German, Japanese, American, Thai, Korean, From the Moon... it doesnt matter. If the car was not properly maintained then you will be buying headaches.
The Northstar can go well in excess of 200k miles when properly maintained. It does not "fall apart" but generally what does most of them in is headgasket failures. You need to ensure that the proper coolant maintenance has been performed on this car above anything else. For a '96 this would be in 2000 and 2004 if its got the orange coolant. If the green stuff is in it, then it should have coolant changes every 2 years.
Other than that, general used car common sense applies. Check all buttons/switches and make sure the A/C works properly and blows cold, check the operation of all vent modes and move from heat to cold several times to ensure the entire mechanical portion of the A/C system is functioning as well.
Also, third on the list after that would be the suspension. Make sure the car is not throwing any suspension related errors on the DIC. Check that the air leveling system is operating (youll hear a low hum when you first start it) and that there is no harshness in the ride. Suspension parts can add up $$$ quick. Do a search for "check codes" on our search feature as well, and write down any codes that appear. These can prove invaluable in determining a little history about the vehicle's mechanical shape as well as the current status of all parts that can be monitored electronically.
If youre on a limited budget, even if the car is in perfect condition, I would recommend looking at something else... maybe a Japanese or basic american car like a Ford Focus etc. I dont mean that in a negative way, I really hate seeing people get bitten buy their vehicle's maintenance and then being stuck in an emergency with no reliable transportation. This car WILL require attention consistently at that mileage, most of it will be small things, but you need to be able to budget for anything major that comes up.
Most people who complain about Cadillacs being unreliable cars, are those who purchased them for next to nothing and then expected to get Honda Civic levels of reliability for a daily driver. These are excellent vehicles, but they require proper maintnenance to fully enjoy their potential.
Good luck and Welcome to the Forum.
Ian.
The Northstar can go well in excess of 200k miles when properly maintained. It does not "fall apart" but generally what does most of them in is headgasket failures. You need to ensure that the proper coolant maintenance has been performed on this car above anything else. For a '96 this would be in 2000 and 2004 if its got the orange coolant. If the green stuff is in it, then it should have coolant changes every 2 years.
Other than that, general used car common sense applies. Check all buttons/switches and make sure the A/C works properly and blows cold, check the operation of all vent modes and move from heat to cold several times to ensure the entire mechanical portion of the A/C system is functioning as well.
Also, third on the list after that would be the suspension. Make sure the car is not throwing any suspension related errors on the DIC. Check that the air leveling system is operating (youll hear a low hum when you first start it) and that there is no harshness in the ride. Suspension parts can add up $$$ quick. Do a search for "check codes" on our search feature as well, and write down any codes that appear. These can prove invaluable in determining a little history about the vehicle's mechanical shape as well as the current status of all parts that can be monitored electronically.
If youre on a limited budget, even if the car is in perfect condition, I would recommend looking at something else... maybe a Japanese or basic american car like a Ford Focus etc. I dont mean that in a negative way, I really hate seeing people get bitten buy their vehicle's maintenance and then being stuck in an emergency with no reliable transportation. This car WILL require attention consistently at that mileage, most of it will be small things, but you need to be able to budget for anything major that comes up.
Most people who complain about Cadillacs being unreliable cars, are those who purchased them for next to nothing and then expected to get Honda Civic levels of reliability for a daily driver. These are excellent vehicles, but they require proper maintnenance to fully enjoy their potential.
Good luck and Welcome to the Forum.
Ian.
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