1996 Cadillac Brougham 5.7 litre (350 cid)
Summary:
Solid dependable car, not as luxurious as I had hoped
Faults:
Front suspension/steering arm at 116,000, $300.00.
A/C needed service at about 150,000, $250.00.
Heater needed service at about 165,000
$250.00.
General Comments:
A very large, but nice to drive car. It has been very reliable, it is spacious, and can seat 5 adults comfortably. There is also plenty of space in the trunk. Many vehicle components are shared with the Impala, and the engine is shared with Impala, Corvette, and Camaro so there are usually plenty of parts available. For such a large car it handles quite well, and the automatic load leveller helps with this. Biggest disappointment is the amount of fake wood grain and plastic trim pieces. You'd expect better in a luxury car. Gas mileage about 19-20 city, 25+ on highway.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 18th October, 2005
8th Feb 2015, 23:59
The automatic load leveler (really called Electronic Level Control) you speak of doesn't help ride or handling one bit. It's just an air bladder that keeps the car's rear end from sagging if you put stuff in the trunk. Contrary to popular belief, the ELC is not an air suspension setup, it just keeps the car's rear end from sagging, which was a problem on older Cadillacs.
9th Feb 2015, 14:31
Same goes for Town Cars; I swapped out the air springs to conventional springs in mine, and it made no difference in the ride.
13th Mar 2013, 09:12
Trust me, you don't want real wood in your car. It's horrible for the long run because it cracks, warps, and gets scratched and costs a lot of money to replace. It looks nice, but doesn't hold up after years of daily driving.