The CAR WIZARD shares the top CADILLAC Cars TO Buy & NOT to Buy! 

Video Correction. The XLR did not have an LS engine. Its is a Northstar. But not problematic like older Northstars.

Car Wizard is like a more rational, and above all, quieter, Scotty Kilmer....

Hoovies next car, the 1981 Cadillac Cimarron.

Over a period of 12 years, I owned two Cadillacs - both a 2000 DHS and a 2006 DTS. Both were used when I got them. They had 4.6L Northstar engines and never had an ounce of trouble with either of them. Big, solid, quiet and incredibly smooth.

The 3.6 V6 is a very good engine if you change the oil every 3,000 miles. My dad has a customer with a Traverse with the 3.6 with 250,000 miles. CHANGE YOUR OIL FOLKS

i wonder if hoovie just hears static noise when "buy that" comes up.

I view the GM 3.6L the same way as I do the Northstar, certain specific motors and specific years are problematic so people jump to say they’re all bad. As I understand the majority of the issues that plagued the 3.6 were fixed with the LFX which came out for 2012 and was used in Impala, Lacrosse, Camaro, etc. furthermore using a good oil and doing maintenance regularly helps a lot. I have a 2004 CTS 3.6L (purchased new) with 212K miles and have never had an issue with timing chains or any problems related to the motor’s construction or design. I have always done regular maintenance on it and use the recommended Mobil 1. I also had a 14 Camaro with the 3.6L for a period of time and it also had no problems during my ownership. I’m not saying they’re problem free or the best motors ever made but I do believe with the right motor and keeping on top of maintenance you can get some longevity out of it. Just my own thoughts and personal experience. I also work in the automotive repair industry and from what I’ve seen motors that tend be problematic haven’t been maintained very well, prolonged oil changes using either an oil that doesn’t meet Dexos 1 standards or one that only barely meets the requirements and going 8K-10K miles on an oil change. They start to consume oil and are constantly being ran low on oil and thus problems start to arise. I always try to push for the full synthetics and stress to them to not wait for the OLM to tell them it’s time to change oil and I have to say I have a few customers that have higher mileage cars with these motors that have been pretty happy with them. Again just my own experience with these motors, not looking to argue or fight with anyone on this. There are most certainly certain years and specific 3.6 motors you shouldn’t touch with a 50 foot pole, but I truly don’t believe the newer ones are all THAT bad. I’m actually looking at replacing my other Cadillac with an 18 or 19 Impala or Lacrosse which is going to have a 3.6L, it’ll be my third.

It's funny how the US "small" segment is basically mid-sized here in Europe.

I got a 2013 Cadillac ATS with a 2.0 Turbo. Based off the Camaro platform...Things fast, fun, and still gets 30 mpg all day long. Oh and its a 6 speed manual.

I had a 2012 SRX with a 3.6 engine. Got it at 99k miles, sold it at 146k miles. GREAT ENGINE ! Engine flush when I bought it and full synthetic oil changes every 7-8k miles. Only repair I had to make was the accelerator position sensor for a whopping $58 .

First gen cts never had a 4 cylinder option, it was all v6 except for the cts-v. 2.8L and 3.6L high feature family, and 3.2 54 degree opel v6 for 2004 only.

I've test drive the CT6 at a car show couple years back and I will say the auto is not just only beautiful, but the ride and the aero dynamic of the car is superb.

Would love to see a video outlining why the GM 3.6L is so poor like you did with the Northstar and the Ford, great to see your breakdown of the design flaws from a mechanic’s standpoint!

I figured the deal with the 3.6L is that they were just fine if you 1) changed the oil often and 2) drilled bigger holes in the PCV valves.

It’s sad, I love the Allanté. It’s got such a cool story, a great pedigree, and the 93 with the North Star isn’t slow

Great video! One issue I had though.... In 1980 the Seville Elegante had the 6.0 engine option which was a reliable engine. While their looks are in the eye of the beholder, I thought the 2 tone blue ones looked quite elegant with the bustleback trunks. Today with all the chrome etc, a nice one will get a lot of attention.

That’s a Cavalier attitude you have about the Cimmaron.

The North Star would have been great if they used head studs, steel thread inserts, or even a bigger sized bolt with a coarse thread.

My daughter bought a 2004 Cadillac SRX 3.6 for $650. The timing chain had jumped (TSB) on the interference motor. I swapped in a Fraser Engines Bullet-Proof crate motor, with a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty. Thus far no major issues, other than swapping damn near every sensor to get it running right.

I had one of those bustle-back Sevilles! Same paint as in the picture! Was a really neat , comfortable, smooth riding car! I got rid of it before the 4100 gave me any problems, but while I had it, it was a nice car. ☺

I was sketchy about the XLR because of it's short run and complex convertible top, but Wizard says it's ok so maybe I won't mind putting this one on my list of possibilities!

I’m also surprised that the fleetwood 94-96 wasn’t mentioned. I didn’t own one but I did have a 94 Roadmaster sedan, same car pretty much. That thing is the most bulletproof cruiser GM ever made

Can you do a buick segment for the next video. I really appreciate the honesty and experience you have to offer for these videos. Thank you car wizard 🧙‍♂️

Glad to hear i made a decent decision. I Just bought a 2010 Cadillac STS with the Northstar V8 paid $4k for it

I have a 2018 ATS with the 2.0 turbo and I love it. Just the base model without all the driver assist features.

I was waiting this whole video to see how you felt about the Allante. All 6 Allante owners probably just unsubscribed

The sixties and seventies Eldorados are my favorite Cadillacs! The style is so damn cool!

Thank you very much for doing the Cadillac one. I work at a Cadillac dealership and am around some of these vehicles every day, but I work in the detail department, so I don't really know how reliable they are. It's very helpful to get an informed opinion.

I have a 2014 Cadillac ATS 2.0 T 39k miles. It has not had a single issue whatsoever and still zips around and when washed looks as new as day 1.

we had a 3.6 di in an 08 cts, had 170000 when we traded it in. Absolutely no issues in the 5 years we had it.

The Allante always used Cadillac engines, the dreaded 4.1, a later larger 4.5 liter version, and then the Northstar.

My mother had a Cimarron that she bought as a two or three year old car.. For the same reason you stated I thought she made a bad purchase. It ended up being a great car (reliable). Had she not hit a deer with it she would probably still be driving it today.

I bought an Allante seven years ago. It's not true that they ever had an Italian-based engine. They did originally have a hand-built HT 4100. My 92 has a regular Cadillac 4.5 v8 and normal Eldorado running gear. Yes body parts are hard, but not impossible to find. Really, my only complaint at 117k miles is a transmission leak, a design flaw that plagues a lot of GM cars. I'd agree they aren't for the faint of heart, and really should be owned by someone who does a lot of things to their car themselves. If you do, it can be a cheap fun, and reasonably reliable 2-seat convertible that still attracts a fair amount of attention.

I have a 2007 Cadillac CTS with the 3.6 variable valve timing engine in it, and I absolutely love it! It’s giving me very few problems and none of them had been major ones. It looks good it rides good the Transmission still shifts perfect. It doesn’t use a drop of oil. It’s been one great car I’ll tell you that. So I’m definitely sold on the 3.6 engine for sure! Now of course I’m one that changes my oil as it’s recommended and he was nothing but for synthetic oil in it as Cadillac recommends. So yes, I do baby and take good care of it of course. But you have to do that with any car. Lol my 2007 Cadillac CTS 3.6 is a fantastic Car!

So people cross shop late model Cadillacs with ones that are 20-40+ years older and a 1/4 or less of the price? Somewhere, someone is at a car lot looking at a CTS and wondering, "should I check out a Cimarron or Catera first?"? I say if you find a running Cimarron for a few hundred bucks, grab it. It's not the early 80's anymore; you're no longer paying a premium over a similar year Cavalier (which in itself would be just as rare).

Love this video!! People don’t give caddy’s enough love. I love the 1990’s cadillacs and late 2010’s.

lol the Seville with the drop back is one of my dream cars. I actually bought one in 2000. I was the only person on the planet who was unaware of the HT4100. The Cadillac dealer actually recommended an engine swap like 8 grand for a car I paid 900 dollars for. When I called around to get it fixed I had mechanics laughing at me and one literally gasped and groaned when I told him what it was. Oh well so much for my dream but the heart wants what the heart wants.

I love these Buy and Not Buy segments. Super enjoyable and informative!!

I have to agree with the 2003 to 2007 CTS; I have a 2006 CTS-V. Gotta love a 6.0LS and a Tremec 6-speed manual. Even though it is 13 years old it does not look outdated. Very good ride and quiet on the highway without the tech overload that you have to put up with in new cars.

Loving my 2014 XTS VSport Platinum. 410 hp twin turbo V6. It displaces 3.6 liters but I've read this particular Caddy only engine is a totally different engine than the ubiquitous 3.6 GM V6 mentioned by Car Wizard.

I've had a few Caddies but surprisingly my most reliable one was my '05 CTS-V. Had it over 100K and had ZERO issues. Was showroom perfect when I traded it. What an outstanding car looking back. So glad they were 6MT only. :)

I remember when those Sevilles first came out. I think Cadillac was trying for an homage to the boattail speedsters of the '30s. That rear end still looked bizarre back then. Once in a while I see a Cimarron in my neck of the woods.

I think you should have expanded on your "To buy / Not to buy" series by years or generation. That way we can get comparisons of cars that are in a similar year group.

I just wanna say I own a 2012 impala 3.6 and 6 speed. I do maintain it with regular 4k oil changes but that's about all this car has ever really gotten. It had coil packs and spark plugs at 130k I'm currently at 160k I need a wheel bearing but that's really it. My car still runs smooth and I'm pretty hard on it to.

The newer 3.6 engines, 2016 and up have fixed the issues of the older ones. Same as the Northstar being fixed, the 3.6 has been as well. The biggest problem we have had in my shop is thermostats needing to be replaced and it's a pretty easy job. They don't have the oil consumption issues anymore and the timing chains are updated so they don't stretch

NOOOO... you broke my heart with the Allente on not to buy. They are BEAUTIFUL!

I’m glad to see that your channel has grown so much so fast. Appreciate the wealth of knowledge you provide!

The CTS never came with a 4 cylinder in those years, the options were a 2.8 V6, a 3.2 and the 3.6.

Neighbor had an 08 STS with the 3.6L bought it new and drove it to about 70,000 miles then gave to his grand daughter. He never had problems. He let me drive it when he was undergoing chemotherapy. It drove great! Loved the exterior on it. The diamond white paint is beautiful.

I have a 2003 cadillac deville and its still on its 1st motor and its got 114000 miles and haven't had a single problem and I've been driving it for 7 years. I love how its still kinda like a land yacht. great sound system

I own and drive a 06 DTS as my daily. A little surprised that it didnt make the list lol. But I'm currently at 197k miles with no issues, most people still belive that northstars are horrible but then I show them mine. Thanks for the video wizard!

I had a 2006 Cadillac CTS, was not aware that it was available with a 4 cyl. I believe the choices were 2.8l or the 3.6l in the next gen there was a turbo 4cyl

Mrs. Wizard always asks good questions

You are correct Car Wizard!!! The 2005 to 2011 STS with the LH2 Northstar (and late 2004 SRX) is a great car! I have a 2005 STS 4 with the LH2 and all option packages (rare). It was $72,000 before taxes new.

My dad drove cadillacs since before i was born. My first ride from the hospital as a new born was in a 85 el dorado. Dad still has it and now i have a 2015 ats and it has been a great car. Looking into buying a second car for the family and thats why im here! Yeah, japanese make some cheaper more reliable stuff but it feels good to follow in my dads footsteps in owning and driving a cadillca. Im never angry in traffic because i love what i drive ❤

Car Wizard, just what is it about the Cadillac 3.6L V6 engine that you are vehemently against buying any model that has one? Also, there have been multiple variations of this engine, so is one more problematic than another, or does your negative assessment apply to all of them?

You need to mention that the 3.6L (LGX) engine starting in 2016 is a totally new engine from all the previous 3.6 engines. Nothing in common. Bore and stroke are different but the displacement rounds off to 3.6. So your caveats about the 3.6 engine don't apply to 2016 and newer vehicles.

1986 THRU 1996 RWD CADILLAC FLEETWOOD BROUGHAMS. BEST CADILLAC THAT WHERE EVER BUILD. ESPECIALLY THE 1994 THRU 1996 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD BROUGHAM. EXCELLENT AUTOMOBILE.

What does everyone think of the early 90s 4.9 v8 cadillac engine? I've heard this one isn't a North star. Is it decent?

I LOVE the Car Wizard. He's so calm and collected, while still having the aggravation that normal people have

Wizard .... I have to say as experienced in mainly gm motors the 3800 decent the north star 05 plus decent but the 3.6 was bad from 03 to 11 had issues, but 12- 20 has very little issues with timing maybe some electrical powersterring problems or an alternator but no timing issues in the 12 + I see em go 200k + but you dont talk bad on the 2.4 d.i ecotech in the traverse equinox ect . They burn so much oil ... yet all you say is the 3.6

The xlr does not have an ls motor it has a North Star engine

Hey wizard, I dont think the 2003-2007 CTS had any option besides the 3.6. 2003 had the option for 3.2 but i think thats it. I think it was until around 2014 that they had the 2.0 ecotec option

I'm stoked. Just picked up my first Cadillac. Got a 2008 STS V8 and I'm loving it. Glad to see I didn't pick wrong.

Unfortunately the reputation of the 4.6 Northstar followed them even after Cadillac resolved the problem. I had a 2006 sts that I sold privately because dealers wouldn't give you anything on trade. 12 years old with 36k when I sold it. Sometimes I wish I had kept it. Never any trouble.

No mention of the 94 through 96 Fleetwood but then again I want that to be a secret kept to myself haha

That is the magnificent front end on that Fleetwood. Beautiful

My father in law inherited an 85 Seville, never had a head gasket issue his the transmission didn't like to shift properly but it did shift and it was very reliable. So knocking on the Seville is kind of wrong considering it was actually a good running car from experience. I will say it's getting hard to find parts for my 91 Dodge now so an 85 is probably going to cost a small fortune now.

Wizard, I liked the video a lot, but I am surprised you didn't mention the Fleetwood Brougham - 80s or 90s. It may be just me, but my first association with the brand is Fleetwood.

How is the Cadillac DTS? 2009-2011. It has northstar. I though of buying one instead of towncar due to front wheel drive. Towncar drives alot nicer in good weather though and is very reliable. I live up north.

I have to disagree about the 80-85 Seville. I bought one with a bad diesel, converting to 350 olds. I didn't like the backend, back in the day but now I like em. I bought as a collector car.

Car Wizard: Which CTS models have the 4cyl engine? Prefer a 2.0T but it doesn't appear that it's a 2003-2007 option.

Is there a video where he specifically talks about the 3.6 being a nightmare? I’ve never heard bad things about it so I’m curious

My STS Northstar (it is an 07 and it is late 22) is amazing! Such a good, reliable, easy/cheap to fix car. It still has enough fancy stuff to hold up today. I did have to replace the motor mounts recently and now that I did it is damn near silent even when running. It is quieter than our 2018 Accord.

There's no first gen CTS with a 4 cylinder. The CTS didn't get a 4 cylinder until 2014 in it's third generation.

Thanks for the heads up 00-05 deville but im sad I love that car and how it looks 😭

They fixed the head gaskets for the 2005 model year. So you can get the Deville for the 2005 model year.

2004+ Base & DHS Deville's Northstar has redesigned headbolts which have largely eliminated the gasket failure nightmare. The 2004 Deville DTS had a different version of the FWD Northstar which was fixed mid-model year. All RWD Northstars have seldom had failures. One problem with 2000-05 Devilles is window regulator failure--I had 3 Pop and Drop windows. The CT6 has a newer version of the 3.6 which hasn't had a rash of timing chain failures--so far.

I have a Cadillac Deville 2004. The check engine light has been in shop for emission issues two times and now it is back on all in a year. I also have a check coolant which has been in shop for and now back on. I have 90,000 miles. This is the most comfy car I have ever had. You just hit my car RATS and I am so glad I am looking for a VAN.

4.9💪🏾 1993 Cadillac deville! Running strong

Can you do “buy this not that” for Lincoln?

Thanks for another entertaining edition of "buy this, not that." I always enjoy these. On a seperate subject, perhaps a video on what to look out for in terms of underbody rust would be in order now that we are approaching winter. Relatedly, I would be interested in your thoughts on preventative rustproofing a new car/truck immediately after purchase.

I bought a 1985 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz for $700,And drove it back 100 miles, it does have a 4.1 L V8, I drove it all over for the year I had it, even as a daily driver, it was actually pretty reliable for being a unrestored old car.

Hello Wizard. I've got a '06 Cadillac STS, originally it was 3.6 V6, but it died after 340k miles. Could You tell me, maybe You would know, will the wire cables etc. fit into 4.6 V8? Or should I buy the new cables? I would like to put bigger engine on it and to run this car again. Thanks for Your answer. Rado

your opinion on a low mileage - early to mid 90s -- 4.9 V8 ? early seville and devilles' had them .

The trick is with the 3.6 is to change the oil often, like 3000 mile intervals.

I'm surprised you never mentioned the Cadillac DTS for the full size sedan. It's a beauty of a car with the Northstar. 06 and up fixed the head gasket issue. The only issue I know of is the half case block gaskets leaking oil...

Another Cadillac to avoid is the 1997-2001 Catera which was a rebadged Opel. That 3.0 V6 that powered the Catera were known to have timing chain issues and the expensive German parts are hard to come by.

I have a 2007 STS with the 3.6 V6 and it runs great! I’ve replace starter, water pump, alternator, brake lines, fuel injectors, ignition modules 🤬 but the engine itself runs great

I owned a 4.5L Allante. It was a fun car and honestly wasn't too hard on my wallet. I kind of wish I kept it. YMMV.

I disagree with you on the srx. My aunt had one of those that she bought brand new and drove it for 11 years with relatively no issues. The only reason she got rid of it was because it got totaled in an accident it had almost 200k on it when it got totaled also

I love the buy this not that videos. I would love to see one of all brands of pickup trucks combined or each brand one at a time.

As a guy who owns a 2004 Cadillac SRX with the V8, I do my own work and am restoring it and will say it’s horrible the lack of working room. I’m not going to lie I swear sometimes I could have engineered these better than gm did. But I will say she’s been reliable, powerful, and comfortable so I’m content. Plus it’s paid off so what can I say. Besides the cursing that is. I do like the new CTS and CT6. They are beautiful cars and the 4 cylinder has tons of room being rear wheel drive. You’re the best car wizard!

We have a 2008 cts with the 3.6 and it has over 365k on it, all original parts. It does need some work, tender loving care I call it. We bought it from my wife's mom and it serves as our backup car.

I almost ended up getting a 2004 Cadillac DeVille for my first car, when I knew nothing about cars. Instead I went for a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.0. 7 years later, at 243,000 miles, It's still my daily driver.

Please do a What to buy and not to buy Lexus segment!

Yes i am sitting in my XLR eating some apple pie.

As a satisfied former Cimarron owner, I'm really puzzled by the fact that nobody addresses the CAR. All they ever say is, "It's not a Cadillac!" Who cares? With the 2.8L V6 and the four speed auto (Stick not available), they were very nice, well-equipped cars. Fairly quick for the time, economical, and very comfortable.

Hey Wizard on the 3.6... I have 05 STS with yes a 3.6 it has about 94000 miles on it. I've had it about 4 years now it had 68000 when I purchased it. I am curious as to the issues with the 3.6? I have not any problems with the engine and its actual pretty peppy off the line. it seems to run like a top. I am not saying that I have not had any problems with it just not the engine. It has the driver door handle that wont open when its warn outside, the drives (Bose) dashboard speaker rattles a bit when its hot in the car. I can make it stop by putting pressure on the dash grill so I do not believe its the actual speaker but the dash grill the glue giving way when hot or something, Also had the shiftier replaced with a new one as it would not come out of park. And the worst thing was the starter and maybe you consider that part of the 3.6? It was the dreaded not start issue! I had that thing in two separate Cadillac dealerships and one of them really tried to fix it. any way long story short my brother figures it out by putting test light hooked to the starter power supply so when you hit the ignition it proved that power was being supplies. We replaced it and have never had the issue again. I'd love to hear what you think about this and learn what I may have coming to me with this 3.6?

I actually like the Seville. They look so weird but cool