57k Original Miles: 1997 Cadillac Eldorado
Although nobody knew it at the time, the Twelfth Generation range would be the most significant in the history of the Cadillac Eldorado. It would signal the end of a badge that had served the company faithfully since 1953, with Cadillac closing that chapter in its history in 2002. Our feature Eldorado rolled off the line in 1997, and its condition must be seen to be appreciated. It is a two-owner survivor with a genuine 57,000 miles on the clock, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder T.J. for spotting a classic that needs nothing but a new home.
The writing was probably on the wall for the Twelfth Generation Eldorado from the end of its second production year. While initial sales were respectable, the prevailing trend was in a downward direction. The numbers rallied slightly a couple of times, but from a high of 25,582 cars in 1992, the total plummeted to 7,713 in 2001. Cadillac persisted for another year before retiring the badge permanently. This Eldorado is a two-owner survivor that rolled off the line in 1997 wearing a striking combination of Polo Green paint with a Beige vinyl top. The seller indicates it has never received repairs or restoration, making its presentation admirable. The paint shines richly, with no visible flaws or defects. The vinyl is spotless, and there is no mention or evidence of rust. The chrome trim perfectly contrasts the dark paint shade, and like the plastic, it appears flawless. The wheels show no evidence of physical damage, and the green-tinted glass is crystal clear.
Powering this Cadillac is the 4.6-liter 32-valve Northstar V8, producing 275hp and 300 ft/lbs of torque. This feeds to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission, while power-assisted steering and brakes, traction control, Electronic Stability Control, and Integrated Chassis Control were standard equipment. The Northstar is a powerhouse, propelling the 3,842 lb Eldorado through the ¼-mile in 15.3 seconds. The seller is sparing with their information, leaving potential buyers in the dark about the car’s mechanical health and whether they hold verifying evidence for the mileage claim. However, if appearances are an accurate guide, there should be nothing but positive news.
The seller emphasizes the luxury and comfort provided by this Eldorado, and a glance at the features supports that statement. The new owner receives airbags, climate-control air conditioning, power windows, power locks, six-way power seats, cruise control, a tilt wheel, a premium AM/FM radio/CD player, and acres of leather and timber trim. The seats exhibit slight stretching, but the lack of wear on the outer edges is noteworthy while the carpet and dash are excellent. Pale trim and upholstery shades are prone to stains and deterioration, and while it would be unfair to describe this Eldorado as factory-fresh, it has no significant faults or shortcomings.
There’s something attractive about owning one of the last examples of an iconic model, which is the opportunity presented by this 1997 Cadillac Eldorado. It carried the hallmarks of a car that was treated respectfully, and only a short period has passed since the seller listed it here on Craigslist in Glenview, Illinois. The seller’s price of $10,900 is slightly above the market average, but the car’s overall condition and odometer reading justify the figure. I’m unsure whether the seller will be inundated with inquiries, but I suspect it will find a new home.
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Comments
This baby’s gonna look killa with limo dark tint ridin’ on gold wire 32s.
Sorry man. Tinted glass..OK
The wheels, ahhh..that’s a NO.
Good day to my fellow GREAT AMERICAN LAND YACHT SOCIETY members and others. While this car presents well, IMO it represents all that knocked Cadillac off its lofty pedestal as Standard of the WORLD. First, the North STAR was trouble prone and extremely costly to repair. A friend had, a Deville with that motor. After several costly repairs, he traded for a Town Car. The styling and smaller size didn’t help sales for traditional Cadillac buyers. GM missed the boat (no pun intended) with corporate decisions at that time. My 93 Brougham was nothing close to my previous 89 Brougham deElegance in traditional Cadillac style, quality of materials and build, and Panache. For me, this is definitely a Cadillac EL DO OH NO 👎
Look at that wrinkled leather on the seats. Poor quality! This Caddy never impressed me. The styling was generic blah. Cadillac has never returned to its former glory to this day! There is way too much sharing between the divisions. When will they learn? Furthermore, your electric vehicles are an absolute waste of money. There is no electric future for transportation. It’s truly environmentally unfriendly at every level.
You can’t stop progress. Enough said.
Sorry, No Sale! 😉. History repeats itself. We hopefully learn from it! LOL, but give me the good old days. So called PROGRESS often Paves Paradise to put up a parking lot. Unfortunately that is exactly happening in my home town.
We had one of these Eldo’s, back in the day. (and a ’99, too!)
Never had any problems, they were a hellava sled!!
Sadly, the Northstar gets a bum rap, just like Olds diesels.
Those cars with either motor were ahead of their time.
Fantastic driver’s car. I had one, loved it. But 1996-1998 are like the WORST years for the Northstar V8 quality woes. High occurrence of defects. Watch out for any listing that makes any mention of cooling-related issues.
IMHO, with all that has been said…
Someone somewhere will make a reasonable offer and this car will have a new bed to snooze in.
What a beautiful color combination.
Nice ride…good luck to ya’all!
Bought a ’97 Seville with their “Northstar” engine. Before 25K miles, it was using more than a quart of oil a month. Cadillac said they would replace the engine under warranty. I said, “No way”! It normally took 3 visits to resolve most issues. No way could they pull the engine and put it back together at the dealer so that there would not be other issues. I drove straight to our local Toyota dealer that night and traded it straight across for a new 2000 Toyota Camry V6 XLE. We drove that Camry for over 10 years and >200K miles with not one issue!! I was done forever with Cadillacs!!
You can’t stop progress. Enough said.
Duplicate comment. I meant to say you went from A Cadillac to a Camry? Why not a Lexus?
A buddy of mine used to buy these cheap as his off-season ride while the Corvette was being stored.
Not a big market for these 90’s used Caddys.