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Here's your chance to suggest something directly to GM - don't waste it...

5K views 66 replies 23 participants last post by  Koooop 
#1 ·
It's a long story but I have a meeting with GM executives in about a week. I was invited to the GM Proving Grounds as well as the Detroit Auto Show during the week of "media only" - otherwise I'd have worked on meeting those of you out in Detroit during the main show..

ANYWAY. The question is: What should GM do going forward?

I'd like to get as many good answers as possible.. Please speak your mind...

Thank you!
 
#40 ·
MFT is only the second version of the system, and Sync before it was so hotly demanded that it ended up being a brilliant way for Ford to continue pooping otherwise outdated Focii out from coast to coast.

They all have teething problems, but the intent and approach of Sync and MFT is on the right track.
 
#41 ·
QUALITY! As someone who bought both an 07,then 08 CTS brand new I would say the main thing that would keep me going back (as far as the actual vehicle's go anyways) is DETAIL quality, GM seems to have materials quality and drive train reliability going in the right direction it's in the details where they fall short, BOTH of my CTS's had rattles loose fitting trim pieces and cheap detail pieces of trim (like the fake chrome plastic around the speedometer area) on the 08 the drivers lumbar support broke at 33k miles causing the seatback to fall off, exposing the horribly cheap plastic lumbar system (witch also was attached with zip ties and used plastic gears). A friend of mine bought a brand new silverado last year and his seatback is already falling off and the headliner is sagging on the passenger sunvisor and around the a pillars. I think GM is getting there but they need to do all of there product testing BEFORE there new models are released and not on customer cars (even though I know that SOME issues must be learned by trial and error)

Overall I think this is where GM gets there poor quality reputation despite the fact that so many of there older vehicle's are still on the road, most without proper maintenece, it's the trim piece that falls off here, or never fit right in the first place, these are the area's where other manufacturer's have them beat in spades. Think of it this way, if you buy a new CTS and a new E550 and the CTS constantly sqeaks,rattles and has to go in for trim issues while the E goes in for a 1800 dollar censor, the CTS owner will bitch about poor quality way more due to the fact that they feel trim should be something any idiot could get right where as some censor they don't understand will be forgiven for perceived complexity and the fact that it simply failed, not annoyed them EVERY time the drove the car (as a rattle or fit issue will). I know I've rambled a bit but I think the concept of what I am trying to communicate is apprent :bouncy:
 
#50 ·
Yeah I totally agree that there are a lot of people who have nothing better to do then complain and for these people nothing will ever be good enough. I bought the08 cts because despite all of this being a car guy i loved the 07 even with it's oddball issues. On the other hand these types of issues would be OK on a 11k aveo but not on ANYTHING more exspensive especially a cadillac. I mean where would hyundai/kia be if they still had these sorts of issue's? There growth would have been severely stunted if not stopped.
 
#43 ·
Damn I want one of those 6.3 E class wagons and the Panamera sure is whistling at me!

CTS pushrod V8 (sans supercharger) wagon could prevent me from going back to a furrin ride.

If I say it enough will they listen?
 
#44 ·
BUILD QUALITY. Please GM, get it right for a change. The last three vehicles we've bought ('07 CTS, '08 Tahoe, '10 SRX) have all been rattle-cans. This makes me crazy, and has guaranteed that I am moving away from GM for my next purchase. As others have stated, it's the quality and RELIABILITY that customers want for their money.

Oh, and as long as we're asking for the impossible, I'd like my "AMERICAN" car to be built in the USA. :thumbsup:
 
#45 ·
Rattles in a newer modern Cadillac?? That should not be happening in such a expensive car, it's inexcusable.

Ford interiors feel a little nicer than GM at the moment. Hyundai is the most impressive at it's price point. GM is getting there, but "Getting there" or "almost" doesn't cut it anymore. The competition is too fierce to be lagging behind.

I didn't mention Buick, but I was very impressed by the La Cross when I was at the auto show. The interior's are really nice, don't care for it's exterior styling all too much, but they do seem more upscale than Cadillac as of now, especially for older buyers.

I think all auto manufacturer pretty much have performance and technology down, the only focus what's needed, is on build quality and better styling. That's it! How hard can it be for Cadillac to eliminate squeaks and rattles from their vehicles? Do they even test drive them first in case problems pop up, before they get shipped off to the dealers? If not, that is unacceptable for cars that cost as much as a down payment towards a house. Not to mention none of Cadillacs cars look like they are worth almost $70,000. Other than it's technology and engine specs, they are just regular mid size cars rolling around with the Cadillac emblems. Ok, now the V series got something going for them, but are they truly worth the asking price?

V6 engines are nice in all, but they really don't provide the huge performance gains like a V8 does. Your asking too much from a 3. whatever DI V6 supercharged engine to pump out over 300 hp. Adding that kind of stress to a motor with a low displacement is asking for trouble years later down the road. I still think another V8 is desperately needed in it's lineup as an option other than the 4.6 NS and the super 6.2. But it wont matter until Caddy finally decides it would be a good idea to build a "true" flagship vehicle again in the future with much edgier styling inside and out. The DTS is looking tired on the inside.

The only Cadillac I remember driving that squeaked and rattled it's ass off, was my 72 Deville. My 94 Fleet doesn't even make those kinds of sounds, none.
 
#46 ·
The 1992-'96 Fleetwood is to Cadillac as the '98-2000 LS400 is to Lexus. Really the height of solid, well put together build quality (for GM), top notch materials and that "solid hunk of steel" feel. I say "for GM" because they did still have their share of small problems... such as OptiSpark and the poor quality adhesive used on the cloth material attached to the pillar covers and of course the headliner.
 
#47 ·
Nah Ian, I never thought the Fleetwoods were that well built or built of great materials. I've seen various Caprices, Fleetwoods and Roadmasters with loose, rattly faux wood trim, cheap leather and hard plastics. Not a peak of construction and quality, but considering what else GM was putting out at the time, they weren't awful.
 
#49 ·
I'll agree to that, actually. There were some small differences, but really, it's a B-body with extra rear legroom.


But everyone here knows I loves me some B-bodies. :thumbsup:


And Ian I think you meant '94-96 to address your comments ('93 didn't have the LT1, and '92 was still the boxy version from 1980, albeit with a few updates).
 
#51 ·
Whoops, yes 'Roo I meant '94 to '96. I still stand by my statement though, if you compare a Fleetwood to modern day STS or especially to a comparable Crown Vic or Town Car of the time all the parts and pieces just felt heftier to me. The STS has plastics that flex when you push on them like so many things these days, hard leathers, etc. The CV and TC of that time didn't feel as if there was much substance to them, especially when closing the doors. It was that tinny Ford metal used on everything they made around that time. So yes, they probably still had rattles and quality problems, but I still consider them a height of manufacturing quality in many ways keeping in context the rest of what GM and Ford were putting out at that time.

The only other GM product that I might give that designation to is the 1992, and ONLY the 1992 Seville and '92 and '93 Eldorado with the 4.9. The '92 STS Jesda had was an incredible testament to build quality as compared with the '98+.

Now, let me reiterate that I am NOT asking for Cadillac to build another Fleetwood either. That car is a land yacht and that's what SUVs are for these days. Just a large V8 RWD sedan on par in size with its competition, with similar driving characteristics but without forgetting its comfort roots (a-la Equus/LS460) and without all those squeaky hollow plastics.
 
#52 ·
I agree the fourth series Seville (at least STS) from 1992 thru 1995 had pretty decent build quality in both materials and assembly. Both the '93 and the '95 that I have had were decently put together and the materials, while not the fanciest or most expensive have stood the test of time (in the case of the '95 STS, 15 years and continuing) well. The fifth generation Sevilles were not only decontented, but showed cheapened materials,but also shoddier assembly standards. The fifth generation Sevilles have a more European driving dynamic, but somehow lack a certain "presence" in the way they drive and certainly in the way they come across. The 1998-'04 Sevilles were an attempt to more closely emulate a BMW 5 series and not to be a Cadillac per se. Of course it is all a matter of taste, but for American driving I prefer the driving dynamics of the 4th generation cars over that of the 5th generation Sevilles.
 
#55 ·
And...there's this. Chevy trucks outsell the crap outta GMC:
YE 2008, Units Sold

Chevy Silverado 465,065
Chevy Avalanche 35,003
GMC Sierra 168,544
Dodge Ram 245,840
Ford F-Series 515,513
Toyota Tundra 137,249
Nissan Titan 34,053

Eliminating Chevy trucks would be fraught with dumbassery. :coffee:
 
#56 ·
Hire Jill Wagner now. In the late 60's, Oldsmobile crawled out of a luxury-only reputation with a Hurst/Olds (shifter) ad campaign that needed a boost in performance recognition. Cue in Linda Vaughn. It also secured a piece of performance history with not only a good luxury performance reputation, but a pretty face to carry the torch and re-light the flame (even after the Oldsmobile production ended).
 
#61 ·
LOL, I saw Linda Vaughn at Cars n Coffee in Irvine Ca a few months ago. I didn't think I'd ever see her name in here.

The "Shifty Dr." was always a favorite of mine, I have an old school Hurst T style shift knob in my V (on top of a B & M shifter) as a tribute to the Dr. of course.

I love the history that goes with Cadillac (or Oldsmobile) nameplates. Eldorado, Seville, Brougham, Fleetwoot etc. are rich in that history. I like the use of V in the HO cars, good idea that can carry on for a long time. V could be the Cadillac version of SS in the not to distant future.
 
#60 ·
Suddenly, I have the strangest desire to go purchase a Mercury Topaz.
 
#65 ·
I went and had a look over the new CTS-V wagon. I still hold out hope for an LS3 CTS-V wagon, but I have my doubts.

The salesman actually took an up call while he was with me. I guess showing up in a V1 wasn't good enough for him.
 
#67 ·
Me thinks I would go to jail with an LSA...

It's possible that an LSA powered V will be in my garage at some point, but the Panamera is awfully sweet and I don't have to get FI or a V6. I never would have thought it was going to be possible to cross shop Porsche and Cadillac someday, I doubt the folks at Cadillac anticipated such a thing but here it is. Porsche gives the choice of V6, normally asperated V8 or a forced induction V8 power (a full menu). Cadillac is not offering middle ground in the line up which is unfortunate. A V6 is for the wife, 556HP is for the maniac. Where's mine at? When I do get serious, it'll be tough not to grab a slightly used Panamera.

Whatever the outcome for me, it won't be for a bit since V1 only has 65,000 miles on it.
 
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