Category Archives: Cadillac Models

Covering the Cadillac: Empire Car Covers #Motorama @Empire_Covers

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Empire Covers contacted me recently to ask if I would review their Titan Quatro 4L car cover for my 2008 Cadillac STS-V.

I asked that they send me a cover that would be great for sun, and good in the dust we get here in Texas.  Using the easy gadgets on their website I was able to focus in on the Cadillac car covers that would fit my STS-V, and the protection levels each type of car cover offers.  I suggested the Titan Quatro since it offers Sun 5 and Dust 5 protection levels.  My STS-V is a size 4 in the Empire system.

Empire Car Cover de-boxing

Six days later and I have the car cover on my doorstep — I like fast service and delivery.  I put it on the car right out of the box, then took it off the Cadillac and put it on the right-way round after I saw that the part of the cover that read “Front” was just in the middle of the back.

Empire Car Cover on the Cadillac STS-V

This cover is described by Empire as

We’ve taken our years of cover experience and created the ultimate outdoor/indoor cover with 4 layers ultrasonically welded together to ensure 100% waterproof protection. The cover works as a total protective system, the pinnacle of cover technology.

A key concern here in Texas is keeping the cover on in the wind.  This cover came with options Empire Covers Gust Guard tie-downs front and back, and the bag stays attached via a lanyard to the cover itself.  The Gust Guard is a separate product that works with the cover to keep it in place when you anticipate more wind than the elastic band on the bottom of the cover can accommodate.  The GustGuard on the Empire site uses bungee cords, but the one I received has 2 adjustable straps.  Either would work; I mention the difference only for clarity.

With the ties on the cover and the Gust Guard, the Empire car cover should stay in place even in a strong wind and be effective in protecting the car from sun or dust.  Because the Gust Guard connecting straps are easy-on, easy-off, no worries about them getting in the way or scratching the paint when putting the cover on or off.

To avoid my initial error, having the bag attached to the cover acts as a quick identifier for the ‘back’ of the cover, and keeps the bag from getting lost.

Disclosure:  Empirecovers provided the car cover for free so that I could review it.

Summary:

The Empire Car Cover site was easy to use and I was able to select a cover appropriate to my needs.  The Empire Car Cover arrived quickly and was as-described, and fit my Cadillac.  It appears to be well constructed, and I am happy with the quality.  I believe that the under-car Gust Guard straps will act to keep the cover in place, but I will have to test that in the wind to confirm.

C&C: Interesting Cars vs Daily Drivers #Motorama @Cadillac

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I was chatting with a Cadillac owner about his modified DTS at Cars & Coffee Dallas on Saturday when he said something that I found interesting — one of the reasons he wanted to visually modify his Cadillac was so people would recognize that it was a special vehicle with a lot of other nice touches.

Another data point that caught my attention was a Cars & Coffee guide from the Irvine California event:

What makes it “of interest?” How to define “unusual?” You’d get lots of opinions on that. One suggestion we’ve heard is… cars that aren’t driven to work every day. If it’s a car that is driven every day, odds are, it’s not a car that will get people out of bed at 6 a.m. on a Saturday. Of course there will be a few exceptions (we won’t penalize you if you drive your Talbot-Lotus to work), but that can be a general guide. […] We’re all about interesting AND unusual cars

And finally, during a chat with Charlie from burnoutradio.com he mentioned that one car show had the rule that a car needed to have customizations in 3 separate areas — one engine, one exhaust, and one interior for example — to qualify to enter the show.

Now, I had mixed feelings about my STS-V and Cars & Coffee.  I enjoy going regardless, but I was not sure if I wanted to “display” the V or just park to the side and enjoy seeing the other cars there.   I ended up pulling in and parking out of the way, but with the STS-V ready to show.  Luckily Emily and Charlie parked their STS-V next to mine, so we instantly had a Cadillac area and that settled that.

A lot of car guys love cars, but they can’t afford a hobby car that they can drive to work every day.  Either they have a long commute, or the interesting, fun, hobby car can’t live up to usage as a daily driver.  So they drive a small pickup or boring economy car every day, when they wish they could be in their fun car.

I am lucky in that my 2008 Cadillac STS-V is a fun car and my daily driver.  It is actually quite a bit more rare, with less than 500 produced, interesting, and a better performer than many of the cars shown at C&C  Dallas.

In fact, that is one of the reasons I decided to purchase a Cadillac V-Series — Cadillac is producing the V-Series as road and track performers for automotive enthusiasts.  Since I *am* a ‘car guy’ & automotive enthusiast, and a Cadillac fan, the V-Series is the right fit for me.

I don’t care where I park at C&C, although I was hoping and managed to meet & discuss Cadillacs with other Cadillac fans.  I will say that people did stroll over to look at the STS-Vs and I had some nice chats about the V-Series Cadillacs.

I am thrilled I get to drive an ‘Interesting Car’ every day.  I wish everyone did, and that the roads were full of interesting cars.

What do you think?  What makes an automobile “Interesting”?

@Cadillac Wrap – the CTS-V Coupe Racer

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Love Cadillac’s attitude on their racing pages:

IT ISN’T SO MUCH A WILL TO WIN AS
IT IS A REFUSAL TO FOLLOW.
Where do you go when you’ve proven you can build one of the world’s most acclaimed production cars, the 556 horsepower Cadillac CTS-V? To the racetrack, to make it even better. This season, Cadillac joins North America’s top production-based race series, the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge. Our competitors are going to get very used to watching these taillights.

The CTS-V Racers are prepared by Pratt & Miller

The V Racer colors are probably done using a vinyl wrap.  That makes it quick and easy to get the same effect every time,  after repairs, etc.

I would like to see Cadillac offer a wrap like this as an option for Customer Cadillac CTS-V Coupes.

Yes, I know it is not a conservative look  for a road car, but this is the sort of thing that some Customers might enjoy.

And it certainly would be remarkable to pull up next to one at a stoplight.