Q or Caddy??

[elwesso]

Ok, lately, I have been bitten by the cadillac bug..... Actually, Cadillac has been my dream car, and while looking for a caddy I found this Q at a steal price (quite a stumble, eh).... But anyway, there are some NICE looking cadillacs for sale.... They are around the 94-97 era, eldorados and sevilles, and are around 7500 with just at or right below 100k...... And being a moderator at a cadillac forum, I know many of the problems that they have......

My point is, if I sold my Q for 5500 (which is what I paid), and used the 2000 to buy a cadillac, would I be better off doing that or using that 2000 towards my Q......

Lets just throw out everything maintenance associated.......

I definitely like the styling of the caddy better, but I like the longevity and RWD of the Q......

[juiceman]

man I hope you are ready for a can of worms.

I am surprised there are no replys yet

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Get my opinion.

Much higher quality buildMuch higher quality materialsMuch higher technology

I saw a red CTS the other day and found the design to be aging already not like the G35. Something very dated about caddy designs in the modern age and something very unique and lasting about the infiniti's except maybe the QX4 (must have been let your kid design a car at work day)

Just my opinion but as always and why we live where we do, do what makes you happy

The worst decision from someone elses standpint may make you the happiest bugger in the world.

Just remember that Caddies are just as expensive to repair as your Q

[elwesso]

Repair costs arent going to be an issue...... The only thing that would make cadillacs BETTER in the repair area is that parts are easier to come by; most parts you can find at any autoparts store, whereas the Q you have to order....

But.... That doesnt really matter since the Q wont need as many parts....

Believe me, I know how expensive cadillacs can be to fix..... MUCHO!!! If only they lasted as long as the Qs.....

[AZhitman]

This should make it easy:

Caddy = Chevrolet (in nice clothes)Infiniti = Nissan (in a tux, with a black belt and an attitude).

'Nuff said.

[Jesda]

Cadillacs, especially the ETC/Eldorado and Seville STS, are fantastic automobiles. Theyre refined, smooth, quick... but theyre just not that sporty.

Giving up RWD is a big deal if youre used to driving a certain manner. The Northstar is excellent... but its no VH45DE.

On the other hand, dumping two grand into a car with **** for resale will hurt if it gets hit by someone and your insurance gives you a few pennies to cover its market value. The Cadillac becomes more practical all of a sudden.

But who says fun has to be practical?

-J.

[RobHakari]

keep the Q and put some NOS on it. that way there will be two of them on the board.

[elwesso]

On one hand, I want to keep the Q until it dies, hopefully getting it to 250k..... But on the other hand I want to get a cadillac, that may not last past 150k......

And, its possible, if i dump some money into it and get it running perfect according to the board, I may be able to get 2000 more in a year or so......

[nuQ]

elwesso, i was in your same situation right before i bought my Q. I always liked the looks of the seville and you can't argue with the northstar, but, it was the front wheel drive and the horrible build quality that made me think twice. i, literally, couldn't find one 94-97 seville that didn't have a disgusting interior. i've read that caddy used cheap interior parts, and maybe it was just the 8-10 sevilles i looked at, but they were all in the same shape. figured since the geriatric set were the main buyers i'd find one in great shape, but couldn't. chalked it up to the materials. thank goodness i stumbled across this site and found the car that i really wanted, and couldn't be happier (yes AZhitman, will have the pics soon so you can judge for yourself the look of my 90Q!LOL). my dream though, is to buy a 69 deville convertible(when the caddy style really meant something) as the ultimate summer, beach mobile!!!!! elvis is back in the building!!!LOL see, i'm not totally down on caddy's! IMHO the Q is just an all around better car, but taste is a different animal, and if you like the caddy, and you've allways wanted one,,,,,go for it! you only live once!!!! keep us informed! jeff

[greg_atlanta]

Get your money's worth out of the Q45 and by the time it dies the same cars you're looking at now will still be on the market for 1/3 of the price.

Nice thing about Caddys is that they attract low mileage drivers (retirees) and there are more "good ones" to choose from on used market.

Changing cars by choice is never a practical decision. Always smarter to keep what you have and keep fixing it.

[zinkie13]

Hey! I have had the experience of owning a seville and now have all three Q45 models. Actually my last car was a Seville. It was a nice car and all... but i had some trouble with it. Overall i believe the Q is a much better car.

For example....I hit a curb and bent the A frame for my back right wheel. So i was like no big deal...I'll get it bend back...and have the suspension parts replaced. Well i tried to have that done...and when that was done...the car was even more broken....turns out that if you break anything suspension related on one side of a Seville....you have to replace the exact same stuff on the other side! Somewhat troublesome, time consuming and expensive. I had a great deal of electrical problems with the caddy as well such as interior lighting and problems with the stereo. Also even though the Q45 and the Seville are in a similar weight class, the Q has a much sportier and tighter suspension. The cadillac often just feels like a giant boat...because it is! Hope that was helpful....if you have any more questions i'd be happy to answer them.

[AZhitman]

69 DeVille 'vert? That's one of my favorites TOO!!!!

I think Jeff and I may have been seperated at birth... (and Maine, and Repo, and....)

[elwesso]

Well, I think I will just wait for now..... I mean now being a teen, I need cheap (relatively) and reliable transportation....... Ill have a long time to get a caddy (and have the money to keep it up).... Besides, my grandparents have a 95 fleetwood with 36k miles, absolutely flawless, that is at my semi disposal whenever extreme pimpage is required!

Something else I thought of.... All used cars (except NICO infinitis) will have problems, wether noticeable or not.... most of the time the suspension is gone, tires, belts, etc........ By the time I would buy the new car, get plates, insurance, and fix it up, I could make my Q brand new (including new rims and a clear coat job)

[Q45Viper]

Front wheel drive, aaccck! i think you are making the right decision, hold the Q.

[elwesso]

If only they made them RWD, Id take one over a Q in a heartbeat.......

One thing I never understood about infiniti...... The Q45 is supposed to be the top of the line, best infiniti has..... But the J30s (IMO) have more dynamic styling (ones that stick out to the untrained eye), and the chrome panels around the inside of the doors (right when you step in) that say infiniti, and the Qs dont...... Granted, the Qs have more features, but I think it would have been better for the Q to be the J body style with some minor changes (like a little longer)....

[Metroyed]

hmm well the first thing i have to say is the subtle elegance of a Q defenetly outdoes the J.....and im the proud owner of a J30. I think the Q is the quiet killer ya never saw coming, and that's exaclty what Infiniti should continue to go for. As for your delemna........well, you asked an NissanInfinitiCarOwners message board what do when chosing between an INFINITI and an AMERICAN MADE CAR. What kind of answers were you expecting?

[Jeff Williams]

Buy the Caddy, but keep the Q to drive when the Caddy is in the shop...when the A/C quits, the axles need replacing, the power seat quits, the power windows stop working, the computer starts freaking out, when the Caddy just quits, for no aparent reason......Why do you think GM started OnStar....it was for all the pissed off Caddy owners, on the side of the road.

But still, no car showcases the 22" bling blings, like a Caddy.

[maxnix]

Buy the Caddy ... Why do you think GM started OnStar....it was for all the pissed off Caddy owners, on the side of the road.

But still, no car showcases the 22" bling blings, like a Caddy.

Nailed it! Is this a no-brainer debate or what?

Why do you think all those NBA stars who barely passed (or didn't) high school drive Escalades?

[Onizuka]

because they are trendy peices of s***, nothin but a chevy tahoe with caddy badges and lether, well worth the extra $15K of course :rolleyes

[elwesso]

And if i were to get a northstar equipped cadtdy..... well, let me put it this way..... This is a direct quote from a member from cadillacforums.......

"whoever thought that 300hp TO THE FRONT WHEELS was a good idea should be shot".....

[nuQ]

drove a sts before buying my Q,,,,talk about a car with nervous torque steer!!! the power of the engine is great, but it all just "feels" wrong. the quality is also crap, especially the interior. i had a post a while ago about gm's decision to go with front wheel drive, something about them not having a strong enough trans for rear-wheel drive or something(maybe you answered that one elwesso). if this is right, what about the corvette trans or camaro? maybe someone can give the definitive answer on the reason for front wheel drive?!!! jeff

[Jberger]

I'd skip the Seville, the chassis just doesn't hold up well after 5 years.

How bout the Deville? More room, great Northstar V8 and just about indestructable.

The body changed in 2000, along with the chassis and the 2000's drive lightyears better than any previous interation.

I share a 1999 DeVille with my father as a road trip wondermobile that doesn't offend some of my rural clients. I've put thousands of miles on it (the average trip is 1400 Miles) and it's a great highway car. It's the behavior in the twisty bits that keeps it from full time use. Other than oil consumption, a problem which affects some northstars, the car has been a workhorse that's VERY cheap to operate. It doesn't even take premium.

I've also put thousands of miles on the new deville, it's just as nice on the highway, but holds it's own in the curves, the DHS and DTS are even more fun, but they are significantly more expensive, even used.

You can pick up a 2000 model for around 12-14 in very good shape as enterprise rents them and they also plentiful as fleet cars.

When the new Deville debuts, it will have rear wheel drive and the magetic shocks from the Corvette, that out to make it much more dynamic but still great for the highway.

There's nothing like a big, heavy sedan for mile after mile of highway.

[Gadgeteer]

One thing I never understood about infiniti...... The Q45 is supposed to be the top of the line, best infiniti has..... But the J30s (IMO) have more dynamic styling (ones that stick out to the untrained eye), and the chrome panels around the inside of the doors (right when you step in) that say infiniti, and the Qs dont...... Granted, the Qs have more features, but I think it would have been better for the Q to be the J body style with some minor changes (like a little longer)....

I couldn't have said it better myself...

I love my J, however mine seems to be missing a couple of cylinders compared to those Q's. I had a supercharged Cobra that was wicked fast, I prefer the controlled chaos of the J under acceleration... The Cobra was a death-wish in the rain. Good thing it never rains here in seattle

[elwesso]

Quote »drove a sts before buying my Q,,,,talk about a car with nervous torque steer!!! the power of the engine is great, but it all just "feels" wrong. the quality is also crap, especially the interior.

I had a post a while ago about gm's decision to go with front wheel drive, something about them not having a strong enough trans for rear-wheel drive or something(maybe you answered that one elwesso). if this is right, what about the corvette trans or camaro? maybe someone can give the definitive answer on the reason for front wheel drive?!!!jeff [/quote]

There are people that do drop in the camaro transmission, and it does OK, but the hassle is worth more than the car itself....... The dimensions are different, so finding a rear-end is hard........ The northstar has been used in other cars, though........

Id really like to drive the XLR, with the RWD northstar......

I like the cadillacs OBD better..... You can access all codes, test all sensors, and even change settings right from the DIC......

And if i did get a caddy, it would be a fleetwood (LT1 RWD, its the only way)...... I have driven my parents GTP and a vue, and with all that torquesteer, its great to get back to good ol RWD!!! And, there is a basically unlimited aftermarket, since it shares the aftermarket with impala SS......

Quote »Other than oil consumption, a problem which affects some northstars, the car has been a workhorse that's VERY cheap to operate. It doesn't even take premium.[/quote]

And the oil consumption-- the engines dont really burn the oil, but believe it or not, it "uses" oil........ The oiling pattern is much more aggressive than most engines, meaning that it gets better lubrication, but that does mean it uses more.... I can go into greater detail if anyone cares.......

The older northstars required premium..... They took premium up until 98 or 99, i cant remember for sure.......

Believe it or not, all of the 90s cadillacs (Seville, eldorado, deville) were all built on the same chassis...... They had the same drivetrain, same almost everything.... There are some differences, but they are basically the same...... The eldorado is only about 4in shorter than the deville......

[elwesso]

I couldn't have said it better myself...

I love my J, however mine seems to be missing a couple of cylinders compared to those Q's. I had a supercharged Cobra that was wicked fast, I prefer the controlled chaos of the J under acceleration... The Cobra was a death-wish in the rain. Good thing it never rains here in seattle

Well, it is missing 2 cylinders!!

My friend has a 97 mustang GT, and he t boned it on some ice..... A GT with a 5speed is not a good thing on icey roads...... Thats why I got some snow tires for the Q this winter!!

I was thinking about taking some of the things I like about the J and putting them on the Q (the door frame panels that say INFINIT)

[maxnix]

And the oil consumption-- the engines dont really burn the oil, but believe it or not, it "uses" oil........ The oiling pattern is much more aggressive than most engines, meaning that it gets better lubrication, but that does mean it uses more.... I can go into greater detail if anyone cares.......

It would be truly enlightening to know where 1 qt. of oil goes every 1500 (or less!) miles of driving in GM V8s.

I know I can always smell the unburnt hydrocarbons in the exhaust of any pushrod GM V8 when I am behind one.

Of course, any explanation would have to account for the Japanese engines that generally rev higher, put out more torque and power per unit of capacity, last longer, but don't burn oil for over a hundred or two hundred thousand miles between scheduled oil changes when factory maintenance schedules are followed.

Could be a very slippery slope indeed!__________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t

Discover the power of the button!

[Q45tech]

The oil either leaks out or is burned........there are only two ways out of a modern engine..........well the oil fairey could come in the middle of the night and steal some.Cat life is a function of how much oil is burning and sulfur in gasoline........assuming that the ecu is controlling ever parameter well.

One should ask why do Q cats last 250,000 miles and GM's 150k........but then again burning a little oil is not all bad.......50 quarts per 100,000 miles compared to 5,000 gallons of gasoline.

The Q has the most expensive VITON valve stem seals which probably add $100 alone to the manufacturers engine cost.

[maxnix]

The oil either leaks out or is burned........there are only two ways out of a modern engine..........well the oil fairey could come in the middle of the night and steal some.

Well, Q45tech, you just ruined the whole GM oil fairey story. I bet you blew the Santa Claus cover story for your son too!;)__________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t

Discover the power of the button!

[EWT]

It would be truly enlightening to know where 1 qt. of oil goes every 1500 (or less!) miles of driving in GM V8s.

My Aurora faithfully used a quart about every 1500 miles too. One of the common "fixes" for Northstar oil consumption is to use regular rather than premium gas. I'm not sure why that would have an effect, but I've seen it mentioned numerous times on internet forums.

IMO, this is a question that isn't very hard to answer if you've driven both. The Cadillac is a heavy ponderous feeling car that is no fun whatsoever to drive on a curvy road. They wallow around, don't like the change direction, and have a very oddly (and badly) weighted steering response with the magnasteer. A Q45 feels like it weighs about 1000 lbs. less even though they are similar in weight. I've had a few issues with the two Q45s I've owned over a 5 year period, but they pale compared to the trouble I had in 18 months of Aurora ownership. The only thing that the Cadillac has over the Q45 is the powerband of the motor (more low end grunt), transmission programming (allows high rpm downshifts to first) and gizmos like the DIC. In just about any other category, the Q45 wins.

[Metroyed]

I could be WAY wrong here, but using regular gasoline instead of premium gas is harder on higher-end motors. Or have i been wasting my money at the pump on my J?

[elwesso]

I will never use regular when premium is required or recommended!!!!!

Its a good way to replace the engine more often, so new engines wont burn oil!!!

If I did get a caddy, I would keep the Q, and have the caddy for the highway cruiser...... ill tell you, nothing beats it!!!!!!