1998 Cadillac Seville

The Seville spent this month with Christian Wardlaw, Edmund's editor-in-chief, and was examined from every angle. The resulting three pages of notes filled the Cadillac's log with a rash of likes and dislikes. Some of the issues are old, some of the problems are new, but each underscores our continuing ambivalence about this powerful luxury sedan.

The back-and-forth about the Seville's self-adjusting front seats continues to rage, as Wardlaw tried to come to grips with his impression of the system. After one week, he claimed (as other staffers have) that the seats felt like over-inflated innertubes, offering front-seat occupants no support. At the end of his month with the Seville, however, he found the seats comfortable and accommodating. So, did he actually come to like the seats, or did he just get used to them? We suspect the latter. Vinegar will taste like wine if you drink it often enough.

A myriad of electrical glitches haunted the Seville this month. The passenger-side rearview mirror is pointing toward the sky rather than the right lane after reverse has been engaged. The power seats make a popping noise when moved forward or rearward in their track. The driver-side exterior mirror moves in a herky-jerky motion when drivers try to make minor adjustments. The stereo system cuts out and the speakers pop for no apparent reason. A mysterious chime dinged for nearly an hour one morning, despite the fact that neither the trunk, nor hood, nor any of the doors were open. There is a reason that some people will always buy cars with roll-up windows and a manual transmission--power everything means nothing if it doesn't work right.

Suspension bugaboos accompanied Wardlaw's test drives in the Seville this month. Complaints about undue bounce, jounce, rebound and float filled his logbook rants, prompting him to direct Cadillac engineers to disasemble any Audi A4, A6 or A8 to see how a proper front-wheel drive suspension should be designed.

In an attempt to save Edmund's publisher more than $400, Wardlaw attempted to wax out the scratches in the Seville's bumper and the leaf etchings in the car's hood that we mentioned in last month's update. Several hours of buffing and waxing left him with more moves than the Karate Kid; unfortunately, his efforts did nothing to save our boss money. The Seville still requires professional attention to take care of its paint problem. Although we accept some of the responsibility for the Cadillac's damaged paint, we are disgusted that the finish on our long-term Oldsmobile Intrigue (which spent time in New York and Denver before being rotated to Los Angeles) has fared better than the paint on its $30,000-more-expensive GM cousin. We want our Caddy to be better than the cars in GM's other divisions. We expect that anyone paying more than $50K for a Seville would want the same.

Wardlaw detailed the Seville himself after a particularly gooey snowstorm left the streets of Denver, and the Caddy, covered in muck. This allowed him the chance to spend some real quality time with the Seville, where he made the following observations.

I can't believe GM's corner cutting. The weatherstripping along the bottom of the driver's door has lost one of its plastic rivets, and three others have pulled loose. Half the weatherstripping was free from anchorage.
On the left rear door, the weatherstripping along the bottom of the door was so poorly fitted at the factory that gaps exist between the sheetmetal and the rubber.
The rear headliner is sagging. When you push up on it, something between the headliner and the roof makes a rattling noise. Sounds like a broken clip.
The trunk storage system is a tremendous joke. Plus, it makes vacuuming the trunk a laborious process. And why doesn't this car have non-intrusive trunk hinges?
The plastic panel between the taillights traps loads of water, spilling it out onto the bumper for about an hour after washing the car.
The grained surface inside the chrome wheel spokes trap dirt and brake dust, discoloring easily. Why aren't they chromed like the spokes?
The plastic panel beneath the steering wheel has begun to sag on the left side.
The thick tan carpet hides dirt well. When vacuuming, I found enough grit beneath the driver's floor mat to fill a sandbox. I don't think the Seville had been vacuumed since 1998.
The light beige interior shows all the dirt. It took almost an hour to make the inside like new again.
Two of the chrome wheels are showing a cloudy discoloration.

While our editor-in-chief finds the Seville attractive, his young wife sees things a little differently. Christy Wardlaw thinks that the Seville is an "old person's" car. Still under 30-years-old, she is not ready to accept that stigma. Christian Wardlaw (Yes, we find the similarities in their names confusing, too.), however, thinks that the Seville looks solid, fast and elegant, particularly from the three-quarter rear view, where onlookers are treated to a view of the Seville's twin tailpipes and smoked taillights. Hmm, he's older than Christy; maybe he's ready to move into the next phase of life.

The Seville has been in our long-term fleet for nearly a year, yet no one is ready to say whether they love it or hate it. Should we drool over the powerful engine or lament the poor build quality? Should we praise the spacious interior or bemoan the inefficient use of space? Shall we stand in awe at the striking display of modern technology or laugh in our sleeves every time it fails to work? We haven't decided, but we'll be sure to let you know when we've made a judgment.

Total Odometer Reading: 10,588
Best Fuel Economy: 20.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 17.2 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Stereo shorting out intermittently, odd ding, ding, ding experience, carpet pulling away from center console, front suspension rattles and feels loose on lumpy pavement, weatherstripping on underside of driver's door coming undone, sagging headliner over back seat, sagging underdash trim beneath the steering column, cloudy discoloration on a couple of wheels.