Consumer Report's Blog Entry On CTS

[aldw]

The CR blogger's BMW-humping ignorance is quite disgusting. Give me a Caddy any day.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by Gm786

That's the thing. You and other people who say that the new Cadillac CTS has loose steering probably just need to get used to it. I don't think its a flaw in the way GM designed the CTS's steering feel. I think GM made it like that. You never know, if a significant amount of people start complaining about the steering feel of the CTS then GM may either issue a recall or make some improvements to it for 09. To be honest with you I haven't really seen any complaints about the CTS's steering feel. Your probably the first person I've come across that has something negative to say about the steering of the CTS. I think your being picky.

I didn't say it was a flaw. And I said it was probably something I'd adapt to.
It's just not what I expect.
It requires little effort to turn the CTS's wheel. I expected a little more effort in turning it, just to get the feedback.

I'm not sure if such loose/effortless steering would inspire much confidence on tight twisting roads.

it drives like the 80's floaty cadillacs. but the CTS's steering is precise and controlled... without the effort. In my mind, it just doesn't reconcile.

It's weird.. and hard to describe....

Originally Posted by Ambalanche

Maybe you need to take another test drive or maybe you got one out of spec, because mine exhibits NONE of what you describe. I have great road feel, the wheel itself is tight, and the steering is precise as you say. I haven't read any review that says that either.

I want to test drive the CTS w/ DI and focus mostly on the engine noise and performance.

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by RCDonner

To be exact: It is forbidden to use it on the Autobahn in Germany...

Now it is, it didn't used to be, but due to "thuggery" it was banned.

I remember my uncle telling me that people now use the right blinker to signal they want you to move over.

[A.J.]

HAH! Watch lack of flash-to-pass take the CTS's Consumer Reports review score from 100 to 90 just because they can take that much off for that one small problem.

They can't understand that they have a dang good automobile in their hands. Oh, hey, Consumer Reports, let's see you run GM for a day! You'll find sticking a F2P in that vehicle a difficult task.

[TJ95GAGT]

Originally Posted by zete

But that's just fascinating. There were some claiming it's prevalent in Europe and here someone points out it's illegal. So, not having it is not a big deal since using it is illegal.

Fascinating.

It's a shame they locked the comments feature on the blog.

[zete]

Originally Posted by TJ95GAGT

It's a shame they locked the comments feature on the blog.

They don't like folks pointing out that CR is full of idiots. Looks bad, as folks can scan the comments and notice that fact.

[chickenkicker]

Originally Posted by paul8488

And I can honestly say I have (in two years here) NEVER seen anyone do this. Like never ever. Ever.

In all my years of driving 4+ hours per day commuting to and from work/school I have never, not once, ever seen someone flash their high beams during the day when their headlights were not on. I have only seen it at night when their headlights were already on and to be honest 99% of those weren't "flash to pass" they were high beaming people who cut them off, etc. I just checked and our 01 Taurus does have it even when the headlights are off, which I never even realized or thought of before now. I don't think that our IS350 has it but I'm not sure, I'll check it later when the car is back home. I know the Trans Am doesn't but that's 'cause of the pop up lights...

In all honesty is this really an issue I mean even if you are a person who does like/use this feature would you really not buy a car that you otherwise love based on this one feature? Who even things to check for this when test driving a car. IMO if this is the worst thing you can say about the new CTS then it must be a fantastic car.

[zete]

The exposed screws comment reminds me of this clip.

Perhaps GM had the wrong set of quality engineers dealing with the trunk's interior.

[1G6]

Cadillacs had nicely detailed trunk compartments once upon a time:

1977 Seville


1981 Eldorado


Plush, color-keyed carpet. Now we get the same pseudo-fiberboard as used in Chevrolets.

[mrbig]

It wouldn't matter if a midget jumped out of the hood and waved flags to pass the arse hole would have found something negative to say. He must smoke the pipes of the guys over at Top Gear.

[BusyBody]

Thats brutal that they closed comments. I read the comments there and they were mild. It seems CR can delve out the opinions but can't handle there own critique.

[GM LS-X]

Originally Posted by DuSpinnst

Because it was outlawed.

Germany and France both outlawed flashing the highbeams to pass because it promoted driver thuggery.

I second that.

<-read Location



Btw. My Car has retractable Head Lamps. Firebirds and Corvettes had those up till mid 2000. Notice somethingt?

[Al465]

Originally Posted by coaster.n3rd

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

I have it on my car and never used it. My wife didn't know it was until I told her and says she couldn't care less for that feature.

[ANT]

wow this thread has blown up since i left for work... And reading all this i learned some pretty interesting things like the illegality of FTP in france and germany thanks guys

[a_v_s]

I don't know if I would let F2P keep me from buying a car, but it may very well be the case to someone else... It's not exactly a feature I would check to make sure the car has, but I would probably be annoyed if I found out it was missing after the fact.

I use F2P all the time. Not necessarily because I want to pass someone, sometimes it's just to alert somebody.

My Grand Prix has it, but it's implementation is irritating. Depending on how hard you pull the stick back, it may actually click into hibeam mode, so that the next time you turn your lights on, your brights will be on.

As far as HIDs are concerned... Personally, I think those are just excuses... I have two other cars with factory bi-xenon projector HIDs, and the F2P flash the HIDs... Big deal... They are still bright enough to serve their purpose. It's not like they are so dim that you can't see it. It's mostly a color-shift that takes place as it "warms up". Besides, if when you pull the stick you do something like quarter second pulses, the flashes are plenty bright, and at near full intensity.

As far as flashing the HIDs being bad.. .That's bs too, so long as you have good quality ballasts. I have philips ballasts in my Grand Prix, and I left the keyless entry configured to flash the lights. So that means every day for 7 years I've been flashing the HIDS at least 9 times per day. Neither the ballasts or the bulbs have failed.... While at the same time, I know people with el-cheapo e-bay ballasts that failed in less than a year with no such flashing at all.

And for the record, HIDs and Flourescent lights work nothing alike. It's the ARC in the HIDs that illuminate. It's the phospors on the bulb that illuminate when excited, in a flourescent bulb... That's why they still illuminate if you place the bulb by itself in the microwave oven, and power on the oven.

They've also been making instant-on flourescent bulbs/ignitors for years...

But anyways... Back in the 80's, none of the cars I've owned had F2P, so I could've cared less... But since I've owned cars with them, and I use it, it became a feature that has to be there. Similar to navigation and bluetooth. I could've cared less 10 years ago, but after using it, all my future cars will have these features. (Not saying these need to be standard)