2008 Advice and Parts Availabilty

[Rob Troxel]

I'm looking to pull the trigger on a 2008 XLR with 54000 miles on it. What should I be looking for as far as any potential issues? My main concern is the magna ride shocks which I hear were changed or improved form the earlier 2004-07 series. Is there an alternative source other than the Cad dealer? Should the shocks have any oil residue on them, would you get a message if they go out? Where can I source a Tech11 tool? Any way to pull the Cadillac service records?

Thanks for any help offered.

Rob Troxel

 

[Stella]

I would go through every function of the car and make sure all works properly. Carfax the vin,check all body panel gaps. They should all be equal and the same. I believe with a carfax it tells when it went to the dealer. At least mine did. Find the dealer that did the servicing and look at the records. Gm parts direct is a good source of oem parts. Tech2 can look on ebay,CL and make sure it works has the latest updates and the candi module. You'll need it to communicate with car. As for shocks yes they are pricey. Rod end has a boot around it so you can't actually see the shaft coming out of the shock so if you see oil coming out its probably more than weeping "its leaking". There are regular aftermarkets you can install along with a electrical loop for each shock but you probably change the ride dramatically.
Even though you didn't pay a 100,000 for the car,replacement parts,cost are still for a 100,000 car
You have to pay to play with the big boys

 

[ccclarke]

Record the VIN and have your local Cadillac dealer print the Service History; it's a lot more comprehensive than carfax, and shouldn't cost a thing. If the seller will let you, have the car inspected by a dealer with a certified XLR tech.

Most parts are readily available; just Google "GM Part Suppliers" and distributors will pop up. Prices run about 40% lower than MSRP. In fact, these are the prices the dealers usually pay for parts.

Buying a Tech 2 requires a little luck and patience to find a good deal. Beware of cheap clones. . . And you'll need a set of Service manuals. (helminc.com)

Download an owner's manual (on this site in the Tech Center.) I call this a driveway test drive: Create a checklist for each function you want to test, using the manual as a guide. Ref the page # on the side of the list if you need more detailed info. You get to learn while you test!

Good luck with your decision!

CC

 

[Rob Troxel]

Thanks

I sure appreciate the guidance you all are offering! I had a Cadillac dealer pull the GM records along with the maintenance records since the car was a local . During one of the services, there was a message to the then owner, that the shocks were leaking. Well that's a big red flag! Would the car computer report the failing shocks, or would it just tell you the bad news once they are completely out of fluid? Looks to me like about 5 K to fix? The selling dealer (not a Cadillac) wants 35 K. Car has 54K on the odometer. The cam cover seals were just fixed though.

 

[XLRATING]

I sure appreciate the guidance you all are offering! I had a Cadillac dealer pull the GM records along with the maintenance records since the car was a local . During one of the services, there was a message to the then owner, that the shocks were leaking. Well that's a big red flag! Would the car computer report the failing shocks, or would it just tell you the bad news once they are completely out of fluid? Looks to me like about 5 K to fix? The selling dealer (not a Cadillac) wants 35 K. Car has 54K on the odometer. The cam cover seals were just fixed though.

I haven't had that problem but I think from what others have said that the computer doesn't give you any warning info about shocks being low/out of fluid. I believe you only get a message if there's a computer communication problem.

 

[ccclarke]

A light film of oil on the top of the shock reservoir is normal. If the shock is leaking externally, it meets replacement criteria. There are no DTCs via Tech 2 for a failed shock absorber oil level. If a shock absorber completely fails, the ride height can be affected as well as the suspension system "bottoming out" over bumps.

DTCs can be observed on the Tech 2 for failed shock actuators and damper control circuits. A failure in these circuits can result in DIC messages of "SERVICE RIDE CONTROL" and/or "SHOCKS INOPERATIVE."

You could ask the dealer to meet you half-way and have them pay for half of the shock absorber repair. Of course, that would be at dealer price rates, which are higher than what you can obtain them for online.

CC