New guy: Might buy an 08 - couple questions

Gusteve · #1 (**permalink**) 01-12-09, 07:50 PM

Greetings all,

I've been looking at used STS-V's for about a month now, and found one that looks pretty enticing. The car is an '08 with 10k miles. I've got a couple questions before I visit the dealer tomorrow:

1) From Carfax it looks like this was some kind of GM-owned vehicle. In-Service date was 6/08, and on 12/08 it was sold at auction with a Manufacturer title. Should I run away from this car? (i.e. should I expect that it had the snot beat out of it for 10k miles over six months?)

2) Its my understanding that the balance of the warranty (basic and drivetrain) would transfer to me from the 6/08 in-service date. The dealer says they can Certify the car for $1,000. Assuming the factory warranty transfers to me, it seems like I don't really gain anything from a Certified warranty. Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance for any comments!

LITTLEELVISDAN · #2 (**permalink**) 01-12-09, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gusteve

Greetings all,

I've been looking at used STS-V's for about a month now, and found one that looks pretty enticing. The car is an '08 with 10k miles. I've got a couple questions before I visit the dealer tomorrow:

1) From Carfax it looks like this was some kind of GM-owned vehicle. In-Service date was 6/08, and on 12/08 it was sold at auction with a Manufacturer title. Should I run away from this car? (i.e. should I expect that it had the snot beat out of it for 10k miles over six months?)

2) Its my understanding that the balance of the warranty (basic and drivetrain) would transfer to me from the 6/08 in-service date. The dealer says they can Certify the car for $1,000. Assuming the factory warranty transfers to me, it seems like I don't really gain anything from a Certified warranty. Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance for any comments!

Make sure its not a GM buy back ... They have to disclose it and disclose what defect it was bough back under.(if its under lemon law then RUN) If it was a brass hat car then it will still have a new title, never titled in anyones name. Still in GM's name and a completely clear title. Demand to see the title. Get the VIN and post it here. ond of themembers will run it for you and tell you what up with the car.

Balance of warrenty is still there BUT since its a gm car then you can certify for the extended 100k full coverage.

Mine was a brass hat car as well

**Florian** · #3 (**permalink**) 01-13-09, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LITTLEELVISDAN

Make sure its not a GM buy back ... They have to disclose it and disclose what defect it was bough back under.(if its under lemon law then RUN) If it was a brass hat car then it will still have a new title, never titled in anyones name. Still in GM's name and a completely clear title. Demand to see the title. Get the VIN and post it here. ond of themembers will run it for you and tell you what up with the car.

Balance of warrenty is still there BUT since its a gm car then you can certify for the extended 100k full coverage.

Mine was a brass hat car as well

All of my Caddys have been GM exec. cars. Ive had no issues and they are well kept vehicles. You cant beat the price.

F

urbanski · #4 (**permalink**) 01-13-09, 02:53 PM

there is a VIN check sticky in cts-v

RightTurn · #5 (**permalink**) 01-13-09, 04:37 PM

The OP said he had the Carfax. Is that the same as a VIN check?

LITTLEELVISDAN · #6 (**permalink**) 01-13-09, 07:50 PM

No.. Carfax only has something if it was reported. get the vin and check it on this site.

You can ask the OP.. was it a brass hat car (GM exec car) or GM buy back under a lemon law.. He by law has to tell you.. Then have the Vin checked by a Caddy dealer or the vin check on this site.

Gusteve · #7 (**permalink**) 01-13-09, 07:56 PM

Made a verbal deal late today. Looks like I'll pick up the car tomorrow sometime. '08 with 10k miles, black (of course) with the red-trimmed interior. Can't wait.

I think I figured out the answer to my question #2: the Cadillac Certified warranty is Bumper to Bumper for 6 yrs / 100k miles from in service date. Dealer wanted $1k for it - seems like I'd be an idiot not to do that. (That gives me about 5.5 yrs, 90k miles of warranty).

The dealer I'm buying from is about an hour away - but I think I'll stop by my local dealer and see if I can talk them into running the VIN for me for service history before I finalize the transaction.

Thanks for everyone's input. This car should be awesome.

LITTLEELVISDAN · #8 (**permalink**) 01-13-09, 07:56 PM

Mine, like F's, was a GM exec car.. Actually it was a dealer car that couldn't sell it new, so GM took it back and sent it to auction as an Exec car. It had 350 miles on it when I got it. USED but never titled. SWEET!!! I checked the Vin with several dealerships cause I was worried just like you. Do your homework and make them put it in writing. They should have the title, go take a look at it. Some states require it on the title if it was a lemon and some don't so check your local title office at to your states policy.

Brass hat car (gm Exec car) = good deal
Lemon GM buy back = RUN

Gusteve · #9 (**permalink**) 01-13-09, 08:22 PM

Dealer had first title. (12/08) They also had a "Certificate of Origin" from GM. (05/08) No other transactions in between that I could see. A buddy of mine suggested that if it was a GM exec car, and had big problems, that I wouldn't see a "buy-back" under lemon law since it was never officially titled in the first place.

I suppose that's possible - and maybe having the VIN service history might show something.

But - if I have a 100K / 5yr bumper to bumper warranty, can I still go wrong?

dhemrick · #10 (**permalink**) 01-13-09, 08:24 PM

Congrats on the new car. You will really enjoy it! I'd love to see pictures. I have the same color combination but in an '06. I'd love to see it in an '08.

And remember, the red interior is fastest.

mfrazstsv · #11 (**permalink**) 01-13-09, 11:11 PM

Good buy. Congrats. Mine, like Dan's and F's, was an exec car as best as I could tell. But I had a retail sale in the mix. Was in service for approx 9 months by GM, went to auction, then sold by Sewell in Dallas to elderly person who did not realize the car's potential. Traded it back in to Sewell Lexus, so I got an '06 with 2,500 miles and 5 yrs on the COP warranty this time last year, and only put 5,000 miles on since. I have the VIN history report, plus the COP warranty, so no worries, be happy. Best car I have ever owned. Let us know your experience.

CIWS · #12 (**permalink**) 01-14-09, 08:55 AM

Congrats on the Acquisition

There's several of us here in roughly the same boat. I think mine was a Show Car (sent to the car shows) as it only had 180 miles on it when I bought it and previously owned by GM.

Like urbi mentioned there is a thread in the 04-07 CTS-V forum stuck at the top where they will run the VIN on the car to see it's service history if your local connection doesn't work out. They will only do it for supporting members of the forum, but that's only 5.00 for a one month membership. Certainly worth it if one has multiple VINs they would like looked at.

http://www.cadillacforums.com/subscribe.html

SVT Gator · #13 (**permalink**) 01-15-09, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LITTLEELVISDAN

Make sure its not a GM buy back ... They have to disclose it and disclose what defect it was bough back under.(if its under lemon law then RUN) If it was a brass hat car then it will still have a new title, never titled in anyones name. Still in GM's name and a completely clear title. Demand to see the title. Get the VIN and post it here. ond of themembers will run it for you and tell you what up with the car.

Balance of warrenty is still there BUT since its a gm car then you can certify for the extended 100k full coverage.

Mine was a brass hat car as well

Don't be so hasty to immediately write a car off just because it may be a manufacturer buyback vehicle. Vehicles can be bought back for a variety of reasons and it also matters which state the vehicle is in as lemon laws vary. For example, in Texas, the lemon law says that the consumer can request the manufacturer to buy the vehicle back if "safety" components or systems have had to be repaired more than twice:

"Serious-safety-hazard test

If you have taken the vehicle for repair of a serious safety hazard:

once during the first 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first, and
once more during the 12 months or 12,000 miles following the first repair attempt, and
the problem is still not repaired
you pass the serious-safety-hazard test."

All airbags and seatbelts fall into the safety category so if, for example, a vehicle in Texas had a problem with an airbag sensor and the dealer did not fix it properly until the third repair, then that vehicle becomes eligible for a buyback. If the third repair really does fix the problem, however, then this vehicle could hardly be described as a lemon.

The point is that you should do your homework on the car before you make your purchasing decision. Get the Carfax, get the GM service report, and then call the servicing dealership and talk to the service manager about the history of the vehicle. You just may find the lemon-inducing "defect" has been repaired and that you may be able to get a great deal on a fine used vehicle.

Just food for thought... Good luck with your STS-V!