SaltyDawg Posted June 1, 2010 Report Share Posted June 1, 2010 So I used to own a 97 Deville. I loved it until I started having problems. Among other things, the head gasket went out and they had to re bore the head bolts because they were stripped. Supposedly it was a known issue with that year/engine/whatever. Anyway, I got rid of that car and have been wanting another Deville ever since. I just want one that will be a decent vehicle though without any known major defects or whatever. So now I am looking at buying a 2001 Deville. The guy says it has a DTS package and has the gear shifter on the floor. Does anyone know if this particular year/model/whatever has any major known defects? Would I have to expect the head gastet to go out on it like the 97 I had before? Anything I should know about a 2001 Deville that has the gear shifter on the floor? How many miles are those good for before things start going out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HartfordGuy Posted June 1, 2010 Report Share Posted June 1, 2010 From what I've read, the 2000 - 2005 generation was better than the 1994-1999 generation. But not trouble free. A buddy of mine had a 2001 Deville. His used a quart of oil every 1000 miles. "ADD OIL" message would actually come on. The dealer told him this was normal with the Northstars. I've heard that some people with 2003s had of issues too. I think the 2006+ up are far better. The Northstar bugs are gone. In fact, J D Powers just announced that the 2007 DTS was the most trouble free car in North America. Do people own Cadillacs because they get more out of life, or do people get more out of life because they own Cadillacs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltyDawg Posted June 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2010 Dang, I wish I had the money to get a 2007 DTS then, lol. Sounds like the 2001 is better than the 97 I used to have at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted June 1, 2010 Report Share Posted June 1, 2010 Not to rain on a parade here, but.... ....I think the 2006+ up are far better. The Northstar bugs are gone. Of course a 2006+ would be better. It is less than five years old and possibly still under warranty. The only "bug" this Northstar owner has experienced is what some drivers would label as high oil consumption. I can live with that and have for 12+ years and 194,xxx miles. In fact, J D Powers just announced that the 2007 DTS was the most trouble free car in North America. No surprise there. Who would expect them to declare an older car as the most trouble free. Powers bases their statements on dealer reported warranty repairs. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 In 2000 GM lengthened the head bolts on the Northstar and head gasket problems became less likely. In 2004 they went to a coarser thread and that helped even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltyDawg Posted June 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 In 2000 GM lengthened the head bolts on the Northstar and head gasket problems became less likely. In 2004 they went to a coarser thread and that helped even more. So there were still head gasket problems after 2000 then or what prompted the change in 2004? I'm not worried about using a little oil, I just don;t want to have the head gaskets go out again and have to spend another 4 or 5 grand to get the bolts re bored and all that stuff again (or something equally expensive). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeb Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 i hope you kept the 97 for awhile after you did the headgaskets. why spend $$ to fix the car and than get rid of it? going from a 97 to 01 is going in the right direction age wise. go for low mileage if you can. low miles and great condition will cost the most but it usually stacks the odds in your favor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltyDawg Posted June 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 i hope you kept the 97 for awhile after you did the headgaskets. why spend $$ to fix the car and than get rid of it? going from a 97 to 01 is going in the right direction age wise. go for low mileage if you can. low miles and great condition will cost the most but it usually stacks the odds in your favor. Yeah I kept it for another 3 years and then sold it for dirt cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAUL T Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Check for oil leaks. If an oil pan is leaking the engine will have to be pulled to change it. My father-in-law just bought a low mileage 2004 and found out the oil pan was leaking when he got it home. The dealer tried to stick him with $1000 dollars of a $2000 dollar bill. He held fast and they did not charge him. See if you can get maintenance records. I have got a 97 Deville that is dry underneath and has 136,000 miles. Only uses maybe 1 quart between changes. Runs around 200 to 215 coolant temperature. After a fuel pump change, starter solenoid replacement, and retightening of the intake manifold I am getting average 23-24 MPG. I can not complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted June 3, 2010 Report Share Posted June 3, 2010 In 2000 GM lengthened the head bolts on the Northstar and head gasket problems became less likely. In 2004 they went to a coarser thread and that helped even more. So there were still head gasket problems after 2000 then or what prompted the change in 2004? I'm not worried about using a little oil, I just don;t want to have the head gaskets go out again and have to spend another 4 or 5 grand to get the bolts re bored and all that stuff again (or something equally expensive). There are no guarantees with aluminum blocks. Failures are much less on the 2000+, but still happen. I think that was the reason for the thread pitch change in '04. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike27513 Posted June 3, 2010 Report Share Posted June 3, 2010 From my experience with my wifes 2001 Deville and my 2003 DHS.. Crankshaft position sensors on 2000-2003 Nstars are a common failure mode.[ Mine at 70K miles] It's not a huge DYI job, costs about $100 in parts. Dealer will charge 300-400 Water Pump covers warped on both cars between 40-65 K miles, not expensive but time consuming DYI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.