Hey everyone,

New member here. I must admit, I'm not a future Cadillac owner..... the closest I've come is driving my Grandfather's 1987 Sedan deVille. I'm a future 2010 Chevy Camaro owner :thumbsup:

Having said that, I'd like to get the input from those of you who own a 2008 CTS with the 3.6 DI and a manual transmission. This will be the base engine in the new Camaro, and I'd like to get your impressions of it. Performance, sound, feel, gearshift and clutch action, and not the least of which, maintenance and reliability (I drive about 25k miles per year).

Thanks much, and I look forward to reading your responses.

If I was going to buy a 2010 Camaro, I'd get the V8 LS3 version, not a V6.

DI engines all suffer from noise related to the extremely high pressure injectors used. On the CTS, they have done various things to minimize the sounds the injectors make (like sealing the hood all around with weather stripping). Still, some find the sounds annoying. Personally, I do not notice the noise when I am in the cabin. Other than the injector noise, the "sound" of the engine will depend largely on the exhaust system, so direct comparison with the CTS is not possible. Exhaust note is a very easy thing to change with relatively inexpensive exhaust system changes if you are not happy with the "stock" sound.

When comparing the CTS with DI against the future Camaro, it will be important for you to factor in the vehicle weight. The CTS is fairly heavy. I suspect the Camaro will be a few hundred pounds lighter. Lighter car, same power train equals better performance.

The SEARCH button is your friend!!!

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-cts-forum-2008-beyond/140687-manual-transmission-di.html

I want an ls3 in my cts, and this gentleman wants a six in his camaro....go figure. Save for a few more months and buy the v8 my friend, camaros need torque and the v8 sound. You will be disappointed your first ride in your buddy's ls3 camaro and hate yourself for buying the sixer.

The injector noise that several people have mentioned is not noticeable to me. However, I will also mention that after working on locomotive engines for over 32 years there are a lot of sounds that are not noticeable to me. The Aisin AY-6 six-speed transmission is a solid performer, and I was comfortable with it after a couple hundred miles. As for your engine choice, my suggestion would be to drive the car with both configurations, add up the pros and cons of each and make your decision based on that.

I want an ls3 in my cts, and this gentleman wants a six in his camaro....go figure. Save for a few more months and buy the v8 my friend, camaros need torque and the v8 sound. You will be disappointed your first ride in your buddy's ls3 camaro and hate yourself for buying the sixer.

Oy. No, not everyone thinks that way, especially from someone with a LT1 V8 daily driver.

It's a little beyond the time where getting the V8 "just because" is typical. A V6, especially the DI engine, can be a perfect and beautiful match for a lot of vehicles without extra weight and consumption (and yes, power and sound, too) of a V8. For someone who drives a lot per year, that can really have an effect.

The DI 3.6L is a beastly gem, really, and does extremely well in the very refined CTS. For those of you that actually have this engine with the manual...respond.

Enough with "get a V8...get a V8" and respond to the actual question, if you actually have this combo. There are a few such people around here, and should be able to chime in.

In the meantime, here's a very good thread on the DI/manual that gives some good shifter talk and you can find others simply by searching for manual or stick:

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-cts-forum-2008-beyond/140687-manual-transmission-di.html

By the way, great choice with the future Camaro thought:cool2:

uuh, Caddycruiser, are you saying You drive a v8 daily? That kinda goes against your argument. Anyhow, to the o.p., Historically speaking, there has been a monumental difference in driving character between v6 and v8 cars. The suspension and tires are usually different, steering feel, and of course torque. Go drive a (any generation) camaro or mustang v6 to v8 and tell me there is not a distinct difference in the cars. It's a lot more than just the motor. Of course the gen 5camaro could be completely different than any other car ever ever. But I doubt it, drive both, then decide.

Hey everyone,

New member here. I must admit, I'm not a future Cadillac owner..... the closest I've come is driving my Grandfather's 1987 Sedan deVille. I'm a future 2010 Chevy Camaro owner :thumbsup:

Having said that, I'd like to get the input from those of you who own a 2008 CTS with the 3.6 DI and a manual transmission. This will be the base engine in the new Camaro, and I'd like to get your impressions of it. Performance, sound, feel, gearshift and clutch action, and not the least of which, maintenance and reliability (I drive about 25k miles per year).

Thanks much, and I look forward to reading your responses.

That is exactly the thinking I had on the camaro and I went and test drove a manual CTS but with the 3.6 VVT.. on the weight.. the CTS is only 100 lbs heavier than a base camaro with the 3.6...also from my research alot of the rear suspension design was also borrowed from the CTS for the new camaro... anyway wound up buying the CTS... and now the camaro is much further off...