Cadillac is not offering PDW anymore because they are constrained by Y41 . PDW includes Y40 and Y41 . They can't provide Y41 now .I hope your car will come with Y41 .
150mphclub - I have waited for this car too long, (since I first read about it being developed somewhere back in 2005, I think) can't wait anymore. I said about the write up, if it looks anything like they described (and it does) I'll have to get one. And now, I must the first kid on my block to have one. Besides, I have already sold my 03 CTS.
My 88 year old father just found a brand new 07 CTS (MSRP-$35,520), and bought it for $24,120. His driving skills are a little scary, but he can still negotiate.
Personally, I will still wait until January or February to negotiate my special order for an 08.
January & February are slow months for dealers north of the mason dixon line. Supply will probably be up & demand down. Incentives will probably be available, and dealers will be willing to make close deals to move some cars.
You are correct in that it is a new option package that included Y40 and Y41 . They can't fill Y41 now , so they don't want to let you order PDW . You can order Y40 alone .
arby1 - I think your dealer can't (like my dealer couldn't initially) figure out how to get the order to take. Because the package is a recent add on by Cadillac, the code wasn't known by local dealers. Additionally, they were trying to order the navi system (which is not allowed with PDW)and it kept defaulting the order to one with PDQ.
After 10 days of them trying, I think they finally agreed to call IT at Cadillac (as I had repeatedly asked during the whole process), and they told them how to put the order into the system. My order was placed on 26 Sep 07, and I received a build date on 16 Oct 07.
They provided me with a copy of the order invoice, and it does include the PDW & PDR packages alone with 18" polished wheels, spare tire, US2, B19, and it specifies that customer does not desire the sunroof.
I think that by the time that you place your order the system will be fixed, the order codes will known,and it should no longer be an issue. The operative word is should.
I'll let you know how it turns out. The car should arrive at the dealer the first week of November.
When you placed your order , Cadillac was still offering PDW . Because they can't produce Y41 , they stopped offering it . I guess they will still offer PDQ which includes Y41 because that is a more expensive group . but they don't want to offer it for PDW . You got lucky with your order . Good luck .
So, the sound from the iPod comes from the headphone jack and not the line out dock connector? That's got to be about the dumbest thing I've heard today. A major reason for using the dock connector is to get the line level output and a cleaner sound coming from the iPod.
Out of curiosity, did you try it w/o plugging the mini-cable into the head phone jack? I thought the mini-cable was to allow for a generic MP3 player connection.
It will really suck if you can only get the sound out through the headphone jack.
Why is it that Caddy is having such a hard time getting the wood steering wheel/shift knob available? I heard they were having supplier problems. Does anybody have any information?
I thought this was pretty lame too until I thought about it later and realized that it was probably the only real solution for Cadillac/Bose engineers. Why? Think about every application you've seen of the iPod dock connector. It's almost always in some soft of a dock that the iPod stands in. Those iPod docks then take the audio from the iPod that is supplied in two forms (analog L/R and digital TOSLINK) and feed it to whatever device it is connected to. So if you have a receiver, you use a TOSLINK cable. If it's a boombox type player, then the iPod connector is just providing standard analog L/R to the device.
Why is this important? The CTS comes with two inputs: USB and an analog minijack. USB is standard through the consumer electronics industry. The iPod dock connector is a "de facto" standard because of the market penetration of the iPod. But 10 years from now, it's quite possible that Apple might have abandoned the connector in favor of something else. It's much more likely that USB 2.0 will still be around in another decade or two which is the typical life span of a motor vehicle. So GM chose the industry standard which no one would argue about its longevity in the industry. Not to mention that putting a iPod dock connector in a car immediately ties you to Apple permanently. 5 years from now, the hot device might be a Zune (ok, not likely but you get the point). And an iPod connector is a bit fragile and might break over repeated inserts and ejections over a long period of time. If you break your iPod connector in your desk, the worst that happens is that you buy another one. If you damage one in your CTS, the service call could get ugly.
Finally, there is no established standard for playing music over USB. Oh sure, there are some sound devices that do this but they all require proprietary drivers of some sort. USB can control the device and transfer files (which the CTS does now) but not play them over that cable due to lack of playback standard. So in the end, the user is given a cable with a ipod connector on one side which splits to a USB and a minijack cable on the other end. The minijack handles the audio which is just fine since there is no way to do this over USB...at least not without industry support.
I, too, am frustrated by this. I am ready to place an order for a fully loaded RWD 304 hp Crystal Red CTS and I want the wood steering wheel and shift knob just like the brochure.
My understanding is that a few are allocated to each dealer but it is a crap shoot whether they indeed come through. My local dealer, Jim Coleman Cadillac, has only received leather steering wheels so far.
I don't care how long my order takes to be delivered. I've been quoted 4 to 6 weeks but I will not accept it without the wood wheel and knob.
I wish Cadillac would be more informative about this. They are actually "constraining" their sales with this snafu!
While I think your take is a reasonable read, I still think it's pretty lame. Infiniti didn't have this issue with the Ipod integration in the new G35/37 that I'm aware of.
Even if they didn't want to bring the sound through the USB connector, it would have still made more sense to split the audio out from the dock connector feed. I bought a cable that has a dock connector on one end and L/R/Video RCA plugs on the other end. I use that now on my home stereo and can definitely tell a difference vs. the feed I was taking out of the headphone jack before.
Definitely a bummer and a knock against the CTS for me. A well integrated Ipod connection is something that has the CTS and the G high on my list.
Im seeing plenty of CTS's come through with the wood interior and trim, the $495 option..not seeing the steering wheel and shift option as part of the prem lux option package, however.........one would think if they could get one done...the other wouldnt be constrained or an issue either
ctbarker - I got the impression that Cadillac was planning to drop option B20 altogether after speaking with the order rep back in August. He suggested that it was removed to make the steering wheel more like the European models. So you probably won't see it at all. I know it wasn't even one of the choices when I placed my order in September, but B19 was, so I did order that one.
Or, if it works like things normally do in my life, they will start installing it again right after I buy mine without that much wanted option. And if that's the case, I would say about November.
Based on messages I have read on other forums, the cars that get the wood steering wheel are allocated on a dealer by dealer basis. I am currently in discussions with a dealer who has exactly one slot available to order the wood wheel and is willing to do so for my custom ordered CTS. I am visiting him on Thursday, to see if he is honest in this dealings. He has quoted me a price of $44,5k on a $47k msrp config. Not a bad start but will try to get an even better price.
One thing that is confusing me is dealer incentives. I understand that incentives are only applied at the time of delivery. I currently know of two incentives 1) CTS Event coupon $500 2) $1,000 Luxury Conquest. The CTS Event coupon expires 10/31. I have had one dealer that said they will honor it beyond 10/31. Since I won't get the car for 4 to 6 weeks I won't know what incentives will be available. Can anyone suggest how to play the incentive game?
My CTS, which was already scheduled to be delivered to my dealer, has that B20 option. I was surprised by how loaded this "dealer" car was. I'm buying the car in Kingman, AZ. I've been staying in San Diego and out of the two Cadillac dealerships here, neither of them had a fully loaded one. It was kinda weird. The biggest dealer had a beautiful red one in the showroom...and I thought I'd get it there, but it turns out it didn't have the navigation or sound package. He told me that he had so many people who wanted it, but when they found out what it didn't have, they all walked. I think Cadillac is underestimating its customer base.
My car is being delivered on Nov. 2, but I won't be able to pick it up until Nov. 15th. Can't wait!
I like the new CTS. The photos you've seen of it don't do it justice. However it might be a little too flashy for some. The 2007 model had a simpler, plainer appeal, with more subdued, but neat sharp lines and far less chrome and flash
ctbarker - I'm using the Costco discount system. This way, I get that amount off ($2900 off a recent new 08 SUV purchase) plus any other incentives that are offered at the time of my purchase. I'm looking for at least 3-4K off my CTS purchase with my GM card discount, Costco, and maybe the $500 dealer cash if it's extended through November.
If I had chosen an 07 SUV, I could have gotten it for even less, but the 07's they had left were all the wrong color and didn't have anything close to the creature comforts that I had become accustomed to in my trade. Which was a 98 Ford Expedition EB with 169K miles.
Although my trade was ate up, (and I mean really ate up, approaching 10 yrs old) I still considered it a down grade without at least equal options. My thinking is, that if you are going to spend the money, you might as well get what you need. So I spent the extra dollars, about 2.5K.
jkr2106 - In a paraphrase of what he said, he thought that Cadillac wanted the steering wheel to have the look and feel of the European models. I don't know if this was his own opinion, or if he got this information from a higher source, but he seemed to be speaking as if he was well informed. I had left my BS detector at home so it was hard to tell.
hildya - When did you place your order, and are you sure it has the B20 option? The reason I ask is, because on 16 September while making the first attempt to order, they said they would enter B20 as an option but they weren't sure if it would be included when the car arrived. Then by the 26th of September (after 10 days of computer glitches) when the system finally accepted my order, B20 was no longer available as an option.
The Cadillac website still has it in their list of options, but with that being said, their "build your own vehicle" portion of the site hasn't really worked well in my view. Many other options are missing, and/or it won't let you select them even though they are allowed equipment groups. Further, the one's that it does let you select don't transfer over to the summary page. So consider the source.
I would think the incentives would be honored at time of ordering.....you should get a signed sales contract at the time you order..once its placed in VOMS..its price protected......I would ask the question if incentives are good for a presold order at the time of placing the order...it should be....
dealers in the Northern Va area...are running about 3-4K under MSRP, based on options....some negotiation room with the infamous advertising fee they all try to add to the manufacturers invoice....which then becomes the dealer invoice...the other is the processing fee...MD tends to run about $100 for dealer processing fees..VA runs $300-$400 in some cases...again room to negotiate...
remember constrained items, regradless of what they are.....dont know if the B20 is....is simply allocated to a dealer..based on a formula....each dealer knows their allocations for about a month in advance and can place new orders every Thrus...when the constraint list is released...
If I'm hearing everyone correctly, the wood steering wheel and shift knob are available but are constrained....meaning they are only available to the dealers in limited numbers. Has anybody on this board taken possession of a 2008 CTS with the B20 option (the wood steering wheel and shift knob)?
I find it irritating that most commercials and most interior advertisement photos I have seen all possess this option but when it comes time to order the car it is unavailable and/or constrained. I think it looks great and adds something more to the interior (particularly the ebony interior).
I plan on ordering my CTS in the 6 speed manual. However, my local dealer informed me that it would take 6-8 weeks ( ) for my car to arrive since 99% of buyers opt for the automatic. This is a sports sedan - why is the manual such an unpopular option? Anyone own/ordered this vehicle in manual?
True. There's a $1K MAX on the CTS. GM did the same thing with the new 900 Silverado/Sierra. A real rip off and slap in the face to GM card holders. As far as I'm concerned they're looking at a class action lawsuit as a result.
6-8 weeks appears to be the normal ordering lead time once you dealer gets his weekly allocation....not just for a manual.....most are ordering with the auto......and beleive the production constraints on the manual were just lifted...
there are several over at the cadillac forum that have ordered manual..and have production dates in Nov timeframe now.....if you are interested in it...order it now..or do a wide search for a gmbuypower.com...to see if you can find one close to you....
it appears the interior trim option is going through fine...just not the wheel and shift lever....Im not a real big fan of wood in the interior....so not a problem for me....
appears it is hit or miss right now for this option......the P63 chrome wheels are constrained off and on at the moment as well from what Im seeing....
While surfing through some sites re: CTS Coupes I ran across one which stated '2009 CTS Coupe Caught at Nurburgring' (sic). The photo was an obvious chop which wasn't particularly attractive, but that's not the disturbing part. In one of responses to this photo someone wrote that on the 60 Minutes show featuring Bob Lutz they uncovered the rear end of a CTS Coupe which is purported to be a completely different design from the existing 08 CTS. This design will be lower and shorter (wheel base) than the 08 CTS with some radical changes.
What makes this disturbing to me is: 1) I really like what they've done with 08 CTS and would love to have that car with two less doors, 2) I would not like to see a Camaro clone with a Caddy front end being offered as a CTS Coupe.
I emailed Cadillac about Bluetooth and was told it would be available on their 2009 models. This alone will keep me from buying a new CTS. Once you have had a car with Bluetooth it is hard to go backwards!! It is surprising that Cadillac would introduce a car of this caliber without Bluetooth. It is not that new of a feature on luxury automobiles.
My wife and I looked at one and walked away thinking just that. It seemed to be trying too hard. But, we both tend to prefer the more understated European look and feel. The new CTS looks more Japanese, kind of "Tokyo-By-Night".
In person I think the front end looks a little too low, with the grille dropping too far, almost cowcatcher-like. It's an improvement from the previous design, and I like the overall concept but just think it should be a little less pronounced, more like the STS. I'm still dubious about going over speedbumps or in/out of steep driveways. Inside, I like the control layout; things seemed very logical and fell readily to hand, but the interior design seems too, well, flashy. The interior seemed a little confining, too, but that may have been the overbearing salesman.
Our opinion of the car may have been tainted by the salesman. He was the epitome of the pushy, uninformed, salesman, just without the plaid pants. Never asking what we were looking for in a car, who would be driving it, etc. He virtually ignored my wife (who btw would be driving the car) and talked only to me. He did point out, though, that Cadillac's added a chrome surround around the windows, instead of just along the bottom like the STS. And, he pointed out the nice "hand clock." I think he meant the analog clock.
It's not off the list. We'll have to give it a good test drive and look it over without the pushy salesman.
OK...I'm looking at my build order which my dealer faxed to me yesterday. The build date was 10/18/2007 with a delivery date of 11/02/2007. Hope this helps. Let me know if you need any further information.
Although I consider myself techno savvy, I have to say I'm way behind on bluetooth. Tell me please, is there a way of getting bluetooth in the car via after market?
You can buy a bluetooth headset but I am not aware of any way to incorporate all of the features without it being built into the car at the factory. Having true bluetooth in your car is just wonderful. I now drive a 2005 Acura RL It was so easy to set up the whole thing. My car read my phone and automatically set everything up, transferred my address book. I use verbal commands to dial numbers. There are controls on the steering wheel for turning on your phone and turning it off.The phone number I am dialing shows up on my information screen in the car. It is an integral part of the car and I do not see how you would get the same performance if it had not been put in at the factory. Obviously there would not be any steering wheel controls. Now that I have had it I wouldn't buy another car without this feature:)
I hear you. I did find out, however, that ON STAR does have a deal with VERIZON, which I do subscribe to, where you can make the ON STAR voice activated phone another phone on your plan. That's probably the best I can hope for. It'll cost me a bit more, but what else can I do??? I am a bit pissed off about this, but I can't see waiting another year for it.
cdnpinhead - I sold the 03 CTS last month out right to a young college student, (36 month warranty included in the sales price) who is already enjoying the hell out of it.
I will only sell out right when the vehicle is in very good condition. It just wouldn't feel right if I sold a bad vehicle (one that's all used up) to an individual, those I reserve for a dealer, because they can handle it.
I tend to cut a better deal when I go in without a trade. Cash seems to work much better, and I am taking the hassle free Costco route this time around. Worked very well on my SUV purchase last week.
pao - I didn't think about that. But I hope you are right. If I put money down on an order, then the incentive should apply to that time frame, and not the date the car arrives. I will surely check this out when it comes in. The more off, the better. Thanks for the insight.
hildya - When you get your CTS please let us know if the B20 option was installed. If it is, you will be the first that I know of to get it. Hope it goes well.
I know many people cant live without their cell phones....guess Im not one of them.....yes a busy professional in the northern va area..but simply dont see that the lack of bluetooth capability as a deal breaker in the CTS....my car isnt my office......sure we all make calls..and hands free is a wonderful and safe thing as is voice activated functions etc.....but I simply dont see this as a deal breaker...am I in the minority here with this functionality??
However, I don't know how many people would avoid the car because it lacks Bluetooth.
I would -- and now that I know it will be on the '09's, well that might make things a bit easier, but I am coming down to either an ordering window or extend my lease beyond the original term window.
The new Audi A4 just got a lot more attractive knowing this from Cadillac.
But, I may be in another minority -- the minority of folks would is comparing the CTS to the G35X to the upcoming A4 -- and perhaps if the BMW lease deals continue, PERHAPS, a 5 series.
Overall, the CTS is "said to" be in the ELLPS class of cars, which OUGHT TO mean folks shopping for the CTS ARE indeed looking at the BMW 3, Audi A4 and Infiniti G35 -- reading this forum, tho, I get the sense folks are comparing the CTS to the larger versions from these mfgrs, instead.
In any case, the CTS is the only car in this list that has 2003-era electronics in it (although the hard drive is nice.) My 2005 A6 (designed pre 2004 and manufactured in 2004 has BT and as someone here mentioned, "don't leave home without it.")
mark....I'm with you. I had an STS (current gen) which I inherited. While the CTS is a different beast, bluetooth, voice recognition, NAV, etc was a nitemare. Doing a little investigation, GM didn't adhere to bluetooth standards and went their own way. The only phones that worked (and they were marginal, at best) were ones that were no longer being made.
I have a current gen Tahoe now. The NAV is much improved. I'll assume it's the same Nav system that Caddy uses. Still, no blue tooth. For all the technical prowess GM posesses, they can't get BT right. Honda can. Toyota can. Even Chrysler can. GM can't.
I don't even want to fathom how Caddy views someone with forward tech like an iPhone...and how they'd integrate it.
For those of you pining for the wood steering wheel and shifter, just as an FYI, the wood portions get very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Even with heated steering wheels (like the STS had), the wood portions got very cold in the winter. It looks good. Not very functional, though.
I've taken a brief test drive in an '08 CTS. Plenty of "bling". There's even some sport thrown in for good measure. Not a bad car....for $35K. At $40K and above, go get a 335i, or an A4-6. Save yourself some money and get a TL or G35. Aside from the afore mentioned bling, the drive in those cars (as well as the tech) are much better than you'll find in the CTS. Hadnling/ride compromise in the FE3 is too harsh (for the handling you get). FE2 is a little too soft, but probably the best compromise. If the DI engine is putting out 300+ HP, it must be well into the higher rev ranges. It feels sluggish compared to the competitors.
I've also got a 330i. Even with the dreaded I Drive, it is better than the CTS Nav (once you master I Drive). BT works flawlessly in the 3...even using an iPhone. First time it paired, all my contacts downloaded into the 3. Works great.
If you are then I am too--and be grateful you are. Garrison Keillor made the comment during one of his concert specials that it was amazing how Charles Lindberg managed to cross the Atlantic without a 2-way radio, but people today can't walk to the mailbox without their cellphone/bluetooth...or bottle of water. If you really feel the need to be plugged into someone else's ear all the time...I think you need to get a life.
Comments
You ARE the CTS guru, like it or not.
thebug...
thebug...
Personally, I will still wait until January or February to negotiate my special order for an 08.
If you don't mind me asking.
Willy
After 10 days of them trying, I think they finally agreed to call IT at Cadillac (as I had repeatedly asked during the whole process), and they told them how to put the order into the system. My order was placed on 26 Sep 07, and I received a build date on 16 Oct 07.
They provided me with a copy of the order invoice, and it does include the PDW & PDR packages alone with 18" polished wheels, spare tire, US2, B19, and it specifies that customer does not desire the sunroof.
I think that by the time that you place your order the system will be fixed, the order codes will known,and it should no longer be an issue. The operative word is should.
I'll let you know how it turns out. The car should arrive at the dealer the first week of November.
thebug...
http://allcarsallthetime.blogspot.com/2007/09/driving-2008-cadillac-cts-after-tu- rning.html
Out of curiosity, did you try it w/o plugging the mini-cable into the head phone jack? I thought the mini-cable was to allow for a generic MP3 player connection.
It will really suck if you can only get the sound out through the headphone jack.
Why is this important? The CTS comes with two inputs: USB and an analog minijack. USB is standard through the consumer electronics industry. The iPod dock connector is a "de facto" standard because of the market penetration of the iPod. But 10 years from now, it's quite possible that Apple might have abandoned the connector in favor of something else. It's much more likely that USB 2.0 will still be around in another decade or two which is the typical life span of a motor vehicle. So GM chose the industry standard which no one would argue about its longevity in the industry. Not to mention that putting a iPod dock connector in a car immediately ties you to Apple permanently. 5 years from now, the hot device might be a Zune (ok, not likely but you get the point). And an iPod connector is a bit fragile and might break over repeated inserts and ejections over a long period of time. If you break your iPod connector in your desk, the worst that happens is that you buy another one. If you damage one in your CTS, the service call could get ugly.
Finally, there is no established standard for playing music over USB. Oh sure, there are some sound devices that do this but they all require proprietary drivers of some sort. USB can control the device and transfer files (which the CTS does now) but not play them over that cable due to lack of playback standard. So in the end, the user is given a cable with a ipod connector on one side which splits to a USB and a minijack cable on the other end. The minijack handles the audio which is just fine since there is no way to do this over USB...at least not without industry support.
My understanding is that a few are allocated to each dealer but it is a crap shoot whether they indeed come through. My local dealer, Jim Coleman Cadillac, has only received leather steering wheels so far.
I don't care how long my order takes to be delivered. I've been quoted 4 to 6 weeks but I will not accept it without the wood wheel and knob.
I wish Cadillac would be more informative about this. They are actually "constraining" their sales with this snafu!
-CB
Even if they didn't want to bring the sound through the USB connector, it would have still made more sense to split the audio out from the dock connector feed. I bought a cable that has a dock connector on one end and L/R/Video RCA plugs on the other end. I use that now on my home stereo and can definitely tell a difference vs. the feed I was taking out of the headphone jack before.
Definitely a bummer and a knock against the CTS for me. A well integrated Ipod connection is something that has the CTS and the G high on my list.
Or, if it works like things normally do in my life, they will start installing it again right after I buy mine without that much wanted option. And if that's the case, I would say about November.
thebug...
One thing that is confusing me is dealer incentives. I understand that incentives are only applied at the time of delivery. I currently know of two incentives 1) CTS Event coupon $500 2) $1,000 Luxury Conquest. The CTS Event coupon expires 10/31. I have had one dealer that said they will honor it beyond 10/31. Since I won't get the car for 4 to 6 weeks I won't know what incentives will be available. Can anyone suggest how to play the incentive game?
Thanks.
-CB
My car is being delivered on Nov. 2, but I won't be able to pick it up until Nov. 15th. Can't wait!
If I had chosen an 07 SUV, I could have gotten it for even less, but the 07's they had left were all the wrong color and didn't have anything close to the creature comforts that I had become accustomed to in my trade. Which was a 98 Ford Expedition EB with 169K miles.
Although my trade was ate up, (and I mean really ate up, approaching 10 yrs old) I still considered it a down grade without at least equal options. My thinking is, that if you are going to spend the money, you might as well get what you need. So I spent the extra dollars, about 2.5K.
thebug...
thebug...
The Cadillac website still has it in their list of options, but with that being said, their "build your own vehicle" portion of the site hasn't really worked well in my view. Many other options are missing, and/or it won't let you select them even though they are allowed equipment groups. Further, the one's that it does let you select don't transfer over to the summary page. So consider the source.
thebug...
dealers in the Northern Va area...are running about 3-4K under MSRP, based on options....some negotiation room with the infamous advertising fee they all try to add to the manufacturers invoice....which then becomes the dealer invoice...the other is the processing fee...MD tends to run about $100 for dealer processing fees..VA runs $300-$400 in some cases...again room to negotiate...
remember constrained items, regradless of what they are.....dont know if the B20 is....is simply allocated to a dealer..based on a formula....each dealer knows their allocations for about a month in advance and can place new orders every Thrus...when the constraint list is released...
I find it irritating that most commercials and most interior advertisement photos I have seen all possess this option but when it comes time to order the car it is unavailable and/or constrained. I think it looks great and adds something more to the interior (particularly the ebony interior).
there are several over at the cadillac forum that have ordered manual..and have production dates in Nov timeframe now.....if you are interested in it...order it now..or do a wide search for a gmbuypower.com...to see if you can find one close to you....
appears it is hit or miss right now for this option......the P63 chrome wheels are constrained off and on at the moment as well from what Im seeing....
What makes this disturbing to me is: 1) I really like what they've done with 08 CTS and would love to have that car with two less doors, 2) I would not like to see a Camaro clone with a Caddy front end being offered as a CTS Coupe.
Does anyone have any insight into this theory?
My wife and I looked at one and walked away thinking just that. It seemed to be trying too hard. But, we both tend to prefer the more understated European look and feel. The new CTS looks more Japanese, kind of "Tokyo-By-Night".
In person I think the front end looks a little too low, with the grille dropping too far, almost cowcatcher-like. It's an improvement from the previous design, and I like the overall concept but just think it should be a little less pronounced, more like the STS. I'm still dubious about going over speedbumps or in/out of steep driveways. Inside, I like the control layout; things seemed very logical and fell readily to hand, but the interior design seems too, well, flashy. The interior seemed a little confining, too, but that may have been the overbearing salesman.
Our opinion of the car may have been tainted by the salesman. He was the epitome of the pushy, uninformed, salesman, just without the plaid pants. Never asking what we were looking for in a car, who would be driving it, etc. He virtually ignored my wife (who btw would be driving the car) and talked only to me. He did point out, though, that Cadillac's added a chrome surround around the windows, instead of just along the bottom like the STS. And, he pointed out the nice "hand clock." I think he meant the analog clock.
It's not off the list. We'll have to give it a good test drive and look it over without the pushy salesman.
I enjoyed reading your impressions when the first CTS came out & will look forward to what you have to say when you get hold of the new one.
I will only sell out right when the vehicle is in very good condition. It just wouldn't feel right if I sold a bad vehicle (one that's all used up) to an individual, those I reserve for a dealer, because they can handle it.
I tend to cut a better deal when I go in without a trade. Cash seems to work much better, and I am taking the hassle free Costco route this time around. Worked very well on my SUV purchase last week.
thebug...
thebug...
thebug...
Good luck with the new CTS.
However, I don't know how many people would avoid the car because it lacks Bluetooth.
I would -- and now that I know it will be on the '09's, well that might make things a bit easier, but I am coming down to either an ordering window or extend my lease beyond the original term window.
The new Audi A4 just got a lot more attractive knowing this from Cadillac.
But, I may be in another minority -- the minority of folks would is comparing the CTS to the G35X to the upcoming A4 -- and perhaps if the BMW lease deals continue, PERHAPS, a 5 series.
Overall, the CTS is "said to" be in the ELLPS class of cars, which OUGHT TO mean folks shopping for the CTS ARE indeed looking at the BMW 3, Audi A4 and Infiniti G35 -- reading this forum, tho, I get the sense folks are comparing the CTS to the larger versions from these mfgrs, instead.
In any case, the CTS is the only car in this list that has 2003-era electronics in it (although the hard drive is nice.) My 2005 A6 (designed pre 2004 and manufactured in 2004 has BT and as someone here mentioned, "don't leave home without it.")
I have a current gen Tahoe now. The NAV is much improved. I'll assume it's the same Nav system that Caddy uses. Still, no blue tooth. For all the technical prowess GM posesses, they can't get BT right. Honda can. Toyota can. Even Chrysler can. GM can't.
I don't even want to fathom how Caddy views someone with forward tech like an iPhone...and how they'd integrate it.
For those of you pining for the wood steering wheel and shifter, just as an FYI, the wood portions get very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Even with heated steering wheels (like the STS had), the wood portions got very cold in the winter. It looks good. Not very functional, though.
I've taken a brief test drive in an '08 CTS. Plenty of "bling". There's even some sport thrown in for good measure. Not a bad car....for $35K. At $40K and above, go get a 335i, or an A4-6. Save yourself some money and get a TL or G35. Aside from the afore mentioned bling, the drive in those cars (as well as the tech) are much better than you'll find in the CTS. Hadnling/ride compromise in the FE3 is too harsh (for the handling you get). FE2 is a little too soft, but probably the best compromise. If the DI engine is putting out 300+ HP, it must be well into the higher rev ranges. It feels sluggish compared to the competitors.
I've also got a 330i. Even with the dreaded I Drive, it is better than the CTS Nav (once you master I Drive). BT works flawlessly in the 3...even using an iPhone. First time it paired, all my contacts downloaded into the 3. Works great.