Lincoln vs Caddy

[Nakoa]

Ive got a 90 sig. towncar, all black, carriage top.. but its getting old(142k) and i want a newer car.

initially i set out to get a 1995 caddy STS, but fell in love with the towncar.

I have heard early northstar caddys are problematic(from the factory northstar supposedly burns 1-2 quarts of oil between oil changes,, hence the 7 quart oil pan...)(dont quote me, this is just what i have read)

I really want a 95-97 TC or a comparable year STS..
I am definately getting something low mileage.
I know these cars are both identical in features(and if one doesnt have it, the other does) but i want to know the pros and cons for both cars in that age group.

 

[the_continental_kid]

My opinion

I don't know about the oil burning on the Cadoo, but this is purly my opinion.

The STS is a sharp car, but I would still take the Town Car over the Caddy.

Here are some of my observations...

Fuel economy - while many of us on this forum don't make economy our number one prioirty (duh) its been my observation that Ford's In-tech engine in the Lincolns tend to be better on fuel than the comparable sized Northstar. My boss has a '92 STS and while YES the engine has been updated since the modles your looking at... he averages 14MPG with a mix of highway and in town, while my grandfather's '92 TC averages easily 20MPG again, a mix of highway and in town. You can expect to get 400-450 miles per tank while crusing on the high way in both vehicles too!

Horse power - Despite the fuel eco. difference, you should also note, the Caddy puts our more horse-puppies. The 95 & 96 TC, dual exhaust is standard, you get a a total of 210. A 97 without duals (not standard on the Exec.) puts out 190. While the Seville boasts 295. Its a trade-off to consider.

Insurance costs - I know this one because I'm a struggling 19 year old college student. I used to be with Farmers now I'm with Geico. Premiums are higher on the Caddy's than the Links. Even with similar equipment and saftey features the Cadillac has a higher rate of theft (or at least that's what they tell me). If this is a concern for you - I'd get quotes from your insurance company for both.

FWD vs RWD - The Seville is a FWD vechicle ad the Town Car is a RWD vehicle (traction controll is standard on the TC 92 and up, is standard on the STS 95 and up). Depending on your area and climate, this may make a difference for you. I say, give me a big heavy car and good pair of snow tires over a pick-up truck or SUV any day of the week though! hehe

Guages - some people don't like the digital cluster - since your already looking I'm sure you know - the Seville has analog guages and the TC does not. Its all digital.

Size - the Town Car is a foot longer and a few inches wider than the Seville. Bigger is better...

Both cars - no serious trouble spots or recalls were reported for these years by consumerguide.com

Good look in your hunt! Hope I helped a tad!

 

[Lincolnpimpin]

heres what u should go look at is a 97 cadilac seville STS that is a good car i think if i wouldnt of gotten my conti it would of been this car.

 

[thamarkman]

Not only have I heard of Caddy's burning a lot of oil between changes, I have also run across a TSB that talked about the northstars leaking massive amounts of oil, and that it costs a couple thousand to fix that. I also know that since 2003 cadillac has redesigned about 75% of the northstar engine, coincidence? Also, I have seen a cutaway at an auto show and the starter is in the center of the engine under the intake manifold. I know you're talking about an STS but if you take a 2002 towncar vs a 2002 de ville, the deville isn't much faster. Everyone knows a real drivers car is rear wheel drive, Its a shame it took Cadillac so long to figure out.

 

[formerknown]

Northstars suck. Period. NO competition whatsoever for the modular blocks...

 

[Nakoa]

Im more than likely getting the towncar. i am really leary of the northstar after reading the bad things about the engine.

I have been told by a few people that cadillac released the first northstar after only 2 years of developing to make it look like they were the innovators.. while lincoln took 5-10 years on the intech.. any truth to that?


keep posting pros and cons, its all greatly appreciated!

 

[the_continental_kid]

I can't be sure how true this is - but someone told me before that Lincoln had been designing the In-tech since teh 1990 Town Car. Both projects started at the same time (years before 1990).

 

[Nakoa]

Why did lincoln go with plasti-wood for their interiors? if im not mistaken, caddy used real wood in all of their cars...

 

[94m5]

Why did lincoln go with plasti-wood for their interiors? if im not mistaken, caddy used real wood in all of their cars...

Im not sure what your getting that from. The factory wood trim in my 94, and my 95 is real. Don't ask how i know.

 

[Nakoa]

my 90 signature is plastic... maybe they only did that on the TC?

 

[TownCar97]

my 90 signature is plastic... maybe they only did that on the TC?

I have a 97 TC, it has platic wood trim, but let me tell you, it is the nicest that I have ever seen, a massive improvement upon the 84 painted aluminum trim.

My brother has a 94 STS, as said in many of the replies above it is a very sharp car. But I would also have to agree with the problems with the engine. While it does produce vast amounts of horsepower, it does have the big drawback of the leaking oil. My brother puts oil in his car every time he puts gas in it. He also burns allot of it.

The towncars engine is powerful enough, I can chirp the tires with my 97 and it has 107,000 miles on it. I have never had a major problem in the 45,000 miles that I have owned it. The gas mileage around the city averages about 17 if you are light on the foot, but if you like to get going really quickly you will average around 12. On the freeway, if you go the speed limit the whole time, you will get around 21 miles to the gallon. But if you like to cruise at 85, which the tc is fully capable of doing, you will get around 18 mpg.

These figures are based off of trips I have taken from Columbus Ohio to Atlanta Georgia.

The wood trim inside the STS is all real wood and there is allot of it. It is beautiful. BUT, there is a downside to this trim. Given the fact that there is wood trim and that there is allot of it, this means that there are complicated wooden panels. THEY CRACK IN EVERY CORNER! Also, the center console has a long piece of wood that goes down the center, this piece in my brothers car has never been fully secured, it flaps around loose from the console like it was put on with a cheap plastic fastener. Cadillac goes the extra mile for the real wood and then cheapens it with the crappy fastener.

The interior of these cars I believe is also a step below that of the TC. My brothers sterring wheel as well as the dashboard have begun to pucker around the seams like the interior of a chevy cavalier. And when you go over a bump, the entire interior rattles. My 1984 Lincoln Town Car rattled less than the interior of his cadillac. Its just something about chevy interiors that rattles.

As far as the entire lincoln line, I know that currently the Navi has real wood, The aviator has real wood, The Mark LT has real wood, and The new Zephyr will have real wood. The towncar and LS also have real wood but I believe that it is limited to the steering wheel inserts. Also the last model of the continental had real birdseye maple, or at least the one I had as a loaner one time did.

The consensus seems to be clear, get the town car.

TownCar97 :L

 

[Nakoa]

i just looked at a 99 deville and i think that will be my next car.

main reason- DIGITAL DASH!!!!!!!!

why oh why did lincoln abandon it?

 

[formerknown]

i just looked at a 99 deville and i think that will be my next car.

main reason- DIGITAL DASH!!!!!!!!

why oh why did lincoln abandon it?

They still have them as options on some models. but mostly, they go with the Conti-holographic gauges...

 

[edwin10]

The only real problem with the Northstar engine, is that it is
a medium grade alloy aluminum, and if you get it hot, it will
warp, or even crack in the area below the intake.

Then coolant leak, or bad warping oil leak.

 

[95ltc]

If I had to pick between a cadi or a linc....I'd pick the lincoln. A 95 -97 town car in my opinion are the greatest. I have a 95 and I love it. Sure, a 99 DeVille is nice but i dont like the inside, its not that classy.
Derek a.k.a. 95ltc