[BarryH_GEG]

I picked up my fourth new Cadillac (history = 05 SRX V8, 06 CTS 3.6, 07 STS-V) on Saturday. It’s an ’08 White Diamond/Cashmere DI AWD with every option.

I got a great deal on the CTS because of all the concurrent offers GM was running. I was 19 months in to my 27 month lease on the STS-V but was able to save $13K on the CTS even after the early termination penalty. I loved the STS-V but it was probably the most impractical car decision I ever made. I live in Spokane, WA, where the furthest distance between two places is 30 minutes – in traffic. Having 469 HP to drive 5 miles each way to work was kind of a waste. In addition, it snows in the winter and there are no snow tires or wheels capable of fitting over the V’s brakes so it was garaged from December to March. It had 4K miles on it when I turned it in. So you don’t think I’m totally insane, I got an incredible lease deal on the V. The payment was $860 a month with nothing out of pocket and the dealer gave me close to what I originally paid on the SRX (bought it new for $14K under MSRP) to get the V off their lot.

I decided I wasn’t going to garage the V again this winter and have been pre-researching its replacement. When I (like DrChill) saw that you could stack the Employee Pricing for Friends with 0% interest for 60 months I ran the numbers. Those deals, along with GMAC Pull-Ahead (two payments forgiven plus $2K purchase cash), made moving on the CTS now vs. later in the year a no brainer.

The dealer in Spokane sells like 50 cars a year and didn’t have what I wanted. The dealer in Seattle where I originally leased the V did. So I made the deal over the phone on Friday and drove the four hours to Seattle to swap cars on Saturday.

I have two comparisons from owning a Gen I CTS and coming out of a STS-V.

Prior to picking it up, I only saw a CTS once at an auto show when it first came out. First impressions coming from the V were that the electronics are night and day. The Denso navi in the V sucked and keeping Bluetooth connected to my phone was a daily battle. I also won’t miss the “pardon?” I used to get in response to two out of three of my VR requests. The navi in the CTS really is amazing and the iPod integration incredibly well done. Vs have the leather wrapped interior and surprisingly, the CTS wasn’t a big step down. Considering the $27K price difference, Cadillac’s done an amazing job with the aesthetics of the plastics in the CTS. Like others, I initially thought the CTS seats sucked. After finding the right adjustment they’re actually firm but comfortable. Turning on to the curved ramp to get on the interstate for the trip home I ended up oversteering out of my lane – my first confirmation that the CTS is no V. At first the car felt kind of wallowy but now, after a few days, I’ve been reconditioned and think it provides a nice combination of handling and comfort. It feels heavy but with AWD and all the options it is. Performance is good and the brakes which were kind of spongy at first have settled in (or I’ve gotten used to them). The car’s incredibly quiet and (knock on wood) rattle and issue free. Either GMs getting their act together or I’ve been incredibly lucky as all four of my Cadillac’s were great solidly built cars.

As for the comparison to the Gen I CTS there really is no comparison. My Gen I was a 3.6 manual with the 18” performance package. That car was a blast and comparatively felt 1K pounds lighter. It had a black interior which camouflaged the cheap plastic and poor design decisions GM made pretty well but I’d compare the new CTS more to the V in terms of interior design. The new CTS feels ten times more solid from the way the doors close to how suppressed the noise levels are.

Overall I’m really happy with the car. It looks unique, does everything well, and with all the options has about 90% of the Vs features for $27K less. It’ll be interesting to see how the AWD handles the unplowed streets of Spokane in the winter. At least this car won’t have to sit in the garage for four months. And a special thanks to the forum member who gave me an Employee Pricing for Friends code that made my deal possible.

No need for pics as there are plenty of White Diamond/Cashmere shots already posted