2003 Cadillac CTS Lux Package 3.5 V6
Summary:
Great car that has respect on the road!
Faults:
The only thing that's really gone wrong with the car, and is a common problem on the Cadillac forum, is the stability system engaging when not needed. and saying service stability system. It causes one of the rear tires to slightly drag for a split second. I honestly don't think it's that big of a deal to repair, so to me, the only annoying thing is the service message that comes on the screen every now and then. It's embarrassing when passengers see it.
Also a few times, the brakes would grind when slowing down from a high rate of speed quickly. I'm not sure if it's my brakes or the design of the car.
Other than that, nothing has really gone wrong.
General Comments:
I didn't buy this car intentionally, I was trading in my beloved Jetta VR6, which was a dream itself, but the tranny started to slip, so I decided to trade it in.
I went to a VW lot with the intentions of trading it in for another Jetta or something of that nature. The Cadillac was gleaming in the sun light, and while waiting for my old car to be appraise, I went just to look at it. Turns out the car was on sale and was much cheaper than a pre-loved Jetta. After several hours of back and forth, I walk out of the dealer with the CTS with over $5000 off the list price. I got a great deal on the car, and would do it again.
The styling on the car is quite cool and edgy. It's is much more sporty than any other Cadillac out there, however I don't have the thrill of owning a sports car anymore.
The interior is great unless you don't have a butt; then it can be quite uncomfortable at times. The interior color is a little boring. The Bose/nav system is awesome! Love all the features and sound that it provides, and couldn't live without the seat warmers and the sunroof, they're to die for!
The polished steel rims are quite nice as well; they look like chrome, but are much more durable than chrome.
I love the HID lights, awesome when you're driving in the hills!
Overall, a great car, however if you still want that sports car feeling, I would recommend a G35.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 1st January, 2011
15th Sep 2013, 18:12
I understand your disappointment. As the old saying goes - "They don't build em like they used to". I have a 93 Fleetwood, and the old 87 Brougham I owned had far better build quality. In fact, that was one of the best built cars I've seen or owned. I think the best built luxury car these days is Mercedes. They always have been well built (maybe a little too well built).
31st Dec 2014, 02:34
Awesome car. Don't read into the comment about the paint / body parts being cheapened out compared to VWs; they'll easily out do them. Come on, a Cadillac vs a VW? A really pointless comparison.
13th Sep 2013, 15:33
Like you I traded in my VW Passat; the CTS just jumped out at me. Loved the look and the interior, but when I got it home I washed it by hand; I do this to look for flaws. The rear bumper does not fit snug, the inner rear wheel well sheet metal looks like some hacker cut and welded it; it looks unfinished. When you roll the front windows down and close the door, unlike the Passat there is inner door noise. The quality is not what I expected. I always wanted a Cadillac, but I am disappointed.