Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
Comments
You talking about the big, smooth 198 hp engine in it?
The new IS350 has 306hp. That doesn't 'impess' you?
I don't know, I think checking under the hood every so often to make sure everything is ok and all the fluids are at good levels is something that should be done.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
As for CR if they told me the sky was blue I would check just to make sure.
As for C&D and R & T they do have a bias for "European performance" sedans.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I have. It's different than the Bimmer - but it's darn nice.
Northstar engine---WELLLLLLL......I don't wish to beat on the Northstar, which is basically a good engine, but just for the historical record, it's not really one defect--it's "defects", and they are (or were) substantial to the max.
Here's Larry Carley's take on it at any rate. He's tech editor for Babcox Publishing....which does all the books like "Engine Builder"....
"As well-engineered as Northstar V8s are, like other engines they've had some problems. According to various sources, head gasket failures are not uncommon. Nor is oil burning or oil leaks."
Here's the whole article (everything you've ever wanted to know about the Northstar. It's interesting...)
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/us/us100232.htm
My theory is that the Northstar wasn't assembled properly...that the "defects" were mostly in quality-control, not in engineering.
Same old GM issues in other words.
I didn't see anything "significant" other than the issue I mentioned about the lower crankcase seal. Most problems affect the early engines. Only a negligent idiot would really adhere to those extended oil change intervals that cause the oil-burning/loss of pressure issue. I change my oil religiously.
He said "head gasket failure is not uncommon." Well, what causes these head gasket failures? He didn't go into much detail other than describing the procedure to replace a head gasket. I have yet to hear of a head gasket failure happening to a Northstar.
Maybe it's your location, lemko - because in the south, it happens all the time. In fact, I got pretty good at predicting head gasket failure on some of my friends DeVilles for a while. Right around 70,000 miles usually. Then, to make it worse, if not done very carefully, your head bolts would break off in the block while trying to remove the head. On an aluminum engine, that's a real problem.
IMHO, Caddys are simply GM products, which is not as big a black mark as it has been in the last 30 years or so, but to most is still a handicap. The Caddy division is trying to (re)establish a brand image, seemingly to me BMW being the target while still catering to the US credo of "Big Engine, Big HP Good!" The CTS, while (imho) ugly with a cheap, incongruous interior and overpriced (at msrp w/options), was a departure for the marque and got the ball rolling. At the autoshow, I sat in an '07 SRX, interior a BIG improvement (analog clock, nice!). STS, a bit dull in style but the interior isn't bad and from what I've read a nice ride. And I've always liked the XLR (except for, again a GM constant, the less than $77k car appearing interior...). So, I look forward to the next version of the "new" Caddy cars in that I hope that GM/Caddy stays the course and upgrades without unrealistically pricing them.
Unfortunately, while past performance is no guarantee of future results, I still don't believe that GM's bean-counter culture will allow a "complete" car to be built. Thank you, Roger Smith...
And, regarding Rockylee, I think y'all have to cut him some slack. He's admitted to drinking the GM Kool Aid and, most importantly, it sounds like GM has buttered his family's bread for quite some time...
OTOH, Rockylee, you can't keep shouting about how magnificent future cars will be, destroying the competition. Sure, the '08 CTS may well be the car you truly hope it to be. But the next iteration BMW/MB/Acura/Lexus/Infiniti/Kia... could raise the mythical bar even further. All you can base your opinions and comparisons on, to be taken seriously, is fact/reality, which is not what the future is.
So, could Caddy truly come back from the days of the Cimmarron and be held in the same esteem as the Euro marques? Hey, 2004 Boston Red Sox!!! Anything is possible!
Oh, yeah. Go, Pats! Four of Six to cement the dynasty!
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
I don't think that the Cimarron was the worst thing that Cadillac ever did. The second oil crisis was in progress around 1980, and GM downsized everything thinking that better fuel economy would be good. The current oil situation was probably what GM had expected then. However, for Cadillac to think that the Cimarron was somehow a BMW 3-series shows that GM executives were thinking that the 3-series was just an expensive small car. I am not sure that GM really understands the "small car" market yet.
Rocky
Rocky
You are correct as I know people that had these problems.
Rocky
One could say Roger, is the one to blame for GM's perception problem they have today. :mad:
Rocky
GROWING PAINS: All cars, and all new engines, can have growing pains. The problem is when the company doesn't respond fast enough to an issue that starts buzzing around the internet.
GM is particularly lousy about clearing up teething problems on new models. Occasionally the Japanese will drag their feet, that is true, (Toyota sludge issue) but it seems like GM never takes charge of a situation---they just let it fester until there are owners marching in the streets with pitchforks and flaming torches, circulating petitions and laying seige to dealerships.
It's a crazy way to do business. I don't get it with GM. Are they too much of a dinosaur to react quickly enough? Do they just not care? I dunno...it makes me crazy to see them shooting themselves in the foot with this attitude.
Thankfully, no such disaster has befallen the new Cadillac. I'm holding my breath. Is this a new GM?
We'll have to wait and see.
I don't need to go through 12 steps to turn up the air conditioner in a CTS.
How about a button instead of having to play video games every time I want to change something.
What's bad about GM? The cars
I'd say that it was both, but over the long haul, you are right that GM's worst mistake was the devaluation of the Cadillac brand.
One thing that the bean counters don't seem to understand is that the difference between a basic car and a luxury car is not just a matter of options packages. A luxury car should also offer a greater degree of finesse and refinement, from the driving experience to the level of comfort to the quality of materials. The accounting types really seem to believe that the consumer is stupid and can be fooled with just a few trim pieces and a whole lot of marketing, and you would have thought that the last few decades would have taught them a lesson.
The funny thing is that if anybody has mediocre marketing, it has got to be Toyota and Honda, which must set new standards for blandness for their advertising. The GM ads with Led Zeppelin and Iggy Pop soundtracks, and cars flying through the air are a fair bit more flashy than either "Moving Forward" or the annoying "Happy Honda-days" jingle that we seem to get each Christmas, but this hasn't seemed to hurt Toyota or Honda a bit.
I wonder if the contributor knows that most cars only have a driver's door key now--including the Accords!!!
Mushy steering? I haven't had that on the last 7 GM cars. I get alignments! And I replace tires before they're bald. I don't ram curbs and hit potholes. His article reminds me of the test drive of an 03 Accord when I last was car shopping. Car had so many strange things.
Too bad articles like his get into the papers about many types of businesses.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Having said that, I have to say that the '06 Malibu I rented was pretty awful except for the engine. It's certainly not a car I would consider buying. In that market niche at least, a Malibu is no match for a Toyota.
It was better than walking however.
See this is what I'm talking about a anti-GM guy makes the paper. The guy that had the G6 rental obviously had the lowest and stripped model you can own. We also don't know how abused that car has been as a rental ?????? My mother loves her G6 GTP and brags about how good it handles and how powerful it is. My stepdad, and aunts also have made positive remarks when they've asked her to drive it.
I guarantee you and I could find a high mileage stripped camcord's that's been abused and have similar findings. :mad:
It appears from the get go he didn't get the car model he wanted at the rental place and thus was peeved and was going to find things to gripe about.
Rocky
I agree the 06' malibu, perhaps isn't as good as a camry but it's not a terrible product also. GM, appears to have raised the bar a few notches with the 2008' Malibu. I'm not saying it's going to overtake the camry as the sales leader but it will at least finally be a very respectable alternative.
Rocky
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
What ?????? Is socala4 here under a different SN ?????
If someone has changed their screen name and is the same person I haven't solved that mystery. I however have had my suspicions
Rocky
This illustrates the core problem discussed above -- these Big 3 managers think that power locks and a CD player will solve all of their problems.
They won't. I've driven my share of rental cars, and they pretty much all have power windows and locks, A/C, some sort of stereo with a CD player, etc. Overall, they tend to carry moderate levels of equipment, and are rarely stripped.
The consumer expects more than a power door lock to find the car to be desirable. The noisy engines, overboosted steering, four-speed automatics that are outdated by current standards, and the cheap interiors are the real turn off, and adding a power windshield or power glovebox won't help.
At the end of the day, it is up to the automakers to please the customer, not up to the customer to please the automaker. If they want our money, they have to earn it by giving us what we want.
The Cimarron was a re-badged Chevy, but was upgraded. It certainly was not the car the Seville started out as. The Escalade is not the same sort of upgrade the Seville was either.
The real point of the Cimarron was that GM and Cadillac felt that they needed a small fuel efficient Cadillac, and the easy quick way to get one was to re-badge a Cavalier. What I think is most troubling about both the Cimarron and the Catera is that GM executives thought both cars were BMW 3-series competition. The Catera was certainly a better try, but was more of a Lincoln LS V6 sort of car.
The current CTS and STS suggest that someone at GM is beginning to understand...
Rocky
They need a "breakthrough". But, is it possible without a paradigm shift. Would a shakeup of higher management from CEO on down help to change direction. Perhaps cannot teach old dogs new tricks. Any lessons to be learned from American companies that did turn it around such as Harley Davidson.
Wonder what happened to that guy. Hope nothing bad, as he would talk of driving very fast in his BMW. Maybe he quit the board after he discovered a Caddy XLR and got rid of his BMW.
Socala4, was a nice guy even though I often disagreed with him. I like I said in the past wished I new what happened to him. He was very enthusiastic while he was a member on this site. I do miss some of the veterans on this site. dieselone, rorr, hardly ever get on anymore. I guess I'm thankful not all of y'all left.
Rocky
xrunner, you and I both know Socala4 would never be caught dead in a GM product. :P
Rocky
But if his plan was to make a point to caddy I guess he has been succesful as they are going to be buying him a new car now.
Just a little warning there is some adult language in this video so if you find that offensive well then just deal with it.
Death of a Caddy
He has some funny commentary too...
I watched the whole video and believe Cadillac, should just give the poor guy a new CTS-V. It was a great video.
british, you stated you would of handled it differently. How would you of handled it differently ???
Maybe we could learn something from you since you are in the car business
Thanx for the video.....
Rocky
ROTFLMAO !!!!!!
Rocky
Indeed, the guy sounded more than willing to take on another car...they should just give him one. Here you have a young enthusiast (a market Caddy should want for its performance models) who wants your product, got a lemon, and now would be happy to just get a replacement. If they want to keep him as a future customer, they should just do it.
Rocky
Then I would bill caddy for the rental car expenses and tell them I am not picking that car back up. I either want a new one or my money back but I am not touching that car again.
I understand why he did what he did because he wanted to make a point with caddy.
Rocky
Are the 06' Malibu's really that bad ???? I guess I've only payed attention to the top trim models and they look decent. I've never driven a G6 yet but like I said mom and family like her GTP alot. Mom, says her leather seats are real leather and not that simulated leather compound like we both had in our Grand Am's.
I agree with all that the G6 needs a interior upgrade and the plastic needs to go bye bye since it is unexceptable. GM, needs to atleast use the quality of materials they are putting in the Malibu inside the G6. However the G6 could be going RWD and a new version might be around the corner but the FWD versions might make nice used cars or for me or somebody else a all-season work car. I however would only get the 6-speed manual since the 4-speed automatic isn't the best car on gas or mom has her foot into it way to often.
Rocky
Okay I understand. Yeah, GM could add some Buick Quiet Tuning technics to the Malibu. I'm confident the new 08' Malibu will be light years ahead in quietness when compared to the current one. I also agree the Carolla, is a nice smooth driving car. I wouldn't mind owning one for a work car since they sip gas and are great reliable inexpensive cars however I do believe GM, will have very nice Carolla alternatives within the next couple of years. Perhaps we will see some type of G5 size type of car pick-up where the Malibu use to be and be of higher quality.
Rocky
Read what U wrote & look at the big picture:
His car was TOTALED. Flipped on it's side. & both of them survived??? He was home that night? Not bad! If that were your Park Ave would you be able to say the same?
Anyway, Cadi will have to produce SUPERB cars for the next 10-20 years before it'll be considered "Standard of the World..." It won't happen overnight. Until then they are an after thought of serious car buyers.
In addition, they'll have to be trendSETTERS, not FOLLOWERS to be considered Standard of the World...
I truly hope Cadi DOES come back. I really do. It would be nice to have a U.S. car that can compete with the overseas imports. It'll be a tough climb because their image took suc a beating over the last 20 years...
Time will tell.
I have to say, regrettably, that the fit and finish on the new Cadillacs, while pretty darn good, are not up to the standard of a German luxury car. Fit is good but the paint was not impressive. The Pontiac sitting next to it looked just as good and the Mazda down the other end looked a bit better (egad). None of the cars on the floor had that German gloss and smoothness I've grown fond of.
Actually the Escalade paint looked better than the sedans. I wonder if they are built in a different factory??
Interiors were hard to judge as I didn't have a Benz or BMW there in front of me. But they were comfy and I saw nothing out of order.
I have to say, regrettably, that the fit and finish on the new Cadillacs, while pretty darn good, are not up to the standard of a German luxury car. Fit is good but the paint was not impressive. The Pontiac sitting next to it looked just as good and the Mazda down the other end looked a bit better (egad). None of the cars on the floor had that German gloss and smoothness I've grown fond of.
The German cars are tens of thousand higher in MSRP also...
Actually the Escalade paint looked better than the sedans. I wonder if they are built in a different factory??
Yes many are built at the Arlington, Texas SUV plant while the Sedans are built in Lansing Mi. I might assume since the Escalade is all new it might be receiving a higher grade of paint to give it that new and improved quality feel that GM is marketing so strongly now as part of the turn-around.
Interiors were hard to judge as I didn't have a Benz or BMW there in front of me. But they were comfy and I saw nothing out of order.
The Escalade and SRX, along with the DTS has pushed the interior level up another notch but the current CTS, STS, need a refresh to get those new improvements.
Rocky
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,