For some reason, I rarely think of a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham from the 1980s as a car that needs work. I just assume that they’ve been taken care of, maintained, loved, washed, kept in a garage, etc. This is one that does need work, and some of it may need to be sent out to pros, but some you can probably do yourself. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in Saugus, Massachusetts, and they’re asking $9,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Zen for the tip!
The first two photos show what appears to be a car in outstanding condition. I don’t see anything alarming so far. At 18.5 feet long, this is still an incredibly big car, so check your garage space first if you plan on doing the work on this one yourself. Cadillac first used the Brougham name with the Fleetwood series two decades before this car was made, and a two-door version would have to be more popular in 2026, although I’d almost rather have a four-door myself.
Ok, here’s some work that needs to get on the to-do list. As with most cars in this era, the bumper filler material has deteriorated from age and the sun or whatever other reasons, and this appears to have been replaced but not painted. White seems like it would be easier to match than some other colors, but it may not look like new again unless you have experience in matching paint and applying it. Don’t forget the pinstripe.
Red leather is hard to beat in my world, and these seats appear to be in nice condition, both front and rear. The giant trunk also looks good, but there are indeed issues to deal with on this car. There is rust in many of the cracks and crevices, and a lot of paint issues, other than the unpainted rear bumper filler material. The vinyl top is pretty well shot, so that needs to be replaced as well. Kudos to the seller for including the not-so-pleasing areas, which strikes me as an honest thing to do.
The engine is the infamous HT-4100, a 4.1-liter OHV V8 with 135 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque when new. Backed by a four-speed automatic sending power to the rear wheels, the seller says it rides great, but that’s the only mention of its operating condition. The AC also needs a new line in order to work with the new compressor. Hagerty is at $5,400 for a #3 good-condition car, but I’d put this one way down the scale from there. A #4 fair-condition car is valued at $2,800, so there is no way the $9,000 asking price will ever be popular with potential buyers. This car needs a ton of work; I wouldn’t even be in at $2,800. How about you?
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