Discussion
Hammond gave it a good verdict on TG until Clarkson shoved his anti-American oar in. I think they are phenomenal value for money at the moment (around £8k) and handle quite well. Shame they never brought the C5 Z06-engined CTS-V over even though it was LHD only. The 3.6 is also a good engine.
Try it, it's on my radar to replace the Golf GTI daily in due course.
Try it, it's on my radar to replace the Golf GTI daily in due course.
the_scorpion said:
These any good?
I am thinking about buying a 3.6 sport in a couple of months time but most reviews are pretty negative so what do you all think about them?
I did 2000 miles in a 2009 model hire car in the US.I am thinking about buying a 3.6 sport in a couple of months time but most reviews are pretty negative so what do you all think about them?
I really liked it, with the exception of the automatic gearbox which always seemed to be in the wrong gear.
The engine reminded me a lot of a mate's 350z, and it even handled pretty tidily.
Z28fan said:
only thing to remember is that the resale is likely to make your eyes water (even at the current bargain price!)
I'm not entirely sure that is true as American cars tend to have a very long honeymoon middle period of depreciation. The old STS seems to have kept it's price and let's be fair, BMWs depreciate just as much. Finding a buyer is more likley to be the impediment as a CTS is more Mondeo size than BMW size but at least it's RWD. Howebver, less and less people are buying bigger cars.The other "problem" is I think most, if not all, are autos. Suspension is easily sorted as there is a big aftermarket for the CTS-V in the US. Worth bearing in mind that this engine and possibly box are now used in the V6 Camaro so the aftermarket possibilities should proliferate.
Are you looking at the old shape or the current one.
I probably did about 15,000 miles in various old shape CTS so have a reasonable idea of them -
Don't buy a 2.8 - they are thirstier than the 3.6 and far slower.
I prefer the 3.6 Sport to the Sport Luxury - pretty rare (25 or 30 of them I seem to remember), but can be identified by 18" alloys and no sat nav. These have better handling (uprated springs and dampers) and and a nicer brake feel (larger front discs and calipers).
Don't drive agressively in the wet on the original fitment US spec tyres as they can let go quite suddenly - If you let off the throttle at the same time quite dramatic angles can be reached before the stability control intervenes (if you keep your foot down the stability control is quicker to react!)
The auto gearbox is pretty good, even though the UK never got the tiptronic version. In sport mode it holds the gears well and makes quite a good stab at being a sports saloon. Setting up the steering wheel buttons to disable the traction control helps you make the most of the lsd!
All have an LSD as standard. They feel much like an E39 5 series to drive.
Try and find out if the door lock mod has been done, otherwise you might find yourself locked out of the car one day.
Very little went wrong with them. The odd car had oil leaks from the diff, which should have been repaired/replaced under warranty.
'05 model years have a black centre console and polished alloys. '06 have a wood effect one and diamond cut alloys. I think that only 2 '07 exist, which have slightly different gear levers.
One demo and a few customer cars were converted to LPG and were largely trouble free.
There was also a Stratstone Sport model, based on the Sport Luxury. These were purely cosmetic with larger tail pipe, CTS-V grille and Irmscher 20" alloys and rear spoiler. 20 were done made, but not all of them had the spoiler and some had the wheels swapped back.
If all of this info is irrelevant because you are looking at the current shape, have a chat with Bauer Millett or contact 555ST on here.
I probably did about 15,000 miles in various old shape CTS so have a reasonable idea of them -
Don't buy a 2.8 - they are thirstier than the 3.6 and far slower.
I prefer the 3.6 Sport to the Sport Luxury - pretty rare (25 or 30 of them I seem to remember), but can be identified by 18" alloys and no sat nav. These have better handling (uprated springs and dampers) and and a nicer brake feel (larger front discs and calipers).
Don't drive agressively in the wet on the original fitment US spec tyres as they can let go quite suddenly - If you let off the throttle at the same time quite dramatic angles can be reached before the stability control intervenes (if you keep your foot down the stability control is quicker to react!)
The auto gearbox is pretty good, even though the UK never got the tiptronic version. In sport mode it holds the gears well and makes quite a good stab at being a sports saloon. Setting up the steering wheel buttons to disable the traction control helps you make the most of the lsd!
All have an LSD as standard. They feel much like an E39 5 series to drive.
Try and find out if the door lock mod has been done, otherwise you might find yourself locked out of the car one day.
Very little went wrong with them. The odd car had oil leaks from the diff, which should have been repaired/replaced under warranty.
'05 model years have a black centre console and polished alloys. '06 have a wood effect one and diamond cut alloys. I think that only 2 '07 exist, which have slightly different gear levers.
One demo and a few customer cars were converted to LPG and were largely trouble free.
There was also a Stratstone Sport model, based on the Sport Luxury. These were purely cosmetic with larger tail pipe, CTS-V grille and Irmscher 20" alloys and rear spoiler. 20 were done made, but not all of them had the spoiler and some had the wheels swapped back.
If all of this info is irrelevant because you are looking at the current shape, have a chat with Bauer Millett or contact 555ST on here.
Thanks all for the information and advice.
The model I am looking at would be between 2005 and a 2007 and first choice is the V6 3.6 sport and must have dark interior.
One last question, who repairs these? I’ve goggled it for a for main agent dealer here in Scotland but there doesn’t seem to be any.
The model I am looking at would be between 2005 and a 2007 and first choice is the V6 3.6 sport and must have dark interior.
One last question, who repairs these? I’ve goggled it for a for main agent dealer here in Scotland but there doesn’t seem to be any.
Not sure but my experience of owning American cars is the ancillary stuff is all straightforward - brakes, suspension etc and provided the engine is serviced with oil and filter changes they tens to run forever withoout ever really going wrong. I'm sure the computer is generic OBDII for which you can get a fault reader. Ultimately, like all American car owners, if it goes wrong, you have to be prepared to travel. I'm in Wales and I'd have to go to Hampshire if anything went wrong.
I've had a 2006 CTS 3.6 Sport Luxury (38K miles) for just over a month now and overall very impressed. I paid £6850 for it from a car supermarket so i really cant see me losing much all when you consider 2000 Sevilles are still being advertised at £3k+.
Ok, good points, good to drive, a touch wallowey but not awful and very controlable. Quite quick and a decent noise at 4000rpm+
very comfortable seats and the hottest seat heaters ever. The only time i've had a least two people turn them off as they are too hot! Excellent Bose stereo though not easy to add ipod etc and doesn't play mp3's.
Economy not awful and remember if you test drive that the computer is in US gallons which makes it seem far worse. I'm getting about 20mpg kicking about and high 20;s on a run. Not bad for a luxury 260bhp saloon.
Xenon lights are very good and probably up to bmw standards.
Bad points, not much really. A touch plasticky inside, but not terrible and when you consider its about 2/5 of the price of the equivalent BMW/Jag then very easy to live with.
Parts look like they will be expensive - have a look at www.gmparts.co.uk which is Bauer Millet's parts section. They reckon they can get 95% of all parts within a few days and I would imagine any decent mechanic would look after it.
If you need 5 seats on a regular basis consider that the centre rear seat is very uncomfortable due to the shape and hardness of the backrest. The other seats are very good and for 4 adults it is very comfortable.
The TV is awful and i can NEVER get a watchable picture - but I can live with that!
Main problem is whenever you tell anyone you've got a Cadillac they want a look, and then are really disappointed when it's not pink with huge rear wings! It's actually quite a good looking car and you see a lot of blokes looking at trying to figure out what it is!
Feel free to ask anything specific.
Ok, good points, good to drive, a touch wallowey but not awful and very controlable. Quite quick and a decent noise at 4000rpm+
very comfortable seats and the hottest seat heaters ever. The only time i've had a least two people turn them off as they are too hot! Excellent Bose stereo though not easy to add ipod etc and doesn't play mp3's.
Economy not awful and remember if you test drive that the computer is in US gallons which makes it seem far worse. I'm getting about 20mpg kicking about and high 20;s on a run. Not bad for a luxury 260bhp saloon.
Xenon lights are very good and probably up to bmw standards.
Bad points, not much really. A touch plasticky inside, but not terrible and when you consider its about 2/5 of the price of the equivalent BMW/Jag then very easy to live with.
Parts look like they will be expensive - have a look at www.gmparts.co.uk which is Bauer Millet's parts section. They reckon they can get 95% of all parts within a few days and I would imagine any decent mechanic would look after it.
If you need 5 seats on a regular basis consider that the centre rear seat is very uncomfortable due to the shape and hardness of the backrest. The other seats are very good and for 4 adults it is very comfortable.
The TV is awful and i can NEVER get a watchable picture - but I can live with that!
Main problem is whenever you tell anyone you've got a Cadillac they want a look, and then are really disappointed when it's not pink with huge rear wings! It's actually quite a good looking car and you see a lot of blokes looking at trying to figure out what it is!
Feel free to ask anything specific.
Skpi Bauer Millett and try www.rockauto.com. Very quick and you can pay duties and VAT on the site and save time.
Put it this way, You have been told that the 2.8 is thirstier and lower than the 3.6.
If you buy the 2.8, You KNOW for a fact that in a few months you wish you had just held out for the faster, and in this case, cheaper to run model.
And if you buy the 2.8, Its only the joys of life that will make a 3.6 with dark interior come available days after you pay for the 2.8.
You know it makes sense, Hold off for the 3.6.
I paid £36 to fly to London for a Range Rover 2 years ago, Widen your area. (search area, not your rectum)
If you buy the 2.8, You KNOW for a fact that in a few months you wish you had just held out for the faster, and in this case, cheaper to run model.
And if you buy the 2.8, Its only the joys of life that will make a 3.6 with dark interior come available days after you pay for the 2.8.
You know it makes sense, Hold off for the 3.6.
I paid £36 to fly to London for a Range Rover 2 years ago, Widen your area. (search area, not your rectum)
Your probably right about wishing I had waited. lol
I've never bought a motor that's been too far from where I stay because I assume if its under warranty and it goes wrong then I would need to get it back there again so I tend to stick local.
The CTS wont be used every day as the wife has her own motor and I have a works van so fuel consumption being worse than the 3.6 is not that big an issue. I have arranged a test drive for tomorrow night so I will wait and see how that goes.
I've never bought a motor that's been too far from where I stay because I assume if its under warranty and it goes wrong then I would need to get it back there again so I tend to stick local.
The CTS wont be used every day as the wife has her own motor and I have a works van so fuel consumption being worse than the 3.6 is not that big an issue. I have arranged a test drive for tomorrow night so I will wait and see how that goes.
Looks expensive to me for an '05 without Nav. Also I thought 2.8 weren't available in "Sport Luxury" trim?
Also, if its the certain well know scottish retailer I think it is I'm not convinced any warranty will be up to much in any case.
If I were you I would wait or travel.......
Finally be careful with the Autotrader specs for mpg, 0 - 60 etc as I think it lists the 2.8 the same as the 3.6! The 2.8 is not 257bhp.
Also, if its the certain well know scottish retailer I think it is I'm not convinced any warranty will be up to much in any case.
If I were you I would wait or travel.......
Finally be careful with the Autotrader specs for mpg, 0 - 60 etc as I think it lists the 2.8 the same as the 3.6! The 2.8 is not 257bhp.
Edited by smartie on Monday 7th June 12:27
smartie said:
Looks expensive to me for an '05 without Nav. Also I thought 2.8 weren't available in "Sport Luxury" trim?
At least half of the 2.8s were Sport Luxury. I have a feeling that any Jap spec 2.8 imports that might be about also have nav, and there was an issue with altering the language...Ahh, I was just thinking back to when I checked on Parkers at equipment levels but I'd remembered wrongly. It shows the 3.6 only available as Sports Luxury and also all Sport Luxurys haveing Nav which this 2.8 one doesn't?
I guess Parkers are wrong and/or the specs were mucked about with over the couple of years the CTS was for sale.
I guess Parkers are wrong and/or the specs were mucked about with over the couple of years the CTS was for sale.
There's a location issue with the locking mechanism which meant that once the door was locked it couldn't be opened again.
From memory it was just a different washer that was put on one of the linkages to cure it. Wavendon, Bauer Millet and perhaps Cadillac/Saab Birmingham (if they are still there) might have a record of a car being done. If it was a recall there's a possibility that it might be done f.o.c even when out of warranty. Not a big job if it needs doing.
Have also just remebered that some suffer with water ingress to the boot. To cure this the plate behind the numberplate needs removing and re sealing.
If you are looking at a car with a damaged headlight factor in the cost of replacement - about £900...
Pendragon were the sole importer and distributor when the CTS was launched. The lack of cohesion with Cadillac/Corvette information within the company meant that information sent to/gathered by external sources such as Parkers is rarely correct.
From memory it was just a different washer that was put on one of the linkages to cure it. Wavendon, Bauer Millet and perhaps Cadillac/Saab Birmingham (if they are still there) might have a record of a car being done. If it was a recall there's a possibility that it might be done f.o.c even when out of warranty. Not a big job if it needs doing.
Have also just remebered that some suffer with water ingress to the boot. To cure this the plate behind the numberplate needs removing and re sealing.
If you are looking at a car with a damaged headlight factor in the cost of replacement - about £900...
Pendragon were the sole importer and distributor when the CTS was launched. The lack of cohesion with Cadillac/Corvette information within the company meant that information sent to/gathered by external sources such as Parkers is rarely correct.
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