What do you not like about your FW???

[caddycruiser]

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?

[elwesso]

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???

[airbalancer]

Originally Posted by caddycruiser

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?

[brougham]

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.

[caddycruiser]

Originally Posted by elwesso

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.

[elwesso]

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..

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.....

[cadillacjack01]

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.

[Sandy]

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

[tru504187211]

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

[Ralph]

Originally Posted by tru504187211

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?

[tru504187211]

So its going to say fleetwood instead of sixty special?

[tru504187211]

cursive script or printed lettering?

[tru504187211]

by the FWD Fleetwoods!

[brougham]

Originally Posted by tru504187211

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

[caddycruiser]

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?!