Welcome to the Cadillac V-Series Forums!

CT5-V Carmax experience

CT5-V Model

dinkman

Seasoned Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2023
Messages
307
Location
06905
V-Series Cadillac(s)?
'25 4BW
I’ve had zero luck with local 5bw’s so I our $199 to have one Carmax had for sale shipped from NC to CT. Small price to pay to finally get to sit in and drive one.

It was a good spec car but way over priced imo. They wanted $89k for a $91k msrp car that’s not 3 years old. And Carmax doesn’t negotiate unfortunately. Their sales people don’t set prices.

They give you a tracking number and you can see the truck traverse through various states and Carmax locations like a FedEx package. Pretty cool. It showed up yesterday and within an hour I got a call to come see it.

You make an appointment in advance, which was made yesterday for 10:30am today. The associate who was going to be helping me out texted me the night before if I had any questions. I said I was going to be in a hurry so to have the car ready upon arrival.

I arrive 10 mins early. My associate greets me at the door. Takes a copy of my license, verifies insurance, has me sign a release for the test drive and hands me the keys. The car was newly washed and ready right out front. I asked him to start it up so I could hear the cold start. Otherwise he left me alone to check out and drive the car. They’re really not there to answer any questions.

This particular car was infrared tricoat which looked phenomenal in person and the sun. The car is definitely bigger standing next to it than my 4bw but in good ways, the proportions were very good. Although the interior felt the same size so I’m not sure where those extra dimensions is being used.

This car also had parking package. The rear view camera thing was annoying. Assuming that can be turned off I didn’t care to figure out how. It had suede steering wheel and shifter, which were nice touch. The sunroof is nice to have in the backseat. The seats were the mid tier, buckets but not two tone leather. Glad I got to see those cause I know I like them enough.

Otherwise it felt just like my 4bw, which is a good thing. Drove very similar, besides losing traction much more easily and this was a warm day. Everyone who says you don’t hear the engine or exhaust much inside was right. Even with windows down at wot you barely hear it. But I know it’s loud on the outside cause of all the looks I was getting haha.

The condition of this car was amazing. Couldn’t find a single scratch or rock chip or wheel curb despite being a 2022. It is low mileage at only 3,000 so I’m sure that had a lot to do with it.

I didn’t end up buying it cause I think it’s overpriced but it did convince that I’ll really enjoy this car and I’ll expand my search to reputable dealers around the country and not just within driving distance. Very positive impression of Carmax as well. Was very clean, spacious location. Friendly associate who was as prompt as I’d ever seen at a car dealer.

The search continues!
 
Just FYI about the price (well for a reference point). My 22 (New Owner 22 CT5BW)

Had every option (including the carbon backed seats) but not the suede steering wheel or shifter.

I traded it in on a daily and the Audi dealership only had it on the lot for 3 days and it was gone.

They gave me what I owed on it, later posted it for 88k and it had 30k miles on it.

The only additional things I did to the car was full PPF and ceramic. That's it, oh and drove the balls off of it.

Loved that car. I'm now regretting getting rid of it because things have changed for me and I no longer have a reason for it to be gone :(
 
I’ve had zero luck with local 5bw’s so I our $199 to have one Carmax had for sale shipped from NC to CT. Small price to pay to finally get to sit in and drive one.

It was a good spec car but way over priced.

The search continues!

So, I paid Carmax to transfer a car from ATL to RDU and it was damaged in transit. Rather than continue on to RDU so that I could buy it, they sent it back to ATL and then asked me what I wanted to do. I got my $199 back is what I did. Idiots.

Your car will probably sit where it is, and aside from being beat on and test driven by any bozo who can't actually afford to buy one but wants to see "what it will do" if it's still there in a month, they'll likely lower the price.

The search continues, huh? Well... I could help but notice a person with the same user name also in CT on one of those BMW forums, ahem, looking to get out of his CT4BW.... you just can't make up your mind, can you? LOL, wink, etc. ;) I'm no better, just had to tease you a bit!
 
So, I paid Carmax to transfer a car from ATL to RDU and it was damaged in transit. Rather than continue on to RDU so that I could buy it, they sent it back to ATL and then asked me what I wanted to do. I got my $199 back is what I did. Idiots.

Your car will probably sit where it is, and aside from being beat on and test driven by any bozo who can't actually afford to buy one but wants to see "what it will do" if it's still there in a month, they'll likely lower the price.

The search continues, huh? Well... I could help but notice a person with the same user name also in CT on one of those BMW forums, ahem, looking to get out of his CT4BW.... you just can't make up your mind, can you? LOL, wink, etc. ;) I'm no better, just had to tease you a bit!
haha. that was when i was trying to get out of the 4bw for something more familiar. thats in the rearview now and i'm fully committed buying a 5bw when the right one comes along
sorry to hear about your issues. i'm really surprised how pleasant the experience and particular car were. i'm not kidding myself to thinking thats typical for them
 
and if it doesnt work out im just gonna pick up an e90 m3 or rs4 next to my s4 for now cause i need a manual v8 in my life one way or another
 
A $91k 2022 is probably a $97-100k 2023. MSRP had a huge jump.
 
Drop the rear seats and you will hear it. Its unfortunate you can't hear the exhaust over the fake pumped in noise when a ZL1 and a C7 Z06 sound so good.

Thats the unfortunate part of it being a Caddy they sell you a supercharged V8 with a manual and you wonder why you can't hear it. If it was a Chevy you would hear it and you'd think Caddy would know the reason why people want this car.
 
Just FYI about the price (well for a reference point). My 22 (New Owner 22 CT5BW)

Had every option (including the carbon backed seats) but not the suede steering wheel or shifter.

I traded it in on a daily and the Audi dealership only had it on the lot for 3 days and it was gone.

They gave me what I owed on it, later posted it for 88k and it had 30k miles on it.

The only additional things I did to the car was full PPF and ceramic. That's it, oh and drove the balls off of it.

Loved that car. I'm now regretting getting rid of it because things have changed for me and I no longer have a reason for it to be gone :(
If yours was at Audi Temecula, I would have bought it if it wasn't for their incompetence...
 
A $91k 2022 is probably a $97-100k 2023. MSRP had a huge jump.
i know. i should base the price on what its current value is, not relative to its original msrp but its hard. and also a 2022 is coming up on factory warranty ending faster than a '23
 
I bought my 2023 5BW from a high-end used car dealer in May. It had 9700 miles when I bought it. The original sticker price was $112K. I paid $96K. The car has every option I would have ordered including the stage 1 & 2 carbon fiber packages. However, it wasn't ordered with the parking option so it has a standard review mirror. It's my only disappointment with the car. I have two other cars with the rearview camera mirror and love the expanded view out the back. Why the rearview camera mirror isn't standard on a $100K Cadillac is a head-scratcher.
 
I’ve had zero luck with local 5bw’s so I our $199 to have one Carmax had for sale shipped from NC to CT. Small price to pay to finally get to sit in and drive one.

It was a good spec car but way over priced imo. They wanted $89k for a $91k msrp car that’s not 3 years old. And Carmax doesn’t negotiate unfortunately. Their sales people don’t set prices.

They give you a tracking number and you can see the truck traverse through various states and Carmax locations like a FedEx package. Pretty cool. It showed up yesterday and within an hour I got a call to come see it.

You make an appointment in advance, which was made yesterday for 10:30am today. The associate who was going to be helping me out texted me the night before if I had any questions. I said I was going to be in a hurry so to have the car ready upon arrival.

I arrive 10 mins early. My associate greets me at the door. Takes a copy of my license, verifies insurance, has me sign a release for the test drive and hands me the keys. The car was newly washed and ready right out front. I asked him to start it up so I could hear the cold start. Otherwise he left me alone to check out and drive the car. They’re really not there to answer any questions.

This particular car was infrared tricoat which looked phenomenal in person and the sun. The car is definitely bigger standing next to it than my 4bw but in good ways, the proportions were very good. Although the interior felt the same size so I’m not sure where those extra dimensions is being used.

This car also had parking package. The rear view camera thing was annoying. Assuming that can be turned off I didn’t care to figure out how. It had suede steering wheel and shifter, which were nice touch. The sunroof is nice to have in the backseat. The seats were the mid tier, buckets but not two tone leather. Glad I got to see those cause I know I like them enough.

Otherwise it felt just like my 4bw, which is a good thing. Drove very similar, besides losing traction much more easily and this was a warm day. Everyone who says you don’t hear the engine or exhaust much inside was right. Even with windows down at wot you barely hear it. But I know it’s loud on the outside cause of all the looks I was getting haha.

The condition of this car was amazing. Couldn’t find a single scratch or rock chip or wheel curb despite being a 2022. It is low mileage at only 3,000 so I’m sure that had a lot to do with it.

I didn’t end up buying it cause I think it’s overpriced but it did convince that I’ll really enjoy this car and I’ll expand my search to reputable dealers around the country and not just within driving distance. Very positive impression of Carmax as well. Was very clean, spacious location. Friendly associate who was as prompt as I’d ever seen at a car dealer.

The search continues!
tmp.gif
 
I bought my 2023 5BW from a high-end used car dealer in May. It had 9700 miles when I bought it. The original sticker price was $112K. I paid $96K. The car has every option I would have ordered including the stage 1 & 2 carbon fiber packages. However, it wasn't ordered with the parking option so it has a standard review mirror. It's my only disappointment with the car. I have two other cars with the rearview camera mirror and love the expanded view out the back. Why the rearview camera mirror isn't standard on a $100K Cadillac is a head-scratcher.
If you're willing to do a bit of DIY you can retrofit.

 
@hawk02 You may know this, but the CF2 package deletes the parking package. The parking package includes the handsfree decklid release (swing your foot under the trunk) and the rear diffuser does not have a provision for this sensor.

If the nauseating rear view mirror is your only disappointment, then you're doing GREAT! I tried it for 30 seconds and couldn't stand it.
 
@hawk02 You may know this, but the CF2 package deletes the parking package. The parking package includes the handsfree decklid release (swing your foot under the trunk) and the rear diffuser does not have a provision for this sensor.

If the nauseating rear view mirror is your only disappointment, then you're doing GREAT! I tried it for 30 seconds and couldn't stand it.

It deletes only the hands free decklid but everthing else on the parking package remains.
 
If the nauseating rear view mirror is your only disappointment, then you're doing GREAT! I tried it for 30 seconds and couldn't stand it.
It took me a couple of weeks to get used to the mirror. Hated it at the start. I love it now. Much more visibility. I have it in both of my cars.
 
It took me a couple of weeks to get used to the mirror. Hated it at the start. I love it now. Much more visibility. I have it in both of my cars.
it was definitely off putting during the test drive. you guys saying it cant be turned off?
 
There is a switch on the bottom of the rear view mirror to turn it off. I personally am not a fan of the camera and have only used it at night. (Rarely). It works best at night (IMO). I have found ZERO use for the automatic parking assist feature, also. I tried it once in a church parking lot to test it out. It worked fine. But , I could park the car 10x faster than it took to set it up.
 

Win 2 Supercharged Cadillacs!

Win both supercharged Cadillac Vs!

Supporting Vendors

Exhibitions of Speed

Signature Wheels

Taput Tunning LLC

V-Series Marketplace

Advertise with the Cadillac V-Net!

Torque Shop

Our Partners

Back
Top Bottom