CAR WIZARD's Battle of the Luxury Cars: Mercedes vs Cadillac 

What they both have in common: Depreciate quicker than imagined possible.

Legend has it, his wife got a heat shield for their anniversary.

I owned the DTS variant of the DeVille and I can personally attest that it was a freaking awesome car. I found that the interior didn’t wear, it was comfortable, and it was overall great. I happened to have the *actual* fully loaded model. Moonroof, night vision, navigation, etc. 320,000 miles, albeit with help along the way. I plan to buy another one eventually because it left such a lasting impression on me, even though it’s a rather bland car to most people. The DTS had that kind of special electroluminescent dashboard and the DHS has the rear power sunshade. My DTS had the side impact airbags as well! The trim comparison isn’t particularly fair, but in general, you’re right - the Cadillac wasn’t built as well, but even being relatively poorly built in comparison it is significantly nicer than other regular cars.

Listening to you talk is extremely relaxing. Keep it up Car Wizard 🤘🏼

170k miles on it and the interior looks like a new one..That's a bit amazing..

The S-class is in a whole other league, and even today, Cadillac doesn’t have a model that competes with it. The “flagship” model that Cadillac thought about building a few years ago would have competed with it, but it never came to be. I think this video bashes the Cadillac a bit too hard against a car it never competed with in the first place. Yes, you can see the differences in costs and it’s impact on design and quality, but the Mercedes is 80% more expensive, which is a lot. Not everyone could afford the price difference even if they preferred the Mercedes.

Thank you for not triggering my PTSD by speaking calmly on your videos. A total opposite of Scotty Kilmer.

Moral of the story: You get what you pay for.

"Smells like an expensive handbag" One of wizards other hobbies, sniffing expensive hand bags :D

To be fair that is a base model Deville. I know for a fact that by 2005, the Cadillac Deville DHS did indeed have optional power rear window shade (had rear door shades too). Cadillac did offer a lot of options that people didn't order. You in fact have a BASE model Deville. I agree that the bean counters didn't help in the design, but a lot of options were available. The 2000 Deville introduced optional night vision, NOT then available on the Mercedes Benz.

I own a 03 Deville DHS. Believe it or not it has the rear sun shade built in.

I like the comparison for sure, very well done. but since recently being in Germany for a month, ive realized. companies design their cars for their target market. Cadillac owners are not routinely slowing their car from 150mph to 60, 20 times per day. we don't expect our car to feel planted and commanding at 120+. we want a luxury car to feel effortless at 75. as someone who loves a plushy soft ride, i even criticized a BMW x3 for feeling vague and wallowy at 100, but stabbing harsh around town.

Hoovie: 1996 Buick Park Avenue ultra

Mercs are special, no doubt. I recently got me a 1985 190E. It has NOT been well maintained; it's beat up inside and has heavens-knows-how-many kilometers on it; yet it glides down the highway, eating up distances, keeping up with modern traffic and still driving better than any modern econobox that I've ever driven. Not bad for a cheap beater :)

I love the S-Class! Love the way it looks too, the 2004 model year. And I love that 3 pointed star on the bonnet!

Curious to see an update - Newer (within last 3 years) Mercedes vs Cadillac vs BMW - How do they compare? How do they stack up to each other? Great video

"You don't have to slam the door.... like a cave person"

Wizard loves a Heat Shield.. 😂

Mercedes has the best quality cars and very safe, I love my 05 e55 Amg factory supercharged 500hp amazing car

The s430 2wd had a 2:65 rear diff, and easily breaks the 30 mpg mark on the interstate. I've racked up another 100k miles on mine since getting it in 2015. Still running like a clock.

Now compare a new $90,000 Cadillac to a new $150,000 Mercedes, along with a $75,000 Genesis because I'm curious.

If you are a mechanic then yes the Merc is great. If you are not then it will be very expensive to have it fixed.

Wouldn't a better comparison been the higher trim DTS? That's a base Deville.

That was one very good topic - comparing the implementation of a luxury car on both sides on The Atlantic - to see in parallel the approaches and design decisions. Nice one, Wizard!

Scotty Kilmer hates the Mercs, its good to hear a different opinion, great video wizard.

I didn't know wizard is in his 40's. He looks good!! I'd say he's 30-32 max. Genuinely surprised when he said he has a child ready to go to college.

This video was great, for what its worth I really enjoy these episodes where you just go over cars and talk about how it was put together and why, its very interesting.

I have been watching your vids off and on for a while now. I really appreciate how you look at each car as its own unique thing while (trying) to not be brand-jaded. Its really nice to hear professional opinions in a matter of fact way. Subscribed! I have often thought of trying to find a used Merc or BMW, but I am as worried about over-engineering as under (from a diy garage mechanic perspective). The soft-close, the silent locks, etc scares the crap out of me for the day when it finally fails. Do you feel this is a valid concern or am I over-thinking it?

Must not have seen a lot of DeVilles, my dad's 04 has a front belly pan. I've seen a few at pick a part too. They are fairly cheap, and the rivets are junk too. The 2002 DTS I own has better suspension, Road Sensing Suspension, basically Magnaride up front, actuators on the rear air shocks. I'd still take my DTS over the Benz any day. Both are pricey to maintain, but the Caddy will still be cheaper. Also, the DTS has 300hp and 3.71 gearing, compared to the base and DHS that have 275hp, 3.11 gears.

I had a 98 E320 4matic and that car was a tank in the snow! I sold it at 314,000 and I would not think twice about driving that car across country. I had an 87 190 turbo diesel with 327,000 when I sold it. Like anything else of quality, it costs more up front, but the product lasts much longer.

If the Mercedes was just USD 30K more expensive, it was still underpriced against the Cadillac.

This is why you get a Lincoln Town Car for the best American luxury car.

To be fair, that Deville is the base model. The DHS, and DTS, had a lot more features, like real wood, led gauges, power rear shades, and Nuance leather, which was a nicer cut of upholstery. Of course those were $53k cars instead of $43k cars.

The Wizard is like the Bob Ross of car repairs. His quiet gentle demeanor is very different than other repair RU-vidrs like Scotty or ChrisFix.

I love this style of videos. I like to see how the different brands are designed/assembled. Please keep making these type of videos!

Mr wizard I think you should do videos like this on as many cars as you can. Watching you go over any car with your knowledge is so informative and entertaining :D

Complicated doesn't make it better. I shudder to think about the cost associated with any suspension work on the Mercedes. I would imagine those rear air shocks are probably 1/5-1/10th the cost of the Mercedes. My dad had an '01 DHS. Yes, it was an old man's car. The ride was far better than his friend's '03 S500 4-matic, but certainly wouldn't hold a candle when it came to corners. Acceleration was better in the Cadillac as well, and despite the flaws of head-gaskets and oil leaks, the Northstar had such a wonderful, throaty, sound and an amazing torque curve. It didn't need more than 4-speeds. It had excellent power from off-line to redline. He did have trouble keeping the front cooling hose on it - it rubbed on the valve-cover and required replacement 3 times in the 13 years and 120K miles he had. he had to replace the water pump as well, which is not an easy job. Regarding mileage, it did quite poorly in town due to it's heft, but he regularly got 30-31 MPG on the open road. Even though I'm not an old man, it would be my pick 100x over for a highway vehicle. Oh, and his had night-vision. Amazing technology that wasn't available in ANY Mercedes at the time.

I have to be honest - I love the massive clunk clunk lock on my Range Rover... I’m locked damn it!

Awesome 👍😊. Thanks for the heads up and the time you have taken to make sure you got your message across about these two examples of what luxury cars are and mean to two different markets and manufacturers. You speak to us, NOT at us like a trust worthy person who really cares. I subscribed to the channel and thumbs up all the way. God bless you 🙏!!!!

I just love to see a mechanic of your ability describing your honest opinion. Truly love your channel

Gotta love the wizard. No bias just critical evaluation

And more important than any of this, is what happens when there's an accident. There's a dramatic difference. An accident which would leave you crippled and maimed for life, if you were in a Cadillac, is likely to be something from which, in an S, you emerge completely uninjured. Thank you for describing, from a mechanic's viewpoint, the quality and DURABILITY of Mercedes. While my Lexus LS has doors far more silent than the soft-close on that S, and while far less goes wrong as an LS ages, I do realize that S-Class is much safer than LS. You may have convinced me to switch.

Cadillac had soft close trunks in the 70's :)

Thanks for this; as someone who is a satisfied owner of a 1994 Deville Concours, I'd say that back in that year, the Cad used better materials and had a more precise fit and finish than the 1997 onward models. Mine has genuine Zebrano wood and a much nicer feel than the plasticky and drab products Cad put out during the Bush2 years.

How do you compare a $73,000 car and a $43,000 car? Why don’t you compare repair cost on the two.

I'm not sure I get what you are getting at with this video. You keep saying the Mercedes cost more and it is better quality and engineering and worth the additional money, it doesn't mean the Cadillac is bad! Why heck, my 2010 Cadillac is still going strong at 130,000 miles. It's pretty easy on gas and it's held up well and still looks good. Probably true of the Mercedes too. A more apt comparison might be that Mercedes to a high end Audi or Jaguar and compare the Cadillac to its true competitor, the Lincoln.

I must say that I love your videos as well as your standpoint on different makes and models..... I am personally a Euro car consumer, had so many major issues with domestic vehicles myself, back when I was a domestic consumer, quality control didnt really exist, it was just a sales number game, and the quality actually made BMW look like a much better option. now im a BMW ( please don't kick me off the channel for this) as well as a land rover guy. have a 2001 E38, which im doing a 2001 m5 drivetrain swap on currently, also have a disco 1, disco 2, as well as the last model LR4 HSE Lux..... I have nothing against Japanese, or even korean vehicles (they have really taken the world by storm IMHO) Keep up with the awesome videos good sir, there is much to learn, and I really love how you explain everything so clearly :)

Imagine that, pay 75% more for a car and you get more stuff. 🤯

Thx 4 the great comparison Car Wizard! I have 4 AMG's which I restore and it's nice 2 finally get compliments instead of bitching about Mercedes "unreliability"....

You are the only person I have ever heard of with an old S-Class that hasn't sunk tens of thousands of dollars into them. They are nice car but you better have a big wad of hundred dollar bills or a huge limit on your credit card whenever they need to be fixed.

Lexus LS430 is better, will be on the road with 300,000 no major issues

Can you do a video about pressure washing an engine? There seems to be a lot of misconception and fear about it.

Best quote - "you don't have to slam your door, like a cave man" LOL! Love the vids Wizard, keep them coming.

Your videos are usually much more accurate in their car facts. A 2000 DTS is was still around 50 grand with ALMOST all of the features that Benz had and some you could not get on the Benz. It took me 8 years to try Benz again after the experience I had with my 2003 CL600.

From 1965 til 1968, I worked at Bill Short Motors in Little Rock, Arkansas during the summers, selling many different brands of European cars, but I especially loved selling Mercedes, because when I told the customers about the quality, safety and value, I didn't have to feel as guilty as I did when selling Renaults, Triumphs, etc. You knew you were selling them value for their money. I have loved MB vehicles ever since. My wife and I bought a well- used 1981190D and we wish we had never traded it off. It had 208,000 miles on it when we traded it. We were concerned about major repairs in the future, but we should have known better. We never had any trouble with it the whole time we owned it. That was in 1999. That old 190D is still running around Cheyenne even today! Listening to you speak of your Mercedes brought all these memories back. Bless you and Mrs. Wizard!

I love your honesty. I agree my cousin has a mercedes benz s class from the early 2000's just like the one you show in your video. It runs beautifully. Thanks Wizard.

You sound like my grandfather used to describing the Mercs he owned in the 1960s/1970s. He was a mechanical engineer for International Harvester Corp.

Those cadillacs did come with splash guards in the front. I have two of them. Someone must've removed them

Say what you will, there are still those of us from the "older generation" who appreciate a traditional american luxury car.

I'd never considered purchasing a Mercedes until this comparison. I have had a car with the Northstar engine and it was very expensive to fix. My mechanic told me to get rid of it because I was paying BMW repair costs for a domestic vehicle. Thanks for the comparison.

Compare the loaded DTS to a S55 if you wanna go top of the line Benz for the win

Excellent video sir. This will hopefully assist all those people who say Mercedes is just a fancy badge on a regular car. It takes real knowledge and intellect to appreciate what you’re getting with a Benz.

Enjoyed the video well detailed and overall great would like to see more videos like this one

The Cadillac is still more practical to me.

He was calling out the Pontiac Bonneville with the Northstar, a fairly rare car.

We had a 1999 Deville and it was the most comfortable car I have ever driven. It was like driving on a cloud. I really enjoyed that car.

Ford made the Town Car and Continental more luxurious than the Cadillac. Save money and buy a Buick.

I’ll take a car wity front split bench seating and column shifter anytime!

Id love to see Scotty Kilmer and the Car Wizard have a debate........the banter between these 2 would be priceless. :D

Mercedes, every day of the year!

I purchased a 2005 Mercedes Benz S430 with only 91k miles from the original owner who meticulously maintained the vehicle at a Mercedes dealership. He was just getting up there in age. It looks exactly like this one, same colors inside and out. I have different Mercedes rims is the only difference. I absolutely love driving this car even though I also own a 2017 Lexus ES350 with 60k miles. You can tell it is very well built. It drives great z I have replaced the vacuum pump for the soft close doors, trunk, and locking and it was pretty inexpensive with me buying a used OEM part on eBay and doing the work myself. I can't bring myself to selling it. This was a great comparison video! Thanks Wizard

😍 I'M A FAN OF THE BOATY CAR/RIDES....I LOVE THE GEAR LEVER ON THE STEERING COLOLUMN, I LOVE THE FRONT BENCH SEATS, I LOVE HEARING THE V8 PUR WHEN I STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR HEAVY, I LOVE THE SIDE TO SIDE ROCK AFTER EVERY TURN AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE A LONG FRONT END PULLING INTO PARKING SPOTS LOL😍

Bet you the Benz cost 50% more too fix

These reviews are so much more interesting than Doug Demuro's most superficial reviews of the cars ever

Interesting and useful presentation. Don’t hesitate to do more comparisons like this!

Thanks for making this video! Really shows the difference between the cars for wear & tear at 130k & 170k.

I love my 1983 Mercedes Benz 240D, best car ever produced for luxury, durability and looks, all combined.

General Motors cost cutting and planned obsolescence almost put them out of business a few times. I just don't know if this company will ever learn from its mistakes.

So I basically determined the Deville doesn't last that long due to design but that's okay cause I can buy two at this Benz price..this was a great video..thanks for taking your time and lifting the two

The Deville your showing is the Base Deville. There are the Base, DHS, and DTS. I have a 2001 Deville DTS and it has the 300 HP Northstar. Console Shifter, Analog Gauges and full plaster cover from bumper to back of the engine. Telescopic Steering Column, Sunroof, 17" tires, etc. Feels sportier than the base one with the column shift and digital dash. Northstar is a great engine but if you have to remove alternator, water pump, it is the way too big job then needs to be and if you enjoy chasing check engine codes then there a great car lol I really like the way it drives and its quiet on the hiways overall

I miss my S-class, I need to get another one!

Nope, sorry but to me the Caddy looks like a Hyundai of the same vintage.

Thank you sir for that good video. But really, I think that nothing can seriously be compared to the Mercedes quality and design, and this since always. Have a nice day 👍

Great video. Fun seeing the side by side comparison.

I like that there are no gimmicks with this channel.

I like you more then Scotty when you talk about German cars. He scares others into buying Japanese cars.

One other thing to mention Mr Wizard is that when you lock the doors on some Mercedes it locks the hood, trunk, gas cover, doors together. On my old Mercedes if you turn the key in the driver side door it rolled up or down the windows. Great video

It was a very good idea to make this really interesting comparison!

40k vs 70k ? When you do this again would try put together something like a dollar for dollar analysis, I can see why a car that costs about twice as much as another car might not be as good on many levels. Marketing aside I don't think anyone really thought, back in their day, that the two cars were equal. In fact I bet most were surprised how close the two were in true comfort and value.

Those boots on the Airmatic shocks certainly do protect them but they are usually the first thing to go (crack and let debris in). If they are compromised you have to replace the whole thing. Arnott put a better boot design on their own shock so it lasts longer. That's why I don't recommend people buy reman shocks from the dealer.

Great review Wizard, fan from down under!

Actually the late 80s Cadillacs had soft closing doors and trunk. I remember my friend used to show off how he didn't have to slap his trunk close, just fold it down. Also self-leveled the suspension based on how much weight was in the car. I guess they removed these.

I had 2 w220 s mb. 3.2 and 5 litre two totally different cars. And if you go to 5.5 or 6.5 then it's AMG on top of the MB s class. I'm not afraid to recommend to anyone 5 litre s class. Smaller engines are pointless. Avoid those.

As a car enthusiast I knew that most German luxury vehicles would outperform domestic vehicles, but it was very interesting to see the exact differences. Thank you for the in-depth comparison!

Brilliant video! Great idea!!

In September of 2014 I bought one of my dream cars with just 29000 miles on the clock! A W220 S65 L AMG! It took me 9 years to find a very well maintained one, a German import. Back in 2005 when they came out I remember drooling over the pictures in various car magazines, just reading the numbers made go soft.... 612PS and 1000Nm..... a nuclear power plant on wheels.... Today, about 5 years later with just 38000 miles on it I still enjoy every ride, specially the cold starts.... man.... tuned like a symphony orchestra on crack :)

M113 Mercedes engine one of the best V8 engines ever made .

most relaxing comparison ever.

Great video. Thank you. As a former owner of two bagged Mercedi, I can tell you as a fact, that those air struts are as close to junk as a part can be.

I have a seville, the shimmy in the front end comes from not torquing the lug nuts.