The XT4 shows a lot promise. I'm looking forward to seeing it. I'm hoping it will have a plug-in option as the camo suggests by a flap in the drivers side front fender. The Jaguar I-pace at 240 mi per charge has raised the bar.

 

Having just been thru the shopping stage, it's not only Cadillac. I'm still getting emails and calls from Toyota and Lexus dealers. I hate robo emails where you can't reply to the sender to stop bothering you. It seems dealership salesmen and internet sales managers don't talk to each other and the dealership has no control on what is going out representing them.

 

As far as coupons go the local Toyota dealer web site offered a $25 gift card if you came in and test drove any Toyota. Dealers will do anything to get floor traffic. The local Kia dealer is giving away cruises and TV's. It's HUUGE!, if you know the dealer I'm referring to.

 

Just turn the ringer off on your phone if or when you don't want to get calls. That's what I do wth both my land line and cell phone....particularly with my afternoon naps. They can leave a message if it's important.

 

If I don't want unsolicited robocalls, I should just turn off my phone? How about treat a customer with respect and don't sign me up for unwanted impersonal calls to begin with....

 

Oh, I agree that is a better solution...but we don't live in a perfect world, where we can just ask the Genie in the bottle to make everything hunky-dory for us. There are a lot of telemarketers out there who simply don't care who they bother, or under what circumstances, and as far as I'm concerned, screw them. If I want to take a nap (and, IMO, I've earned that right, after many years of working and retirement), I'm going to take a nap, period. If they can't get through to me, too bad...either hang up or leave a message. Besides, that's what my personal E-Mail is for.

Anyhow, you haven't said much about the thread-topic XT4, though you did talk about the ATS you were looking at. Do you have any opinions or comments on the XT4?

 

Funny you should ask. I feel like many Cadillac products recently have been an disappointment (I guess excluding V models), so I'm not getting my hopes up. The ATS got straight A's on handling, but mediocre grades on interior, and many other points. The one exception is the CT6, I suppose, but Caddy messed up all the products along the way running up to to the CT6 that Caddy doesn't have enough street cred for the CT6 to sell like gang busters--not enough word of mouth. Ideally, Caddy would have wanted some CTS owners to trade up, but the sales have been so bad, there's not enough juice for that.

And the compact SUV market is so tight, they've got a challenge on their hands.

I'm rooting for Caddy--but I have been for years, and it hasn't really panned out.

 

 

Lots of people like the upmarket German iron....until the warranty runs out, and they actually have to pay for repairs or service.

 

This is less true than it used to be, but Cadillac is NOT the alternative for a purchaser looking for a reliable lux car.

 

In general, if reliability is what one wants in a luxury car, the obvious choice is Lexus, though a number of Lexus products have other quirks, and are not necessarily the answer for some people, either.

 

Agreed. After 30 years of seeking out more reliable cars, I went with BMW this time and took a chance. So far, with 43,000 miles, I've had 2 warrantied repairs, and routine maintenance. I'm hoping it continues. Of course, not everyone makes reliability a high priority. And, as we see here in these forums, some people who lease don't car at all because their car will be under warranty the entire lease.

Diffrent strokes.

 

The initial selling attributes of brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi are not their long term reliability. They are contemporary styling, perceived or real quality, aspirations, expectations, and lifestyle portrayal. Not exactly in that order for every individual buyer. Where Cadillac does not succeed in on their brand cache, people would simply rather have other brands than a Cadillac. Remember and keep in mind that brand cache is not owned by the manufacturer, it is owned by the buying public.

The #1 thing General Motors could do to help its Cadillac brand cache is to remove Cadillac models from the same showrooms as Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC. Cadillac has been so heavily damaged by the General Motor's arrogance as well as ignorance from the 1980's and 1990's that their perception among buyers as a second rate luxury brand may never change.

 

If an affluent person spends a $100K on an AMG Mercedes, assuming they are not leasing and do not live in their parents basement, I don't see the argument about repairs after the warranty. There are extended warranties and long term repair costs far out weight the cost of upgrading Mercedes after a 4-5 years. The bigger issue in keeping a Mercedes long term is you lose out on all the tangible attributes of what the luxury brand portrays. A 10 year Mercedes looks very out of date compared to what a new one looks like. All done on design.

 

good video and interview on the new xt4. looks AWESOME!

http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2018/03/...-at-gen-x.html