77-79 and 80-92 are distinct body styles. From there, the difference between the DeVille and Fleetwood is the interiors and some minor trim variation.
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Welcome back EMB. DO NOT get anything with the 4.1. That pretty much rules out '81-'85. After that they used an olds 305 engine so they are okay. I would say go '90-'92, but then again I am a little biased. 
DO NOT get anything with the 4.1 if the seller does not have all the maintenance records. That pretty much rules out '81-'85 actually, the 81s got the last of the big block engines, the 368. After that they used an olds 305 engine so they are okay. the Olds is a 307, and was used from 86-90
FTFY
FTFY
It's not the tires, it's the driver
Don't stress, I drove the same way when I was 19, too. If 1/3 throttle spins, then press lighter.
BTW, that "4-6-8 BS" was one year only: 1981. "because those engines were troublesome as well" The engines weren't troublesome, the computer program was. The only problem was the 6 cylinder mode. A V8 is balanced to fire on 8 or on 4. Look at all modern DOD engines (GM, Chrysler). They ONLY have an 8 and 4 mode. NO 6. On the 81, when the computer called for 6, the engine would be firing out of balance briefly before it switched to 4. As a result, Cadillac owners used to butter-smooth big blocks complained. The fix? Cut the wire from the trans to the computer that tells when to switch to less cylinders. The fix today for 81 owners (like me)? Hook the wire back up, but put an inline switch before the computer. Leave it off around town (when it would call for 6 cyl mode), but flip it on the highway to put the engine in 4 cylinder mode. Therefore, the engine runs smooth all the time, and it never runs in the unbalanced 6 cyl mode. Cool, no?
School's out! I'm going out to the garage to work on a Cadillac
having a 4.1 won't be a problem because he's going to rip it out anyway in favor of something else.... he too expressed a like for the later ones 90-92 when they updated the stereo and hvac controls. his big plan is to have a set of "twins" a 81-89 Town Car and 80-92 Brougham. He's a die hard Ford fan, but I think I persuaded him to give a Caddy a try
I know how to drive in the winter. The first thing I ever drove in snow was an '89 Ford F-250 with an International Harvester diesel. That truck is so front heavy it gets stuck in wet grass, seriously. My dad has a Ford E-150 that I also drive frequently and it does better than the Brougham in the winter. I know how to go easy on the throttle but having that heavy of a car that is RWD with boatloads of torque makes it less than ideal. My '88, on the other hand, does as well as my Mom's '00 4x4 Blazer in snowy conditions.It's not the tires, it's the driver
Don't stress, I drove the same way when I was 19, too. If 1/3 throttle spins, then press lighter.
To answer your question: Yes. I use cinder blocks because they don't have a tenancy to leak in my trunk. Weight over the rear axle of any rear wheel drive vehicle, be it pickup truck or luxury sedan, is beneficial to winter traction, yet detrimentally to gas mileage.
And to answer ebm1230, the Fleetwood Brougham was a luxury option for the De Ville until 1985. After that it was a separate model line. The differences are mostly cosmetic. The main differences are that the Fleetwood has a wreath crest instead of a V crest, a formal roof line with a limousine type rear window, and chrome trim that wraps around th sides of the hood.
Fleetwood Brougham Emblem
De Ville Emblem
Fleetwood Brougham Hood
De Ville Hood (notice the chrome centerline)
Fleetwood Brougham Rear Window
De Ville Rear Window
The chrome around the window ends at the rear door on some De Ville years, but wraps around the body and ends at the front clip on the Fleetwood Brougham.
6
The biggest difference for winter driving is tires (I can't believe we are talking about winter!). I use my wagon in the winter, so my other cars never see the salt. This year, I put on a set of Hankook Winter iPike tires. UNSTOPPABLE. Best winter tires I have ever used. Big blocks to chew through the snow, great siping so they are good on ice. A nice high-speed directional design so they are actually quiet on the highway. I highly recommend them! I went with 235 75 15s, btw. They are big, but they fit fine. Put a set of these on, and you will NEVER have problems with traction in the winter. Put studs in them, and you could drive up a ski hill...
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I used Kelly Wintermark tires. They not only have thick lugs and are pinned for studs, but they have 1 inch wide white walls, which is a must have for any Cadillac. We had a bad snow and ice storm and my car was the only one that was able to get out of the driveway, and my neighbor owns a 4X4 Blazer (I live in a town house and there is one common driveway).
The only problem I Have with them is that they rub on the inner fender during sharp turns.
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