Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Cadillac DeVille

1272830323350

Comments

  • dale1922dale1922 Member Posts: 3
    99 Deville takes 3 to 5 seconds of cranking before it starts when warm. Problem occurs after engine has been sitting for 15 minutes. Engine starts fine when cold (after sitting overnight) or when hot (within a few minutes of shutting it off). Any suggestions for the most likely source of the problem?
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    Have dealer check the fuel pressure regulator. It may be leaking, flooding the engine or otherwise making the car hard to start.
  • dale1922dale1922 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks, sls002. Your long distance diagnosis was right on target. Car starts easily after a new fuel pressure regulator was installed.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    My 98 Aurora (small northstar V8) did the same thing, so I suspected that the fuel pressure regulator was a good place to start.
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    Traded a 98 De Ville with 39,000 miles for a 2004
    De Ville with 15000 miles in July.

    Some observations: Car seems to loose a few mph
    after cruise is engaged and cruise light comes on. is this common in the current model De Ville? Some of the standard features in the 98 are not in the 2004 model, Examples include: cup holders in center arm rest, electronic trunk lock, and heated front seats.

    I was a little surprised that the automated trunk lock was not standard on the 2004 De Ville s. I never used the heated seats on the 98
    so haven't missed them on th 04. Never used the
    arm rest cup holders in the arm rest of the 98 but was a bit surprised that they were not even in the center arm rest of the 04.

    All in all I am satisfied with my purchase, as I was able to get the 04 in the upper $ 20s and the car sold new for 44,650 MSRP (around 41k invoice) less than a year ago.

    Have been intrieged by the new Chrysler 300C, I owned a 1997 Chrysler LHS before owning my 98 De Ville.
     

    With 340 Horsepower and 390 ft lb of torque, the Chrysler 300C is quite a value with a price tag of around
    $ 40 thousand fully loaded. Still considered my 04 De Ville with 15,000 miles a better overall value for upper $ 20s that I paid.

    Are others in this conference familiar with the new Chrysler 300C? What are your thoughts and reactions? Biggest reaaons I bought Cadillac again were, satisfaction with my previous De Ville, price and the fact that the Chrysler 300C is a new and yet untested product in the market.

    I would be very interested in hearing the reactions of other Cadillac owners regarding new vs older Cadillacs regarding included options and opinions of the new Chrysler 300C and what impact if any it will have on Cadillac in the future.
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    Congrats !!!!!!!

    I really didn't notice anything different in my 02 or 03 base Devilles compaired to my 96.

    The cupholders in the floor/middle of the seat seem much sturdier than the 96 ones mounted in the arm rest. Less spills and wet pant leg !...LOL

    The 96 didn't have bun warmers and they sure are NICE in these cold NY winters !

    My 96 didn't have the hole in the roof either. I had the hole in my 90 and t-tops in the 2 T/As I had and was sick of getting WET !
    Only thru the BOSS nagging did I get the hole in the 02/03s !
    Believe ME....Before I signed the papers on them. I sat thru a lot of carwashes AND hose running on the roof !

    The 02/03 both had the BOSE......NICE ! compared to the 96 which had the reg. am-fm with the cd changer in the trunk. Sounded crummy !
    My 90 had the BOSE cd gold series that POUNDED !
    That was the BEST stock car stereo I had ever heard at the time !!!!!!!!!

    The Northstar engine in all of them is a PIG compared to the 4.5 in the 90.
    That motor was wicked off the line as far as seat of the pants feel ! BURN the rf Michelin tire off from a stop light !
    They all would embarass a lesser lexus,bmw,etc. on the street or hiway with plenty of jingle left in your pocket !

    As far as the new Mopars..The 300 front end looks like a new RR ! That HEMI sounds like fun too !
    But tooo many folks beefing about some things like alignment problems and other issues.
    Interesting car tho !
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    My 02 or 03 don't have the auto trunk pull down !
    My 72 Fleetwood had it !

    I got my fingers pinched a few times and I don't miss it ! Plus the valets, bellman, or non Caddy owners BEATING and slamming down the trunk lid !

    The auto pull down on my moms 98 is broken from nitwits slamming it. I just re-adjusted the striker and unhooked the power wire.
    So now its like a regular trunk lid.............

    Mom is ready for a SRX. Had one for 3 days. She is undecided. Dealer offered $5000 for her mint 98 with under 50k miles.
    Prob. ask 6k and sell it to somebody .
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    Thanks Boomer, that helped to clarify the issue. I liked the motorized trunk lock and rarely had anyone else using my car. Another feature that my 98 had was an auto release for the emergency brake when shifting out of park. The 2004 De Ville doesn't have that either.

    Regarding trade in value, I received $ 10M for my 98 with 39,000 miles and also in mint condition. I wanted to keep both cars but my garage is only a standard two car and both Cadillacs would have been to crowded.

    Based on my trade value I would suspect you should receive anywhere from $ 8 to 9M for your mothers car with 50,000 miles on it even from a car dealer. Suggest you do a work up value on Edmunds used car value section. I have found it helpful in determining fair trade in values.
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    Forgot about the e-brake release !

    Yea, its a lowball on moms car for sure. But we get the GM employee deal so its expected.
    Didn't really crunch numbers. It was a rough estimate. If she really wanted the car I would go at them for "hard" numbers.

    I want her to get the Northstar bad boy !
    But $55 large !

    Bought 3 Caddies from them so they are pretty good with us.

    I do know better to ask Terry over at RWTV thread for trade value before hand !

    Enjoy your new Caddy !
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    An earlier message said that the '04 Deville didn't have cup holders in the center armrest. The front portion of the divider between the seats in my base '03 flips forward and exposes two cup holders. Technically these are not in the armrest but they are fine where they are. The absolute worst cup holders were in the 1992-1999 Buick LeSabres along with the front armrest that constantly broke loose and tilted forward.
    Actually every year something standard seems to go. The '02 Deville had the electrochromatic side mirror along with the power seat belt height adjustment. The mirror became an option and the seat belt height adjustment became fixed. The base radio now only has a CD slot, the cassette is gone except for the Bose radio. My '03 has both.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    What armrest problem? Ihave had a 1993 and 1998 LeSabre and had no problem with the cupholders. It was kind of neat that they could collapse and fold inside the armrest so you didn't have the cupholder sticking out.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    "Actually every year something standard seems to go. The '02 Deville had the electrochromatic side mirror along with the power seat belt height adjustment. The mirror became an option and the seat belt height adjustment became fixed. The base radio now only has a CD slot, the cassette is gone except for the Bose radio. My '03 has both."

    Decontenting is a common thing for Detroit to do as a model ages - it holds the cost down, and if demand for particular feature isn't strong, and they can save $5 by getting rid of it, they do. That's why I like to buy the second year of any new car model. The first year, they have burn in troubles - the second year, they usually have the glitches out, but haven't started stripping the car of the originally designed features yet.
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    Thanks nvbanker, as I said previous posts in this conference my 2004 deleted cup holders in center armrest, automatic emergency brake release, automatic trunk lock, automatic fuel door release on remote entry, and heated front seats. My previous car was a 98 De Ville. I owned a 1997 Chrysler LHS before that and almost all items were standard except sun/moon roof and console floor shifter. From what I understand Chrysler is sticking to making most options standard in the new 300C.

    I enjoyed my 98 Cadillac very much but had the opportunity to update
    6 model years and took it. The 2004 is a bit more agile, a bit more quiet on the road and does have some options such as onstar and compass that the 98 did not have.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    In model year 2000 Cadillac moved the Deville onto the stiff FWD body platform that the 1995 Aurora/Riviera introduced. This is where the additional quietness and handling come from.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    My 1994 and 1997 LeSabre front armrest continually broke and tilted forward. The dealer replaced the mechanism several times. The thing was bolted between the seats and the plastic pieces that kept it straight constantly broke. Anyway, glad yours held up. The folding cup holders also tilted with the armrest. The ones on the 2000 were much improved.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    I agree with you totally. I wanted a 2002, not a 2003, but I wasn't ready to buy till January of this year and most of the 2002's I looked at were ex-rental cars with delivery dates in 2001 so I would have lost more than a year of warranty for a certified '02. I ended up with a 2003 ( originally delivered in November 2002) but I'll follow your advice in the future. I plan to get a 2006 in the spring of 2007 but I'll have to see what changes they actually make in the 2006. So far it looks like just the interior and perhaps some front end changes. I may get a 2007 in the fall of 2007 . Depends how much mileage I put on the 2003. I'm not keeping it past the 6 year 100k warranty. The 2008 will be all new but I won't get one till the 2nd year as per your advice. (I'll probably get a 2009 in the spring of 2010)
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    I kept my 90 & 96 til waay past the warranty and ran them to 100k plus miles. Only a few minor problems along the way.

    Now my trucks are a different story......
    Snowplowing, heavy towing and hauling sure breaks $pendy parts !!!!!
    Them... I usually dump in 3 years for another new one !!!!!

    Check out gmoutlet.com for the lowest prices I have found for a GMPP warranty.
    Forget those 3rd party ones!
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Yes indeed, beware! You get what you pay for, but not necessarily what you deserve with a cheap warranty.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    The GMPP is far better than aftermarket 3rd party warranties. It is nice to know that if and when you break down you get towed to a GM dealer and they simply fix what's wrong. You don't have to call around for estimates and get permission from somebody for a repair. With a certified Cadillac you get a 6 year 100k 0 deductible warranty dated from when the car first went into service. This is far better than the other GM "certified" cars and since this warranty would cost more than $2,000 if you simply bought one from a GM dealer before your factory 48/50,000 expired it is a good deal. The dealer I use in Ft. Worth will certify its used Cadillacs for $1,000. This includes the warranty and 4 new Michelin original equipment tires. This is an incredibly good deal. Anyway the GMPP is the way to go.
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    I didn't realize that the cup holders were under the arm rest in the section below it, didn't realize that section opened but still thought it strange that there would be no cup holders, on doing some basic exploration found them. Very nice and better placed than in my 98 De Ville. Was not all that important to me in that I never used them in my previous car. I miss the auto emergency brake release and the auto trunk lock more than the issue of the cup holders.

    Some not so good news: The cruise control on this car (2004) can only be described as erratic, the green cruise light come on indicating cruise engaged and then the vehicle looses three to five mile an hour before stabilizing speed. The 98 Cruise control was much more stable in that it stabilized at within
    one MPH of message coming on and was easier to read on the dashboard.
    This car just does not seem to have as much power as the 98 especially when floored for two lane passing or for entering highway on ramps.
    I use premium fuel even though not required but that doesn't seem to have helped any.
    I have an appointment at the dealership to address the cruise issue and will also ask about a check for horsepower and torque if such a test is available.
    I saw a Chrysler 300C parked nearby the other day, awesome looking car and at a price of around $ 40,000 fully loaded it is an amazing value. This considering the 340 horsepower and 390 pounds of torque.
    I was happy to get my 2004 De Ville but if things don't work out I would strongly consider a Chrysler 300C as my next car. The biggest issue is newness on the market and no reliability history to go on.
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    Found those cup holders huh ? Much more stable than the armrest ones ! How about the storage bin right behind them ?

    My cruise loses a few MPH also. I thinks its the PIA steering wheel controls. Fumbling around trying to push the right one!
    I like the cruise button in the turn stalk like my other GM vehicles !

    Like I posted my 03 seems no faster than the 96 !
    Prob. cause is milder camshafts in the 04 than your 98. Thats why we can run reg. gas instead of prem.

    Power curves etc. can be found here http://www.gmpowertrain.com
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    Thanks for the information. Took car to dealer Friday. The recommendation was to change the cruise module. They must have been right in that on the way home the cruise failed to engage several times after pushing the cruise button. Only after I shut down the engine and re started did the cruise work again. dealership is ordering the cruise module and hopefully within a week to ten days problem will be resolved.
    The power issue seems to be a variable one in that I had the chance to floor accelerator from a stopped position at a traffic light and car went like a rocket to the speed limit, leaving every one else in the dust. Sometimes the transmission appears not to downshift when floored so still not certain about power issue.
    I have not owned this car long enough to make a reliable overall comparison with it and the 98.
    I never had any problems with the cruise control in the 98, only replaced item in the 98 was a noisy alternator, thought to be a defective bearing. I will look for the storage area behind the cup holders, in the 2004, thanks for the tip.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    There was mention in a different discussion about Bonnevilles that there was more power from a dead stop. The conclusion was that there's a difference in the computer control for purpose of pollution control; the engine was not being allowed to produce as much power when floored while already moving. Dead stop start got full gas supply.

    Are the computers still adapting to driving style? I remember someone saying you can clear the learned patterns from the computer by disconnecting the main fuse to the Electronic Control Module for a few minutes. Then the computer defaults and started learning how you drive the car, gently or always hot-rodding it. That might change the downshifting behavior until it relearns that you usually drive gently.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    Brem......Right behind the cupholders..Lift up on the front of the bottom seat cushion (between the seats...Under the center armrest). There is a bin for CDs and stuff.

    FUNNY.....I found the cupholders right off !!!!
    Kids found the storage bin !....DOH!!!!!
    I was more concerned setting the BOSE stereo controls ! My 96 had the crummy factory am-fm with the changer in the trunk!
    Of course the kids reprogramed it to radio disney and hip-hop !...LOL

    IM.......Somebody posted about throttle "tip-in" on certain vehicles. Seems to me these new OHC engines are all pigs untill the RPMs are up there !
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    "I would strongly consider a Chrysler 300C as my next car. The biggest issue is newness on the market and no reliability history to go on."

    Hmmmmm, ya might wanna check the Chrysler 300C problems board about that reliability history so far. Looks pretty dismal at this point. Hopefully it will improve.
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    They are neat RWD cars !
    I have been lurking in those forums and only note the alignment issues as major problems.

    Heck, Check out the armada/titan threads.....
    Everything from flimsy sheetmetal, cheap interior plastic, pathetic stereo, power window woes, steering problems big time in the armada, creaky noisy interiors............
    100 day plus supply sitting on the lots !

    My local dealer has a waiting list for Hemi powered 300s !!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Only 4 v-6s on the lot !

    Me thinks Mopar has a hit on their hands like Caddy has with the CTS !
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    it's a disaster, but he wasn't considering one, or I'd have warned him about that one too.
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    I found the lower storage bin after it was mentioned there was one. At first I thought the center section was a support for the arm rest. It was a pleasant surprise to find the cup holders and lower storage bin. My attention has been more on driving the car and getting performance issues resolved. Nice to be finding some of the small comforts that should be included with a car in this price category.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    And it's a shame you have performance issues to resolve in a car that expensive.
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    Any DOHC engine is a PIG at low RPMs.

    Look at the Ford trucks with the 4.6. That DOHC? motor is a pig compared to the older ford v-8s.

    It kills me why people carry on about how wonderful they are and pushrod motors are a no-no!

    Ya got to figure a 04 N-star has got to have lower compression and a milder cam than a 98 N-star. The reason.......NOW you can use regular fuel instead of premium.

    I had my hot rod years with 350/400,454/396 GMs, 440/383 mopars.

    I KNOW raw and refined power.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    Was there a smaller version of the 383 used in Chargers about 1969 or so? A friend I worked with had a great car with an engine that was super. Car drove like a dream over bridges, front and rear went up and down at same time, rather than front end nosediving off the small hill or bridge end.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    Came in a few hp versions. In 72/73? Mopar increased the cu. inches to 400 for emission reasons. Heck, For a while the big boat Chryslers were avail with a 383/400 with 2 bbl. carbs as were some GM 455s in Buick and Olds in the late 60s early 70s! I had a 69 olds with a 455 w/ Rochester 2 bbl.
      Ask Andre69 he's the Mopar guru around these parts !
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    Some of the performance issue is resolved in that I have noticed that the accelerator pedal takes a bit more pressure to floor than the 98 De Ville and am now getting the power responses I was hoping for when I purchased the 2004 little over a month ago.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Floor it! Good remedy
  • barry45rpmbarry45rpm Member Posts: 98
    Remember, a Chrysler gives you a "bigger bang for the buck" when you get in, but it costs you when you get out, so you never ended up ahead.

    The fact is it costs more to go into an equivalent size/class GM product compared to the Chrysler product but you will get more for the GM product when you trade or sell privately...and it will hold up slightly better too.
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    Hey Barry long time no post !

    I have been waiting to test out a new 300 with a hemi. My local dealer here in Podunk has a waiting list for V-8s and none to test drive.
    They have plenty of 6ers tho.

    Would I trade my 03 Deville for one ?
    ..............Naah !
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    As mentioned in an earlier post my 2004 De Ville has had a slight but annoying problem with the cruise control. It looses three to five miles an hour after cruise light indicates it is working.
    On advice from the local Cadillac dealership I had them replace the cruise module, no improvement resulted. I have been working with a staff person in Detroit Cadillac customer service who is to call back. I will call him next week to relate my disappointment.
    I have previously owned Plymouth Acclaim, Chrysler LHS,
    Dodge Intrepid, and a 98 De Ville. This 2004 De Ville has the least desirable cruise control of any of the cars.
    Do any of you other owners of recent model De Villes have any idea as to what might be done to correct this problem? While I can live with it if I have to it certainly is a disappointment in a car in the luxury segment.
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    It's much to early to say if the new Chrysler 300C will be competition for De Ville. In my opinion it has a more attractive exterior. With a 340 horsepower engine it certainly should be more performance oriented than De Ville. Also significant is the price. I realize that the Cadillac CTS-V has 400 horsepower but it is also $ 20,000 more expensive than the Chrysler 300C. A new base De Ville
    is MSRP at around $ 46,000 and the 300C with similar options would be around $ 35,000. Based on the recent history of Chrysler the major question to be resolved is will build quality hold up? I am watching with much interest.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    "Based on the recent history of Chrysler the major question to be resolved is will build quality hold up? I am watching with much interest."

    So am I. And I had more faith in Chrysler BEFORE Daimler got involved - I have little faith that they'll hold up as well as a Caddy does today. Nor do I think they're in that league of quality at all. It's a different type of car, and Chrysler isn't in the Luxury business.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    My 2002 SLS's cruise control works quite well. I just returned from a nearly 5000 mile trip to the west coast. Anytime that I engaged the cruise it was within 1 MPH of the speed I wanted. I think that the cruise sets to integral miles per hour and rounds off to nearest integer.

    I have not yet evaluated the fuel consumption records, but the computer's average MPG was at 33 MPG at the end of the trip. It varied up and down quite a bit from 26-27 up to 33. Sight seeing in the mountains lowered the average. Cruising across Salt Lake on the was to Salt Lake City brought the average up to 32.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    The average MPGs for the trip came out to about 29 MPG for the total trip (slightly more with computers total fuel used vs actual - about a gallon difference). But the sightseeing MPGs were about 27 to 28 and the highway cruising was over 30. The average that the computer posts seems to be an average over about the last 20 gallons I think, although there is a weighting of recent and longer term, so this is just a guess.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    My base 2003 Deville gets similar mileage on the road. On the 214 mile trip from Clovis NM to Albuquerque the average was 31 which is great. Too bad the in town averages are so bad - 14 or so at best. I guess the Northstar is designed for its best mileage at 65-75 MPH. We got the car primarily for road trips and it is great for long distance travel.
    By the way, I looked at the 2005 Deville. It is identical to the 2004 but has a different leather pattern. The sections in the middle of the seat have wrinkles. Looks a little nicer than the '03.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Is that 31 Mpg what the computer told you? If so, that's great!
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    My Deville I really never bother checking MPG.
    I DO know a tank of gas goes a LOOOONG way between fill ups. That N-star just loafs along sipping fuel unless I start putting my foot in it!

    My 04 3/4 ton 4x4 xcab Chevy truck.......Anywhere from 8 to 17 mpg depending if I am towing, hauling, or pushing snow. That one always visits a gas pump !

    But no complaints or dealer visits/recalls/problems except for a oil change or 2 on either one....And I LIKE it that way!
  • flamingo34flamingo34 Member Posts: 1
    Does anybody use the oil life indicator to determine when to change oil? I don't but if I
    did I would change oil every 10,000 miles or so.
    This seems a bit much to me but maybe the little
    guy in the computer knows more than I do. I have
    a 2001 DHC.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    I go by the indicator. Mine is down to 65% after the ~5000 mile trip. In local driving (which for me is 10 miles or so) the oil change interval is ~9000 miles. But winter driving is shorter than summer. My local driving fuel economy is around 25 MPG depending on summer or winter or A/C on/off.

    One thing I will say is that synthetic oil is affordable with a near 10,000 mile interval or a twice a year oil change. I have not asked them about putting mobil 1 in yet, but may discuss this with them next time. The old northstars went 3000 winter; 4000 summer for me. That was a 98 Aurora.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I use the oil life indicator consistently.
  • boomer1bboomer1b Member Posts: 316
    3000 miles or 3 months ! Then the cheapie $19.95 special........

    Funny tho..My dad has a 02 s-10. Must have all of 5k miles. He always drives moms 98 Caddy and the truck sits all winter while they are in Fla.
    Seems he was driving and lost all oil pressure !
    The oil filter had a hole rusted in it.......

    Thankfully the selling GM dealer did the last LOF.
    So they towed it away are taking care of it under warranty they say.
    Not sure if the engine is smoked or not........
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    That's what it said. It was a fairly constant trip at 70-75 for a hundred miles or so and then 60 for about 50 miles and the rest at around 70. No city driving at all and most of the roads were 4 lane so there wasn't much speeding up to pass. Other trips ranged from 28 to 30. Anyway the car is certainly comparable to my 1994 LeSabre on road MPG but the LeSabre was better in town.
  • bremertongbremertong Member Posts: 436
    I have owned a 2004 De Ville for just under two months, there appears to be a defect in the cruise control in that after the cruise engaged light comes on the car slows up to seven miles an hour at 55 MPH. Local dealership changed the cruise module (at least said they did) but has not improved on the situation. What are my options if the local dealership is not producing the results I should reasonably expect? The next nearest Cadillac dealership is 120 miles away round trip. I feel the local dealer should be able to resolve. What other options do I have? I have heard of people writing to the CEO of a car company and sometimes getting results, is this a good way to resolve? Other approaches that produce results? There is a potential safety issue here depending on conditions when cruise malfunctions. All ideas and suggestions welcome
    and appreciated.
Sign In or Register to comment.