[Brett]

I'd yank the franchise from dealers equiping cars with super padded tops, gold badges, stainless stick-ons and Vogue tires. If owners want those things, they are available in the aftermaket, but they shouldn't be in the showroom. I'm really serious...right or wrong, cars equiped that way are a major turn-off for the customers Caddy now wants to acquire. That's why some folks won't be caught dead in a Caddy dealership. Some people may like the old look, but Caddy will die with them if they don't develop new customers. Hope I didn't offend anyone.

I could not possibly agree more to this statement

 

[Brett]

Funny you should mention this. I'm currently working up an advertizing plan for Cadillac. I've tried several times to get through to them and been blown off. Recently, I guess I finally hit the right chord and they have started a file for me and have asked me to contact someone up the tree about my ideas.
QUALITY.

The list of people that have a file on you must be staggering

 

[Brett]

To be honest, I didn't even address this point because it can't happen. Cadillac (and other OEMs) have much less control over the dealers than people think.
Hell, look what happened with Ford and the "Blue Oval" plan.

Yeah, theres no way to take away franchises because of the aftermarket equipment said franchisee chooses to install. But it would be nice if the dealers would voluntarily stop installing these types of things. That being said, they dont have a lot of motivation to say no to someone who wants to pay for it.

 

[Brett]

I'm not sure how applicable this really is to Cadillac, but:

I was at a BMW dealer Saturday and test drove an X5 and a 745i. One thing that stood out was that this was an authorized Dinan dealer. So they had all kinds of go-fast goodies for their cars. They would do all the install and your warranty was not effected at all. I drove a Dinan S2 X5(exhaust,CAI,shift program,engine program, not sure what else) and it was a blast, great V8 exhaust sound, superb handling, totally wowed me.

Fist an aftermarket would have to develop for Cadillac and then a Reputable supplier would have to come about, but in the future it would be really cool to have these kind of options at your local Caddy dealer.

 

[Brett]

First off i would like to Thank You for the opportunity to Earn your Business! I know i am going to get fired for this but you only live once Right :devillaug The very first thing that i would do given complete control of Cadillac would be to Scrap ALL Front Wheel Drive Designs and Shred them > 2nd would be to $hitcan the NorthStar and Replace it with a 400 Hp Small block Chevy engine, and get back to basics as KatShot mentioned earlier. I would then find some "old school" design engineers to create an all new Rear Wheel Drive Fleetwood, Deville, Eldorado, Seville, STS, CTS, and the all New VTS & VTC >Virtual Touring Sedan & Virtual Touring Coupe > Body on Full Frame Designs only > no more Unibody BS FOR MY CUSTOMERS. I would bring back some of the Classic Cadillac Looks blended with modern day aerodynamics for an All New Design. I would Simplify ALL the Electronics, no more idiot lights. Only LCD, digital and analog guage instramentation, Most all vehicles will be "special Custom ordered" so the customer can "build" the car Via Virtual Computor and Test Drive it B-4 it's built at the Dealership. During the Virtual test drive the Customer will be able to make any changes to the suspension, engine tourque, Transmission shift points and a full array of "MANY OPTIONS" To Choose from the "Base" model. The All New Cadillacs would vary greatly in price range depending mainly on build options. The main goal would be to offer the consumer a better built car for a more "affordable price" AND > unsurpassed QUALITY & "Dependability". The All New Cadillacs would come with a 10 Year 200,000 mile Warranty!
Stop by your All New Cadillac Dealer and Make Your Virtual Car A Reality.

Yikes, sounds nice, but not gonna happen. Some of what you suggest might require seperate EPA cert. for every car that leaves the factory

 

[Brett]

the CTS is a hit and in the next couple years, all Cadillacs will look like CTSs. Remember, you heard it here first.

Ummm, no kidding. There is pretty ample evidence in the form of Escalades, SRX, XLR, STS spy shots that they are headed that way.



I liked the Aviator, but I couldnt get over the interior. It looked nice, but the silver plastic? in the center console turned me off a bit.

I just put a deposit down on an '04 X5

 

[Brett]

Its funny how you go out with all this money to spend, thinking 50-60k will give you all the choices in the world, and then very quickly it comes down to 1 or 2 things.

Im staying away from Nav systems and things like that, so the X5 is suppose to be around 58k, not great but i'll live

 

[Brett]

Yeah well, I'm gonna guess you're also not getting 4.6is either.
When I priced out an X5 I was close to 70K list, 63 and change invoice. That's just too much for me to spend on that little truck. It's hot looking and all, and it IS a BMW, but there's a limit to what I'll pay for that stuff. To be honest, if money was no issue and my wife's opinion didn't matter, I hate to say it but I think I would still get the FX45.
I just love the look of that thing. Believe me, I'm certainly not saying it's worth what they're asking. But if money was no option............

You're right. I'm getting the 4.4i. Actually, since it's going to be a 2004 there will be no 4.6is. The 4.4 is getting bumped to 315hp and a 4.8is will be coming out at the end of next year. Which means I had no temptation to splurge.

 

[Brett]

Funny you should mention that about the '04 changes. I JUST read the article in Automotive News last night. It didn't mention anything about a 4.8 though. Sounds NICE.
One question though, how the hell are you comfortable in that X5 when you've mentioned in many posts about how big you are? The cabin's kind of cramped to me.

I was surprised myself. The biggest problem I have with interiors is where my right knee makes contact with the console, and the way its shaped on the X5 its a real comfortable fit. In fact, the X5 was more comfortable than the 745(which has a column shifter, but still a console ). I got maybe 1/2-1 inch clearance for my head, so as long as I dont grow my hair out I should be ok there.

The info for the 4.8 came from a BMW website, that was linked to a german magazine interview with a BMW guy, that said the 4.6 would be replaced by the 4.8. I found it thru a search and can't seem to find it, but as I recall, they didnt say anything about hp numbers, just the fact that it was coming at some point

 

[Brett]

Of course you could then add technology to a large displacement engine....or put a big block in something like an AC cobra....so theres still no replace.............doh, i think we've been down this path. It ends up with me bashing AWD and Kat telling everyone they are wrong