What more is there!!!! Warrenty and car problems

[JCP]

(Skip to the bottom for my point and what I am interested in getting more info on)

Hey everyone! I’m new to this site and just bought my XLR. It was a long time coming as at first I wanted a viper.....then I went to Porsche....which I still kick my self in the butt about. But both my wife and I love the XLR. Its very rare and most people have no clue what it is. It gives any XLR owner the sense of extreme exclusivity into a high class luxury car.

However....

I notice not that many things are left to say about the car. All I read about is problems people are having with the cars tops or other electrical components....so what did we spend money on? Granted the dealerships are more then happy to fix them if under warranty but what gives? Why not make the car perfect from the get go? I haven’t had many issues my self but I have had to bring it into the shop a few times. Shouldn’t GM take a good look at there ever dropping sales and say...."hmmm...wonder why?" Well GM....it’s not because you don’t make a great looking car but because you make a poor quality car. XLR is one of the top priced Cadillac’s and one of the top priced cars that GM makes. So why not admit you made a poorly made car and help us out? Extend our warranties or something...or at least have all issues addressed on some kind of massive recall? We are the ones who willing spend the $50-100K on a two seater and maybe even the same on our family car. Instead.....I’m looking at the Porsche Cayenne as my family car and not an Escalade.

Anyway...thanks for reading my little vent session...

My point is, has any one gotten great treatment from GM on the problems they face or does anyone have any tips on how to go about getting better or extended service for our XLR's?

Lets hear it folks!

 

[jhansen]

Certified Preowned

JCP
In my research of the reviews on the XLR (on this site and everyother thread I could pick up), I have not read about too many problems. As you are certainly aware, the XLR is a very complicated machine. With the degree of system integration it offers, I am surprised that I do not read about more problems.

When I purchased my 2005 XLR, I paid to have it go through the Certified Preowned program. That gives me 6 years (from date of original delivery) and 100,000 miles of original bumper to bumper, no deductible warranty. Believe me, I intend to take full advantage of the provisions of that warranty to ensure that on the day before 6 years is up, that car will be in absolutely pristine condition. I believe that extends the factory warranty by 3 years and 40,000 miles. The Certified Preowned (CPO) process cost was about $1,000 (or one trip to the dealership for a significant problem). The only requirement for the certified pre-owned designation is that the certification be accomplished before the initial 3 year warranty expires. My guess is, that since the warranty can be extended by a certification like the CPO that there are other underwriters out there who will take a similar risk.

If you don't mind me asking, what sorts of issues are you seeing with your XLR and how would you classify your use of the car?

Jack

 

[JCP]

Jack,
Again I haven’t experienced much but there have been issues with the roof, radio, FOB, power control for the switch, reverse guidance (memory of the mirror) Drivers side door latch. As far as use of the vehicle, I have only driven it about 2-3 day a week since I bought it...which was less then a month ago.

JCP

 

[b_pappy]

Congrats on your XLR purchase. I think what you are seeing is the enthusiasts discussing issues they have had, and heard about. We tend to not talk about the great dealerships, and all the things right with the car. Same thing tends to happen on Porsche, BWW, Corvette & Subaru forums, people talk about what is wrong. You didn't buy any headaches you wouldn't have got with any of the other makes mentioned. Find a good dealer and acquaint yourself with the service writer.
Bruce

 

[HOMEGAMEROOM]

I've got the luxury of living between 3 Cadillac dealers with certified XLR technicians. I think there are several things going on with XLRs and servicing:

Supply of replacement and repair parts: Dealer #1 made me unhappy because the parts NEVER seemed to arrive quickly! Yes, I blamed the dealer - I now understand it wasn't the dealer's fault, and that the supply chain for XLR parts is not quick! But I went to Dealer #2.

Experience: Dealer #2 just didn't see that many XLRs, and, as a result, the tech didn't seem very secure with his knowledge of the car and scared me off. So I went to Dealer #3.

Odd problems that you don't see every day on an unusual car: Dealer #3 did everything right.... sometimes. My passenger side vents have been blowing hot air (no matter what the setting is) since the beginning of spring. I took it to the dealer, and it took them 3 times to finally fix the problem (side note - it was actually 5 times, but 2 times were my fault - it's a long story). Unfortunately, when the tech was replacing all the guts of the HVAC system, he broke the transmission shift cable. When the part finally arrived and was installed, I took the car down the street about 1/4 mile- and noticed the sport shift (where you put the gearshift on the side to shift "manually") was not working. Yep, she's at the dealer still, hopefully not waiting on a part!

I get treated very well there, and am always in and out quickly. Yes, it's an inconvenience, but I wouldn't trade my car for the world! And I know the tech is doing the best he can with the time alloted him by GM, which is close to nothing! And yes, mine is an 04, which tend to have more issues than the later models. And yes, I still feel like a rock star when I drive it!

PS If I ever have a really serious probem, I'm driving to Indianapolis to Lockhart Cadillac so Cadillac Tech can work on it again!

 

[XLRJIM]

Very Positive response from GM and dealer

I have an 04 XLR that has had a lot of problems, both my dealer and Cadillac have been extremely positive in working thru the problems. How ever in the past year the car has really been reliable.

I have also owned 3 Escalades, pretty much trouble free. I did have a nagging problem with our 07 Escalade that I contacted Mr XLR on.. Got an immediate email back from him and a phone call from Cadillac. Bottom line took the car in the next week and the problem was fixed.

Modern cars, especially the XLR, are engineering nightmares. It takes good technicians and manufacturer support to keep them running.

My family and I have owned cars of other domestic and foreign manufacturers and I must tell you that they have their problems too. For my money there is no other car on the road that matches the XLR for looks, performance and FUN!!

JIM

 

[Cunard One]

I have an 04 XLR that has had a lot of problems, both my dealer and Cadillac have been extremely positive in working thru the problems. How ever in the past year the car has really been reliable.

I have also owned 3 Escalades, pretty much trouble free. I did have a nagging problem with our 07 Escalade that I contacted Mr XLR on.. Got an immediate email back from him and a phone call from Cadillac. Bottom line took the car in the next week and the problem was fixed.

Modern cars, especially the XLR, are engineering nightmares. It takes good technicians and manufacturer support to keep them running.

My family and I have owned cars of other domestic and foreign manufacturers and I must tell you that they have their problems too. For my money there is no other car on the road that matches the XLR for looks, performance and FUN!!

JIM

I agree...well stated.

C.O.

 

[standby-V]

All in all we have ourselves a very sophisticated piece of machinery and I have the best service writer/tech in the country. True GM doesn't listen to us but we have bought their product and we love these machines.
You people at the top of GM have to share your wealth with the people that put these machines together and back them. You can pay their union wages, just take a little less cream off the top.
If you give them less we are going to get less in quality.
I personally have worked the line in Linden, NJ so many years ago I can't remember and when management overloaded us with to much work, the workers would throw out the anchor by putting a large bolt in the chain that moved the cars along which when it got to the end of the line and went under the floor it would break the chain...............Long lunch break until they fixed it. There where times that I was so far down the line and no where near my bench for my parts to put on the car that I had to run back and forth to get the parts.
Once you learned to put a part on too quickly, management would give you another piece to put on and so on and so on until you where running all day to keep up.
If you haven't worked on the line. I dare say you have no reason to be judging the union workers. They want to have a cottage and picket fence too. I'm really tired of this union bashing and will not have anthing more to say on the subject...........maybe!

I agree...well stated.

C.O.