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About to Purchase 2008 STS, Anything I Should Look For or Beware Of?

6K views 55 replies 12 participants last post by  cadillacmike68 
#1 ·
I'm about to purchase a 2008 STS V8 4.6L. It has 61,000 miles on it, a clear title and clean CarFax (in fact, the CarFax indicates the the previous owner had it regularly maintained at a local Cadillac dealership). I'm buying it from an independent dealer (not Cadillac). The car has the wood trim and DVD-based Navigation system. The car is very nice and I'm looking forward to owning it.

Is there anything I should look out for?

Also, I'd like to get the build sheet, if possible.
 
#6 ·
They have to honor the web price, just print it off and bring it with.
If they want a sale they will do it.

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No HIDs, No ACC, No Intellibeam, No Moonroof, base wheels, has Nav, looks like custom floor mats, looks weird without the strut tower brace, very odd to see a RWD model with no spoiler, no ventilated seats.

Honestly I think the price is a little high considering all the things it doesn't have. The only value add is that it has Nav, V8 and lowish miles.

To me that would make it about a $14k car, not $15.4k and nowhere near $17k/$18k
 
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#12 ·
Here's what the car has:

132 - LIGHT GRAY
13I - LIGHT GRAY
1SE - 1SE LUXURY PACKAGE
1SZ - PREFERRED EQUIPMENT SAVINGS
6LJ - SUSPENSION
7LJ - SUSPENSION
8XS - SUSPENSION
98U - WHITE DIAMOND PREMIUM PAINT
9XS - SUSPENSION
A45 - MULTI-DRIVER MEMORY SETTINGS
AL0 - SENSOR INDICATOR INFLATABLE RESTRAINT, FRT PASS/CHILD PRESENCE DETECTOR
AL2 - POWER LUMBAR CONTROL
AP9 - CONVENIENCE NET, CARGO
AQ9 - SEATS, FRONT BUCKET
AT8 - RR CHILD SEAT RESTRAINT
AY0 - FRONT & SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS, DRIVER & FRONT PASSENGER / HEAD CURTAIN SIDE AIRBAGS, FRONT/REAR
B20 - SAPELE WOOD TRIM ON CENTER STACK, CONSOLE, SHIFT KNOB. INSTRUMENT PANEL, DOOR TRIM AND STEERING WHEEL
B9E - PRODUCTION WEEK 05
BQ2 - AVIS BUDGET CAR RENTAL, LLC
CE1 - RAINSENSE WINDSHIELD WIPERS
CFN - SUNROOF DELETE
CJ2 - DUAL ZONE CLIMATE CONTROL
DCP - ONSTAR DIRECTIONS AND CONNECTIONS 1 YEAR FACTORY PACKAGE
DD8 - INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR, AUTO DIMMING
DR2 - POWER, HEATED OUTSIDE MIRRORS
FE1 - 4 WHEEL INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION
FLT - FLEET PROCESSING OPTION
G64 - LOAD LEVEL CONTROL, AUTOMATIC
GU2 - AXLE REAR, 2.73 RATIO
IL2 - INTERIOR TRIM
JJB - PT DRESS SUBASSEMBLY INSTALLED
JJD - I/P SUBASSEMBLY NOT INSTALLED
JJL - SUSPENSION FRONT NOT INSTALLED
JJM - SUSPENSION REAR NOT INSTALLED
JL9 - ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM, 4 WHEEL DISC
KA1 - HEATED FRONT SEATS
KA6 - SEATS, HEATED REAR OUTBOARD
KG4 - GENERATOR, 150 AMP
LH2 - ENGINE, 4.6L NORTHSTAR V8
MX0 - TRANSMISSION, 6-SPD AUTOMATIC
MYB - TRANSMISSION, 6-SPD AUTOMATIC
N31 - HEATED & LEATHER WRAPPED STEERING WHEEL
N93 - 17" POLISHED ALUMINUM WHEELS
NE1 - 50-STATE EMISSIONS
NU1 - EMISSION - CALIFORNIA
QKP - P235/50R17 MICHELIN S-RATED TIRES
R6F - IDENTIFY B CODE USERS
R9N - PROCESSING CODE - SEAT
T84 - HEADLAMPS, TUNGSTEN HALOGEN
T90 - LAMP SIGNAL AND MARKER
U2K - XM SATELLITE RADIO - SERVICE FEE EXTRA. 1ST 3 MONTHS INCL.
U30 - DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER
UA6 - THEFT DETERRENT ALARM SYSTEM
UE1 - 1 YR ONSTAR DIRECTIONS W/TURN- BY-TURN NAVIGATION (ASK DEALER ABOUT GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE)
UG1 - UNIVERSAL HOME REMOTE
UJ6 - TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR
UY5 - 15 SPEAKERS DELUXE
V4X - STS CONVERSION V8
V73 - VEHICLE STATEMENT USA/CANADA
VH9 - ENVELOPE, OWNER INFO MANUAL
VK3 - LICENSE PLATE FRONT MOUNTING PACKAGE
VN9 - DAILY RENTAL REPURCHASE PROGRAM
VT7 - OWNERS MANUAL, ENGLISH
VZ3 - LABEL, MERCURY DISPOSAL
YQ4 - AM/FM STEREO, 6 DISC CD CHANGER, BOSE 5.1 STUDIO SURROUND SOUND SYSTEM, DVD NAVIGATION SYSTEM (REPLACES STD/OPT RADIO) (DELETES COMPASS IN MIRROR) YT1 - DAILY RENTAL FLAT RATE DEPRECIATION
 
#13 ·
I think by posting this, you have solidified my point... the ad is misleading. The car does not have the performance suspension and 18" wheels. Not that this car is bad, it's just mis-represented. I just went through all of this myself.

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I also see this was an Avis Budget rental car... something else to keep in mind
 
#17 ·
Thanks all for your input.

I told the dealership that I'd like my long-time mechanic to inspect the car before I purchased it. I've had him look at every car I purchased for twenty years and I think he's saved me from a few big headaches.

The salesman said "there's really no need but if you insist that's fine, we'll call him, set up a time and bring it to him."

I'll mention the front lower control arms to him.
 
#19 ·
The 1 good thing about getting a fleet / rental version of the STS is that you typically get the lower gear ratio final drive to give even better gas mileage at a small sacrifice of performance off the line.

On an unrelated note ...
James6speed - any plans to try and turbo the STS? (as your other two are turbo'd already)
 
#21 ·
Maybe that Madtuning. As long as it doesn't hurt drivability and gas mileage, I may go for it. I need to read more about it.
There are a couple of threads around regarding Madtuner that you'll want to check out.
1BadCadSTS was effectively the test mule for it so if you have any questions i'm sure he can field some of / all of them if not madtuner directly (he is a member on the site).
I'd really like to get a tune just to tweak how the transmission behaves... just not sure if madtuner is the best for the 08 STS4 or not.
There was rumors about him also doing some tuning to the suspension control unit, not sure how far that panned out.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Do a good, long test drive. Tell them you want to take it home to show the wifey... or to see if it'll fit in your garage. If that doesn't make them let you have it for at least a full day, go for the test drive late on Saturday and they'll probably tell you to bring it back Monday morning. Be sure to do a lot of driving with the radio off. Make sure you take it on the highway and "floor it" through the gears to the highest speed you can mentally and financially tolerate.

Check that all the options and accessories work, the seats, the windows, the ash tray, the flashers, all the lights including the peanuts in the headlight capsule... (it would be perfect if you know someone that has an STS) and make yourself a check list of everything you want to check before you drive it, just like they suggest you write down your questions before visiting your doctor. Then put it through the paces. Remember, it's a 6 year old car and after all, it was a rental.

Just because your mechanic checked it doesn't mean you shouldn't do your due diligence. He may have missed something small while looking at the big stuff.

Don't fall in love with the first girl you see. There may be prettier and more desirable girls around the corner. I've been shopping for a STS-V and fell in love with one until my test drive and I took a deeper look. They had cleaned her up and put a lot of make-up on her so she looked really nice but after I test drove her I found out she was a really a nasty, broken piece of crap. Over 12 items had serious issues, serious like no AC, non-functioning outside mirrors, missing air deflectors, 1 rear window was non-functioning, the hood would close unless you slammed the be-jesus out of it, and on and on.

So, that's my MO.

Good luck and happy shopping.
 
#26 ·
I took it out for a long test drive today and was very pleased with the ride and performance.

I then sat with car for about an hour going over everything I saw and could think of (I had brought some notes). All lights work, including the peanuts. All seats warmers, power windows and outside mirrors work. Radio and CDs play loud and clear. I brought my iPod Touch and my line level-to-RCA jack and connected it to the RCA jacks in the center console and my iPod played loud and clear over the audio system. All speakers work. I couldn't test the Navigation system as the dealer takes the navigation DVDs out of the cars; but they assured me that they have it, they'll give it to me and that it works.

The body is in excellent condition, there's not a ding on it.

Here's what I found:
Minor: faceplate on backseat ashtray came off. The flip lid on the passenger side visor/vanity mirror is broken and the mirror light doesn't go on. The weather seal strip along the floor of the drivers side door is worn (all other doors are fine).

Oddest of all -- the "STS" logo on the trunk appears to be upside down (looks like it says "SIS").

Major: The drivers side heat won't blow hot. The passengers side will blow hot and/or cold normally. The backseat heat doesn't blow at all. As an STS owner (1999 and previously 1993) I'm all too familiar with replacing "blend door actuators" (in fact, when they brought the car over to the mechanic and showed him the problem with the heat he said out loud and to no one in particular "blend door actuator...").

I brought all this to the attention of the dealership. He was very agreeable to fixing everything before the purchase (he wrote down everything as I pointed them out). I told him that the heating issue was the most serious and that there will be no sale if the heating system was not fully operable by the time of purchase (I also ran the A/C on the passenger side and it blew cold).

If the dealership addresses these issues to my satisfaction, I'll purchase the car.
 
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