5 mo with the ELR

[Bruce Nunnally]

At the end of 2014, the Cadillac ELR went on sale to cheers and jeers. Many were concerned that the $76,000 MSRP was just too much money for a Volt-based luxury plug-in hybrid, and so far low sales seem to justify those concerns. There are already deals offering $20,000 or more in incentives to move the ELR off of lots, leading some to wonder what else is wrong with this ride.

After 5 months behind the wheel, one ELR owner has spoken up about what he likes, and what he doesnt like about his plug-in Cadillac.

Read more: http://cleantechnica.com/2014/06/23/cadillac-elr-owner-gives-5-month-update-experience/

[CCClarke]

As someone interested in electric vehicles and Cadillacs in particular, I've followed the ELR's progress and owner comments closely since it arrived. The owner comment link in the above-mentioned post left me shaking my head in disbelief when I saw it was from Blastphemy. He's well known in the ELR community, but for the wrong reasons, unfortunately.

The article ends with him liking the car after five months.

What a difference nearly two years can make . . .

Blasphemy never bought an ELR, he rented (leased) one. As an early adopter, he got soaked on the deal. Like the XLR, the ELR was not worth the original price, and dismal sales prove it. There wasn't even a 2015 model - there were so many left on dealer's lots at the end of the first year that production stopped. A few changes were made (mods carried over from the similar Volt drivetrain) and a 2016 model will happen, though production will be curtailed. There are still new 2014's available! I've spoken with salesman at several dealerships and asked if they would be ordering any, and they all said "No!"

Anyway, Blastphemy bad-mouthed the vehicle over what other ELR owners dismissed as minor flaws, eventually igniting some serious California wildfire-sized flame wars. His incessant whining online and to GM rated high enough on the their Customer Satisfaction meter that he received a complete refund and release from his lease by Cadillac, essentially enjoying a sixteen-month free ride. (I didn't even know that was possible.)

Subsequently, he ended up in a Ford Fusion, but still trolls the other ELR owners in their forums, rather than moving on and enjoying his new ride. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but he lost a lot of credibility and respect through his actions in the manner that he voiced them. The only thing that makes the story worse were the other owners replies, which served to make a bad situation worse, and didn't do any favors for the forum.

The ELR is a gorgeous vehicle to me. The rear seating room (like the Volt) is kind of grim though. The high centerline hump from the battery makes it look even smaller. The technology is decent, but the price (which eventually came down) and lack of a few features, (a HUD for one) made me keep looking. The 2016 model will cost about $10k less before other incentives are factored in. It will be a little faster, which has been a common complaint. I've driven a friend's Tesla, and really liked it (especially the acceleration) but a fully-appointed model is quite expensive, and it lacks an onboard generator like the ELR. Nice car, but very different, so comparisons are an apples-to-oranges thing.

The bottom line: There's no such thing as a perfect car. Eventually, we all discover things that could be improved in each vehicle we buy. The trick is to know as much as possible about a vehicle before buying, then thoroughly road (and stationary) testing it before signing a deal. This seems like common sense to most people, but there are many who regret a purchase soon after the novelty wears off.

Any satisfied ELR owners out there?

CC