After a rather hectic month of July in which our Cadillac Seville STS pounded the pavement for 3,557 miles, August was considerably slower paced. In the hands of John DiPietro, our used car data manager, the Seville was retained for basic commuting duty in New Hampshire. Consequently, it racked up less than 1,000 miles.

The Northstar V8 continues to get high praise and it seems to be the Caddy's top feature. The broad torque band, combined with the smooth automatic transmission, allows effortless passing and strong freeway cruising. Want to dispatch a slow-moving minivan packed with screaming kids and a frazzled mom? No problem. Just step on the accelerator and go.

For a car that channels 300 horsepower through the front wheels, the STS generally handles with a stable attitude. But the 1,000 miles in August certainly didn't improve John's opinion of the Continuously Variable Road Sensing Suspension (CVRSS). Like last month, John said it seemed to get confused while traveling over freeway expansion joints, causing the suspension to become unduly harsh. Other times, the suspension seemed too soft.

Better comments were made about the interior. John thinks the cabin is attractive and stylish. The seats continue to be comfortable. John also noted the usefulness of the HVAC ducts for the rear passengers. These vents can be adjusted in terms of fan speed and airflow. Other high points for John include the stereo and the little trash receptacle located at the right side of the front door.

At the back of our minds, though, is the question on how well the Cadillac will hold up over time. We didn't have any major problems in August, which is a good sign. The only potential hiccup is with the driver's seat-memory function. Apparently, unlocking the doors with the key fob activates the "Driver 2" position for the front seat. This wouldn't be a problem except for the fact that we're using the key fob with "Driver 1" marked on the back.

Our STS was taken to Talarico Cadillac of Manchester, N.H., for its 22,500-mile service. This scheduled maintenance stop was supposed to include a tire rotation along with an oil and filter change, but the dealership didn't perform the tire rotation. The stated reason was that the front tires were in better condition than the rears, and it was best to keep the best tires in front given the front-wheel-drive layout of the STS. John reports that the Talarico staff was friendly and efficient.

Total Odometer Reading: 22,331
Best Fuel Economy: 22.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 17.6 mpg
Body Damage Repair Costs: $0
Maintenance Costs: $26.95
Problems: Key fob activates the wrong seat-memory position.