weephee Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 Went to the local wreckers 3 weeks ago to try and find some interior trim I was looking for and just as I was leaving I saw out of the corner of my eye a black/black 2003 STS sitting off to the side. The car had a scrape and dent on the two passenger side doors and the left front suspension, control arm and brake assembly was missing. I went inside to inquire about it and the owner said he was stripping it for parts. He had also sold the HID headlamps and trunk lid. The car has only 72k miles on it and is loaded with all the options. Being a cadillac lover, I haggled with the owner until he reluctantly agreed to sell the car, or at least what was left of it. Oh and the car has a clear title. I went home and got my trailer, returned and they loaded it on for me. When I got it home, I just could not believe how good a shape this car was in. Why the insurance company didn't fix it is beyond me. I found some paper work inside which gave me the previous owners name and phone number. I called him up, (not the nicest man in the world), and he told me the car worked fine and that the door damage was all that was wrong with it. I just so happen to have a wrecked 2003 STS black/black that I have mentioned in a previous post. I had been hit on the drivers side so I had the two required doors in black and the trunk lid. I also had off the same car the front suspension pieces that were missing and one headlamp. I swapped the doors, trunk lid and installed the front suspension, bought an HID lamp from another wrecker and the car is complete. Got an emissions and safety test and drove it around for awhile and then decided to swap the body wiring harness from the wrecked 03 STS which had a factory Navigation system. This car had the standard bose system. Changing out the harness without removing the engine is a big job but managed to do it . Now the car has a working Advanced OEM navigation system. Even though I have no need for this car, I just couldn't bear to see them tear it apart. The sad thing about this story is that these beautiful looking and well build cars are worth more in parts than as a complete working unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Wow, what a great coincidence, but just shows how important it is to be observant. Glad to hear the 03 STS is coming together and going to be back on the road. Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyG Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Good Job! I can't believe your luck! To find two cars in the same color that can be made into one complete (and better) unit! Outstanding work! So, how many working magnaride shocks did you end up with again? AND just how hard of a job would it be to adapt them to my '99 STS? I'm not suggesting anything you understand, just asking a hypothetical question. Never underestimate the amount of a persons greed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 ....So, how many working magnaride shocks did you end up with again? AND just how hard of a job would it be to adapt them to my '99 STS? I'm not suggesting anything you understand, just asking a hypothetical question. Hahaha; hypothetical question! I can hear your gears spinning from here and I'm spending the night in Mississippi. Have you checked out the part number of the CVRSS module for a '99 and compared that to the part number for a factory equiped Magneride Seville VIN? The same thoughts have cruised through my head a few times since the magnetic struts / shocks were introduced and I'm left with many questions that a Cadillac parts counter or service department cannot answer. But the part numbers will be a clue. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolnesss Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 uh, you should consider donating it to Mike for all the help he's given all of us - and I KNOW he'd love the STS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Almost any car is worth more in parts than as a used car. That's why insurance comanies are so willing to total out a car, paying you bluebook wholesale for a car that's worth much more. They sell it to a salvage yard for more than they paid for it and they are done, hassle free and risk free. Since time is money, hassle free is time spent on other things that need to be done, like selling, renewing, and servicing other policies and customers. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Fantastic job... saving one and getting it running again. Congragulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 uh, you should consider donating it to Mike for all the help he's given all of us - and I KNOW he'd love the STS! WOW Thanks, but we would need to part it out for all who help here... Good job saving this STS... Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Hahaha; hypothetical question! I can hear your gears spinning from here and I'm spending the night in Mississippi. So THAT'S what that noise was? And I blamed my neighbor here in NY! :D Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeb Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 how did the insurance co drop the ball on the extent of the damage? there is no frame damage and you got away with just swapping out the doors and replacing the suspension bits and your good to go? are 2003 STS's worth that little? some guy on another caddy site got a 99 sls for $400 since the motor was blown. find a $1500 used motor and put it in. i found a 97 eldo with a bad motor in my area. the guy wants $2k for it. i have not seen the body or know the miles/condition so i can't really say if its worth anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spurlee Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Great story - Congratulations! Scott 1996 El Dorado 2006 STS 2000 Corvette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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