"there she sits justa gleamin' in the sun...."

"Your boy, BJR" (jerseyshoreben)
09/29/2015 at 20:04 • Filed to: Cadillac, DeVille, B. Rolland

“.....there to greet a workin’ man after his day is done”

The diagnosis wasn’t great. Wasn’t as grim as it could be, but I’m a working college student and I don’t really have the time or money for this news.

“Well he figures you’re gonna need a new ball joint soon, and a motor mount not long after.”

I stood there, looking at my service writer and former mentor, on that sunny afternoon last Thursday, not feeling too great about what I was just told.

“well what would the cost be?” I asked, hopefully.

“About $400 for the ball joint and $5-600 for the motor mount, after your discount.” Ouch. Those numbers stung, especially after having just put $450 into 4 new whitewalls and another $311 into a rear window motor and assembly. I called my mom, who, by the grace of God has been generous enough to loan me money for my recent repair bills.

“I can’t help you out anymore, Ben. I’d love to, but it’s just too much right now.” I understood.

I heard the warnings when I got it, “they aren’t the most reliable cars in the world and might be a bad idea to buy at this point in your life!” “If anything breaks, I can’t help you.” I heard, but I hadn’t listened. I wanted a Cadillac so bad, so fucking bad I would dream about getting behind the wheel of one of my own, turning the key, listening to that silky smooth V8 purr to life, and wrapping my fingers around that big leather or wood wheel every night. Every. Single. Night. When I found a one owner, 55k mile DeVille with a shiny vinyl top, white walls, and big chrome wheels, I immediately shared it with some fellow opponauts. “Those wheels are hideous” “Northstars suck” and “a landau top, really?” Some of you joked. “those wheels ARE hideous” I thought, and I passed. I looked at Monte Carlos, Impalas, Cutlasses, Broughams...even Crown Vics, but every time I came back to craigslist, that Caddy was there, looking at me. Long story short, and as you all know, I bought it; but I digress.

“You should probably start looking for a new car. Credit still isn’t totally built up, so Chris can’t help you on a lease, but maybe there’s something on the Nissan lot he can get you into!” My mom suggested.

She is probably right, and that probably is the smart path, so I decided to sleep on it. I asked my girlfriend what she thought.

“Didn’t you just make a sappy Facebook post about it? Baby you love that car, don’t sell it!” she said don’t worry about the issues until I have some money built up, and I’d love to do that, but I can’t just let the Caddy hurt until I stumble into $900-1000.

Maybe letting it go would be the best thing for the both of us, I thought. The Caddy can get an owner with the money to take care of it, and I don’t have a 4 digit repair bill.

I prayed to the motor gods, looking for a sign for what to do, when Bruce chimed in....

“Well buddy when I die throw my body in the back/and drive me to the junkyard in my Cadillac.....”

After I got to where I was going, the Boss’s words still chimed in my head.

I’ve made my decision.

DISCUSSION (16)

signintoburnerlol > Your boy, BJR
09/29/2015 at 20:14

$400 for a balljoint? One balljoint?

You gotta learn to work on your car.

mattc993 > Your boy, BJR
09/29/2015 at 20:17

Take it to a good indy or get that work done yourself.

Both of those tasks are relatively low in complexity (although ball joints can sometimes get stuck/frozen so they might be a bit hard to get out). You should be able to get them done for far less than that, completed by yourself or not.

Your boy, BJR > signintoburnerlol
09/29/2015 at 20:18

I’m actually a former Cadillac mechanic, but I really genuinely hate working on cars. The ball joint I might do if I can get a weekend off soon.

Your boy, BJR > mattc993
09/29/2015 at 20:19

Well the motor mounts on these are hydraulic, so they're a bit more complex than the average motor mount job.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Your boy, BJR
09/29/2015 at 20:19

Don't do it

Your boy, BJR > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
09/29/2015 at 20:21

Well I decided to keep it.

signintoburnerlol > Your boy, BJR
09/29/2015 at 20:21

I can pick up a Hydraulic Mount for $17 and a balljoint for $40 on rockauto. That’s $60 right there. Since you have the skill and most likely the tools, you could do this easily in a day.

DoYouEvenShift > signintoburnerlol
09/29/2015 at 20:23

Seriously! You could probably pick up a control arm(ball joint installed) for $75 and install it in a couple hours.

The window regulator for less than $100 and install in another hour.

Maybe this is an opportunity to start wrenching.

Your boy, BJR > signintoburnerlol
09/29/2015 at 20:23

I got about $20 to my name and no jack or stands. If you want to come do it though, be my guest.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Your boy, BJR
09/29/2015 at 20:42

Yasssss. Luxobarges forever.

Slant6 > Your boy, BJR
09/29/2015 at 21:14

I respect your love for your car. Before I never really understood why but now I do.

El Rivinado > Your boy, BJR
09/29/2015 at 21:34

This hits me hard, next month, it’ll have been one year since I got my Cadillac. Even after a complete suspension rebuild and having to fix the A/C, not to mention what might happen with the Northstar if I’m not careful, I understand what it’s like to have a car like this. My dad, the cheapskate that he is, keeps saying, “I won’t put more money into it than the blue book value, the blue book value is important, I won’t put money into it that costs more than it’s worth.” I knew exactly the risk I took, and I even have contingency plans even though it hasn’t reached one hundred on the odometer.

People like us don’t buy cars with rationality in mind, we buy cars because these cars are what we buy with our hearts. Buying a luxury car might be the stupidest used car to buy, buying a Cadillac of similar vintage might seem even more suicidal. There are days when I ask myself “Why didn’t you get something simpler, why not go for a car that doesn’t require premium, why not go for a car that’s not a two door so once you get to drive your car by yourself, your friends don’t have to crawl in the back and deal with squished legroom because of your 6’3 frame? Why did you buy this Cadillac?”

Then I look at the ornament on the hood, and I enjoy the relatively smooth ride, I listen to the quiet rumble of the V8, and I enjoy the excellent A/C that keeps me cold in the hot SoCal summers, and realize why. That car is one of the only things I love, even after the expensive repair bills, even after the potential risks it poses, that car has cheered me up on my worst days, made it feel like the world didn’t exist. Made my past tragedies, my moments of self-doubt, my questions about life, the lack of direction, and even my really bad bouts with my clinical depression, all feel like they no longer existed. For better or worse, that Cadillac made me feel alright in this world, and I hope it still does.

Ben, no matter what, don’t give up your Deville unless you absolutely have to. These Cadillacs aren’t just cars to people like us, they’re friends, they’re symbols of pride, they’re shining reminders in our darkest hour that the world will get better.

This Deville has helped you get to a better place in life, it deserves to be kept on the road in it's best shape, no matter what happens.

Your boy, BJR > El Rivinado
09/29/2015 at 21:55

Couldn’t have said it better myself. I bought the DeVille as sort of a 90 day (first and arguably the biggest milestone in sobriety) gift to myself, looking back, yeah my logic is flawed, but the DeVille is the first car I’ve ever owned that didn’t reek like weed or have a bunch of scratches in the plastic around the ignition. This car is my absolute most prized possession ever. Literally looking down the hood at the gold shield and wreath is what solidified it for me to keep it. I also realized the only car I’d replace it with would be another Northstar Cadillac and there just aren't any as nice as mine for sale right now in the area/price range I'm looking at.

Hahaburned > signintoburnerlol
09/29/2015 at 23:33

Its not always as easy as it seems. You are one of those people who assumes you can’t be a car person if you dont wrench, arent you?

Swayze Train GTi > Your boy, BJR
10/05/2015 at 13:30

Ahh, the DTS. While I can admit that this was one of the last Cadillacs holding the brand back from where it is now, I still like it. My uncle has had 2, a 2003 and now a 2007. They ride well, are comfortable, have enough power, and nowadays are pretty cheap.

Reliability does come into play though. My grandpa’s have been fine, but I recently detailed one, a 2006 model, at 148k miles. It seemed to be running just a bit rough every once in awhile, the brake lights were constantly on even when not in use, and the car alarm went off 4 times while I was cleaning it WITH THE DOORS ALL UNLOCKED. Apparently it had some security system issue. It also had some worn suspension components, not sure which, but I know it wasn’t riding like it should.

Your boy, BJR > Swayze Train GTi
10/05/2015 at 14:19

Mine isn’t a DTS, though. It's a base DeVille.