[Murphyg]

Finally putting the old girl out to pasture.
Must say though that she has treated me well.
She has given me many reliable, exhilerating, and pleasurable years.:cloud9:
So it is with a lump in my throat and a teer in my eye that I say goodby:grouphug:
Gonna miss the old girl :crying:
But we are curently expecting a new member into the family.:bouncy:
It is a silver flex 2001 STS.
Being a 2001 I know Its not a bouncing baby. But it appears to be quite young at heart with only 51,721 kilometers, (approx. 30,000 miles), and very very clean.
Undercoating looks brand new. And not a speck of rust anywhere I could see.
Could see that the previous owner had also had it oiled. Appears that he/she really cared for this vehicle.
Full leather (grey) interior wood trim throughout. Steering wheel, doors, console, dash.....
She comes with a sunroof, cassete and 6 cd changer, freakin buttons everywhere. Heated seats front and back. All kinds of memory for not only seating positions, but I believe it also has at least 2 trip set memories.
Open spocked chrome rims look real nice.
Took it for a test drive and ended up having to stop on a dime. I was quite surprised when I got change back LOL.
Was really freaked when I opened the door to get out, and the seat and steering wheel moved back and out of the way.:jawdrop:
Gotta say though that I was sold even before driving it, even before the salesman got the keys to open the door !
When he said it had only 51,721 Kilometeres and was going for only $22,400 (Canadian)........:canttalk:
I went over it with a fine tooth comb and it is mint :golden:
One original owner
Was bought through an auction.......But was coming from an import dealership. They had it through a trade in.
Im guessing that BMW, Lexus, Mercedes or whatever dont want Cadillacs sitting on there lot.
So how do I look ??
Everyone is saying I got a fabulous deal. I think so myself, but thought I would ask the pros:worship:
Would also like to know if there is anything inperticular on a 2001 STS that I should ask about or look at before I take possesion ??
Which will probably be Wednsday.
Hope this is in the appropriate section.
Am also sorry for the long post.
Am quite excited !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope someone was able to make it through it all and would be able to answer the questions I asked .
:highfive:

 

[CadillacSTS42005]

how much are you tradin in your sls for

 

[Ranger]

I know exactly how you feel. Just bought an '02 SLS and I am in love.

 

[Murphyg]

how much are you tradin in your sls for

They're giving me $2000 for it.
I was a bit disappointed, was hoping to get "At Least" 3000.
Figured I "Might" have been able to sell it personally for close to 4. But that was a "big" might.
The body is in great shape.
I had some work done to 2 small places with new metal last year. (Actually matched the color very well). But then noticed a rust spot coming through from under the windshield seal. Had that touched up the best I could without taking out the shield but noticed it was spreading within the 8 mths since I discovered it. Have to look closely but can see that something is going on under that seal and I know it isnt good.
The best way to take care of it would be to take out the windshield and put new metal, (I wouldnt have anything but new metal); but then matching the paint over the roof there, (such a larger and more noticible area), would be somewhere between slim and nil, and slim is out of town LOL. So would need to repaint the whole car.
Just replaced some brake lines because of a leak. So that is all done except for where it goes from the back drivers side over to the back passenger. A real pain to tackle that. That part is still relativelly ok, but it is a 93 and will eventually have to be done.
Have been having some braking issues with it for quite a while now too. Is quite jerky.
Am surprised the salesman didnt say anything about it when he took it out.
Have changed the front rotors, and machined the back to no avail.
Am thinking it might be something else.
Was told the front right caliper was sticking slightly. And just found out recently when getting my E-Brake cable adjusted that the back left sticks too. But only after applying the E-Brake.
But could also be control arm bushings or who knows what else.
Being a 93 there is no doubt that those kinda things are drying/dried out.
Have changed a mount....not the dog bone but the other one. And of course everything is always OEM.
Converted the AC to R35 at the beginning of the summer, but now have a freakin rattle that has been driving me crazy for the last 2 months.
I dont believe its the compressor.
Just the AC pulley.......but holly crap......now something else :bonkers:
About a month ago it started to sound very gutteral....A bit more than my liking.
The damned mufflers are on there way out !
And I think the rattle may be coming from the cat. Holy Holy :banghead:
Then there's the whine.
Has been doing it for a loooong time.
Have been told it is the power steering pump. But also been told that if it isnt leaking then not too worry about it so much.
So while trying not to worry about it, was still wondering why it would whine even when I wasnt turning ?
Like when I stop to open the garage door, then "Sssloooowly" pull in without touching the steering wheel.
Had a mech tell me one time that he thought the tranny pressure was off, and I should have it checked out.
I looked into it, and anyone I asked about that looked at me as though I had a third eye, a tail, and a crack pipe hanging out my ass.
Im guessing he spotted me spotting him when he peeled out of the bays into the plazas parking lot like he was pulling out of the pits in a formula 1 race.
I have to say though that over the last 2 years I've always thought that it was plosable that it may be the transmission whining.
But I could be wrong :hmm:
Never had any slippage.
Always able to give it when it was needed / wanted. Power and shifting never seemed to be an issue.
Then a week ago while trying to diagnose wether or not the gutteral sound was the muffler, or because I had put in Canadian Tire gas........I Know I Know :shhh: first and last time.
I was in a pinch, Im Sorry :thepan:
While siting in park and hitting the throttle it missed slightly.
First time its ever happened.
No back fire mind you, but Reeeeeealy didnt like it.
Wires are only about 1 1/2 years old, along with the cap and rotor.
Plugs are the same time but are the Delco plats that are supposed to last a hell of a long time.
Sure it could be the plugs. Im not that nieve.
But when you put it all together........................
Oh ya
Brake light strip doesnt work.
And 1 in (put a # here) door unlocks with the remote; and the interior lights come on.
It's very rare.
Is also starting to feel very loose.
Deep dips in the road are feeling much more noticable.
Even for an sLs.
With all that though she's still getting 20 mpg !
But what it would cost for me to bring her back up to par.
And then full paint job.......(Would be silly to bring it back mechanically then have the windshield rust out....).
Then whos to say the tranny wont crap out on me right after.
Only 158,000 kilometeres on the old girl, but I can feel in my bones that her time is due.
I know that in 2001 the 93s' were going for up to 10,000 Can.
So 5 years later is no real surprise.
Not to mention that the 2001 Im ready to sign for went for round 75,000 brand new.....:histeric:
Guess I could have ended this repy with my first line.
"They're giving me $2000 for it."
But maybe had to do what I could, to justify to "myself", giving away a long time dependable friend for almost nothing. :helpless:
In the 10 years we've had her, (5 of my own), she's been the best Ive ever driven.
Again.
Sorry bout the "extra" long post.
Still looking forward to any answers to the 2 questions I asked in my first post.
Im feeling quite secure about the deal. But anything anyone can offer would be appreciated.

 

[Murphyg]

I know exactly how you feel. Just bought an '02 SLS and I am in love.

Thanx man.....

But Im in a bit of a conundrum here.

She was passed down to me from my Father In Law.
He loved that car and his wife could have gotten a bit for it when he passed, but decided to give it to me instead.

Guess she knew that we shared the same taste and respect for the better things in life.

And then as the powers that may be work.................

My big ol' 120 lb black lab shep cross passed almost 1 yr to the day.

Sos' I took her Harley bandana and hung it over the rear view.
Its been there ever since. Even has a few of her hairs still stuck in it.

Gotta mention though that Ive always hated stuff hanging from a rear view mirror.
Has always drove me crazy.

But felt it was the thing to do seein as he loved her, (the dog I mean), almost as much as his own daughter and or the car.

It was hard to tell at times LOL.

So see where Im at ?

Hes gone and the Car came to me.
Dutchess, (the dog), is gone and her bandana went into the Cadillac.
So that Cadillac is now going,
but the bandana is coming with me to the new Cadillac.......

What can I take from the Old Cadillac, (along with the bandana), to preserve and carry on the whole memory and tradition thing ???

Never thought that buying a new vehicle could involve so many emotional issues :alchi:

Need a beer

 

[ahanash]

Never feel bad for a car because it will never feel bad for you!

 

[mccombie_5]

Hey man, i know what that type of thing is like.

My Grandmother passed last month. She had been with my Grandad since they were both fourteen. He died back in 1989. The day before my grandmother did this year.

She was still working up until 1997 selling flowers in the city im from. Anyway. He bought a Rover 213 brand new in 1987. He had never owned a new car before, and this was his pride and joy. He only had the chance to drive it 9,800 miles before he could no longer drive due to illness. Even when he was in his bed, all the way up to the day he died, when i saw him he would say to me "go out to the garage, take her for a drive to clear her out" and i did. When he died, my grandmother refused to sell it. She would not let anyone drive it, and she hid the keys in a jewellery box.

The car sat in her garage for 16 years. Undriven. When she was moved into a care home, we had to clear and sell her house. My mother found the keys and after my brother tinkered around under the hood, it started rough. The body had no rust, surprising for the UK, but it was kept in a heated garage.

It would have broken my mothers heart to sell her fathers car after her own mother had kept it so long. We couldnt pass it on to a total stranger who would probably break it up for parts.

My uncle is looking after the car, he has it runnign again, and has done the adequate work for bringing this car back to the roads, he is now using it to drive to and from his compound.

I did find something in the car that belonged to my Grandfather, and with the persmission of my mother and uncle, i kept it. It was his umberella. I thad been in the trunk for over 16 years.

Murphyg, you are nbot the only one to overcome this, and although your father in law loved the car, I am sure he would love the new one even more. Best of luck with your new purchase.

http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/images/r200_04.jpg

http://austin-rover.co.uk/images/r200_01.jpg

http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/images/r200_02.jpg

 

[Murphyg]

Hey man, i know what that type of thing is like..............

Murphyg, you are nbot the only one to overcome this, and although your father in law loved the car, I am sure he would love the new one even more. Best of luck with your new purchase.........

Thanx man I appreciate it.
And you are so right.
He would love the new one even more. As Im sure I will :highfive:

 

[addison_ii]

Congratulations on the new purchase. Do post some pics so we can drool over your new "baby" While you have emotional ties to the car, the car was just one of many links you have to your father in-law and your doggie. Take some pictures of the 93 before she leaves looking real clean and dignified then put them in the new Caddy. As was said before, your FIL more than likely would love the new car as much as you do and appreciate you caring for the 93 as much as he did.