[Andrew_R]

Hello all,

I have been reading through this site to learn a bit more about the Cadillac CTS before I take the plunge and test drive one. I am considering purchasing a 2003 or 2004 model for "full-time" or "daily-driver" use. The gas mileage is significantly improved over the truck I drive now and words can not describe how much "classier" the CTS is than my present transportation.

The issues that stand out in my mind at this moment are practicality, affordabiity, etc. I live in Rhode Island where the snow can sometimes hit pretty hard, and I need to know if this vehicle is up to the challenge. I am upgrading from a very nice regular cab truck, and the main driving force that is motivating me to get out of it is a sevre lack of storage/passenger space. My research indicates that the fuel economy is significantly better with the CTS than the truck. Insurance appears to be cheaper.

The things I really want to find out are how these vehicles perform in incliment weather and how they withstand the test of time. My father has warned me that once I drive a Caddy I will never be happy driving anything else (he speaks from experience) and suggested I "drive anything else I am interested in first, because I won't want to after I drive a Cadillac." I hope he is right, because I have found several decent offers in my area.

Just as a point of reference, I am also considering 2002-2003 BMW 3 series. I have not driven either yet, nor do I know anybody who owns either.

 

[CTS V6 3.6]

well as for the question on how it handles in snow....Terrible. I hate to say it but, for me in NY I could not drive at all last year when we got flurries. Ive driven a corvette in the snow and honestly i think it handled better lol. But as for quality and fit and finish of the car....BMW and mercedes cant touch it. they are far more expensive and give you less. Neither will ride nearly as good either. This coming from me

 

[AznPrydeRegalRyde]

Don't listen to anyone who says it can't be winter-driven. The CTS handles perfectly fine in the winter. NY doesn't get nearly as bad weather as some of our Canadian members get. One member even drove last winter on A/S tires and it worked out fine. Get a good set of winter tires like Dunlop M3's or Michelin Pilot Alpins and youre good to go. Hills will be tricky, due to the rwd, but thats it. It's great balance really shines through in harsh weather.

On how the CTS stands the test of time, well, buy one and find out with the rest of us. This car came out as an '03 model. According to JDPower, Cadillac places in the top5 in terms of reliability, along with Buick and Lincoln. BMW or Mercedes don't make it into the top10, IIRC. Also, keep in mind that this isn't your typical Caddy that your father has driven. He drove caddy's when they made land-yachts. The CTS is the first Caddy into the sport-sedan segment. BUT, it keeps all the good Caddy qualities and adds sportiness. If you want a luxo-cruiser, get a CTS without the sport package, its alot smoother.

The CTS does 99% of the same job the C-class and 3-series do, for alot cheaper.

I came from a Regal GS and a Volvo S60R, just to give you an idea. I could have bought a 330i, and would have, had Caddy not given me an extremely viable alternative.

Sorry for the ramble. Welcome to the site, and hope to see ya back with your own CTS!

 

[Smokin' 04 CTS]

Its def great car, and it has a real classy look to it. C-class benz's and 3-series BMW's are notorious chick cars (esp. out here in cali). CTS is a ballzey car and has the looks and hp to back it up. I get compliments on how "tight/sweet my car is" almost everyday.

What really gets me is that when I walk up to my car parked in the physician's parking lot after leaving work, it still looks badass up against porshes, SL's and 7-series Beemers (not that it compares with them, but aesthetically- it looks awesome).

You'll have fun with it, and TCS does a good job of preventing you from having too much fun (in case you were worried about the snow).

 

[NorthwestCTS]

I have only owned my CTS for 3 weeks but have absolutely no regrets buying it. I looked at and drove alot of cars before deciding on the CTS. Don't waste your time with a 3 series. A friend of my son's owned one and I really was not impressed, unreliable and gutless. The 5 series is a much nicer car but spendy like the Mercedes. I drove the '05 Chrysler 300 and did not like it at all. The '06 Impala SS is eqipped nice and has power but did not handle as well. I actually decided to buy an '05 STS but drove a CTS just to compare and ended up buying it. I don't think you would be disapointed. I also would highly recommend the 3.6L.

 

[noobcts]

HEY everyone!

I am also looking to buy a caddy cts.... but like the other gentleman i am worried about the long term reliability of the car... i know domestics have come a long way from the stereotypical "Fix Or Repair Daily" image...

I currently drive a Impreza Wrx tuned to 320hp but i'm getting sick of the racerboy image and honestly it is getting too bumpy... i want to upgrade to something i can just cruise around town in and not shake everything else to shitz...

so basically the topic of snow driving has been covered by many members.... but here are my questions

-Is there a newer version of the cts coming out next year or so?
-Asides from the ECU update and occasional burnout bumps are there any other recalls?
-how is it on the gas?

many thanks

des

 

[c5 rv]

I have an '04 with the 3.6 and it is a great package. I test drove an '03 when they came out, but waited a year for the new engine.

I drove the CTS through it's first winter with Michelin Pilot Alpins and had no traction problems on Michigan roads - both paved and unpaved.

Try to find one with the 17" wheels and sports suspension and compare that to your other choices.

 

[Michael S]

Hi Andrew. As far as practicality and affordability, the CTS should do better than the BMW. For comfort as well. If you are looking for a true drivers car, meaning one that really handles well and gives great feedback to the driver, then the BMW is the way to go. I enjoy my 2005 CTS but it is not the equal of BMW or Audi as a drivers car. Thanks, Mike.

 

[Michael 514]

Hey there,

Well, I can't really speak about Winter driving, because I only got my 2004 CTS a few months ago.

It was a demo driven by the dealership's owner for a year and a half. Had about 20,000 miles on it.

I gotta tell you -- I am thrilled with the car. I don't impress easily, either. I usually find 100 things wrong with something when I buy something. But I am thrilled with the car.

I just put on some winter tires from Costco. Tiger Paws. So I'll be able to tell you about winter driving in a week or so.

Call me a branding whore, but I added 3 Cadillac chrome scripts to the trunk and the two doors. I also added nicer chrome tailpipes.

The car had a problem making a 'rocking chair'-like noise when I would stop, but I brought it in, and it was fixed under warranty (They changed the control arms).

The car is unbelievably tight. No rattles. No problems. Nothing. Very, very solid.

Of course, I'm used to driving a V8 Trans Am convertible Ram Air all summer, so I know what a crappy-built GM car sounds like! (But I llllllllove my Trans Am).

Bottom line is that year after year, I would always get depressed when I put away the Trans Am for the winter. Now that I have a CTS, I am actually fine (mentally) with storing my Bird.

The car is a pleasure to drive.

It doesn't get thumbs-up at every red light like the Ram Air does, yet believe it or not, it does get compliments and looks.

 

[Jon]

I've had no reliability issues with the car, and I drove it through Canadian winter without snow tires, with no prob.

Now as for telling you about my CTS... Ummm, it's for sale

 

[Andrew_R]

I went to the local dealership and had a look around last night. I was really impressed with the CTS in [erson, even after seeing so many pictures prior to going. I'm planning on stopping in this evening for the test drive!

 

[dheftler]

I have an '03 with the Lux. Sport package. When you were told to drive everything else first, they werent kidding! I made the "mistake" of driving the Caddy first and it is true, everything else just "was not the Caddy". I leased mine and the lease was up at the end of Oct. and I just could not find anything else that was comparable to replace it and ended up buying it out. I love everything about this car EXCEPT the winter handling. I have to admit that it is lousy. But that was not a huge concern because I also have a 4X4 that I can use. My advice is get it!

 

[Planediveguy]

I got my CTS three weeks ago also and love every minute that I spend driving it. You will not be dissapointed!

 

[AznPrydeRegalRyde]

I can't understand anybody who says this car handles poorly in the winter. It's a helluva lot better then a fwd car. All the weight in the front trying to turn?

The CTS is balanced great, like 53/47 IIRC.

Like Jon siad, in TORONTO, CANADA, he drove last winter without snow tires.
If you can't drive this car in the winter, you just don't know how to drive well.

 

[Jon]

I can't understand anybody who says this car handles poorly in the winter. It's a helluva lot better then a fwd car. All the weight in the front trying to turn?

The CTS is balanced great, like 53/47 IIRC.

Like Jon siad, in TORONTO, CANADA, he drove last winter without snow tires.
If you can't drive this car in the winter, you just don't know how to drive well.

Exactly. The car is balanced so perfectly, that winter driving is easy. You just have to know how to react and not panic if you fishtail. Then you can do this...

 

[xrt4]

I have a 2006 CTS and picked it up right after they showed up on the lots. I traded in a BMW 330 and I have to say the CTS is its equal, but much nicer looking. I haven't taken my CTS out in the snow yet, I have a 2000 Escalade with 4 wheel drive and the combination of snow, hills and pitiful drivers make it the beast of choice in snow.

As for reliability, my wife and I have had 14 Cadillacs over the years and only one of them ever gave me any trouble. BMW isn't entirely reliable, but no worse than any other. I bought my wife a Lexus due to its reputation of being the most reliable car on the road. It had steering and front end problems when we got it although they have were corrected by the dealer after two tries. No car is flawless, Cadillac has an average reliability rating and a "Recommened Buy" from Consumers Report. Some other groups rate it a litte higher in reliability.

It's a great buy for the money. Comfortable, moderately luxurious, and absolutely fun to drive. :thumbsup:

 

[2004CTS]

Personally, I absolutely love mine. The test drive largely sold it. I've loved the looks of these cars since they debuted.

 

[kanniballl]

I picked up my 06 CTS on Tuesday 27 December 2005.

I've only put like 150 miles on it so far, but they've been great. Smooth ride, great handling, and some nice "oomph" when I need to accelerate.

It's my first "new" car so I'm giggling like a school girl over the whole experience. MY family's always been GM followers (though I was looking elsewhere) and it's a friggin Caddie!

My observations:

2006 Cadillac CTS
Honestly, the other posts in the forum will probably give better CTS reviews than me. But here is a quick rundown.
The drive is insanely great. It's the first time I've driven a RWD car since '97 (which I never got to drive in the snow). I'm wondering what the winter is going to be like, but dry weather has been superb. Great handling, great acceleration, smooth ride, and relatively quiet (I've been in quieter).

The interior is nice. I'm a big big guy but I fit well inside (with the seat all the way back). The controls are laid out quite well, but I have the GPS system so I don't know what the regular setup is like.

It was my favorite body, interior, and ride out of all of the cars I was looking at (and I was looking since March).



Chrysler 300 Limited AWD
The 300 was a nice test drive (and was cheaper). It handled pretty well, and up till now I always drove full-sized sedans so I was used to it's size. And I'm one of the few people in my neighborhoold that loves the body (but I still like the CTS more).

The interior was quite nice as well. I actually liked the tach and speedometer more here, white analog dials with black hash marks look sharper than my CTS dials, but that's hardly a selling point. I haven't been in many Chryslers but I was pretty surprised at the interior quality. BUT... the seats on the CTS fit my "bottom" better (I'm a big big guy:helpless: and lets just say the 300 seats didn't quite cover it). And the visibility wasn't that great depending how positioned the seat. The windshield appeared to be short and with the huge round bulge in the dash, it just cut it too much.

Had it not been for the seat and the windshield, I might have picked up the Limited for the price difference and the AWD, but I probably would have still gone with the Caddie. It's well worth looking at before you make your decision.



BMW 325Xi
I wound up not test driving the BMW 3 series (was looking at a 325xi). Even though I told them that it was in my top 3 and I was going to buy one of them within the next 2 weeks they gave grief. The big factor with BMW is the dealers near me are all horrible with service. Even my coworker agrees with me (she's a 325 convertible owner). The nearest decent BMW dealer was like 30 miles away while the the Caddie dealer 10 miles away has great service.

The interior "felt" more cramped than the CTS (but that could have been my imagination). The dash and such also felt a little "sub par" in comparison. The 325Xi I was in felt like the inside of the Camry, but that could have just been the knobs they had for everything on the dash (I hate excessive knobs for the A/C system).

In the end, the BMW failed to impress me and I would have had a hard time with service (the nearby BMW dealers didn't offer loaner cars if I needed work done). Also, with the Caddie I get the supplier discount (1% under invoice) and my company didn't have that for BMW, plus I would have gone with the AWD BMW so in the end it would have cost more too.

But, the BMW comes with a lot of nice options like Bluetooth and remote start. Plus it has the German engineering which means a lot to some of my friends/coworkers. But in the end it lost out.


I looked at other cars too, but they were in different leagues (like a 4-cyl Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord). But these 3 were my final candidates and pretty close to each other in specs and price.

 

[2 Da Max]

i love the car, its amazing. just not satisfied with the dash, but hey we cant complain about the little things!

 

[SoCadillac]

The CTS line-up coupled with the new Corvette are GM's answer to world-class automobiles. You'll not regret your purchase.