20th Jul 2017, 09:08
I love the expert comments from someone that likely has never owned a given review car. Or a Cadillac. Or a Town Car. Or a European luxury car. Maybe little in the area of first hand experience in performance areas and handling such as an M series BMW. And lastly maybe never even owned a new car like these. Maybe a 60 year old one. And has it all down in a modern era. That's why I like multiple reviews from people that are behind their own wheel daily. And know first hand true costs to own and personal maintenance. We can all read random history comments out of a book!
20th Jul 2017, 17:43
If Cadillac had continued to manufacture the big floaty cars they had been producing, they would have gone bankrupt. The reason Cadillac is no longer a brand held in high regard as it once was is because they became stale, which is a shame since they now produce some outstanding products. That and frankly the styling was atrocious. I very distinctly recall those big slab-like looking cars they made right up through the late 90s. They were a joke and you'd more often see them being driven by a senior on their way to the early bird all you can eat buffet. THAT is why Cadillac and Lincoln fell. NOT because they stopped making big floaty cars, but because they made them for far longer than they should, consumers moved to other brands because the preference for ride and handling changed, and Cadillac and Lincoln failed to deliver.
There continues to be mention that I personally don't own a 60s Cadillac or Lincoln. But I do in fact own a '55 Mercury and many of my friends own vintage cars too, including Lincolns and Cadillacs. But this isn't a discussion about ownership experiences anyway. It's about marketing and history. Like I said - consumer tastes change and a company that produces consumer goods MUST adapt.
Just because you or someone else proclaims that the ride quality of the older Caddies was better, doesn't mean you represent all consumers. If consumers wanted that kind of ride, then companies like BMW, Mercedes, Lincoln, Cadillac, and so on would MAKE those cars. But they don't and why? Again - consumer tastes change. Sure - there will always be someone who will say that XXX was better. But that doesn't mean that preference is true for the majority.
Here's another thing. I take care of my 94 year old Grandmother's 1997 Buick Lesabre. It's got the infamous 3800 V6, which is probably one of the best engines GM built in that era. The engine is about the best thing about the car. It's not a bad car per se, but god the interior and the panel fit and finish is just awful! I had to replace a defective power window switch in the rear which required removal of the interior door panel. That panel was seriously the cheapest looking piece of garbage. And the whole car seemed to be stuck together that way. Sure - it's got that floaty ride you guys just oooze on and on about, but even for its era the other luxury brands had moved significantly ahead.
Sure - I expect the exact same response. So go for it.
20th Jul 2017, 21:08
Cadillac also makes Crossovers, SUVs, and even trucks. Not just one type. So what's another model? If it flops, pull it off in a couple years. GM would highly disagree with your comment by the way. Cadillac is highly profitable and a very desirable brand for GM. Average over 50k new and 4K profit each for GM. Want one?
21st Jul 2017, 08:04
The Cadillac CTS-V is extremely impressive. And no slouch. One of the fastest sedans in the world. And in the top 10. Imagine a Cadillac no less. 0-60 under 4 seconds. Top speed 186 mph. And you also certainly pay for it. So baby boomers can enjoy this or the even faster Audi sedan. Most I know however are going to Audis, including the successful younger set. More interior appointments, refinement and selective ride. Nicer looking and a classier ride.
21st Jul 2017, 18:49
Funny thing is, those" floaty slab-like " rear drive Cadillacs that you are referring to were supposed to get the axe after 1985. Guess what? They lasted till 1996, over a decade later. Not bad for a car you claim nobody wanted.
Here are couple of FACTS that drove customers away from Cadillac, starting in the 1980s.
First was the horrendous HT4100 V8 that would fall apart before 50k miles. This motor was used in four out of five Cadillac models. For some people it was the last time they set foot in a Cadillac showroom. But after that they still manufactured the rear drive Fleetwood and borrowed a V8 from Oldsmobile.
Second, was the Cimarron. We all know that story. Cadillac took a Cavalier and gave it leather, softer suspension and hoped that nobody would notice. This was their answer to the smaller 4 cylinder imports.
Today I see more Escalades on the road. It's almost like they took the place of the grand old Caddys. All the new sedans don't come close in sales like the DeVilles did. 10-15 years ago they were everywhere.
23rd Jul 2017, 12:55
Well if the Volt gets the axe as it appears to be with other slow movers, then you can pick up a modern Cadillac.
24th Jul 2017, 15:19
We aren't really going anywhere with this "debate" are we? Look - opinions are great and all, but there comes a time where debates turn into echo chambers. I'm done here.
24th Jul 2017, 16:17
Curious on the "floaty slab like" comment. Never heard Cadillac owners ever describe it as such. Have you ever owned a Cadillac?
Here's just a few words how I describe actual Cadillac ownership.
Stately, whisper quiet, elegant, isolated road feel, opulent, spacious, state of the art appointments. Or... a testimonial of achievement and reward for hard won success. As a new owner also one has arrived.
Those are words I used and actually felt. I never ever heard floaty. Seriously?
24th Jul 2017, 17:40
Let's clear up the comment reply confusion here.
First off I wrote 16:11, and yes I've owned two Cadillacs in the past. If you really need to know, 1987 Brougham and a 1993 DeVille.
How would I describe them? Well, probably the exact same way you did in your comment.
If you really meant to know what the terms "floaty," "slab-like" and all those other comments mean, you need to ask 17:43, and leave me out of it when I actually owned two.
25th Jul 2017, 07:07
steven@carsurvey.org here:
As seems to happen occasionally, people are getting a little bit too intense and personal here, which is unhelpful and makes the site less pleasant to use.
Here are a few things that are worth bearing in mind:
1. The site doesn't require logins and is optimised to collect feedback from casual visitors. In depth discussions are totally fine, but as soon as things get at all heated, the site design doesn't handle that well. If you enjoy that sort of discussion, a proper forum would be more appropriate.
2. If people are concerned about being misidentified, consider signing your comments with a name or nickname. I'll do my best to make sure people don't impersonate others.
3. Don't assume you can identify people from their writing style or the content of comments. There are distinct commenters who hold quite similar viewpoints and will find themselves commenting on the same thread. If you're trying to form a profile of a mystery individual across the site and multiple posts, you're likely to get it at least partially wrong. It's also a sign that you're using the site in a way that it wasn't designed for, so your impending comment is unlikely to have a positive effect on the experience of using the site.
Steven Jackson (moderator and admin of CarSurvey.org)
16th Jul 2017, 18:41
Wow, someone knows not just 1 but 2 cars a random guy in California guy drives. And yet we can't get a reply on even one car for 17:43. What's the secret? Is it parked in the Batcave?