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New member introduction

3K views 27 replies 15 participants last post by  burt99 
#1 ·
Hi folks,

Hope everyone is well. I just joined the forum and wanted to introduce myself. (Apologies if this is the wrong forum for intros, mods please feel free to move)

I placed an order for a 2012 CTS-V Wagon with the following options:

Silver exterior
Satin black wheels with yellow calipers
Ebony interior with base seats
Six speed manual
Roof cross bars
Tint and clearbra

The car should be delivered in approx. ~5-7 weeks. I can’t wait to pick up the car.

I’ve been a lifelong GM fan. I previously owned and modified multiple F-body Camaros and a Formula firebird as well as a 99 C5 vette. Some of my previous rides include:

94 Z28 running high 12’s with simple bolt ons
95 Z28 with the stock LT1 and ATI 2 core blower setup running 11.8 at 120mph on DRs back in 97. (ATI used that car in their national advertising)
98 Formula that I had supercharged (ran 11.40s on stock LS1 back in 99 before Ls1edit and HPTuners came out) Then a 360 forged NA setup running 11.1@121mph and a 385 forged setup running 11.0s at 128mph through cats)
99 C5 Vette running 12.50 at 111mph with a 3K stall converter, CAI and headers
2001 Camaro SS (Basically stock and ran 12.9 on DRs)

I then moved to Mopar for a bit (2006 300C SRT8) and currently drive a 2010 Subaru STI which I’m trading on the V wagon.

I was one of the originals on LS1tech and helped build the Toronto F-Body motorsports discussion forum and website.

Thanks Elie for pointing me to the forum, I’m looking forward to being a part of this community, meeting fellow V owners and helping contribute where possible.

Cheers,
Chris
 
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#2 ·
Welcome aboard, Chris! Glad you found us here and congrats again on ordering your Vagon! Hope you can endure the waiting period before it arrives without going crazy! BTW, there is another Vagon owner (also a manual) in the GTA on the board... burt99.

Best regards,

Elie
 
#3 ·
Welcome and congrats! Be sure to post up some pics when you get her!
 
#4 ·
and currently drive a 2010 Subaru STI which I’m trading on the V wagon.
Heh... I drove a 2011 Subaru STi which I sold to buy my CTS-V wagon. Was your STi a 5 door? The 5-door STi and the CTS-V wagon are basically the only two high performance wagon/hatchbacks you can get in this country for less than $100k. New at least.

I've had my wagon for a couple months, and so far I like it a lot more than the STi but I do miss the STi's resistance to squat and dive, the near-instant turn in, the smaller steering wheel, the better steering ratio, the AWD grip obviously, its lighter weight, its better sorted out suspension in turns and its ability to enter turns at high speed and blast out of them without the slightest hint of drama. Although some of that was due to the suspension changes they made for the 2011 model, the 2010 was kind of soft and understeery by comparison.

That said, the CTS-V wagon is a better all around car by FAR. It's obviously much, much faster, the suspension is more compliant and soaks up bumps a lot better while still managing to handle corners well, there's more room in the back, the level of amenities is way higher, the seats are better, the freeway ride is superlative, it's better in pretty much every way aside from cornering, which is one place where the STi really shines. Basically the CTS-V is a GT car while the STi is a sports car. I was getting tired of the STi's harsher ride on my commute every day, while the V's ride is perfect for long trips and commuting.

The STi is at home in the corners, that's where it comes alive. I took mine on a trip that went through an extremely tight and twisty mountain pass, and I've never had a car or driven one that performed as well as the STi on that road. And I've driven Z06s around a track. But if you drive one day to day on commutes and in traffic and stuff, it gets old pretty quickly.

With the STi it almost didn't matter what you did. Fling yourself into a turn as fast as you want, just floor it and you'll be fine. You have to be a lot more careful with the CTS-V, because 551 lb-ft of torque going to only the rear wheels means if you drive the V like an STi, you are going to die. :D I'm still getting used to the fact that you can't give this car full throttle in 1st or 2nd gear because you just break the rear end loose, and forget about turning the steering wheel. But once you're going, with the suspension in sport mode, it's very pleasing in turns. It's controlled, it doesn't get upset, it handles better than you'd think a 4400 lb land yacht should handle. :) It is a better compromise car than the STi is. The STi is a better track car.

You'll probably be very happy with your trade up. I am, even though I loved my STi. The one or two things the STi did better are outpaced by all the things the V does better. Besides, doing a huge burnout in an innocuous-loooking wagon is worth the price of admission alone. It's the best of both worlds, cops ignore it because it doesn't look like anything other than a station wagon, but people who know what it is will break their necks trying to get a look at your car when you drive past. The other day at the super market I was in the parking lot and the guy who owned the Explorer parked next to the V came up to me and asked "is that what I think it is?" :D He just wanted me to tell him how fast it was.

And it's pretty rare... we think only 477 V wagons have been sold in total as of a month or two ago. And only a small percentage of those are manuals. Chances you'll ever see another one on the road are slim to none.
 
#5 ·
Welcome to the "V Club", Chris.

I can see from your Post that you are a drag racing enthusiast.

My 2011 V sedan with an automatic transmission in absolutely pure stock condition (including Michelin PS2's) ran 12.110 @ 118.17 MPH, 12.023 @ 118.02 MPH, 12.024 @ 117.44 MPH and 12.117 @ 117.04 MPH in that order with temperatures and density altitude starting at 80 degrees / 1500 feet and ending at 90 degrees / 1917 feet in its first and only outing at the CTS V Drag Race Event at PBIR on February 24, 2012.

You are going to love your V. It's an awesome machine!

Bruce
 
#6 ·
Thanks folks!

Elie - Thanks I'll look him up

Houdini - I'll be sure to post pics, I should be getting my build week today... :)

Xaqtly - My STi is a five door. It's been a great car (ran 12.80s at 105mph with Cobb DP, AP on snow tires!) Also has minor suspension work. It's not overly comfortable to drive long distances however it's a blast in autocross and on the track. It took a completely different approach to drive fast versus my previous high HP/RWD cars. I'm a bit old for the STI demographic plus I'm a GM guy at heart :)

Bruce - Great times congrats! I'll take the Wagon to the strip once everything is broken in. I'm hoping for a low-mid 12's at 115-118mph but we'll see how it goes. (I've made thousands of passes with six speed manual cars). When the main warranty is up I'll likely do lower pulley, 160stat, K&N drop in and a tune for +80-100RWHP. I'll want the car to sound and act like stock but with more power)

Cheers,
Chris
 
#7 ·
Hey man! Welcome aboard! Your car escapades sound eerily similar to mine: '89 IROC, '93 Z28, '99 Camaro SS (was on the LS1 boards a ton) traded the SS on a 300C SRT-8 which was eventually traded on the V. Pretty crazy. You will love it, trust me. It's so amazingly good it's crazy. Post up pics when you get it and enjoy! See you around here.

-Chris (yep...me, too)
 
#8 ·
Hi Chris I am Burt99, I live in Toronto and have a v wagon 6sp. The next few weeks will be difficult for you but you will be rewarded! I have spoken with Elie he is a great guy and I am hoping to meet up with him sometime. All I can say is you are going to love your v wagon and good for you for getting the manual. Do you ever come to Toronto? Good to know there will be another v wagon in southern Ontario!
 
#9 ·
Trapspeed - haha that is an eerily similar path :) The 300 was a great car but I missed the manual and it was pretty terrible in the snow. When did you join tech? I was one of the originals with PSJ, Nine Ball and Colonel. Haven't been there much since the board was sold and I moved on from vettes / F-bodies.

Burt - I'm in KW area but get downtown every now and then for a leafs game or concert. I'll let you know the next time we're in town. :) Do any of the local V owners organize cruises or trips to TMP for lapping / drag racing? Elie is a great guy and even more entertaining in person! :)
 
#10 ·
I joined around 1999 when I got the SS. Those handles you mentioned are very familiar to me, yes. When I dropped out of modding, etc. I really didn't follow it too much. Sold the SS in 2006 for the 300. Yes, it was a great car for sure. Enjoyed the hell out of it...but compared to the V, no contest. Plus, I'm happy to be back in GM, too.
 
#18 ·
I know the feeling! I didn't order mine, but I had unusual specs - V Wagon, Thunder Gray, painted wheels, light titanium interior, no ultraview roof. My dealer found one about 1,000 miles away and I had to wait a week or two to get it swapped between dealers. But it was worth the wait - couldn't be happier with the car so far! I'm only at 400 miles so still in the break-in period. Waiting a few hundred more miles to floor it is killing me....but I'm loving the wagon and it's space. It drives exceptionally nice and doesn't "feel" like a wagon unless you turn around! I know you'll enjoy it thoroughly.
 
#17 ·
Thanks, Enthusiasm is not strong enough a word :)

This is the first car I've ordered from the factory with exactly the options I want...

The car has everything I wanted....practical, fast as a Corvette, seating for five, manual, low production numbers :)
 
#23 ·
All I can say after driving it for an hour tonight is Oh My God this car is awesome.

It's so comfortable, so fast, so instant in its response. It's just mind blowing.

I haven't taken it above 4500rpm yet but a 2nd gear punch hazes the tires. First spins very easily even rolling into it. With traction and a 1.6-1.7 sixty this car will run high 11's bottom 12's at 118-119mph I'm sure.

The interior is top notch, seats are super comfortable, radio sounds great. I haven't bothered playing with the NAV system yet, still taking everything in. It's paired to my BlackBerry Bluetooth though and hands free works like a champ.

The car is a real head turner too. People on the side of the road, in cars driving past, all double taking, giving thumbs up etc :) It looks AWESOME at night especially the tail lights. GM knocked it out of the park.

Best car purchase decision I've ever made hands down. It's great to be back with the general :D
 
#26 ·
Had a funny feeling your reaction would be something along this line! :thumbsup:

Great looking combination! Congrats and may you have only many, many miles of safe and enjoyable motoring in this amazing vehicle - and only in good health!

I'm really looking forward to seeing it!

Best regards,

Elie
 
#27 ·
Thanks guys :) The car is just a blast.

Elie, we'll have to plan a get together. Apparently Cadillac is looking at another Mosport day this year, maybe we can meet up there :)

Dan - It's a 3M product but I'm not sure of the name. I'll ask the dealer today.

Cheers,
Chris
 
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