Expert: Rob Painter - 4/15/2010

Question
I am looking to buy a 1990 Fleetwood 4.5L with 126,000 miles on it. One owner and no reported damage. Well maintained. Asking $1500. Is it worth it? How long will do these typically last? Thanks so much for your help!

Answer
Hello,

It sounds like a fair deal and I have seen newer cheaper, but without having many comparisons, depends on region etc. A Wisconsin Cadillac that age is going to be a rust bucket. A southern car won't be rusty, but the sun and heat beat the heck out of the interior.

These days over 100k doesn't mean a lot and matainance is the key as for the miles, it is very low. The average is 15 k a year so using that as a standard, average miles would be $300k.

$1,500 is a good price because cash for clunkers kind of made these cars harder to find and raised the prices on the cars and parts. These are a great driving car with respectable gas mileage for a big car. I owned a couple of these new and on long hwy trips pulled 24-28 mpg and they are quick too!

Things to be concerned about: Heater blower ristor modules fail very commonly. Can cost $500 to fix if you can even find the part. Good news is that blower can be bypassed much cheaper.

Vats anti theft with that resistor in key can fail and engine won't crank. $500 to fix that too. Good news can be bypassed for less than $100,

cooling system! This is an aluminum engine and cannot run hot EVER! In no way am I trying to scare you off, but I want you to know about these common problems.

Take the car fpr at least a 10 mile test drive to make sure the temp does not go past the center.

If in the future you have overheating problems, most are not expensive to fix unless you drive hot!

Sounds like it would be a nice safe big car for you and from what you told me sounds pretty good. By the way, these cruise nice down the hwy.

My wife now has a Lincoln Navigator, but I did look for one of these old Caddys. I don't want her in a smart car or some other fuel efficient puddle jumper. I want her to walk away from a crash.

I have owned over 25 Cadillacs. I just traded my Allante convert for a truck so I could pull my boat. I have a 1990 Chev Suburban 4x4 with a 454 big block gas guzzler which. I call the "Environator." that is the closest I could come to a luxury vehicle that can tow. It has 152k and runs grrat! I just looked at a 1997 Caddy with 289.000 and it still ran well.

Good luck on your new car and if you do run across a probl write me at robo14@aol.com.

I apologize for any mispelling, but I am out of town using my Iphone with my big fingers at it is midnight now and I have been up since 3 am.

If my answer helped you, please give it a rating.

Thanks