Cadillac CTS/CTS-V

oldsman01

Sales numbers seem to show thar alot of people like the CTS. Funny thing, despite being on sale for over a year now, Cadillac isn't having to rely on hefty discounts and rebates to sell the car.

oldsman01

Cadillac actually was the first car maker to make these standard as the Deville and Fleetwood had them in 1985, one year before the feds required them on cars.

macguy, sounds like your having alot of fun with your CTS.

richw5

Actually, Chrysler had CHMSL in the late 1940's. It didn't last very long, but it wasn't government mandated at that time.

I take that back, Chrysler had TMSL (Trunk Mounted Stop Lights). The idea was the same, trunk mounted stop lights warned the driver behind you, that you were going to stop.

I guess I'm showing my age.

P.S. I blew away a Honda Accord with my STS tonight. It felt real good.

Rich

thebug

mitchflorida if you keep looking at that old ulgy CTS, you will buy one before the end of summer. Trust me on this one. I started there too. Boy, I'm glad I kept looking at it, this car is a, how can I say it WOW.

thebug...

thebug

I kinda like the controls on the steering wheel. To me it's much better then on the turn signal. It's much more natural for me because my thumbs are normally in that position. I use it to speed up or slow down (kinda feels like a jet plane as it brakes on final approach). When on the open road, I will normall cruise at about 90 mph. When I hit a group of 79.5's, I back off a little until they make a whole. Then I pump it back up.

I also use it to confirm that the cops are telling truth (sometimes it's the wrong car, I've used this before with good results) if they stop me for speeding. In the western states, it's easy to blow into triple digits for long periods of time without realizing it. And I have noticed that sometimes they don't care if you're out there by yourself. Occasionally you will run upon one (probably new) who has to make a statement. That's why I travel with my watch dog, he's got a 360 view and a five mile range. Barks real early.

thebug...

mcgreenx

Bug, the CTS CruiseContol buttons on at 6 o'clock at the bottom of the steering wheel. I don't visualize what you mean when you say your thumbs are normally at that position.

If I had a watchdog with a 5-mile range, I'd name him/her "Radar" or "Stealth." Or perhaps "Valentine."

navigator3740

naturally wouldn't like the looks of the CTS. He lives in the boring & bland world of Honda - too much art & design makes guys like that nervous.

thebug

mcgreenx: During day to day city driving where lane changes and multiple turn are required and when I wouldn't use the cruise anyway, hand position is at 10 o'clock, 2 o'clock or 4 o'clock as the situation requires. But, when out on the highway when lane changes are seldom, and only slight movement of the wheel is required, I rest my hands on the " V " portion on the wheel. This positions my thumbs right over the cruise control bottoms, and operating the cruise becomes effortless.

As with any car, after driving it for a while, I can operate the controls without having to look. This is actually a very comfortale driving position for me when I do long distance driving. And my watch dog has kept me out of trouble for a lot of miles, his name is Otis. If I use him in the city (where they have the technology), he will also detect school buses, railroad crossings, and emergency vehicles. I don't use him in the city though because I don't think it's really necesary.
Besides, I'm too busy to pay attention to the many different alarm tones.

thebug...

calicadi

Thanks for your kind thoughts. I'm really looking forward to attending the class. My dilemma, they just got the CTS's and they're working on the new 'vette's first. My class is scheduled for last week of March. Do you have any idea if they can finish the mods to the CTS's by then?

The rep there could only say it's going to be close. That doesn't help me much when I have to make air and hotel res in advance.

Necros if you're out there... didn't mean to put words in your mouth. Just wanted to testify to non-owners that some are serious about the CTS being competitive. Do you know what adding a blower will do to your SCCA class?

Thanks

scottc8

I took the 3 day course about two years ago, when they were still using the Mustangs. They were rock-hard, almost no body roll at all, fun to slide around but nowhere near as sophisticated as the CTS. You're in for the experience of a lifetime. Even if you never go near a race track you'll still be glad you did it. Feeling kinda jealous here. Hope they still do the van "tour" the morning of the first day.

missouri2

has any one changed the exhaust . if you have, was it worth it. i just need a little more power. one thing about it i love this cts.

cu95

Well, I went and test drove a CTS (I had been in one once before, but the sales rep insisted on coming along and I ended up cutting the ride short without really driving much). One word: Yummy! I was very pleased with the car (I tested a base model with automatic). Spent about 10 minutes just sitting in it, playing with the driver seat and wheel to make sure I could get into a comfortable position (I could, and I was quite pleased with the front seats) and adjusting the mirrors and the radio. Took for a spin, not too many curves but some nice undulating straight aways. Good zip. I was surprised that I made the wheels squeal taking off from a dead stop (I was in Sport Mode at the time, maybe that had something to do with it). Back seats were pretty accomodating even after adjusting the front seats for myself (I'm six feet) although anyone taller than six feet would feel cramped in the back headroom-wise. Base-model radio sounded pretty good (I figure if I don't listen to a Bose one, I'll be content and $1200 richer :-) ). The dash didn't strike me as cheap feeling/looking (as some complain), the only "cheapness" I felt were the sun visors, the backside of the center console(cheap looking power outlet and an apparently useless felt lined hole under it) and the front doors (when you pull the handle to close them, all of the door's plastic seems to bulge out under the pressure). The wiper control is a tad close to the wheel (I turned them on accidently). But those are all nits. This is A LOT of car for the money (but most of you already knew that :-) ). I can see this being a lot of fun to drive for a long time. My biggest problem: convincing my wife I need to buy one before June (when I was originally planning to buy a new car).

peccles

If you can wait until June, you might want to wait
until Aug or Sept when the '04 model comes out
with a new 3.6L 260HP engine. You can then either
get a very good deal on an '03 or a nice more
powerful '04.

tgp1810

Is there really a comparison between the standard radio and the Bose model?

calicadi

Yes, I really, really hope Bondurant can get those CTS's on line in time for my trip. The rep assures me the knowledge gained if the 'stangs are still in use is transferable... but boy what a trip it would be to do it in a CTS!!!

OK, I found this
http://www.dynospotracing.com/octane.htm
while looking for lightweight rims. Read and evaluate for yourself if you're interested. I know some of you reported no material dif. DSR is in Northern California so they are using the same gas adative-wise that I'd be using. (No idea what brand in that test though.) I've always used Shell because I note consist quality and, doing my own tuneups, minimum plug deposits. (On a sad note gas here is over $2.00 in some stations.)

OK back to the rim story...

Apparently, BBS RC's are some of the lightest around (18# for 18"), but I can't find a web site to confirm that they make a model that fits the CTS. I found some Speedlines but need to confirm the weight. I'll keep you all posted on my findings.

mcgreenx

I hadn't thought about XM radio until I saw that GM was offering it on the CTS (and other makes and models) after I took delivery of my CTS, and I just bought a SkyFi XM radio by Delphi and installed it over the weekend. I think I'm going to enjoy it, but whether I conclude it's worth the $10 per month fee (for 101 nationwide stations) remains to be seen. The reason I'm mentioning it is to give any CTS owner who is considering XM a few thoughts about installation.

While an FM modulator is now available, which directly connects the input to the FM radio so it plays on an FM frequency and conceals the wiring, because the Bose radio seems to be so closely intertwined with the car computer, OnStar and the built-in cell phone, I didn't want to risk interconnecting with the radio. I am using an input which requires a small wire leading from a cassette shaped "interface" in the cassette player to the SkyFi tuner. A Delphi support person I spoke to insisted the FM modulator sound is no better than the cassette interface, but it does make for a neater, "wireless," installation.

I installed the tuner, which is quite sophisticated, and is only about 3x4 inches by 1 inch deep, below and to the left of the heater/AC panel, attached to the former ashtray insert, so I can remove the tuner by simply pulling out the tuner/ashtray unit. The automatic tranny gear shift knob is a close fit when it's in Park, and I can't get my entire fist around it, but I have no trouble getting it out of Park, and once it's out of Park I can operate it without any interference from the tuner unit. There is a small roof/trunk surface magnetic external antenna required, that looks like a little computer mouse, and I wired it invisibly up the windshield post to a point above and forward of the driver's head position. Another alternative, which would have been equally as easy, would have been to mount the magnetic antenna on the trunk lid and run the antenna wire into the trunk and up to the trunk lid. It's a neat installation, if I do say so myself.

BTW, of the add-on radios available, the Delphi is, IMHO, clearly the most versatile. You can use the same tuner, which slides out of a "quick-disconnect" mounting device which all the wires plug into, and connect it to your home stereo, or to a small self-contained "boombox" with speakers. Because the other configurations use the same tuner, you don't have to pay an additional monthly fee for the non-auto use. The auto kit includes an antenna, cigar lighter power plug, mounting hardware, and cassette interface.

The tuner and either the auto or stereo kit sell for a total of $200, but there are some unpublicized "deals" still available for $100 plus a six month ($60) subscription commitment, which is what I did.

I hadn't intended to include the XM URL when I started writing this, but it occurs to me that someone might be interested in looking it over, so here it is: http://www.xmradio.com/ There is a competitive satellite radio company called Sirius, but I don't have it's URL handy. I would guess it's www.sirius.com, but I'm not certain. They are quite similar, Sirius costs about $13/month, and is or will be sold OEM by Daimler/Chrysler. Other automakers are getting on one bandwagon or the other.

Edit: Just ran across this URL: http://www.xmradio.com/cars/

32caddy

We all like theCTS and most here have had many caddys. However I note that the Infiniti G35 4door NOW has a 6 speed manual. And of course is 260 HP. About where the 04 CTS will be, but in many months!! My dealer also has a beautiful after market wood cockpit package. Just a comment

necros

calicadi: A blower would put me into Street Modified or Street Modified 2, I think, where I'd be racing against cars that would blow the doors off the CTS in the handling department. So, I wouldn't ever win, but it sure would be fun!

Speaking of cruise control and such, I got pulled over in Illinois Saturday for doing 74 in a 65. Uh, hello? This is I-80, it's 2 in the morning, there are no other cars on the road, and you stop me for going 9 over? Please. I swear, the red Eclipse convertible is a major cop-magnet.

missouri2: I haven't put an exhaust on the CTS yet, but I've thought about it. I know Borla makes one for the CTS for about $1000. I have a hookup with Borla, so I may be able to offer the exhaust to people on this board at a pretty major discount. I'll have to check with my contact.

ajvdh

Putting forced induction on your car'd be worse than you think. SM limits OHC engines to 3.0 liters with forced induction. Since you're starting off at 3.2, you'd go blow out of SM and go immediately to "prepared" or "modified". I don't think you're looking to gut the interior yet, right?

Are you going Sunday? I am, I'm just not sure which car I'm going to bring.

oldsman01

I've had XM radio since November 2001 abd it is WELL WORTH the $9.99 subscription fee. The Delphi unit is pretty neat and I wish it were available when I bought mine, but it wasn't. Mine is the Sony "plig n play" and it too can be removed from the car and docked in the house for use with a home system(which I do). My Intrigue has a small cubby at the base of the console which was perfect for mounting the XM receiver. On thing I've noticed about the CTS is that there is not alot of space in which an aftermaket XM unit can be mounted and not stick out. Do you know if Cadillac will now let you get XM radio on the CTS without having to order the navigation system? The brochure I have says XM is available only with the Navi system This doesn't make much sense to me as I certainly want XM in my CTS, but don't care to spend several grand for the navigation system.

richw5, I doubt that Accord was much of a match for your STS. But I bet it was still fun:) I get these guys in the "crapped out" Hondas(you probably know what I mean) who try to race me on the freeway. All I have to do is kick her down a gear and the 3.5 liter V6's Northstar roots show. And the fart pipe Honda drivers are left seeing the letters I-N-T-R-I-G-U-E getting smaller and smaller:) I can't wait to test a CTS with the 260 hp engine. Or better yet, a CTS-V.

calicadi

Here's the direct quote from Tirerack.com who got back to me in less than 12 hours, which is pretty good in my book considering my question was only an email...

"Yes you are correct, currently there are no BBS or Speedline wheels for your CTS. The SSR GT3 (3pc) weighs 28 pounds in the 19 inch size for
your car. If you are planning on putting springs on the car and are worried about rubbing, I would use a 235/35-19 that should work out just fine. The 245/35-19 might require a fender lip roll..."

so too bad for us right now, unless one of y'all find a light one out there. I'm guessing 28# isn't that far off from what stock rims weigh.

richw5

The "blowing away a Honda" comment was for the florida troll who stuck his nose into the CTS board. He drove a honda.

I did blow away a honda that night (mid size sedan, metallic blue, with dual exhausts) but since it was dark, I couldn't tell the year and exact model.

My wife had the CTS that night, so I was stuck with the soft riding land yacht. Never thought I'd diss the STS, but the CTS handles so much better.

necros - don't tempt me with the Borla exhaust system. I'm re-financing the house right now and I might divert some cash from finishing the basement to a Borla system for the CTS. Then again my wife might let me sleep in the basement.

Rich

mcgreenx

....if you can order XM on a CTS without the Nav package. I have my cell phone mounted just next to my right knee, and the XM just to the right of the phone, in front of the ashtray pull out door. It's tight, but fits, and is very handy. I have an aftermarket GPS (Garmin Streetfinder III) on top of the dash, in the depression between the center console and the instrument panel. It comes with a soft four "spoke" mount they call a "bean bag," and fits quite nicely. I have the GPS plugged in to the front power receptacle and the XM plugged into the rear receptacle, with the power cord between the console and the seat, virtually invisible. One of these days I will try to post some photos.

missouri2

thank-you for the return. let me know what you find out.

necros

Modified? Yikes. Well, I did say I didn't care about being competitive...

Yeah, I'll be there Sunday, driving the CTS. If I were you, I'd bring the old Bimmer. There is a lot of sand all over the roads...

I will definitely check into the Borla thing. Maybe I can lure some of you into temptation.

cu95

When do people think that the 2003 CTSs will stop being offered by GM (i.e., what would be the last day I could go into a dealer and order a 2003 CTS made to my liking)? My car needs dictate that I get a car before the 2004s would be available (I need a car no later than end of June). Until June I'm fine without a car (though I'm impatient to get one), but I don't want to end up in limbo if in June I can't find a 2003 CTS in dealer inventory that I like and no longer can order one from GM . Thanks.

b4z

Usually somewhere around April 16th is the cut off date to get a same model year car. But it does vary.
They will usually start producing the next model year in June or July.

typeaman

I would like to instal a new woofer in the rear deck of my cts. Does anyone know what size to buy. Is is easy? My stock woofer has a rattle sound on the low notes and when Howard Stern talks. I checked Crutchfield.com - They were no help.

dindak

Noticed in the paper the CTS now starts at C$41,498, about $1600 more than when it came out (initial list was C$39900). Anyone else notice this? Seem like a pretty steep increase. Did US prices get hiked also?

necros

I believe it's a 10 inch woofer back there. It should be pretty easy to replace, but that's not going to solve all of your rattle most likely. I would also recommend having the rear deck pieces coated in Dynamat, and maybe using some polyfill in the open areas of the deck. That should help a lot, though you might not get rid of all the rattling.

I've been needing to do this, but haven't gotten around to it yet. What kind of sub were you looking at putting in?

bigdaddycoats

base price has increased by $350. Started as 29995 and is now 30345 including dest.

b4z

Looks like clubcts.com has disappeared.

wwhite2

Last year I almost bought a CTS (changed mind ) kept my Eldo ETC. Well I spied a slightly used CTS (GM car)that was exactly what I wanted and I am now a CTS owner . 8K mi Garnet red,neutral int, 5 spd, Lux sport, xenon, roof,nav,heated seats,fold down seats , chrome wheels all options I believe ...What a great car, really fun to drive

mannytranny

Congrats on your CTS. You will really enjoy driving it. Hate to ask but for reference did the price on your CTS drop a lot from new list?
     Also why the manual trans? I'm just curious because I have one and was told by friends that a manual won't have great re-sale value. I bought it because I wanted it and wasn't thinking about re-sale. I do like the manual trans and since we're going to get some more snow , I'll have more fun time this weekend. Great car ....nice color.....ENJOY!

richm4

A year ago I hated it, but now I'm starting to fall for the CTS. After seeing it all cleaned up at the Chicago Auto Show tonight, it's really a nice unique looking car.

At first, I thought the interior was CHEAP looking. While not in a Lexus class, I am starting to realize that the interior looks pretty nice indeed. Probably the only thing cheap looking are the plastic interior door panels. If it had the gathered leather look of an ES300, that would be an improvement.

But I still think it is overpriced for what you get, though.

sevenfeet0

The CTS is about "midpriced". I think the steals of the class are the Infiniti G35 and the Acura TL Type-S. Both are cheaper cars than the CTS and offer more power, at least for the time being. Everything else in the class costs either about the same or more.

wwhite2

I got the 5spd because I wanted it too . Will it effect resale maybe ? does a manual trans lower BMW resale ? maybe ,but there are more than two of us out there that want a manual trans .the manual is also cheaper to buy Its kinda like the old arguement about a house with a pool if you want a pool it raises value if not it lowers They were asking 32900 for the certified car .

thebug

From week to week I stop by one of the two Cadillac dealers in the Vegas area to see what options others are taking on the CTS, but there are none to be had. This car is selling very well. One salesperson told me that they can't them on the lot, and soon they may need a waiting list.

I don't know if the said competitors are selling as well, or if those buying competing cars are enjoying them as well as I am enjoying my CTS. Per the salesperson, the rate of sales increased significantly since the flurry of commercials during and after the super bowl.

Face it folks, Cadillac is the top dog, regardless of what the others say. If it wasn't, other companies won't be going after Cadillac. Cadillac is and probably always will be synonymous with prestige. If you haven't noticed, all the others (including BMW) are trying for the share of Cadillac's market, not the other way around. Some have surpassed it but Cadillac is still the bench mark, and the CTS has set yet another milestone to reach.

thebug...

thebug

wwhite2: Congrats on the purchase of your CTS, I know you will enjoy it with all the bells and whistles.

thebug...

torque_r

'''Face it folks, Cadillac is the top dog, regardless of what the others say. If it wasn't, other companies won't be going after Cadillac''?

  I am not a cadillac basher, but let's just be realistic. Who's after cadillac? Who has been after the front-wheel Seville or the now-defunct Eldorado? Even the best-selling Cadillac, the Deville, has been ignored annd no one even tried to come with someone like it and sales have been discon

torque_r

"Face it folks, Cadillac is the top dog, regardless of what the others say. If it wasn't, other companies won't be going after Cadillac."

 I am not a Cadillac basher, but just let's be realistic! Who's after Cadillac anymore? Who has been after the front-wheel Eldorado which is now defunct or after the FWD Seville which is now being left in the dust? Has anyone tried to be after these two and come up with something like them? Actually, has anyone even tried to come up with something like Cadillac best-seller, Deville? Even this big Cadillac sized with prestige didn't interest anyone to go after.
    Look at the rest of Cadillac models that promise success: following the steps of others and hardly new concepts. No one denies the CTS is after the BMW 3-series (or 5-series depending on how u look at it). The CTS is trying to steal some slice of the BMW share. Do you really think it's the other way around? The SRX is after the RX300, X5 and MDX. Do you really think it's the other way around? You've gotta be kidding man.
   The XLR is pretty good though hardly ground-breaking. But hey' the already-on-sale-and-successful Mercedes SL and Lexus SC430 are after the not-even-on-sale-yet XLR, aren't they?
    Now you just go ahead and think that it's the Escalade family which is everyone after. The big heavy Escalade, the freaky EXT and now the mamoth ESV. Now these big 'trucks' do really carry the Cadillac pretige.

mchen

oldsman01

I agree with you on the CTS's price point. The G35 is a pretty good bargain and has some substance to it, but the TL is merely a dressed up Accord. It's still a decent car for $31K and comes well equipped, but does not have the chassis sophistication or driving enjoyment a CTS, G35, 3 series, etc. is going to give you.

sonjaab

Congrats on the new CTS !

BUG: Cashman Caddy?....I have a Cashman Caddy
silver dealer emblem on the back of my 72 Limo.
I just got back from Vegas ! Waved bye-bye at
my money on the way home......LOL......

Guys.. have a laugh over on the News and Views
thread..Return of GMs Might...The resident troll
over there (who owns a Focus!) is saying that in
Texas they are selling the CTS" for THOUSANDS OFF
sticker"......Yea Right....Here in central NY
we are lucky if ANY dealer has more than 2 on
the lot ! Heck they STILL won't even do any
GM employee discount deals !............geo

thebug

If it's being sold in the U.S. of A. as a luxury car, and made outside the country, then it's competing in (the top dog) Cadillac's market. "Regardless" of how well Cadillac is or isn't doing.

I guess it all depends on what you are use to. I've lived in Germany off and on for a few years at a time over the last thirty years, and I can say that MB's and BMW's are not revered in Europe the way they are here in the U.S. of A. It's simply a commonds mans car. They're a dime a dozen. Normally use for taxi cabs, police cars, and government vehicles, and they sure as heck don't cost as much as they do here,15K less easy.

They are pretty much like Chevys and Fords are here. In that I mean smaller MB's and 3 & 5 series. So when I see them here in the U.S. of A. with the extremely high price, I say to myself, I wonder if people really know how much these go for in Europe. Heck, a person could fly to Europe, buy one, mail it back and still come out 9K ahead.

Now Cadillac on the other hand is revered as a luxury car in most countries of the world. And it is normally cast in a more dignified role, as in presidential/ambassador limo's funeral hearse etc. Did you know Saddam Hussein has a Cadillac limo? My German friends are amused to here that these cars are revered here. Just as we would be to find that the price of a Chevy or Ford would cranked up there.

You know, just a side note. You can sell a pair of nike's for upwards $1,500 in Japan, used. I guess it just depends on what you are use to.

thebug...

thebug

Hope you win a bundle next time. Nothing like a quick trip to Vegas. I use to do that all the time. Got tired of the trip and made this my second home. Spend the winters out here after I retired, a snow bird of sorts. I don't gamble much (locals know better), just come for the good weather. Next time you're in look for the black CTS with Ohio plates, I hang around Cashman's old neighborhood.

thebug...

sonjaab

Which one east or west Sahara Blvd. ?
Hey are you familiar with Fucillo Hunday (spl)
out there? He owns a LOAD of dealerships
here in northern NY and elsewhere too......geo

richw5

I know you'll enjoy your CTS as much as the rest of the posters here.

A day doesn't go by when I don't see at least one CTS on the road. Most days we see two or three. We were out shoping thursday night and passed a diamond white CTS(base model) and a diamond white (sport lux) on the way back. The sport lux flashed his brights as he pulled behind me and made a left hand turn (we had waved when we passed him).

Friday night, we had our nephew's ford pickup and a blue CTS pulled alongside at a stop light. It sure looked good. It was the first blue CTS we've seen on the road. Gave him the thumbs up. The snow had just started, so I'm sure when he got home it was blue and white (salt).

sonjaab - The trolls in the "return of GM's Might" are just jealous or are smart alec kids looking to start trouble. They appear here, in the CTS thread every so often too. I used to get upset, but now I just take them for what they are, trolls. They aren't worth answering.

Rich

merc1

Thats true about MB, BMW and all the other Euro luxury brands in Europe, but you left out the fact that we get the best models here with the best equipment. Nobody here wants a 5-Series with a 4-cylinder engine and cloth seats or an 4-cylinder E-Class with a manual trans. The upper MB and BMW models, especially Mercedes are still held in very high reguard in Europe, higher than any Cadillac. Sadam's choice of car is now a matter or prestige? No wonder Cadillac has the image they have if you think a hearse is some type of prestige vehicle. Pick up any British magazine and see what they have to say about a Cadillac, it's awful. Cadillac doesn't have squat outside of the US, and even here they're towards the bottom of the pack.

M

vcjumper

When they are #1 in luxury sales, keep good resals value, and they have something widely available out that competes with the M3, M5, 7 series and S-Class this could be a valid remark.