Cadillac Complaint - 2011 SRX - Very Unhappy - 2011 SRX Performance

Posted by MRM on 2011-02-17:

I agree that your gas mileage would improve if you drive at 60 MPH. I believe the sticker MPG were tested at 60 MPH.

Posted by Sparticus on 2011-02-17:

Thanks for the review. My wife and I were actually looking at used versions of this car. I wonder if 2010 models have similar problems?

Posted by Slimjim on 2011-02-17:

This I think, is the only Caddy made outside the US for some reason. When our Escalade lease was up, one of the reasons we went with Buick's Enclave, was that it was completely built in the US. I wouldn't say it means everything to me, but it is important. As far as mileage, you are driving way too fast to expect stickered numbers. Those figures usually come in at around 55 to 65 mph. A taller car, like a crossover or SUV, is even more impacted due to wind resistance. I remember barely squeezing the rated 20 mpg out of our Escalade by doing around 60 mph with the windows up and no air on. Once we cruised at 75, it dropped to around 16.5.

Posted by MRM on 2011-02-17:

Excellent, Slim, for additional tidbits!

Posted by Prince-Caesar on 2011-02-17:

My only question, is when you test drove the vehicle, didnt you bother to check all of these features and look at the vehicle thoroughly for any flaws before you signed the paperwork? It just seems odd to me. I just dont understand why you are complaining about all these little problems now, after you already bought it.

Posted by azRider on 2011-02-17:

first off, its a American car, they are not known to have high quality. its basically a very fancy Chevy. some of the parts in your car are interchangeable with standard Chevy's. next MPG is test on a closed course, with a test driver, with optimal conditions. in real life you never get what the sticker says plus its a 3.0L engine hauling around heavy American steel. its going to burn some fuel. some a lighter foot may help in that. lastly, did you research the car? do you walk around it test drive it? if the flaws are there when you got it, there is no one to blame but you. buying a new car is waste also, as soon as you drove it off the lot it was worth less than you paid for it. I'm betting you could have gotten a deal on a year old car and still had the same features you wanted. but as GP Barnum says..

Posted by Justice-4-All on 2011-02-17:

Slim> Just a note to add to your sentiment on American made products...There is often times the misconception that American made means the product is American made. Much like our out-sourcing friends in the telecommunication industry, several companies have their parts shipped in from foreign countries, and have it "assembled" in the USA. Technically, they can then classify it as being American made. When in reality, it isn't.

Nothing screams Red, White, and Blue more than a Harley Davidson. For years, that was the quintessential American product. Nowadays? Not so much. The majority of parts used to build a Harley are foreign made, close to 75%. But it's "assembled" in the USA. Huge difference.

Posted by trmn8r on 2011-02-17:

I am at a loss as well. It was nobody's responsibility to tell you where the car/parts were manufactured or assembled. This is information you can determine on your own.

Wind resistance increases with the square of the speed. That is why reducing speed from 75 to 70 and 70 to 65 has much more of an effect on fuel economy than 40 to 35. Ethanol also reduced gas mileage (thanks, Uncle Sam). Do the EPA estimates use an ethanol blend? It sounds like your car is in the ballpark.

If you want better fit and finish, buy an import. Wind noise is one of the most common complaints with new cars.

Posted by Lord Rothschild on 2011-02-17:

Cadilacs made in Mexico. Are you kidding me? What the bloody hell.

Maybe I'm crazy but I'm blaming Obama for this one.

Posted by trmn8r on 2011-02-17:

At this rate, this place will look like Yahoo! soon.

Posted by justcuz on 2011-02-17:

If I'm not mistaken, isn't there a "breaking in" period on brand new cars before they meet the expected MPG? I thought I heard/read it's somewhere around 5k miles.

Posted by PepperElf on 2011-02-17:

i don't know but... i do know your milage also depends on how long you drove for and what you have the car packed with.


i'm betting when they test these cars they test them with an empty load - aka just the driver (and a small driver too) with no luggage or extra crap in the car.

plus you have to make sure your tires are properly filled to get the most out of your milage.

Posted by madconsumer on 2011-02-17:

seems like you could expect more from a cadillac.

Posted by Disaster Worker on 2011-02-17:

I've had 5 Cadillacs in a row with a CTS now. My gas mileage is about 22 in town and 30+ on highway. I've had no issues with any of my Caddys.

Posted by dan gordon on 2011-02-17:

ford has made many cars in Mexico for yrs. The Lincoln MDX or whatever is one of them. They are some of Fords most highly rated cars. I think there is considerable nit picking going on with this 'review'.

Posted by Slimjim on 2011-02-17:

I disagree with azRider's assessment. American cars have come back very strong in quality perception and Cadilacs are among the leaders. The CTX is one of the hottest cars in the market right now, and their V version is a 556 hp dynamite buy at only aprox $63,000. Many foreign cars are assembled right here in the states, while many models by American brands are assembled in Mexico or Canada. I strongly prefer buying an American brand built by American workers on American soil. We do make good cars, and our economy and job market need your business. US residents win on many levels.

Posted by Starlord on 2011-02-17:

I never saw whatever it is that makes people go glassy-eyed and slack-jawed at the mention of Cadillac. He (Cadillac) was in auto racing about the same time as Ray Harroun, winner of the first Indianapolis 500 race. The car named after him was always touted as a kuxury car, and you paid through the nose for it. I find this hard to understand, as it is just a tricked-out Chevrolet, ironically, another racer from the teen years. The doctor my mom worked for at one time bought a Caddy, and since Indiana only had one plate per vehicle, he looked for a piece of chrome to close the opening in the front bumper for a front plate. The Cadillac dealer was glad to order him one, and it would only cost him $85.00 plus shipping. I had an Eldorado at one time, and it was a land yacht. The heck of it was, the engine made a funny noise. Gimme a gallon, gimme a gallon, gimme a gallon. :D

Posted by PepperElf on 2011-02-17:

don't look at me star... i like the mini cooper myself tho ... i could be happy with a classic rolls... ;)

Posted by MRM on 2011-02-17:

Jeep fan over here!

Posted by Starlord on 2011-02-18:

Mopar rules!

Posted by Cady13 on 2011-02-23:

Prince C..This is our 13th Cadillac.. we've never had these issues before..thus continue to buy Cadillac. As far as, "looking the car over", yes we did and as with any purchase sometimes "things" are missed. The dealership didn't even know all the features of the car. I read the owners manual to find most of my information as to how everything works. As a veteran Cadillac owner, I expect as good as or better than previous year purchases. And, I expect more from Cadillac, period.

Posted by Cady13 on 2011-02-23:

To the many other comments.. Yes I am aware that driving "slower" will increase fuel economy. As I stated.. most highway limits in my area are at 70mph. Unless, I want to be the hazard in the right lane, I will continue to drive around the posted speed limit. I just feel on a flat surface without obstruction, the vehicle should be able to perform at the "estimated" limit.

Posted by Cady13 on 2011-02-23:

Just a note..here it is about a week later. I have had no resolve to my issues. But, I did get another call from the Philippines after 9 o'clock in the evening two days ago. That's customer service? I asked them to call me at a reasonable hour of the day and have yet to hear from them.. hmmm????

Posted by trmn8r on 2011-02-23:

Well then you need to research rolling friction and wind resistance. Newton's laws are at work against your car. This isn't physics class, where a puck zooms through space with nothing to perturb it.

In your terminology, relative wind and friction are "obstructions".

Posted by Cady13 on 2011-03-10:

Update.. Cadillac Corporate Office contacted myself and the dealership and has picked up the vehicle for inspection. Since it is getting the 'estimated' city miles it should be within range of the 'estimated' highway miles. We will see if they can figure out what the problem is.