Replacing various parts

[Counselor]

Wondering: I have had many cadillacs and drove them well over 250,000 miles. Still have 89 4.5 with 204,000 miles and never have replaced anything except smog pump and blower motor. Everything is original. Got 96 STS and replaced battery, taped up blower motor casing (cracked), front wheel bearings, bushings in front end, EGR valve, Water pump and heater core. Must have been made in mexico with that 1.00 an hour help with no quality control. Anyone else having to replace parts sooner then later?

[clarkz71]

Sounds like you got lucky with the 89.

Sounds like normal wear & tear on the 96.

For what it's worth, I've had great luck with my 95, just replaced the shift solenoids,
a known problem with 93-95 4T80E's
which had been updated in the 96 model year.
Otherwise just about everything on my 95 would be original
Of course it only has 70,000 miles on it. But it's still 12 years old.

The cracked blower HVAC housing is common in most Seville and Eldorado's
of the era.

How many miles on that STS?

[codewize]

Maybe I got lucky too with my untouched 89 4.5? Basically I don't care what anyone says about the late 80's cars. The 4.5 drive-train is bulletproof. I have 225k on mine and it runs like new. It does need an intake gasket but the car is in great shape and is in need of only minor TLC.

[clarkz71]

So you have the original battery, water pump, etc. That's what he's complaining about on his 96.
I find it hard to believe an 89
anything doesn't need maintenance/wear & tear items.

Code, did I touch a nerve?? LOL

[jadcock]

Our '97 served us very well. Only real "major" items were alternator, battery (wear item), water pump, etc. I did have to have the A/C rebuilt once. The car has 160,000 miles on it now. My brother drives it everyday. Most everything on that car is original, and it runs like a top. Originally tranny fluid, original struts and air shocks, no codes, etc. It's what drove me, so to speak, to another Cadillac (our '01 STS), which we also LOVE.

[codewize]

LOL no it's fine. I was just jumpy. NO the battery has been replaced and there was some work done on accessories but most of those failures were caused but a stupid mechanic that broke the belt tensioner subsequently breaking other stuff.

So if he hadn't mess up the belt tensioner I'm feeling like none of those other parts would have needed replacing.

Originally Posted by clarkz71

So you have the original battery, water pump, etc. That's what he's complaining about on his 96.
I find it hard to believe an 89
anything doesn't need maintenance/wear & tear items.

Code, did I touch a nerve?? LOL

[clarkz71]

OK, cool.

[Counselor]

The 96 sts has 102,000 on it. I did replace battery in 89 bought the finest mexican made battery that one can find at walmart but everything else on the 89 is original. That means water pump, alternator, starter, transmission, front end, rear end and everything else.......ah wait a minute oh I did put some tires on it and brakes so they are not original.

[Counselor]

By the way with as many cadillacs that I have owned most of the parasitic parts lasted much longer than other car makes I have owned. So therefore I'm saying that I have never replaced starters, alternators, water pumps, a.c. compressors, radiators, heater cores,etc on all of them even up to 200,000 miles. It seems premature to me to replace these items on this 96 this early in the game at 102,000.

[codewize]

I agree. I have done the starter and water pump on my 93 Brougham but it's approaching 200k

Originally Posted by Counselor

By the way with as many cadillacs that I have owned most of the parasitic parts lasted much longer than other car makes I have owned. So therefore I'm saying that I have never replaced starters, alternators, water pumps, a.c. compressors, radiators, heater cores,etc on all of them even up to 200,000 miles. It seems premature to me to replace these items on this 96 this early in the game at 102,000.

[clarkz71]

Originally Posted by Counselor

By the way with as many cadillacs that I have owned most of the parasitic parts lasted much longer than other car makes I have owned. So therefore I'm saying that I have never replaced starters, alternators, water pumps, a.c. compressors, radiators, heater cores,etc on all of them even up to 200,000 miles. It seems premature to me to replace these items on this 96 this early in the game at 102,000.

You should play the lottery.

[jadcock]

I agree -- I would say that it's pretty unusual to not have to replace ANY of those parts, especially a water pump. I've never heard of a water pump lasting 200,000+ miles. Starters are pretty robust these days. Even on older vehicles, I've never had a bad starter. The only alternator I had bad was the one that was replaced on my '97 (which was premature I thought). The replacement Delco alternator lasted longer than the original (and is still going). The '97 still has the original radiator and heater core.

Your '96 sounds about average probably. You've had to do some maintenance repairs, but it doesn't sound like anything major has failed (like the engine or transmission). Could be better, could be worse.

[Counselor]

You're probably right jadcock, hopefully the car will settle down. The trans and engine are strong but so was the other cads I had and that is about 7 of them. Always loved Buicks until they dumped the best transmission ever made that is the dynaflo.

[blb]

Originally Posted by Counselor

Wondering: I have had many cadillacs and drove them well over 250,000 miles. Still have 89 4.5 with 204,000 miles and never have replaced anything except smog pump and blower motor. Everything is original. Got 96 STS and replaced battery, taped up blower motor casing (cracked), front wheel bearings, bushings in front end, EGR valve, Water pump and heater core. Must have been made in mexico with that 1.00 an hour help with no quality control. Anyone else having to replace parts sooner then later?

A/C compressor, alternator, water pump, struts and oil leaks will probably be next. After that look forward to headgaskets. Pretty much on par with the Northstar equipped vehicles. Now you're finding why GM has slipped from 60% to less than 25% of market share and the plunge continues.....

[jadcock]

Originally Posted by blb

A/C compressor, alternator, water pump, struts and oil leaks will probably be next. After that look forward to headgaskets. Pretty much on par with the Northstar equipped vehicles.

You aren't, by any chance, an avid reader of Consumer Reports are you?