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2008 Cadillac CTS

2757 messages,  Last post on Oct 09, 2009 at 8:13 PM

You are in the Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Cadillac CTS-V, Cadillac CTS, Sedan


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#1795 of 2757
Re: Car and Driver Bashes Manual Transmission [pricede] by 150mphclub
Nov 30, 2007 (10:06 am)
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Replying to: pricede (Nov 29, 2007 4:41 pm)

Would this be the same Car and Driver magazine that rated the BMW #1 in its October 2005 comparison test of 8 sport sedans even though the brakes failed and put the car in a full spin? LOL
 
C&D probably prints sales brochures for BMW.
#1796 of 2757
Re: Wanted to like the CTS [snags] by vic10
Nov 30, 2007 (6:27 pm)
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Replying to: snags (Nov 13, 2007 12:37 pm)

Just a follow-up from your earlier comments: Although I plan on renting a CTS for a couple of days to get a better feel of the car, today was my first drive in one, the DI version, (tarted up with Vogue wheels, whitewalls, pinstripping, tinted windows, painted grill, in Diamond White--it was stunning) with the dealer. A couple miles of city streets, two highway merges, some parking lot maneuvering. Maybe it's the comparison (I too drive a 300C). But I was kind of underwhelmed. Nice power, very responsive engine/transmission, but lacks the brute force of the Hemi. Nice ride and control, maybe a tad softer and without the annoying rear suspension noise of the 300, but not a whole lot better. Biggest disappointment was the interior. Comfortable seating and plenty of legroom, yes, and enough headroom that I could adjust the seat up (I'm 6 ft.) to give more of the up right sitting position like in the 300. But the perception was slightly confining, probably due to the wrap-around design of the console/dash, and the center stack seemed a bit busy, though admittedly the detailing and finish was very impressive. Also noticed that the doors don't close with a solid thunk. No rattles, but there was definitely some flexing in the door/window area, almost like the old the Devilles of the 70's. And what's this with the no flash-to-pass headlights (only works with the headlights ON). That's one of my most used features (Yes I'm going to pass you; Yes I'm going to let you pull in ahead of me; Hi gorgeous; What the heck kind of maneuver was that you jerk; etc.).
 
Still an impressive vehicle, though not quite the WINNER I was expecting. Will have to see if the longer term renting will change my impression.
#1797 of 2757
G35X vs CTS by markcincinnati
Nov 30, 2007 (7:12 pm)
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The Car and Driver comparo was with the FE3 equipped car. Wow.
 
At this price point/class the Infiniti is a winner.
 
At this price point and whatever class the 300C AWD with a bunch of options on it is in, it too is a winner.
 
At the discount price of the STS with the DI engine, it will pull sales from the CTS.
The CTS will, in perhaps 6 months, probably be pretty much discounted, too -- then, with the addition of the bluetooth factory feature (which even the 300C offers via a package called Uconnect), the CTS might be an appropriately priced winner.
 
Gawd, it sure is purty -- but even with the great (apparent) build quality and pretty decent power -- a maxed out 300C with the current discount structure seems like so much more car for da moola. But, it is a bit porky -- yea, I know so is the CTS, so what else is new.
 
I do believe I am still going to wait for the new LWB V6 AWD A4 Sline -- then my choice will most likely be between the Audi A4, Cadillac CTS DI and the Infiniti G35X.
 
The rumored updated 300C (D?) will be out then too -- the Cadillac, IMHO, will need hmmm, about a 10-12% nominal discount at that point.
 
Then, it could be the winner -- if I say it often enough and fast enough, while I'm squinting. . ."it could happen!"
 
 
#1798 of 2757
Re: My CTS 08 order suffering from constraint [adamg2] by bding
Dec 01, 2007 (4:04 am)
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Replying to: adamg2 (Nov 23, 2007 5:46 am)

I talked again (11/30) with Cadillac Customer Assistance. There are still "constraints" placed on my 10/05/07 CTS DI order out. No build date, no reason given. With the Lansing facility closed for the last two weeks of the year, I don't expect anything soon. The CSR rep said she was closing my account out. She said all further contact should be thru the dealer. I asked if there was someone I could speak to above her and was told, "no". So I'm thinking I was speaking to a dead-end all along. If my wife didn't want this car so badly, I'd say, "damn you Cadillac". GM, if your reading this, you've left a bitter taste in my mouth and this will most likely be the last car I'll ever purchase from you.
#1799 of 2757
Re: My CTS 08 order suffering from constraint [bding] by sevenfeet0
Dec 01, 2007 (4:34 pm)
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Replying to: bding (Dec 01, 2007 4:04 am)

You need a better dealer. I have no problem getting ordering information from my dealer, not to mention reasons why things are happening or not happening. The "constraints" issues are well known and well discussed in these parts. Compare your options list to what's already been discussed and you'll have your answer. The reason they don't have a build date is because they honestly don't know. Suppliers can be a real PITA sometimes and these supply-chain issues have a real danger of customers saying "forget it" and heading straight for the Infiniti dealer. Trust me, GM is probably more pissed off than you are over this. For you, its an inconvenience. For them, it's costing them real money.
#1800 of 2757
Re: G35X vs CTS [markcincinnati] by sevenfeet0
Dec 01, 2007 (5:06 pm)
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Replying to: markcincinnati (Nov 30, 2007 7:12 pm)

I haven't read the review yet (hasn't been delivered to the house). I can't say I'm surprised at the result. I still think it's not entirely an apples to apples comparo to put a CTS in the same test as a 3 series...they just aren't the same class vehicle. A G35 is a better comparison but that's smaller too. But Cadillac will have to live with this until the BTS bows sometime in the future.
 
And I think the automotive press agrees with me. Motor Trend has given the 2008 CTS the COTY award this year. The aformentioned Car and Driver put the '08 CTS on their 10Best list this year. The BMW 3-series was on it, but the G35 was not. Not that the G35 didn't deserve to be on the list, but the new G35 is evolutionary improvement over the old car. The '08 CTS is night and day over the '07 CTS. Sometimes you get awards for how far you've come.
 
The STS with the DI engine picking off CTS sales? I'd love the get some of the tree you've been smoking. The STS is just a plain boring vehicle next to the CTS. The only thing it has going for it over the CTS is a V8 option and soon that won't even be a differentiator.
 
The 300C is a nice car...my favorite rental these days (leg room for days!). But the interior quality just is not the same class as the CTS or anything else in the class.
 
The A4 is a very very nice vehicle. Audi has probably done more than anyone in transforming FWD cars into Quattro cars that can get around a curve. If somebody buys an Audi over other cars in the class, I can't blame them.
#1801 of 2757
Re: G35X vs CTS [sevenfeet0] by dmathews3
Dec 01, 2007 (6:28 pm)
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Replying to: sevenfeet0 (Dec 01, 2007 5:06 pm)

The STS is just a plain boring vehicle next to the CTS.
I beg to differ on that. I have a 07 STS-4 and have driven a number of 07 CTS's in which the 08 is different but it is still a bottom of the line Caddy. Very Nice, but no STS.
#1802 of 2757
Re: G35X vs CTS [markcincinnati] by thebug
Dec 01, 2007 (10:29 pm)
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Replying to: markcincinnati (Nov 30, 2007 7:12 pm)

markcincinnati - After reading your post (# 1797), I can only say this. I hope you are as happy with whatever you buy as I am with my 08 Cadillac CTS, because I think it is awesome. What a car!!! And truly, that's all that really matters.
 
thebug...
#1803 of 2757
C&D Comparo by jpenn
Dec 02, 2007 (6:14 am)
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I've been a subscriber of Car & Driver for about 20 years but will not renew my subscription after this year. The reason? I'm fed up with their complete BMW/German bias.
 
C&D believes that if you're a car enthusiast then you want a race car for the street. I think we all realize this is not the case. A great sport sedan/coupe is a combination of style, luxury, technology, handling and performance. The fact that a car can lap Nurburgring or Laguna Seca faster and quicker than any other car in it's class doesn't make it the optimal car for a car enthusiast's daily driver.
 
I haven't owned an American car since 1999 and swore I would never own another after that awful Jeep Grand Cherokee, but since the introduction of the CTS I've slowly changed my mind. The 08 CTS is everything I had hoped it would be, correcting all of the problems of the previous models. I would have already put my order in for an 08 CTS if it weren't for the fact that Cadillac will be building a coupe, hopefully in 08 as an 09.
#1804 of 2757
Re: G35X vs CTS [dmathews3] by sevenfeet0
Dec 02, 2007 (9:59 am)
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Replying to: dmathews3 (Dec 01, 2007 6:28 pm)

Not to knock your purchase, but here's an elaboration on my opinion. Again, your mileage and opinion will be different.
 
Thesis: The STS is boring
 
1. The exterior styling is bland. The original '05 STS was supposed to be introduced in '04 but got held back because Bob Lutz thought the styling wasn't sophisticated enough. I don't know what that car looked like because the car that went to production didn't light many eyes afire. Considering that the '02 'Slade, the '03 CTS, the '04 XLR and the '04 SRX were all considered to be "out there" styling exercises (some succeeded, some sort-of succeeded). The '05 STS looked to be to be an unfinished project. The lines were too toned down from the other A&S efforts. The sides were too slad sided without any emotion lines to break up the wide expanses of nothing. The rear clip and spoiler looked completely unfinished and the spoiler didn't look integrated at all. I spent some time in my mind trying to defend it when it first was released, but the more I looked at it, the more I couldn't defend it.
 
2. The interior was a better effort but it falls because Cadillac compromised it with poor quality plastics. All you have to do is put your hand on top of the '08 CTS's dash and feel the soft feel of the leatherette compared to the hard plastics of the STS to know that the CTS's game got updated from what had been done three years previous. It's not that the STS's interior is bad...far from it. But once you get back the center stack that was pretty well done, the rest of it is lacking, I'm sorry to say. Keep in mind, I'm the same guy who told my Caddy dealer back in '03 that I thought my new CTS's interior wasn't enough for the class (and the SRX's original CTS-based interior was a joke for the class).
 
3. The seats are boring. The STS's seats are pretty much the same units in the CTS and SRX. Outside of some styling differences, the seats showed no improvement from the other vehicles...again, just trying to put more of the same across the product line.
 
The STS-V did change some of my pain points, but the main problems of the car remain. The '08 STS does spice up the front clip with the new family grill, but I think the CTS is a better interpretation of that effort. The side vents on the new STS just look slapped on...not an integrated part of the design as the CTS or even the '07 Slade.
 
Given the styling effort on the CTS, I am hopeful on the replacement for the STS/DTS since I was getting a little worried after the STS came out.

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