Hello everyone.

I have been lurking here for a few weeks now. This seems like a nice informative community to learn from.

A little background on me and why I am here. I currently drive a E39 M5 and it is time to start looking for my next car. I love my car, it is by far the best car I have ever owned in every way, the power the luxury and the fit and finish are second to none. I was thinking about going to a E60 M5 (kind of ugly) or E92 M3 (just too small) or even a low milage E39 again. Then came the V2 CTS-V. This is one great looking car with great performance numbers.

I have never owned any american car, I have had a few trucks but never a car. They have almost exclusively been Euro cars. I have never liked the fit and finish of them at all.

So here are some questions for you CTS-V owners. First are there any owners who have come from a E39 or E60 M5? Can you give me a description of what you like or dislike between them? How does the traction control feel? In my car it hits you like a brick, in the new E60 it feels much better and more soft handed and the new E92 M3 is wonderful, I don't see a need to turn it off. How is it in the CTS-V, a test drive with a old fart salesman just didn't allow me to hammer it enough to get a feel for it. Are there different settings for the traction control? Can you turn it off 100%?

The one I drove seemed to have very nice fit and finish. How well does it wear? I have a friend who bought a C300 SRT and within 3 months the plastic kick panels looked horrid. Yes he has kids and so do I. My BMW looks new after almost 100k miles and kids in the back every day. I have read a few threads about rattles. Is this common? That is one thing I have always related to american cars is rattles and I can not live with them.

Does anyone make a aftermarket kit to add shift paddles? The buttons on the back of the wheel don't seem to be great placement for "spirited" driving and downshifting into corners. I wouldn't mind a auto tranny (my wife wont drive a stick) but I am not sold on the buttons to shift with. How does the auto tranny feel to you guys? Does it shift quickly and solidly? I had a E39 before my M5 and it was an tiptronic auto for the wife and it sucked bad.

I hope I am not coming across as arrogant or anything, I am just really considering the CTS-V as my next car soon and I really want to hear what people think.

One last question. Is there a Seattle owner with a 6Speed who would be willing to take me for a drive? There are no 6Speed's coming into any of the Seattle area dealers that are not sold. I am sure that is what I will order but I need to experience one first.

Ok one more, what is GMS pricing? What do you have to do to qualify?

Cheers,
Rob

Rob,

I'm in the same boat, having owned nothing but German cars for about the past 15 years. Everything from Merc S500 AMG and E500 to a BMW E46 M3 SMG to Audi A8L and a Porsche 993TT. In fact, I beat the heck out of the 993 at the track for several years, and thought nothing could ever match its robust build quality. However, after recently purchasing a 2008 Escalade ESV (which we love), I drove a CTS-V and was amazed with not only the power, but also the poise and handling. The MRC is really an advance in suspension technology. I also think the CTS-V is beautiful. Got one on order. I'm happy to have returned to the American fold, especially since it's not a pity purchase. I feel like I will receive tremendous performance and luxury for the price. One caveat: I did think the auto was a bit jerky, but I had the same criticism of the SMG in our M3. Therefore, I'm opting for a manual. I'm looking forward to responses from more seasoned owners on this board.

Ok, i'm a 996 turbo owner, previously a 300zxtt, xr4ti. We have a couple of infiniti's and i've driving a few bmws.
I bought the CTS-V on all the reviews i read. It's my daily driver, so i can keep my 996 for a long, long time.

I love the 996 turbo, but i also love the cts-v. Here's why:

The magnetic ride is sublime. The CTS-V handling is very good. Solid on bumpy roads. Better than the 996. I simply love to run this car over bumps. Even try to jump the car over *big* bumps. The landing is solid. You will not be disappointed.

The recaro seats keep you in place. I simply love sitting in the car without even driving. It takes a while to get use to them. But for some reason, sitting in the car and driving around at low speeds just feels great. It's a very solid feel.

I was invited to the m3 power tour last week, so I got to the the latest m3 convertible on my own around Addison,TX. The seats where great, i loved the side bolstering. The DTC transmission was great, but the power was just not enough. Given the choice between this m3 and a CTS-V I would definitely go with the CTS-V. It felt like the m3 had all this technology but the V feels more responsive.

Between the CTS-V and the 996 porsche? Definitely the porsche. It's lighter. Handling and steering are better. Turbo power is more fun. And the porsche simply want to go fast. The suspension is tighter. You can drive the porsche with one hand behind your back through the most difficult situations.

The finish on the interior and exterior of the caddy is good. It's an assembly line car. Can't be perfect, but it's very nice none the less. The car itself feels tight. Lots of power, and if you want more power, it's relatively easy to add more. Tuning is quite easy. And lot of technology on board, mp3/dvd/bluetooth/nav and a nice sound system.

The car is a bit heavy at 4300lbs, but it does feels quite nimble because of the power. I do like heavy cars, gives you that momentum. Only thing I don't like is that you feel the weight during braking when you get to a stop. Feels like you're wasting all that energy. But the brakes are very good. No complaints there, well, perhaps put in some steel lines. No biggy.

The steering on the CTS-V could be a little better. Sometimes it feels a bit like a rubber band. Not saying it's bad. I like the fact that you have a light and a heavy steering mode. You need the heavy steering on the track, and the normal steering is very good for daily driving. I just like the porsche steering better. And I'm not a big fan of the m3 steering either. Or the Z4, I drove it once and it felt like a boat to me. I guess the porsche just spoiled me.

I do turn off the TC on the CTS-V. It is absolutely useless. The porsche TC is fast, keeps you out of trouble. The CTS-V TC just acts like a kill switch. No use what-so-ever. You're on your own, but the CTS-V is very well behaved once you find it's limits.

The reasons I got the caddy: Power, fastest sedan, nav/audio/sunroof didn't cost an arm and a leg. Good exterior styling, very nice interior. And support american workers! I moved here from holland. I very much appreciate all that the US has given me!

Would I buy the CTS-V again after 6 months and 6400 miles and a failed transmission that was replaced with a new one? And the dealer messing up my rims in the process? Absolutely. I'm getting it back tomorrow and I can't wait to drive it again. Every morning i look forward to it.

Hans.

I was in the same situation as you. I still own a e39 m5, and my brother owns e60 m5. So i was looking for something which could match his e60 m5 and i got the cts-v and really this car is amazing. e39 m5 is a classic. e39 m5 still feels so good even after 7years of owning it. just to make it short, you wont regret buying a cts-v. i have a auto and i think you are interested in a manual, your choice, but the car is good. take care.. and its a lot faster than the e39 m5 and a lil faster than the e60 m5 :-)

You qualify for GMS right now, if you know a GM employee, (Which you just might.....based on being on this forum:welcome:) and you currently have a non-GM vehicle (Which you do).
Take advantage of the offer to get a GMS number now, the current promotion currently says until end of June (The GMS numbers are active until the end of the year in December) P.M. me for details. Also..... MAKE SURE your dealer will do the deal with GMS, many will, some won't, it is up to each dealer. The disount is very substantial.

Now if I can just get my neighbor to get rid of his 545i.....

Matt

As a stickshift/manual owner of the V GET THE STICK !! you'll love it. Not only that but there hasn't been even 1 manual owner that has regretted it. The shifts are short, crisp, and the tranny is very good.

The auto stock is so so. Once you get wait4me tranny tune it makes it soooo much better.

Thank you for the responses. I am on my iPhone right, but will post some other questions when I get home tonight.

Thanks again for the info.

The CTS-V is closer to the feel of your E39 than the E60 is. I would recommend you really test-out the BMW V10 before you consider for a daily driver. I had an M6 for a while and was very disappointed with power delivery from that motor. I do think the fit and finish on the BMW was a better, but only slightly. If you track your car a lot you might like the high rev'n V10 that comes with the newer M5s but if you like torque (and really, who doesn't) then you'll love the V. The old M5s had a much more grunt down low than the new ones. I really enjoyed my E39 but would not buy the E60, even if it were cheaper than the Cadillac.

... that's my two cents.

Good Luck

If you have a non gm vehicle right now I can get you GMS on a CTS-V that I have in stock..

I have many to choose from.. Including Recaro's..

Call me at 810-225-1228

Mreiland, I tried to pm you but I don't have enough posts yet to do so.

I have seen a number of posts from peole looking for a ctsv without recaro's. Is their something I am missng about these seats or are people just trying to save money?

I have seen a number of posts from peole looking for a ctsv without recaro's. Is their something I am missng about these seats or are people just trying to save money?

Recaro sets are firm. Not everybody's cup of tea. I like them, but the can be frustrating at first. Lots of adjustments, especially the lumbar. You have to play with it for a while to get used to them. But recommended whe you're going to do a lot of cornering.

Hans.

I have v's without the recaro's in stock too.

How is the wife factor with the recaro's? How do they compare with the stock e39 m5 sport seats? The one I drove did not have the recaros.

I really love the Recaros and I'm not a small guy (6'4" 240lbs).

As others have said, you do need to spend some time getting them right and even after that, I still fiddle with them.

This said, between the seats and the manual, I feel so connected to the car it's not funny.

Given the choice to do it all over, maybe I would have gotten the roof delete (maybe) but the 6M and recaros would remain along with the fuzzy wheel and and shifter treatment.

I have seen a number of posts from peole looking for a ctsv without recaro's. Is their something I am missng about these seats or are people just trying to save money?

I've sat in the Recaros and like the firmness and support they offer. Ultimately, I didn't want to wait for them as they had very limited availability at the time I was looking, so for me purchasing a car with the regular seats was not an attempt to save money.

I feel the regular seats are just fine for my car's intended purpose--"daily grand tourer" (hehhehheh :) ) and other than the short cushions, are just fine for daily and long-distance travel. More importantly, my WIFE likes them. :)

If you would like to come in you can drive them both and sit in them.

I came from an Aston Martin Vantage to the CTS V but I've also owned about 8 928's and an AMG SLK. I'm not a big fan of any large car, but the CTS-V is very practical. I had also a Chrysler 300C with all wheel drive - got worse gas mileage than the CTS-V and it was also SUV-like in size. I tried the 6 speed and kept on hitting the rev limiter which cuts power, as I was used to the Aston, but got the Automatic for two reasons - one my wife could drive the car, and the other is that I have a sciatic nerve problem and the sitting position combined with the stiff clutch was very painful. I think those shift buttons are gimmicky, nothing like going through the gears manually. Also too bad the car stays quiet when laying on the gas - woosh doesnt quite cut it.

I ended up not getting the Recaros, but the problem is me, not the seats. I'm old and wide and the stock seats are a more comfortable fit and easier to get into and out of. The Recaros, once adjusted, provide noticeably better support than the stock seats.

I think the the A/C in the seats are only available with the Recaro option. I would recommend that you look into it if you live in a hot climate.

If you are used to BMW sport seats then get the recaros!- the biggest problem i had was the lack of an adjustable thigh bolster that could move forward- very annoying-by the way i came out of a new m3 vert and previously had a 550i.

IIRC, the Recaros offer ventilation through the seats, but not specifically A/C. They're also heated, like the standard seats. The standard seats are heated only (no ventilation).

I have seen a number of posts from peole looking for a ctsv without recaro's. Is their something I am missng about these seats or are people just trying to save money?

If you suffer from back problems like I do the Recaros may not be the best selection for you. I tried both before deciding on the non-Recaro configuration.

You qualify for GMS right now, if you know a GM employee, (Which you just might.....based on being on this forum:welcome:) and you currently have a non-GM vehicle (Which you do).
Take advantage of the offer to get a GMS number now, the current promotion currently says until end of June (The GMS numbers are active until the end of the year in December) P.M. me for details. Also..... MAKE SURE your dealer will do the deal with GMS, many will, some won't, it is up to each dealer. The disount is very substantial.

Now if I can just get my neighbor to get rid of his 545i.....

Matt

Matt,

I am too new to PM. Can I get the GMS info from you a different way?

C6ZR1

Texas = Recaro and AC seats yeah baby!

Texas = Recaro and AC seats yeah baby!

Are they vented or vented with AC? That would be a great feature for me.

If you would like to come in you can drive them both and sit in them.

Too bad you aren't in the northwest, I would love to drive one!

Matt,

I am too new to PM. Can I get the GMS info from you a different way?

C6ZR1


If you get a car threw me I cna get you GM if you own a non GM

If you get a car threw me I cna get you GM if you own a non GM

How much for my M5 as trade? =)

Are they vented or vented with AC? That would be a great feature for me.

Vented with AC and also heated.

Are they vented or vented with AC? That would be a great feature for me.

They're ventilated. If you have the AC on, then cabin AC air is used for the ventilation.

Am I reading this right...you can only get a GMS if you are trading in a non-gm car or if you own a non-gm vehicle? I'm sorry guys I'm lost here, could someone fill me in on how to get a gms # please.....

Matt R., I would also appreciate assistance with obtaining the GMS certificate.

Thank You,

David

Lots of choices. I've had some of the same ones. You can see by my header what my choice was. My previous daily driver was a 1993 E34 M5, with a full Dinan suspension, strut brace, engine, brakes, clutch, and shifter modifications. After extensive fine tuning, it was the best handling sedan I had ever driven, and one of the best handling cars I had ever driven, period. Through the '90's, it was always one of the fastest cars on the track, where-ever I went. Unfortunately, aging hits cars, streets, and humans. The streets of Atlanta have been torn up by a total redo of the sewer systems, and the aging suspension of the M5 made it uncomfortable to drive, especially with my newly diagnosed degenerative disc disease of the neck. That lead to my purchase of an '08 CTS FE3 DI 6MT. I loved driving the car, though I never thought of it as a keeper. It was also a lemon, so GM bought it back, allowing me to get the CTS-V, which IS a keeper, IMO. This car handles about as well as my M5 without having to do any mods or worrying about ground clearance, warranty work, or extra expense.

Some comparisons. I've had both seats. IMO, the Recaros are far superior, but do require a lot of adjusting to get them right. Plus, the proper driving position for this car seems to be farther back than one might suspect. Once adjusted properly you will be one with the car. The standard seats lack sufficient support for the car's high handling limits, and you tend to sit on them, not in them. They lack thigh support. too, as well as the cooling feature( which is odd, considering the same seats on my '08 WERE cooled). And you can't get the microfiber wheel without the Recaros, and I LOVE that wheel. The standard seats are easier to get in and out of, though.

I have the stick, and I love it. Plus, I believe it will be more durable than the auto. There is no need for a transmission temperature monitor or top speed limiter with the manual. Better gas mileage and $1300 cheaper gas guzzler tax, too. Auto probably better for drag racing. The rev limiter hits like a sledge hammer, but the flashing tracers in the tach are helpful for avoiding that. I haven't had issues with the traction control, but it is easily defeated with the handy switch on the left spoke of the steering wheel. One click turns off the TC, two clicks turns on competitive mode (my favorite) which disables the TC, makes stabilitrack more "lenient", and decreases power steering boost. Hold it down for a few seconds and it's ALL off.

Build quality is pretty good. No, the materials are not quite as expensive as in the M5, but quite nice in their own right( remember, the base car is only $36,000). However, the interior is much better looking (as is the exterior), and the ergonomics are better than BMW as well. No I-drive, no funny turn signals, no vision blocking oval rear-view mirror, no multiple shift algorithms but none right, etc. Older M cars were true driver's cars that you could hop into and drive fast from the get-go, but not any more IMO.

I also test drove an M3 convertible with the "auto" with a friend who is now in the market, and we both agreed-- no way for $83,000! Nice car, but some cheap areas (base 3-series also $35K), weird ergonomics, too heavy, not that fast and not that much fun. The "shifter" was especially non ergonomic, though the paddles were good. Perhaps the sedan or coupe with a stick and less "stuff" would be better, but a similarly equipped M3 sedan is the same price as a CTS-V, and the V is just more car for the money, not to mention faster. The M5 at $30K more is an even worse value, and it's resale hasn't been good either. In fact, none of the european high performance cars are doing well with resale. So far the V's value is holding up pretty well, but even if it falls similar to the others, you start with a lower price, so would stand to lose less overall. If you can get a good deal, so much the better.

Great comparison write-up, Mark, and a lot of good info there. Thanks
TIA/R: Gary Wells