# Cadillac Allante -- Can anyone tell me about this vehicle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 19, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cadillac-allante-can-anyone-tell-me-about-this-vehicle/25183 "2009-01-19T18:48:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![oldsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e0b2c6/32.png) [@oldsfan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cadillac-allante-can-anyone-tell-me-about-this-vehicle/25183/1 "2009-01-19T18:48:29Z")
Strengths, weaknesses? Owner experiences? Driving or passenger experiences? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cadillac-allante-can-anyone-tell-me-about-this-vehicle/25183/2 "2009-01-19T19:02:35Z")
Get one with the Northstar engine. This wasn’t particularly reliable or popular car. It was overpriced when new and didn’t compete well with it’s primary competitors ( MB SL class, Jag XJS, and the 8-series BMWs) Based on what I’ve read, the 1993 model is the one to get. Keep in mind that in spite of it’s sporting pretentions, it’s not a particularly agile car. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cadillac-allante-can-anyone-tell-me-about-this-vehicle/25183/3 "2009-01-19T19:03:38Z")
Check it out on Wikipedia: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac\_Allanté](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Allant%C3%A9) Interesting car, failed to convince SL500 owners to switch, FWD a negative. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cadillac-allante-can-anyone-tell-me-about-this-vehicle/25183/4 "2009-01-19T19:12:31Z")
When did the Northstar line develope its tendency to leak oil? The heavy line guys were always working on oil leaking Northstars,something to do with upper and lower sections of the engine block I know customer pay time to stop the leaks just started at 15 hrs. Starters were a breeze (were located on the top of the engine,in the “V”.) ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cadillac-allante-can-anyone-tell-me-about-this-vehicle/25183/5 "2009-01-19T19:58:53Z")
The engine is a joke until the Northstar was introduced. I cannot imagine a 3700lb beamouth powered by a meager 170HP. The northstar(300HP) took care of that problem. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cadillac-allante-can-anyone-tell-me-about-this-vehicle/25183/6 "2009-01-19T20:11:12Z")
I agree. Cadillac wanted SL money for an unproven car with initially less power. Northstar helped, but (like lots of innovative GM products) by then it was too late. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cadillac-allante-can-anyone-tell-me-about-this-vehicle/25183/7 "2009-01-19T22:49:30Z")
The bodies for this car were made in Italy and flown to the US for final assembly with the mechanicals. I would stay away from this car, as it is a bit of an unloved orphan. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cadillac-allante-can-anyone-tell-me-about-this-vehicle/25183/8 "2009-01-19T23:05:23Z")
Besides what’s already been said about the engines, the electronic dash can be troublesome, IIRC.