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2008 Cadillac CTS

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Comments

  • ctshadafloodctshadaflood Member Posts: 21
    After owning a fully loaded 08 CTS and getting the Avis version with the vinyl seats its like getting ina ford focus. They could have went better than the 34K base, gezzzz
  • lonestar2lonestar2 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the heads-up. I'm a current BMW owner, with the CTS on my short list.
    I've been looking at the car for months, and one thing I took note of, was a sales manager at my local Caddy dealership, during his pitch to me early last fall, strongly assured me that Cadillac would NOT be placing the new CTS in rental fleets of any kind. He said Cadillac wanted to take the extra step to protect this car/brand from any extra depreciation. Either he was completely blowing smoke, knowing what vehicle I was in, or Cadillac decided to put the base car in, and not the DI engine and other upgrades.

    As far as problems with first year production of the CTS, it happens. I feel for anyone that experiences problems with their car, because that's the only one that matters. From what I've gathered over this model year, it's in the minority. From memory, there seemed to be many more problems the first year of the redesigned 5 series(2004). The first year of the current 7 series(2002) is probably one of the worst BMW's ever built. Any Bimmer service advisor would agree.

    I'm still a couple of months away from purchasing. We'll see where pricing is, and if there would be anything significant with the '09's that would make me wait through the summer. I've really appreciated all the input in this forum.
  • proteus456proteus456 Member Posts: 65
    I've encountered a showstopper. I'm looking at the CTS with AWD, and realized that there appears to be absolutely no way to put 4 pairs of skis in, or on this car. My old Audi A4 could do it..heck, most cars these days can at least mount an external rack. Not apparently the CTS.......

    So...my question is, has anyone found a rack or carrier for this car that takes 4 pairs of skis?
  • sevenfeet0sevenfeet0 Member Posts: 486
    What Avis is charging me is probably not what you will get. I work for a major software goliath that has excellent rates with Hertz and Avis so your mileage will definitely vary. I'm not sure Avis has a "premium collection" like Hertz but it doesn't seem to be that hard to get a CTS is your location has them. The Boston airport location had literally just gotten them off the truck the day before and there were 5 on the lot...I may have been the first one to rent one period from this place.

    You can specify a specific model with your Avis reservation so they can hold the car for you when you arrive. I'd try that since if you just ask for a Cadillac, you will probably get a DTS first rather than a CTS. It's still possible you might get a '07 model since its not uncommon for rental companies to have a car in the fleet for 24 months, but I didn't see any '07 CTS's on the lot in Boston.
  • sevenfeet0sevenfeet0 Member Posts: 486
    I don't mind the leatherette seats in the rental so much since they opted up for the heated seats. Frankly, the current Caddy leatherette seats in the CTS are worlds better than some real leather seats I've had in Cadillacs of old. I had to have some leather in a driver's seat replaced in my '91 Deville several years ago when I had that car, the and replacement leather was far better than the crappy factory.
  • sevenfeet0sevenfeet0 Member Posts: 486
    The light piping on the inside of the car at night is cool without being annoying. So are the rest of the interior lights. It would be nice if the gearshift had a lighted display (you do see your gear selection in the gauges in front of you below the tachometer).

    The car did pretty well on fresh snow tonight in Boston, but I only drove 2 miles on it.

    I personally like the dark ebony interior vs. the tan interior...just a little too light for my tastes...but my rental car is Pearl White so the color is appropriate.

    My coworker who owns a BMW X5 really liked the car and complimented it while we drove to dinner. He also remembered the car positively from the current Cadillac TV ad campaign, so I guess the ads are working.

    Rainsense wipers didn't seem to work in the snow even though the system was on. Strange...

    I'd swear the trunk opening is smaller than my old CTS...maybe its just an illusion.

    With the front drivers seat properly adjusted for my legs, there is just enough leg room for my 20 mo. old daughter but not for my oversized 4 year old son. Still, I can live with that. In many ways, I would personally like the upcoming coupe since nobody full sized is going to sit behind me anyway.
  • rcantwellrcantwell Member Posts: 77
    Well, they have the engine in my car, it isn't hooked up to anything yet, driveshaft, front suspension, etc, but the mechanic says he will have it completely installed tonight, running romorrow morning, Line the front end, recharge the airconditioner, test drive and back to us tomorrow afternoon. I am no car mechanic, but I do work maintenance in a gasoline refinery and it looks to me like he is being very optomistic. I would think more like maybe Friday afternoon at the earliest, but we'll see.
  • rcantwellrcantwell Member Posts: 77
    In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned an 08 CTS in the same shop as mine with electronic problems. It was still there this afternoon, with the console and one of the seats out of it. I didn't question my mechanic too much about it, but he did confirm that it only had 196 miles on it, and that this problem happened after the owners had it only a week. He said that the buyers refused to keep the car and that GM now owned it again. If only my engine problems had happened earlier maybe I could have done the same thing.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Didn't you say in an earlier post that the service manager was supposed to drive it for a day or so to see if all is well. If you have a loaner car it may be a good idea to have him drive it for a day or so. If not at least take it on an extended test drive before returning their car in case you find something wrong. Take it on the highway up to 70, take your hands off the wheel to make sure it tracks straight after they aligned the front end. Try the air conditioner if you live where it is possible, go through the gears, check everything, heat, wipers, radio, headlights, and just plain everything to make sure all was hooked back up as it should have been and good luck. Remember, if they have been in business for a long time they have replaced many engines and what looks impossible to us should be a piece of cake for them.
  • rcantwellrcantwell Member Posts: 77
    Yeah, the service manager did say he was going to drive it for a day. I wasn't talking to him today, just went in the back and was talking to the mechanic that is actually working on it. It was good to actually see the engine and the car as one again, but the suspension wasn't hooked up among other things. I will definetly test out everything I can think of, including the on-star and will have on-star run a diagnostic check on it as soon as I get it back. They diagnosed the miss in the first place. The mechanic said nothing should have changed on the front alignment, he showed me where they didn't mess with any of the alignment adjustments, but they are going to check it to be sure. The AC may have to wait for a while to get a good test, I live in southern Oklahoma, 60's today, but dropping into 30's for highs on Friday and Saturday. One good thing for me anyway was the other 08 CTS sitting right next to mine with the electronic problems. The mechanic said he had referred to it several times to make sure he was getting the pulleys, wiring routed right etc on mine. That is a plus anyway. Thaks for the good wishes, if everything is not as it should be I certainly know their number and the way to the dealership by now. Hopefully I won't be visiting it anytime soon.
  • nelsonsnelsons Member Posts: 1
    Can some explain how to turn the rainsence wipers option off? I drove my new CTS through a car wash and almost broke the wiper blades. I'm sure it's a simple procedure but the manuel doesn't seem to explain clearly how to turn this on and off. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
  • tubabilltubabill Member Posts: 2
    If you haven't already received an answer then this will be timely. Otherwise please excuse the redundancy of my reply.

    Simply click the wiper arm down one click from the rainsense setting. In my '08 CTS the rainsense feature is only engaged when I push the wiper control up one click from the starting point.

    Good luck!
  • rcantwellrcantwell Member Posts: 77
    Well, the CTS is back on the road. Went by the dealership and the mechanic had it out test driving it. Service manager is going to drive it home tonight and around town some tomorrow. Didn't get to talk to the mechanic, but the other Cadillac mechanic was there and he said it started right up with no problems, no rough idle either, before when you first started after sitting for a while it idled really rough, burning the water out of the cylinders I guess. Both these mechanics work on almost nothing but Cadillac's and one is in his mid forties and the other in the mid thirties, and they both went to work for the dealership right out of trade school.Means they have been at the same dealership for at least 15 years or more each. Anyway if nothing crops up the dealership is going to clean the inside, wash it and wax it and basically do another new delivery on it. We should get it back tomorrow afternoon, that is 30 days in the shop since Dec 31st. I'll post more after we have a chance to drive it some, but the older mechanic said he thought it was going to be alright.
  • coghencoghen Member Posts: 2
    Hello,

    I'm wondering if some one could help me with my question.
    I have a 08 CTS with less than 2K miles on it. During smooth acceleration, after car shifts to 2nd ( ? or 3rd) gear at about 2K RPM/40 mi/hr, I hear a subtle knocking sound, similar to spark plug knocking sound. I do not think it is due to gas grade, because the car is being run exclusively on Shell V-power.

    I called my dealer to have him look at this issue. He told me that "this is normal for direct fuel injection engine to make that type of noise". The knocking disappears with somewhat more aggressive acceleration.

    Is it true that CTS's direct fuel injection "knocking" sound is a norm? Does anybody else hear this sound?

    I'd appreciate your feedback
  • gcoleygcoley Member Posts: 3
    It`s been a while since I have bought a car. Is it customary for the dealer to charge a $500 Doc (processing )fee? Just wondering. Thanks.
  • kullenbergkullenberg Member Posts: 283
    Keep in mind that the person who does this paper work chore, gets paid at the most, $15 per hour, and the paperwork is done in batches. Let's be charitable, and say that she/he spends an hour at the DMV, processing the paper work on your vehicle. Factor in her/his benefits, dealer overhead, you might get $30 per hour - where does that leave you? The "stealership" is ripping you off to the tune of $450+. I think CA has a limit of $50 on these fees.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    We have a discussion in Smart Shopper devoted to Documentation Fees. There may be some info there that would interest you.
  • lwittlwitt Member Posts: 7
    I have been installing body side moldings for 30 years now. The newest ones (instended for 2004 and up) are also currently available in a paint to match, and a vinyl close match is available, although this vinyl one is about half the price, most people want the painted version. Just about any car/truck is available, and the product can be drop shipped and has user freindly instructions.
  • lwittlwitt Member Posts: 7
    I have been installing body side moldings for 30 years now. The newest ones (intended for 2004 and up) are also currently available in a paint to match, and a vinyl close match is available, although this vinyl one is about half the price, most people want the painted version. Just about any car/truck is available, and the product can be drop shipped and has user freindly instructions.
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,499
    ". . .they have been at the same dealership for at least 15 years or more each."

    I'm thinking your car will be just fine after this sad episode -- at least I hope so.

    Good luck.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • bingomanbingoman Member Posts: 373
    The doc fee is simply a way to rip off the buyer for an additional amount after the deal has supposedly been settled.

    When I am negotiating for a deal I always ask for the out-the-door price. I don't care what fees they have to add in, what their profit figure is or anything else they want to include. I only want to know what it will cost me to drive the vehicle out of the dealers store. Then I have a true figure to compare the deal at various shops.
    Any other figure is open to a rip-off, such as the 'document fee', to be added when you go to pick up the car.

    Also, if you are comparing deals make sure the different vehicles are exactly alike, option for option, or know the value of the differences.
  • papaspotpapaspot Member Posts: 1
    I have a new corporation that is growing and need to look into getting a company vehicle. Can anyone tell me how to get into a corporate lease agreement on a 2008 Cadillac CTS, what are the requirements, and what is involved. I want to make sure I have done all my research and have all my bases covered when I go in there.

    Thanks for your help.

    PS
  • nathessnathess Member Posts: 11
    I purchased $10,000 of upgrades for my 2008 CTS but it didn't come with a Universal Home Remote (garage door opener). I have a place in the upper console for it. The dealer went to GM to purchase a unit but was told that none came with my VIN# and it is not available for me to install.

    Does anyone know how I can purchase one of these units.

    GM does not want to satisfy their customers.
  • rcantwellrcantwell Member Posts: 77
    I was suprised that the o8 CTS didn't have the universal opener in the basic luxury package. My 05 just had the luxury level 1 package and it came with the opener. On the 08 you have to go to the premium luxury package to get it. My 08 has the luxury1, seating package, and performance package, and still no opener. Maybe they will correct this for 09, but it would be nice if they came out with a retrofit, I would buy one.
  • sevenfeet0sevenfeet0 Member Posts: 486
    I hadn't meant to take this long on the last log of my '08 CTS rental, but here goes.

    By the last day of my rental, it was clear that the word had gotten out since I saw no less than two other rentals at my hotel and another coming into the car return lot with me.

    Weather in Boston was wet and messy....lots of deep puddles, old slush from the previous snowfall. The RWD CTS handled everything with no fuss...I was actually expecting to see the traction control engage for a few things but nothing happened. One nitpick...during a good rain, the CTS's water deflection off the roofline seemed to push the water in front of the side mirrors on the front windows, which made it more difficult to see. This may have been the fact that there was still some snow and ice on the roof of my car at the time. the side mirrors are also smaller than previous versions...no doubt for reduced wind resistance but it makes seeing that car in your blind spot a little harder.

    I was admittedly smitten with this car when it first came out but you never know what your opinion is going to be once you put some miles on it. I intentionally didn't want to abuse a brand new, never broken-in engine, but overall, the experience was really nice (despite the ugly weather, hacked up Boston streets, etc). Make my version a Premium package with the Nav system and ebony interior, and I'll be very happy.
  • rayainswrayainsw Member Posts: 3,191
    Thanks for posting your experience...
    - Ray
    2022 X3 M40i
  • dfusnikdfusnik Member Posts: 10
    What is the standard audio system on the CTS? I'm looking to lease one within the next couple of months and I don't need the nav system.
  • ctshadafloodctshadaflood Member Posts: 21
    The stardard is an 8 speaker bose. Warning about the XM receiver, its quality is horrible. CD's sound very good as does the music from the hard drive. But shame on xm for that poor sound system.
  • rcantwellrcantwell Member Posts: 77
    I have had no problems with my XM radio. The sound quality has been very good and it almost never loses it's signal.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    does look like you may have a defective headunit...dont know if the XM module is fully integrated or a separate stand alone.....but worth a check....it shouldnt sound as you characterize.....
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    I never knew that XM manufactured all the XM radios. It was my impression that Delphi, Sony, Pioneer, and a few others made their own units. Please enlighten my as to how you know that XM makes the radios. :confuse:
  • ctshadafloodctshadaflood Member Posts: 21
    The reason it sounds like i characterize is that i talked to many owners first hand and also talked to a few owners of sound systems. They told me the Sirus receivers are of much better quality than Xm right now, but expecting a merge soon.
    The difference between the Music on the Hard drive with the centerpoint setting and the XM receiver is noticeable.
  • d2000one1d2000one1 Member Posts: 47
    I searched for the answer to these questions that I have and did not find anything. Please forgive me if this has already been discussed!

    I have the Nav system and I have a couple questions:

    1. Can you actually record what's playing on the radio or does it only buffer it to the hdd? When listening to the radio and I hit record, nothing happens. I've read several reviews where they say you can "record" the radio but I have not been able to do so. It is FM that I'm trying to record.

    2. I purchased a SanDisk Cruzer 4.0 GB flash drive and loaded a few mp3s on it to copy to the hard drive. I inserted the drive and hit the AUX button and got the error (this is from memory so I'm not sure if it's exact): The USB device is not supported. Please remove. The system automatically went back to the source I was listening to prior to trying to play the songs on the flash drive.

    Any ideas on this?
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    it is my impression its not the recievers that make the diffference but the compression of the signal within the bandwidth coming from the sat.....my XM on my 04 sounds great.....but I certainly wouldnt compare it to a CD or even an MP3..you are never going to get the same sound quality from XM that you will from playing off the HD..and the better the sound system..the more it amplifies the differences....

    you may also need to refresh your signal for your reciever..you can do that online at the XM site for call and have it done...
  • cjackson2cjackson2 Member Posts: 5
    I have Sirius in my 07 ram hemi and XM in my new CTS. I have found the overall quality of the XM to be superior. In fact I have found the complete standard audio system in the CTS to be excellent.
  • thebugthebug Member Posts: 294
    Got into a dog fight (as I like to call it) with a BMW 760i (maybe 06/07) in the mountains today, and dusted him on a 6% grade climb. Kept him at least ten car lengths (maybe more) behind. Some would like to think that he wasn't trying, but I know different. My rational is, that while he was struggling in the hammer lane, (wouldn't get out of the way) I had to pass on the right. When I got door to door with him, he tried to speed up, and he simply got dusted. Pushed to 143 MPH by the time I reached the summit and then had to back off because of traffic. That allowed him to catch up, and then I got to do the YEAH, it's a Caddy look. This car is hot.

    thebug...
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Sound from a radio I feel is the same as the old argument of which is better, Ford or Chevy, or in this day an age GM or Toyota. 2 people can sit in the same car and one love the radio and the other hate it. I guess that is why there are different radio options.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Whats going on with the CTS? You haven't reported back yet as far as how things have went after you got car back, or I missed it.
  • cptsullycptsully Member Posts: 18
    I have an 08 3.6 DI RWD CTS. Been in a few light snow storms this year, with factory tires, and it hasn't been pretty. Traction control works real well though. I tried doing some donuts in a snowy lot with it on, and it refused to let me play. Turned it off though, and wheeeee! Around and around we go! (What the manual refers to as "spirited driving" :) )

    Anybody put snow tires on their CTS this season? How 'bout a report on how they are working out for you?
  • rcantwellrcantwell Member Posts: 77
    Sorry, the refinery I work in has been partially shut down due to a mechanical problem with a 7000 hp electric motor an the equipment that it drives. I was shuffled off to the night shift as we are working 24/7 till it is running again. We have had the CTS back a week now. I have only driven it once, got it up on the interstate and ran it up to 90mph, it asccelerated really well, and I didn't find any problems the short time I drove it. My wife took it to Dallas on Presidents day, about a 200 mile round trip and said it ran great. I have been closely watching the garage floor and so far no oil or antifreeze on the floor so it looks like they did an excellent job of re-installing the new engine and getting everything tight. We have probably put about 350 miles on it and I hope everything continues to be ok. I don't know if I said in an earlier post or not, but we ordered it in gold mist with the 18' polished wheels and even though that isn't a real popular color it really is a nice looking car. Gold mist kind of changes color from gold to almost silver depending on the light. As soon as I get off nights I have to go back to the dealership, the service manager said something about GM making a payment on the car and free lifetime oil changes and tire rotations. I also need to go in the shop and tell the mechanic how much I appreciate what a good job he did on the car. No leaks, and nno scratches on the paint and no rattles. Maybe the nightmare is over and we can now enjoy the car. With only 2100 miles on it there is still a lot of time to decide whether to keep it or trade it off. All depends if we have any more major trouble or not.
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,499
    ". . .tell the mechanic how much I appreciate what a good job he did. . ."

    Excellent plan. If I were you, I'd ask to have the same guy do all your routine (& god-forbid, non-routine) maintenance. My guess is that he's already taken ownership of maintaining that car and he'll take really, really good care of it & watch it like a hawk. Think of it as having your own private pit crew.

    Sounds good so far. Good luck!
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • adamg2adamg2 Member Posts: 12
    I have a RWD CTS with the factory all-seasons. We have had about 4 very heavy snowstorms in Toronto in Feb alone! Unfortunately, the car is not meant for the snow - as is the case with most RWD vehicles. With heavy snow on the streets, the slightest pressure on the accelerator causes the back-end to slip out. Hills - barely even possible with the all-seasons. It was slipping and sliding across both lanes and the traction control was not allowing my car to move. Needless to say, I went with Toyo snows - combines great traction with good drivability with the roads are dry. Bought them in 17" and a narrower width (215) for better traction. Since its the end of the season, you can get great deals on snow tires right now. My package with the rims would normally be $2300 (CAD) + tax and I paid $1400 taxes in. Thus far I can't report in detail how they are in the snow since we haven't had too much snow but the all-seasons were undrivable.
    Hope that helps.
  • cjackson2cjackson2 Member Posts: 5
    My CTS has the smaller engine, I think 263 HP and RWD. It also has a limited slip differential. Although I really haven't been in any super nasty snow we have had 3" to 4" here in NE ohio on a few occasions and I have been pleasantly surprised. It has done much better then I expected. I have the 18" all season tires. Maybe next year I will look into snow tires and a couple hundred lbs in the trunk would help. My last RWD was a Lincoln Mark 7 and it was flat out lousy in the snow. I swore I would never own another RWD car, so I was nervous about this but our local dealer had this Radiant bronze beauty equipped just as I like, so I felt it was meant to be. So far so good.....CJ
  • cptsullycptsully Member Posts: 18
    I found that the all season tires were barely adequate as well, although I never actually got stuck. My main concern quickly became front-end damage because of how low the front of the car is to the ground. With about 5-6" of snow on the ground, I was afraid my car was in danger of becoming a snowplow! I think in the future, I'll just have to leave my baby in the driveway, and drive the truck!
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,499
    for real winter (Alpins or equivalent) tires (all 4) on a RWD vehicle. The BMW crowd swears by them -- there is no comparison to all-seasons. The rubber compound is intended for cold conditions, though it wears quickly if the weather warms up.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • cptsullycptsully Member Posts: 18
    I agree completely. Prior to my CTS, I had a 99 BMW 528i. I had dedicated Blizzak tires for winter, and it made all the difference. I never had problems in even moderate to heavy snow.

    I didn't buy winter tires for the CTS this time, but I think I will for next season.
  • dfusnikdfusnik Member Posts: 10
    I just placed my order for a 3.6DI CTS on Friday. Crystal Red w/Cashmere interior, rwd, performance collection package and the 40gb audio system. Now all I have to do is sit tight and wait 4-10 weeks. The up side is that by the time it arrives, winter will be almost over in northeast Ohio.
  • grandpafrankgrandpafrank Member Posts: 1
    Turning in my 2004 CTS for a 2008 - RWD - Basic - Black on Black. Shound be 6-8 weeks. Waiting.............................
  • ajl1223ajl1223 Member Posts: 13
    I was reading some of your post about the problems you have had with your cts. I just put mine in the shop 2/26( 2600 miles) Got a check engine light,they are checking the cylinder head sensor or inside the cylinder. Can you tell me what your first indication was when you had the engine problem and maybe refer me to your past post. Dealership on Long Island has been fine. Issue maybe with GM.
    thx
    al
  • rcantwellrcantwell Member Posts: 77
    Just before we got the check engine light the second time the car would start and run very rough for about 15 seconds. Guess it was having to burn the water out of the two cylinders where it was leaking in. The dealership checked the engine and found water getting into # 4 & 6 cylinders, which were I believe on the driver's side. My car only had 1500 miles on it the first time the check engine light came on and 1850 the second time when they found the problem. The car also sent a signal to Onstar and they sent me a trouble alert e-mail that the car had developed a miss. The battle started then, GM wanted to tear the motor apart and fix it, and I felt that their top of the line brand with so few miles on it should have a new engine. They finally said flatly no new engine, we will fix it to " Cadillac" standards, I told them my standards were higher than theirs and that I would end up with a car with a patched engine. GM had the dealership run dye through the coolant system and pull the head. There was dye in the two cylinders. Dealership told GM the head was good. GM said replace the head gasket and dealerhsip told them that it did not show any signs of leaking. Dealership told GM that they thought there was a block problem and the engine should be replaced which they eventually did and so far the car is running fine and performing above my expectations. I guess they have a really good mechanic, and I went in this Monday and gave him a report on the car and thanked him for doing such a good job. Guess they don't get that very often, cause he was just beaming when I left. The mechanic was the only thing about my experience that was pleasant. My motor was the base 3.6 by the way not the DI. Now hopefully your problem is just a sensor or something. My service manager swears that Cadillac told him this is the first car this has happened to. If you go back to page 104 or so you can probably pick up my orginal post and see what a jerk I was, but damnit I was mad!! Good luck and let us know what the problem is and what happens. FYI you probably know, that Caddy owes you a rental car if the car is in the shop overnight, make them get you one, and something decent. My wife had a Cobalt for the first week, ( a piece of junk) and then we got a Grand Prix for the next three weeks that was a nice car. Don't let them run over you and get everything that you deserve. Today the service manager also told me that GM was making a payment on my car and giving me free oil changes for as long as I own the car.
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