I am currently looking for a new ride. The Beemer has been good, but too damn expensive to maintain(seems its in the shop more than my drive). I have started looking at the CTS V(2009,or newer). I have never been in a CTS so my questions is are they reliable and can you fit three kids in the back seat? I am worried about the latter. GF wants a SUV, but I reeeeaaaallllly want a 500+ hp car! Thoughts, concerns?
Disclaimer; I will be going to look and test drive them, but lets face it. Its very slow here so the more conversation the better!
I'm not sure that the CTSV is going to be in the shop any less. Any 500HP+ daily driver is going to been in the shop on occasion. It's the price you pay for driving a badass car.
Paul - Feel free to ping me. I have been driving CTSV's since '04, and can highly recommend them as a daily driver. I track mine and use it in our HP driving school. I can also go home, change wheels and then go to dinner and have the car valeted in front. Not many cars can do that and be one of the best daily drivers out there. Especially for under $80k.
I don't care if it has to go to the shop on occasion. It will be under warranty for a while. I just don't want a vehicle I am going to be rebuilding the engine every year in. My Major question is if its roomy enough for three 8 year olds in the back.
It is big enough for 3 - 8 year olds. I would suggest the V Wagon if you want more room. Best part - GM stands behind the car, even though it holds up as well or better than most other vehicles I have owned or tracked.
I have a friend with a 2006 CTS...it leaks and is in the shop a lot. Makes wierd noises and rattles over bumps/feels loose. Not to mention the ever present check engine light due to emissions. Find a good mechanic and pack away some extra cash if that's what you are looking for. It is a roomy car though.
Just finished the "V Performance Lab". Good fun, can't stop smiling and know what car is now on the top of my wish list.
Drove the new ATS, it was nice and would make a nice car for the wife.
Drove an automatic coupe in light rain in the cold. Super fun, exciting acceleration and very impressive handling.
My favorite drive of the day was 3 laps in a CTS-V with the 6 speed manual trans. There is really something about driving a 556hp/551ft lb machine with the control of a stick. I don't care if the auto is a faster, I want a stick. Super fun without giving up any comfort. Might just be my next purchase!
Well, I went and test drove one. Man it was a fun car. It was hard to keep the wheels from spinning(and later found out I wasn't even in sport mode!) Loaded the kids up in it and the damn thing was too small((( It would be nice if they put that motor in a larger vehicle! So now its SUV.
How about a SRT-8 charger. My wife wanted one for ever and last year we bought her a 2008 with 98,000 miles on it. The first week we had it I bought a diablo tuner and put exhaust on it and man that thing is a beast. Never had one problem or check engine or any thing out of it and it will out run my neighbors C5 corvette.
The 2011 and up have more power with 470 from the factory and better gas mileage.
By the way I tried to talk my wife into a CTS-V first but she liked the looks of the SRT-8 better (WOMEN). I still won I get to drive a really fast 4 door car all the time.
Flack,
shoot me a message if you can, I have some questions I would like to ask you about CTS-Vs. Unfortunately I can't get the PM thing on WW to work (rarely seems to work for me since the "upgrade" a few years ago).
How about a SRT-8 charger. My wife wanted one for ever and last year we bought her a 2008 with 98,000 miles on it. The first week we had it I bought a diablo tuner and put exhaust on it and man that thing is a beast. Never had one problem or check engine or any thing out of it and it will out run my neighbors C5 corvette.
The 2011 and up have more power with 470 from the factory and better gas mileage.
I don't really see how the Charger is at all comparable to the CTS-V. The Cadillac is about a precisely tuned chassis, excellent handling and cornering ability, plus tons of power as well. The Charger is basically a frame, a big engine and some wheels. Not nearly as refined. That's cool if all you care about is horsepower I guess, but for me driving pleasure involves more than gunning it after a stop light.
I have done the cadillac challenge and was very impressed. In fact my dad traded in his Mercedes to get this car. I personally have a 300 SRT8 and prefer the more old school muscle feel, but this car is legit. I have been considering trading to this care for a few years. I don't think you could go wrong here.
My brother had a 2012 CTS-V. Awesome car. His was a manual transmission. I drove it several times, and can verify....it's everything that they say it is and more.
But, the back seat is VERY small. So small in fact, that I wondered why they even put a seat back there. He sold it recently and got the new Caddy XTs. Nice car. I love the new electronics in it. He likes the four doors, big back seat, auto transmission, and the smoother ride.
The "V" was his first real hotrod. I guess it didn't take him long to get that out of his "system". I bet he keeps the smoother, but spirited XTS longer than he did the "v".
^^^^^ Thats not a fair comparison with a modified S8 racing a stock CTS-V. If you spent dollar for dollar on the two I bet that CTS-V would be a monster.
What's the sticker on a S8?
I bet you could buy the CTS-V modify it and still have less in it than the sticker price of the S8 and be above 600 hp.
That Audi gets it! AWD tearing it up. 12.7 is halfway decent driving by the CTS-V driver if the car is stock.
i don't get it. Who the hell are the drivers? Also, isn't the CTS-V a rear wheel drive car and the S8 an all wheel drive car? IF the S8 is AWD then any joe blow could get in it and slam the pedal to the ground and drive a good 1/4 mile.