Hi. I've had a 2004 CTS (luxury-sport with navigation; black on black) since Sep. 1/03.
I just found this site and will make an effort to go back though prior posts so as not to waste people's time.
Like others, it appears, my dealer doesn't know much about this car. For example, I just had it in regarding the water leak in the rear licence plate assembly; dealer said they had never heard of it happening before and therefore just replaced the whole thing. Also have received conflicting advice from them about recommended fuel.
Two peeves about the Nav: (1)answering the disclaimer every single time I'm in the car, and (2) having the DVD (video) disabled once in gear. Any suggestions?
Don't believe anything your dealer says about fuel. Use the recommended octane in the owner's manual. Just because it CAN run on lower octane doesn't mean you SHOULD run it that way. Lower octane means retarded timing which means lower fuel economy and less power. In one actual test the increased fuel costs outweighed the savings from the lower fuel prices and actually cost more than running premium. Why pay more for less power?
Took to CTS out this weekend into the mountains around Pueblo, CO with a few other cars. OK, 25 other cars, consisting of three Supras, two 300ZXs, an S4, an Evo, an STi, several DSMs and some other random cars.
We tackled the mountain passes at high speeds. It was one of those "Yellow sign says 45, let's take it at 90" situations. The CTS acquitted itself admirably. I was talking to several Supra owners afterwards, and they all said they had been pushing it. The CTS had no trouble keeping up.
About the only time things didn't go so well was during high speed runs. I have the base model, and flirted with 124 mph fuel cutoff a few times. I couldn't compete with some of the 150+ mph runs that the other cars could. On the bright side, though, the car seemed to pull much better on the top end than I remember from the last time I played there. Maybe the engine is getting better as it breaks in? 21K miles now.
The only downside was that I had to put on the stock all-seasons the week before to deal with weather. If I could have left the summer Yokohamas on, I would have done much better.
This is the last time I will try to get this message through to you. The 3.6L engine was designed to get maximum performance from regular 87 octane gas. If you insist on throwing your money out, you can send it to me. I will gladly accept it. I can use it more than the oil companies.
I've only done one mass canyon run. Won't do it any more, too many ways to lose your license/get hurt/hurt innocent bystanders. I know some of those roads around Pueblo are pretty deserted, but still...
You should have come down to the last weekend of October - we had the fall driver's school at Pueblo Motorsports Park (not to be confused with PPIR). It's a decidedly funky little track (the kind of place you expect to see Nicholas Cage strolling out of the sagebrush with a sawed-off shotgun) but *much* faster than 2nd Creek (I see 120+ before braking early for turn 1), which would make it a fun venue for the CTS. I could have given you a lunchtime barf-o-matic instructor ride.
If that was for me you need to reread my post. I said to use what was recommended by the OM and not to use anything lower than that. That still holds true whether it's built to run on 87 or 91. I thought the 3.2L required premium but I had no idea what the 3.6L used.
Yeah, I've run some rallycrosses down at the dirt track down there. I would definitely like to do some real track days in the CTS, if I could ever find good pads that fit. I'm sure someone will make some someday. And I would LOVE a ride on the track in that car of yours. It's scary enough on the autox course!
As far as where this was exactly, no comment. Everything was conducted in a very safe manner, though, with utmost concern for others. No other drivers were even seen during these excursions.
The most amusing scene of the day was when we came upon the driver of an ancient Winnebago (all while traveling at a normal speed) on a twisty road. Twenty-five high-powered cars going 20 mph in a 55, trailing in a long line behind a camper that refused to let anyone pass. I wish I had had a camera.
Oooh, rallycross. That looks like fun. I know you told me, but I forgot, are you running a Toyota or Mitsu for that?
I've heard US285 can be interesting - the guy I bought my car from said the only time he regretted not getting the rear wing was when he'd drive down it to Santa Fe - there'd be no one else on the road and rear end would start getting light at 130 or so.
As for pads for the CTS, I know some of the race pad manufacturers can make almost anything given a template (like a used pad) - and it's not as expensive as you'd think. Call Porterfield or Performance Friction (I run Porterfield R4 for the track, and I've heard good stuff about PF 97's).
Running a 1988 Toyota Celica AllTrac. It's down right now while the turbo is off getting rebuilt and modified, but hopefully I will have it back together in time for the next race on 23 November, down in Fountain.
Thanks for the tip about th brakes. I didn't realize they could just be made. I've heard very good things about the R4s.
Baer, who is one of the sponsors to the Bondurant school, makes brake components for the CTS. Their web-site product search is still a work in progress but there's a phone number listed for more detailed questions. The question is whether their more competition-oriented ceramic products are offered for the CTS. Here's the link.
Pretty much any passenger-car brake pad is defined by its "FMSI number", which is a master catalog of pad shapes. Many cars that share caliper designs also share pads.
I posted a request around here a while ago to pmdriver to post the FMSI # for the pads so you could chase down some aftermarket pads, but I gather it got missed. Oh well.
The Porterfield R4S is a street/autocross pad, not an all-out track pad. The R4 is a serious track pad, and the R4E is a very-serious track pad.
Note that the R4 and R4E will squeal horribly and eat rotors in days if used cold - they have to be HOT to work (and not street-hot, but hundreds-of-degrees hot.)
Hawk Brake is another highly-regarded supplier; their Blue pad is a notch above the R4 in heat-resistance. I know a lot of folks who run these in Mustangs, but you need to be running quite hard to get these hot enough to work. A car with better balance and less HP probably doesn't need something this aggressive.
I forget the site I saw this on but it takes you to a Cadillac site. There's a image of a fact sheet and it recommends REGULAR 87 gas. The web site was having this same discussion, and it was said that the OM for the '04 is a reprint of the '03 which required premium. If I can find my way back to this website, I'll be sure to post it.
You are correct. The owners manual for the '04 incorrectly recommends premium gas. It was not updated for the 3.6L engine. Cadillac is supposed to be corecting that error. The 3.6L gets maximum performance from regular 87 octane. The 3.2 will also run on regular, but it is designed to get maximum performance from premium.
I brought in my Lux sport for the tire recall and fuel gauge issue . Tires no problem , fuel gauge major problem . learned CTS has 2 fuel tanks and a transfer pump butween them . Tech speculates pump problem , need to drop both tanks , getting to the strap bolts may require dropping rear cradle . Talk about unbolting the car .
All cars will run on regular gas. That doesn't mean it's optimal or efficient or won't cause damage.
If you have a 3.2, use 91 octane or whatever the OM recommends. Using regular will cost more in the long run because fuel economy will be slightly lower, offsetting the lower initial fuel cost.
It boggles my mind why people will spend $40K for a car and don't want to pay an extra $3/week to run the correct grade of gasoline. (And my wife's one of them.)
I suspect it's more of a perceived rebellion against gas prices than anything else (even though, in the end you actually buy more gas.) Just like how prices suddenly spike during high travel times "because this refinery had a fire or that one lowered production" or whatever BS excuse they come up with. Then, about the time government starts yelling about starting investigations for racketeering type stuff, prices suddenly fall. It's the same old thing as consumer prices around Christmas. You know, it's that time of year when the prices go up 20% then they mark a 10 or 15% sale to make you think you're getting a deal when you're really still paying 5%+ more than you did for the same thing 2 months ago.
I really want to learn how to drive stick... yet I dont' know of any one who owns one in which I could learn... any idea as to where I could go to learn.. perhaps rent a car for a week and learn that way.. do dealors do that ... I really want to learn befor I go out and purchase my new car, I would like to be able to make a schoice as to which one I prefer... any idears
My car is off limits to anyone who wants to "learn" a stick. LOL. Plus with 100K on the clutch it may not take much to do her in. Many of the automanuals are pretty nice. They give you the flexibility of a manual without the clutch. Also if you live in an area with a lot of traffic, or is very hilly, manuals are not the way to go. My stiff clutched Camaro is brutal on my knees after about 10-15 minutes of stop and go.
I'd check with some rental companies and see if they have any cars with manuals. They might have a low end economy car with a manual. A few dealers have their own car rental business, but they work pretty much like rental agencies.
The 2003 will run fine on 87 octane. The owners manual recommends premium FOR BEST PERFORMANCE although it says that it is acceptable to run 87. As far as I'm concerned I don't see a difference in performance or mileage when using 87 so that's what I personally buy.
cjs2002: A weekend of driving a manual is much different than SEVERAL YEARS. At one point in my life I thought that it was great to drive a manual transmission car...now I'd rather have an auto (particularly since I do quite a bit of in-town stop and go driving). Be sure you try out a few extremely steep hills in bumper to bumper traffic...that should really help you make up your mind
THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAYS THAT IT'S PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE TO RUN 87 IN A 3.2 AND YES I AM YELLING! I HAVE USED BOTH ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND SEE NO DIFFERENCE IN PERFORMANCE AND/OR MILEAGE.
There's no need to yell. There has to be some difference or there would be absolutely no reason to recommend 91 in the first place, would there? They don't just pull these octane recommendations out of a hat. I refuse to believe that there is no difference in performance or fuel economy when you retard the timing to compensate for the lower octane.
Automatics have their place, though I'm still inclined to prefer a manual transmission for anything that doesn't involve crawling up a rush-hour freeway.
As for hills and manual transmissions, for the CTS it brings up once again the incorrect location of the parking brake...I guess Detroit is just too flat.
Parking brake on the CTS is fine. Center mounted hand brakes just look cheap, and take up unnecessary space.
I go to school in an extremely hilly area, and I hardly ever use the parking brake because most parking spots are flat. Parrellel parking on the street is not a good idea because the rich yuppie kids from Lawn Gisland can't drive and they'll bang up your car.
That said, when I do need to use the parking brake, it's no more difficult to operate it than a conventional hand brake.
refers to with the parking brake comment has to do with starting from a stop on a steep hill with a manual transmission.
With a hand brake, it's possible to hold the car in position while using both feet (one on the clutch and the other on the gas) to achieve a smooth start. This is not possible with a foot operated parking brake, unless you're very well endowed, and trained.
My LS has a hand brake and a manual transmission, which shows that the people who designed it in the first place had the right idea. Since then. . .
My LS has a handbrake and while it does give the car a more "sporty" feel, it does take up console space. And coming from previous cars which all had foot operated parking brakes, it took a little getting used to. IIRC from my 24 hour test drive in a CTS, the brake release handle was very easy to reach. I remember on my old 89 Oldsmobile, you had to reach way down to grad the brake release handle. Now my Intrigue had a "tap-off" feature for the parking brake which was very nice. My favorite though is the automatic brake release like the Sevilles and Devilles have. I also think the 03 and new Lincoln LSs have an electronic parking brake.
I have become used to the hand brake location on my manual CTS. Yes it's not typical but it's very do able .
Tire recall/ Fuel gauge problem update Went to pickup the car today. Tires were done and the wheels seemed to look undamaged( but it was getting dark). I dropped off the loaner ( it was finally a Cadillac -Devillle . Drove across the street to a gas station . It was empty because they had to drop the tanks to replace the sender . As I pumped gas I look down and saw a large puddle of gas under the car . It was really leaking out . Not to happy I drove the car back . I have the loaner back and they have to pull it apart again . Once again I was the victim of Flat rate work . These techs are so sloppy just to make an extra buck at our expense . I will be having a talk with the owner . Good note - They had a crimson Red XLR . It is beautiful . I feel bad for the owner of this 76K car that lets these clowns work on them .
Cut n' paste wording DIRECTLY from the owner's manual (2003 3.2 engine):
"Fuel Gasoline Octane Use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 91 or higher for best performance. You may also use middle grade or regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration may be slightly reduced. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If it is bad enough, it can damage your engine."
I have owned a CTS since March 2002. After 18 months the only problems experienced were a burned out interior light bulb and a defective battery within the first 30 days. (Both replaced) This has been the most trouble-free vehicle I have ever owned. Are there any common problems or weak points others have experienced that I should be looking out for? Thanks.
Finally had my tires replaced yesterday. I switched cars with my wife at lunch and she reported that the new tires ride "real good".
I also had the dealer check the sail panel air bag covers and both sides were replaced. They were just slightly loose and didn't bother me, but the service consultant said that he would rather replace them now, than have me replace them when the warranty expires.
The last time I was in for service, they returned the car with some grease on the floor mats and the spare tire loose. After I complained, they promised me a free oil change and paid off yesterday.
Now we are set for a cold snowy "Chicago" winter, with new tires and fresh oil.
They had a beautiful red '04 CTS on the showroom floor along with a black SRX. I could picture either one sitting next to my wife's CTS in our driveway.
Cold and blustery here today... it was wonderful to remote start my old 95 Olds Cutlass Supreme. If anyone from GM is listening, please get this option into the 05 CTS. If it's on the Malibu, it ought to be in a Cady.
...have two great advantages. One specific to manual transmissions, one applicable to both hand-grinders and slushboxes.
The first is that not only can you hold the vehicle in place when stopped on a hill (e.g. traffic light) with it (which you can do with a foot-type brake as well) but you can MODULATE the release of the brake for a smooth start, and if you're a beginner and you fluff the start, you can haul back on the brake and put the car back to a stop. With a pedal-on/hand-release brake, when you pull the handle, the brake is off, you better be ready to go and you better not screw it up. Not to mention that your typical lower-left-side-of-the-dash release lever isn't usually in the most comfortable place to reach while driving. And of course the push-on, push-off type brake is completely out for manual transmissions, you'd need three (or more) feet. I find those parking brakes annoying and counterintuitive anyway.
The second is that if you find yourself overhauling by 30MPH a cop merging onto the freeway, you can bleed off some speed without turning on your brake lights.
In response to cornellpremed's comments above, it would appear he has little or no experience operating manual-transmission cars, and certainly not in hilly terrain, or he might understand that the 'parking' brake has uses other than parking.
I haven't yet decided whether I personally consider the lack of a handbrake to be a deal-breaker on a particular car, but it will definitely keep the CTS from selling in Europe or other markets where manual transmissions are the rule and not the exception.
Interesting to note that automatic G35s have a pedal-type parking brake (located perfectly to tear skin off my left shin while driving, was it a US-market afterthought?) but the 6-speed cars have a hand lever.
Ford has adopted a hand-operated electromechanical brake release on the LS and S-Type now, I haven't driven one so I can't say how it works.
I've driven cars with auto and manual transmissions and hand and foot brakes from New York to California. I rarely if ever used the hand or foot brake with a manual transmission, except when parking. As 'emergency' brakes they are not much good. If you need the 'emergency' brake on a hill for starting there is a problem with your foot coordination.
Another thing, if I apply the hand brake in my wife's Honda with my 'normal' force she can't move it far enough to release the catch pawl. Ever have to go out to the garage in the morning in your pajamas to release the handbrake so your wife can go off to a meeting?
Their service has been great except for the time when they delivered the car with some grease on the carpet and the spare tire cover loose in the trunk. They offered a free oil change for that mistake.
I used to go to Patrick Cadillac in Schaumburg, but after waiting 3 hours for an oil change one day, I'll never go back. The folks at Town & Country (now Cadillac of Naperville) are much more courteous and professional.
My other car needs an oil change, so I'll make an appointment with own & Country for next Wednesday or Thursday. Besides, I need to test drive an SRX.
I take it, then, you've never been nosed up to a stoplight on Nob Hill in SF with three passengers on board and a Chronicle truck a foot from your rear bumper?
LOVE MY CTS-WOULD NOT CHANGE ANYTHING EXCEPT THE GLOVE BOX AND THE SUPER HARD RIDE THE 17 INCH WHEELS AND SPORTS PACKAGE HAS. DOES ANY BODY SUFFER WITH EXCESSIVE BRAKE DUST IN THE FRONT-CAN WASH THE CAR AND THE NEXT DAY THE CAR IS GOOD BUT THE FRONT RIMS ARE DIRTY. NAV. SYSTEM-HAS ANY BODY TINTED THEIR WINDOWS WITH THE NAG SYSTEM. THE DEALER AND THE BOOK SAYS NOT TO HOWEVER HAVE MET A FEW THAT HAS DONE IT WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. WOULD LIKE TO TINT MINE BUT DON'T WANT TO MESS UP MY NAV. AND ON STAR SYSTEM. LAST BUT NOT LEAST-TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THE RECALL TIRES(17 INCH)-MADE AN APPOINTMENT BUT NOW TWO DAYS LATER THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR STATING THE TIRES HAVE NOT COME IN YET-WHY MAKE AN APPOINTMENT IF THE TIRES ARE NOT IN. MY ADVICE TO THE REST OF THE CTS CREW CHECK WITH THE DEALER TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE IN BEFORE TAKING YOUR CTS IN.THANK GOD THEY GAVE ME A LONER CAR. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE!
I've been nose-up on a hill (Cahuenga Blvd ... sp?) in Hollywood in a 1966 Ford Falcon van with a non-working emergency brake and 3 speed tranny (on the tree) with a shift linkage that jammed between gears. Fortunately I had a friend with me that could step on the brake while I got out of the van and crawled underneath to wiggle the linkage so I could put it in gear. If my friend hadn't have been with me I would have probably had to "bail out" and watch it roll off a cliff.
Remembering times like that makes me think it doesn't make that much difference WHERE your emergency brake is located as long as it works...or what type of gas you burn (at that time I think I still used leaded)...
"-HAS ANY BODY TINTED THEIR WINDOWS WITH THE NAG SYSTEM." saintjr- just because I was yelling doesn't mean you need to . Also, it might actually be desireable to tint your windows if you have the NAG system (AKA: wife) depending on what she looks like.
Olds started selling the hydramatic in about '39 or '40. They stopped building cars from '42 until about '46. Buick brought out the Dynaflow in about '50. I learned to drive on a '47 buick and the first car I bought was a used '50 Chevrolet with a 3 speed manual transmission. My last manual transmission was on a '73 mustang II with V6 and 4 speed transmission. I will celebrate my 70th birthday a week from Sunday and my legs are too old and tired for the clutch dance.
My dad has polio in his left leg. His dad who was very good friends with the Olds dealer here got the first automatic Oldsmobile to come to Charleston as soon as the '46's were available.
The fuel leak I had after they replaced the fuel tank sender was caused by incorrectly seating the o-ring that seals the sender. Had a talk with the owner . It maybe me but the new tires(recall) seem to ride harder than the orginal ones, Then again I had a Deville as a loaner. I am thinking tinting would help the NAV . Sunlight quite often washes out my screen
Have you checked the tire pressure? I got mine back from the dealer with over 35 lbs. pressure in each tire. The door sticker calls for 30 lbs.
Tinting would probably help the nav. Mine gets washed out if the sun is low and shining directly in through my rear window. Too bad Cadillac doesn't supply a power shade like BMW has. If you tint, make sure the tint is non-metalic or it could interfere with the antennas.
Comments
I just found this site and will make an effort to go back though prior posts so as not to waste people's time.
Like others, it appears, my dealer doesn't know much about this car. For example, I just had it in regarding the water leak in the rear licence plate assembly; dealer said they had never heard of it happening before and therefore just replaced the whole thing. Also have received conflicting advice from them about recommended fuel.
Two peeves about the Nav: (1)answering the disclaimer every single time I'm in the car, and (2) having the DVD (video) disabled once in gear. Any suggestions?
Glad to be here.
We tackled the mountain passes at high speeds. It was one of those "Yellow sign says 45, let's take it at 90" situations. The CTS acquitted itself admirably. I was talking to several Supra owners afterwards, and they all said they had been pushing it. The CTS had no trouble keeping up.
About the only time things didn't go so well was during high speed runs. I have the base model, and flirted with 124 mph fuel cutoff a few times. I couldn't compete with some of the 150+ mph runs that the other cars could. On the bright side, though, the car seemed to pull much better on the top end than I remember from the last time I played there. Maybe the engine is getting better as it breaks in? 21K miles now.
The only downside was that I had to put on the stock all-seasons the week before to deal with weather. If I could have left the summer Yokohamas on, I would have done much better.
Three cheers for the CTS!
You should have come down to the last weekend of October - we had the fall driver's school at Pueblo Motorsports Park (not to be confused with PPIR). It's a decidedly funky little track (the kind of place you expect to see Nicholas Cage strolling out of the sagebrush with a sawed-off shotgun) but *much* faster than 2nd Creek (I see 120+ before braking early for turn 1), which would make it a fun venue for the CTS. I could have given you a lunchtime barf-o-matic instructor ride.
As far as where this was exactly, no comment.
The most amusing scene of the day was when we came upon the driver of an ancient Winnebago (all while traveling at a normal speed) on a twisty road. Twenty-five high-powered cars going 20 mph in a 55, trailing in a long line behind a camper that refused to let anyone pass. I wish I had had a camera.
I've heard US285 can be interesting - the guy I bought my car from said the only time he regretted not getting the rear wing was when he'd drive down it to Santa Fe - there'd be no one else on the road and rear end would start getting light at 130 or so.
As for pads for the CTS, I know some of the race pad manufacturers can make almost anything given a template (like a used pad) - and it's not as expensive as you'd think. Call Porterfield or Performance Friction (I run Porterfield R4 for the track, and I've heard good stuff about PF 97's).
Thanks for the tip about th brakes. I didn't realize they could just be made. I've heard very good things about the R4s.
http://www.baer.com/Products/ProductsList.aspx
I posted a request around here a while ago to pmdriver to post the FMSI # for the pads so you could chase down some aftermarket pads, but I gather it got missed. Oh well.
The Porterfield R4S is a street/autocross pad, not an all-out track pad. The R4 is a serious track pad, and the R4E is a very-serious track pad.
Note that the R4 and R4E will squeal horribly and eat rotors in days if used cold - they have to be HOT to work (and not street-hot, but hundreds-of-degrees hot.)
Hawk Brake is another highly-regarded supplier; their Blue pad is a notch above the R4 in heat-resistance. I know a lot of folks who run these in Mustangs, but you need to be running quite hard to get these hot enough to work. A car with better balance and less HP probably doesn't need something this aggressive.
If I can find my way back to this website, I'll be sure to post it.
If you have a 3.2, use 91 octane or whatever the OM recommends. Using regular will cost more in the long run because fuel economy will be slightly lower, offsetting the lower initial fuel cost.
It boggles my mind why people will spend $40K for a car and don't want to pay an extra $3/week to run the correct grade of gasoline. (And my wife's one of them.)
Plus with 100K on the clutch it may not take much to do her in.
Many of the automanuals are pretty nice.
They give you the flexibility of a manual without the clutch.
Also if you live in an area with a lot of traffic, or is very hilly, manuals are not the way to go.
My stiff clutched Camaro is brutal on my knees after about 10-15 minutes of stop and go.
http://media.gm.com/division/2004_prodinfo/cadillac/pdf/04_Cadill- ac_CTS.pdf
http://media.gm.com/division/2004_prodinfo/cadillac/pdf/04_Cadill- ac_CTS.pdf
cjs2002: A weekend of driving a manual is much different than SEVERAL YEARS. At one point in my life I thought that it was great to drive a manual transmission car...now I'd rather have an auto (particularly since I do quite a bit of in-town stop and go driving). Be sure you try out a few extremely steep hills in bumper to bumper traffic...that should really help you make up your mind
If the 3.6 has the ability to advance the timing when premium is used then you should see a performance boost and possibly a mileage boost as well.
But hey - buy whatever makes you happy.
As for hills and manual transmissions, for the CTS it brings up once again the incorrect location of the parking brake...I guess Detroit is just too flat.
I go to school in an extremely hilly area, and I hardly ever use the parking brake because most parking spots are flat. Parrellel parking on the street is not a good idea because the rich yuppie kids from Lawn Gisland can't drive and they'll bang up your car.
That said, when I do need to use the parking brake, it's no more difficult to operate it than a conventional hand brake.
With a hand brake, it's possible to hold the car in position while using both feet (one on the clutch and the other on the gas) to achieve a smooth start. This is not possible with a foot operated parking brake, unless you're very well endowed, and trained.
My LS has a hand brake and a manual transmission, which shows that the people who designed it in the first place had the right idea. Since then. . .
Tire recall/ Fuel gauge problem update Went to pickup the car today. Tires were done and the wheels seemed to look undamaged( but it was getting dark). I dropped off the loaner ( it was finally a Cadillac -Devillle . Drove across the street to a gas station . It was empty because they had to drop the tanks to replace the sender . As I pumped gas I look down and saw a large puddle of gas under the car . It was really leaking out . Not to happy I drove the car back . I have the loaner back and they have to pull it apart again . Once again I was the victim of Flat rate work . These techs are so sloppy just to make an extra buck at our expense . I will be having a talk with the owner .
Good note - They had a crimson Red XLR . It is beautiful . I feel bad for the owner of this 76K car that lets these clowns work on them .
"Fuel
Gasoline Octane
Use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 91 or higher for best performance. You may also use middle grade or regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration may be slightly reduced. If the octane is less than 87, you may
get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If it is bad enough, it can damage your engine."
Other than there are no major issues.
I also had the dealer check the sail panel air bag covers and both sides were replaced. They were just slightly loose and didn't bother me, but the service consultant said that he would rather replace them now, than have me replace them when the warranty expires.
The last time I was in for service, they returned the car with some grease on the floor mats and the spare tire loose. After I complained, they promised me a free oil change and paid off yesterday.
Now we are set for a cold snowy "Chicago" winter, with new tires and fresh oil.
They had a beautiful red '04 CTS on the showroom floor along with a black SRX. I could picture either one sitting next to my wife's CTS in our driveway.
The first is that not only can you hold the vehicle in place when stopped on a hill (e.g. traffic light) with it (which you can do with a foot-type brake as well) but you can MODULATE the release of the brake for a smooth start, and if you're a beginner and you fluff the start, you can haul back on the brake and put the car back to a stop. With a pedal-on/hand-release brake, when you pull the handle, the brake is off, you better be ready to go and you better not screw it up. Not to mention that your typical lower-left-side-of-the-dash release lever isn't usually in the most comfortable place to reach while driving. And of course the push-on, push-off type brake is completely out for manual transmissions, you'd need three (or more) feet. I find those parking brakes annoying and counterintuitive anyway.
The second is that if you find yourself overhauling by 30MPH a cop merging onto the freeway, you can bleed off some speed without turning on your brake lights.
In response to cornellpremed's comments above, it would appear he has little or no experience operating manual-transmission cars, and certainly not in hilly terrain, or he might understand that the 'parking' brake has uses other than parking.
I haven't yet decided whether I personally consider the lack of a handbrake to be a deal-breaker on a particular car, but it will definitely keep the CTS from selling in Europe or other markets where manual transmissions are the rule and not the exception.
Interesting to note that automatic G35s have a pedal-type parking brake (located perfectly to tear skin off my left shin while driving, was it a US-market afterthought?) but the 6-speed cars have a hand lever.
Ford has adopted a hand-operated electromechanical brake release on the LS and S-Type now, I haven't driven one so I can't say how it works.
Another thing, if I apply the hand brake in my wife's Honda with my 'normal' force she can't move it far enough to release the catch pawl. Ever have to go out to the garage in the morning in your pajamas to release the handbrake so your wife can go off to a meeting?
I used to go to Patrick Cadillac in Schaumburg, but after waiting 3 hours for an oil change one day, I'll never go back. The folks at Town & Country (now Cadillac of Naperville) are much more courteous and professional.
My other car needs an oil change, so I'll make an appointment with own & Country for next Wednesday or Thursday. Besides, I need to test drive an SRX.
I learned to drive when only Oldsmobiles had automatic transmissions, and my dad had Buicks.
DOES ANY BODY SUFFER WITH EXCESSIVE BRAKE DUST IN THE FRONT-CAN WASH THE CAR AND THE NEXT DAY THE CAR IS GOOD BUT THE FRONT RIMS ARE DIRTY.
NAV. SYSTEM-HAS ANY BODY TINTED THEIR WINDOWS WITH THE NAG SYSTEM. THE DEALER AND THE BOOK SAYS NOT TO HOWEVER HAVE MET A FEW THAT HAS DONE IT WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. WOULD LIKE TO TINT MINE BUT DON'T WANT TO MESS UP MY NAV. AND ON STAR SYSTEM.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST-TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THE RECALL TIRES(17 INCH)-MADE AN APPOINTMENT BUT NOW TWO DAYS LATER THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR STATING THE TIRES HAVE NOT COME IN YET-WHY MAKE AN APPOINTMENT IF THE TIRES ARE NOT IN. MY ADVICE TO THE REST OF THE CTS CREW CHECK WITH THE DEALER TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE IN BEFORE TAKING YOUR CTS IN.THANK GOD THEY GAVE ME A LONER CAR.
THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE!
Remembering times like that makes me think it doesn't make that much difference WHERE your emergency brake is located as long as it works...or what type of gas you burn (at that time I think I still used leaded)...
"-HAS ANY BODY TINTED THEIR WINDOWS WITH THE NAG SYSTEM."
saintjr- just because I was yelling doesn't mean you need to
They were also available for the '40 model year.
It maybe me but the new tires(recall) seem to ride harder than the orginal ones, Then again I had a Deville as a loaner.
I am thinking tinting would help the NAV . Sunlight quite often washes out my screen
Tinting would probably help the nav. Mine gets washed out if the sun is low and shining directly in through my rear window. Too bad Cadillac doesn't supply a power shade like BMW has. If you tint, make sure the tint is non-metalic or it could interfere with the antennas.