I want to buy a car, please sir, may I have another?

[BimmerFan]

I couldn't find a subforum here for purchasing/ordering/shopping the BW, so please forgive me if this does not belong in this forum.

I've decided that my life will not be complete unless I can own and drive a Cadillac CT5V Blackwing with a proper manual transmission. You guys and gals have been terrible enablers about this, with all of your gushing about how wonderful these cars are, and most people it seems are having very few issues or complaints. Unlike, say, the BMW M3 forum. I'll be honest, I have a real love/hate thing with BMW.

And a friend of mine sent me a link to this video, which just pushed me over the edge a bit more:

So...

I found a lot more cars than I expected on Cars.com - 3 pages of manual transmission BW. Now I have to go through them all, request info, have some sales-tool call me to discuss financing options before they admit that the car is pre-sold or not there yet, or has a $20K ADM. All that and try to do my job.

I've bought and sold 50+ cars in my lifetime, so I kind of know the drill, negotiation, etc. and I have no issues with flying out and driving home. Preferably the eastern half of the country (I'm in NC) as I don't really want to drive 4 days home... although it would be a killer vacation I suppose. Hmmmm...

Any advice, suggestions, leads, etc. are welcome.

Thanks!
Michael

 

[rdollie]

I just searched and there are currently 67 new manual 5BWs on AutoTrader if that helps?

 

[pmsteinm]

Stay away from Thompson in Raleigh (see my post in the MSRP sticky thread). I am on the list at Hendrick in Cary. I have been there a few times to see some in person, but none were exactly what I wanted (and they all had the sly markups to give you N2 and PPF and other BS). They claim to sell at MSRP, but I think that means "we will sell to everyone else over MSRP, then call you". So they have yet to place my order with an allocation (they just have my preliminary order). If you desperately want the car you might consider finding one in stock. I would never do that for a car like this...I either get exactly what I want, or forget it. But if you would be ok "settling" it might be wise since no one knows if production will end after the 24MY or not.

 

[Head Hunter]

I think you will find that most of the ones you're "finding" are already sold and "in transit" as GM forces the dealerships to post those cars to their websites until they're picked up by the buyer. Those dealers auto-feed what gets posted to Autotrader so it also gets posted there, even though the car truly isn't available.


First thing I would do is figure out what "options" are mandatory in your mind and which you can live without but would prefer to have, and which you have no interest in. The big ones will be PDR, Seat Level, Interior color, Exterior color, Sunroof, Parking Pack, Suede Steering Wheel, and Carbon Ceramic Brakes. Once you've identified those, you can further narrow down the list of cars you want to contact dealers about.

I'd also open up the options to a used one as there are several manual 5VBW's that are starting to come available that had a lower MSRP prior to 2023/2024 and can be had for cheaper.

 

[BimmerFan]

I found a used '23 with about 900 miles on it, I'm leaning toward that...

 

[almazing]

Make a lot of calls to dealers everywhere in the country. If you're buying dealer stock, you will likely pay for options you don't want and omit options you want. I wouldn't order one, personally. The goat rodeo is self inflicted purgatory. Since the forum based tracking system is no longer a thing, the purgatory is now actually the 7th circle of hell. But if you have the patience of Jesus Christ, then ordering one might be your best option.

 

[BimmerFan]

The goat rodeo is self inflicted purgatory. . . But if you have the patience of Jesus Christ, then ordering one might be your best option.

LOL. Thanks for the amusement this morning.

I had forgotten how miserable the car buying experience can be.

 

[Exia]

If you can find a used one for not much more then MSRP go that route, otherwise I would call up dealers and ask about their wait lists.

The goat rodeo is still alive and well so it will take a while with an order.

 

[RobC7]

If you can find a used one for not much more then MSRP go that route, otherwise I would call up dealers and ask about their wait lists.

The goat rodeo is still alive and well so it will take a while with an order.

I'm seeing used ones listed on Facebook for under MSRP.

 

[almazing]

LOL. Thanks for the amusement this morning.

I had forgotten how miserable the car buying experience can be.

It's not the buying experience that is miserable, it's the waiting for literal months after your car has been built experience. GM can build your car next month, but you wont know whether you'll be waiting a week, or a year until it gets loaded on a train to your dealer. A lot of us forum members here are advocates for just buying dealer stock specifically because GM's logistics are pretty bad.

 

[Head Hunter]

It's not the buying experience that is miserable, it's the waiting for literal months after your car has been built experience. GM can build your car next month, but you wont know whether you'll be waiting a week, or a year until it gets loaded on a train to your dealer. A lot of us forum members here are advocates for just buying dealer stock specifically because GM's logistics are pretty bad.

To be fair, it’s not GM’s logistics, it’s everyone’s - I had my wife’s Grand Wagoneer sit in the Portland Train Yard for 4 months after we bought it before they finally got it on a trailer and driven to the dealership

 

[RobC7]

Only a few hours left here:

2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 6-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 6-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #116,346.

bringatrailer.com

This one sold for 10k under MSRP, plus obvious BAT fees etc.

No Reserve: 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 6-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a No Reserve: 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 6-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #115,525.

bringatrailer.com

 

[BimmerFan]

2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 6-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 6-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #116,346.

bringatrailer.com

Yeah, I'm following this, even though orange is not exactly what I would call flying under the radar. It's striking, I like it, I'm just not sure how I'd feel about it in 5 years.

 

[Dirkbg]

You should see the orange in person, preferably in sunshine. It looks beautiful, and there are many hidden hues hiding in the metallic flake. I saw a regular 4V (not BW) on a dealer lot and it convinced me. As it turns out, I couldn't find one in inventory a year ago but did find Shadow Metallic which is another color that looks so good close up in sunshine. Now, Electric blue is one that I really wouldn't like for my car. That IS loud, and just not a color that I prefer.

 

[Jack Tors]

not a 5, but an $80k MSRP 4VBW w/ carbon 1+2 for $66.6k w/ 4.2k miles
not a bad deal
2022 Cadillac CT4 V-Series 1G6D65RP0N0460573 | Cloninger Ford of Hickory
not sure if this one made the rounds here, but saw it on the reddits

 

[rubberduck]

It's not the buying experience that is miserable, it's the waiting for literal months after your car has been built experience. GM can build your car next month, but you wont know whether you'll be waiting a week, or a year until it gets loaded on a train to your dealer. A lot of us forum members here are advocates for just buying dealer stock specifically because GM's logistics are pretty bad.

After the car is in the driveway the rodeo continues with trying to buy CF bits.

 

[FLYARMY]

I just watched on Amazon Prime......"Building Cars". 3 episodes that follow the building of a Mini-Cooper. The factory turns out a completed car every 68 seconds. They claim 1000 a day. Factories are owned by BMW. Its amazing to see how cars are built today with robots. I don't know why GM has a problem and can't do the same kind of production.

 

[BimmerFan]

I don't know why GM has a problem and can't do the same kind of production.

Unions?

 

[Tall Steve]

 

[Head Hunter]

Unions?

I mean one single GM Factory produces 1,300/day so I don't know why people think GM is slow to produce cars - https://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-facilities/gm-usa-facilities/gm-arlington-plant/