Consumer Report's Blog Entry On CTS

[ciciusss]

THE STALK THAT BROKE THE CADILLAC CTS BACK

"At an early September press event at Pennsylvania's Pocono Raceway, I got my first drive the new 2008 Cadillac CTS. After about half a mile on the surrounding local roads, I remember saying to myself: "Wow, they really got it this time." The steering was spot-on, full of feedback, quick responding, linear, precise and well-weighted. The brake pedal was firm and reassuring yet easy to modulate. The model I drove had the direct-injection, 304-hp V6, which felt punchy, smooth and refined. The six-speed automatic transmission was nearly perfect. The ride was supple and controlled—even though it had the sportiest FE3 suspension. Then I felt around the rich-looking interior with the elegant stitching, stepped out and looked at the spectacular chiseled body work. That did it. I thought that I could see myself owning one of these.
Well, not anymore. The honeymoon is over."

Read on below at the link to see what upset Consumer Report's expert Gabe Shenhar so much. This blog entry by Shenhar, who is a former BMW driver instructor, has to rate as possibly the most nit picking item ever to be used as a reason not to purchase a car. The comments that follow his blog are humorous and filled with the proper derision that Shenhar's blog deserves.

The problem is that although, there are about 14-15 Consumer Report's auto testers, Shenahar writes many of the reports. One of CR's auto testers has already ribbed Shenhar over this and I guarantee you probably not another CR tester cares that much over the feature that is missing that is giving Shenhar so much consternation. But, I bet you the 'feature" that is missing will make it into the report as a low.

Here is the link. The entry is at toward the bottom of the page.

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/index3.html

[Phoenix]

Anyone who would pass on the CTS because of something like this, isn't ready to give up their BMW and is just looking for excuses.

For the record, I have never used the flash to pass method.

[ronald mcretard]

wow, just wow... CR never ceases to amaze.

[coaster.n3rd]

I would use flash to pass if people knew what it meant.

[Jimi]

Why can't you just turn the lights on and off really quickly. It accomplishes the exact same thing.

[Butz]

that's stupid!
they had to nitpick!!

[ChevroletRevived]

Laughable! They got everything right but because it doesn't have flash to pass it's a no go? Ridiculous...

[TriShield]

You guys need to realize that the details matter, especially in the luxury car business. European buyers are used to their brand sweating everything, even things that don't seem to important to you. All the details everywhere on the car matter and leave an impression, especially when the price is high.

Even my Pontiac GTO has flash-to-pass which I use regularly.

[F14CRAZY]

Um can't you just put the high beams on/off?

[ChevroletRevived]

Originally Posted by TriShield

You guys need to realize that the details matter, especially in the luxury car business. European buyers are used to their brand sweating everything, even things that don't seem to important to you. All the details everywhere on the car matter and leave an impression, especially when the price is high.

Even my Pontiac GTO has flash-to-pass which I use regularly.

Absolutely details are important, and of course I realize that. And it's espessially amplified in the luxury segment. But it's not as big of a deal that this guy is making it out to be. Details? The CTS details, plenty of them. Look at the interior, the exterior; all around there's attention to detail.

[CobaltSScrazy]

Ok, so I'm going to be the GMI student and wait for the teacher to answer my question...

"What the heck is flash to pass?"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=l3UAfi_QImE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsDyyxi9vv4&NR=1

BTW- I looked around for a good explanation, this is the closest I could find, apparently other Cadillac's don't have it either...
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...lash-pass.html

CobaltSScrazy

[ciciusss]

Originally Posted by ChevroletRevived

Absolutely details are important, and of course I realize that. And it's espessially amplified in the luxury segment. But it's not as big of a deal that this guy is making it out to be. Details? The CTS details, plenty of them. Look at the interior, the exterior; all around there's attention to detail.

ChevroletRevived

First, consider the source who posted that. Once you give it the proper attention it deserves, which is little, you will spend little time, if any, addressing his posts. For example, take his recent posts on the Saturn Aura (and he is already starting on the Malibu). Nearly, every review of the Aura was quite positive, even the one from Dan Neil, one of his heroes. He spends 15-20 minutes in the car and declares it a dud. Like I said, consider the source.

Extremely few people use the flash to pass feature. Others have posted how you can accomplish the same thing with high beam/ low beam. As you stated, there is attention to detail. The CTS is a Motor Trend Car of the Year winner, a Car and Driver Top Ten award winner and a finalist and likely winner of the North American car of the year winner. Reviews across the board on the CTS have been very good.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by TriShield

You guys need to realize that the details matter, especially in the luxury car business. European buyers are used to their brand sweating everything, even things that don't seem to important to you. All the details everywhere on the car matter and leave an impression, especially when the price is high.

Even my Pontiac GTO has flash-to-pass which I use regularly.

Translation:

Some people are snobs, they will never buy a Cadillac anyway, so don't bother catering to them.

[mgescuro]

We've just heard that GM is working on fitting flash-to-pass for their HID-equipped vehicles, but the fix isn't slated to arrive until around 2010.

I don't understand. The 9-5 has had HID and flash-to-pass for quite some time.

I thought GM cars were undergoing a reevaluation in which they were conscientiously removing the areas where parts fit and exposed screws could be seen, so parts would flow more nicely. They were also removing the "dummy plastic" fill-in parts, so it doesn't look like your car is missing a feature.

Apparently something got missed.

This day in age, flash-to-pass should be a given.
I would chalk this up to GM cost cutting.

I would be concerned that my car doesn't have that feature. Then again, I"m nitpicky.
I wouldn't buy a car that has projector headlamps with halogen foglamps. it's a very tacky look.

[DuSpinnst]

Flash to pass can be added with a software flash (Assuming the stalk has the movement, which I don't see why it wouldn't), so this could be fixed at any point in a model year cycle.