used ct4 purchase - opinions

[dinkman]

i had a deposit on a ct4 bw for months and the car failed paint qc and then disappeared so i canceled the deposit back in january. i had mentally taken myself out of the market and decided to wait for a ct5 later instead
then out of nowhere a very good spec popped up. curious to get folks' thoughts:
2022 wave metallic with sky gray seats (this was my top 2 choice spec with midnight steel being other). 3,700 miles $69k msrp asking price $57,000
the other important notable is this is one of those hard to rely on and notorious for messing up paperwork type online dealerships so you cant negotiate but they've offered me $3k more on my trade in than any other dealer has.
i know this wont last on their site long. any opinions? is it a good enough deal to just do it, continue to hold out for a ct5 later in the year?

 

[Roadhawk]

i had a deposit on a ct4 bw for months and the car failed paint qc and then disappeared so i canceled the deposit back in january. i had mentally taken myself out of the market and decided to wait for a ct5 later instead
then out of nowhere a very good spec popped up. curious to get folks' thoughts:
2022 wave metallic with sky gray seats (this was my top 2 choice spec with midnight steel being other). 3,700 miles $69k msrp asking price $57,000
the other important notable is this is one of those hard to rely on and notorious for messing up paperwork type online dealerships so you cant negotiate but they've offered me $3k more on my trade in than any other dealer has.
i know this wont last on their site long. any opinions? is it a good enough deal to just do it, continue to hold out for a ct5 later in the year?

I'd do what I could to check it out as much as possible but otherwise sounds like a go. My preference is for the CT 4 V BW...but thats just my preference for a variety of reasons. You need to determine what suits you best...but if this car hits most all your buttons why not?

 

[dinkman]

I'd do what I could to check it out as much as possible but otherwise sounds like a go. My preference is for the CT 4 V BW...but thats just my preference for a variety of reasons. You need to determine what suits you best...but if this car hits most all your buttons why not?

back in fall when i was in the market this would have been a perfect spec car. but you cant exactly go see the car and have to hope its as described when it rolls off the delivery truck. they do ffer a 7 day money back guarantee

 

[BW56M]

To me, there's nothing like seeing, touching, smelling and driving before signing on the dotted line. Sorry, I know my opinion isn't helping you. Good luck with whatever you do.

 

[Jack Tors]

As a data point: I picked up a '22 4VBW in Dec of 2023:
it had 3800 miles, MSRP was $76.5k, bought CPO from a cadillac dealer for $62k
used car prices have dropped each month since Dec '23, so I would expect you could do better.

That said - I bought the one I did because it was exactly what I want, can't get the color in '24, and the MSRP of that spec in '24 would be $83k
IF it's exactly your spec and you'd be happy with the 4VBW, then work out a deal
If you think you'd prefer a 5, then wait for the right opportunity

Once the '25 5VBW comes out, everyone on this forum is going to stampede to the dealer to get one and the '22-'24 5VBWs will be dirt cheap.
/s - in case you missed it

 

[savethemanual]

but they've offered me $3k more on my trade in than any other dealer has.

Isn’t the trade in independent of the purchase on sites like this? I’m presuming carvana.

 

[Grainofsand]

As a data point: I picked up a '22 4VBW in Dec of 2023:
it had 3800 miles, MSRP was $76.5k, bought CPO from a cadillac dealer for $62k
used car prices have dropped each month since Dec '23, so I would expect you could do better.

That said - I bought the one I did because it was exactly what I want, can't get the color in '24, and the MSRP of that spec in '24 would be $83k
IF it's exactly your spec and you'd be happy with the 4VBW, then work out a deal
If you think you'd prefer a 5, then wait for the right opportunity

Once the '25 5VBW comes out, everyone on this forum is going to stampede to the dealer to get one and the '22-'24 5VBWs will be dirt cheap.
/s - in case you missed it

I might be lurking in the bushes at the used 5BW prices, but I doubt they'll drop that much. Maybe a few K.

 

[BimmerFan]

I've sold two cars to Carvana but would never buy one from them. If whatever dealer it is has a 7 day try/return policy and you are comfortable that they will honor it, then that removes a lot of risk. Keep in mind though that you likely will not get your trade back. Think "Vacation" movie.

I presume that you have shopped the country looking for a comparable car and this is the best deal possible.

 

[obeykube]

CT4-VBW and 5VBW are two very different cars. It sounds like you are between the two. If you are definite on the 4BW, IMO $12,000 you are saving from sticker makes sense. Only reason I bought mine new is I don't love buying high performance stick shifts used...especially if I plan to keep the car for 5+ years. That 7 day warranty make sure you read the fine print. Like actually read it. Because a lot of time they say that but they will hit you with fines/fees/penalties galore where it makes more sense for you to keep it and pay to get whatever is wrong with it fixed. FInd out what the warranty situation looks like as well. There has been 0 reports of issues yet that I know of but all the cooling in our cars....at the 5 year plus mark I can see leaks being an issue, and a long term warranty would be nice peace of mind.

 

[Roadhawk]

CT4-VBW and 5VBW are two very different cars. It sounds like you are between the two. If you are definite on the 4BW, IMO $12,000 you are saving from sticker makes sense. Only reason I bought mine new is I don't love buying high performance stick shifts used...especially if I plan to keep the car for 5+ years.

Agree (with all).

4V BW and 5 V BW share much but do seem to be in different classes - with the 5 being a large super high performance sport sedan that competes with the BMW 5 series, Audi 5-7 series etc as well as other American large muscle cars and the 4 V BW is a smaller (mid-size?) high performance sport sedan that competes more directly with BMW 2 & 3 series (incl current Toyota Supra), Audi 3 & 4 series, and perhaps numerous Japanese and Korean mid sized performance sedans and coups (numerous Lexus, Acura and even Kia [Stinger for instance] come to mind) and perhaps American muscle such as Camaro and Mustang. I don't mention Mercedes as I am not overly familiar with their car designations (ie I purposely ignore them).

While many of these cars may not seem as direct competitors I group them as non-SUVs with a performance edge. What sets the Caddy's apart from most IMO is availabity of MT and RWD (Camaro and Mustang and M2? do but not many others have MT...including, suprisingly, now even the Supra).

Its also clear that both the 4 V BW & 5 V BW are standouts for performance (driver dynamics) in their classes with the 4 being a bit more nimble and the 5 being quite a bit more over the top powerful. I think the interiors and features of both are just fine (very nice) even if perhaps not up to the best of what the Germans are offering....still...why are we considering these cars really...

I am also with you on the issues with buying a high performance MT used. I bought both my Audi S4 (19K miles) and GTI (32K? miles) used and both required clutch replacement (and upgrade) within a month...

 

[dinkman]

I've sold two cars to Carvana but would never buy one from them.

what makes you say that? i mean i know its a long list of concerns but curious which would make you not shop from them if you've sold to them

 

[savethemanual]

what makes you say that? i mean i know its a long list of concerns but curious which would make you not shop from them if you've sold to them

I have a similar sentiment and I can answer. They do next to zero inspection on purchase. For my cars they didnt even drive it around the block to see if it runs. Just loaded on trailer and gave me a check.

 

[dinkman]

I have a similar sentiment and I can answer. They do next to zero inspection on purchase. For my cars they didnt even drive it around the block to see if it runs. Just loaded on trailer and gave me a check.

but their 7 day return policy doesnt give you some comfort in a potential purchase? sure its a hassle but its free shipping to my door and i can send it back if i dont like it

 

[savethemanual]

but their 7 day return policy doesnt give you some comfort in a potential purchase? sure its a hassle but its free shipping to my door and i can send it back if i dont like it

True, but you are paying for an inspection and counting on the inspection finding everything wrong with the car in the 7 day window.

 

[dinkman]

True, but you are paying for an inspection and counting on the inspection finding everything wrong with the car in the 7 day window.

which is probably more than i could find wrong with it from a 15 minute walk around and test drive at a local dealership lot though, no?

 

[obeykube]

Again, for a 12K savings it may make sense to call cadillac and see if they will offer you a pre-owned warranty. Even if it is very expensive, $4k?, it still is net savings over getting a new one.

 

[BimmerFan]

I'll add that any inspection on a used car is well worth the money. I've spent a few hundred bucks on PPI which saved me thousands by alerting me to problems that kept me from buying the car. That 7 days (or whatever) gives you the chance to drive the car, have it inspected, drive it some more, and see what, if any, issues you can find.

As @savethemanual wrote, Carvana did zero inspection, and in fact with my first one, the guy wouldn't even put it in the street (to be picked up) because he couldn't drive a stick. The second car, which I took to their lot, the guy jumped in and started it, and nearly hit the car parked in front of it because, again, clutch. That was the extent of their inspection. FWIW, that first car was a bit of a track rat, I had holes cut out of the front fascia for brake duct cooling, some other stuff had been cut away for a seat belt bar, and they noticed none of that. Not to say that Carmax or anyone else wouldn't have still bought the car, they just polish 'em up and move 'em out. Most dealers don't give a crap.

Carvana and especially that other one (I forgot the name) have issues paying off your loan, supplying titles, etc. My two sales were straight sales, I had the title, they wrote me a check for the full amount. Otherwise, I would not have used them.

To clarify my earlier comment, I don't think that a Carvana car would necessarily be any worse than something that you buy at a local lot, but there are slightly better odds are that the car has something about it that made the seller go with a non-inspection place rather than the local Caddy dealer. To be fair, the second car I sold to them, I did so because no one else wanted it, and they paid me more for it. There was nothing wrong with that one other than the color.

 

[dinkman]

I'll add that any inspection on a used car is well worth the money. I've spent a few hundred bucks on PPI which saved me thousands by alerting me to problems that kept me from buying the car. That 7 days (or whatever) gives you the chance to drive the car, have it inspected, drive it some more, and see what, if any, issues you can find.

As @savethemanual wrote, Carvana did zero inspection, and in fact with my first one, the guy wouldn't even put it in the street (to be picked up) because he couldn't drive a stick. The second car, which I took to their lot, the guy jumped in and started it, and nearly hit the car parked in front of it because, again, clutch. That was the extent of their inspection. FWIW, that first car was a bit of a track rat, I had holes cut out of the front fascia for brake duct cooling, some other stuff had been cut away for a seat belt bar, and they noticed none of that. Not to say that Carmax or anyone else wouldn't have still bought the car, they just polish 'em up and move 'em out. Most dealers don't give a crap.

Carvana and especially that other one (I forgot the name) have issues paying off your loan, supplying titles, etc. My two sales were straight sales, I had the title, they wrote me a check for the full amount. Otherwise, I would not have used them.

To clarify my earlier comment, I don't think that a Carvana car would necessarily be any worse than something that you buy at a local lot, but there are slightly better odds are that the car has something about it that made the seller go with a non-inspection place rather than the local Caddy dealer. To be fair, the second car I sold to them, I did so because no one else wanted it, and they paid me more for it. There was nothing wrong with that one other than the color.

that's very fair point. the other reason being they tend to overpay for cars which is why i'm considering trading mine in to them
and you were thinking of Vroom! but they are no longer in business

 

[MCC217]

i had a deposit on a ct4 bw for months and the car failed paint qc and then disappeared so i canceled the deposit back in january. i had mentally taken myself out of the market and decided to wait for a ct5 later instead
then out of nowhere a very good spec popped up. curious to get folks' thoughts:
2022 wave metallic with sky gray seats (this was my top 2 choice spec with midnight steel being other). 3,700 miles $69k msrp asking price $57,000
the other important notable is this is one of those hard to rely on and notorious for messing up paperwork type online dealerships so you cant negotiate but they've offered me $3k more on my trade in than any other dealer has.
i know this wont last on their site long. any opinions? is it a good enough deal to just do it, continue to hold out for a ct5 later in the year?

Keeping in mind what MSRP will be on a base '25 5BW, you're saving about $43K. Go for it, there's plenty of factory warranty left. The car may not be perfect cosmetically, so be ready to spend some $ getting it to where you want it to be.

Edit -read *ready

 

[BimmerFan]

that's very fair point. the other reason being they tend to overpay for cars which is why i'm considering trading mine in to them
and you were thinking of Vroom! but they are no longer in business

Yes, Vroom, they were notorious for bad paperwork, although Carvana actually lost their dealer license here (NC) for a few months because of paperwork shenanigans.