fleetwood series cars feature a rich, rosewood insert." It doesn't say "looks like wood" or "wood-like."

Also, the 1969 brochure says, "Wood paneling enhances the dignity of the Sixty-Special's many upholstery and fabrics." That is in the Sixty-Special Sedan page. The Fleetwood Brougham page says, "The rich look of rare wood accents its long 133" wheelbase..."

The trim on the dash of my '69 has peeled away... it looks like there was either some kind of "skin" made by staining it or the paneling is covered (protected) by plastic. Underneath, I can see some kind of roughness which would look more like wood than plastic. I've never seen plastic which needed sanding.

I'd like to get more info on this!

Anyway, yes I love the '69s! Probably my favorite year for Cadillacs. The 1970 models have some good points, too- according to those Consumer Reports frequency-of-repair charts, the 1970 had the best record of all Cadillac years.
You're right- the '69 and the newer Cads have the power, but the '69s still look like a true Cadillac- even has a hint of fins.

I can't find the posting, but someone in this thread said they didn't like the stereo because you couldn't change the settings. The tone preset buttons are adjustable for bass and treble tones. It's tooo complicated to explain here, but look at the owners manual (it's on line if you don't have the original). It explains the adjustments very nicely.
No, it's not a rice multi-band equalizer, but it's better than nothing.

Actually, it IS a multi-band EQ. Once you read over the procedure for adjusting the presets, you'll see that you can actually get some great sound out of these stereos. I LOVE mine. All I did was add a sub in the trunk.

Don't much care for "leather seating SURFACES." I'd prefer if the entire seat were leather, not leather + a lot of vinyl. The vinyl keeps the cost down and looks okay, but it's easy to spot.

Oh, another tiny, insignificant thing...people never know how to pronounce "Brougham." People have never even heard of it for the most part. So what do you guys think, is it "BRUH-rum/BRUH-uhm" or "Bro-HAM?" Personally, I can't stand it when people say, "Bro-HAM."

Brougham.
BRO- light g -HAM

The issues I have is the lack of a real armest in the center of the front seats. They're very small and my arm won't rest comfortable on them. I end up putting my arm across the top and rest my hand on top of the pillow top. My elbow is constantly sore from it, but it's hard to avoid. Other than lack of storage, cupholders, power, rotting and cracked plastic fillers, etc., my other issue is the fact that it's damn near impossible to mount nice aftermarket speakers without them rubbing creating a horrible buzzing sound. The dash mounts aren't deep enough and I trimmed the foam crap on the underside of the dashpad but the right one still rubs. In the rear, it took some work rebending the wire part of those hangers and I lost the little spacer rings so they rub the openings on the rear deck. When the weather gets better I'll take care of them, but it's a pain.

BTW, I notice everytime the stereo goes off, for whatever reason, that I have absolutely no windnoise. Even though I know, I'm impressed everytime I DON'T hear it.

i think its "BREW-uhm" ... i've heard it pronouced somewhere b4, but can't remeber where, even though i call it "bro"-"ham" just out of habit

Yes, I meant 133"!

Strange, I read from several sources (books) and heard from several fellow Cadillac owners that the '69 Fleetwoods had real wood. It was thin, but still wood.

The book, "Cadillac of the Sixties" says, for 1969, "All Fleetwood series cars feature a rich, rosewood insert." It doesn't say "looks like wood" or "wood-like."

Also, the 1969 brochure says, "Wood paneling enhances the dignity of the Sixty-Special's many upholstery and fabrics." That is in the Sixty-Special Sedan page. The Fleetwood Brougham page says, "The rich look of rare wood accents its long 133" wheelbase..."

The trim on the dash of my '69 has peeled away... it looks like there was either some kind of "skin" made by staining it or the paneling is covered (protected) by plastic. Underneath, I can see some kind of roughness which would look more like wood than plastic. I've never seen plastic which needed sanding.

I'd like to get more info on this!

Anyway, yes I love the '69s! Probably my favorite year for Cadillacs. The 1970 models have some good points, too- according to those Consumer Reports frequency-of-repair charts, the 1970 had the best record of all Cadillac years.
You're right- the '69 and the newer Cads have the power, but the '69s still look like a true Cadillac- even has a hint of fins.

I have the brochures at home and will go through them. The rosewood coment is from the 1968s, I'm sure of that, and notice the phrase "rich LOOK of rare wood accents" a little sneakiness going on there. :wtf:

Interesting about the pronunciation; I have never heard anything except the long O sound like Dave mentioned above (like "dome" as in dome light. Even on tours in car museums, or on TV car shows, that's the only way I've heard.

The Things I Dont Like About My 94 Wood Is That The Front Doors Dont Have A Solid Sounding Closing Sound, Like A Slight Rattle, And The Dings That Have Been Put On It Since I Bought It (ignorant Soccer Moms @ Parking Lots), No Moon Roof (really Miss That From My 92 Sedan De Ville + Those Seats Were More Comfortable), And One Of The Chrome Panels On The Bottom Of The Car Is Kind Of Dull, And The Little Amount Of Room U Have To Work With In Wheel Options Because Of The Back Skirt, The Drums In The Rear

I Didnt Think I Had That Many Complaints :confused:

OH AN I JUST REMEBERED ANOTHER ONE, THE GEAR SELECTOR/INDICATOR THING ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL: THE LINE DOESNT LINE UP EXACTLY ON THE LETTERS, IT WILL BE A LITTLE OFF, AND 2ND AND 3RD GEAR DONT LINE UP AT ALL, SO ITS LIKE A GUESSING GAME

If it is "BROhum" or "BROham" I'm disapointed. I'll stick with "BRUH-rum" because it sounds English. BROham is right out, but BROhum might do. HAM just doesn't sound classy to me. =P

THE GEAR SELECTOR/INDICATOR THING ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL: THE LINE DOESNT LINE UP EXACTLY ON THE LETTERS,

1. LOL. Just slap it around downshifting a couple years and it will break altogether. Been like that for 2 years and just bang it to nuetral and one slap down from there to 3:00 for drive.

2. I hates the autolevel the most. It's gotten to be a point of honor on my manhood to keep the stupit thing operating.

3. After that I hates the rear discs. It stops too darn fast and I keep getting assed.

4. Compared to all the things I like about it, those are bad.

5. Broammmm.

Interesting about the pronunciation; I have never heard anything except the long O sound like Dave mentioned above (like "dome" as in dome light. Even on tours in car museums, or on TV car shows, that's the only way I've heard.
I always pronounced it "Broawm" Then again I have a NY accent since I'm an Italian from The Bronx. :coolgleam

If it is "BROhum" or "BROham" I'm disapointed. I'll stick with "BRUH-rum" because it sounds English. BROham is right out, but BROhum might do. HAM just doesn't sound classy to me. =P

I say "BRO-umm". BRUH-rum? There's no second "r" in there. I'm sensitive to this because people call me Herbert all the time. :crybaby:

1. LOL. Just slap it around downshifting a couple years and it will break altogether. Been like that for 2 years and just bang it to nuetral and one slap down from there to 3:00 for drive.

2. I hates the autolevel the most. It's gotten to be a point of honor on my manhood to keep the stupit thing operating.

3. After that I hates the rear discs. It stops too darn fast and I keep getting assed.

4. Compared to all the things I like about it, those are bad.

5. Broammmm.

Mine broke last month. I found a replacement at the friendly junkyard (got a nice chrome wheel too for only $100.00) and had the dealer install it. Labor wwas about 1/2 hr, part was $75.00 which included the IPC (hated digital dash which I didn't use), so not too bad, now the car wash attendent won't sit there wondering why the needle won't move from "P" when he shifts the car - even though he can feel thecar shifting into gear.
:lightbulb :banghead2 :bonkers:

I have the brochures at home and will go through them. The rosewood coment is from the 1968s, I'm sure of that, and notice the phrase "rich LOOK of rare wood accents" a little sneakiness going on there. :wtf:

Yeah, they didn't make it very clear!

I found another item in the Cadillac Buyer's Guide, which may help...
(It was the caption under a photo of a '66 Fleetwood Brougham door panel.)
"Lavish wood trim shown here on the 1966 Brougham, diminished to a thin veneer by 1969, and has been vinyl or plastic ever since."

The brochures can be seen on the Internet. I've looked at them (online) a few times.

I always pronounced it "Broawm" Then again I have a NY accent since I'm an Italian from The Bronx. :coolgleam

An Italian from the Bronx with a Cadillac...I won't EVER look in your trunk.

Been watching too much "Sopranos." =P Just playing.

So yeah, I was at the dealership the other day so I asked and it's, "BRO-um." You could easily stick the H in there I guess, so long as you keep with the British "HUM" instead of "HAM." I'll learn to live with that sort of a compromise. Oh, and to the person who pointed out that there's no extra R in the name: I put it in my pronunciation guide because I think the English accent would sort of take it in that direction, with a very soft "R". They seem to stick R's in every now and then.

Not that this is all too important or interesting, but according to www.dictionary.com (http://www.dictionary.com/):

brougham Pronunciation Key (http://dictionary.reference.com/help/ahd4/pronkey.html) (brhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/oomacr.gifm, brhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/oomacr.gifhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/prime.gifhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/schwa.gifm, brhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/omacr.gifm, brhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/omacr.gifhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/prime.gifhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/schwa.gifm)
n.

A closed four-wheeled carriage with an open driver's seat in front.
An automobile with an open driver's seat.
An electrically powered automobile resembling a coupé.
[After Henry Peter Brougham, First Baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868), Scottish-born jurist.]


I guess it's settled. 10 points to the member who nailed it several posts ago. So now what the heck's a coupé? =P I'll stick to COUPE, thanks. I'll shut up now. :worship:

Yeah, they didn't make it very clear!

I found another item in the Cadillac Buyer's Guide, which may help...
(It was the caption under a photo of a '66 Fleetwood Brougham door panel.)
"Lavish wood trim shown here on the 1966 Brougham, diminished to a thin veneer by 1969, and has been vinyl or plastic ever since."

The brochures can be seen on the Internet. I've looked at them (online) a few times.

Yes, Up to and including 1968, Fleetwoods and leather equipped cars (like my 1968 deVille convertible :cool: ) had real rood trim on the dash and door panels.
1969 and on - fake wood until the 93 & up front drive Northstar equipped models (like my 2000 Eldorado Convertible) :D

Actually my 1995 Fleetwood is the ONLY Cadillac that I currently have that has FAKE wood trim :hmm: Even the 05 CTS has some real wood trim on it.

There's a dutch web site fleetwood75.net or something like that. It has lots of online brochures as wellas specs, production figures, and original list prices.

Yes, Up to and including 1968, Fleetwoods and leather equipped cars (like my 1968 deVille convertible :cool: ) had real rood trim on the dash and door panels.
1969 and on - fake wood until the 93 & up front drive Northstar equipped models (like my 2000 Eldorado Convertible) :D

Actually my 1995 Fleetwood is the ONLY Cadillac that I currently have that has FAKE wood trim :hmm: Even the 05 CTS has some real wood trim on it.

There's a dutch web site fleetwood75.net or something like that. It has lots of online brochures as wellas specs, production figures, and original list prices.

Where did you find your info about the wood?

I've found info from several books and from about 6 other Cadillac enthusiasts who agree that the wood lasted until 1969; from 1970 and on it was plastic (until it reappeared in the late '80s).

I remember the Dutch site you mentioned. I have looked at it, but it's been a while.

I've found info from several books and from about 6 other Cadillac enthusiasts who agree that the wood lasted until 1969; from 1970 and on it was plastic (until it reappeared in the late '80s).


Here is one book I'm referring to (The Illustrated Cadillac Buyer's Guide):