One of the things I consider before buying a "new used" car is how easily can the basic maintenance functions be accomplished. Everything from changing oil, plugs, various other fluids,etc. Since I'm looking at SLS/STS, but have never had any experience with Caddy or N* before, I haven't a clue what it would be like. I'm average with a wrench and enjoy it, even, have always done my own oil changes, plugs, brakes. Are the Seville's about average to work on in the driveway with normal tools or is the N* in a different league altogther?
wrenching/maint on Seville
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#1, restrict your search to a 2001 or later STS or SLS. That group, from mid-2001 to the end of Seville production in Dec. 2003 represents the last and greatest engine upgrades and electronic designs before the wholesale 2004 change to different platforms.
#2, Some, if not most, maintenance is good ol' wrenching and car sense. BUT, there's very little room to work in the transverse mount FWD package, so some creative thinking and magic words come in handy. The engines, in the year group above, are coil-on-plug, 100,000 mile intervals, and changing the plugs is a whole morning's work. ACDelco Platinums only, #41-987. Oil and filter is among the easiest on earth with jackstands. WIX 51522 filter and 7.5 quarts of whatever good 5W-30 floats your boat. Transmission and steering rack work is, um, challenging. Brakes are a piece of cake. (The rear caliper pucks must be screwed back in to take out the pad wear cable adjustment.......)
If you decide on a car and year, have a GM/Helm Factory Service Manual arrive at the same time as the car. The Chilton's and Haynes are useless. Read the entire Cadillac Technical Archive, up in the black bar ^^^^^. Religiously change the DEXCOOL 50/50 coolant every 4 - 5 years, immediately if you cannot positively document a recent change. A 2003 is overdue right now if not done. Don't get creative with flushing - just drain as much coolant as possible and refill, or have the dealer do it as a condition of sale (they use vacuum machines to completely change the coolant, which you cannot do: there are no block drains.) Copy the RPO codes on the spare tire cover underside and enter them into www.cadillacfaq.com/rpo/index to find out what's in the car. Get a GM warranty/service/recall VIS printout from the selling dealer.
Spend a LOT of time in here and Northstar performance.
Welcome Aboard !!!!!
#2, Some, if not most, maintenance is good ol' wrenching and car sense. BUT, there's very little room to work in the transverse mount FWD package, so some creative thinking and magic words come in handy. The engines, in the year group above, are coil-on-plug, 100,000 mile intervals, and changing the plugs is a whole morning's work. ACDelco Platinums only, #41-987. Oil and filter is among the easiest on earth with jackstands. WIX 51522 filter and 7.5 quarts of whatever good 5W-30 floats your boat. Transmission and steering rack work is, um, challenging. Brakes are a piece of cake. (The rear caliper pucks must be screwed back in to take out the pad wear cable adjustment.......)
If you decide on a car and year, have a GM/Helm Factory Service Manual arrive at the same time as the car. The Chilton's and Haynes are useless. Read the entire Cadillac Technical Archive, up in the black bar ^^^^^. Religiously change the DEXCOOL 50/50 coolant every 4 - 5 years, immediately if you cannot positively document a recent change. A 2003 is overdue right now if not done. Don't get creative with flushing - just drain as much coolant as possible and refill, or have the dealer do it as a condition of sale (they use vacuum machines to completely change the coolant, which you cannot do: there are no block drains.) Copy the RPO codes on the spare tire cover underside and enter them into www.cadillacfaq.com/rpo/index to find out what's in the car. Get a GM warranty/service/recall VIS printout from the selling dealer.
Spend a LOT of time in here and Northstar performance.
Welcome Aboard !!!!!
2003 Cadillac Seville STS 73k Miles, '90 Chevy 1500 Reg Cab
Joined
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728 Posts
Sub is dead on there(as usual), the 01-03(and 04 Canadian model) are the ones I would search for assuming you can afford it. You're looking in that 10k range for an 02 or 03 with that 50-70k mile range. With those you're going to have lots of life left in the car, and shouldn't have to do a ton of work assuming you do your research on the car ahead of time.
Oil and filter's are easy....plugs not quite as easy, wires are a piece of cake(don't exist
), engine coolant is the easiest I've ever done(20 minutes, 19mm socket, ratchet, extension, new coolant and drain pan is all that's required). Its got a ton of sensors to tell you when something is low, everything from AC system, engine coolant, to tire pressure if so equipped, but those sensors may cause you electrical headaches down the road. The cars are a dream to drive, purr down the road nice and docile but will hang with almost anything that wants to pass you(much to the surprise of that BMW 5 series or Mustang along side). Now to get the 275/300 hp out of the engine in a FWD config they had to do some things that most new owners(including myself) won't be used to....water pump driven off cam, battery under the backseat etc....but after you figure that stuff out and spend enough time reading the owners manual and the various threads and stickies here you'll be in great shape.
I'd worked on Caddy's occasionally in the past, had debated buying one off and on but when the previous ride bit the bullet in Oct I saw an 03 STS about 45 minutes away and said what the hell I need to go at least take it for a spin, I fell in love and the following week it was in my garage....8k miles later I've racked up 160 posts here, quite a few hours learning about the car and I couldn't be happier with my purchase!
Oil and filter's are easy....plugs not quite as easy, wires are a piece of cake(don't exist
), engine coolant is the easiest I've ever done(20 minutes, 19mm socket, ratchet, extension, new coolant and drain pan is all that's required). Its got a ton of sensors to tell you when something is low, everything from AC system, engine coolant, to tire pressure if so equipped, but those sensors may cause you electrical headaches down the road. The cars are a dream to drive, purr down the road nice and docile but will hang with almost anything that wants to pass you(much to the surprise of that BMW 5 series or Mustang along side). Now to get the 275/300 hp out of the engine in a FWD config they had to do some things that most new owners(including myself) won't be used to....water pump driven off cam, battery under the backseat etc....but after you figure that stuff out and spend enough time reading the owners manual and the various threads and stickies here you'll be in great shape.I'd worked on Caddy's occasionally in the past, had debated buying one off and on but when the previous ride bit the bullet in Oct I saw an 03 STS about 45 minutes away and said what the hell I need to go at least take it for a spin, I fell in love and the following week it was in my garage....8k miles later I've racked up 160 posts here, quite a few hours learning about the car and I couldn't be happier with my purchase!
Thanks for your input too, iowa, much appreciated. The cars I'm seeing around here are 00 and 01's mostly, a few 02's, both STS and SLS versions. Prices range from 5,500 to 10,000, depending on year and mileage. The best deal I think I've seen advertised is an 01 SLS, pearl white, 72k, private seller asking 7,800. There's also a buy here pay here lot (I'm a cash customer, no payments especially from one of those lots) w/ an 01, 127k for 5,500. I'm also looking at Pontiac Bonnie's and Grand Prix's, and Buick Regal GS. Plenty of the Pontiacs around at good prices. I know the Caddy is in a different league, which is what prompted my initial question! Hopefully I'll hear some good news soon about the job situation and I can move forward with a purchase!
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