Controversial I Know, but......

[Jeff Wilk]

I know there is a lot of personal preference involved here but what do you all say the MOST reliable, MOST comfortable, MOST well equipped, MOST SPACIOUS, MOST classy looking, post 1980 Cadillac model out there to be used as a kind of daily driver is under $15,000???

Jeff

[Chuck Patton]

Hello Jeff

My vote is for the 2007 Cadillac DTS.

[Scot Minesinger]

My vote is for the 1994, 1995, or 1996 RWD Cadillac Fleetwood.  Runs on regular, 24 mpg highway, seats six comfortably, gobs of power, and amazing looking car.  Drove a 1995 Fleetwood to 254k miles with no troubles, and only sold it because it was ten years old with high mileage.  To me they look better with no vinyl top.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

1981 Fleetwood Brougham

1990 - 1992 Brougham d'Elegance with 305 or 350

While we're at it, why not include 1977 - 1980 Fleetwood Brougham...

I've never been much of a fan of the 1993 - 1996 RWD Fleetwood but the 1994 - 1996 is by far the fastest of the bunch.

[Greg Powers]

My vote is for the 1994 - 1996 Fleetwood Brougham. Definitely spacious and very cost effective using regular gas and 134A  A/C refrigerant . Powerful 5.7 LT1 engine uses 5w30 motor oil (no high priced synthetic necessary) and averages a 24 mpg highway. The car also rides on 15 inch touring radials, no high priced performance tires. A real "Cadillac look" to the car, I do prefer the vinyl top, just a preference.  - Greg   (My 1994 Fleetwood Brougham)

[cadman56]

My vote is for the 1991 Brougham dElegance.  Mine has 198K on it.  Plenty of power and great gas mileage.  Larry

[Gene Beaird]

1995-1996 FWB.  After that, the second-Gen CTS-V, but that's just me. 

[30326]

Maybe a tad bit over 15K, but looks interesting...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1995-Cadillac-FLEETWOOD-PHAETON-PARADE-LIMOUSINE-Leather-/282431141895?hash=item41c2353807:g:T1QAAOSw2xRYl49a&vxp=mtr

Offer them 15K, you might get it!   

[76eldo]

Get an 06-07 DTS with super low mileage and with the few thousand left over take your wife somewhere nice.

I have one and I love it.  I have a great mechanic and he does a lot of Cadillac work and he swears by these and that's what he has as a daily driver.  Also spoke to a friend Saturday night who had a mint DTS and got bored and spent almost $40,000 on a beautiful XTS and said there's a lot of things that he liked better on the DTS.

Brian

[cadillacmike68]

My vote is for the 1994, 1995, or 1996 RWD Cadillac Fleetwood.  Runs on regular, 24 mpg highway, seats six comfortably, gobs of power, and amazing looking car.  Drove a 1995 Fleetwood to 254k miles with no troubles, and only sold it because it was ten years old with high mileage.  To me they look better with no vinyl top.

I second and third this motion. All except for the padded roof.  That's what makes it stand out as a Brougham. 200,000 on my 1995 and 99,600 & counting on my 1996. 1993s are OK but they are underpowered copared to the 1994-96.

Some obvious and not so obvious changes:
1994 got the vastly improved LT1 engine with gear driven water pump, reverse cooling, etc.
1995 got platinum plugs.
1996 got 5 year life coolant (dexcool), DRLs, and OBDII.
Radio changes in a couple years including 1996.


The last gen DTS are ok too, but they are FWD (if it matters to you, maintenance costs...) and even with the NorthStar, a Fleetwood overpowers it.

That limo on fleabay is overpriced. Champagne colored seats?  and those Brougham Chrome wheels were not rated for the commercial chassis. Looks cool though.

[WTL]

How does it do at the boat ramp, with that overhang? 


Seems lots of people agree that the 95 Fleetwood is excellent.  Too bad it is an embarrassing grandpa boat and relic.   

[cadillacmike68]

How does it do at the boat ramp, with that overhang? 


Seems lots of people agree that the 95 Fleetwood is excellent.  Too bad it is an embarrassing grandpa boat and relic.   

The tires got wet. The long overhang actually helps keep the car out of the seaweeds on the MacDill ramp. Remember these cars have level control, so the car does not sag even with 4 or 5 people in it plus the boat.

Grandpa boat / relic?  maybe to you. I do admit the digital dash is an abomination, but I can and did drive these cars all day & night at times without tiring. and the look is very pleasing to me, especially compared to the old battlestar galactic cylon face look of so many newer cars. Those things look like they want to bite your head off.

I also did the same thing in a miata and thought that I had vibrated apart at the end of the day.

Family resemblance??

[Scot Minesinger]

WTL,

Grandpa boat and relic!  No way.  Don't think I have ever disagreed with anyone more on this forum than on that comment.

When I was 36 drove my 1995 Cadillac RWD Fleetwood, and sometimes people would say "Why are you driving this old person's car?"  I would floor it at the first chance I got and drove it extremely aggressively for a short period to show the passenger that this would eat their stupid Corrola alive on the track, highway or whatever road they chose.  You could drive it like a police car and it managed no problem.  Plus I removed the vinyl top on mine and to me it looked infinitely better and much more modern.  That roof line is extremely attractive without a vinyl top.  Mine started life as a factory triple black, and then it was black leather with black exterior.

It will blow any RWD Cadillac car that comfortably (emphasize comfortably here the CTS and STS are out) seats 5 (I could even write 6) in the weeds on the drag strip except the CT6.  I drove it past 100mph for an extended period and it was loafing.  I'm afraid my 1970 DVC would not stand up to this car in a race. 

The last thing I ever felt was embarrassed while driving this impressive Cadillac.  It made me feel great - wish they still made them!  Only non-car people criticized it and they were easy to sway my way if they rode in it.  Many other Cadillac owners even said to me "Your Cadillac makes mine look like s--t".  Plus I always got a great spot parking at airport in limo parking - ha!

[WTL]

I thought I had the sarcasm emoticon going on my comment... sarcastically referencing how the current Cadillac will do anything to run away from the legacy of those big RWD cars.   Ahh the internet....


There was a mid 90s Deville on the way to work not long ago, stayed out there for a few months...wanted 3 grand for it, I was close to talking to my wife.  Probably I should have.

[cadillacmike68]

Scot,

Agreed, except the comment on the STS. Its bigger enough on the inside than the CTS to have noticeably more comfortable seating.


And it's fast.


Mine, in addition to being a platinum ed with a full leather hand cut interior has the RWD NorthStar V8 at 32oHP / 330 LbsFt, and it flies. I have it on very good authority that it easily exceeds 150mph. 

And yes, the back end of the Fleetwood's vinyl roof with that rear C pillar trim line that doesn't really mate up with anything isn't the greatest, but that's what makes is a Brougham. The Fleetwoods are also very easy to work on.

And its a lot, less waxing. 

[Big Apple Caddy]

Grandpa boat and relic!  No way.  Don't think I have ever disagreed with anyone more on this forum than on that comment.

WTL may have been just being sarcastic but I actually don't think the "grandpa car" and "relic” references were too far off.  The average 1993-96 Fleetwood buyers were in their late sixties and in today's market, sedans of that size (especially length) are practically non-existent compared to decades past.   The tide may turn regarding large sedans but it's where things are right now.

[Big Apple Caddy]

Agreed, except the comment on the STS. Its bigger enough on the inside than the CTS to have noticeably more comfortable seating.

The STS, while somewhat larger inside (and outside) than the current generation CTS, was still classified as midsize and probably not spacious enough for the "Brougham" crowd.   All of this is simply a matter of preference.

[Walter Youshock]

If you really want to get noticed, get a Cimarron....

[30326]

Huh?

"Cimarron
It is the Cheyenne word for "Wild"...Although, if it's a person's name, it means "Wild One"....it can also be used to describe someone that has a VERY free spirit & cannot & will not be tamed by anyone; Free-Spirited....Also, someone who's completely different from everyone else; beyond the norm intellectually, artistically, socially, and/or in mindset...A Cimarron can also be someone who moves from place to place freely and willingly, without being forced to do so, also considered a "Maverick"....also someone who fights back, mostly about what he/she believes in or thinks is right; sometimes considered a Fighter.
That girl is a total Cimarron. She's completely free in spirit!...NO ONE can tell her who to be or what to do!"

Is that what you meant by Cimmaron?

[35-709]

   Just in case you aren't kidding.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Cimarron