Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options
Comments
For those wanting this option, THIS SUCKS!
I don't want to get screwed on the money factor which is the interest part of the lease. Any info would be appreciated.
DDSach: On invoice pricing. GENERALLY, if you take the MSRP and multiply by 92.8%, it will get you real close to invoice. This also depends on whether or not they have to pay advertising in their local market. Advertising is around 1% of msrp. The 92.8% figure includes a 1% advertising fee. Figure on a 41,400 car (Base Deville with leather) invoice is around 38400. Take $2,000 off for the dealer cash. Take another $1,000 for being a demo (the dealer should do this) That's 35,400. If there is no local advertising, take another 400 off. Sounds like you are getting the car for around our actual cost. I can tell you I just sold a 00 base Deville with Leather, 9800 miles, used, for 33,000 + taxes. However, this was a car from Enterprise. Take that into account. I can buy them right now from auction for about 28,000. I caution you though. Do not expect to get the demo for the same price as a used car. To the consumer they are the same. To the dealer they are not. And we set the price. We still have a cost factor. Why on earth would we sell a car and lose $4,000 on it? If you are considering the demo, look into a used one instead for the money.
What I am talking about is not getting screwed in the deal. I have already agreed to go $1,000 over invoice which is against my general principle, but since we have to order the car rather than just taking it out of popcon, I figure I am taking up more of the dealer's time.
That give the dealer the holdback, flooring assistance an a grand on top of it. But this will only work if I know how they got the interest rate (money factor) and that it has not been loaded. I also want to make sure that any incentives Cadillac has at the time of the deal go back into it.
I have asked this dealer to tell me how much he wants to make. It is a simple question and I have no problem being fair, but why should it be some big friggin secret? It's the smoke and mirrors tactics that makes me approach this from a defensive position.
Do you have an accessory like a radar detector which could account for the problem?
If yes & no to the above, you probably have a bad battery.
Dealer replaced the radio, that fixed it.
Never before heard of a radio having a short and killing a battery. Wonder what that AM/FM Cassette CD radio cost?
Asked me if I was doing this, which I wasn't.
This was in late 1997, the 95 Concours was used car purchase.
You can feel good that you have helped so many people by answering their questions about Cadillacs and the purchasing process.
We are planning to purchase a new deville just before Christmas, but would appreciate your opinion on whether we should wait till after the first of the year. I've heard that there will be changes in the On-Star program effective 1 Jan., and also wonder if you would expect any price advantage by waiting.
I have seen ads that mentioned a "customer loyalty" bonus of $1,000 for current Cadillac owners. Is this always available, or only at close-out time? Also, is that from GM or the local dealer?
Is this a common problem? Any suggested solutions?
51Hornet: Onstar has been changed for every single 01 product. It won't matter when you buy one as far as beginning or end of year. The $1,000 rebate is coming from the dealer, not the manufacturer. The only thing I know of is that Cadillac increased the dealer cash from $2,000 to $3,000. Maybe they are using the extra grand. Keep in mind, there are 5 zones in the US. I only get info concerning the North Central region. They may have something different. And before anyone starts driving across country to save a grand, you only get the rebate based on where you live
Tonorad: I have heard of this problem on a few other ones. It is a problem, not a change in options.
Personally I like the smart buy and will probably do it again when it comes time to turn in the Sub.
The DTSi built for Tim is painted the same Silver color that the Evoq show car came in, and has lots of custom trim and parts. The car is rated at 398HP!
I know most of you guys have newer Caddies than mine. I love mine and it is the first Cadillac I've owned. I could afford a new one, but I am certain I would be satisfied with an earlier model Deville and I have other motoring interests to put the extra money in (such as a new Honda Goldwing). I hope that some of you who have either had or do have one of these models can also shed some light on anything I should look out for before I buy one.
Thanks to all of you for reading my post.
guess it depends on the climate, but Rust is covered for 6 years or 100,000 miles under the standard Cadillac warranty.
Personally, I have had a '96 and now own a '98 which will be traded on an '01 in January. I would imagine you would be happier in a '97 assuming the rust issue can be resolved. It is a newer looking body style and has some improvements in the Northstar. Good Luck with your search.
As far as issues go, you might want to go back and check out some of the previous postings in this conference. There were some people that have experienced some excessive oil consumption, save that they are really good cars.
Good Luck
2001 Deville DHS. Has any one had this experience on a 2000 or 2001 Deville? Is this a common occurence?
Thanks.
I would tell anyone interested in buying a Cadillac DTS, that it is a wonderful car with great handling and exceptional comfort. However, the Cadillac organization does not stand behind their customer to assist them when the customer is having very serious problems with an incompetent dealer. Cadillac management assigned an exclusive franchise in my city to this dealer; they should take some responsibility to put some pressure on the dealer when my car has been in the shop for 61 days and counting. Has anyone had experience with Mercedes, Lincoln or Lexus customer service? Is the Cadillac attitude typical, or unusual?
Wowser: I would advise against it. The airbag is located under the dashboard. Go in through the bottom of the dashboard.
Pfergy: Smartbuys are better with Chevrolets and Pontiacs because that is where they put there money. A cadillac leased will by around 100-125 a month cheaper than a smartbuy. So I guess we are both right. Philly, if you get another Cadillac, lease it. Email me at J_balcer@yahoo.com with your return e-mail and I will send you a comparison between buying and leasing the same car. Leasing comes out probably 200 bucks cheaper because of the inflated residuals Cadillac offers.
So I will lease again, but I have a problem. We agreed on a price of $1000 over invoice, but my dealer has the APR (money factor, lease rate or whatever they call it today) set at .625. They have also assumed a residual of 51%. I have another dealer that has figured the rate at .400 and the residual at 52%. This makes the monthly payments $104 cheaper!
So, who sets the residual and the interest rates?
My dealer says that GMAC set them. GMAC says that rates and residual are set by the dealer and that they are merely an "acceptance" corporation.
Who is lying?
I don't know where you live, but there must be more than one dealer around. I can not believe that Cadillac is not helping. I would have been camping out in the Regional VP's office by now.
I am sorry for your experience. I have heard of other problems like this happening with Mercedes, Lexus and BMW. I am glad that yours is the exception rather than the rule.
The light went on (check engine soon) This morning I tried a new dealer that I have never used. After three non returned calls to find out if I should pick up the car I finally reached the service rep late in the afternoon to get the skinny and he told me that one of the wires wasn't making contact properly with the plug, so they replaced the plug (one month old) and the one wire (three days old) and to pick it up in the morning. Now I had the wire plug fit checked by a pro mechanic friend of mine and he said all was well with the connection. Why would they replace as I was told, one plug and one wire? I just cant see them breaking up a set of 160.00 retail wires for one wire. I smell a rat. The service guy told me they wouldn't charge me the 100 dollar deductable but just 91.50 I said to do the deductible and I'll spring for the 100 but he said NO. "Why do I keep smelling a rat? I asked for the parts back but again I have a feeling I will be told ooops we threw them out. anybody got a clue as to what is going on?
Tipping:I live off tips and if I could find someone worth tipping I'd come up with a bottle of wine a case of fancy beer or something of that nature. Cash in a situation such as a dealership I feel is not appropriate. A guy at a car wash is working for peanuts......tip him
joe
But if yours was, and it got into the electrical wiring of your car, I would think the 10million or so volts and God knows what amperage from the lightning would have fried every inch of wires in the car. And every electronic module, sensor, control, motor, switch, etc would also be fried.
What I would be asking, and mainly you should be talking to your insurance company - why in the world is anyone trying to repair this car??????
TOTAL IT. Demand your insurance company total it. You've got a very, very good basis for this - the local dealer has not been able to fix the thing in 91 days!!!!!!!
In my humble opinion, you are barking at the wrong business, the Cad dealer. Get to beating on the insurance company.
Who in their right mind would want a car that had been struck by lightning and repaired anyway!!!!
When I go see the general manager, he gives excuses like "the service manager is under a car in the shop, and he can't join us". This has been going on for 62 days, and my frustration is being compounded by the fact that I am being stonewalled by Cadillac customer service.
Why put up with this stuff? All the things the dealer is telling you are completely bogus.
Of course the insurance man is willing to wait, especially if you don't have a rental clause in your policy. He has been told it is a $1,500 repair. He is willing to wait forever to get a deal like this. The dealer seems totally incompentent and is lying to you to boot.
I still say, beat on the insurance. Demand they load the car on a wrecker and move to another Cad dealer, I wouldn't care if it's 100+ miles away! And demand this dealer give you an reasonable estimate and time it will take to get your car rebuilt.
Start looking for the phone number of your state insurance commissioner, I bet you are going to need to talk to him. You should start building a log of the conversations with the Cad dealer and insurance people, and especially log all future transactions.
If struck by lightning, I still wouldn't want the car after any kind of repairs......
Cadillac has given them a monopoly for our city. Cadillac took my $50K, and then are leaving me out to dry when I have a problem that will be impossible to resolve without their assistance.
Also, contact your local media and see if they are interested in helping you out. After all, how many times does a car get struck by lightning in the exact spot where it can do any damage.
I would copy your letter to your State Attorney General or Ombudsman as well as the BBB. Start making a serious racket. Write a letter a week until you have some clear forward motion.
This is why I desperately need a little attention from Cadillac Motor Division
Even worse, subtle damage could have happened that would have make a device flakey and not fail completely. It's an electrical nightmare to debug something like this but the obvious answer is to replace everything electrical until the car works. Your dealer sounds like they are complete morons who should have their dealership yanked. If my company had people who acted this way, the upper management would enjoy firing them.
In addition to the suggestions that have already been offered, don't hesistate to raise the spectre of legal action to them. This should get the dealer's attention, if nothing else. Judges have little sympathy for companies giving a customer the runaround for 2+ months with such an expensive purchase.
Do not stand for this treatment. Be polite but vocal on expressing your outrage. Please keep us informed...and, good luck.
My personal opinion is that there is no physical damage to the car other than the OnStar antenna and the glass surrounding the antenna, which is rough and discolored. There was no odor in the car to indicate that wiring or insulation had been overheated. I think that the car was surrounded by a strong electrical field that disturbed the software programs which control the functions of the car. I learned yesterday that the only person at the dealership who supposedly knows how to do reprogramming is the service manager. I think he is over his head, and doesn't know where to begin, and that's why they have used all the lame excuses and stalling tactics. I could probably have driven my car away on the first day if he had the expertise to reprogram the computers. This is what makes the stonewalling by Cadillac customer service so frustrating. If we could get someone'e attention, they could either send in someone from the factory to assist with the reprogramming, or send in a specialist from another dealer. I sent certified letters two days ago to the owner of the dealership and to Cadillac Customer Assistance Center. Hopefully this sad saga will end soon.