What would I be getting myself into?

[vonVeezelsnider]

So it looks like maybe a 4th car on the horizon as soon as this summer over here....

Short Listed to 1996-1999 DeVille or 1995-1999 Aurora...

I've got to ask, I've heard some things about the N* and Aurora V8 that cast doubt on durability. I know that they can sometimes burn alot of oil, but what else is your experience with these cars... Do you think that If I found a DeVille with like 70K Kms... that It would be wise to buy... or is the G-Body a better idea?

Another thing is the gas... Could I get away with 89 octane in these cars, or 87 Octane with an Octane/Quality Additive?

Also, if I was to get a K-Body Deville, or Aurora what things would I want a mechanic to check out before a purchase?

Edited September 28, 2007 by vonVeezelsnider

[GMTruckGuy74]

Sorry to hijack your thread, but I'd be interested in hearing what people have to say about the Northstar V8 that came with in the 1993 Cadillac Allante...

[vonVeezelsnider]

Sorry to hijack your thread, but I'd be interested in hearing what people have to say about the Northstar V8 that came with in the 1993 Cadillac Allante...

That's okay, It's almost the same question

But, Afterall, you can hijack anything you want, right ...

[Flybrian]

The oil burn issues were corrected by ~97 and my car simply drips oil, not burn it for an altogether different reason. If you were to look for an Aurora, I'd limit it to '97-'99. Those years have the best features as well as the most suspension and engine tweaks done thoughout the years. Avoid '95s if you can. Don't get me wrong, a '95 can treat you very well, but that year simply had the most problems of them all, one being a transmission solinoid issue. Plus, some of the preventative maintenance things can be tricky to scan because of they OBD-I/II hybrid system.

Over time, you'll learn to do some of the light maintenance things yourself and though a transverse layout, the Aurora 4.0 is rather simple for certain things.

I would personally choose an Aurora over a DeVille because of the ride quality, uniqueness, and the simple fact that some Cadillac parts cost more by very virtue of being a Cadillac. But don't let that dissuade you because I am an neo-radical Auroraphile. The DeVille Concours offers a very high-quality ride and rather sharp looks.

For fuel, I tried a few tanks of 87 once. I got poor mileage, weak acceleration, and by the time the car seemed to get 'used' to the lower octane, I decided it wasn't worth it for the performance tradeoff. Stick with 91/93. If you don't think that is a financial committment you want to do in the long run, then don't consider the cars. They really do get the most out of higher octane.

Inspection-wise, for the Aurora, check the transmission shift quality. Is it smooth? Is the fluid fresh? Check the engine temperature. Does it stay around 200-230 in hot conditions? If so, its fine. If it exceeds that, could be a not-good sign. Check the load-leveling suspension. Check the oil pan gasket for leaks. Other than that, just the basics - make sure everything works, etc. Oh, and despite what anyone tells you, the SES lamp is hardly ever 'just a bad O2 sensor don't worry doesn't need fixing.' Its likely a misfire if its blinking or a bad sensor under the hood if its steady. Most of the time its an easy fix, but get it scanned anyway for free at PepBoys or Advance.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Thanks, Fly....

We're talking purely hypothetical here at this point... It'd be a weekend car and wouldn't put much mileage on it so I don't think Premium would be that bad of a financial commitment... The 2000+ DeVilles that were okay to run on Octane 87 appear to be more troublesome anyways... So I'll limit it to 1997-1999 DeVille/Aurora...

Did the mileage ever stabilize on 87 octane? What kind of economy drop did you experience with the Aurora on '87? I don't care as much about acceleration... Do you think I could get away with one Premium, then One Plus/Regular Tank or 2 Regular Tanks to a Premium (I'm half Scottish, and I can pinch a mean penny) It's not about the money though... I could afford to fill it with premium the whole time...

[vonVeezelsnider]

Another question.... If I purchased this car, should it be serviced through a good indie mechanic or the dealership, cost and service wise... I've been tempted with the Cavalier, but it's just the city car so it's not a big deal... I found this good mechanic that my Grandpa used to use and I've been itching to try him out.

[Flybrian]

I'll be honest in saying I never really experimented much with fuel mixtures. My two 87 tanks averaged around 13mpg, down from an average of 19-20mpg. It just wasn't worth the twenty-cent disparity between 87 and 93 that we have down here. Most people with Auroras may have tried it once, but never stick with lower octanes. 91 or 93 all the way.

As far as maintenance, I've had much of the work done by my local Superior/Goodyear garage. Some things within the block are proprietary and some mechanics simply don't have some of the tools, but I haven't encountered this yet. Ask him first if he services Northstars.

[vonVeezelsnider]

I'll be honest in saying I never really experimented much with fuel mixtures. My two 87 tanks averaged around 13mpg, down from an average of 19-20mpg. It just wasn't worth the twenty-cent disparity between 87 and 93 that we have down here. Most people with Auroras may have tried it once, but never stick with lower octanes. 91 or 93 all the way.

As far as maintenance, I've had much of the work done by my local Superior/Goodyear garage. Some things within the block are proprietary and some mechanics simply don't have some of the tools, but I haven't encountered this yet. Ask him first if he services Northstars.

Ouch!

15c. per liter isn't worth that, premium it is. I'll ask when I have him look @ the timing chain on the Cavalier...

[vonVeezelsnider]

How About Oil, When It gets on in mileage, is synthetic oil good, or should it run on normal motor oil...

[Sixty8panther]

Make sure the previous owner did not use regular oil in the motor. (as was the case with my 97 STS)

It calls for Mobil-1, it has to be SYNTHETIC, never ever swithc back. Had I known that I would have not

bought my 97 STS.

[intrigued]

^^^ I know so many people who got screwed (or screwed themselves) by buing a car which was switched over to full synthetic and then at a later change had normal oil put in it. Synthetic is great stuff but if you go back to normal oil afterward all your seals in the engine are shot.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Okay, so if I ensure that it gets synthetic at all times from the time I buy it, I should be fine then?? I'm looking for one with about 45K Miles or 70K Kms anyways?