I previously reported that I have been curious by the apparent absent of XLR's at the dealerships I have visited in the Phila (PA + NJ) area. Recently, I spoke to several of the sales staff at one high-volume Cadillac-only dealership where I purchased the '08 CTS (which had previously boasted of highest XLR sales) and inquired as to "what's going on" with the XLR. The answer was that they can't sell them anymore due to the high number of repair problems and that they're burdened with an abnormally high number of buy-backs. As a result, they no longer display or stock them.

It's truly a shame if indeed, GM hasn't felt it important enough to invest in the vehicle, other than to add a new color or two. By the way...they MUST be kidding with that new BLUE color!! Awful.

Anyway, hope you all have better luck.

I previously reported that I have been curious by the apparent absent of XLR's at the dealerships I have visited in the Phila (PA + NJ) area. Recently, I spoke to several of the sales staff at one high-volume Cadillac-only dealership where I purchased the '08 CTS (which had previously boasted of highest XLR sales) and inquired as to "what's going on" with the XLR. The answer was that they can't sell them anymore due to the high number of repair problems and that they're burdened with an abnormally high number of buy-backs. As a result, they no longer display or stock them.

It's truly a shame if indeed, GM hasn't felt it important enough to invest in the vehicle, other than to add a new color or two. By the way...they MUST be kidding with that new BLUE color!! Awful.

Anyway, hope you all have better luck.

OUCH!!! Gotta be very careful talking badly about "Blue Bunny Blue" around these parts!!! :eek

Very sorry and disappointed concerning your findings about the XLR. Here in Florida they're still being stocked. Maybe that's the reason we see so few owners here and very few at RII that hail from the NE. Just none available to buy up there. . .

Floyd

Hmmmm, that is in direct contrast to this article from the GM Plant Newspaper that I got last week:

GM Reports October Deliveries

GM dealers in the United States delivered 310,008 vehicles in October, — 8,700 more
vehicles when compared with year-ago performance, outpacing an industry expected to
show a volume decline of about 4%.
For the third consecutive month, on an unadjusted basis, total sales increased, with
October up 3%. When adjusted for selling days, sales declined 1%. It is anticipated that
GM will see its fourth consecutive month with market share above 24%. Since August,
market share is up more than 1 point, to 25.1%, compared with the same three-month
period last year.
“Our strong market share performance and our ability to outpace industry trends
on volume demonstrates the consumer acceptance of our new products,” said Mark
LaNeve, GM North America vice president, Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. “Over
the past two years, our new products including the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra,
Cadillac CTS, full-size utilities, and mid-crossovers have all gained retail share following
launch. Our committed dealer team has really stepped up to the plate, pushing all of
GM’s brands above the industry average in the recently released J.D. Power Customer
Satisfaction Index.”
The month’s 229,294 retail deliveries demonstrated solid performance despite
continuing industry softness. GM retail
sales were led by brisk retail sales of
full-size utilities, mid-utility crossovers,
the Cadillac CTS, and the Chevrolet
Aveo, Cobalt and HHR. The Saturn
division showed yet another retail
sales increase, up 7%.

OCTOBER SALES
2007 2006
Corvette 2,484 2,761
XLR 115 173
GM 307,408 297,401


I think I will choose to believe this article .... anythng else would be too painful :cry


PS .... Our Jeanszoo is the owner of the new blue ....... a very striking color on the XLR ... and twice as striking looking when you watch it roll up in the parking lot at BG to a crowd of XLR proud owners ..... Beauty is in the Eyes of the Beholder .... and that night there were a whole bunch of us ..... ;-)

..

I think you need to put a few names of these dealers up on this post so GM, who monitors this site, can get a handle on this situation and come up with the real story.:nono
First of all you don't talk to sales people,who know absolutely nothing about the XLR's or probably any other Cadillacs as far as their staying or going.:nono
Secondly, You are mocking one of our fearless leaders of our Rendezvous I, II and III's new Blue XLR. Not a popular thing to do around here.:nono
Bob (standby) I previously reported that I have been curious by the apparent absent of XLR's at the dealerships I have visited in the Phila (PA + NJ) area. Recently, I spoke to several of the sales staff at one high-volume Cadillac-only dealership where I purchased the '08 CTS (which had previously boasted of highest XLR sales) and inquired as to "what's going on" with the XLR. The answer was that they can't sell them anymore due to the high number of repair problems and that they're burdened with an abnormally high number of buy-backs. As a result, they no longer display or stock them.

It's truly a shame if indeed, GM hasn't felt it important enough to invest in the vehicle, other than to add a new color or two. By the way...they MUST be kidding with that new BLUE color!! Awful.

Anyway, hope you all have better luck.

Ruthie,

Nice reporting. . .but there was no mention of the XLR in that article which is the car 1701 was referring to. It's great GM seems to be doing so well, although I was really waiting to read a positive comment concerning our beloved XLR--alas. . .

Floyd

Ruthie,

Nice reporting. . .but there was no mention of the XLR in that article which is the car 1701 was referring to. It's great GM seems to be doing so well, although I was really waiting to read a positive comment concerning our beloved XLR--alas. . .

Floyd

Just in the 2006/07 comparison at the bottom, Floyd .... which stays in line with their percentages .... the cars are still being produced at a good rate ... which means that they ARE in showrooms .... my dealership still has a new one and has a black 05 as well ..... Last time we were in Mission Valley, they had 3 new ones .... no used ones ....

Bob's got a valid point ... if a dealer doesn't have an XLR on the lot, he will probably be trying to sell you a CTS ..... still not a bad 2nd ... but it is a 2nd! :glol

We're not picking on you 1701 .... as a matter of fact, we salute you :flag for bringing us more information that is out there .... but! We will defend our cars to the end!! :D

PS There are no ugly XLR's .... just ask their owners! lol
..

Sorry, Ruthie, I guess that synopsis was too bold for me to notice!! :cool (needs glasses) Too bad the numbers weren't reversed though. I now see Corvette was also down.

Floyd

Here's the XLR production data from GM's website:

Month of October
2007 - 115 units
2006 - 173
A decline of 36%

October YTD
2007 - 1,525 units
2006 - 2,660
A decline of 43%

Not a pretty picture.

Sure it did Floyd, down at the very bottom it showed o6 and 07 sales on the XLR. We dropped off a wee bit.Ruthie,

Nice reporting. . .but there was no mention of the XLR in that article which is the car 1701 was referring to. It's great GM seems to be doing so well, although I was really waiting to read a positive comment concerning our beloved XLR--alas. . .

Floyd

I know, Bob, I admitted my mistake in post #7.

I think what may be happening, as XLR's are pretty expensive when new, people are now purchasing used XLR's wherever they find them. Most generally are low mileage cars, and as we are all painfully aware, they sell for considerably less. Just my ramblings.

Floyd

[/URL] Sorry, #7 wasn't up when I posted. Just thought you missed it. All these numbers are not good for the prolonged life of our babies.
They can put these XLR's in all the tv shows or movies they want to but half the people don't even know what they are. GM needs to do some serious advertising or it's going the way of the buffalo.[URL="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZS"]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/1/1_4_39v.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZS)I know, Bob, I admitted my mistake in post #7.

I think what may be happening, as XLR's are pretty expensive when new, people are now purchasing used XLR's wherever they find them. Most generally are low mileage cars, and as we are all painfully aware, they sell for considerably less. Just my ramblings.

Floyd

Yup, GM has got to bite-the-bullet and advertise!!! :rant

Floyd

I previously reported that I have been curious by the apparent absent of XLR's at the dealerships I have visited in the Phila (PA + NJ) area. Recently, I spoke to several of the sales staff at one high-volume Cadillac-only dealership where I purchased the '08 CTS (which had previously boasted of highest XLR sales) and inquired as to "what's going on" with the XLR. The answer was that they can't sell them anymore due to the high number of repair problems and that they're burdened with an abnormally high number of buy-backs. As a result, they no longer display or stock them.

It's truly a shame if indeed, GM hasn't felt it important enough to invest in the vehicle, other than to add a new color or two. By the way...they MUST be kidding with that new BLUE color!! Awful.

Anyway, hope you all have better luck.

No buybacks at my dealer...White's Chevrolet-Cadillac. As a matter of fact for October White's sold THREE XLR's. One V and two non. I believe that this is because the dealership knows how to speak XLR!

While there have been a few issues with ours, there has been nothing to any great extent to warrant a buyback. These are pretty technical cars that can have a few issues. Not like our previous vehicle (Mercedes SLK) which was truly a POS that neither the dealer nor the factory could fix. As a matter of fact they couldn't have cared less. That is not what we have experienced with the good folks a my dealership and Cadillac. :rant

Regards

Elfred

There is a new ordering system in place for the XLR. A few months back all dealers were asked to submit their order for all of '08. Once you placed your order you were locked in and that would be all that you would get for the year. This allowed dealers to pick the month that they wanted the cars delivered. This would be why some dealers in the colder climates don't have any in stock at this time. They would want the cars delivered to them in the spring. This system helps with dealer and plant inventory and the build schedule. As a result of the new ordering system, XLRs are sold out for '08. Sometime in early '08 the dealers will place their orders for the '09 model year.

Bruce

Well, that's GREAT news!!!

I wasn't aware they had a build limit for the year. Kinda limits what they will build in a model year. Although it makes for better scheduling from factory's stand point.

Floyd

There is a new ordering system in place for the XLR. A few months back all dealers were asked to submit their order for all of '08. Once you placed your order you were locked in and that would be all that you would get for the year. This allowed dealers to pick the month that they wanted the cars delivered. This would be why some dealers in the colder climates don't have any in stock at this time. They would want the cars delivered to them in the spring. This system helps with dealer and plant inventory and the build schedule. As a result of the new ordering system, XLRs are sold out for '08. Sometime in early '08 the dealers will place their orders for the '09 model year.

Bruce


If the 08's are sold out, do we know just how many were ordered?

No buybacks at my dealer...White's Chevrolet-Cadillac. As a matter of fact for October White's sold THREE XLR's. One V and two non. I believe that this is because the dealership knows how to speak XLR!

While there have been a few issues with ours, there has been nothing to any great extent to warrant a buyback. These are pretty technical cars that can have a few issues. Not like our previous vehicle (Mercedes SLK) which was truly a POS that neither the dealer nor the factory could fix. As a matter of fact they couldn't have cared less. That is not what we have experienced with the good folks a my dealership and Cadillac. :rant

Regards

Elfred


I would think being employed by the dealership also contributes to the positive experience..................:)

If the 08's are sold out, do we know just how many were ordered?

No, I haven't heard how many will be built for '08. They are still building 8 XLRs a day in Bowling Green.

Bruce

I'm curious if they throttled back, increased or tried to keep pace with their 07 production.