Canadian man spots 1988 Cadillac Fleetwood d'Elegance sitting abandoned on a driveway so he pays $500 and soon learns all about it

Published on Nov 29, 2025 at 11:19 PM (UTC+4)
by Grace Donohoe

Last updated on Nov 27, 2025 at 5:31 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Emma Matthews

This Canadian man caught sight of a Cadillac Fleetwood d’Elegance and simply had to know more.

The 1988 model was abandoned and in need of a new lease of life.

So, with a $500 check and a whole heap of hope, one man got to work.

However, there was far more to do than he originally thought, and it opened his wallet more than he wanted.

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This Cadillac Fleetwood d’Elegance was left for nature to look after

The Cadillac is a classic car, known by many for its distinctive design and powerful engine, and the Fleetwood d’Elegance model pays tribute to this.

This model came in two versions, consisting of the d’Elegance and the Sixty Special, with many gearheads eager to snap one up.

There were different lengths available, too, depending on the model year of the luxury sedan.

One content creator, Curiosity Incorporated, got to experience the magic of the d’Elegance model for himself in British Columbia, Canada – but there was a twist.

The 1988 Cadillac Fleetwood d’Elegance in question had been sitting still for a while, and needed some work before it could take to the open road once more.

“Well, it’s dusty and dirty,” said the creator as he got to work on restoring the $500 buy.

Inside, the car was dusty and needed a good clean, and even had a smell that the creator described as ‘old wigs and newspapers’, so it was clear that a heap of Febreze was needed.

The engine, on the other hand, needed more attention. The battery was in dire need of some SOS, and after hooking it up to an external monitor, it was clear that no amount of maintenance was going to save it.

In addition, the wheels needed freshening up, with whitewall tires revealed with the help of a special cleaner and elbow grease.

“It don’t look too good right now,” he said as he explored the worn seats and split steering wheel, even finding wheel hub caps that had been removed too.

So, with a fair amount of work to do, the content creator got his hands dirty.

Alongside needing some extra TLC, the Cadillac also had relatively high mileage – 189,953 to be exact, which will always be a deciding factor in the value of a vehicle, regardless of the model year and edition.

Was it really worth the gamble?

After replacing the battery and cleaning the car up, it was time for the creator and the Cadillac Fleetwood to part ways.

It drove as expected, smooth with an element of luxury, but after the cost of the new battery, the creator decided to see if he could make a profit.

The Caddy went off to be sold at auction with no reserve, to see just how much another car lover would be willing to pay.

Sadly, it only managed to fetch around $700, meaning he actually came out with a loss of around $50, as the battery ended up costing $200.

But hey, it’s not every day that you can brag about buying and flipping a vintage Cadillac, and despite the abandoned status, its exterior was still shiny.

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Grace started her career writing about the weird and wonderful for the international press. She's covered everything from lifestyle to sports and hard news and now finds herself pursuing her main interest - cars. She's loved cars from a young age and has a keen interest in luxury travel too.