What should I ask?

[Turbo RX-6]

I think its time to sell my 98 Pearl white Cadillac STS. I am the second owner, the original owner was a retired vet from florida and has a clean Carfax. I bought it in February of 07 with 43K miles. It now has 66K and was my daily driver for about a year and only driven one winter. The car is in great shape with clean interior and a couple minor dents on the drivers side thanks to my old job having to park at a bar. Its nothing noticeable unless you are looking. The car has been sitting in my driveway for almost three years now. I start it in the winter and drive it here and there in the summer. I did the pads and rotors two years ago and only have 500 miles on them. Its been well maintained and has a new radiator, water pump, thermostat, hoses, plugs, wires etc.. All done last summer.... Now, here's the deal... I basicly replaced the whole cooling system trying to pin point a overheating problem that started about three years ago. At first it wasn't a big deal... Every once and a while the it would overheate... Mainly on the highway... All I had to do was pull over and shut it down then restart it a few times, after that it would run another 500 miles or so without a problem. I did all the work last summer and took it out here and there around town. The car runs fine but after 45min or so it pushes coolant out of the overflow cap. I know its a "sealed system with purge and have cleaned or replaced every hose. I have a feeling the car needs a head gasket. It sucks having such a nice car that I barely got to drive with this ongoing problem.... My question is... What would YOU ask for in my situation? Is it worth fixing? Remember... It has sat for so long... Even though I have taken care of it, money in the bank is more important now. I just looked up the same car with 67K miles with no problems for over 7K. If it turns out my problem is a head gasket, could I get 5K?? Or what do you think???? Thanks in advance.

 

[TexasT]

Do you like the car? Is this its only problem? Do you see yourself driving it to recoup any thing you would put into it?

I'd fix it and drive it myself if it were mine. I don't know your situation and paying to have it fixed might not get you where you want to be either.

I would think a cooling system pressure test and a compression/leakdown test would be in order to see just what might be wrong with it. Might not be just a gasket. Blocks and heads crack, too. But you won't know until it is taken apart.

As far as the original question goes, and you just want it gone, ask something reasonable and it would disappear that day I bet. And you would have a fist of franklins to do something else with.

 

[Turbo RX-6]

Bump

 

[charlief1]

I can tell you that it's head gaskets. It's gonna cost several thousand to fix where you are. The engine and tranny has to come out from the bottom so the labor is just a bit intensive. The only option here is to sell it to someone that's unsuspecting, but I doubt you could do that, or repair it and keep it. Sorry.

 

[Turbo RX-6]

I can tell you that it's head gaskets. It's gonna cost several thousand to fix where you are. The engine and tranny has to come out from the bottom so the labor is just a bit intensive. The only option here is to sell it to someone that's unsuspecting, but I doubt you could do that, or repair it and keep it. Sorry.

FyI I could sell it to some unsuspecting poor guy... You wouldn't know there was a problem unless you took it for a hour test drive. I don't want to do that and was just trying to get a fair price for the car because it has and continues to just sit at my house. The reason I bring this up again after so long is now we are moving in two months and I need it gone. I Wouldn't want to be ripped off so I wont do that to someone else.

 

[Turbo RX-6]

I found a great fix if it happens to be the head gaskets. Northstar Engine Parts For Sale they sell the kit for 550$ DIY... So if anyone wants to take the project on and fix the car I'm willing to let it go for 4k obo... That means you would be in it for around $4,500 not counting the labor. You could easily ask $7,500 when finished... That is if it does turn out to be a head gasket and you do the work. We are moving out of state and don't have the time or resources to mess with it now. This is a easy $2,500 to $3,000 profit or you can drive it untill the wheels fall off. The car is worth fixing and should stay on the road for a long time.

 

[G NASTY]

The head gaskets are a know prob with those motors. My friend sold his 1999 with 75k miles with a blown HG for 2500$ but he scored the car real cheap. I think he tried to get more but it wasn't happening. The guy who bought it, bought it to repair and sell.

 

[charlief1]

Labor time is llisted as 19.1 hours. I charge $55 an hour so the labor alone would be $1050.50. I've done one and have no intention of ever doing another one. Just not worth it to me even though it's good money.

 

[RIFF RAFF]

Dexcool strikes again .. No easy fix .. First car ive ever seen that you have to pull the plenuim to change a starter .. Gm had there heads stuck somewhere .. Go to cadilac and ask them for the tech notes on the car .. They will ask you to come back to pick them up .. Its like 170 pages of screw ups ..

 

[RIFF RAFF]

Damn charlie .. You work cheap .. I get 85 an hour .. When most around here charge 105-115 an hour .. Everythings big in texas .cept your labor bill ..

 

[charlief1]

Damn charlie .. You work cheap .. I get 85 an hour .. When most around here charge 105-115 an hour .. Everythings big in texas .cept your labor bill ..

I'm in small town Texas. I'm on par with most of the shops around here except for the dealers, all 2 of them.:biggrin: The highest shop that's not a dealer is $72.50 (don't know how they came up with this) here and the lowest is $45 so I'm right in line.

 

[slow305]

First car ive ever seen that you have to pull the plenuim to change a starter.

The original ZR1's (early 90's anyway) also required intake removal to change a starter. WTF GM?!? Engine disassembly to change a part that is destined to wear out???