The Cadillac DTS

[trinacriabob]

I seem to notice the DTSs on the road. To me, they look particularly good in lighter mettalic colors - silver, ice blue, seafoam green...those types of colors.

I am really impressed that, overall, Cadillac has put out good-looking cars for at least 5 years now. The DTS is my favorite by a wide margin.

The styling is nicely proportioned and will withstand the test of time. I think that angular styling will always win over bulbuous/rounded styling over the long-haul. It's for that reason that I don't like any of the "rounded" cars (Enclave, Charger, Dodge trucks, etc). Look how Americans still long for the cars with classic angular looks (the Cutlasses of the 70s and 80s, Camaros and Firebirds of the 80s, the first FWD Park Avenues, 98s and DeVilles).

I'll be keeping my LaCrosse for a while, but wonder if I'd pop for a DTS as a second car a couple of years down the road if I found a low mileage one with a great price. So, here's the question: aren't these cars a royal pain in the ass after 7 years or so when all the electric gizmos and toys take turns going on the blink? (We had a receptionist at work who had a mid-90s vintage DeVille who loved the car, but would tell me that every 2 months, she had an expensive power accessory go out that cost at least $ 400 to repair. Yikes).

So, your thoughts or experiences with DTS/DeVilles on the more recent FWD platform?

[balthazar]

>>"We had a receptionist at work who had a mid-90s vintage DeVille who loved the car, but would tell me that every 2 months, she had an expensive power accessory go out that cost at least $ 400 to repair."<<

So, the same problems her particular car may have had are present in subsequent DTSs a decade later ??

[z28luvr01]

Personally, I prefer the 00-05 Deville's styling over the 06+ DTS, which IMO doesn't wear the Art & Science front and rear fascias very well. I think WMJ's analysis is spot on, though I think you'll have less of a hassle with a 2000-up car as opposed to your receptionist's mid-90s car.

Just throwing this out there, but how about a Lucerne (your favorite engine) or an Aurora for a second car?

[ZL-1]

Old Cadillac: not a dounbt about it being a good even great car, bit it is too soft, too mushy... not something I'd want for me.

[vonVeezelsnider]

I'll be keeping my LaCrosse for a while, but wonder if I'd pop for a DTS as a second car a couple of years down the road if I found a low mileage one with a great price. So, here's the question: aren't these cars a royal pain in the ass after 7 years or so when all the electric gizmos and toys take turns going on the blink?

(We had a receptionist at work who had a mid-90s vintage DeVille who loved the car, but would tell me that every 2 months, she had an expensive power accessory go out that cost at least $ 400 to repair. Yikes).

So, your thoughts or experiences with DTS/DeVilles on the more recent FWD platform?

I've been thinking a lot about picking a nice low mileage DTS as a second car as well lately...

Enginewise Cadillac almost all of the major reliability kinks of the Northstar Engine in 2003, including the Oil Pan, Headgaskets and Seals. All of these were problems in the Pre-2000 Devilles especially. Post Year-2000 Northstars don't require premium gasoline either which is always a plus.

Late 1990s Devilles weren't very reliable in the electronics department or even in the engine department sometimes. The current DTS and even the later final gen Devilles do not suffer from the kind of electronics problems that seem to have plagued late 1990s cars. Cadillac has had a lot of time to work the kinks out of the system and you should take note that JD Power gives the 2000+ Devilles 5 Stars for Dependability, JD Power rates the 2006 DTS for dependability this year on the VDS in fact.

A lot of the technology that they were offering in those 1990s Devilles like computer controlled suspensions and rain sensing wipers were still not really smoothed out common systems but by now they are practically everyday and have been made more dependable.

[Bimmer325]

I really couldn't disagree more. The fact that Cadillac still produces a car as "90s" as the DTS really damages their image IMO.

[G. David Felt]

Personally the DTS has a market as they sell many of these profitable auto's to the baby boomers, but it is what I think will be the last of it's kind in regards to the Float ride. They sit too low to the ground, I hate the float ride feel, STS is better but not by much. Yes the auto has lots of internal room and I love that for a big family. Time to retire and replace it but due to the current economic issues, we will still see it for at least another 4 years.

[Drew Dowdell]

The platform is old enough that they've wrung all the kinks out of it.

[trinacriabob]

Personally the DTS has a market as they sell many of these profitable auto's to the baby boomers, but it is what I think will be the last of it's kind in regards to the Float ride. They sit too low to the ground, I hate the float ride feel, STS is better but not by much. Yes the auto has lots of internal room and I love that for a big family. Time to retire and replace it but due to the current economic issues, we will still see it for at least another 4 years.

I think we're just talking sheetmetal here. There will always be a "family room on wheels" type of car for those who want it, be it FWD or RWD. Anything about it that is dated is largely the packaging that is plunked down on the chassis as it comes down the assembly line. Does it have to look like that hideous new Mercedes that looks like it went through the flattener to look "New Millenium" instead of 90s? I hope not.

[G. David Felt]

I think we're just talking sheetmetal here. There will always be a "family room on wheels" type of car for those who want it, be it FWD or RWD. Anything about it that is dated is largely the packaging that is plunked down on the chassis as it comes down the assembly line. Does it have to look like that hideous new Mercedes that looks like it went through the flattener to look "New Millenium" instead of 90s? I hope not.

I will have to disgree with you that it is only sheetmetal. For me, the Northstar engine is great, but the rest of the package needs major renovation. Suspension, interior layout, seat design and support etc. I feel this car should also come with an AWD option on top of a superior suspension package and a newer sheetmental along with top notch internal material.

[§carlet §wordfish]

I sat in one at the auto show last friday. It was quite comfortable. I also think the A&S styling becomes it (in fact, it's my favorite production A&S design behind the CTS). I wouldn't mind driving one at all; a soft, cushy ride would be a welcome break from my harsh Sunfire.

[Intrepidation]

I never liked the DTS...both what it stands for and how it looks. It stands for everything Cadillac shouldn't be if it wants to be the Standard of the World. The CTS on the other hand represents everything a Cadillac should be.

I don't like the proportions, it has a long front overhand which looks cheap. The interior has eerie similarities to the Impala...and I should never be once reminded about a Chevy when sitting n a Cadillac.

The STS may be flawed, but it handles better, has more features, has a much nicer interior, has better proportions, and better powertrains.

[vonVeezelsnider]

The STS may be flawed, but it handles better, has more features, has a much nicer interior, has better proportions, and better powertrains.

That's Really Subjective....

IMO DTS for the Win, I don't care for even the facelifted styling of the STS, inside or out (the interior on the STS looks kinda 'naked' in comparison). You truly have to drive one of these cars to appreciate them.

[Intrepidation]

The DTS' looks like a nice interior from the 90's. The switchgear you find in the Impala is also present. In other colors teh STS' interior looks much more inviting. It is subjective yes, but it's still dated.

[cire]

The DTS' looks like a nice interior from the 90's. The switchgear you find in the Impala is also present. In other colors teh STS' interior looks much more inviting. It is subjective yes, but it's still dated.

I agree. The DTS interior looks too Impala-esque or Lucerne-esque for a Cadillac. The STS interior looks much more appropriate. Like Dodefan said though, it basically comes down to personal preference. If you like the DTS (inside and out), you should get one regardless of what anyone else thinks. You're the one that will be buying and driving it, so your own personal opinion is what matters most.

As for reliability/quality issues, I can't really provide any personal insight because I don't own one and don't know anyone who has owned one.

Edited March 12, 2009 by cire