[ttrainor]

I have owned this 99 Deville Concours for less than four months. I have had a few problems. When I had put about 1000 miles on it, it started using coolant; yes, the head gasket was shot. Had the engine pulled, and found it had been overheated so much by the previous owner that the heads were warped;
solution, $8000 for a new engine.
Another 1000 miles, and the A/C quit working.
Solution, $1200 compressor.
Another 1000 miles, and a tire went flat.
Dry rot.
Solution, $600 in tires and alignment.
Now I get a warning saying "service stability system". When I restart the engine, it is gone. I have had it show up three times in the last two months.

Any guesses what this one will cost me?

Thanks, guys!

 

[powerglide]

WO!
It looks like you've spent more than the value of the car at this point.
Did you have to pay for that out of pocket (no warranty)

$8000 seems rather high for a new engine, a brand new crate motor Northstar sell for under 3000.

Anyways, the stabiltiy system could be the active suspension goign bad.
Behind the rear seat back, in the trunk is a couple of computers that control your active suspension....could be malfunctioning.
A cheap fix may be just replacing them with passive system from arnott.

Check for DTC codes and post back, we can work it out without having to pay the stealership again.

How many miles on your sled?


PS Welcome to the Forums!

 

[ttrainor]

The cost of a crate GM engine (this is the 300 HP) is $5,000. The dealer quoted that, and I went to a trusted garage who quoted the same thing. Installation included a new timing belt, and the oil cooler lines were leaking, so replaced them also. Labor, and the addition of the highest sales tax in the nation, brought the bill to $8000 at the private garage; the dealer would have been VERY close to that as well. It has a 36000 mile/36 month warantee.

The A/C compressor was done at the dealer, and has a lifetime warantee.

I bought the car 'as is', so no recourse on the concours.

By the time I add my $8000 purchase price, I am WELL over the value of the vehicle.

But what choice is there? I already SPENT the $8000 purchase, and the cad with a blown engine was worth scrap only -
But investing $8000 into it makes it worth about $13000 -

I have to be pragmatic about it, though;
I look at what this dreamboat cost new - $48,000
Every time something breaks, I will fix it.
I am getting a brand new Cadillac - one piece at a time!

It is ready to turn over 100,000.
It looks GREAT, everything works, and is far and away the finest vehicle I have ever driven.

I had a big bike - a Honda GL1500 - which my wife and I took on trips. In March, I layed it down with both of us on it on my leg and shattered my ankle. Still in physical therapy trying to get full function back.
I decided that if I was not strong enough to kick the bike back up, I should stop riding it, so sold it. It was the Cadillac of bikes, so the proceeds were spent on - what else? A Cadillac!

Thanks for the info -
Could this have anything to do with the tires?
Goodyear eagles of the proper size and speed rating, ballanced and alligned -
I noticed the owners manual says to shut it off and restart it, and if it reappears, take it to the dealer. So far, this always removes the warning - for several weeks.

Sorry for the Edit, I meant ot hit quote. I put the post back as originally posted.

​

 

[powerglide]

Very cool that you've decided to go that route!
Its an expensive way to go but noble neverthelss.

With a 7-8 year old car with 100k miles I would have probably purchased a used engine.....thats just me. I like to match the life expectancy of the parts.

Sorry to hear about your leg though.....I guess I won't be buying that goldwing afterall (I always wanted one....they are very nice)

As for your question:

I don't think its tire related.

Did you check for DTC codes?

We can get a lot of info from DTC codes, they are easy to display.

Try a search on this site using the search funtion for "stability system" or something like that....I bet there's tons of info regarding this very same problem
BTW
Here's a 300hp crate engine brand new for less than 2000$
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cadi...33615QQitemZ8002584319QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
Another one just like it sold for a little over 2000$
Anyways, thats neither here not there.....

 

[Ranger]

Installation included a new timing belt, and the oil cooler lines were leaking, so replaced them also.

​

The Northstar does not use a timing belt. It uses timing chains that should out live the engine. Doesn't a new engine come with them?

 

[ocjmakaveli]

seriously I would've thought that a crate engine would at least come with timing chains at least.....

I think your overpaying and to begin with how much did you pay for the car if it had a headgasket problem?

No a/c problem should cost that much ever.

I suggest going to the dealer for the suspension problem but that is one of the few reasons why you should go to a dealer.

The engine could have been done for $3500 total and probably a good running 60K mile engine.

Try to go to shops that don't have such high labor prices cause that is what will break you fast.

You can find plenty of shops with great mechanics that won't leave you broke with a few car fixes.

Lots of smaller shops don't even charge taxes which is a great thing I suggest you just shop around until you find a good reliable cheaper mechanic.

the suspension problem in a dealership will almost always yield 1 answer "replace the whole system for $X,000" because blah blah blah and they will insist you replace the whole system which i've been told a couple times with a couple cars.

I just insist to have it properly diagnosed and just fix the problem that it has and not the whole system.
I never fix it at the dealer though I either do it myself or find a smaller shop to do it because I don't like working a couple hours for every hour they "work" on my car.

The funny thing is that I've known so many cars that have been dealer maintained yet they sound like crap when running and I've had many cars that have never seen a dealership but they've been smooth like a ferrari.

just as an example I went to 2 different cadillac dealers when my ride system stopped turning on and they both insisted on a whole replacement system for about $2000 dollars not including taxes.

I later just diagnosed it myself with a couple tools for about $100 and I found out that a wire was broken on the inside so the signal wasn't getting to the compressor.I just cut it and connected it further along the wire and my problem was fixed.

Good luck btw try to get some diagnostic codes for your car they may tell you whats wrong with it.

 

[ttrainor]

Good grief!
I meant the single serpentine belt -
Excuse please!


And I missed on the value;
the car lists KBB at over $14,000 depending on what mileage you call it with a 100,000 on car with a new engine.

Yeah, the garage located two used engines for me; one with 30,000 miles for $3,500 and one with 65000 miles for $3,000. Each had a 30 day warantee. I opted for the $5,000 on the 3/36 warantee, new crate engine from GM.
E-bay scares me too much - I know too many folks that have been burned there.:bigroll:
That sounds funny from a guy that just bought a car with a bad engine - :bighead:

We figure this is the last vehicle we will have to buy, if my daughters experience with Cad's is any indicator; she has gotten several hundred thousand out of each Cad she has owned. One had a new tranny at 280,000, then drove it to 350,000 with no problems. Another to 250,000 with no repairs, then totalled it on the interstate - and walked away from the wreck without a scratch, due to the Cad safety systems. She is now on her third; a beautiful 98 Deville d'elegance with around 60,000 on it.

I will search for the codes and see what comes up -
The wording in the owners manual seems to indicate this is not an uncommon thing to get a false alarm on, though -

 

[powerglide]

Allow me to go off topic for a moment ttrainor......I have to ask about your homepage

That is the cutest looking little groundhog I have ever seen!!?

Digger is it?

Too bad he died (what got him?)......do groudnhogs make a good pet?

So cute!

 

[ttrainor]

The new crate engine came with timing chain, yes.

It even came with spark plugs!

 

[ttrainor]

<ot comment>
Digger was a doll!
He was a GREAT pet - never the least bit aggressive, never bit or scratched anyone at all. I had a pen in the living room for him, and he used a cat litter box to do his business in. We would bring him out when we were home, and he would take turns chasing us and being chased by us -
But watch the electrical cords! Groundhogs have a propensity to chew on things laying on the floor -
From the speed of his death, I believe it was a heart attack. If we ever bottle raise another one, we will restrict his food intake; I believe it is their nature to eat all they possibly can, and his excess fat probably contributed to his death.

Now working on the wild ones - I have five that come and take food from my hand. This gives me high hopes for next year, when these all have babies! Second generation should be tamer yet!

Thanks for visiting our site!
</ot comment>

Terry

 

[hitokiri315]

Hearing a story like this makes me not feel so bad about the repairs i had to make to my car. I bought it for 2800 + 400 for other parts and repairs. About 400 to fix my fuel pump situation. And the biggest expense yet was a 700 dollar A/C repair. This pales in comparison to the other situation.

Good luck with your caddy man.

 

[Stoneage_Caddy]

bought mine for 4900 , add $7800+ to that , and youve got an idea on what a money pit mine is ...

 

[ocjmakaveli]

bought mine for 4900 , add $7800+ to that , and youve got an idea on what a money pit mine is ...

7800 to do what?

man that's a lot of money to through into a car

 

[Stoneage_Caddy]

well shes eaten a pretty nice diet in parts ....

Tranny , suspension, ac , waterpump, alternator,radiator,......wait .....

lets say ive replaced everything but the body and engine ....and the engine .....is coming out to be replaced .....

till the tranny i had 600 in it ....coulda dumped it but decided itd be ok to replace the tranny , 2600 bucks later i realized ...im now stuck .....i guess its good i like the car

 

[ocjmakaveli]

well shes eaten a pretty nice diet in parts ....

Tranny , suspension, ac , waterpump, alternator,radiator,......wait .....

lets say ive replaced everything but the body and engine ....and the engine .....is coming out to be replaced .....

till the tranny i had 600 in it ....coulda dumped it but decided itd be ok to replace the tranny , 2600 bucks later i realized ...im now stuck .....i guess its good i like the car

I'd say if you drive it hard then it's normal for those parts to fail if not then the car may just be a lemon.

It's funny how caddy intended the northstar to be a maintenance free engine up until about 100,000 miles but I don't think they were well built I think a RWD deville would've made a world in difference and would've made most repairs a lot cheaper since the engine wouldnt have to be pulled every damn time for so many things.

Well hopefully my deville doesn't give me any more problems for the next 6 months cause I can't afford it....

 

[powerglide]

That is fantastic.
I will visit your site again to see the progress of your 'wild pets'.

(can't send you a private message so I am posting here despite being off topic once again

 

[ttrainor]

bought mine for 4900 , add $7800+ to that , and youve got an idea on what a money pit mine is ...

Exactly!
If we could see into the future, we would make different decisions, but since we can't, we have to make each decision based upon this simple analysis:

What is this car worth if I do NOT make this repair? (500 scrap)
What is this car worth if I DO make this repair? (14,000)
What is the cost of this repair (8,000)
By simple economics, we make this repair.

That makes the decision pretty simple.
It has nothing to do with what has ALREADY been spent on PREVIOUS repairs; that money is gone, and not recoverable no matter what course we take.

So, how do you decide when you have a lemon, and will NOT put any more money into it?
That is a personal, emotional decision that each one makes based on their own criteria. And when you have dumped your beloved chariot rather than put another $2000 into it, you will always wonder if perhaps that would have been the last major repair for another 100,000 miles -

 

[ttrainor]

I think I fixed that, Powerglide -
Not too familiar with IM, though, so may still be wrong -

 

[Stoneage_Caddy]

i hardly think the car is a lemon , ive put 2 years and 40,000 miles on it , its been towed only 3 times ....and one of those times coulda have been avoided if i went with my gut and fixed it right there ....so i coulda have bought a new cavalier or something , for around 13k , and i would have 40,000 miles on it right now and im willing to bet it would have been towed 3 times too ...thinking about deprecation i would be in the same exact money loss position right now ...but right now im sitting on a loss that i can enjoy much more than a subcompact

this car had 105k when i got it , it needed help ....so i had an idea on what i was getting into and it fell in within my budget , but i didnt anticipate the tranny failure ...also keep in mind most cars with over 100k have problems that the owner decides not to fix and let go , from small stuff like a bad window swtich to big stuff like engine leaks....aside from bypassing the suspension electronics and going passive the car is 100% factory spec everything is working as intended , which takes some money when your dealing with something thats 12 years old and has 144k on it

the engine , its fine nothing wrong with it and its never been out of the car ,thats the beauty of these 4.9s , they really dont get hurt like the northstars

 

[hitokiri315]

Whenever i have to spend money on my caddy. I always say to myself this car is 1 million times better than my old car and it is totally worth every penny i put into it.

If you are curious to what my old car was it was a 1994 Ford Tempo. I bought the thing in 2000. That car really sucked. I smashed the hell out of it. I got into 3 fender benders with it. Blew out my ac joint twice. And the power windows never worked properly. Oh and the speedometer went out too.