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Red Beauty Please Help!

Meangreen

Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2019
Messages
5
Location
West Texas
Shared album - Juan Romero - Google Photos
Just found this beauty! 2006 one owner 75k not a ding, dent or scratch! Long story short.... Just sold my car and can't commute in an H2 to work. Went to go visit my very good friend (Cadillac Used Car Manager) and see this beauty pulling up. Older lady did not drive it and was just sitting in her garage. After it went to service and $3k later I can buy at at $15,500. I love these cars but unsure of the troubles. No more extended warranty available, after seeing top go up and down it scared the crap out of me.... How much does that repair cost. Lol!
I would use as a daily driver 80m round trip. I believe if you love the car drive it and don't worry about the miles going up. Only thing I felt while driving it today was a small rear noise when going over bumps.... More like nedding shocks but no bounce or any weird movements. Small noise up front as if something minor was loose (nothing scary but terrified in can be a big deal) steering wheel feels a little different as if it needs power steering fluid but again not bad. Maybe just normal.
Please Help I will sign my contact on Thursday and need to be convinced100%.....

Good deal?
Be terrified of things breaking?
Daily Driver?
Would you buy yours again?
Would you buy this beauty?

Thank you in advance for your allí your input....
Hope from you all soon.

Respectfully,
J.C.
 
Just watch out for the left trunk storage well. I’ve had to replace my weather stripping back in 2013 because of a trunk leak. Luckily the carpet only was damp because i caught it at the right time. 2 years ago though my extended warranty went out. A while later my front shock was blown. So I bit the built and had all 4 shocks replaced. I also had a small radiator leak so that was an expense. But knock on wood haven’t had anything else major go wrong. When I did have the warranty the company paid out almost 16 k of labor and repairs though.
Well good luck with your new purchase. Hope you have plenty of enjoyable days/nights with it.
Welcome to the xlr net. I’m sure if you have any problems there are plenty of us here to answer any questions you might have. Since you will be driving it daily you probably won’t need it but the computer in these cars is always on and searching for the fob signal. So If you know you won’t be driving it for awhile due to winter storage or vacation. Be sure to pick up or invest in a good battery tender. I’m already on my 3rd battery since 2012 when I purchased mine.


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Thanks, trunk looks dry. No fluid around pump mechanism. Weather stripping looks great. How much did the schocks set you back? What did the car feel like before shocks were replaced?
 
Well, I owned my 2006 XLRV for six and a half blissful years, six of those the car was covered by a comprehensive, no deductible warranty. The last 6 months I realized I was not enjoying it but rather living in abject terror that something was going to break.

I sold it, rather unexpectedly, to a guy who really, really wanted it.

Bottom line, I wouldn’t roll the dice unless I was flush enough to fund the repairs that are surely coming.

That’s just me.


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I have owned my 06 for about 6.5 years. I have enjoyed this car more than any other toy I have owned. I have had no major expenses to date. I smile every time I get in it and when I get out and walk away I always look back.
John F.
 
I have owned my 06 for about 6.5 years. I have enjoyed this car more than any other toy I have owned. I have had no major expenses to date. I smile every time I get in it and when I get out and walk away I always look back.
John F.

Lol!!! Thank you for the replies, one person no major issues and the other sells terrified of expensive repairs. Still in the same boat. Repairs I should be able to afford, just don't want my better half saying I told you so.... Don't want a good deal to end up being a second mortgage. Thanks again to all.
 
Lol!!! Thank you for the replies, one person no major issues and the other sells terrified of expensive repairs. Still in the same boat. Repairs I should be able to afford, just don't want my better half saying I told you so.... Don't want a good deal to end up being a second mortgage. Thanks again to all.

I can solve THAT problem.......Don't tell her !
 
I have owned my 06 for about 6.5 years. I have enjoyed this car more than any other toy I have owned. I have had no major expenses to date. I smile every time I get in it and when I get out and walk away I always look back.
John F.

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Welcome! + Don't be afraid of The XLR

The retractable top is to me one of the most unique charecteristics of these cars. Such attention getters. Also not any more problematic than any other vehciles I have owned. And I have owned many.

As previously mentioned, the one thing with these vehicles, already mentioned, is to 'always' keep the battery hooked up to a Battery Tender. They have more parasitic battery drain than any car I have ever owned. When the battery even gets 'weak' they start doing all kinds of weird things.

Any issues you may encounter can and will be answered on this site. A valuable resource. --- And, 'yes', I would buy mine again! No question. I looked at The Mercedes Roadster and some Corvettes. Both nice cars. But not as 'UNIQUE' as The XLR.

Again, Welcome. :wave:
 
Last edited:
Thanks CNC and everyone else that has replied.
I think I smell antifreeze when I park. Car does not feel hot or any different. Maybe just my mind playing tricks. Today drivers side vent felt a little warmer than passenger side. Turned off passenger side and few minutes later good as new. When tuning on I thought I heard like a bearing going bad coming from center vents.
 
Well, if you do not see any coolant on the ground under the vehicle, then it's not leaking, that's for sure. One thing that many on this site have corrected on their XLR's is the cabin heat from the exhaust system that runs through the console tunnel underneath. The fix is to buy the insulated plate that bolts in where the existing factory one is (below the vehicle), under the console tunnel. Maybe someone here can reference the company for you that makes them? I cannot recall their name? 05 Grand Daddy put one on his XLR last year. --- On mine I made my own using the original thin uninsulated tunnel cover as a template. The heat from the exhaust system is truly annoying when on a long drive. --- A minor but necessary fix. --- As to the sound of what you say sounds like a bearing going bad through the vents, (?) I don't have a clue? Unless maybe a blower fan motor issue? Again, this is not a difficult fix 'if' that is the case.

Again, Welcome and enjoy your XLR.
 
Shared album - Juan Romero - Google Photos
Just found this beauty! 2006 one owner 75k not a ding, dent or scratch! Long story short.... Just sold my car and can't commute in an H2 to work. Went to go visit my very good friend (Cadillac Used Car Manager) and see this beauty pulling up. Older lady did not drive it and was just sitting in her garage. After it went to service and $3k later I can buy at at $15,500. I love these cars but unsure of the troubles. No more extended warranty available, after seeing top go up and down it scared the crap out of me.... How much does that repair cost. Lol!
I would use as a daily driver 80m round trip. I believe if you love the car drive it and don't worry about the miles going up. Only thing I felt while driving it today was a small rear noise when going over bumps.... More like nedding shocks but no bounce or any weird movements. Small noise up front as if something minor was loose (nothing scary but terrified in can be a big deal) steering wheel feels a little different as if it needs power steering fluid but again not bad. Maybe just normal.
Please Help I will sign my contact on Thursday and need to be convinced100%.....

Good deal?
Be terrified of things breaking?
Daily Driver?
Would you buy yours again?
Would you buy this beauty?

Thank you in advance for your allí your input....
Hope from you all soon.

Respectfully,
J.C.
Maybe a little late to come in on this post; I bought one and have now about $2000+ in repairs the last 6 months $1600 of that paid to a mechanic. I feel if you want a convertable hot rod you will pay to enjoy it. Everything on this quirky car cost about 3 times as much as a standard American made car. Many of the parts are no longer in stock or have been discontuned. And some want gold for the used one's. A few things you can do to save a frantic situation: 1- Keep it on a battery tender 2-After and before check the fluid on the top pump. 3-Keep in stock bushing for the shift cable. 4- buy only Acdelco engine parts for your year car some after market are wrong year. 5-If you plan to do most of the work buy a tech2. Some of the problems you can enounter are; Top cylinders leak engine lean codes from vacuum leaks that will fail emissions, Factory audio gps will not work, cd player will not work. Tail light leds burn out. Some years the fiber glass top blows off.
 
Shared album - Juan Romero - Google Photos
Just found this beauty! 2006 one owner 75k not a ding, dent or scratch! Long story short.... Just sold my car and can't commute in an H2 to work. Went to go visit my very good friend (Cadillac Used Car Manager) and see this beauty pulling up. Older lady did not drive it and was just sitting in her garage. After it went to service and $3k later I can buy at at $15,500. I love these cars but unsure of the troubles. No more extended warranty available, after seeing top go up and down it scared the crap out of me.... How much does that repair cost. Lol!
I would use as a daily driver 80m round trip. I believe if you love the car drive it and don't worry about the miles going up. Only thing I felt while driving it today was a small rear noise when going over bumps.... More like nedding shocks but no bounce or any weird movements. Small noise up front as if something minor was loose (nothing scary but terrified in can be a big deal) steering wheel feels a little different as if it needs power steering fluid but again not bad. Maybe just normal.
Please Help I will sign my contact on Thursday and need to be convinced100%.....

Good deal?
Be terrified of things breaking?
Daily Driver?
Would you buy yours again?
Would you buy this beauty?

Thank you in advance for your allí your input....
Hope from you all soon.

Respectfully,
J.C.
Hey J.C. Sounds like you found a sweet car. I have an '05 in crimson pearl with the tan interior. Tons of fun to drive in nice weather. BUT... repairs are expensive and sometimes parts are hard to get. I've had mine for 17 years, bought used in California in '07 and would certainly buy it again. Every time I take it out someone comes up to me with questions about the car. Mileage will be an issue when you want to give it up. I have 66K on the odometer today and have not driven it in bad weather, so it sits in the garage waiting to run..... As a daily driver you will burn a lot of gas. These were never intended to be fuel efficient or economical. At the end of the day, if you buy it and enjoy it for awhile, you can always sell it and recoup your money. They are becoming more rare all the time. Good luck!
 
Just watch out for the left trunk storage well. I’ve had to replace my weather stripping back in 2013 because of a trunk leak. Luckily the carpet only was damp because i caught it at the right time. 2 years ago though my extended warranty went out. A while later my front shock was blown. So I bit the built and had all 4 shocks replaced. I also had a small radiator leak so that was an expense. But knock on wood haven’t had anything else major go wrong. When I did have the warranty the company paid out almost 16 k of labor and repairs though.
Well good luck with your new purchase. Hope you have plenty of enjoyable days/nights with it.
Welcome to the xlr net. I’m sure if you have any problems there are plenty of us here to answer any questions you might have. Since you will be driving it daily you probably won’t need it but the computer in these cars is always on and searching for the fob signal. So If you know you won’t be driving it for awhile due to winter storage or vacation. Be sure to pick up or invest in a good battery tender. I’m already on my 3rd battery since 2012 when I purchased mine.


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Hey Hawkeye, just saw your post. Wondered about your shock replacement. Did you go with the OEM parts or find a suitable aftermarket source. I need to do the rears one my '05. Thx. Kenn
 
Agree with the above that if you need parts, they can be hard to find and expensive, especially any exterior lights. I hope if you’re using it for commuting that home and work have at least a covered parking space, or that you get a good cover. As a hard top convertible the car has a LOT of rubber gaskets, and rubber doesn’t fair well with age. The “brains” for the top and suspension are in a “bucket” on the left side of the trunk, and it’s bad news if water gets in there. Some folks have relocated those things higher in the trunk.

It’s a beautiful car, many people think it’s the “new” Cadillac, with timeless design. Makes me feel like a million bucks every time I drive it. I think technology will come along (like 3d printing) to help with parts issues.
 

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