Who's Afraid of the CTS-V

[MCaesar]

The Cadillac CTS-V is probably the most direct competitor to the SRT8. In 2005, Motor Trend put one against a 300C SRT8 and it beat it by a nose. There are several key areas to consider:

Cost: the Caddy is between $6-12,000 more than the SRT8s

Yearly Changes: the CTS-V has had a significant change each year. The 2004 model year suffered from severe axle tramp on hard acceleration. That caused it to be stuck in the mid 13s in the 1/4 mile. For 2005, GM redesigned the suspension and eliminated most of that problem. That dropped ETs down to 13.1. (There is a TSB to retrofit the 2004s.) For 2006, Caddy switched motors in the CTS-V. The original came out with the C5 Z06 motor

5.7 liters
400hp@6000
395lb-ft@4800

For the new C6 base motor that they added to the GTO in 2005

6.0 liters
400@5200
395@4000

I haven't seen this new motor tested but since it makes its power at lower RPMs I would be tempted to think it might lose some top end in return for a better bottom end. That motor in the GTO ran a 13.3 versus the 300C SRT8 at 13.2. It was actually quicker than the SRT8 to 40 but slower over 90mph.

I guess GM wanted to save on production and just make one engine for multiple models. Also, the new engine's power numbers look more automatic friendly in case Caddy wants to offer its new 6 speed automatic.

Size: The CTS-V is about half a foot shorter and narrower. It has less back seat and trunk room but weighs 300 lbs less than the 300C SRT8.

Trans: For now, it only comes with a 6 speed manual.

Other: Don't forget the new Seville (STS-V) now has even more power than the SRT8.

The official power ratings for the 2006 STS-V -- 469 hp at 6,400 rpm and 439 lbs.-ft. of torque at 3900 rpm - are certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE.) SAE's new voluntary power and torque certification procedure (J2723) ensures fair, accurate ratings by allowing manufacturers to certify their engines through third-party witness testing. GM was the first auto manufacturer to begin using this procedure to certify power for its new engines.

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...28/138628.html

[v8440]

Power and torque at a lower rpm are generally better than the same numbers at higher rpm. People don't build motors to make power at high rpm because it's better to make it up there, they build them that way because they won't make as much at lower rpm. In other words, if you can make the same figures at lower rpm, you've made an improvement.

[MaineMagnumRT]

I'm not going to lie I was a little afraid when a kid I ski with blew past me doing 160 in his. Needless to say I didn't try to catch up. The really scary thing is that he plans on superchargeing it after this winter. Its a prime example of a 20 year old kid having way to much money to play with.

[v8440]

He may very well end up with a car shaped oddly like a horseshoe at the rate he's going.

[Dark Knight]

He may very well end up with a car shaped oddly like a horseshoe at the rate he's going.

I agree.

[AZRC]

I bought my Magnum SRT8 because I thought it was the best car for me AND my family. I imagine I will get the opportunity to race it occasionally but not that often. There is always someone waiting around the corner with something faster or modified beyond most peoples means. That or the police will be waiting around that corner. The CTS-V is a very respectible car just like the SRT8's but no need to be afraid, all can be won or lost in shifting a manual.

[TriShield]

I'm not afraid of them. I considered buying one when they debuted, but they are very flawed cars and I decided to look elsewhere.

The quality isn't good. Exterior panel fitment is abysmal. Every CTS I've ever seen has large gaps under the headlamps where they should meet the front bumper, large gaps around the edges of the hood, and a HUGE gap between the bottom of the trunk lid and rear bumper. The doors feel like cheap cardboard when you open and close them.

The interior design and materials are absolutely hideous and inexcusable for the price. The inside is not very detailed either, for example it doesn't have contrasting stitching nor does it feature aggressively bolstered seats. The door handles are extremely cheap plastic, you get the idea.

They also have very bad wheel-hop on moderate to heavy acceleration. I noticed on their forums many are eating rear differentials which will be costly when the warranty is up. The shifter they use has horrible, vauge shift action, and you have to really finesse the car to get close to the claimed acceleration. Most people can't get better than just over five seconds to 60 out of them. A Jaguar S-Type R is easier to go faster in, in fact the CTS-V lost a comparison to it in Motor Trend. An LS2 GTO is faster than that, and doesn't wheel-hop itself to death, the SRT-8s are also faster without wheel-hop and without putting up with a sloppy shifter.

GM proves once again that you can pay more, but that you don't get a superior product. I'm glad I didn't jump on the bandwagon right away. Chrysler offers a better product at a more reasonable price.

Even the Pontaic GTO has a much nicer, much better trimmed, and more detailed interior than the CTS-V for only $30k. That's sad.

[JBS11]

I was very close to buying a CTS-V until test driving it. The interior was very basic and hardly worthy of a Cadi badging. The trans had a ton of slack in it. (Not to mention the shifter knob came off and was held in by the shift boot on a 1-2 shift.) The CTS-V had a load of wheel hop... but the closer was:

THE CAR DID NOT MAKE POWER LIKE MY Z06!

The car felt tired and did not rev through the powerband like they claimed: "The CTS-V has the LS6 motor in it... " Hardly.

I am not a DCX guy... but I ran to the C Srt-8. Test drove it... and bought it on the spot. (Got lucky... first one I looked at was the color and options I wanted.)

[70gto]

I went to drive one and the battery was dead. It was noisy in the gear train and the rear , I was waiting for a auto option but after reading the posts on the LS1 site for broken rears and multiple other issues ....then the srt magnum was released ...still waiting for mine

[MCaesar]

Here is an interesting V story:

Fire! My 2005 V Caught On Fire!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So yesterday I was driving through Chinatown in Los Angeles around 5:30PM. As you can only imagine, there are hundreds of people on the street, and even more cars on the road. It's typical local gridlock in LA.

I'm waiting in a line of traffic, idleing in neutral, when smoke begins to seep through the hood. I think "oh crap" and hit the OnStar button. As I'm speaking to the operator, suddenly I see flames. The fire went strong for about 10 minutes, there's a hole in my hood that probably measures 5 square feet, and everything under the hood is toast. Smelted down to one big black block.

Anybody else have similar problems with this car or cars previous?

Thanks...

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...ad.php?t=54751

lemme guess, you didn't have the recalled fuel feed jumper replaced?

What a recall?!

[jennypough]

I have had the wonderful opportunity to drive my step-fathers CTS-V for the past week and here are my observations.

First - The NAV and Stereo system is the absolute worst I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with.

1:The screen isnt a touch screen (I know the magnum isnt either)
2: There is no joy stick to scroll around the maps with which means you cant look around.
3: Entering a destination address is horribly complex and very tedious
4: There are NO stearing wheel controls for the stereo at all

Second - The shifter's throw is extremely long and makes shifting between gears slower then I like

Third - The door handles squeek like they are from a Yugo, and the car is 45 days old

Fourth - The stock exhaust sounds like a Maxima imo

Fifth - The seats are Extremely comfortable and grip you very nicely in turns

Sixth - The G-meter in the dash is pretty neat, expect it doesnt have a memory and is impossible to read during a turn as it is covered by the stearing wheel

Seventh, the power of the car is Very nice, and with an aftermarket exhaust, really makes a statement at WOT.


To be honest, I would take my 2006 R/T over the caddy at this point and am returning the CTS-V for my other car which is an Infiniti G35. For those of you with an SRT-8, I think you have one hell of a car in comparison, and should feel proud everytime you pass by a CTS-V.

[Northern Rider]

The CTS-V is a good car - glad to see GM building a respectible rear driver.

Negatives for me - styling;

size (too small) -

and the biggest problem of all - hard acceleration is blowing out the rear ends. GM won't acknowledge the problem and owners are cautious launching allthat HP because of the problem.

[MCaesar]

The CTS-V is a good car - glad to see GM building a respectible rear driver.

Negatives for me - styling;

size (too small) -

and the biggest problem of all - hard acceleration is blowing out the rear ends. GM won't acknowledge the problem and owners are cautious launching allthat HP because of the problem.

Yeah, blowing out the rear ends is a huge problem with that car - and wheel hop. GM didn't sweat the details on that one.

[Dark Knight]

Yeah, blowing out the rear ends is a huge problem with that car - and wheel hop. GM didn't sweat the details on that one.

No make is perfect, SRTs have had brake, valve spring, throttle and some small tranny issues, and 3 or 4 totally blown motors (on 300forums there is a thread on this, considering the low production numbers SRT engineers thought this a problem and handled it). Do these items detract from the car's allure? No, the SRT is still a badass car as are the other makes such as the Caddy for their own reasons. Let's remember, if it wasn't for BMW's M series, Audi S series, AMG and so on we wouldn't have SRT's, SVT's and V series cars to buy. Variety is the spice of life, and I would rather have a number of cars to choose from than no choice at all.

[Dark Knight]

Here is an interesting V story:



http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...ad.php?t=54751



What a recall?!

Things like this do happen. Years ago I had a 85 charger and a 86 Daytona burn on me over a 3 year period. But it didn't stop me from continuing to buy Dodges and more recenly I had my Dakota burn to a crisp because of a fuel line problem.