1984 Cadillac Roundtable "The Gold Key Delivery System" - Dealer Film RT84-1A

"Roundtable" videos were periodically sent to Cadillac dealers to inform, educate, and generate discussion among the staff and sales people. This video, featuring our old friend from the 1981 Chevy Trucks promo, sums up the frustration a lot of us have felt over the years. Discussion ensues with actual dealer staff, and an obvious plant. GM RT84-1A

[@EmmyJune212008]

I enjoy watching these old Cadillac videos, so I clicked and braced for 80s cheesiness. However, my heart stopped for a moment when I saw the panel introduction, and they mentioned Greg Wurl, who was a friend of my father's. My father met Greg at Williamson Cadillac in Miami and they got to know each other pretty well over the years and even became mutual clients. Greg was a Cadillac guy through and through. He was a great service director and went on to co-own a Cadillac dealership with the Williamsons. At a time when Cadillac cars weren't great, it was largely Greg that kept my father with the brand.

[@MrSpartanPaul]

I actually took delivery of a new Eldorado in 1984. I ignored the whole gold key thing since I was picking up the car for my uncle. I drove the car to my uncle’s house and was quite disappointed with the way the nose was bobbing up and down on the interstate.

[@kirk1015]

All of the new cars I've owned since 2008 until 2022 the salesmen did the walk-around with me. I've never had it done any other way. But when my parents bought their 1990 Corolla Wagon, the salesmen did basically nothing. He handed the keys to my DAD (not my mother who's name was on the title) and off we went. I can still see my Dad trying to ignore those awful automatic seatbelts they were putting in cars then.

[@kellanhills1972]

I miss these times. We didn’t notice it at the time but less frenetic more formal. Less crazy technology. Makes me miss my grand parents.

[@edwardpate6128]

Wow, what a diverse group!

[@markbehr88]

I enjoyed watching this. Thanks.

[@courageunitycompassi]

Interesting choice to have two actors in a focus group.

[@bertram46]

Oh yeah I remember that I worked at Crestmont Cadillac in Beachwood Ohio with a gold key delivery system

[@charlesmoore2485]

Love the video.

[@therealjayseh]

I don't care what anybody says, if you know how to take care of a Cadillac they are amazing vehicles.

[@FLYEAL]

Fascinating, awkward and funny. But, at least GM was transparent about who was the actor and who was a dealer employee. In the 80s thru maybe 2007-ish successful car salesmen (and women) used to know their way around a car. More or less. And sold themselves as well. With evolving emphasis on (interior) complex technology, I noticed this begin to change about 2015 with German automakers as they transitioned to delivery specialists and tech “gurus”. Now, in my experience with GM lately, salesmen barely exist. Most the cars/trucks are largely indistinguishable appliances sold online by AI and chat. People are becoming robots with less human contact.

[@BG-pd6os]

This video is scripted, however coming from a 30 year automotive veteran it's more relevant than it was in 1984! Why? well one reason is content of vehicles, power seats, heated seats, navagation, bluetooth, radios, Onstar etc. The delivery is critical, the impression the customer gets at this point is the way they will remember it. Many larger dealerships have hired delivery specialist to handle the deliver, thats all they do! The days of tossing the keys to a customer and saying SEE YA, are long, long gone!

[@JJVernig]

Even for secondhand vehicles they take one or two hours time....

[@fourdoorglory]

Too bad most dealers didn’t care about doing a quality delivery.