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Cadillac DeVille

2634 messages,  Last post on Apr 28, 2013 at 12:50 PM

You are in the Cadillac DeVille Forum.

What is this discussion about? Cadillac DeVille, Sedan

Messages Page 99 of 264

#974 of 2634 little changes by jb7227

Sep 17, 2002 (7:32 pm)

Does anyone remember when Cadillacs had those little "extra" touches that really separated them from the other GM products? Think back to say, 1983 or 1984. If you looked inside a Sedan DeVille as opposed to say, an Electra or Ninety Eight, you noticed certain things. For instance:
1. Cadillac (and all GM divisions) actually had their own shift and steering wheel designs
2. Ashtrays (all with lighters) made of real metal, not black aluminum that feels like plastic, that could even hold a cigar in the back seat!
3. Back-of-the-front seat handles/pulls
4. Those "braces" underhood that looked like a giant X (only Caddy had these-I suppose to lessen vibrations?)
5. Deeper-pile and more dense carpeting, and a real rubber mat for the trunk-not another mat of Cavalier-grade carpet
6. Power trunk lid pull down
7. Guidematic lights (auto-dim) - if they could design it to work in 1958, why not in 2002?
 
These are just a few little things that I remember Cadillacs having - and I am only 34. Not having any of these features certaintly wont stop me from getting a 2003 DeVille (base), but I sure miss them! If anyone can think of other features old Caddys had, let me know. I know that GM could put all of these features on the DeVille for probably $ 1000 or so (remember they are building roughly 100,000 DeVilles per year), and I would gladly pay! I hope they're listening!!!

#975 of 2634 jb7227... by lemko

Sep 17, 2002 (8:14 pm)

...you pretty much described my 1989 Cadillac Brougham! Don't forget the three fender-mounted fiber optic lights on each front fender! It has all those features. My 1994 DeVille had the trunk pull-down and little red lights above the rear window in the interior to show turn direction, brake lights, and illuminated taillamps. These features are strangely absent in my 2002 STS. I sure miss them! Of course my STS has a lot of features absent from my '89 Brougham and '94 DeVille.

#976 of 2634 OR by sonjaab

Sep 17, 2002 (11:28 pm)

The fiber optic Tailight monitors in the
roof ( you could see in the rearview mirror)
on my 90 deville... My 72 Fleetwood and 89
 90 Devilles I had also had the fiber
optic monitors in the front fenders.
But my 96 and 02 didn't/don't have them
.....geo

#977 of 2634 DUH ! by sonjaab

Sep 17, 2002 (11:30 pm)

Lemko beat me to it !

#978 of 2634 sonjaab & lemko.. by jb7227

Sep 18, 2002 (4:33 am)

Forgot about those great lamp monitors! What about the "trumpet horn"? Dont get me wrong - there are tons of improvements over the older models - Northstar vs. V8-6-4, better controlled handling (while still giving us that Cadillac ride), better workmanship/reliability. I guess I'm a sucker for nostalgia - but I still dont think there's a reason why the "Standard of the World" can't be the standard once more. Come on GM, you can give us a world beater in the Corvette, and your SUV's are great (Tahoe, Suburban, etc.) - you can do it for Caddy!

#979 of 2634 I absolutely love that horn! by lemko

Sep 18, 2002 (9:39 am)

I can be on a crowded street in any city with car horns blaring everywhere and can pick out the Cadillac by the sound of the horn. I think GM is trying harder to make Cadillac a world-beater more than any other division at this time.

#980 of 2634 i agree by jb7227

Sep 18, 2002 (3:56 pm)

That Caddy horn note is great! I just drove (for the 3rd time) a base DeVille (2003) - cant decide whether to take the plunge on a 2002 or 2003 yet. I firmly to believe that if more foreign car buyers drove the DeVille before plunking down 55-60K for a mid-size Mercedes or Lexus, they would think twice. For $ 15,000 less, they would get a car with more interior room, more trunk room, smoother ride and better climate control, for starters. I cannot wait to take my Caddy cross-country...would be curious to hear from all you out there who have done the same (i mean from East to West or vice-versa - a nice 3000+ mile trip) - how did she perform?

#981 of 2634 Base Deville by merckx

Sep 18, 2002 (5:07 pm)

In the high $30s,it way undercuts a Mercedes E320. and that strikes me as great value. But the DTS gets too close to the Benz. As you near $50K,I'd much rather the MB.

#982 of 2634 merckx by jb7227

Sep 18, 2002 (6:33 pm)

you are right - the base is an unbelievable value compared to the MB 320. As far as comparing the DTS, its MB "competition" would be the E430. At almost $60K for the 430 (vs. $47-48K or less for a DTS w/discounts), I still think the Caddy is a good value.

#983 of 2634 At 47K by merckx

Sep 19, 2002 (4:37 am)

I'd take the E320-it's adequately fast,even if it dosen't have that big honkin' Caddy V-8. So in my mind they very much competors,even if the cylinder count isn't the same.

Messages Page 99 of 264

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