for under 8k would anybody buy a NS Caddy?

[CadillacSTS2003]

Originally Posted by darien99

My STS was $2600. 155,000 miles. 13.7 in the 1/4 after some tweaks. Headgaskets are original and do not leak.

was one of those tweaks NOS?
no way no how your pulling 13 sec 1/4s
my ETCs about the most modified NA VIN 9 and its only pulling 14.2

[BigDaddy63]

So, should I sell the '02 DTS I just bought with 45,000 miles on it Lenny? KBB retail is about $15-$16k and I bought it for much less than that. I'm trying to understand your logic. If I bought it for $8k I'm an idiot? IMO, I can drive this car for a couple of years and then most likely sell it for about the same price as I paid for it. I am a little nervous reading all of these threads about head gaskets and other common problems, but in my experience 90% of the problems with a car has to due with maintenance. Seeing how my DTS only has 45k miles on it, I may look at buying an extended service contract just in case. Any opinions?

For the record, I have owned Fords all my life. I've owned and raced several Mustangs, 2 Lincolns, a 65 Galaxy, and an Exploder. If I could have bought a 4 door Mustang, I would have. That being said, as a diehard blue-oval man, there is no comparison between this Caddy and any Ford I've owned or driven in for luxury, quality, finish, and craftsmanship.

Tell me Lenny, how much would you pay for this. Fully loaded 02 DTS. Every option except sunroof. 45,000 miles. Factory maintained. New tires. Comfort package. 17" chrome wheels, Pearl paint. Not a scratch.

[IMG][/IMG]

[Ranger]

Sold my '97 2 years ago with 107K. Original head gaskets and dry as death valley.

[submariner409]

lennylincoln..........Well, only 45,450. No leaks. No coolant. Uses NO oil. CKP's at about 25,000. Warranty on both. Don't anticipate any problems. Great car.

The running total of ALL persons in this site who have had problems with a Northstar engine/transmission setup (in the year group you describe)represent such an infinitesimally small percentage of the total product delivery as to be statistically insignificant.

I am in no way belittling the fact that when your car has significant problems you feel shat upon. You then have two choices: fix it or unload it. Most of the members here choose to fix it.

Haunt another Forum, domestic or foreign. Cadillac is not alone in weird problems and solutions. If you want the perfect car, get a ??? skateboard ??? .

If I, or another CFmember says "Aw, yeah, get one" and it craps out on you next week, what do you think ??? Better to say "Forget it" and not have to put up with whining when the plugs need changing.

[Mountie]

Lenny, Lenny......

I have a '93 STS with 150,000 miles and it hauls ass!! It has a little oil leak, just like my friend's 2006 BMW. He said, "Sh*t this car is fast!" ..... His car cost him over $70,000. I work on my car, my self. Just changed the oil today....other than that, I check the tires for air & fuel it every couple weeks @ 26 mpg.

By the way. Me & my co-workers are entering a 1969 Lincoln Continental MarkIII in our Demolition Derby this July at the Orange County Fair here in So Cal. This puppy is stock with a 375HP 390ci. We're killing the secondaries. Too much HP.

Our team name: ' Can't afford a Chevy'.

Fun stuff.

[dkozloski]

Lincoln hasn't built a car that could get out of its own smoke since The Mexican Road Race days in the early fifties. The only way that a Lincoln can stay within sight of a Caddy is to hitch it to the back end with a tow rope. Ask the man in the street to name the American luxury car and 90% will say Cadillac. Lincoln has never brought the prestige to the table that Cadillac has enjoyed for 100 years. At best, Lincoln has been regarded by the public as the first runner-up. Lincoln afficianados can quote specs and voice opinions but at the end of the day they sound much like a parent trying to brag up a son who just got out of jail.

[darien99]

Originally Posted by CadillacSTS2003

was one of those tweaks NOS?
no way no how your pulling 13 sec 1/4s
my ETCs about the most modified NA VIN 9 and its only pulling 14.2

How much does it weigh?

Yes N/A. Near perfect weather conditions. About 500 feet above sea level. 60' time was 2.2
This car ran 14.66 stock on 18's.

[Raze]

Originally Posted by dkozloski

Lincoln hasn't built a car that could get out of its own smoke since The Mexican Road Race days in the early fifties. The only way that a Lincoln can stay within sight of a Caddy is to hitch it to the back end with a tow rope. Ask the man in the street to name the American luxury car and 90% will say Cadillac. Lincoln has never brought the prestige to the table that Cadillac has enjoyed for 100 years. At best, Lincoln has been regarded by the public as the first runner-up. Lincoln afficianados can quote specs and voice opinions but at the end of the day they sound much like a parent trying to brag up a son who just got out of jail.

The LS can move, so can the Mark VIIIs...

I have a 98 ETC, lifted the front head at 95k, leaks oil like a seive however I recently found that the oil leak is from the oil return on the oil cooler in the radiator, the return line uses a plastic clip to lock the hose into the fitting instead of a flared metal hose fitting like the input line, well my clip was missing one of the clips since it's 10 years old and been heat cycled who knows how many times and the line had started to back out, and finally blew out while on the highway oiling my serpentine and tossing the belt, the experience was not fun. After buttoning it back up it barely leaks at all, honestly the oil leaks usually start with the valvecover gaskets and oil pan seal. The VCGs are easy to replace, and as long as your cooler lines are tight you really shouldn't leak much if any oil.

That being said, I'd stick with a RWD car with a longitudinally mounted engine, much easier to work on, I don't care what anyone says about a N* being easy to work on they're full of $h1t straight up or they haven't spent enough time under their hood doing real repairs. I will admit N*s are relativley simple once you remove the 5 things in your way to get to the problem area buy by comparison to every RWD car or truck I've worked on with the exception of my buddies BMW 540i, the N* powered FWD caddies are not far easier due to the fact that there's usually no room and to do the repair requires multiple 'tear down' steps to actually get to the job...

Don't get me wrong I love my caddy, and enjoy working on it, but the god's honest truth is that if I had it to do all over again I would have bought the Mark VIII I was looking at. Wasn't as nice fit and finish and didn't have the nuts or the ride the caddy had (sports supsension) but it would have been much easier to get my hands in and around it to work on it...

[tateos]

I own a '97 ETC and a '05 Lincoln LS. The LS is a good car, but it only seems like a really nice Ford or Mercury to me. The ETC has 100K+ more miles on it than the LS, but I far prefer the ETC in most ways. To me, there is no comparison between my Cadillac and my Lincoln. I don't know - maybe it would be more fair to compare the LS to the previous generation CTS?

[darien99]

oh and what's done to the etc/what year is it? Makes a big diff if you're racing a 4200 lb car or a 3800 lb car

[lenny lincoln]

I originally posted this question on the 4.9 board. I didnt expect to be thrown to the lions. But after reading all the other post especially the sticky on head failure, I still believe the NS is junk. Nobody here has changed my mind. Why buy a 8k caddy only to risk the pain of having to fix head gasket leaks at the tune of 3k. I would feel uneasy taking my family 100 miles from home in a 80k caddy for fear of break down. Yes, by the name I sign on with, I do own a 2002 lincoln town car along with a 93 deville with 133k. My wife loves the front well drive handling of the SD in the winter but would rather drive the lincoln when the weather is fair. The Sd is like a billy goat in snow compared to the TC. I wanted to up grade her to a newer full size, front wheel drive, luxury car for the winter. We came across the SD by accident and a willing to help a family member in need of $$. We didnt need another car but the family member needed $$ so we offered more than what it was worth. I will not drop 20k+ for a deprecating vechicle. I pay cash for my vechicles and I think cars that are taken care of should easily go 160k without major break downs on an average. A 40k new,ten year old car should be worth 8k and still run and last like you spent 40k on a car. All my TC that I have bought over the years have never left me stranded with a 3k repair bill . They have never left me stranded. Just too show you an example of the average problems a TC owner has, here is some links to some busy forums. NOTICE THE STICKYS. hint: nobody is complaining of 3k+ repair bills.

http://http://www.lincolnsonline.com...play.php?f=261

[url="http://http://www.lincolnforums.com/forums/index.php?showforum=13"]

[racinrod67]

Lenny, it sounds like you had your mind made up before your first post was submitted. I just wanted to state the facts of my 96 STS: I bought it 6 years ago with 60K on it and have put 80+K on it without any major problems. I have had to replace normal parts and pieces on it but never a 3K repair. My car runs and drives superb, doesn't smoke or leak any oil. I would not hesitate to take it on a road trip, which I recently did - 1400 miles round trip and never gave it a second thought. This is my first Cadillac and will not be my last! You can't beat the ride and comfort, plus the N* has plenty of power!!!

[eldorado1]

Originally Posted by lenny lincoln

NOTICE THE STICKYS. hint: nobody is complaining of 3k+ repair bills.

What? That they catch on fire?

bwahahahaha....

[AJxtcman]

I work on Cars for a living! I just hate working on F.O.R.D.'s
They run backwards. Yeah the crank spins counterclockwise. They flip the rear end upside down compared to everyone else. That is how they work. Backwards.
I have owned 2 and that was enough!

[submariner409]

AJ.........I notice that you hate working on F.O.R.D. Does that mean "Found On Road, Dead" or "First On Race Day" ??