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Cadillac CTS/CTS-V

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Comments

  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Dealers not stocking manuals? Manual sales down?

     

    Gee - where have we heard this before? Caddy dealers are not much different than Lincoln dealers regarding manuals. I hope it doesn't get dropped (in the regular CTS) like the LS.
  • vanman1vanman1 Member Posts: 1,397
    I can see the 5-speed being an option for ordering only. People say they want them but then buy automatics. Dealers get stuck with them. If I got one I would lease for sure. Resale would be tuff also.
  • golfnut5golfnut5 Member Posts: 202
    My 2003 CTS had over 50,000 miles on it and I started to experience a vibration when the automatic shifted between 4th and 5th gear. I had the rear end whine and numerous other reliability issues so I traded it in on a 2005 Acura TL. The only thing the CTS has on the TL is rear wheel drive. The TL is much more refined than the CTS, the TL's engine is smoother, quieter and more powerful. The TL is much less expensive also. I bet there will be few repeat buyers of the CTS.
  • volvodan1volvodan1 Member Posts: 188
    engine is more powerful and refined than your 03 was, but the 04-05 3.6 is just as good.
  • cadillacmikecadillacmike Member Posts: 543
    Please read up on your car history. That's part of the "Twilight Sentinel" functionality that my 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible also has! bmw is NOT the leader in this sort of thing as some might think. Not only that, but the whole cornerning light system is wired so that the white light ONLY lights up with the turn signal if the headlights or parking lights are on, not like those half a$$ed wiring jobs on lincolns, etc which light up all the time, headlights on or off!

     

    Cadillac lead the auto industry in the sixties and early seventies with many technical advancements that too many pepope admire bmw mercedes or lexus for "inventing". The world's first (admittedly primitive by today's standards) ABS system was on 1970 Cadillacs; in 1964 the first automatic climate control system was introduced by Cadillac. There's a long list...

     

    Now, I wish the CTS would also have the auto parking brake pull off that my 1968 also has, It's going to be annoying getting into 3 cars that have the brake pull off and then one that doesn't, oh well, you can't have everything can you.
  • richerryricherry Member Posts: 19
    Have 7000 miles in 16 months. From the beginning I notice that at idol the engine sometimes shakes, maybe every 30 seconds, especially when hot. The shake is not violent, but it disturbs me. Also it shakes when you start it and shakes when you shut it off.

     

    Is this normal?

     

    Otherwise it is normal on the road, but MUCH noisier than my 1995 Rivera, probally 5 db worse. When you go up a hill with radio off, it is noisy in the rear end. Not a whine, just noisy, no grinding.

     

    I have never had it to a dealer, except for a cell phone problem and a CD problem. Where the six cd's would hunt for several minutes and cause several items to reset the dash to zero, like miles per gallon. Dealer never found this problem, but it still does this.

     

    Ray
  • bingomanbingoman Member Posts: 373
    richerry what grade of gasoline are you using? 91 as suggested by Cadillac, or a lower grade? However I will say that my '03 LuxSport does have an occasional engine shake at idle even though I always use 91 octane.

     

    You say that going uphill the rear end is noisy but not a whine or a grind. Is it a clunking noise? Do you have anything loose in the trunk, such as loose tools in the spare tire well? I had what I thought was a rear end clunk which turned out to be bad front shocks which Cadillac replaced.

     

    As to your CD problems, I would insist the dealer find the problem or replace the CD unit or the entire radio, or take it to another dealer. I know that my dealer would pursue the problem until it was fixed as they have done so on a previous car purchased from them.

     

    P.S. An idol is an effigy or a statue of a god.
  • arby1arby1 Member Posts: 83
    I just traded in my 2003 CTS for a 2005 CTS with the 255 hp engine.The manual says that 87 fuel can be used but with loss of performance.On my old car I only used 93 fuel because the engine was underpowered and I needed every last horse avaiable.I am now so happy with the incresed horsepower that I can't judge loss of power with 87 fuel.Has anybody out there tried the diferent fuels and see any diference in power?Thanks.
  • richerryricherry Member Posts: 19
    Thanks for the response. I use 87 as that is what is called for on the 2004 CTS.

     

    No the rear end does not clunk, just noisy when going up hill, relative to my Rivera 1995 front wheel drive. Sounds ok on a flat road at 70, but still noisy and hard to hear the radio.The Rivera was quiter at 70mph

     

    Ray
  • vanman1vanman1 Member Posts: 1,397
    The 3.6 CTS is much better in terms of power and refinement. Did you even test?
  • arby1arby1 Member Posts: 83
    Never tested it.The refinement of the 3.6 over the 3.2 is like night and day.With the 3.2 engine, it always sounded underpowered and felt underpowered.Now it is smooth.
  • golfnut5golfnut5 Member Posts: 202
    I never did test drive a CTS with the 3.6, I had several reliability issues with my 03 CTS and was ready to trade. There is no way the 3.6 is more refined than the 3.2 Acura TL. If you don't believe me test drive one. As for power, below are the run times posted in the most recent issue of Motor Trends New Car Buyer's Guide: Automatic Transmissions

     

    Acceleration, sec to mph

     

    0-30 (TL 2.3 sec) (CTS 2.3 sec)

    0-60 (TL 6.3 sec) (CTS 6.6 sec)

    0-100 (TL 17.3 sec) (CTS 19.4 sec)
  • bingomanbingoman Member Posts: 373
    Golfnut I find your logic most interesting. You suggest that the reader test drive the the Acura TL to prove that it is more refined (or at least as refined) as the CTS 3.6, although you have not driven the CTS 3.6 yourself. So please tell me how you know that there is 'no way' that the CTS 3.6 is more refined than the Acura TL 3.2.

     

    And by the way how do you define 'refined'. And what does acceleration times have to do with refined, as they are as much a product of horespower, weight, gearing and aerodynamics, as they are of 'refinement'.
  • golfnut5golfnut5 Member Posts: 202
    Bingoman, I have a business client with a 2004 CTS 3.6 and I have ridden in his CTS. The 3.6 sounded only slightly more refined than my 3.2 CTS. Engine refinement to me means silky smooth (quiet). After having driven over 50,000 miles in my 2003 CTS I can't believe how much more refined the engine in the TL is when compared to the CTS. The TL does not shake at idle either.
  • bigdaddycoatsbigdaddycoats Member Posts: 1,058
    The TL is a very nice car, but to me it being a FWD car puts it in a very different category than the CTS.

     

    I have driven a 6-spd TL on several occasions and was very impressed. Great interior and very fast. My only complain is that I found it difficult to shift smoothly.

     

    I am still looking forward to driving a CTS 3.6 with a manual.
  • eaton53eaton53 Member Posts: 356
    The Honda, Cadillac and BMW sixes... there ain't a nickel's difference between them.

     

    Once the TL has been owned for awhile (assuming it's used as sports sedan), the torque steer will become irritating. I'm not buying any more FWD cars for sporting purposes.... in the future all of those type vehicles will have proper RWD or RWD based AWD powertrains.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    You do understand that your 2003 CTS had an Opel V6 with a 54 degree angle between the cylinder banks? The 3.6 liter V6 is an all new design with 60 degrees between the banks.
  • golfnut5golfnut5 Member Posts: 202
    I agree that RWD is best for a true sporty driving experience. I am not posting here to slam the CTS I enjoyed driving mine for the two years that I owned it. I put about 35,000 miles on a car per year and normally trade every two years. I did have several reliability issues with my CTS and thought I would try something different. I am just very impressed with the TL and the value for the dollar.
  • arby1arby1 Member Posts: 83
    You most certainly were slamming the CTS.The TL most likely is more refined but the bottom line is that as a FRD car ,it will not handle like a RWD car. Consumer Reports rated it better than the CTS and Bimmer and G35.The following month ,though, I think either Motor Trend or Car and Driver rated it behind them because of the FRD configuration.Also, the CTS is larger than all of the others and won't be as nimble, which is always the tradeoff when you have a larger car.
  • eaton53eaton53 Member Posts: 356
    "Consumer Reports rated it better than the CTS and Bimmer and G35."

     
    Yes, but they rated the Proctor-Silex Toaster Oven higher than all of them....
  • batmansctsbatmanscts Member Posts: 63
    eaton53: I've been trying to think of a response as funny as your posting, but I can't. Just want to let you know that someone appreciates you humor and your point about comparisons.

    BTW for others: I'm still perfectly happy with my 03 CTS Lux Sport 3.2 V6.
  • eaton53eaton53 Member Posts: 356
    Thanks... if I had a 3.2 CTS, I'd be happy too.

     

    One of the A&S Caddys is definitely in my future. Which one depends on what my wife's next vehicle ends up being.... there are many candidates.

     

    Having driven several CTS (both 3.2 & 3.6), V6 & loaded V8 SRX (the latter is an astounding ride) and V6 STS, only one thing's for sure at this point - they're all great and it's really tough to choose.
  • jpnmassjpnmass Member Posts: 45
    CTS Sales for December:6258. For all of 2004:57211

     

    It seems that the $1750 rebate GM put on the CTS for Dec. really helped move more units. I think the 6258 has to be a single month record. November was barely above 4000
  • cadillacmikecadillacmike Member Posts: 543
    Hi, where do you get the sales or production figures from? I'm trying to dig out some 1999-2001 ElDorado production figures.

     

    Just bought a 2005 CTS with the 1SC "kitchen sink" option package and NAV system. so far, so good.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    GM's media website has sales data back to 1999. The Eldorado sales were: 1999-15,255; 2000-13,289; 2001-9859; 2002-5661; 2003-193; 2004-7. Note that these are calendar years. They do not sort out the model years.
  • vanman1vanman1 Member Posts: 1,397
    I see a lot more CTS' these days, sales must be ok.
  • RobberbarronRobberbarron Member Posts: 39
    I wonder if I can get a continental kit for my CTS.

     

    <hunts on ebay>
  • vanman1vanman1 Member Posts: 1,397
    Make it stop!
  • hvanhvan Member Posts: 56
    Although I love the STS, my budget wouldn't allow me to take it home. As for the CTS, the interior is PITIFUL!! The only way I will buy a CTS is if GM redesign the interior. Does anyone know when they will redo CTS?
  • bingomanbingoman Member Posts: 373
    I happen to think the interior of the CTS is lovely and I drive it every day. The redesign will probably come about '07 or '08.
  • riskybusinessriskybusiness Member Posts: 58
    CTS is due for a full refresh inside and out for 2007 model year (release early 2006)according to R&T Jan/05 issue. There's a "spy photo" that looks pretty convincing with a redesigned rear end. I couldn't post a link here, but if you Google "2007 CTS Road & Track spy shot" and you'll find a couple of links that show the picture. The official R&T website doesn't have it, but I saw it in the newsstand earlier this month. Based on the net chatter on the subject, it seems like the new design direction will be as controversial as the original CTS!

     

    FWIW, I love the interior in my '03 LuxSport, and have had nothing but positive comments from passengers on the "futuristic" look and feel. It's a bit of a shock for those used to the standard American or Japanese "luxury" interiors, but IMHO, it suits the character of the vehicle perfectly.
  • lesstl1lesstl1 Member Posts: 21
    I have a base 2003 CTS assembled in early 04 with 28,000 trouble free miles. I am very well pleased with its quality, interior, performance, and handling. I love the exterior, contrary to some other posts. I will probably dislike the resale value (I will not it trade in, but sell it outright).

     

    My question is: The Transmission Fluid Life never moves off 100,000 mi. During the first few thousand miles, I thought it was just not moving due to roundoff error. But now with the mileage approaching 30k, it should be registering something. Has anyone else found a similar condition? My Oil Life indicator works fine as does all other instrumentation.

     

    If I take it to a dealer for correction, will the instrumentation take into consideration the prior miles or will it take off from 28k (i.e. reset the counter)?
  • riskybusinessriskybusiness Member Posts: 58
    My 2003 CTS is at 72000 km (45000 mi) and is also still registering 100% on the Trans Fluid Life indicator. Seems like it doesn't work the same way as the Oil Life monitor, which I understand ticks down based on an algorithm that counts engine revolutions, adjusted for operating temperature, cold starts, etc.

     

    FYI, the official GM "Severe Service" recommendation for changing the A/T fluid in the CTS is 50,000 miles, extended to 100,000 mi for "Normal" service (IMO this means highway driving in 70-degree weather on flat ground).So I'm going to ignore the indicator and go in around the 50k mile mark.
  • RobberbarronRobberbarron Member Posts: 39
    I'm at 15,000 miles and down to 97% on my transmission fluid life.
  • tmacguytmacguy Member Posts: 37
    I am buying a Cadillac SRX I need advise, but the SRX forum is almost dead in comparison to this one. I am sorry in advance but I really need help.

     

    I am considering a V8 SRX with AWD. Do you think an AWD on Cadillac would be as reliable as a RWD. We all know how bad the reliability of FWD gets as the vehicle age (At least I had lots of bad experience with FWD american carsm they just did not age well). I am so concerned that the AWD may not age well too, and may become a reliabilty night mare and a source of technical problems on the long run. Any ideas or experiences. For soome reason GM decided to only export AWD V8s; RWD V8 SRX are simply not available. V6 models are the only RWD option available, and only for 2005.

     

    One interesting note, I drove tested both the V6 RWD and the V8 AWD. Surprisingly, the V6 felt more responsive and fun, is this due to the AWD being just heavier? (both cars had the magna ride option, and were similarly equiped).

     

    Another surprise, I noted the instant fuel consumption at a cruise speed of 62 MPH, some how the V8 showed a good 8L/100 km, while the V6 showed 10L/100!!! This I did not expect.

     

    Sorry again for the offtopic, please save your flames and just ignore this if you can't help ( I did post on the SRX forum, but it is practically dead).

     

    Thanks
  • golfnut5golfnut5 Member Posts: 202
    My 2003 CTS had 53,000 miles on it when I traded it, and the trans life was still at 100%.
  • pbeerspbeers Member Posts: 26
    definitely get the V8 AWD SRX, its a lot more vehicle for the money...
  • arby1arby1 Member Posts: 83
    On my 2003 CTS the transmission fluid life span never changed.I assumed that since it was good for 100k miles that it didn't have to.On my 2005 CTS ,the transmision left 100 to 99 at 1000k miles.My advice to you is ignore it.
  • tmacguytmacguy Member Posts: 37
    I did. got a black SRX V8 AWD. I am so excited. Hope it would be as fun as my '03 CTS Lux Sport
  • pbeerspbeers Member Posts: 26
    tmacguy - congrats on your purchase. I was also originally looking at getting a V6 SRX but ended up buying a V8 AWD model instead. Now 14K miles later, it still runs great exactly like the day we got it. A smile on my face every time I drive it. Enjoy -
  • 1997montez341997montez34 Member Posts: 202
    Has anyone driven a CTS with the new 2.8 engine. Cadillac is not even mentioning it on their website.
  • tmacguytmacguy Member Posts: 37
    I took delivery of the SRX V8 AWD yesterday. WOOOOOOOwwwww is all that I can say. I am 43 years old and never felt that impressed with a car as this one in my life, not even my '03 CTS I bought some 2 years ago. Maybe because it is a SUV I expected a SUV ride, but the SRX ride is not what I expected, nothing prepared me to the buity and feel of this car. I can't stop driving this car, so smooth, so quite and so solid. Even my CTS had some plastic squeeks since day 1, but not this SRX. And the bigest surprise of all.... the door slams so simply and so quitly. My brother had to reclose 3 times thinking that the door did not shut, but it did, not a single US car ever acheived this.

     

    My brother drives '03 MB ML5.5 AMG (yes for sure) and while he did not step on the gas (not with under 30 Mi on the odo) he told me it drove smoother and quiter than the MB and it felt as responsive (at partial throtles).

     

    Do you think the SRX will ever have a chance against the 340HP AMG. MT shows the SRX AWD blowing the doors off all SUV that came its way in a recent online comparo. But MT pitted an ML 5, not ML 5.5 AMG.

     

    Nonotheless, I am having a big smile while driving and I am turning heads where ever I go, THeSRX is still a pretty rare seen on Saudi streets, so peeople do look on it.

     

    Thanks pbeers, I see why you are having this smile after 14k. And so glad I bought the V8, i would have been wishing i did every second I would have been behind the v6.

     

    Sorry guys for such long non CTS topic, but the forum is too slow now and I do own a CTS, so I am a club member too.

    Cheers
  • johnnycskjohnnycsk Member Posts: 29
    I have an 04 CTS with the gray colored bezel. I want to have it replaced with the body colored bezel. Is it mandatory that they replace it or does it vary by dealership because my local dealership refuses to replace it? Suggestions?? Comments???? Thanks!!!
  • wwhite2wwhite2 Member Posts: 535
    My selling dealer wouldnt swap it . I went to another dealer (closer) . Took the service manager 2 seconds to see it had interior moisture and said it needed to be replaced . Needless to say I have found my new Cadillac dealer .
  • johnnycskjohnnycsk Member Posts: 29
    Thanks wwhite2!! My local dealership wouldn't replace it, im gonna try my selling dealership. Hopefully they hook me up since I bought it from them.
  • pbeerspbeers Member Posts: 26
    Glad to hear it tmacguy - what you said is EXACTLY how I felt after driving the V8. It's just a great vehicle, with a very solid feel about it (the doors do have a bank vault feel, don't they?). The new Northstar DOHC V8 is a great engine, extremely smooth at any RPM. Cadillac did a great job with the SRX.

     

    p.s. apologies to the regular forum for the non-CTS post - it is still the Sigma chassis, right?
  • cu95cu95 Member Posts: 96
    Just to follow up on my post at the start of winter, I wanted to say that the snow tires (Blizzak WS50s) made a *big* difference this winter over last year using the original all-weathers. It's not a perfect comparison, since this winter has been milder than last, but I've only had two instances where I had material loss of traction (and one of those was during that intense snow storm a few weekends back) compared to numerous traction problems last year.
  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    A reporter would like to interview someone who recently bought a large sedan such as a Mercedes E-Class, Lexus LS 430, Mercury Crown Victoria or any large Cadillac or Lincoln.

     

    Please send your daytime contact info to [email protected] by Friday, February 11, 2005.
  • mcgreenxmcgreenx Member Posts: 179
    Haven't been back here for more than a year, about six months left on a three year lease of an '03 CTS LuxSport, with about 44k miles. Really have enjoyed the car, very little trouble, everything works. But I want to swap cars with my wife off and on for a few months to keep the CTS within the 50K warranty before I turn it in, and had trouble getting her to drive the CTS because of what she considers excessively heavy steering, especially at slow speeds. I've complained about to my dealer a few times to no avail, once being told it was due to low tire pressure. A search here reveals a number of you agree that the steering is "artificially" heavy, especially on the '03, and a Caddy service writer once admitted that I was not alone in my complaint, that he had heard the same thing from other CTS owners.

     

    Now for the interesting part.

     

    The other day I started getting a message (on the radio message center) whenever I would start up the car, "Service Steering Sys." I took the car in and again complained about the heavy steering, in addition to the message. The fix on the service message was to replace a solenoid in the power steering. I don't know if there is more than one, or what it does, but, lo and behold, the steering is much, much improved, so much so that I now have no trouble getting my wife to swap cars. I suspect the solenoid activates the variable PS at slow speeds, and perhaps the specs on newer cars, and on replacement solenoids, are different. I don't know, just a guess.

     

    In any event, I thought I would mention it for what it may be worth, in case anyone else is having a similar problem.
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