2002 Cadillac Eldorado ETC

Description

This 2002 Cadillac ETC is special because it's when Cadillac got its mojo back. Today's Cadillac is on a roll, but it was this coupe with a 300 horsepower DOHC V8 that really started the company back on the road to success. And today it's still a luxurious, fast, comfortable car that looks like it should cost thousands more than it does.

Having lived all its life in the warm, dry south, this Eldorado (ETC stands for Eldorado Touring Coupe) still looks impressive and expensive. The pearl white paint job was popular on these cars because it looks right, and this one appears to still be wearing its original paint. With only 29,573 original miles, there are very few signs of use and age, of course, and as Cadillac's top-of-the-line it has probably received above-average maintenance for most of its life. That would explain the super straight body panels, good shut lines, and other details that not only speak to Cadillac's newfound commitment to quality in 2002, but also an owner who parked it carefully. Sure, there's still enough chrome to remind you that this is a Cadillac, but it's tasteful and restrained, one of the first steps Cadillac took towards being a world-class automaker. And the look still works well today.

The Eldorado's interior was a big step up, too. No more overstuffed couches; no, you get a pair of beautifully upholstered buckets and a center console, adding a sporting flair to the Eldo, making it worthy of the "Touring" part of its name. The sweeping dash uses real Zebrano wood as an accent and there are big, round gauges that are easy to read and include a tachometer with a 6250 RPM redline. In a Cadillac! Obviously everything was standard, including power windows, locks, mirrors, and seats, automatic climate control, a tilt steering column, and cruise control, and all of it appears to be fully functional, more evidence of a good life. There's also a great-sounding AM/FM/CD stereo system that's especially effective given how quiet it is inside this car. The seats and carpets remain in excellent condition, the dash hasn't been baked by the sun, and the back seat looks virtually new. There's also a sizeable trunk that includes a cargo net and spare tire stashed underneath.

Power comes from the legendary 4.6 liter DOHC "Northstar" V8, which was arguably the best engine built in America at the time. State-of-the-art and plenty powerful, with 300 horsepower on tap in the ETC, it transformed the big Eldorado coupe into a car that didn't mind hustling. It runs beautifully and has a fantastic V8 growl that sounds expensive when you put your foot in it. It's a pretty engine, too, thanks to a custom cover on the top that hides most of the working bits, and you can see that the engineers cared about getting it right, because service access is excellent and there's nothing that seems merely adequate. It's backed by a 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission driving the front wheels, and before you worry about torque steer, remember that the GM engineers spent a lot of hours fine-tuning the front suspension to virtually eliminate it. The all-independent suspension is supple but confident and there are big brake discs at all four corners. It's extremely clean underneath, proof that it has never been in the rust belt, and those flashy chrome alloys are in excellent condition and carry a set of fresh 235/60/16 Vogue whitewall radials.

With such low mileage, this ETC has a lot of life left in it and delivers an exciting drive that you almost wouldn't expect from Cadillac and certainly not at this price. Call today!