13th Sep 2021, 19:54
Cadillac like many other manufacturers had warning lights on the dashboard that came on shortly before the issues actually occurred. Cadillac in the late 70s also used a rock solid cast iron 425 CID V8 that had barely any if no reliability issues at all. It all depended on the type of vehicle it was from the late 70s. The V8 larger bodied cars from GM, Ford and even Chrysler had no problem rolling the odometer and lasting many miles beyond.
13th Sep 2021, 21:46
Maybe you should be directing your comments towards the ones made on other reviews by other posters to this site. The ones who claim that old cars were built so much better, lasted longer, were more reliable and cheaper to maintain than late model cars.
None of the "above comments" falls into that description.
14th Sep 2021, 03:17
I agree this was not the best time for automotive engineering. That being said two transmissions and one rear end over the span of 25k miles is still excessive. Cars weren’t great, but they weren’t that bad.
14th Sep 2021, 17:47
Uh huh,and just because they are "late model" cars, quality control is unheard of. Early transmission and rear end failure like the car on review would never happen. Modern day vehicles maybe safer, more fuel efficient, less maintenance la da da, da da. Reliability is no better. Is it really necessary to get into this once again?
14th Sep 2021, 21:47
Sure. What better way to get the good ol' new vs old debate started up again by searching this forum for ancient comments and re-ignite the argument
Just for kicks and giggles. Why not, right?...
15th Sep 2021, 13:56
That engine was one of the last durable "Cadillac" (when they were exclusive to the brand) engines. All from the same tooling the 472, 500, 425 and 368. After 1981 it all went downhill. Aluminum blocks with head gasket problems, no power and more. Then came the disastrous Northstar. Nowadays Cadillac doesn't even make their own V8. It's all "corporate" engines now, leaving Cadillac a non exclusive division like they used to be.
12th Sep 2021, 17:46
Never mind the comments above. Back in the late 1970s the Big 3 had horrific issues with quality and long-term reliability.
If you actually read a few books from automotive journalists and other experts from that era, you would quickly discover that the bulk of these vehicles had quality problems that often left the buyer with an expensive repair bill once the warranty was done.
There was a lot of cost cutting. Cadillacs that wouldn't warn the driver when the engine was overheating. Cast-aluminum internal engine components that wouldn't last 50,000 miles (look up the Chevy Vega), and transmissions that would regularly crap out, like yours, that required replacement which were mainly due to poor quality control.
Anyone casting stones at this guy may want to read The Machine That Changed The World or Rude Awakening by Maryann Keller.