I just want to tell you about the horrors of Cadillac ownership in Denmark. I’ve owned my 2006 STS since Sept 2013, and still enjoy driving it, but ownership can be a nightmare.
There are very few Cadillacs or other finer US cars in Denmark. There are two reasons for that. The first is the new car tax of 180% + vat, that means that my STS costs €140k when it was new. I bought mine used for €25k, so the value drop for the first owner has been like the value of a small house.
The second reason there are so few Cadillacs on Danish roads is the dealerships. The service is not good, nowhere near the level you could expect from a premium car dealer, and they try to rob you any chance they get. Today’s call to the dealer is a good example.
My STS has on/off starting issues, I live with it because I’ve installed a jumper wire, and after last oil change (done by me) the Check Engine is lit. After getting advice on this forum, I wanted to get the ECU, the theft prevention system and the navigation software updated (to be able to use newer map discs), and read the Check Engine code. There’s a dealer walking distance from my workplace, and 100 miles to the next one, so tried the near one.
So I called and asked the price of the three sw updates. Then he started on what couldn’t be done. They could not update the nav sw, they had so many problems with this car. I said that was strange, because right after I bought the car I had asked for a price to update navigation, I was told no problem, but I needed first to have nav sw updated and then a new map disc (for that they would charge me €1,100. I said no thanks). Then he sounded a bit insulted, and yes there may be a solution, but he would need my VIN. I said I had info here, he sounded disappointed, but he took the VIN and said he would call back with prices on the 3 SW updates.
Then I mentioned the Check Engine light. Then he suddenly sounded a bit happier and friendlier. He asked the cars miles and the oil consumption. Because that could easily be the front chains, a well-known and €5-7k issue on the 3.6. I told him about my low oil consumption, he said that it could still be the chains… I felt he had smelled blood/money, and wouldn’t let go. It is a well-known fact among the small community in Denmark that are wealthy and crazy enough to buy new US cars, that the dealers try to rob you any chance they get. There are stories about a Cadillac with an intermittent electrical problem, where the dealer got away with changing the entire wiring at €6k, didn’t fix the problem. Best case, they don’t know what they’re doing, and just replace components until it works, at your expense, worst case the deliberately take the costly detour.
So I got a call back from him, he left a message, update of sw 3 components, €1,100.
As long as it runs, I dare not leave my Cadillac there. It’s a shame, it’s right next to my job, and I don’t mind spending money on my great car, but I don’t want to get robbed. So when I ask questions on this forum, and somebody answers, time to take it to the dealer, that’s not a solution for me. A have a local garage that can help me with most things, but things like sw updates, they can’t. So end result, I’m living with my starting issue, my jumper wire, my outdated nav and my Check Engine light. And the dealer lays off people because they don’t get enough business. Crazy.
There are very few Cadillacs or other finer US cars in Denmark. There are two reasons for that. The first is the new car tax of 180% + vat, that means that my STS costs €140k when it was new. I bought mine used for €25k, so the value drop for the first owner has been like the value of a small house.
The second reason there are so few Cadillacs on Danish roads is the dealerships. The service is not good, nowhere near the level you could expect from a premium car dealer, and they try to rob you any chance they get. Today’s call to the dealer is a good example.
My STS has on/off starting issues, I live with it because I’ve installed a jumper wire, and after last oil change (done by me) the Check Engine is lit. After getting advice on this forum, I wanted to get the ECU, the theft prevention system and the navigation software updated (to be able to use newer map discs), and read the Check Engine code. There’s a dealer walking distance from my workplace, and 100 miles to the next one, so tried the near one.
So I called and asked the price of the three sw updates. Then he started on what couldn’t be done. They could not update the nav sw, they had so many problems with this car. I said that was strange, because right after I bought the car I had asked for a price to update navigation, I was told no problem, but I needed first to have nav sw updated and then a new map disc (for that they would charge me €1,100. I said no thanks). Then he sounded a bit insulted, and yes there may be a solution, but he would need my VIN. I said I had info here, he sounded disappointed, but he took the VIN and said he would call back with prices on the 3 SW updates.
Then I mentioned the Check Engine light. Then he suddenly sounded a bit happier and friendlier. He asked the cars miles and the oil consumption. Because that could easily be the front chains, a well-known and €5-7k issue on the 3.6. I told him about my low oil consumption, he said that it could still be the chains… I felt he had smelled blood/money, and wouldn’t let go. It is a well-known fact among the small community in Denmark that are wealthy and crazy enough to buy new US cars, that the dealers try to rob you any chance they get. There are stories about a Cadillac with an intermittent electrical problem, where the dealer got away with changing the entire wiring at €6k, didn’t fix the problem. Best case, they don’t know what they’re doing, and just replace components until it works, at your expense, worst case the deliberately take the costly detour.
So I got a call back from him, he left a message, update of sw 3 components, €1,100.
As long as it runs, I dare not leave my Cadillac there. It’s a shame, it’s right next to my job, and I don’t mind spending money on my great car, but I don’t want to get robbed. So when I ask questions on this forum, and somebody answers, time to take it to the dealer, that’s not a solution for me. A have a local garage that can help me with most things, but things like sw updates, they can’t. So end result, I’m living with my starting issue, my jumper wire, my outdated nav and my Check Engine light. And the dealer lays off people because they don’t get enough business. Crazy.