mpire of Year,” The Sporting News, February 20, 1971, 30.
19 “Blackwell Quits Baseball; Arm that Won 22 Fails,” New York World-Telegram and Sun, March 6, 1954. In Blackwell’s Hall of Fame library file.Going broke - FAST!
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.
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?
It looks like you've spent more than the value of the car at this point.
$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.
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.
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!
Could this have anything to do with the tires?
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.
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.
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.
Anyways, thats neither here not there.....
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?
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.
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.
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.
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?
The new crate engine came with timing chain, yes.
It even came with spark plugs!
Digger was a doll!
From the speed of his death, I believe it was a heart attack. 
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!
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.
bought mine for 4900, add $7800+ to that, and youve got an idea on what a money pit mine is...
7800 to do what?
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.....
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....
I will visit your site again to see the progress of your 'wild pets'.
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?
Whenever