Cadillac CTS/CTS-V

v8lincolnguy

594-245 is not even a valid cellular exchange. However, if your Onstar system is working as far as being able to contact Onstar, then this tells me the unit is actually transmitting a different MIN. If it were transmitting 594-245, you wouldn't even be able to call Onstar from it as a valid MIN/ESN combination must be present for the cell network to validate. It sounds as if they have assigned you a bad personal calling number or else they have assigned you a "good" number in their system but somehow when your unit was downloading the information, it got a bad number. Aside from this Onstar problem, how are you enjoying the 04 CTS?

sevenfeet0, those numbers really bode well for Cadillac. Any mention of how Deville sales were doing. Also, anyone know how sales of the CTS's cross town rival(the LS) are doing? I know LSs sold well in 00 and 01, hence the abundance of them on the used market now, but seems I read somewhere they have slowed down.

msgreen

Can someone explain them please? Assume they are some sort of discount coupons. Are they only available to GM employees, or are they something else? Thanks....

calicadi

On the Bondurant school CTS prep. What follows is per the chief mechanic and/or instructors as best I can remember. First, Cadillac has asked them not to overly-modify the cars so students know they can go buy a CTS and get the same performance they experience in the school. Second, this is Phoenix, and a race school, so Cadillac has OKed mods for heat and handling. Here goes: Engine - No engine mods whatsoever are made. Mobil 1 is used in the crankcase. For heat management - They have a custom-built radiator. Ron Davis in Phoenix builds them out of aluminum and they drop right in. Only caveat is they are missing the bracket that anchors part of the induction. Castrol racing brake and power steering fluid are used. They also use a power steering cooler because of near-constant high RPM, as well as the heat. Exhaust - Some were equipped with the Borla kit. The chief mech showed me the readouts from the chassis dyno. With the stock exhaust - 166 HP at the wheels, with the Borla kit - 188! And oddly enough they are not loud. According to the chief mech, they can be a bit "droney" at constant highway speeds. Handling - All cars had the off-the-shelf Eibach kit to lower the center of gravity but chief mech says the single biggest handling improvement comes from the tires. They run Goodyear Eagle VR45s, 245-45ZR17, on the stock rims. Toe in-out is kept at zero. Camber is set negative and equal all-around based on the lowest evaluation value of a single wheel. Example: If the most they can get from the right rear is negative .9, all are set to that.

And that is it. And pretty much everybody at the school is overwhelmed by how great the CTS handles. One instructor said the CTS could beat the Mustang GTs on a road course. (I'll tell you my Mustang story later.) Bondurant himself stopped by the classroom and mentioned what a "great little car" it is. And the mechanics are amazed at how reliable it is, not just for a first-year model, but for any car. No major mechanical faults in spite of the severe heat and student-racer conditions. Student-related clutch replacement is it, other than the wear and tear replacement of brake pads and tires.

There is also a test bed car that they let me look at. It had all of the above plus; the CAI (from Volant) and strut cross-brace from Lund, the B&M shifter kit that reduces the throw to mere clicks and Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. Sweeet! On the test bed they've also experimented with alternate brake pads. (Don't try this unless you know what you're doing...) They take EBC Green Stuff brake pads for a Corvette, trace the CTS pad outline on 'em, grind 'em down to fit and slap 'em in. Also, they cutout a blocked slot on each side of the existing opening in the lower air intake and run ducts to the left and right calipers, not rotors but calipers. They do not recommend cross-drilled and/or slotted rotors. That's for older pad material that gasses up. Modded rotors are too susceptible to warpage and cracks.

automole

I'd possibly still be interested in one of those coupons...could you tell me what the price would be on this one? 1G6DM577540107835 -Thanks

viconjoe

Almost convinced to buy CTS. Current owners, is this car worth buying? I have some test drives but the daily users would know if this car rides, performs well. How about winter use?
Any help is appreciated.
Also anyone selling CTS may contact me for sale.

Kirstie_H

viconjoe, you can talk about the car, but we don't do personal advertising here. Thanks!

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

tornado25

Just an observation (that is, I'm not purposely being difficult) on viconjoe, but it looks to me that he's saying "if you have a CTS to sell, email me."

He's not advertising anything other than his desire to buy one from a willing seller. (Sorry if I put words in your mouth viconjoe).

The only reason I even say anything is that if this *is* advertising, I'm glad to learn it this way.

Just saying, is all.

sonjaab

The "coupon" is a FREEBIE ! It is/was sent to all GM employees/retirees. It allows anyone to purchase a new GM vehicle for 4% over GM employee/retiree price. Also you do NOT have to pay adv. fees or DOC fees !
It is a program called http://www.gminthedriveway.com

I can only get 2 at a time....Have 1 now......

Berrycherry, Bill, the big punn and 7 others have bought a new GM with this coupon !

HECK, I just got a new 03 Deville Tuesday.....
So no CTS for me...Darn kids are growing too fast!
The "boss" didn't like the 'Lade or SRX !...geo

berrycherry

I now have 120 minutes as they keep doubling them for all my trouble, BUT my wife tried to call me on those two numbers and it did not work.

But I can call out great and spent 5 minutes calling my wife so only 115 minutes left.

On Star is still working on the problem. Should hear on Fri.

The car is great and goes like hell. My wife drove it once, must take her out more before she will drive alone. She has a 1988 Bonnevile SSE , so the CTS is very similar in driving, tight steering and a bit hard to turn. It SSE at that time was designed as a sport car with partial power steering. Is a great car only 80000 miles and everything works. May keep it.

Still having a problem setting up it for driver 1 and 2 relative to the seats and other things. When I bought it the dealer got the keys and remotes mixed up so they had to re program some thing, so I believe they mixed it up. Guess I will take it back and see if they can explain it or fix it. Origionally the keys opened the door, but the remotes did not work. They spent an hour trying to figure it out or maybe they screwed it up. The remotes seem to work. Will study the manual more relative to Remote memory.

Saw a new 2004 CTS on display with everything on it at the AAA office from the local dealer,about $43500.

BUT it had two antennas on it, the regular cell antenna 12 inches and a short stub about 2 inches high near the back window on the roof.

What is it ? Maybe for dual mode!

Berry

sonjaab

Need the dealer name and zip code.

BERRY
That black thing on the roof is for the XM radio I assume. My new 03 Deville has it. UGLY !!!!

necros

Thanks for the writeup! I'm amazed they can get 22 RWHP out of just an exhaust. The program sounds great, and the brake modding idea...hmmm...may have to try that...;)

Kirstie_H

I know - that's why the post remains. I just didn't want it to go any farther! Thanks.

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

automole

It's Vic Alfonso 97232-2720 -Thanks!!

dindak

I may have to change my dream car to this.

$50K is attainable. Wonder when CDN pricing will come.

b4z

i am doubtful about the 22 hp gain.
The normal reduction from flywheel to the rear wheel hp is about 20%.
That would put the '03 CTS at 176hp at the rear wheels.
Anything less than that and they are overstating the 220hp.
The only thing else it could be is that they put it on the dyno when it was 110 outside.
And the 188 hp was with the temp at 50 degrees.
if the car put out 176 hp stock and 188 with the new exhaust then that would be 12 hp.
Which is plausible.

b4z

This will only be available for a couple of days.

gmtv.feedroom.com

Click on "Drive Time 9/18"

Enjoy.

wwhite2

I would like to see an accurate side by side comparison of available exhaust systems for the CTS . Power increase and noise at highway cruise speed would the important to me

wwhite2

That GM report states the price at $49,995. I wonder what options are available and can they squeeze in navigation with the performance data readouts available. The car also screams for an automated manual transmission and Raytheon night vision too.

bingoman

I saw a Black Lux CTS at a barbeque restaurant on Sherman Way this afternoon, shiny as a patent leather shoe. Does it belong to anyone on the board?

sevenfeet0

According to autonews.com's weekly manufacturing report, Cadillac has built 41,262 CTS's in 2003. At the same time last year, there were only about 30,770 CTS's produced. This seems right since CTS interest really didn't pick up until spring 2002 despite being on sale since January 2002. Keep in mind that this doesn't include the number is CTS's that Cadillac built in late 2001 leading up to the CTS lanuch.

Deville sales are off from the previous calendar year. Currently, 54,190 units have been built versus 60,766, or a 12% decrease over last year. That compares to a 34% increase in manufactured units for the CTS. The Deville is still Cadillac's best seller (has been since the 50's), but this could conceivably change with CTS sales contiuing to surge and aggressive SRX sales targets mentioned elsewhere in this forum. Seville sales are off sharply as this model cruises into twilight, down 35% in manufactured units versus this time last year. And although Escalade production is down slightly from last year and EXT production is off by 30%, the ESV is more than making up for it. At 9942 units built so far, I think this truck is exceeding Cadillac's sales expectations.

Across town at Lincoln, LS manufacture rates are down (28,899 in 2003 vs. 34727 in 2002, down almost 17%). Town Car build rates are down sharply (30%). Navigator sales are up 25% due to the introduction of the refreshed model last year.

b4z

I think the escalade is now selling more than the deville. At least it has in the last couple of months.
cadillac used to sell 100-120K devilles a year!

sda

When I called my dealership for a service appt for my Intrigue there was a recorded message bragging that the CTS is now Cadillac's best seller. Correct or not, I don't know, but I found it interesting. (Dealership used to be Cadillac/Olds), but they have dropped Olds. Still take my car there for service, though. I wish the CTS was available in base form with factory sunroof and Bose. That would be a nicely equipped CTS at an attractive price. As it stands now, you have to buy expensive packages to get those.

automole

I've complained about the option packages many times. My next CTS will likely be optioned as my current one...base model w/automatic. The only options I'm interested in paying for would be the power passenger seat and sattelite radio. Heated seats, sunroof, and CD changer would all be fine options if you could get them without having to buy a 'package'.

wwhite2

I will take my CTS with any option Cadillac can send my way . Bring on the nightvision , heads up display and anything new in the pipline . It is what Cadillac is all about ......A showcase of technology not stripped down base cars !!!!!

sonjaab

What year and color and msrp.....They have 9 04s.
The 03 won't come up at the moment.
Sometimes that GMfamilyfirst site is stubborn !

automole

sticker is around $33k. It's a base model 2004 with auto and new V6. The only other option it has is the power passenger seat. It's black w/ black interior. -
Thanks

sonjaab

The one I find 1g6dm577540107835 is black w/ gray int., 3.6 auto 1SA pkg so no power pass seat.
Sticker $32,535
Deal w/ coupon $28,471 plus 4% plus $695 dest. chg. So figure around $30,305 plus tax and tag.
Remember NO DOC fees or adv. fees on the GM deal either. Check that vin again.........geo

b4z

Remember guys, if you buy a base '04 without the Sport Package(PDX) you get a car that is softer riding, doesn't handle as well as the '03s and has noticeably slower steering.
Some of thse things may be a plus, but taken as a whole it makes the car a less impressive driver.

golfnut5

My 2003 CTS brochure states that the 0-60 time with auto trans in sport mode is 7.3 seconds. Does anybody out there have a 2004 CTS brochure, and if so, does it state the 0-60 time with auto trans in sport mode. I am interested in the difference between the 3.2 V6 and 3.6 V6.

b4z

I think it is about 6.7 secs.

redgtconv

I agree with you completely about the sports package. I have an '04 on order which is a 1SA with PDX and 3.6L. You not only get better steering, but better brakes, tires and wheels. Plus load leveling, firmer suspension and let's not forget Stabilitrak. All at a reasonable price. If your priority is the "drive", and not a bunch of unnecessary options, than this is the way to go.
Also, I beleive the 6.7 second time is in regular mode. I beleive the sport mode time is faster, but I'm not sure.

automole

I'd have to compare the 2004 non-sports vs sports package, but for the 2003's I found the difference in steering response slight if any. Stabilitrak and the better brakes would be great features. I personally don't care too much about the load leveling and I definitely don't care about the tires and wheels. A big minus to me (besides the price difference) was that the sports model was noticeably heavier and seemed more 'gutless' than the base 2003. With the lower 2004 price for the sports package and the bigger engine however, it might be worth taking another look and reconsidering. Lastly, my getting a 2004 will depend on what kind of deal I can get on my trade and whether or not I can get a coupon from Sonjaab (and if the dealer will accept it).

b4z

Suspension was made softer and steering is lighter for 2004.
PDX cars are stepped up as per redgtconv and my earlier posts.
Don't know how PDX compares to 2003 Sport/luxury cars though.
I am comparing base cars.
I have driven both base '03 and '04 cars.

bingoman

I seem to have missed something. What is PDX?

wwhite2

Load leveling / or headlight leveling is required for the xenon headlights. If an 04 3.6 has a 0-60 of 6.7 then it matches an 03 5spd manual 0-60 time .I would like to see a 3.6 with a 6spd manual . Displacement and VVT -40 horsepower couldn't help the parasitic loss of the torque converter ?

b4z

'03 5 speed manual was 6.9 secs.
Which no car mag achieved.

b4z

PDX is the Sport Package.
A completely different package than the Sport package on the '03's.
PDX is entirely performance related with no fluff.
I think it is $1875 which is an excellent value.

b4z

Just got back from my dealer in the hopes they would have an SRX on the lot. No luck.
There was a cashmere CTS w NY tags (I am in SC)at the service department.
It had several papers on the dash with instructions on replacing the power steering pump or hose.
There was also a test procedure diagrammed for the
power steering.
is this a prob with the CTS?
Seems like no one here is having problems or you guys just aren't telling us.

wwhite2

No power steering problems with my CTS . I did have to replace the pump on my Eldorado ETC . It was the same "Magnasteer" setup

redgtconv

PDX sports package has an invoice price of $1596- and that's closer to what you will actually pay for it.

cjs2002

greatings

could ya'll please inform me as to the base price of an 04 3.6 with a sunroof.. how much would it be rouphly... thats the only things I want... auto and a sunroof

b4z

Right here on edmunds.

Goto "new cars" ane input what you want.

sonjaab

Got to drive one last week before I got my new 03 Deville. I considered one......But my 2 knuckleheads are getting bigger by the day! Too small for me! Dealer wouldn't do the GM employee deal anyways.

Northstar motor rocks in that thing ! Interior nice.....That HUGE glass roof/sunroof is neat !
Heck it was 49k! A few bucks more/less and could of got a 'Lade ! The "BOSS" said the 'Lade was to big anyway!
Too buzy horsing the SRX around town to notice much else. ...............geo

b4z

Didn't you just buy a deville last year?

redgtconv

The sunroof is not available on the base model.

sonjaab

Yes.........The "boss" said the dark blue interior was TOO hot ! So got a 03 with light interior! She picked out the 02!........LOL

I notice the leather in the 03 is not made by Eagle Ottawa anymore.....Its made by a different company (name escapes me at the moment) according to the tag on the headrest............geo

hammen2

http://www.detnews.com/2003/insiders/0309/22/insider-275974.htm

I live an hour away from Road America... grew up 20 min. from there. Would have been there in an instant to see the CTS-V...

--Robert

automole

I had a problem with vibration or surging at low speeds while cranking the wheel (when first pulling out of the driveway or my parking space in the morning) when I first got my car (100-500 miles on the odometer). It felt like the power steering pump had air in the fluid and possibly needed to be bled. Since it was under warranty and it was a minor annoyance I drove it for a couple of weeks and it eventually went away...it hasn't come back since.

On another note, I got to see the XLR, SRX, and testdrive a 2004 CTS yesterday...report to follow.

sevenfeet0

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6448&sid=18- 4&n=157

msgreen

In looking over the option list for the '04 CTS, I noted that a Bose sound system w/6CD changer was included with the 1SC (sport) package. Fine, except that if you also want the Nav option (UAV), a Bose sound system w/6CD changer is included in that one too. Is Cadillac making us pay for the Bose system twice? I could easily imagine many people buying the sport version of the CTS and also wanting a NAV system. While they may also like the Bose sound system, I doubt that anyone wants to pay for it twice. Is this just a typo in Caddy's option list, or is there some other answer? Thanks to anyone who knows and can clear this up...