Cadillac Vs Mercedes
 

Ok how does America's best do against Germanys? I personaly don't like Cadillac's I think their junk, but some of there new models are impressive...

Come on lets go at it like an oil thread! :D

their new crop of vehicles seem to have influence from europeans in the styling, at least thats how it seems to me. they are kinda kool, but american car buyers dont seem to be catching on. perhaps if the morons running the auto industry wouldnt have let this SUV, SUT, SAV, SUATVX-crossover trend get out of hand then there would be some kind of chance but i just dont see a bright future for Cadillacs cars. Overpriced anyway, if you ask me. $80K for a Cadllac XLR or some junk? especially since it has no market whatsoever! Kinda kool though.

I like both Cadillacs and Benzes. Before I was born, my mom had a 1978 Coupe DeVille, and she liked it very much. Then in 96, my dad got a 1996 Sedan DeVille. It was a real highway cruiser, it looked like a big, black bathtub. When it was totalled in 2001, he got a 2002 DHS (DeVille High Luxury Sedan). It's a nice car, looks good, floats down the highway with ease, I like the way that V-8 roars, but that big Northstar V-8 drinks gas like I don't know what. The 96 had the same engine that the 02 has in it, but the 96 used less gas. I like the way it drives, but I hate the way it handles (having to back up sometimes before I turn if the turn is too tight, u-turns have to be planned two blocks in advance). The Benz and the Lex handle much better than the Caddy (they turn on a DIME!) The Caddys are ok, but the Benzes and Lexuses are better.
-Joe

My folks were real Caddie fans when I was growing up. I remember my dad had a '53 he bought when I was real young, like 5 or 6. He kept it for awhile, but got tired of the power window system leaking all the time. (Used a hydralic system).
Then he traded our '55 Merc in for a '57 Caddie. Always said that was the best car he ever owned. Traded that in for a '61, which he never liked as much. Said it's suspension was to "mushy"(like any of those boats were'nt :D )
But I really don't care for the styling they're using now. That Sedan front end is just plain ugly, and the squared-off things are kinda dumb looking to me. I wouldn't buy one, even with the performance they're getting. Just don't like GM's current style trend. to me, thay lack any style at all.
But all is in the eye of the beholder.

I like caddys. They ride really smooth & front wheel drive so easy to drive around in the winter time. <-- main reason why i like them.

but they have some drawbacks:

1) bad gas mileage
2) depreciates too fast and in a few years almost to nothing
3) too common, does not have the european cars "image".

As far as relibility, I dont know. The sedan deville I had, had some battery cable problems/electrical probs. Then the head gasket went out after I sold it to a friend.

Hello,

I have driven mb (although purchased used) for almost 20yrs and can say the quality of newer models is not what is could be or used to be. Today a new mb carries a lot of "cache" but not much more. Can you measure the life of a current mb in terms of generations like the pre-1973 models? Not at all. Just bought a used eldorado with the Northstar engine and couldn't be happier. When listening to horror stories about Cadillac remember even though the Northstar engine is low maintenence does not mean that you can ignore it. The Eldorado has cold a/c, really nice leather,and features that that are really usefull(rainsense wipers, auto door lock/unlock, self closing trunk,ect..) and will run cricles around the old 107sl I traded in on it. Gets 24-25 mpg, and does 0-60 in less than 7sec. What more can you ask for? Well, parts in comparison to mb cost much less. A fuel press regulator was $40.00

When JD Power began doing three year relaibility ratings back in 89-90, Mercedes topped the list by a significant margin. Today, they scrape the bottom of the barrel with Mitsu.

What is it? Why? Well, it's gizmos. Even Mercedes knows it, but only time will tell if they really do anything about it. It seems to me some days that they design a contantly lit CE light and attach faulty emissions parts to it, and then slap some tires on, and presto we have a car. People have reached their breaking point when it comes to faulty power accessories, crumbling harnesses, rotten sensors, bad hyper-expensive actuators, balancers that come apart and tear the engine to bits, and so on.

We've been piling miles on the Subaru and it just goes about the business of being a car. No CE lights, no SRS lights, no running problems, no tranny problems. You just put the key in, and it runs perfectly. The AC system works, the stereo is better than an S-Classes unit, and the upholstery looks like it will last another 10 years without a crack.

Right now, if I were to replace the C230, a new MB would not even be on my radar. And since sales have been strong with new customers, they don't care. That might work now, but that kind of attitude never works long term.

Yes, strong sales helps the bottom line right now. Sooner or later as MB becomed more polluted from their merger with Chrysler sales will drop. It's the '70s again and MB could just as well be like GM during that time. Most people don't care though, they lease for a couple of years and then its off to find a new car payment. A ad from 1961 MB sales states that then owners could keep their money in the bank and keep enjoying their MB for years. At the time a MB was potentially a lifetime purchase. Today the stockholders/beancounters rule the roost.

im surprised it toook until nearly the last post to mention that mercedes quality has been going down while GMs has been going up.

those who deride the cadillac would be surprised at how well built and engineered the cars are. interior quality may not quite be at the mercedes level (even mercedes isnt at the mercedes level anymore!) but they are no longer the atrocious cars with hideous interiors they were. the CTS is better than the C class in every way. the SRX beats the ML, mercedes achilles heel, in every way. the coupe/ convertible thing ( i cant remember its name) is not quite and SL, but is about 95% for about 70% of the money.

GM is making a concerted effort with all its brands. the general public is not aware of it yet, but the motorheads have been noticing and are slowly getting the word out. i cant say mercedes has been making as good an effort as GM. although the new E class is quantifiably better than the old.

I've never seen a Caddy with over 140,000 miles on that didn't need a new engine. They run great until around then, and then all hell breaks loose. I've owned two Caddies, thanks, I'll keep my SL.

I like you a lot more when you talk like that Kirk. ;)

"...saw a deadhead sticker on a cadillac."

When I think of a Caddy I think of a peice of junk, however it seems that is changing GM seems to be finally bumping the quality up. However I still would take a new MB over a Caddy, they just have that older image. Also they are not up to the same design standards of current Mercedes, Mercedes are still enginered better and have better brakes and suspension.

Because the car rental company messed up my reservation, they gave me an '04 DeVille instead of the mid-size I requested. Wow, great seats, climate control, engine, transmission, ride, and surprisingly flat in corners, and super quiet. The engine is wonderful, but the chassis/suspension can't handle the torque steer at wide open throttle. Got about 22 mpg over 100 miles of city and highway. I'm not in the market - love my '94 E320 - but Enterprise Rent a Car sells them for $28K.

Mark

A co-worker of mine had bought brand new a 2002 Cadillac Eldorado...note..they no longer make them.With less than 50,000 miles on the car 2 plug wires failed causing the check engine light to come on.Then with less than 51,000 miles the car began to use coolant and it wasnt leaking externally! Yep...the good old head gasket failed on the rear bank and leaked coolant into the combustion chamber. The car was very well maintained but that 300hp northstar engine failed at a fairly low mileage.Good thing he had bought a extended warranty otherwise he would have been out of a lot of money for repairs.

Heres another brand to throw in the equation.
Lincoln LS Sports model with the V8 engine
Or Lincoln Town car
Any feedback or comparison to the Cadillac/Mercedes?
Phillip
1999 C43