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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    Well I make an average income, but I always have money in savings. So a high price repair wouldn't kill me, but if I had to spend $2,500 on something, I'd rather go to Disney World for a week than to fix the AirMatic suspension. If I had to do a repair like that, it would be no vacation for me that year. The E550 has only had some repairs to the sun visor and sun roof motor, and some gaskets and seals, nothing major so far. I drive about 8,000 miles a year now, so even if that goes to 10,000 a year, I can keep the car for 10 years and that is 100,000 miles. So that pute the Genesis at 143,000 miles and the E550 at 170,000, which I think either car will last that long. There are a lot of 200-250,000 mile Mercedes out there, and a lot of 1980s Mercedes still out there, their cars last.
  2. smk4565
    I drove a 2010 model once, it was too rough and loud for my liking, over rough pavement you felt it, and the engine wasn't smooth enough. I like the visual updates to the new car though, and I thought the old one with 306 hp was fast. I am not sure if I had a track model or not, perhaps Grand Touring is a bit more refined. That was the one miss for me on the first generation of this car, you feel every bump and it is racy all the time, and if you want a comfortable quiet commute to work, it couldn't give you that. If you want loud and racy, this is your car.
  3. smk4565
    But would you, (or the people with money) spend $100,000 on this car? The Mercedes CL sold about 600 cars last year in the USA, and only 300 so far this year since that model is being phased out. If the entire market for $100,000+ full size coupes is 600 a year, which Mercedes has a monopoly on right now, even if Cadillac takes 50% of the market, it is 300 cars a year. They can't do that. The Eldorado should return as a 191 inch long coupe based off the CTS/Alpha platform, 3.6 V6 standard, the 3.6 TT V6, and some hybrid or green powertrain, price it $55-65,000 and you have a winner. It can compete with the 6-series and E-class coupe, it gives Cadillac a cool car that is a bit of a halo product, but that is still attainable, and at a price where past Cadillac buyers can afford one.
  4. smk4565
    Same chassis and engine, they are basically the same car. The CLS is an E-class with a different body. So it is do you want a sedan, or pay $5-10k more for styling and 4-door coupe look. Notice those cars stop though, where the S-class starts.
  5. smk4565
    I am about ready to buy a new car, and have narrowed the search down to a previous generation E-class, 2007-2009, or a used Hyundai Genesis 4.6. I am looking for rwd, and not really a fan of the 300C or the CTS, and don't want a BMW either. So that leaves me with these two, first up is a 43,000 mile Genesis 4.6 and it is under a 2 hour drive to the dealer. http://www.ncautoauction.com/detail-2009-hyundai-genesis-4dr_sdn_4_6l_v8-used-10629235.html The other option is a 2008, 69,000 mile E550 with AMG sport package and Designo interior package, so it is fully loaded, with a good carfax report, but I would be buying it without seeing it in person and have to spend $750 to ship the car from Tampa to Pittsburgh. http://www.jaguaroftampa.com/used/Mercedes-Benz/2008-Mercedes-Benz-E-Class-1ccf38020a0a0049010a9da79f36e9c8.htm So is it the better performing, better equipped, better built E-class (but with the risk of buying it in Florida), or save $3,000 on the newer, less driven, under warranty, safer choice Genesis?
  6. smk4565
    I like the Eldorado name, Cadillac (and Acura, Lincoln and Infiniti) thought they needed Alpha-numeric names because that is what luxury buyers wanted and that would allow them to take sales away from BMW and Mercedes. 10 years later, Mercedes and BMW are selling better than ever, and Cadillac, Acura, and Infiniti aren't doing any better than they were 10 years ago and Lincoln is on life support. If I list the names, FX, RDX, SRX, JX, MDX, MKX, MKS, XTS, how many average joe car shoppers could list the brand that sold that car. Those names are meaningless. Is Cadillac going to call their Flagship the LTS, while Lexus sells the LS? Let's bring back Fleetwood, Eldorado, etc names that have some weight and you know it is a Cadillac. I think a $100,000 Cadillac coupe is a sales flop waiting to happen, the Eldorado should be based off the CTS and priced at $55,000 where it has a chance. BMW, Audi, and Jaguar don't even try to go against the S-class coupe/CL-class, they know it can't be done.
  7. smk4565
    Cadillac says this car is production doable, but I can't imagine a 205 inch long 2-door is going to have much success, and how would they price it? A CL550 is $115,000 and that is a car that gets replaced by the S550 Coupe next year, and will probably carry the same price or perhaps even more. They can't price the Elmiraj at $100,000, no one would buy it, so if it costs $60,000, does it even have appeal there? It is bigger than an XTS, but supposed to be a luxury sports coupe? Then you have the CTS V-sport, ELR and Corvette in that price point, so if you push the Elmiraj to $75,000 or higher to get it away from those cars, doesn't it just become the next Allante or XLR?
  8. smk4565
    Awful idea, they want an SUV too, which is a bad idea. Jaguars need to sell on being beautiful looking sports cars, they don't have that wide range appeal of BMW or Benz. They do need a small RWD sedan below the XF, that at least gives them 3 sedans and 2 coupe/convertible models, 5 products is good, let Land Rover do the SUVs. If they plan to dress up a lesser front wheel drive car as a Jag, they won't be doing a Cavalier turned into a Cimarron, they would be working with the Tata Nano.
  9. smk4565
    Why is cache so important? Hyundai isn't having much trouble selling the Genesis or Equus, even though their reputation was just above 'garbage' barely even a decade ago.Cadillac needs money. Why not build what people want? They did a good job giving people what they wanted with the SRX. Why stop there? Cache lets you charge luxury prices for luxury cars. Hyundai has to sell at a discount, and the Equus is only moving about 3,000 cars a year, not really setting the world on fire there. If Cadillac needs money, wouldn't it be nice if the CTS was $50,000 base price and sold better than when it was $35,000 base price? If you have image you can charge more and sell more.
  10. smk4565
    In the US, aren't they more like 99% AWD? It doesn't matter if the Cadillac SRX has a 100% AWD take rate nor does it matter that the Cadillac XTS can send something like 75% of its torque to the rear wheels when the computer tells the AWD system to... they are still FWD. Audi isn't FWD because they have longitudinal engines... even though they are driving the front wheels just as much as the FWD Cadillacs do. </smk mode> That is correct, haha. Longitudinal engine means Audi's have a 55/45 weight split, much better than the 60/40 or worse of may FWD cars. But if you aren't 50/50 you might as well go home. The ATS and CTS are done right, now Cadillac just has to convince the sheeple that they are superior and worth the price. I think crossover buyers are Sheeple, just like Cam-Cord buyers are. They think a CR-V or RX350 is unstoppable in snow, and safe in a crash, and a rwd sedan like the ATS or 3-series will get stuck all the time and lead to a firey death in a wreck. The same people that think a Nissan Sentra is crap, but will pay $5,000 more than Sentra for a Rogue, even though the Rogue is just a raised Sentra hatchback. Cadillac needs the Eldorado back because they need to make cars cool again. From the early 90s until now SUVs were thought to be cool, and you hadn't made it unless you had an Explorer, Grand Cherokee, etc. Time for cars again, scale the Elmirage down to CTS size, V6 for $52,000, twin turbo V6 for $62,000 and we have a winner. If they put the Elmirage in production as a bigger than XTS 2 door for $100,000 no one will buy it, and it will be another fail like the Allante and XLR, probably bigger. Then to get quick cash GM will make another crossover for the Sheeple. Do the Eldorado and do it right please.
  11. smk4565
    Agreed on the lack of X5 competitor and the SRX not being it. If SRX was made a bit smaller (on the outside and not inside) it could open the door to a vehicle in between it and the Escalade. Audi sort of plays 3rd fiddle to BMW and Mercedes. Notice Cadillac was benchmarking the 3-series for the ATS, not the A4. And everyone benchmarks the S-class. Audi is ditching the A8 platform for an all new RWD platform, because they can't compete with the S-class. Audi does their Quattro thing well, they market it well and it is sort of the luxury Subaru, where they have a following, but they aren't the big dog on the block.
  12. smk4565
    Cadillac could do a Delta crossover and it would sell, but you risk hurting the brand that doesn't have a lot of image or cache built up, because they lack halo cars. I think Cadillac needs ATS and CTS coupes and a convertible ATS, and a flagship sedan before they mess with another crossover.
  13. smk4565
    Why would you want Cadillac to lower sales to the level of the Germans in that segment? A rwd SRX could base at $47k though, not $37k, fewer sales, but more profit. They could put some other crossover at the $35-40k area. Or keep the SRX how it is, and make a new RWD crossover off the CTS. But then they risk taking away from the Escalade. 50% of Cadillac's 2014 line up is front wheel drive though, that is a lot for a luxury car company that wants to be "standard of the world" And it won't be long until they add an crossover below the SRX because once Mercedes and Lincoln hit that market, and Audi Q3, they will want one too.
  14. smk4565
    The FWD ones outsell them because they are bigger but also the crowd that grew up on the Rav4 or first Gen Lexus RX keep buying Lexus, they also don't demand better driving dynamics. A GLK is 5 inches shorter in length than an ATS, so it is pretty small. The SRX has over a foot in length on the GLK. But people that want RWD handling are going to buy a 3-series or C-class, the X3 and GLK are going to be less appealing. And the GLK is pretty small and firm riding compared to the Lexus that women buy like crazy.
  15. smk4565
    Distinctive, but ugly. The current Lincoln designs are awful, the Fusion looks way better. This Black Label is pointless, I guess the marketing people want another pricey option package to throw on. Some fancy leather or paint can't save this car, and I doubt the materials are all that great anyway.
  16. smk4565
    The engine doesn't exist, I doubt it will. Just like the V16 never existed, and most concept car engines don't ever exist. Chrysler had a 425 hp V12 for the Phaeton concept in the 1990s, not like Chrysler was going to put a V12 in anything they made. I think it hard to sell to the uber rich, when the uber rich haven't bought Cadillacs in 50 years. If this is the V-series and they want to go after the S-class coupe, where is their twin turbo V12? I don't think Cadillac should go to the uber luxury level, that is why this should have been a mid-size concept because they have a V6 and turbo V6 they can put to use. Cadillac always seems to dream up these concept cars, like the Sixteen or the Imaj, Ciel, Elmiraj, etc to try to trick people into thinking Cadillac is an elite brand, then they build a flagship based on the Chevy Impala or a sports coupe based on the Volt. Why not focus on ATS and CTS coupes, and getting the SRX back to RWD.
  17. smk4565
    The Ciel grille was better, this is a bit Mazda like. The back end is really good though. However I still say this car is too large, it is over a foot longer than a BMW 6-series, 16 inches longer than a Bentley Continental, it is even bigger than a Mercedes CL which is being killed for an S-class Coupe, so we don't know what that car will be like yet. Had they made this concept 192 inches long, you'd have a really easy path to a CTS based Eldorado coupe that could sell in the $55-70,000 range (V6 and turbo V6), with the CTS V6 sedan being
  18. smk4565
    There would be for Cadillac if the SRX was more expensive, and priced like an X5 or M-class. But then the SRX would have to go back to RWD and share CTS hardware. But they could make an ATS based rear drive SUV also, like how the X3 is. A Delta SUV makes more sense for Buick it could base around $28k and go up to $35k. Then Buick has a 3rd SUV and something in the middle of the 2 they have now, without just copying an Equinox. I think there is no shortage of buyers for these small crossovers. Look at CR-V and Rav4 sales, people that have bought them over the past 10 years will eventually trade up into a small luxury crossover. Look at how well the Lexus RX has sold, for what is basically a Camry wagon on a lift kit, people pay over $40k for it. Crossover buyers will buy anything.
  19. smk4565
    GM doesn't have a crossover priced like the GLA, the CLA is $30k, figure they'll add some for the SUV version, every car maker does, so $33k might be the base price, going to over $40k loaded. The Encore starts at $24k, the Cadillac SRX starts at $37k. The GLA competition on price is the Infiniti EX, Acura RDX, but it is smaller than those two, BMW X1 is the only direct competitor, until the Audi Q3 arrives. CLA and GLA give Mercedes and entry car, and people will buy them. It won't dilute the brand because they will still have the legendary Mercedes build quality and engineering that people want. Mercedes is so strong in the $50-150k space, and their image is so strong, the GLA won't hurt it, it will just make more people like the brand. Mercedes has 10.5 million likes on Facebook compared to BMW's 14 million, they wants some of that younger crowd.
  20. smk4565
    In a video one of the designers said there would likely be a 3rd car in the series with this and the Ciel. So I would assume a sedan is the next concept, and the 3 will all inspire what is to be their A8/7-series/XJ fighter. I for one miss the wreath.
  21. smk4565
    205 is much better than 191, IMO. 205 inches is Hyundai Equus length, they can't sell a coupe that big, no one would buy it. The press release also said it has a 4.5 liter twin turbo V8 but I wonder where they got that from since GM hasn't had a 4.5 liter V8 since the late 80s. And adding 2 cylinders to the 3.6 V6 gets you a 4.8 V8. Seems like a mythical engine.
  22. smk4565
    The rear screams return of the Eldorado. Much better than the bland CTS rear. The rear is great.
  23. smk4565
    I really like the back end, but the grille looks too big and the headlights too narrow. Not a fan of the interior, but concept car interiors are always pretty weird. I read this thing is 205 inches long, what is the point of that, it is longer than an Escalade or XTS. At first I thought this was going to become the CTS Coupe, because the CTS front end and body, with this car's C piller and trunk could work, but a CTS Coupe should be near 191 inches long.
  24. smk4565
    In their eyes they need to attract younger buyers or risk losing sales to Audi, BMW or the entry-lux brands. If they have no car for $30-35,000 then those buyers will go elsewhere. But look at the price on their other cars. C-class, E-class and S-class all have the highest base price in their respective classes, their SUVs cost more than their BMW or Audi counterparts and the GL and Escalade price overlap pretty closely. They aren't going to push their current models down, so they need the CLA and GLA.
  25. smk4565
    More expensive though, and the GLA does 0-60 n 6.4 seconds, that is quick for a crossover, it beats the 308 hp Cadillac SRX, let alone any of these small SUVs.
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