X Things I Learned Driving a Cadillac Through Somewhat-Eastern Europe

"Joel Johnson" (joel)
10/04/2014 at 14:30 • Filed to: road trip, cadillac, CTS

I'm a loaner car abuser. I don't care. As a New Yorker, I barely get an excuse to drive a car more than a couple of times a year. So when I can—and it's still not as often as I would like—I ask Travis or Matt to call in a car for me.

Usually, it's for a weekend, or for a couple of days during a business trip. More often than not, it's nothing glamorous: a Chevy Spark, for instance, earlier this year in LA. (Which I enjoyed checking out!) But when I knew I was going to be spending a couple of weeks in Europe a couple of months ago—one week on vacation, then a week in Budapest for a work conference—I decided to push my luck. I sent Travis an email: "What can you get me for a couple of weeks in Europe? Anything is fine: Lamborghini, Porsche...maybe a BMW?" I wasn't going to be greedy, even though we all knew the only choice was driving a Zonda down to Croatia.

Coincidentally, I heard Travis, who sits just a few desks away from me in the office, sigh. Must have been having a sad day. (Maybe he missed spin class?)

A couple of weeks later, Travis gave me a choice: a new Corvette for three days, or a new CTS for the full two weeks. I'm sure his smirk was unrelated. (He made it to spin class.)

I still hadn't driven a C7. (Still haven't!) But I know not to look a gift CTS in the grill.

"Oh, by the way," said Travis. "It's the Turbo 4."

1. I will damage any press car loaned to me

Here's the first thing I did after picking up the CTS outside of Frankfurt: I backed it into a pole. Well, technically I drove for like 20 minutes to the hotel in Frankfurt, then backed it into a pole. In my defense, there were four poles in front of the hotel, three of which were painted with red-and-white stripes. The fourth—my pole—was unadorned. Also, even though the CTS was beeping and thumping my seat and generally freaking out, I thought maybe it had some sort of auto-stop feature and didn't need to worry about such trivialities as paying attention.

Honestly, you know what was the worst part? I wasn't worried about explaining my idiocy to GM. I was ashamed that I was going to be piloting our great nation's finest example of a luxury car with a dinged up exhaust tip. I'm never a more proud American than when I'm outside of America. Fortunately, it wasn't terribly noticeable—at least not more than driving a Cadillac in Europe in the first place.

2. Cadillacs catch a lot of stares in Europe

A CTS in the States is, like, noticeable. At least if you're a car person. I genuinely like the last two generations, give or take, of Art & Science styling from Cadillac, and think they are among the only truly unique, purposeful designs extant in American motoring. I will usually give a CTS driver a little nod on New York streets, especially if they appear to actually be proud of their car. Most of the time they are baffled why I am acknowledging them.

In Europe, the CTS stands out, not just from its size, which is larger than almost everything else on the road, but from the marque. Younger Euro kids seemed to be a little baffled—maybe even a little angry!—but people my age (36) or older seemed to get a kick out of it. We got a lot of "Caddy! Nice ."

If you're a Cadillac owner who has wanted people to come up and snap a picture of your sparkly, but otherwise demure black sedan, take it to Europe.

3. Germany and Austria have fantastic highways, but so does Croatia

I won't bore you with flowery descriptions of the terrain, largely because I can't do it justice, but cutting through the Julian Alps while the storm clouds jumped between the peaks...spotting the church spires in every green valley in Slovenia...winding through limestone switchbacks down to Croatia's Dalmatian Coast...

I just felt lucky. I love cars. I love racing. I love design and engineering and the whole, greasy mess. But I think I love driving peacefully over new roads most of all.

4. CUE is a kind of a mess

The best thing I can say about CUE, Cadillac's nav and entertainment system, is that it's not appreciably worse than most other manufacturers' options. But the haptic feedback system is confusing—after two weeks in the car, I still wasn't always sure when I reached out to touch the slick, chrome buttons if they were going to respond properly or not—and the processors that power it are sufficient at best.

I've actually written about in-car entertainment systems for years. I've basically stopped writing about them, because I've grown weary writing "With just a little more work I hope that..." There's just no excuse that after almost a decade of UX experimentation around touch in smartphones and CPU advancement in mobile processors that in-car interfaces are still behind most $.99 smartphone apps. I get that it's a different, more stringently regulated working environment, but if we're going to trust automotive engineers to build self-driving cars that won't kill us, I'd think they could figure out how to make a map animate without lagging.

5. A turbo 4 is enough for anyone

How amazing are modern dino engines? The second thing I did to the CTS, after banging it up, was to bounce the speedo off the governor on the German autobahn. It wasn't pinning my cheeks to the seats or anything, but it was quick, steady, and throaty, both on the top and the bottom of the range. It was very good. Not stunning. Not glorious. Just excellent. And in a big ol' American car!

You can see our total trip MPG in the picture, which ends up being around an Imperial 25MPG. With $100+ full-ups, that was a very welcome addition, and I never once thought I needed more power. I don't care if you want a V8—hell, if I actually bought a CTS, I'd probably get a V8—but it's so nice to be able to not just tolerate a more rational engine, but actually kind of dig it.

6. Go to Europe and look at cars

Here's the mnemonic my girlfriend Krystal and I made up: Kujo, a dog, looks like a lion—Peugeot. Two martinis with a twist—Citroen. Renault her biblically. (It's a vagina.) Skoda is the one with "Skoda" on it.

It felt weird to be confused by all the brands I thought I should know by heart, but there were just so many! And seeing them all on the road, in various states of repair, made the entire trip an exercise in car spotting, even if it they were just little guys like the well-proportioned Volkswagen Up!.

Also, drive down the German autobahn, and let your tears reach maximum velocity down your cheeks as you see all the beautiful high-end station wagons careening into middle distance.

The best moment: We had just driven into the old city in Korcula, an island off Croatia, where I'd gotten the CTS stuck in a dead end. After a thirty-point turn—the CTS has a middling turning radius for a car its size, but the street-width were simply ancient—I found myself head-on with another stuck car: a relatively new, 70-series Land Cruiser troopy in forest green. The driver expertly reversed down the road into the last open parking spot, letting us by. I rolled down the passenger window.

"You have my dream car, man. Very nice truck!" I said. He smiled, trying to understand why this dumb American was yelling at him, but he eventually figured out my English.

"Thank you! It is nice, yes. But so is a Cadillac."

In short, thanks, Travis! I agree that it's important for the Editorial Director of a company that includes one of the largest car websites on the web to have familiarity with the state of modern motoring—it's totally not just an abuse of power!—even if that means being the dopey boss who wrecks half the press fleet. And you were right: the Turbo 4 is a good engine!

We're going to New Hampshire in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking Panamera?

DISCUSSION (100)

Smultron > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 15:34

Far too less Caddys on european roads, that is so right! Guess I'd feel like you spotting cars on american soil...

May I ask you where you took the last picture?

Joel Johnson > Smultron
10/04/2014 at 15:42

Rothenburg ob der Tauber! We ended up staying there on our last night before flying out from Frankfurt.

Jay_Hoff > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 16:34

Kinja'd!!!

Didnt fuck it up too bad.

thegrayghostbuster > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 16:41

Gosh Kat, are you the only one working today?

thegrayghostbuster > thegrayghostbuster
10/04/2014 at 16:41

and I say that as a good thing.

Maxaxle > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 16:42

Kinja'd!!!

1. Don't touch this if you like your fingers.

Maxaxle > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 16:43

Kinja'd!!!

Marketing Guy: "We need to put buttons on the steering wheel!"
Designer: "How many?"
Marketing Guy: "ALL OF THEM."

Iwaswonderofwonders > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 16:44

Kinja'd!!!

Torchinsky bait. Natural position for wipers.

Maxaxle > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 16:44

Kinja'd!!!

IMO it makes more sense to have physical gauges (not necessarily full-analog), because glare.

Maxaxle > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 16:45

Kinja'd!!!

Neat!

Joel Johnson > Maxaxle
10/04/2014 at 16:50

They were pretty nice, actually. Didn't feel like there were a lot of extraneous fiddle-bits. Made it easy to change the LCD screens.

Joel Johnson > Maxaxle
10/04/2014 at 16:51

It didn't end up being a problem even once. They're under a brow ridge that keeps them in the shade.

J-Tenno > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 16:53

That Cadillac is seriously handsome but the rear wheels look so small!

RaceVet > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 16:57

Question...were you actually touching the chrome part under the symbols? You have to touch the actual symbol above the bar, the bar is designed to rest your finger on.

Joel Johnson > RaceVet
10/04/2014 at 17:02

Yeah, we started pushing the "buttons." Then we learned to touch above them. And they still didn't seem to always respond to touch. It's just bad design all around.

I_AmDeath > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 17:07

"I'm a loaner car abuser. I don't care."

"Also, even though the CTS was beeping and thumping my seat and generally freaking out, I thought maybe it had some sort of auto-stop feature and didn't need to worry about such trivialities as paying attention."

Perhaps you honestly shouldn't have a drivers license if you can't pay attention while parking a vehicle. You should also not be proud of the fact you don't properly care for vehicles given to you.

RaceVet > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 17:08

I agree with that. Once you get used to the way the buttons act (takes a few months) it seems almost normal. The pretty silver bars are completely for decoration which I think is ridiculous.

Joel Johnson > I_AmDeath
10/04/2014 at 17:15

Perhaps!

journeymanbaiter > I_AmDeath
10/04/2014 at 17:21

PatBateman > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 17:25

I'm not sure I'd get a V8 in the CTS. The 3.6TT already pushes it north of 60 in 4.4.

I say that now, but when the V comes out I'll probably say something different.

Joel Johnson > PatBateman
10/04/2014 at 17:29

Yeah, I'm kind of a high/low guy, too. I'd either get the least fancy CTS, or save up and get the V.

Anton > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 17:31

Having always thought of Caddy as a genuinely American design, this one seems cosmopolitan, if huge

PatBateman > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 17:34

I hate to admit this, but I'm that guy who wants all the options. I want a CTS badly, but the Vsport Premium that I keep pricing out is $71k.

That's why the Charger Hellcat keeps coming to the top of my list.

fintail > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 17:54

Interesting that it has Zurich plates, I've seen more modern GM cars in Switzerland than anywhere else I've been in Europe. I remember seeing a CTS parked at the IWC factory in Schaffhausen. Cool to see Rothenburg too - gotta get back there sometime.

ThatbastardKurtis > Jay_Hoff
10/04/2014 at 18:13

The next car he gets, the person should say, "Don't fuck it up too bad...."

mrparkhill > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 18:14

Apart from the BLS, I'm happy not having to see too many of these things.

The next CTS is rumoured to have its headlights stretch back all the way to the rear end of the fifth car behind it.

Jack Does Cars > fintail
10/04/2014 at 18:23

I'm a bit confused. Do cities in Europe get their own license plates? Is that just a Swiss thing?

Mandlebaum > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 18:23

For a moment I thought you found my coworker's Land Cruiser! I've been working near Frankfurt for a few months now and one of the younger guys has an almost identical car. It's gorgeous and they're hilarious to drive in Europe, so loud and tall with every passerby staring at you as you drive past.

Where were you in the last picture? You mentioned that you started near Frankfurt and that looks a lot like Seligenstadt but I can't place that tower and the Ansbach plates on the car next to you throw me off.

Haze > PatBateman
10/04/2014 at 18:25

Having the V8, which is great I am not knocking it, that 3.6TT is a very cool engine.

Maxxuman > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 18:38

Kinja'd!!!

Jeez dude, you speak tough but your hands, knee and sweater are pretty girlie looking!

Manuel Lopes > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 18:39

Kinja'd!!!

4L. I got one

PatBateman > Haze
10/04/2014 at 18:59

Yes it is. VERY cool.

highwaytoheaven > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 18:59

It's unfortunate that the only V8 that's available is in the CTS-V. Cadillac finally got the Northstar to actually be reliable just in time to discontinue it. I, for one, think it would be a great addition to the current offerings.

The World of Vee > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 19:12

Kinja'd!!!

Striking Side Profile

Judd > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 19:15

Kinja'd!!!

Reminds me of when I spotted these ambassadors of freedom in Switzerland

ride250s > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 19:34

The only Caddy I saw in Europe last year was a 1950's El'Dorado! Saw a handful of Vettes including Z06 and ZR1. The best find however was a mid 2000's 1-ton Chevy truck in Bosnia of all places! Hope you enjoined the Croatian Coast, I know I did.

Joel Johnson > Mandlebaum
10/04/2014 at 19:35

We were in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Kitschy, but cute place. It was worth a night's stay.

Joel Johnson > Maxxuman
10/04/2014 at 19:36

I moisturize.

Wojtek > Maxaxle
10/04/2014 at 19:42

Cadillac is still way behind Citroen.

Kinja'd!!!

fintail > Jack Does Cars
10/04/2014 at 19:51

It depends on the area. German cities of import have their own codes. Poland is similar (but a different numbering structure), and I believe so is Italy. In Switzerland, it is on a cantonal basis (like a state) - Zurich is a city and a canton. Other areas might be similar, I haven't studied the plates of France or Spain, or Scandinavia. The UK used to have a system where letters linked to area, but I don't know if it applies today. Some US states have been that way too, I know the old plates of WA state have a letter prefix that was determined by county.

MDP310 > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 20:12

Or get almost-the-most-fancy ATS! I have an ATS with the 2.0T and everything but the self-slowing-down cruise control. It's awesome.

KnowledgeHurtsMyHead > Maxaxle
10/04/2014 at 20:13

I know it looks like a lot at first glance. However, as an ATS owner with the same (or similar?) setup, its not as rediculous as it looks. All of the buttons just seem to make sense, and let you do everything you would normally do on the CUE system without taking your eyes off the road. A touch screen is nice, but not while driving a car.

DetroitIron > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 20:44

New Hampshire? Well it has gotta be a Volvo, Subaru or a Jeep GC to be a relevant review for the Granite Staters! :P

jtiberius91 > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 20:57

Kinja'd!!!

the car looks gorgeous from this angle!

Maxaxle > Wojtek
10/04/2014 at 21:04

I don't think I'd want that many buttons on a game controller unless I wanted to overwhelm my fingers.

exquisite > Maxaxle
10/04/2014 at 21:06

Not all LCD displays are glossy, some are matte and these appear to be that way.

isuzuimpulse > Maxxuman
10/04/2014 at 21:26

i had to scroll up half way through the article to see if it was a man's name or woman's name. especially after they said they backed into a poll. women back into polls. it's what they do.

ThatJeepGuy > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 21:27

That Caddy is actually just beautiful, in my opinion.

But I'd still rather have that 70-series troop carrier. God I wish we had those over here.

Sigh.

I still love my Jeep though.

Reborn Pyrrhic > Jack Does Cars
10/04/2014 at 21:42

Some countries yes, others not. In the Netherlands for example there is no indication of locality by the car's plates. In Germany you know the city where the car is registered.

Reborn Pyrrhic > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 21:45

Next time swIng by Dinkelsbühl. As well preserved as Rothenburg odt but less touristy. 45 minutes south on the Bürgerstraße.

9brghtn4 > fintail
10/04/2014 at 21:47

In Spain they're 4 numbers + 3 consonant letters (0000 BBB to 9999 ZZZ, currently about to start 0000 JBB). Prior to September 2000, they did have a prefix that indicated the province, then 4 numbers and then 1-2 letters. The blue European band was also added in Sept '00.

Kinja'd!!!

GrauGeist > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 21:50

" In Europe, the CTS stands out, not just from its size, which is larger than almost everything else on the road "

Isn't it within an inch of the new 5er?

Of course, in Europe, a 5er is an Executive Car, so not common, but that's just normal people driving "compacts" and *true* compacts.

GrauGeist > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 21:51

If usable, excusable.

Unlike the on-wheel buttons of a Benz. I despise how the menus navigate in COMAND.

GrauGeist > KnowledgeHurtsMyHead
10/04/2014 at 21:53

I'm pretty sure a big chunk of it could be simplified with a D-pad under your thumb and 2 or 3 trigger buttons like half of a video game controller.

intheDeedtheGlory > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 22:00

Kinja'd!!!

This might be the best picture I have seen of this front end.

RedPir8Roberts > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 22:17

Kinja'd!!!

License I69FU? Top Gear, now filming in Croatia!

xxstich666xx > KnowledgeHurtsMyHead
10/04/2014 at 22:19

Same setup.

xxstich666xx > Maxaxle
10/04/2014 at 22:21

Even in direct sunlight, which is rare, they never seem to be affected by glare.

BiGPiNK > fintail
10/04/2014 at 22:29

The UK system, at least 5 years ago when I left went something like this....

First two letters represent the city the car was registered in the country (note, not when the car is registered as a purchase, but when it first entered the country. In the uk, the plate is assigned to the car for life, so the plate doesn't change with owners and is already registered to the car when it is sitting brand new on the lot) so for instance I lived in Grimsby (it's in the name....) which happened to be in a complex which is the largest shipping port in the UK (used to be europe...ahh...long forgotten claims to fame!) So nearly all cars in the surrounding areas begin with GY.

The next two numbers show the year of the vehicles but in a completely mangled way. If a car is registered within the first six months of a year, say for instance January 09, then the number would be 09. However if the car was registered in the second six months of the year, the number would be 59?????

It sounds convoluted but was actually intuitively understandable, there is no messing around, everybody knows if your car is the latest year, and even knows if your car is already more than six months old!

The final three digits were entirely random alpha numerical.

So for a '14 car, registered in Grimsby on January the first, the plate would be GY04T6T. The same car registered in august would get the plate GY547MT.

Now that I typed all that out, can I please not be grey any more???

fintail > 9brghtn4
10/04/2014 at 22:43

Cool info, thanks.

fintail > BiGPiNK
10/04/2014 at 22:50

I've been doing what I can to approve all grey replies to my posts, I don't know if it matters.

Thanks for the info. I've known about the UK date coding, which goes back to the A suffix of maybe 1963. I think before that, the letter part of the plate had to do with the location, but I don't know if there was an easy way to tell where. Maybe it is similar to the new way you explain, I didn't know they still did it. It's an intuitive system, as you say.

Registration should be lifetime, but privately owned plates are still easily bought and transferred, right? I've seen the "cherished" combinations with healthy asking prices. I think if I was there, I'd have a private plate, just because.

Maxaxle > xxstich666xx
10/04/2014 at 22:50

Well yeah, but in this shot there's a tiny bit of glare.

Maxaxle > exquisite
10/04/2014 at 22:51

Well sure, but there's still a little bit of glare in this shot.

KnowledgeHurtsMyHead > GrauGeist
10/04/2014 at 22:52

i'm sure i'm making excuses, but that's pretty much the majority of the right hand buttons; the main controls are the bar that does up, down, left, right and depress for "enter". the other 4 buttons are volume +/- and track +/-. left side of the steering wheel is lost on me though. something about cruise control and voice stuff. lost cause.

Birddog > Maxaxle
10/04/2014 at 23:04

Kinja'd!!!

GM was always pretty good at buttony steering wheels.

wafflesnfalafel > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 23:15

That title pic in front of the Dr. Carl Benz sign has got to be the best all week. That new CTS is beautiful. I think that blown 6 now available would be a nice compromise between that 4 and the V series monster coming on the horizon.

Maxaxle > Birddog
10/04/2014 at 23:16

What is that...thing?

R W > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 23:31

Masturbating doesn't count as moisterizing

jalopanon-yow > Birddog
10/04/2014 at 23:36

Was going to post that Pontiac pic as well....WHAT HAVE THEY NOT LEARNED? That CTS is downright fugly and full of retard I just don't want in a CADILLAC class vehicle. Thought the Catera did the wheel buttons well. Not thrilled with any CTS wheel buttons as a matter of fact if I'm honest.

Kinja'd!!!

Birddog > Maxaxle
10/04/2014 at 23:38

1989 or so Grand Prix.

Sean > Joel Johnson
10/04/2014 at 23:59

In Australi I wouldn't recognise a cadillac if it drove over me.... Unless it's a 30 year old classic like a de Ville or something being used as a wedding car, we just don't have them here.

Cliff8928 > Birddog
10/05/2014 at 00:29

That's actually a Turbo Grand Prix. Only made 89-90.

Cliff8928 > highwaytoheaven
10/05/2014 at 00:33

But by the time the NorthStar got good, the 3.6 played catch-up very quick practically making it irrelevant. That's coming from someone who has a NorthStar (LC3) in the garage.

Finegreensilk1 > Maxxuman
10/05/2014 at 00:46

I figured that's gotta be either his gf's hands and arm, or he's really just a boy. Noticed that right away.

reiska > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 02:02

It is Škoda, not just Skoda. The S is pronounced like this. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm…

NYSS > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 02:16

I never really got the CUE system.

As being a Chevrolet salesperson (former now unfortunately, you can read more about my firing here, if you so do desire ) I never got why the CUE was always so bonked down.

Chevy, GMC, Buick all have one iteration of the MyLink system, which is AWSOME, especially considering you can get it in a sub 20k Cruze for example.

The software is similar, but THOSE DAMN TOUCH BUTTONS SUUUUUCK. Just put the same damn tactile buttons as in the Chevy, and I think it would dramatically improve the system 3 fold.

just my .02 cents

EDIT - great post btw... now who the hell are you? and what do you do at Jalopnik?

To Travis: KEEP THIS GUY

reiska > Jay_Hoff
10/05/2014 at 02:27

Aaaah yes you did.. You have hit that with enough pace that it popped the paint off the edge above the SENSOR. It won't buff out. The bumper is deformed so you need a new bumper, repainted to match the car. The exhaust chrome surround is damaged as well and it is attached to a part that doesn't move - the exhaust. You might need a rear exhaust on that side. If the car didn't have parking sensors I would have felt sympathy, but blaming the car for not stopping itself? Bro that is dumb. Next time take your time and get out of the car to see just how much space you have. Your time is cheaper than the repair.

Lexi Luther > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 02:37

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Um, I beg to differ, dude.

M54B30 > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 03:04

+100 for the Nav screen showing Darmstädter Kreuz

Dirty987S > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 03:06

You know what else get's lots of stares in Europe? My Toyota Highlander. So do the guys that drive F150s, Silverados, Camaros, Mustangs, Honda Pilots, Challengers, my buddies Escalade, etc...

pip bip - choose Corrour > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 03:59

Kinja'd!!!

75 series landcruiser! , were they sold in Europe?

eu-ro-peon > Jack Does Cars
10/05/2014 at 05:59

The usual European license plate format is the county or district code followed or preceded by random numbers and letters.

DerMitDemWolfTanzt > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 06:36

Kinja'd!!!

Ahhh, a Pfaelzer! Suedliche Weinstrasse...

I am not tagging Krystal's boops here, btw. It is the German License Plate

DerMitDemWolfTanzt > Jack Does Cars
10/05/2014 at 06:45

In Germany bigger towns andcities have their own license plate, at least the first one or two letters indicate that: eg. Munich - M, Frankfurt - F, Hamburg - HH (Hansestadt Hamburg), Karlsruhe - KA, Feiburg - FR, etc...

Followed by the more letters & numbers, which are random or somewhat pickable (just like vanity plates, or somewhat personalized plates here in the US, but always consisting of City - letters - numbers...

Kinja'd!!!

And Switzerland does that , too. But not all EU countries indicate the township.

the-magic-cheese > BiGPiNK
10/05/2014 at 08:09

Not quite. After 2010, the 5 became a 6 so therefore, a car registered in Grimsby in the first half of 2014 would start GY14 and in the second half start GY64. The numbers also change on the 1st of March and September, so it would still be 63 on the first day of 2014. Also, the car doesn't have to be registered where it comes off the ship, but the dealer can choose to do it there.

Complicated, eh?

the-magic-cheese > BiGPiNK
10/05/2014 at 08:09

Complicated, eh?

deekster_caddy > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 08:57

I love most of the new Caddy's looks, but I'm most glad to hear you praise the Turbo 4! When we bought our Passat Wagon in '08 after driving the turbo 2.0 4, there was now way I could justify the added cost of the V6. 6 years later I'm still very pleased with our decision.

Also, I'm realizing a new theory why wagons are so prevalent in Europe and missing in the US, replaced by the minivan and CUV - The Autobahn!!! People drive at much higher speeds there, and you can simply get there faster using less fuel (which is a much bigger deal there) than in the states. Zipping along at 100 mph (and more) feels 'normal' in a good wagon, and downright treacherous in a CUV or minivan... Not that I can admit having any of those vehicles going that fast...

Sounds like a great european road trip!!

MuchWagon > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 09:07

Mnemonic?

highwaytoheaven > Cliff8928
10/05/2014 at 09:10

The power output of the 3.6 is good, but for awhile there were the timing chain issues and excessive oil usage, not that a Northstar doesn't love oil. I get 30mpg in my DeVille so the benefits gas mileage aren't really necessary. My next car will probably be an STS, and there is no way I am going near the early 3.6. I would love a V, but I am disappointed they are unavailable with ventilated seats and adaptive cruise control. Only 96 STS-Vs made in 2009! What do you have?

mallthus > fintail
10/05/2014 at 09:15

Up until 2009, GM Europe was headquartered in Zurich. Even now, GM continues to have the European Cadillac and Chevrolet businesses run out of Zurich.

LongbowMk2 > Birddog
10/05/2014 at 09:31

project leader: we need more buttons.

Lackey: but sir, we're out of functions.

Project leader: hmmm... ok then. Make them all as big as possible. I'm not losing another bet to Jenkins .

Lackey: understood sir. There was no way to predict that a Cadillac badged cavalier would actually be green lit. Also, your dress looks beautiful today.

AlwaRightAllTheTime > Wojtek
10/05/2014 at 10:12

Really? In what way? That wheel looks like something out of the eighties!

Lopoetve > NYSS
10/05/2014 at 10:13

MyLink awesome? Please share whatever you're smoking. Just search for "mylink freeze" on google- I've got almost every issue mentioned, on a 3000 mile ZL1. Horrible radio system.

vc-10 > Joel Johnson
10/05/2014 at 10:24

Kinja'd!!!

How? It's directly in line with the parking sensor... was the system not beeping like mad?

AlwaRightAllTheTime > Dirty987S
10/05/2014 at 10:28

Yeah, but people staring at a Toyota Highlander are just trying to see if that obnoxious little prick from the commercial is real and in there ...

vc-10 > fintail
10/05/2014 at 10:34

The UK system refers to where the car was first registered (as in the local DVLA office). For example, the area code for my car, WR, refers to the West of England, specifically, Bristol, as the car was delivered from a Bristol VW dealership. My mum's Skoda is WN, and it came from Bath, which is near to Bristol. This is despite the fact that I live in Manchester, and the closest DVLA office to my parents house is Bournemouth, which has registrations starting with an H (for Hampshire).

They're not too linked, and the registration stays with the car, so they all get mixed up as cars get moved around and sold.

Wojtek > AlwaRightAllTheTime
10/05/2014 at 10:51

In numbers of buttons on the steering wheel. The 2014 Citroën C5 pictured sports no less than 18 buttons and two roller controllers.

fintail > mallthus
10/05/2014 at 11:07

That explains it. I remember seeing numerous Caddys there - maybe exec fleet cars, or cars sold off to the public after a certain age. It seems the Swiss, lacking a real domestic auto industry, are open-minded when buying cars. I've also seen what seems like an inordinate amount of old Mopars there.

fintail > vc-10
10/05/2014 at 11:09

Interesting. Too bad they aren't easier to decipher - where on a German or Swiss plate, the letters tell the story. But the year thing is cool, unless one is sensitive about when their car was registered.

vc-10 > fintail
10/05/2014 at 11:40

The problem is that it's fairly pointless- the letters refer to something that happened, in the case of my car, 12 years ago. However, there is generally a reason for the choice of letters- like the W standing for West, C for Cymru (Wales), or L for London.

The other factor is that our number plates stay with the car, which some other places don't do. The front number plate on my car is the original (it has the details for the Bristol VW garage on it) and the rear was original until very recently, and was only replaced because it had started de-laminating. This is despite the car having 4 owners.