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10K views 25 replies 8 participants last post by  MrPeterVey 
#1 ·
So Cadillac launched the BLS this year and sales are low. I think the 150 cars were given away to passingbyers. All other models are not doing well either.

How are you supposed to sell any car without doing some proper advertisement? You really think the Europeans will buy a new product out of pure naive curiosity? 99,9% of the Europeans don't even know Cadillac makes new cars!

On one hand it feels very exclusive to drive my CTS here and people turn their heads. But I also feel the negative side when I deal with poor service from my dealer.:mad:

So, be wise
advertise!
 
#3 ·
Chevy only makes advertisements for the recently overtaken small Daywoo models. The Corvette sells itself. Buick we don't have. But since Chrysler is part Benz they get plenty of PR. Chrysler was and is the only US brand that does advertisement and that's why you see that damn cheap 300c everywhere now!
 
#5 ·
Hummer we have. All the version from H1 to H3. But you see them very rarely. Chrysler pretty much got it's whole arsenal in Europe. Sometimes under a different name. Like in the beginning the sebring convertible was called a Stratus convertible... Chrysler has a nice size that fits Europe. Even that 300C fits in now. Although its big for European standards. Since it is so cheap you see all kinds of punks driving that car... too bad!

But a little advertising would do good for Cadillac!
 
#6 ·
I've seen billboards and some magazine ads for the '08 CTS last year. They lasted a few months. Maybe 4 or so? And now all around Cadillac in Europe is dead now.

Hello?

Sales went down and Lansing is feeling it. Aren't you supposed to make a better campaign to sell Cadillac in Europe or any export region?
The CTS is a great car, but if noone knows it, it will not be sold!

Kick someone in the butt and make it happen!
 
#7 ·
heee dutchman...
wat doe je in duitsland :) (what are you doing in germany)

You can get almost al us brands over here in the netherlands.... Cadillac,Chevrolet (and daewoochevy), Corvette, Hummer, Ford US (we have Ford europe as well of course), Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep.... and most other brands and models as well trough parallel -grey- import companies.

Service indeed sucks.... but don't all dealers suck?
Cadillac e.g. hardly has any dealerships. My local dealer actually is an Opel garage and a caddy service point.

But who cares.....
I love to work on my car.. and driving an STS in Holland is like owning a Renault in the US. :)

And for now...
Keep your fingers crossed that Cadillac survives the crisis. :-(
 
#8 ·
Hey buddy!

I work for Airbus in Hamburg :)

I actually visited the Lansing Plant in September and was impressed by the involvement of all the workers in the final assy line. I also pointed out the lack of PR in Europe to their management and they took it serious. But they currently have serious other concerns... :(

I just hope GM keeps their head above the water! :thumbsup:
 
#9 ·
In 2008 there was nearly no PR for Cadillac in Germany.

In 2009 there was, but bad PR... The European GM dealer went in bankrupty in March 2009. So no one knows when and how warranty for GM cars will be given. Now the owners of GM cars have to pay first for warranty works and then wait. May be they will get their money back sometime.

Who will buy a GM car now in Europe?
 
#10 ·
In 2008 there was nearly no PR for Cadillac in Germany.

In 2009 there was, but bad PR... The European GM dealer went in bankrupty in March 2009. So no one knows when and how warranty for GM cars will be given. Now the owners of GM cars have to pay first for warranty works and then wait. May be they will get their money back sometime.

Who will buy a GM car now in Europe?
I been informed that warrantees are secured. Also in Europe.
:hmm:
 
#11 ·
Maybe that warranty will be secured in Germany - but I dont know when...

Some weeks ago I asked my Cadillac dealer in Braunschweig. He told me that he would call me if warranty for Cadillac is secured here. Until now he did not call me.

And I had called some other dealers in Hamburg, Berlin, Kassel. They told me the same.

This situation lasts since March. So it is nearly three months now without a way out of this bad situation for Cadillac owners.

Who will buy a Cadillac without knowing if or when warranty will be given for these cars...?
 
#12 ·
Maybe that warranty will be secured in Germany - but I dont know when...

Some weeks ago I asked my Cadillac dealer in Braunschweig. He told me that he would call me if warranty for Cadillac is secured here. Until now he did not call me.

And I had called some other dealers in Hamburg, Berlin, Kassel. They told me the same.

This situation lasts since March. So it is nearly three months now without a way out of this bad situation for Cadillac owners.

Who will buy a Cadillac without knowing if or when warranty will be given for these cars...?
That is worrying. My dealer said he prepared a letter for all customers to assure warranty. I never received the letter and this was weeks ago, so you might be right.
 
#13 ·
Today I talked with the service manager of the Cadillac dealer in Braunschweig/Germany. He told me that there is the same situation as more than two months ago: for warranty works you have to pay first. Then you may hope that you will get money back some time...

He also told me that there might be a change in two or three weeks. But he told me the same in April 2009 so I dont believe in it.
 
#14 ·
Today I talked with the service manager of the Cadillac dealer in Braunschweig/Germany. He told me that there is the same situation as more than two months ago: for warranty works you have to pay first. Then you may hope that you will get money back some time...

He also told me that there might be a change in two or three weeks. But he told me the same in April 2009 so I dont believe in it.
I got a letter this week from the Cadillac Dealer in Hamburg (Dello) securing warrantees. I have been talking to them personally many times and they agree they need more PR in Europe. But their hands are tied as GM/Cadillac Europe has no budget from GM/Cadillac US. Even before this crisis.

We'll see if this ever changes. It is actually so sad that I feel I could do a better job if they would hire me... ;)
 
#15 ·
Without money there is no PR for Cadillac in Europe. But without PR they will not sell their cars here.

That is very sad because I am sure Cadillac could sell their cars here. STS is comparable to Mercedes S, BMW 7, Audi A8, and is cheaper. XLR is in the range of Mercedes SL, BMW 6, CTS of Merdedes E and BMW 5.

But without PR and without good service Cadillac will make not much money here...
 
#16 ·
I had some calls around Germany:

The dealer in Hamburg sent that letter to his customers. They ensure warranty only for them.

In Braunschweig it is still the old situation for warranty. In Kassel it seems to be the same.

But I was informed from a manager of a Cadillac dealer in Bitburg that Friday next week warranty for GM cars will become normal.

Let us wait and see...
 
#17 ·
Warranty ok, but Cadillac stopped exports to Europe completely. Even Russia and Switzerland don't receive converted models.
When will Cadillac return to Europe?
And when they do, will they have a good plan?

I truely hope so...
 
#19 ·
YEah, they will present their new plans at the Geneva Auto Show. I hope they will show the diesel CTS! I would rather go for a CTS Sport Wagon Turbo Diesel AWD.
 
#20 ·
I took notice of the latest news on the plans for Europe:

- No target
- No plan
- No serious PR nor campaign
- No diesel

I guess this is even more pathetic than the first attempt in 2004.
Learned nothing?
 
#22 ·
Keep the faith people… and keep reading.

Cadillac has now three awesome models worth fighting for: ATS, CTS 2014 and XTS. They have to come with a promise, a position and a personality miles ahead of that from the three usual suspects. When you approach a prospect with these hopes (promise, positioning, personality) in mind, think how a great brand can help them. That most people never heard of Cadillac doesn't matter really, you have got this amazing track record, you just have to help them understand your value as you pitch such a new or unfamiliar product.

And they can, I truly, honestly believe they can since there are too many effective ways to do this. Such an American icon should be able to do it. Besides that, these amazingly great companies are constantly in start-up mode, always looking to enter new markets, a great brand is a magnet to those premium customers who drive growth. I want to make a point here, while there are premium brands in any market sector out there, we should not hold in low regard the shift happening nowadays where the customers are labeling themselves as premium. So, it all comes back to people, they set priorities and thinking.

So if GM is looking for how to build its Cadillac brand here in Old Europe, look for and to these types of people. Then imagine how a better, much stronger promise, position, personality you will have.

Last but not least and with all due respect… Diesel? No, no, no. Diesels should be banned from everywhere and premium cities (cities are also branded these days) are already doing it. Cadillac does NOT need a Diesel under the hood. That would backfire sooner than later.

Call me crazy if you want… just remember the most sought-after people will always be labeled as such. :wink:
 
#23 ·
Sorry, but all premium cars in Europe (besides Russia and Switzerland) mostly run diesel. All models above mid-size sell primerily as diesel.
- E220, E250, E350, ML300, ML350, S350, CLS300, CLS350, G350, GL350, GLK200, GLK220, GLK250, GLK350,
- 525D, 530D, 535D, 730D, 735D, X5, X3
- A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Q5, Q7

The overall average of petrol vs diesel might be 50/50 in Europe, but for the bigger cars it is mostla diesels. So offering CTS and SRX and maybe XTS in Europe without diesel is a mistake. Especially without any proper PR, which is still missing. How is Cadillac expecting to attract customers in Europe?

Hey, I am one of very few crazy people that would still buy a new Cadillac without PR and even without diesel. But if Cadillac wants to sell more, they need to work on it.
 
#24 ·
Update:
So far still only ATS 2.0 and CTS 2.0. There is no 3.6.
And the SRX and old Escalade...

Cadillac will NEVER sell a CTS 2.0 in Europe. That size car is either attracted by people wanting performance or as a diesel cruiser. I am still amazed there is no plan, no PR, no target. The few loyal dealers pretty much feel left behind. And the few loyal (former) customers as well.
 
#25 ·
I see Eldo that You are still fighting :banghead:
I nearly gave up. First of all used CTS Coupes keep their high prices like crazy compared to sedans. Secondly there's no 3.6 in ATS - at the same time Cadillac officials admit from time to time that lack of engine choices is a problem in Europe... :banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:
I am enthusiast, fed up with German cars - have had all kinds of them in my family. But there's not a single Cadillac dealership here in Poland (nearest one in Slovakia). Meanwhile Infiniti in two first months of 2014 sold more SUVs on Polish market than in the last whole year. I even stopped watching Cadillac Russia FB where You can see pictures of local drive events, trips of Cadillac Club Russia to Detroit. Europe is in Cadillac's opinion an underdog. Sad just SAD.
 
#26 ·
General Motors has failed at domestic marketing for as long as it's been trying to be a FWD company (thanks Bob Stempel). Why would marketing in Europe be any different? It makes little sense trying to market to buyers that don't want your product; as it makes no sense whatsoever not making what your customers want need and deserve.
 
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