Hello. Forgive me in advance if I'm violating any of the forum rules! I'm new to the forum, but not new to Cadillacs, but I am a tad bit confused. I'm interested in a very low miles 2004 Sedan de Ville, but I can not tell the trim level. As I understand it, the base had a hood ornament, CD radio only and leather steering wheel with a column shift. The DHS had no ornament, grill emblem and a half wood/leather wheel with cd/cassette radio. This particular car seems to be a hybrid with no ornament, no cassette, a leather wheel, but alot of the extra perks otherwise found in the DHS, such as heated front/rear seats. I can see someone adding a few perks to a base level, but I can't see them removing the ornament and putting in a new grill -- why not just spend the extra 1000 and buy up a level? Nor can I see a DHS buyer removing the standard equipment to "cheapen" the vehicle.

Any ideas? Can the VIN give me any further information?

(Speaking of hood ornaments, I've never had a car without one; I like them. Any reason why I can't just go to a dealer or body shop and have a caddy ornament put on? I'm assuming the hood structure is the same on all the models.)

Thank you all. Mike

 

In terms of a Cadillac hood ornament, yes, you can buy one. Personally, I drive a 2002 (basically the same as a 2004) Deville Base, and it has heated seats, so they were options in the Base.

There is another way to tell: gauges. If the speedometer and tachometer are analog, it's either a DHS or DTS. If the gauges are digital, it's the Base model. Of course, the Base & DHS had the column shift and the DTS had the console shifter.

TS

 

SimpsonTruckDriver,

Right you are! I did an internet search and the DHS models from that era had analog instruments and half leather wheel. I searched Cadillac dealers nationwide, so I'm assuming they are legit, although I did notice a few non-caddy dealers trying to pass off a base model as a DHS. Given that, the car I'm looking at is a base model. Still perplexed as to why the original owner would pay what was probably a couple grand to add the extra features, add a DHS grill, remove the ornament, etc, when for 4K more she could have just bought the DHS. Thanks for your help TS.

 

I would look at it as a bargaining chip. You have absolute proof it is a Base Model, yet a former owner has made it look like a DHS. Go to either Official Kelley Blue Book New Car and Used Car Prices and Values or New Car Prices and Used Car Book Values - NADAguides and get the value of that model as a Base. Tell the seller that is the max you will pay for it. If they say continue to say it is a DHS, and refuse to believe the truth, walk away.

TS

 

Well first of all, here in Canada the Deville comes standard with heated seats from 2000-2003, and then the 2004 update came with heated and cooled seats as standard. What you're looking at is the lowest end Deville, but not completely base-model. If the seats HAVE Lumbar Support, it is not entirely base, although it is the base-model Deville. Differences between Base and Base Luxury are heated and cooled front seats, heated back seats, a cassette player and the heating steering wheel (also from 2004-2005 only).
Long story short, you've got a Base Luxury Deville equipped with heated & cooled front seats and heated rear seats. Not options, just an upper model OF the base model.
Hope this helps