Is an '05 Deville still worth it?

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Howard LS

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Hi Guys,

I've been a member for a while now, but I'm a new poster to this forum. Thinking about trading my '05 Lincoln LS with 127 K on it (still runs great) for an '05 DeVille DTS with 57 K on it. Could use the extra rear seat room and rear seat amenities (climate control and heat) to transport my elderly mom-in-law who lives with us part time now. JD Power rates the '05 DeVille highly for long-term reliability, but I'm wondering how that translates to a 9-year-old car that I would own for at least 4 years.

Seems like the low mileage would protect me from major repairs but I don't really know Caddies. My car history is Crown Vic, '98 Continental, and now the LS...all good cars. Should I go for it or not?? Thanks.
 
Well as the 2000-2005 Devilles go 2005 was the best year for them, Repairs for the DTS model can be quite pricey, that magnetic ride control suspension system could cost $6,000 to replace all four shocks and what not. I could defiantly see you being able to get four years out it, Northstars actually last a long time, you'll see a number Devilles out there with 250,000-300,000 miles. Luckily with a 2005 you won't have to worry about blowing a head gasket, they pretty much fixed the issue by 2004. You don't want something that had too low mileage, because these cars liked to be driven and used, with pretty much any car they can have problems when they aren't driven like they should be, I think 57,000 is might be ok, the only thing I would defiantly say you might have to replace is motor mount, as these cars just love eating them up. I would study up on the value of these cars, because people and dealerships tend to over price them, one time I saw a 2001 that had like 60,000 miles and the tried to sell it for like $10,000, mind you that year with that many miles is worth a little over $3,000. Off the top of my head I would say a 2005 Deville DTS is worth between $5,000 and $5,500, I would look though, that's just off the top of my head. I'm trying to think of anything I didn't cove. I would say if the price seems right and you got the money go for it why not. You defiantly won't be dissatisfied, these are awesome cars, and every owner I've ever talked to loves them. If you have any other questions just ask! :)
 
In addition, if back seat comfort is your main priority, a DHS model Deville might be worth a look as more amenities were given to passengers, such as rear seat power lumbar, power rear sun shade, rear passenger windows had manual sun shades on them as well, it still comes with a lot of the equipment DTS did, the Bose 4.0 sound system, massaging driver and passenger seat, heated/cooled seats, the genuine zebrano wood, power tilt and telescope steering wheel, and the StabiliTrak 2.0 system. DHS isn't as sporty though, bench seat with column shifter, standard Northstar, and no road sensing suspension.
 
Thanks for the info. I didn't realize the DeVille DTS had those expensive shocks. I guess that's a big reason they cost so much more according to KBB. I drove a 2004 with 72 k on it last weekend (it is now sold) and thought it handled much less boat-y than another DTS I had driven. Now I know why.

My Continental drove great with those air springs on the back, and when they started to go I was able to get uprated aftermarket ones to replace them for much less than OEM parts (@$250 vs $1500). Any chance of replacing those expensive shocks on the DTS in similar fashion? Maybe for 1000 or 1500 if they go? What's the average life on them anyway? Would I need to worry about that on a car with 57 k on it?

Sorry for all the questions but I'll probably drive the car I might buy tomorrow and I need as much info as I can get before then.

The dealer is asking 10,990 which is about 1000 over KBB but only about 500 over NADA for a 2005 DTS with that mileage. I've seen a lot of DeVilles being offered for much more than they should be according to the books. seems like I should be able to get it for less than 10k for sure. Maybe much less. It hasn't been on their lot for long so I figure they're starting out pretty high. The car's a local trade according to the Carfax though, and worth @ 450 over KBB. What do you think??
 
I answered my question about the shocks...Looks like Arnott and Monroe can supply the parts for 1000-1500 combined for all 4 corners and the pump. Then add in labor if you can't do it yourself. I did my Conti's air bags with a jackstand and a flat blade screwdriver in about an hour (after a couple of hours' study and advice-seeking). Looks like this would be a bigger job, but still could be done for well under 6000 if needed. Let me know if I'm wrong.
 
Well your not wrong, I just figured what a dealership might charge you. I think it's possible to put the normal ones on for a lot less than the expensive ones. Being handy with that kind of stuff will certainly cut that cost. You might not end up having to deal with an issue like that anyway, my 04 CTS has about 200,000 miles on it and its pretty much all original down there.
 
Howard LS said:
Thanks for the info. I didn't realize the DeVille DTS had those expensive shocks. I guess that's a big reason they cost so much more according to KBB. I drove a 2004 with 72 k on it last weekend (it is now sold) and thought it handled much less boat-y than another DTS I had driven. Now I know why.

My Continental drove great with those air springs on the back, and when they started to go I was able to get uprated aftermarket ones to replace them for much less than OEM parts (@$250 vs $1500). Any chance of replacing those expensive shocks on the DTS in similar fashion? Maybe for 1000 or 1500 if they go? What's the average life on them anyway? Would I need to worry about that on a car with 57 k on it?

Sorry for all the questions but I'll probably drive the car I might buy tomorrow and I need as much info as I can get before then.

The dealer is asking 10,990 which is about 1000 over KBB but only about 500 over NADA for a 2005 DTS with that mileage. I've seen a lot of DeVilles being offered for much more than they should be according to the books. seems like I should be able to get it for less than 10k for sure. Maybe much less. It hasn't been on their lot for long so I figure they're starting out pretty high. The car's a local trade according to the Carfax though, and worth @ 450 over KBB. What do you think??
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Hmmm... I didn't know they went for that much, sorry I don't look at DTS models that much, but anyway it looks like they don't want too crazy of a number and that's good, I would see how low they are willing to go and work off it from there. If the car checks out ok and it drives like it should than it looks like a good deal, I wouldn't worry about mileage too much, I think 57k will be ok, I have a buddy who's looking at getting a new car because he's having all kinds of issues with his, it's a 94 Chevy Lumina with 44k (now that's 11 years older than the DTS) usually things like the brakes and electrical stuff gets screwy when they're not used.
 
We're in negotiations on the Caddie. Will take it to a mechanic tomorrow for an independent lookover and a chance to drive it a little bit more. It looks very clean on the inside. Local trade. ENgine and tranny seem good, handles well but slight vibration on the highway when it should be silky smooth...maybe cupped tires?? (They're Rykens which I gather are pretty cheap tires).

Also, once we got back from the test drive, I noticed an intermittent sound like pinging sheet metal coming from under the car when the engine was running. Want to check it out. Wondering if it was just ice melting and falling onto the exhaust (it was in the low 20s when we drove it on Saturday) or if it could be a loose heat shield or failed exhaust gasket or loose connection. Not sure. Any thoughts?? Thanks for all your advice so far.
 
Well the vibration issue is most likely the cheap tires, a lot of owners had reported that they experience vibration at a speed of about 60mph to 70mph, and they all were able to fix it by putting a nice set of Michelins on like they were sold with, Base and DHS had Michelin P225/60SR-16 blackwalls, and DTS came with Goodyear Eagle P235/55HR-17 H-rated blackwalls. Hopefully that noise is just ice melting, hopefully a mechanic will pick up on it if it is an issue. Good luck! Hopefully everything checks out with the mechanic. Be sure to keep us posted! :)
 
Ended up passing on the DeVille DTS. They wanted top dollar and there were those issues that I had mentioned plus a few other things (no floor mats, only one key, single CD player, pin stripes peeling off, probably needed new tires like you said). Also, they only offered a 90 day power-train-only warranty which I thought showed a lack of confidence in the car. Maybe I'm being picky, but if they're a brand name dealer and asking top dollar, I think they should be selling a used car that is 100% together and has a more comprehensive warranty. I told the sales guy that if there was a significant drop in price to give me a call but he didn't seem to think that that would happen. Might look at an '05 DHS with 73 K on it and a much lower price tag at another dealer this weekend.
 
Howard LS said:
Ended up passing on the DeVille DTS. They wanted top dollar and there were those issues that I had mentioned plus a few other things (no floor mats, only one key, single CD player, pin stripes peeling off, probably needed new tires like you said). Also, they only offered a 90 day power-train-only warranty which I thought showed a lack of confidence in the car. Maybe I'm being picky, but if they're a brand name dealer and asking top dollar, I think they should be selling a used car that is 100% together and has a more comprehensive warranty. I told the sales guy that if there was a significant drop in price to give me a call but he didn't seem to think that that would happen. Might look at an '05 DHS with 73 K on it and a much lower price tag at another dealer this weekend.
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Sounds like you made the right decision. I like you last words to the guy LOL, I will find these cars online that are outrageously priced and I feel like calling them and telling them they are idiots! I didn't know it was missing all those things, I would have probably passed as well, I don't know if you have looked at a DHS model yet, but like I said considering what you will be using the car for, I think you will like what they have to offer.
 
In addition, the CD changer should have been in the glove box, it should have come factory with it.
 
I read somewhere that the wiring harness for the CD changer is behind the glove box, just waiting to be hooked up, and all I'd have to do is get one and plug it in. Any truth in that??

I made an appointment to see the DHS tomorrow. Will let you know how it goes.
 
Most likely, I think they could be easily unplugged and taken out, probably why the DTS you looked at didn't have it, it gets screwy with the cd changes because each model had them in different places, Deville (glovebox), Seville STS and SLS (center storage), and I'm pretty sure the Eldorado had it in the trunk. My CTS has it in the dash, so I just have to put the CD's in the slot. For 2000-2001 the navigation disk (if equipped) went in a slot in the trunk, and 2002-2005 they made the unit with a tilt feature and the slot was hidden behind the screen. Hope you have better luck with this car! :)
 
CaddieDHS.jpgCaddieRearWheel.jpg Looked at this 2005 DHS (73K) today. Seems to be riding high but I kind of like how it looks. So does my wife. Claims to have an "Active suspension". Does that mean rear bags or all 4 corners in this car? Rides kind of floaty on the road. Don't know how much is normal Caddie float and how much is tired shocks/struts. What do you think? Thanks for your help so far.

CaddieDHS.jpg


CaddieRearWheel.jpg
 
Howard LS said:
View attachment 828464898View attachment 828464899 Looked at this 2005 DHS (73K) today. Seems to be riding high but I kind of like how it looks. So does my wife. Claims to have an "Active suspension". Does that mean rear bags or all 4 corners in this car? Rides kind of floaty on the road. Don't know how much is normal Caddie float and how much is tired shocks/struts. What do you think? Thanks for your help so far.
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looks nice, I'm pretty sure it's just a self leveling rear, I think the shocks and struts are probably ok, just that Cadillac ride, the CD changer thing is weird, I mean I don't think they were standard, but most DTS and DHS models had that option, hmmmm, did you notice a plug for one in the glove box, because you could just get one online or off a salvage car, like I said, I know they're easy to take out, and nowadays with all that iPhone and iPod crap, people stop using CDs and would just take them out for the extra space.
 
The dealer let me take the car home overnight. Really liked the car (my wife really did too), but noticed a burning oil smell both at the start of the original test drive and the next morning after the car had warmed up. Didn't last too long but was pretty strong in the cabin both times. Was hoping that it was just spilled oil but after smelling it again that morning, I did some research and found that lower engine leaks are somewhat common and may require engine removal to fix. Took the car back and they are checking it with a mechanic tomorrow. Since they offer a lifetime power train warranty, they would not be keen on selling me a car with that big of a problem. What do you think? It could just be something more simple and easy to fix, but I'm nervous. Thanks for any advice you can share with me on this one.
 
Howard LS said:
The dealer let me take the car home overnight. Really liked the car (my wife really did too), but noticed a burning oil smell both at the start of the original test drive and the next morning after the car had warmed up. Didn't last too long but was pretty strong in the cabin both times. Was hoping that it was just spilled oil but after smelling it again that morning, I did some research and found that lower engine leaks are somewhat common and may require engine removal to fix. Took the car back and they are checking it with a mechanic tomorrow. Since they offer a lifetime power train warranty, they would not be keen on selling me a car with that big of a problem. What do you think? It could just be something more simple and easy to fix, but I'm nervous. Thanks for any advice you can share with me on this one.
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yes, they did use a leaky crankcase design that could eventually sometimes lead to leaking oil, it's more common to see on older 90s ones, but it could still happen, to properly fix the issue, the engine does have to be removed. I would see what the mechanic says, it is very likely however that they could have spilled oil, I've talked to a few guys that had issues where places got oil all over the place, and they smelled it and saw it burning. Now I'm no dealership expert, but oil is one of the things I would imagine they do on cars they plan on selling, with inspecting them and what not, I would hope they would pick up on an issue like that and take care of it.
 
Got a call from the dealer. They will need until Monday afternoon to check the car and make sure any oil spills or leaks are taken care of. If it's the big one, they will take it off their used lot and send the car to their wholesale lot. I'll keep you posted.
 
Hopefully they just spilled oil! If you have a bit more money to spend, the next gen and sole replacement for Deville, the DTS might be worth a look, they had trim levels equivalent to the Deville, Performance (replacing Deville DTS), Luxury III (replacing Deville DHS), Luxury I (replacing Base), and Luxury II as an in between model. On top of that DTS was awarded by J.D. Power and Associates as the most dependable and reliable in the whole car industry, beating not only it's Luxury rivals, but well regarded cars such a Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Bellow is the part of that article.

Cars from Cadillac and Buick were the most dependable models in their segments in J.D. Power’s 2010 Vehicle Dependability Study, giving more credence to General Motors Co.’s renaissance — and especially in its premium brand.

And among that brand’s offerings, the Cadillac DTS was the most dependable vehicle in the auto industry overall, as well as among large premium cars, according to the recently released study.

In its class, it outranked such formidable competitors as the Lexus LS 460, Mercedes-Benz S-class, BMW 7-series and Lincoln Town Car.

With just 76 issues per 100 vehicles sold (over a three-year period), the 2007 DTS became the first domestic model in more than 10 years to record the fewest problems, according to a J.D. Power and Associates summary of the study.
 
Here's a tour of one.
[video=youtube;tOJKddywtgw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOJKddywtgw[/video]
 
Very nice car. Do you know if it has the same interior room as a DeVille? I sat in one once and it seemed not too much bigger than my LS. The only reason I wouldn't just keep the LS for another year or two is because I may need to be carting 3 passengers around more often now, and it's not easy to fit someone behind me (6'2 285 lbs) in the Lincoln.

Also the DTS's I've seen seem to have been driven more miles than the DeVilles. I think it's kind of a golden time right now to find older, but still good DeVilles with low mileage on them...owned by mature people who took care of them and didn't put a lot of miles on. If I can find a good '05 this year (maybe the one in question) I'll be very happy. Otherwise I will probably just hold on to the LS for a while and look for something else...maybe an '06-7 DTS, Chrysler 300C AWD, or a Taurus Limited. Looking for FWD or AWD this time around so a TC would be out.
 
Howard LS said:
Very nice car. Do you know if it has the same interior room as a DeVille? I sat in one once and it seemed not too much bigger than my LS. The only reason I wouldn't just keep the LS for another year or two is because I may need to be carting 3 passengers around more often now, and it's not easy to fit someone behind me (6'2 285 lbs) in the Lincoln.

Also the DTS's I've seen seem to have been driven more miles than the DeVilles. I think it's kind of a golden time right now to find older, but still good DeVilles with low mileage on them...owned by mature people who took care of them and didn't put a lot of miles on. If I can find a good '05 this year (maybe the one in question) I'll be very happy. Otherwise I will probably just hold on to the LS for a while and look for something else...maybe an '06-7 DTS, Chrysler 300C AWD, or a Taurus Limited. Looking for FWD or AWD this time around so a TC would be out.
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Well as for interior space im note exactly sure, but they were larger than the Deville's, they made a DTS-L model for airport shuttle services and anything related, the only thing is they were mostly basic models (you might be able to find one nicely equipped) and if you happen to find one (they are rare) they will most likely have 250K-300K miles on them, that's about the number of the ones I've seen had, they really do give an interesting look to it. I would still look at Deville's as well, they get the job done and do it in style and comfort. Here's a pic of DTS-L
2008_Cadillac_DTSL.jpgx07ca_dt008.jpgCadillac-DTS-L-8-StretchSedan_B.jpg

2008_Cadillac_DTSL.jpg


x07ca_dt008.jpg


Cadillac-DTS-L-8-StretchSedan_B.jpg
 
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