The CAR WIZARD is shocked this 2006 Cadillac XLR has a Lotus Sized Repair Bill?!?
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 4. 09. 2024
- What seems like simple, standard repairs on this 2006 Cadillac XLR the
CAR WIZARD đ§ââïž is shocked to find they cost as much as a supercar!
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The radiator I need has trans cooler AND engine oil cooler. Not the ones you guys have been recommending with trans cooler ONLY. But thanks for trying guys.
Hey Wizard, could you tell me why that rad couldn't be repaired? Was plastic welding not an option?
Couldn't you just replace the plastic piece? I've have done it before on other cars in the past
I am guessing there isn't room to add a separate oil cooler with the radiator with the trans cooler. That is one expensive radiator!
You need to get a Morgan in your shop to repair or a Panoz.
I've been there. I've worked on many XLR's. Very expensive to fix indeed. I have 5 customers with them. The radiators are very hard to find. It is a common issue with them.
Next up: Hoovie: "I just bought the cheapest running/driving Cadillac XLR in Wichita!"
2 weeks later : I just sold my XLR to the Car Wizard .
Ryan Etzel whoâs that
Thought the same thing as soon as I started watching the video.
hmmm, oddly, it looks a lot like that XLR the Wizard had in the garage the other day. :-)
1 day later: OH no... did the car wizard buy ANOTHER northstar XD
Wizard, check the prices on the tail lights. Apparently the insurance companies write them off even in minor rear end accidents if the tail lights are damaged. About $2K each used !!!
I went to ebay because to your comment, and holy shit those LED Taillights are expensive as fuck.
I wonder why.
Honda crx back in the day, rear end crash would destroy the lift gate.
@@josemanuel5749
Probably due to availability. I don't think they built that many of these cars in any of the trims. That may be the reason the radiator is so expensive also.
I agree with wizard that I think these look really cool certainly more unique than a Corvette. But I think given the circumstances I think I would just get the Corvette because availability of parts is going to be much easier.
You can tap something with the front bumper of a Lotus Elise and insurance will total out the car.
@@audiowize Yes because, you have to replace the whole front clam-shell.
He is such a sweet kind guy that it hurts him to have to charge that. That's how kind that man is. A lot of mechanics are like woohooo! Wizard is like "I'm sorry to have to do this to you but.." He reminds me that people are kind and decent, I need that a lot lately. For most of America it is a time of great suckage. Thanks Mr and Mrs. Wizard.
they are going to earn that money. They have to disassemble so much and I guarantee you itâs not easy.
Donât get carried away dude.
The XLR-V has the northstar, with a supercharger. Not the LS based engine.
I was wondering why I couldnt fine one lol
An exclusive northstar V8 itâs a 4.2 liter supercharged the only other car that has the same engine is the STS-V
@@firebird890 4.4 supercharged vs 4.6
came to make this comment
I owned one. I still made the comment, but before I read this one.
Whoever moved the comment section on CZcams, you better apply for unemployment right now lol.
FACTS. It's a physical methaphor of how Google has been systematically making CZcams a shitty platform for over a decade...
What do you mean? it hasnt moved
@@festivve On mobile devices.
For real. Who asked for this "improvement"?
They can't EVER leave anything alone. It's ALWAYS a fact of life that even tho something works fine, an asshole with a string of letters long enough to match his/her pompous attitude has to come along & meddle with it just so they can say they made their mark.
I am absolutely not opposed to improvements or advancements in technology, but making changes just to make changes or justify your overrated position is the highest degree of bullshit!
It looks like a Mercedes SL but drawn with a ruler.
cheap copy for sure ... from the side ... at least
It's actually a Corvette
Jan Tuechthuesen - Spoken like a true butthurt top gear uk brainwashed fanboy. If you wanna see how confident the germans truly are about their cars being so superior that nobody can compete with them, learn about the Chrysler ME-412, and why it got killed off by Mercedes. A Chrysler.. absolutely demolished one of the most expensive Mercedes cars ever, the SLR Mclaren, therefore in order to avoid complete humiliation, Mercedes killed it off before it could go into production.
"but but german engineeeeering" lolol
Attribute that to Jeremy Clarkson please
The actual name of the car is the Chrysler ME-412
Itâs a shame these are so expensive to repair and maintain. At 14 years old they are still stunning looking. The design was way ahead of its time. Most people would still think they are brand new if they didnât know any better.
They have aged well, but that's good design... but saying they could be brand new in today's market for people that don't know better? That's a stretch... it has those very distinct early to mid 2000's design.
micglou non-car people would have no idea
Agreed! And the XLR V is so cool!
@@ElliottAlvis I disagree... but hey, your opinion vs my opinion... let's agree to disagree.
If you have time to wait for parts from Amazon or Rock Auto and if you do the labor it not that expense. The radiator is $32 on Amazon
My parents bought two of these as their 50th anniversary gifts to themselves.
They daily drive them in Scottsdale Arizona and both have over 100k.
They both have been pretty reliable but it is true that parts availability is kinda sketchy.
... a husband/wife duo who buys a pair of XLRs for their anniversary? Damn that's some real life soap opera dynasty family sh!t... No skimpin' on the pimpin' fam!
@Mike Hunt Well with what Ozzy makes on his music deals, the money she makes from being on CBS along with the other stuff she does, and the money they both made from the reality show, $500K is more than likely a drop in the bucket for them.
@@egold2071 My parents were both physicians.
My father was a cardiologist and my mother a pediatrician.
The cars were rewards for long careers working 60 hr weeks.
William Egler what do you do? Nuclear physicist?
@@OffTheBeatenPath_ I am a pharmaceutical chemist.
My sister is a orthodontist.
My older brother is a chemical engineer.
This is the only one of my concepts that made it into production. Thanks to Kip and the Cadillac Studio and Metalcrafters who built the EVOQ showcar for us. Of course Dennis Little deserves some credit as he was in the Cadillac Studio at GM Design Staff and received the written proposal for the Cadillac version of the C5 Corvette.
You designed the XLR?
I own one of these and you're right. They can be very expensive to maintain. I work on mine myself. So that's saves a lot. Finding parts can be hit or miss but the car is so cool it's worth it.
Also, the book may say 5+ hours on R&R radiator, but it doesn't take anywhere near that long in real life.
Now you're correct, if your fuel pump(s) go out take a Valium before you start messing with it or get a price.
I don't get why he's so surprised at the prices. This is quite a unique and rare sport car, just like the ones he keeps comparing the prices too. It's not like a basic Cadillac sedan you see all over the place. Just because it has a Cadillac badge doesn't equal Cadillac service prices.Of course it's going to be expensive. Congrats on your sweet car, id like to get one someday myself.
The lines always remind me of the Batmobile from Batman: The Animated Series (especially in black) đ
I can't unsee it now.
Yep just shorter, it's a kind of art deco look which was used in the animated series that's a throwback to the late 30's and early 40's, and as far as the show goes it's meant to give a Noir detective feel to it all, the Superman Animated series used the same style only with more daylight colors.
Ooh... I never thought of it like that.đ€
XLR V never had a LS option. That was the cts V only. Have seen some LS swaps but not from the factory
Regular Cadillac use Impala's engine and drivetrain. Transmission's shifting feel same as friend's Impala.
Didnt the the XLR V have the rare Northstar supercharged engine. Impalas did share the 3.6L Lfx with some caddies
Yep, 4.4L supercharged Northstar. Also in the STS-V.
@@jesdadotcom
Cool that you brought that up, the sts-v was one of those cars that flew under the radar.2009 was the last year for sts-v
Only 96 were made.
joey C. Theyâre super cool cars too. I got an 09 STSV
The Wizard is the Bob Ross of car repair videos. So soothing
Wizard: Tell your customer to run back to back tanks of Techron fuel additive for his fuel gauge issue. The sensors tend to corrode right where the fuel level was when the car is stored for the Winter. That's why the gauge works then gives out and then comes back to life. Its not a sure thing but I'm a former GM Service Engineer and it worked more times than it failed. No other fuel additive brand should be tried. Good luck. Love your channel and tech tips.
The repair costs donât surprise me, especially considering how this thing has tail lights that fetch about $2500 each on eBay because GM no longer sells them.
GM is a joke anymore. I will never buy another Chevy. I love my Silverado, but there were parts that weren't avalible when it was just 7 years old. And then I got to go on eBay to buythe GM part for 4 times the price or buy aftermarket
@@mjfdiecast1303 great point
someone needs to make a copy of these, if GM doesn't make them anymore then its perfectly legal to completely copy them.
too bad they only made 15 thousand of these cars so not sure anyone would put the time to develop that.
The cost of repairs reflects the fact that it is a very low production car. Thats the cost of exclusivity.
but its strange that the radiator isnt a parts bin one
@@04dram04 The part is listed on GM parts websites. It sounds like the part number was changed for 2006. Maybe he was looking for the old part number.
Radiator Asm - GM (10346017)
www.gmpartscenter.net/oem-parts/gm-radiator-asm-10346017/?c=Zz1jb29saW5nLXN5c3RlbSZzPWNvb2xpbmctc3lzdGVtJmk9QkwwNDAyNTUmcj0xJmE9Y2FkaWxsYWMmbz14bHImeT0yMDA2JnQ9YmFzZSZlPTQtNmwtdjgtZ2Fz
It is an American sports car. Hence it is more a matter of luck
The cost of repairs reflects the use of overly complicated underperforming parts. Nothing to do with exclusivity
@@hochhaul
He had a pinned comment that the rad he was looking for has an oil and a trans cooler.
I tried to look at that link quick but it was kinda small to be able to tell in the pics what it had (trans cooler only or oil/trans coolers)
When I used to work in a Cadillac parts department we sent to radiators out for new side tanks.
When you want a Corvette that's twice as expensive, half as fast, half as reliable and 3 times as much to maintain. *Cadillac*
corvettes are more abundant then cavaliers though, how often do you see an XLR?
@@stiffdarren That should tell you something about the maintenance costs
@@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts No, that should tell you that you just can't afford it! Why shop for something that you can't afford to maintain?!?!
Corey Lee exactly
The XLR is such a good looking car, it's a shame it's so expensive to keep running
Edit: By expensive to keep running, I mean the notoriously expensive tail lights lol. So maybe "expensive to keep on the road legally" would have been better phrasing
It is expensive if you don't do maintenance. A lot of people buy these cars and run them into the ground and they for go maintenance. That happens when they don't have service people they can trust so they don't waste money they just trade in.
I dont think a radiator for $300 is that expensive, especially for a quality AC Delco part. The 5 hours of labor is a lot though! Rockauto has aftermarket ones for around $100. We've had more mundane GMs and a AC Delco radiator is around 200-300ish for those too.
You gotta remember this is full charge shop rates. If you're half an enthusiast and have some tools you can do most maintenance on a car like this for parts prices plus your labor.
Or find a a street mechanic. And only get charged 250 at most
@@johnblaze6269-And hope he didn't miss anything because he didn't have the proper equipment to diagnose with or shop equipment.
In the Corvette world, those high prices are called âCorvette Taxâ. The only way around it is to buy an extended warranty, and when that warranty runs out, sell the car. As an aside, when the XLR came out, Car & Driver said then when the car is wet, as in the rain, opening the trunk results in water running off the the trunk lid into the trunk.
yup......( regarding water in trunk .....)
Parts for the Corvette aren't expensive at all. Extended warranties are generally pointless on Corvettes.
@@SireEvalish when you think about it lol you're right. Enginewise a standard Chevy v8;with some massaging. Trans well, that's a different ballgame, nothing else fits in it's place
SireEvalish Ha! Tell that to the guys who grenaded their LS7s due to a sucked exhaust valve. Replacement cost from GM, in the neighborhood of $20,000. Plenty of guys on the Corvette Forum can tell their stories. GM was replacing heads on warranty if testing showed worn exhaust valve guides. BEFORE the engine let go.
That wasn't an issue for me...I never drove it in the rain.
Absolutely LOVE these videos !! No matter the car!!
Joey P agreed, not overly done and straight to the point
The XLR V is actually a destroked Northstar to 4.4 that's supercharged.
That is correct. No XLR ever had LS based power
@@johnkennedy3663 true, i don.t think he really knows too much about domestic GM.
i believe he could have the tanks replaced on the radiator for around $150 , if he chose to take it off and have it done.
But replacing it with a new rad? Expensive...
Same with the fuel sending unit, i've pulled those and replaced the pump/sending unit, it pays more hours than it really takes he is just going by the book.
@@williammc3183 350 for a new rad isn't expensive its the quote time to do the job that makes it expensive so you'd have to average that in with replacing the tanks on the rad as well....not to mention the car can't just sit in his shop taking up space while the rad gets refurbed
It's not destroked just the bores are smaller
I always wanted one of these because of how good they look. On second thought, I don't want one that badly. I can't believe GM designed it to take 13 hours to change a tank. That's insane any way you measure it.
The people who designed it arenât the people who have to work on it
It's a corvette that's slower, costs more, and lacks an Ls. Im amazed they even sold
What it lacks in those areas, however, it more than makes up for in style, class, and useful features.
Have you driven one? Or a V in that case? Tune and put money into like any project car, you'll get amazing results with most, not all Cadillacs after 2007.
Browningate Other than ride quality what do you speak of?
â@LandoVR25 it's a hard top convertible, it's 0-60 in 4.8 sec, the Vette same year is 4.7. It's a cadillac, it deserves the Northstar. It has a Vette chassis. And it's rare! If you want a vette then buy 1 this is not a vette! This cadillac was over 100k brand new!
I run a salvage yard and these are the greatest parts cars of all time. Insane profit margins with minimal work
Highway robbery. My cousin owns a salvage and dont eye goug on shit like that. He tries to be realistic and gives breaks to people. As long as he makes something he is pretty happy . Homes auto salvage in wisconsin.
Mid evil canât wait till he goes bankrupt
They need to take the XLR to a speed shop where the do that work all day.
That car is missing the rear sway bar. It look like it has a jillion winter miles.
@@angelobovara317
Or sat in a grass yard for a while.
Thats a killer , the outside looks fair and you go to pull it out and leave the darn chassis rusted to the dirt đ
Angelo Bovara the XLR didnât come with a factory rear sway bar. You have to add one yourself.
I replaced my factory sway bar with a front and rear Z51 set from a C6 Vette.
Run a few tanks of fuel with Techron added to clean up the fuel level sensors.
www.hotrod.com/articles/fix-c6-corvette-fuel-gauge/
The teeth on the contacts wear down and cause dead spots. The only repair is replacement.
ibanez720rg Not if the spots are cruded up with inferior fuel usage. Very common complaint on modern corvettes because boomers run 87 octane from sketchy mart.
Hi Car Wizard, I had a 06 XLR, I Loved that car! Did some basic mods, grille, sway bar but, I sold it , due to parts availability. The car was 10 years ahead of it time.
Cadillac used to make a Solidly Built car, that ended in the 90s when they quit making the Body on Frame car. The newer ones are built as strong as Sugar Glass(used in Movies and TV).
My 98 Corvette C5 had the same fuel tank cel and I used some Chevron Techron Concentrate Plus fuel system cleaner to dissolve the sulfur buildup on the sending unit contacts. Within two tanks of Shell V-Power and the cel never came back on for the two additional years I owned it. Good luck wizard. Love the videos.
I heard donât blow out an LED tail light. Unobtainium.
$3000-5000 for one
geez, make sure you practice backing your car when parking lol
Can confirm from experience. There have been successful repairs done on the rear lamps, but there just aren't enough XLRs on the road to make a business out of repairing (or modding) them.
@@BorisBidjanSaberi11 wow, just checked ebay, yep 3k!
really shitty thing about this is you will fail an inspection without the tailights working, so you have to pay $3-4k just to pass inspection
"Cadillac XLR, the car you buy when you want a Corvette C5 but you want to pay more, go slower and not have an LS"
*-Regular Car Reviews*
It's the car you buy when you don't want a Playskool quality interior
@@Scoopra Cadillacs of these era weren't really any better on interior quality compared to their GM counterparts. Slap some cheap leather and fake wood and call it a day lol.
@@KatoJac Actually the wood is real (eucalyptus on mine), and the leather is good quality; mine is still flawless after 14 years. That said, the hardware could be better quality considering this car was supposed to go up against the M-B SL.
Dave Anderson Iâm not being specific to the XLR, just cadillacs of that era in general.
@@KatoJac Cadillac's have used genuine woodgrain since the 90's though. They used Zebrano back in those days, and my old piece of shit STS had real maple inlays... I should have popped them out and made a craft project with them before I traded it since it was always in the shop, yet GMAC still always wanted their payments on time.
One of my friends was a mechanic at Cadillac in KC in the mid 2000s. He said absolutely do not buy one of these.
@Nick J đ€Ł absolutely hilarious mate...........
pkt1213 he was right
HI WIZ, I SAW ONE OF THESE AT A CAR SHOW, IT WAS A RECORD HOLDER, MAYBE 210 MPH OR SO IN THE RUNNING MILE, HE HAD PICTURES, ALL DOCUMENTATION ON THE RUN, IT HAD SPOILERS ON THE BACK, VERY LOUD, AIR DAM ON FRONT END, IT WAS PRETTY COOL.IT WAS BLOWN, ETC. BAD ASS CAR.
2008 XLR-V owner here. Love these cars!
Very nice! The XLR-V is a dream car of mine that Iâd love to use someday just as a summer/weekend car. Has yours been overly expensive to maintain? Iâve been trying to learn as much about them as I can
@@JW_Reviews Maintenance has been almost nothing. Only thing I've done in 10k miles of ownership is fluid changes. I have modified mine somewhat, so that's where the money has gone. My car has low-ish miles (just over 20k), so I can't speak to higher mileage ones.
@@forgottenautos8461 Wow that's still very impressive! I heard from a family friend who bought a C5 Corvette new that they are great cars. He said he talked to engineers at the Bowling Green plant and they said it is an over-engineered car and should be very reliable. What kinds of modifications have you done and would you recommend them for others who have XLR's?
@@JW_Reviews I found the suspension to be way too soft for my taste. I swapped the springs and sway bars out for Z06 ones. The brake calipers and rotors are also from a Z06. I replaced the intercooler pump with a higher flowing unit. Eventually, I will swap a smaller pulley on the supercharger to add about 2 more pounds of boost.
@@forgottenautos8461 Wow, that must really feel like a Corvette! I was thinking the XLR-V already came stock with Z06 brakes, but maybe they were just upgraded versions.
New cars keep on appearing in the Wizard shop. Thank god.
Car wizard, I thought the XLR-V has a NorthStar too. Itâs supercharged but I was pretty sure it was a NorthStar
It is....the displacement was lowered to 4.4L in supercharged guise and was almost identical to the STS-V engine....even though the STS-V made more power
Jeremy McKinney it is identical. Itâs the same exact engine only detuned.
Yes, Northstar-derived engine. It was smaller, 4.4L design to fit the supercharger. Still, 470HP from just 4.4L in 2006 was nothing to scoff at. They would scoot too!
It's too bad too, with an LS motor and a manual transmission this would be an amazing car. But they didn't want to to just be a re-bodied Corvette. Instead they made a re-bodied Corvette with a worse motor.
@@hellkitty1014 Try 443 hp....
The rad side tank is made of ABS plastic, clean it, open the creak a little with rotary file prepare a mixture of ABS powder with ABS glue and fill the crack let it dry, pressure test it
François D yup that was my thinking.
This is a professional automotive shop that he runs. Rarely does that work. But if it does how can you charge a customer money for a repair and not be 100% confident it will work. If he went around putting glue all over everyone's car he would be out of business and look like a hack. If it's your car and want to glue it.thats different.
That's fare enough, however the time taken to clean and repair the part also the part would not carry a warranty. Were it to fail again the repair shop is then liable so from the shop's point of view they will have to use new/as-new parts.( by the as-new I mean say a part that has been rebuilt and had a warranty put on it).
Some people arenât in this business to put Bandaids on someoneâs expensive assed car.
Considering that takes 1-2 hours of labor easily, at $100+ per hour you're paying half or more of what a brand new radiator would cost. Not worth it!
For a DIYer with time and sweat to burn, sure why not! I spend a lot of time repairing cracks in a BMW ///M polycarbonate bumper to avoid paying $1,000 for a new one. Shops preferred to just start with a fresh factory piece.
"I want a Corvette C5 but I want to pay more, go slower, and not have have an LS."
-Regular Car Reviews
ninjatanuki RCR is a joke of a channel and anyone who takes him serious has father issues.
@@recklesslyarrogant7242 bruh
@@recklesslyarrogant7242 I can't say I watch him too much any more; but I don't think he's really all that wrong about the XLR.
Way better looking than a Corvette from that time.
@@nicholassullivan1239 Not to mention significantly more rare. I've had both (now an '06 XLR-V) and guess which one gets the attention? Even my Electron Blue Z06 barely caught a look compared to an XLR-V, a car nobody ever sees.
Iâve always loved these cars! Iâd take an XLR over Corvette any day.
Regarding the sending unit: I have 2004 XJ8 that acted in a similar manner. On a forum they suggested a few tanks with Chevron Techron to clean the mechanism. I had nothing to lose so I tried it. To my surprise it actually worked. No more fuel gauge issues. That was 8 years ago and still no issues. Itâs certainly worth a try while your customer is saving for the big job.
Great video as usual.
It always pays to try a cleaning product over a mechanical repair
This car has my eye as well. Good taste Wizard
That looks like a perfect addition to the Hoovie fleet! Thank you Mr and Mrs Wizard. Love watching the channel!
Moral of the story is, Lease a Cadillac and give it back to the dealer when the lease is up,
Moral of the story is if you cant buy it 3 times or more you cant afford it
People think âcadillac is gm so they must use the same parts and cost the same to ownâ wrong. Its a luxury brand, dont buy a luxury car if you cant afford what that entails. I told my sister when i bought a jeep, for the $3k i payed i could have afforded a range rover and she said âthen why didnt youâ so i said i cant afford it in repairs and she argued with me about if it cost the same to buy both then why not get the âbetterâ one. People just dont get it đ€Šââïž even my 99 lexus to get genuine toyota parts, some can be pretty expensive or hard to find so i use chinesium on that boi alot. Moral really is just buy economy cars unless you got 6 digits in your bank account
I'd search the boneyard for a radiator.
If Hoovie looks at this Cadillacs engine he will see why he needs to keep his Volvo brick.
That moral probably applies to most luxury cars. Perhaps Lexus being the sole exception.
I do have to say, the Northstar in these XLR's are a gem of an engine! Sound good, pull hard and smooth as silk!
The XLR v came with the 4.4 supercharged engine an Ls was never available unfortunately
@@SeanPennII Northstar engine vs LS? are you high
Just wait until this guy needs to get a taillight replaced
...Or, headlight.
boovish yep
Or engine ...the new Northstars suck too
Haha true. I have a cts wagon. Tell me about expensive tail lights.
@@meatrocket1 do they still make Northstar engines?
Good taste Wizard. That car is beautiful, love the styling. Hope the owner wasn't too pissed off about the repair costs!
Ah yes. The car GM exec's made just for them. Yeah they all had one as a company car so...yeah. and..its a Corvetalack
Yeah , Yeah and Yeah .
I work at the plant that made those fuel tanks. Somewhat complicated process compared to the rest of the models we make. Psst! Nissan/Infiniti SUV fuel tanks are such nightmares for everyone involved that our company didn't even put a bid to renew the contract.
On average, the cost for a Mercedes-Benz SLK320 Auxiliary Water Pump Replacement is $232 with $137 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location. The cost of repair of the Cadillac XLR is on par with the Mercedes. I own the 320 and after 20 years of service this is the only major part that has failed. I didn't know the pump was failing until I took it in to have the serpentine belt replaced. I'm the third owner of this vehicle and it has 141K on the odometer.
I was selling new cars when these things were selling (or lack there of). We sat on the 2 we had for over a year. The msrp was over $77k. It took an over $22k discount to sell them.
He can now brag that his Cadillac is more expensive to work on than a Masserati
Wizards powers are growing
I just sold my XLR in February. Unobtainium is the right word for the majority of common parts. Good luck getting headlight or taillight assemblies. Loved the looks but worries exceeded fun by a large margin!
Your knowledge is amazing, not to mention your ability, and the drive to find and diagnose the problem. I used to be a service advisor for multiple car dealerships around 15 years, and you would absolutely be the best technician I've ever seen.
David, I love the XLR!! It reminds me of the Batmobile from Batman: The Animated Series.
I just commented the same thing! đ
Iâve always liked these - definitely echos of the Cadillac V16 concept. Interesting video Wizard!
GM never put the LS engine in any production XLR variant.
He did said is not a LS is a northstar
@@markcastillo1934 2:45 "You have to go to the XLR-V to get the LS engine"
@@Sir.VicsMasher i see didn't pay attention.
They defiantly did I did a detail on one recently
The XLR-V had a supercharged 4.4 liter Northstar.
Mrs. Wizard does a GREAT job with the video camera! Very steady and clear. THANKS!!
I have this exact car. I added 20s, lowered it, an 09 v front hood and front fascia and added a beautifully painted black stripe on the raised portion of the v series hood.
Head turner with constant notes on the car of people wanting to buy it. Good times.
Hard to find parts. I've already repaired LEDs in the tail lights and now the power supply board has gone out. It's crazy expensive to fix.
I love how the xlr looks. A corvette with a tuxedo.
Probably smoother riding AND quieter!
Eduardo Baez the concept xlr was more gorgeous it was called cadillac evoq
They ride bad and interior is worse than the Vette. I don't like them junk cars
@@ClintE55 LOL, it's a vette that comes stock with the top of the line Magna-ride.
Wizard: Cadillac's rear reminiscent of a Gallardo?
Italians: Are we a joke to you?
I saw in the news today the Mafia is taking control in Italy, I can only assume they are preparing to make the Carwizard an offer he can't refuse!
If America can do it cheaper and easier? Yes you are a joke Italy. Just like VW parts in your Audi and Lamborghini.
Italians: waving hands around, beepada bapada boop!!
Who said that thing was italian, it sounds like an audi quattro on full tilt and has 4 wheel drive, and the italians never do anything in the mutiples of 5, 2 4 and 6 only, its edges have been rounded of for german leslation reasons and its painted in soft metalic colors, something the italians never do, as if it sounds like an audi, looks like one, and says audi on the parts list............
Glad to see Junior Mint in a proper Omega Auto Clinic Uniform
Omg thank you so much I was looking for a c6 corvette and saw the xrl and I really liked it's looks pluse a power hard top I was sold thank God i researched
Weird timing but I work at a small town Chevy/Cadillac dealer in Vermont and we had a gorgeous XLR V in today. Maroon with tan interior. Absolutely mint. Had never even heard of one before honestly. I was drooling.
Nothing like a Corvette without an LS.
Or A Corvette that will need a LS Swap, how ironic.
Jose Manuel Thank God for that!đ€Ł
Lmao
Sebastian m i think you misunderstood that buddy, and the LS will forever be one of the best engines hands down. Its no wonder everyone puts them in any car, much more reliable than most performance engines đ€Ł
I wonder how many have put an LS3 into an XLR.
The front looks a bit like a mercedes, if the mercedes engineers misplaced all their curve rulers.
correct me if i am wrong, but the XLR was (only) made because of the R230 Mercedes SL doing so good in sales in the US. So it is no mistake, and it is not just the front, the whole concept for a luxury sporty car with a folding metal roof was based on a Mercedes. (not the underlying structures and parts though)
The SL equivalent is just as expensive to repair especially the stability control, air suspension, abs module
@@CRAPO2011 They are also significantly more complex than the XLR.
@@y4nnickschmitt The XLR top is pretty crazy complicated... The rest of the car may not be.
Yeah, who would buy this dated looking hunk of junk when you could simply buy a Mercedes SL of the same vintage? More prestigious, better looking, better handling, probably more reliable and the same expense to repair.
"Woah that went really high really fast."
- Cadillac
My 2011 SHO has the same issue. Everything that goes bad is on a national backorder and if you do find the part you need it's 10x the cost.
Hi Mr Wizard, A big salute from Hamilton, New Zealand, since the pandemic lock down here in NZ, ive been watching your channel, I've found it very informative and entertaining, its good to see a guy who knows how to keep it real. Keep up the good work you do Sir. Tony
Love that car Mr Wizard. It looks like a million dollars! Definitely better than any Corvette.
Legend has it: The Car Wizard went around the world...while standing still.
Dumb joke.
đ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
Legend has it he started working on car when he was a toddler
Nick Motsarsky legend has it keep negative comments to yourself
JB weld the radiator, live with the oil leak and gauge. Job done đ
Lol probably better off
Yep for sure I mean just keep the fluids checked and topped up which everyone should be doing anyway. Itâs a 14 year old car some things you just live with. I would likely replace the radiator though but a small oil seep you can keep that going a long time
And get Wizard to do the rear brakes. You actually need those, unlike a working fuel gauge!
Haha i was thinking that would jb weld work?im a cheap a**
The gauge can be worked around by calculating mileage to the tank
Not sure what you think of RockAuto, but they carry six radiators that fit, including a GM factory part. Prices from $70-275.
Same problem with the fuel sending unit on the Corvette. I found that using a bottle of Techron with each fill-up (even using Chevron 91 octane) helped resolve the problem.
The sounds of car wizard getting out of the car is my favorite part
The shocks for the XLR are specialized magnetic fluid filled, doubt those are cheap.
They aren't, but since they're the same ones on the Corvette and the system has been around for a while the after market makes replacements too. I think they're around 4-500 apiece. You can also put on regular shocks and buy an eliminator kit to fool the computer.
Rock Auto was where I bought mine, genuine AC Delco magnetorheological. It was last summer, and as I recall the set of four (mine were leaking horribly at 85K miles) was around $1400. Before I replaced them it sounded like the upper control arms were going to come through the hood. Just fine now and thankfully they have a "lifetime" warranty through GM's manufacturer. Most other owners are opting to go with Bilsteins and a set of "eliminators" to fool the computer that normally controls the shocks and ultimately reports to the main onboard computer, to tell it everything is o.k. I prefer the gadgetry myself, as long as it stays working. Mine's a 2004, 1st year, 95K miles.
I'm shocked too, I thought this was a rebadged vette with a hard top? XLR-V it is!
My good friend has an XLR and they are fantastic, fantastic automobiles. The headlights are the big buggaboo. The lights are now crazed and heat has done a number on them and replacements are unobtainium.
i have a CTS and it's been a wild story as well. many silly electrical issues. i was about to get rid of it and trade up to an XLR but not now! thank You!
Always remember the second mouse always gets the cheese.
thats one of the most brilliant quotes Ive ever heard
@Box of Rocks thanks, i undestood the oposite, that the first rat get killed in the mousetrap and the second got the cheese
@Box of Rocks original owner got wacked driving off the lot.
@@hank1556 I'm surprised you never heard that one
@@polentusmax6100 I understood that too.
I just checked rockauto, I was curious, there are many options ranging from $80 all the way through 275 which is an OE part
yup, quick google search showed many available below $200 mark
I tend to be skeptical --- but, just guessing here...it may be showing "available" but go ahead and try buying it. I doubt that you will ever receive it. Production of parts for XLR ended years ago. Only way to get them are: 1) used from other XLR's or 2) fabricate your own.
There is no way these cars should be sold for more than $10k because they are very expensive paperweights. Before the demise of the production of parts, the headlight assembly was more than $1000. Good luck replacing one of those suckers now!
And, I'm a huge fan of the XLR --- I previously owned two, and they were incredible! Far, far superior to MB 500SL (which I have owned several, also). My 2007 XLR Platinum (1 of 38 produced) currently has more than 120,000 miles and running great! I sold it when it had 80,000 and I never had a single issue with it. But, when GM/Cadillac stopped producing parts --- I sold both and purchased a C7, which now has 44,000 miles and has also not had a single issue.
Wizard complaining about the cost of his labor...đ€·đœââïžđ€Šđœââïžđđđ
No man, that's 'book time'.
@@markdavich5829 book time just tells you how long the repair should take. Mr Wizard sets his own hourly labor rate, whatever that may be.
Great looking car. I have a customer with one, he had the fuel crossover tube failure that is very common for these and the Corvette model they're based on. Shop did it for $4000! Then he has a persistent slow coolant leak that I finally diagnosed as a cracked engine block. Just put stopleak in it and prayed.
I owned one and really loved it while I did. It was fast, looked unique and was very cool.
But then, the folding roof mechanism stopped working, so I sent it to my local Cadillac dealer, and they said the only trained mechanic who could work on the XLR series was based at another dealer several hours away, so away it went. Well, they took their time and may have fixed the roof, but they then sent the car back with the radio not working. Sadly, It had to go while it was still drive-able.
My take on this experience was that the XLR was and amazing car, sadly not supported in any way. And that is the crux of the matter, no after market support. Get any Mercedes SL variant and any Mercedes trained mechanic would able to work on it, obtain parts as needed (from a variety of sources, usually at reasonable prices) and keep them functioning on the road.
I really enjoy your posts. Thanks for posting.
Please (to both you and Mrs Wizard) be safe, be well.
Funny how I see way more xlrs on the road then SL models of any year mid 2000s or new but I'm in south Florida not bumblefuck no where
As Scotty would say, âendless money pitâ.
I got so sick of his clickbait. I just donât watch him anymore. The Wizard is the man!
Scotty is a bit of an idiot. Don't believe him by the way, his '94 Celica has been stuck at 240,000 miles for a very very long time now. In other words, it doesn't move.
(He's too rich with CZcams money to actually drive that old piece of crap!)
Very true tho
@@Grunchy005 Don't bet on that, Scotty is a professional tightwad... lol
The car wizard is a Genuinely honest mechanic!
I cringe every time his wife calls him car wizard đ Love this channel.
I expect him to slip up and say "yes darling?"
Its her voice isnât it
Love how you and Ms. Wizard work together. A great team!
Wizard I have four of these at my work that we are parting out. We sell the taillights usually for $3k+
If one likes this design language just get a 1st gen CTS V with an Ls it will probably be muchhh cheaper to fix
Your intro could really be a RuneScape channel intro from 2009
Maybe Someday dude exactly what I was thinking
Back in the late 90's, a Cadillac salesman at a car show confessed that Lincoln had the most comfortable seats.
Welcome to my XLR world. Bought a 2005 two years ago. Looks just like this one except that mine has chrome wheels. Ran great and wife loved it. If only I knew what I was getting into. Problems getting parts? Why? It's a Cadillac! Well, I was very lucky to buy an extended warranty that covered most issues, especially one that covered any problem that I might have with the convertible hard top. No problem with the top, but have had other problems. Check engine light. Oil control valve issue. Went to the Cadillac dealer. Not one in stock anywhere. Dorman only source for "new" ones. Nothing for the last couple of years, but Dorman keeps telling me that they are back ordered. Had to buy a used one from a salvage yard. While car at dealership waiting for part, rain seeped through trunk and flooded suspension control module located in truck area. Cadillac could not locate a new suspension control module. I found one at another auto salvage yard. All shocks were leaking. Computer controlled suspension/shocks AC Delco around $400 each. Cadillac dealer found those. Radiator started to leak while waiting for these parts. $800+ and the dealer found one. So the warranty company paid for the parts and labor, but I had to pay for the rest. It's been almost a year with the car and it runs and looks great. Warranty ended months ago. Keeping fingers crossed!
I appreciate the questions that Mrs. Wizard tosses in. She asks questions that probably a lot of people have. Or at least that I have...
Wow, Amurican car with no repair parts? Wow, imagine how it is for us back at europe
Same around the world though. Never seen a BMW or Merc part in stock here in NZ. Everything is 8 weeks delay and thousands of dollars from Germany... if they are in stock in Germany... and they usually aren't in stock in Germany, lol. We avoid Euro cars like the plague
@@tenmillionvolts That's why I've stuck to Japanese cars. I can find parts for a Toyota everywhere and cheap...
I've got an lexus es300, and itvwas only available in the US. I live in europe, and parts are available but take some time to get them. An egr valve for example is 300 euro and 3 week shipping... Brakes are the same as the camry so those are easy to get though. But for the most part I dont need to buy new stuff because it rarely brakes down.
That's proudly made in USA đșđžfor yeah.
Don't đ« buy that crap or that slogan.
Wizard! Would you ever use a supplier like Rock Auto? Or does it take too long to receive the part from them? Seems like they have the AC Delco rad in stock.
And only $275.99!!!
He told me when I made the same comment a couple of months ago that he wanted to deal locally as much as he could. I guess he wants to pay local workers salaries as much as possible. Only thing is it seems like he is cutting off his own nose to spite his face.
@@cos4465 They have cheaper ones for less than $100
@@cos4465 don't forget the overnight shipping charge
They aren't in low supply. It seems like BS. Rock Auto even has the OE-grade Denso for $120. WorldPac and Carquest is just as "local" as Rock Auto is. I don't think there's an excuse to ignore Rock Auto. I would at least ask the owner.
4:55, surely you are not including Vettes from the 50s and 60s Wizard (Split windows?!)
My Dad and I spent an entire day touring the Corvette factory in Bowling Green when these cars were being built. They were built by a small team in the back of the factory. The day we were there, only about 6 people were back there actually working on the cars. We watched them gluing random stuff on, bolting a few things, etc. The crazy thing was, they were just being pushed along by hand from station to station vs riding on an assembly line like the vettes.
I have noticed with two identical Tahoe and Escalade the book time is higher on the Cadillac even though the jobs are the exact same.