[AudiA4]

Per my previous posts, I'm considering purchasing a used V-Sport. I have been adamant in my mind about getting a Premium model primarily because of the digital TFT gauges (no offense, but I can't stand the analog gauges in the ATS & CTS), and secondarily due to the active cruise control. However, I can clearly get a better deal purchasing a non-Premium model.

What's the split on the forum between Premium and non-Premium owners? Any regrets about your choice either way?

 

[Glamisfan]

Non-premium here and I have no regrets. I really don't get what the big deal about the gauges is. I'd like to change mine to the TFT as long as the one guy on this forum doing the swap says everything works out good. But when I get in there and look at the gauges, I just don't see why everybody cries so much about them. I guess when there's nothing else wrong with the car people have to figure out something to complain about.yeah the digital gauges are nicer, but no dealbreaker. I couldn't get a premium because we can't have a sunroof where I live as it gets up to 120° during the summer.

I did want the adaptive cruise. But I've also heard some people complain that they don't really like the adaptive cruise.

There's two threads in the regular CTS forum that talk about installing the digital gages. Go there and read up on what they're doing. One guy got his in and said the only thing that didn't work was the mileage was different. He's going to take it into the dealer tomorrow and see if they can update it.

 

[kwickag]

No regrets on my Premium, wouldn't do it any other way.

 

[CadillacVic]

Base gauges are fine. In the base digital cluster, configure your speed limit on the left, you speed in the center, and your gear on the right (tire pressure when not in Manual mode). What else do you need? Use the manual mode on the tranny to train your ear to know when you are approaching redline. So speed and RPM gauges are redundant. Navigation turns will popup over speed when they come up (can be dismissed with the 5 way controller). Glance at the fuel level once when you get in or out of the car (the car will warn you when you are down to 50 miles of range). Temperature gauge is always in the middle after a few minutes - even during track sessions, so it's useless in any form.

Active cruise is nice in theory but depends on why you need it. If it's to manage a ton of stop and go traffic, maybe it's useful. For freeway driving, it's more fun to put it in Track and M mode and weave in and out of traffic (radar detector is a must). Same thing if you deal with stop-n-go. Take a detour in Track and M mode and enjoy! Life is too short to sit in traffic with Active cruise on.

The only thing on my wish list from the Premium package is the Head-up display. To me, that would be real reason to get the Premium to improve performance. But I have learned to live without it. It's definitely not worth $10K by itself.

The other benefit of base Vsport is improved weight - no moonroof! I believe it saves about 60 pounds so you can have even more fun!

 

[Jbawden]

^^^^I don't think anyone has an issue with the information the base gauge cluster provides, its more of an aesthetic problem. The Game Boy premium cluster is more visually appealing, but then its not any more useful than the analog. I think the hybrid base cluster is the right way to go, but it looks like its from the pre-CTS days as it does nothing to suggest the car has any performance credibility. The OP has been nitpicking the Vsport for 9 months now, people have strong opinions on little things. Take the new Impala, it has the most heinous steering wheel design I've EVER seen. That alone would be a deal killer for me, I couldn't stare at that abomination, let alone touch it.

C7 cluster, nice!


Impala wheel

 

[morganman]

I've got the base gauges...honestly I think they look pretty nice. I've seen the digital fancy versions and they look more advanced of course. But it's pretty funny to me reading the review histrionics about the analogue gauges and CUE (which also seems to work just fine to me especially once you get to know it). But on the other hand if you're going to drop 55k+ on a ride, you should be happy so my guess is that if you're even a bit concerned about it now.....then just spring for the gauges you like best and you won't regret it later!

 

[blackbehr]

I have the premium and love it. This is my first vehicle with TFT so its never been a must but in comparison to gauges in my previous vehicles, the standard gauges are lacking in design. They say old GM all over. They should be functional which I'm assuming they are but also appealing and for me, they were far from. Opinions are subjective so take it as you may. I really like the HUD and it's the only place I have a tach in my current TFT setup. I do tend to play around with the TFT every couple of weeks. I also needed the tri zone A/C because my wife and one year old daughter sit in the back. My daughter also loves looking out through the sunroof so that's a plus. It does have a sunshade that covers the whole opening so heat hasn't been an issue for us at least. You also get the sunshades for all rear windows, the safety gizmos, full leather seats, heated rear seats and the adaptive cruise control. You do get quite a bit for the difference. Just a matter if any of those features are a must. Good luck with your choice. I have a feeling the Vsport will put a smile on your face in either trim.

 

[WWK888]

I also have the Premium and enjoy the extras. I love the configurable gauges and switch them out constantly for a new look. The safety features are a real plus...the only thing I have yet to try is the Park Assist feature, maybe one of these days I will play around with that. My salesman did tell me not to trust it as a lady who was on a test drive curbed the wheel while using it, probably pilot error. I leased this car thinking I would give it up at the end but I am really torn. The way the price of these cars plummeted sickens me. For a car that was Car of the Year, so many people do not have a clue how well built and what a great performing car this is.

 

[Denrael]

I'm probably going to raise some hackles here, but the Premium VSport is a car I don't understand. Assuming you're buying a performance sedan, why would you pay $10,000 more for a car that is heavier and has a higher center of gravity?

 

[qbrozen]

Well, I wasn't going to quite put it that way, but I dislike moonroofs for the reasons the poster above stated. And I don't trust adaptive cruise. Hell, the collision warning light and butt vibrator is always alerting me to things that aren't there, so I can't imagine the adaptive cruise is going to work very well where/how I drive. Even the standard cruise is turning itself off all the time because it thinks I'm going to run into something. So the only worthwhile item in the package for me was the gauge cluster, and I certainly wasn't paying that kind of money for it.

All that said, buy what you like! You don't want to regret it later.

 

[WWK888]

I'm probably going to raise some hackles here, but the Premium VSport is a car I don't understand. Assuming you're buying a performance sedan, why would you pay $10,000 more for a car that is heavier and has a higher center of gravity?

We have no autocross courses here so my competitive driving is very limited to a few on ramp accelerations and a couple of twisty roads where I do not think the additional weight makes any noticeable difference. However having the option to open up the roof on a gorgeous Hawaiian day or night makes me enjoy the car even more. Is it worth the extra money???? Probably not but at this point in my life I don't care...LOL!

 

[Denrael]

We have no autocross courses here so my competitive driving is very limited to a few on ramp accelerations and a couple of twisty roads where I do not think the additional weight makes any noticeable difference. However having the option to open up the roof on a gorgeous Hawaiian day or night makes me enjoy the car even more. Is it worth the extra money???? Probably not but at this point in my life I don't care...LOL!

LOL! I hear you... I mean, even in my case with the base VSport, there were certainly more sensible (spelled cheaper) options available with similar lb/hp ratios.

Where are you in Hawaii? I lived in Mililani on Oahu for about 7 years back in the nineties.

 

[morganman]

For those deciding between base or premium......my choice for the base had EVERYTHING to do with not wanting a sunroof....NOT wanting one....I'm pretty damn tall with a long torso, and any sunroof just means less headroom for me....I know this for a fact because I sat in pretty much every high end sedan that you can think of (BMW, MB, etc.)....and all of them have the same thing in common: with the sunroof it drops the ceiling liner an inch or two on each side, which really gives me a claustrophobic feeling. And of course with high end cars it is almost impossible to find one without a sunroof to begin with......

But it's nice to know that no sunroof means less weight. Still if they designed the ergonomics a bit differently I wouldn't mind a sunroof either!

 

[WWK888]

LOL! I hear you... I mean, even in my case with the base VSport, there were certainly more sensible (spelled cheaper) options available with similar lb/hp ratios.

Where are you in Hawaii? I lived in Mililani on Oahu for about 7 years back in the nineties.

I am on the east side of Oahu, thank God...they are constructing a new rail system starting from the west side to town, it is a traffic nightmare for those people.

 

[WesWood]

Non-premium with the upgraded brake lines here and I love it. I bought the car for the motor and suspension...not a fancy cluster. I like the non-premium cluster....reminds me of the GNX Grand National gauges. That being said, the sunroof looks pretty bad ass on the premium model, but not 10k bad ass. It's a win win either way.

 

[cospilot]

i absolutely would not have bought the base. a good deal of the reason why i wanted the premium was for the gauges and the HUD i don't know what else the base comes with and really didn't care. when i buy any car i always get the fully loaded model. they tend to have better resale value.
but considering i only paid 52,000 for my premium from a sticker of 70k the decision was a total no brainer.

 

[BigFred]

Let's not forget the leather airbag cover on the steering wheel! When I first test drove the car I thought it looked weird, but now I look at a picture of a Mercedes SLS and think "What a cheap steering wheel."

 

[AUSA]

The extra 75 pounds due to the moon-roof is why I went with the base. A LOT of weight up there.

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My purchase decision was based on weight and complexity. The moon-roof adds a lot of weight, at the worst possible place, on top. The gauges are great looking on the premium model, but if it goes bad out of warranty it is EXPENSIVE to correct. Just my thought process. having said that, bot models are great cars.

 

[smooth0033]

I guess we are all different. I didn't buy this car to break any track/speed records as i don't really think it can with or without a sunroof. I didn't buy this car to be driven around as i can't afford a full time driver and its not that luxurious.

My thoughts have always been, "never buy a car you can't afford to maintain" base or premium. So whether I bought base or premium as long as I can afford maintenance on gauges, tires, brakes, transmission, engine and etc there should be no issue. When you're purchasing a luxury sports sedan it really all comes down to your independent choices, being an owner of BMW & Lexus, I decided I wanted the new Caddy CTS V Sport with its awesome LED driving lights and aggressive styling not because I needed one but because i wanted one and because I am in a position that allows me to indulge my wants i got it fully loaded. I'm not worried bout resale value, im not worried bout sticker price, im not worried about service, just as long as it does what i paid for and so far Cadillac has achieved to meet most of what it claims this car can do. If anything i believe as a luxury sports sedan it lacks in some departments. Motorized folding side view mirrors, motorized open/close trunk are 2 two on the top of my list I woulda loved to have.

Overall the car is an 8 out of 10. its great in comparison to other and it lacks in comparison to others. I enjoy it quite alot and when i stop enjoying it, i'll sell it, trade it in and move on to my next toy.

 

[AudiA4]

I guess we are all different. I didn't buy this car to break any track/speed records as i don't really think it can with or without a sunroof. I didn't buy this car to be driven around as i can't afford a full time driver and its not that luxurious.

My thoughts have always been, "never buy a car you can't afford to maintain" base or premium. So whether I bought base or premium as long as I can afford maintenance on gauges, tires, brakes, transmission, engine and etc there should be no issue. When you're purchasing a luxury sports sedan it really all comes down to your independent choices, being an owner of BMW & Lexus, I decided I wanted the new Caddy CTS V Sport with its awesome LED driving lights and aggressive styling not because I needed one but because i wanted one and because I am in a position that allows me to indulge my wants i got it fully loaded. I'm not worried bout resale value, im not worried bout sticker price, im not worried about service, just as long as it does what i paid for and so far Cadillac has achieved to meet most of what it claims this car can do. If anything i believe as a luxury sports sedan it lacks in some departments. Motorized folding side view mirrors, motorized open/close trunk are 2 two on the top of my list I woulda loved to have.

Overall the car is an 8 out of 10. its great in comparison to other and it lacks in comparison to others. I enjoy it quite alot and when i stop enjoying it, i'll sell it, trade it in and move on to my next toy.

I would personally categorize motorized trunk lids and side mirrors as "minor" inconveniences, but I'm surprised to hear that the side mirrors aren't motorized/folding? My ten year-old BMW 330i has that!