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The CTS

Started by Rusty Shepherd CLC 6397, July 13, 2005, 10:52:06 AM

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Rusty Shepherd CLC 6397

I just read on Auto Week on-line an interview they did (at his request) with Bob Lutz.  One of his statements really floored me. He said that the CTS "with all its flaws" is in its fourth year and selling better than it did its first. Since he only mentioned flaws and not attributes, it sounded like he felt the car is selling well despite the fact that its a lousy car when, in fact, as Im sure Mr. Lutz knows, its a pretty darn good car. I have three friends who own them and they all really like them and one is on her second after two Cateras. I hope that this post is not deleted because of a perceived attack on a CLC member; I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Lutz and his efforts to save General Motors from itself, but just cant understand why hed make that statement. How many potential CTS customers will cross it off their shopping lists after reading this?

JIM CLC # 15000

07-13-05
ALL, this , I think, is along the same line.
SUNDAY, I was watching TV and the annoucher said that the GM sales were up by 49percent. and that Chysler and Pord were jumping on-board with the "employee" prices.
Good Luck, time to buy, Jim

Porter 21919

Rusty,

Bob Lutz was only being honest about the flaws, the base CTS really isnt a high priced car in this day and age but a huge leap forward for GM and Cadillac, just like their entire product line. I asked a woman with a V6 CTS how she liked it and she said yes, very peppy with the V6.

Customer satisfaction is all that matters.

GM is back in the game, the Roger B. Smith days have been left in the dustbin of history.

Porter

Randall McGrew CLC # 17963

I was reading Automobile magazine (like most of the others it is in LOVE with BMWs...bfd) and they say the sport version is pretty good as a luxury car, relaxed driving etc.. but it is not all that hot on the road; the interior looks cheaper than it turns out to be.  Fence sitting so far on the CTS.  Now there is a new sport edition due out in 2006 that should answer some of the complaints.

They had nothing to say about the STS.

Bruce Reynolds # 18992

Gday Rusty,

Well, the CTS has at least three "flaws" that I know of.

There is the front floor, the back floor, and the trunk floor.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

P.S.   The biggest flaw is that it isnt made in RHD form.

Porter 21919

With your caustic sense of humor, offending another serious poster with more of your silly remarks, you never even addressed his subject matter, except for only to make fun of the point he was trying to make.

I hereby withdraw my nomination for you to replace Mr. Bentwrench !

Although you offer excellent advice with engine rebuilding and mechanical repairs I fear you too would offend too many of the members that take their Cadillac restoration and repairs very seriously.

Fortunately we have another forum that can stomach your humor:

http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/ TARGET=_blank>http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/

LOL , LOL , LOL ,

Porter



Randall McGrew CLC # 17963

Well I am sure that Mr. Lutz is aware that while the CTS is a good start at reviving Cadillac as a serious contender in the luxury car market, it is not there yet.  I like the STS a little better because it is bigger.  I wish if they were going to produce a cheap model ($37K is CHEAP?) that they would at least produce one that a large, vertically challenged American can sit in comfortably, like the old Calais line.  Perfectly respectable Cadillacs, just not as perfect as the top of the line.  I remember well the Calais in Philadelphia driven with pride by business men and people of lower means who earned the car through hard work.  Billy Joels song about that comes to mind (although the title doesnt).
At least you can polish the fenders.  :)

Oh well...beating my head against change doesnt help.  The point is I am sure Mr. Lutz sees ample room for improvement.  I just hope they dont go the way of Mercedes or BMW, cause to quote an old friend, "The more you tinker with the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the sink."  

Keep up the good work, Mr Lutz ...  Cadillac will get there yet.

Rusty Shepherd CLC 6397

Ive been thinking about this and I guess he really should get credit for stating his actual opinion instead of just reciting the company line (which usually means everything the company makes is perfect) even though I dont personally agree with it and think he should have balanced his criticism with some of the good aspects of the CTS; Im pretty sure he believes there are some.  When I win the Master Card sweepstakes (theyre giving away twelve GM cars to one winner..you get one or more and give away the rest to your favorite friends and relatives), Im going to take a loaded White Diamond 3.6 CTS. This will require using two cars (max $30,000 each), but Im willing to make that sacrifice. Put everything on your US Master Charge through the end of September as you get one entry for each charge (and two if its a GM Master Card and two at certain gas/convenience stores).

Mike #19861


 Personally, I think the CTS is a pretty good car. It was the right car at the right time for Cadillac. I applaud then for starting their rennaissance with an entry level car. This gets the car out to more people that can actually experience and recommend them to their friends. Something that a flagship could not do. Desire is not often enough.

 On repeated trips back to the dealer where I worked, I always ask the guys in the shop if there are any CTSs coming in for any problems. They all say they rarely see them except for regular service. However, Cateras are still in frequently for various problems.

 Other models seem to follow the lead of the CTS. They seem to have the gremlins eliminated, and they are a car of high quality and reliability. Something you could not say 5 years ago.

 But, the CTS does have its faults. I dont feel they are mechanical faults, but those that are often picked at by the automotive press such as the choice of interior materials that make it come off as low rent.This is a relatively easy fix, and Im sure it will be adressed. More serious is the constant complaints of the SRXs rocker panels that continually soil your pants as you enter the vehicle. This is a function of using the same floor stamping as the CTS and widening it. That is also to be adressed in the future.

 But Cadillac is on the right track. In the process of revamping its entire line up, some things may be missed, or not fixed as soon as would be possible otherwise. But I feel that over the next few years the process will be more or less complete, and all thos "problems" will be a thing of the past.

  Mike

Rich Sullivan CLC #11473

My CTS Sport model, build date 8-02, and bought 9-02, has been a great car, with about 34,500 miles on it. It is firm riding, but so solid and rattle free! It handles well, is roomy/well designed for its size, and averages around 23.6 MPG in city/highway combined driving (and I leave the Climate Control on continuously). The car is especially maneuverable--turning radius, etc. It is competitive with the imports, in terms of quality, and I recommend the car highly, especially if you like Cadillacs. Although I love my 71 Eldorado Convertible, the CTS is a really nice, and more practical, car.

Rusty Shepherd CLC 6397

Rich, I may have seen your CTS being assembled. I was on one of the tours of the CTS/Lansing Grand River plant during the CLC Centennial Grand National in August 2002 and it was a great experience.  At the time, it was GMs newest assembly facility (and may still be) and they had us on trams right on the floor of the plant. We wore combination ear protection and headphones through which the plant reps gave us detailed information on what we were seeing.  Each station had a digital display which showed how close to perfection the station was and I only remember seeing one below 90percent (and just slightly). The facility, of course, was heavily automated and so clean that you could almost eat off the floor...a far cry from the big industrysweatshops of yore.