CNC, New XLR Owner

[First Robin]

First off, thanks to all of you for welcoming me to The Club! The car needs some work but is overall 'beautiful' and I am excited to own it! I got home in Colorado with it at 9:00 last night, still with a grin on my face. What a great car! The drive back was 1,188 miles. It never missed a beat. Also, no speeding tickets! That's a good thing. : ) Avg. 25 mpg.

I bought the car from the estate of the doctor. I had it wrong before. His wife is presently 88 years young, and her doctor husband(MD.) bought the car new at age 84. He is now 92 years young. : ) She, God Bless Her, has been liquidating everything. Nice lady.

The car needs new brakes all the way around and new tires. She drove it after he went into the nursing home. I think she rested her foot on the brake pedal 24/7 while driving. Oops. : ) --- Plus she scraped up the bottom of the front air dam quite a bit and the rocker panel bottoms. Scrapers on the pads are not yet hitting the rotors, but are 'real close'. Turned out that she had left all her 'classical music CD's loaded'. I offered this A.M. to send them back to her, but she told me to keep and enoy them. Awwwww.

So immediately, now that the car is here in Colorado, new brakes and tires are the first order of business, then the required body work. Minor, but I want it perfect.

Yes, I had the Cadillac Dealer in La Mesa CA use Mobil 1, and they also serviced the coolant and trany fluid and went over the whole car as it had been sitting in the owners garage for 3 years and 8 months since the last Car Fax entry. Yes I had called all Caddy Dealers involved and got the blow by blow per service on the car. The primary dealer told me "That car is pristine and had been sevicied religiously up to the time they parked it. He changed the oil and filter every 3,000 miles with Mobil1" (not required as you know).

When I got to Grand Junction CO, I stopped had the car washed in and out to get road grime and bugs off, and then put the top down with shades on and cruised through The Rockies on I-70 east and the Isenhower Tunnel. Beautiful day. Mid 70's and our typical 10 - 12 % relative humdity. Every time I stopped for gas people were coming over and looking at it. I got, "What is that? --- Nice Car!".

This coming winter I will be in 'withdrawals' as it will sit under a car cover in the garage with our snow and ice season. Not the time here to be driving a fairly powerful rear wheel drive factory hot rod.

Just as soon as I get recovered from the trip back, I will post pictures.

Thank you all again for your warm welcome!

If you are living in Colorado there is no need to keep the XLR in the garage all winter. I drive mine 52 weeks a year. The XLR with rear wheel drive does great on ice and snow and the winters have a lot of sunshine and dry roads. I am looking forward to having mine back in Colorado Springs soon and will have it out this winter.

 

[CNC]

Replied earlier but I cannot find it? Still learning the site. I'm in Monument. : )

Hey, welcome to the forum, CNC. It's great to have another Colorado XLR, especially an '06! Where do you live in CO? I've made the Palm Desert to Pueblo West run so many times, the Joshua trees and I are on a first name basis.

I second the recommendation that you insist on Mobil 1. Caddy has their own oil now that's a synthetic blend; I prefer the full synthetic protection of Mobil 1.

The headlight washer "deally" was missing on mine, too. I put it on w/ epoxy, and it even has stood up to light power washing. I usually hand wash it, tho. I got it from the dealer (Cadillac of La Quinta, by Palm Desert, CA).

Hope you enjoy yours as much as we do. Look into the Costco extended warranty. Mine's saved me a bundle so far.

Have a great drive.

Tim

Reply: Hi Tim, and thanks. I drove the car 1,188 miles without any problems, except I didn't know how half the stuff worked inside. : )

What was weird was I was told by the guy at California DMV (in a very low voice) not to bring the car in to them for a "California Trip Permit." Why? Because they would charge me California State Sales Tax before I was allowed to take it out of state. He said, use the sellers plates and registration to get it out of California and don't get stopped before you cross the border! If you get stopped they will impound the car until you pay California Sales Tax. Then when you get back to Colorado you are going to have to pay Colorado also. Technically, California will then 'refund' the sales tax paid when taken out of state. He said, "May take a year +, and you may never see the refund." He concluded with, "You never heard this from me."

I agree, I will only use The Mobil 1.

I don't think there are many XLR's here in Colorado? I have identified only six so far. Again, I am in Monument.

Regards

 

[CNC]

CNC, Thanks! Used to live near Thousand Oaks some years back.

Welcome to the forum. I was thinking "gold mist? I don't think Ive seen a gold XLR."
With only around 300 made I guess I know why.
Anyhow, welcome, and enjoy the car. Hope you two have a nice "get acquainted' cruise to Colorado.
Bruce

Reply: It definitely was a fun cruise albeit a long one. Car handles like it is on rails. Acceleration is amazing. I can only imagine what a V must be like. I didn't go crazy, but had to punch it a couple of times, of course. : )

For several years living near Thousand Oaks I was part of the freeway 'sub culture' on The 5 and 405 going into and out of Civic Center in L.A. everyday. Finally had enough after not being able to get in at all one day because of Cig Alerts.

California is a beautiful State with an unmatchable climate.

Thank you.

 

[arv09]

Can't believe you called about the car I bought!

It is really too funny you called about the car I bought in Lexington, KY. I'm glad I already had it or I might never have even known what it was. Like I said I had only seen one before and not in this area of the country. You are correct it has low mileage (13600 at purchase) and was Cadillac certified so I have full warranty until 3/2017. The car was orginally purchased in 3/2011.

I don't envy you driving it 1100 miles before familarizing yourself with the car but glad you didn't have any problems. That was not the case with my car. I had only driven the car about 15 miles after purchasing it when all the gauges except the speedometer quit working and I kept getting messages about service everything in the vehicle and low voltage. I stopped but kept the car running. I had the top down because of course I had to drive it home with the top down and it would not go up. The dealership is only about 30 miles from my house so we called them rushed back since they were closing in 30 minutes. It had no brake lights or turn signals either. When we got back to the dealership I pulled it in the garage and shut it off. It would not restart and the doors wouldn't open. None of the sales people knew how to get me out of the car. They called the guy who drove it from the original owner because he had a similar problem driving it to KY (not disclosed to me until now) but the service people couldn't reproduce it. They were saying there is a lever in the car to pull but it was dark in the garage and it took me about 5 minutes to find it and get out of the car. I do have to also say this was on Friday evening so service couldn't even look at it till Monday. I bought the car of my dreams and couldn't even get it home.

It turned out the drain for the A/C was clogged and backing up water resulting in damage to the body control module. This was replaced under warranty and I picked up my car again on Tuesday. Frankly, I am very glad this problem happened immediately after my purchase. Haven't had one problem since and absolutely love it. Thought you might appreciate the experience and so glad it didn't happen to you.

 

[CNC]

Thanks for the input. Again, I "assumed" it would be squirly in snow and ice.

If you are living in Colorado there is no need to keep the XLR in the garage all winter. I drive mine 52 weeks a year. The XLR with rear wheel drive does great on ice and snow and the winters have a lot of sunshine and dry roads. I am looking forward to having mine back in Colorado Springs soon and will have it out this winter.

Reply: Really. That is good news. Yes we have many warm sunny winter days in between snow storms and our occasional blizzards. Been living here now for quite a few years.

My point of reference was a Ford Saleen Mustang that I owned a few years back. A late 80's Fox Body 5 speed manual with a 351 CI Vortec Supercharged Windsor. Rear wheel drive also. With it, 'IF' you got caught in snow or ice you were taking your life in your hands! --- Got trapped once in a snowstorm on the way back from Denver. Started the morning at 65 - 70 degrees and sunny, and by mid afternoon it was 10 degrees and snowing hard and sticking on the roads. White knuckle driving back to The Springs. I went sideways once, and did a donut turning onto our street. This at around 5 to 10 MPH. --- I never took it out again for any distance in the winter months. Stayed with my 4X4 truck after that. --- So apparently the XLR has much better traction. --- Interesting.

Thanks for the input.

 

[XFireXLR]

Congrats and welcome to the forum......from another Gold Mist owner.

 

[CNC]

Thanks for the welcome and advice. I want to learn about The XLR's. Yours is sharp!

Congratulations!

There were only 335 Gold Mist XLRs produced in 2006 and only 3 in 2007, so as uncommon as XLRs are, Gold Mist XLRs are even rarer!

Of course, the dealer is using Mobil One fully synthetic oil, isn't he?

We'll be expecting to see some pictures soon.

Lots of good folks and good information here on this site.

Reply: Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I will ordder McCormick's book as you suggested. Your XLR is really sharp! I just viewed your other pictures.

Thanks again.

 

[CNC]

What a beautiful car! Hope eventually mine will look as good. : )

Congrats and welcome to the XLR Net!!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Reply: Thank you for the welcome. Your car is gorgeous. I am pleased to be part of this great group of people and welcomed as I have been by all.

Thanks!

 

[CNC]

Thank you. --- Also looking at your Gold Mist pictures. Nice car : )

Congrats and welcome to the forum......from another Gold Mist owner.

Reply: As you may have read, mine needs some work mechanically (brakes) and cosmetically. But I will get it there! First the mechanicals and the the body work (minor scrapes and a few dings) Interior is clean and straight. One small chip in the drivers door, and the underneath air dam and rocker panesl, plus the missing headlight washer nozzle. And 4 new tires.

I would like to hear thoughts on what tires are recomended? I know they have to be speed rated Z performance tires. I am referring to any particular brand? I am thinking Michelins?

Tomorrow I am having all four brake rotors turned and replacing the pads. Then the tires. Then the body work and partial repaint. Will clean the whole car in and out.

Love the Gold Mist!

 

[CNC]

A Belated Thanks! : )

Congratulations!

There were only 335 Gold Mist XLRs produced in 2006 and only 3 in 2007, so as uncommon as XLRs are, Gold Mist XLRs are even rarer!

Of course, the dealer is using Mobil One fully synthetic oil, isn't he?

We'll be expecting to see some pictures soon.

Lots of good folks and good information here on this site.

Oh yeah. Mobil 1 it was. I am in the process now of having every ding touched up and repainted as required. Noticed a week ago that somehow the prior owner had raised the trunk into something and damaged the high mount brake light. Replacement is presently in transit. Also new brake pads (ceramic) and rotors, and fixed a leak at the transmission cooler. Was very minor. Just a loose hose fitting. After I got home with it I found the original paperwork from G.M in the passenger door compartment that had the navigation C.D. and the On Star sleeves and info. Neither had ever been opened, nor had the Nav. C.D. ever been loaded. - I had no idea The Gold Mist was that rare. Thanks for the information.

 

[CNC]

Belated Thank You. : )

welcome to the greatest XLR website around. You'll find that we are very knowledgeable about our cars. Even some of us more then others. Thats why we have this site. Just ask and someone here will answer

Have been enjoying visiting with all. Great folks. --- St Augustine, the oldest city in America, and one of the most beautiful I have ever been in. Has been a few years since I was there, but really enjoyed it at the time. --- Again, a belated thank you.

 

[MarkSki]

CNC....Oh oh..you said the F__D word! That's a No No!!

 

[CNC]

HUH?

CNC....Oh oh..you said the F__D word! That's a No No!!

REPLY: Uhhhhh, I guess I'm just ignorant as I have no ( 0 ) idea what you are referring to? --- I'm a little slow I guess sometimes. Duhhhh. ---- Just figured out what you meant by the F D word. Yes The XLR is much more 'solid feeling' than the F___D. That being said, the "F___D" was blazing fast, but really squirrely. : ) --- Thanks for the greetings!

 

[CNC]

Belated Thank you for The Welcome. : )

Congrats and welcome to the forum......from another Gold Mist owner.

Are we the only two Gold Mist owners on the site? Not sure yet as I look at all the other members XLR rides.

 

[CoCoXLR]

Many congratulation and best of luck for tomorrow for having safe ride. I am looking for some pictures to be uploaded by you of this car so that all the members know about the car specs, look as well as suggest you different tips for its care.