I'm a newbie to this forum. Have been in love with the V and am trying to make the economics work out for an '04. However, even with a lot of creative math it may be too pricey. There are lots of '04 3.6's around at about $10,000 less than a V. My current car is a Bonneville with a factory supercharged 3.8 v6, but I really love V8's. Come on guys. Sell me on the CTS 3.6.

get the V ... youll lover the power ... if you cant afford it get the 3.6 :)

Go for the V!

oops sorry, that probably wasn't what you wanted.

The 3.6L is faster than a stock 3800SC. No matter which one you choose, it will be an upgrade in power, handling and luxury compared to what you have now. You can't go wrong with either! :thumbsup:

Def agree with MBAI2

my 3.6 is plenty quick. that does not mean my next one won't be a V though.

i would sugest renting a 3.6 for the weekend to see what you think. i did and that was all it took. car rides great and is surprisingly fast and handles great. plus you can really get on the rental and not feel like you are doging your new car

insurance will be cheaper, car payment of course will be cheaper. gas wont be as expensive. do you like manuals? thats all V's come with. uh... well that is all i can think of. really, i would go for the V. but if you cant afford it you cant afford it.

Actually I did rent one for the weekend a few months ago. That's what got me started thinking in the first place. Then I drove a V at a GM Ride & Drive event and I was hooked. Think I'll rent a 3.6 again and see...

The next CTS generation is coming fast upon us. The current V is magnificent, but has its issues (to be expected for a first generation run). The 3.6L is a world-class engine with a lot more to offer in years to come. Consider purchasing a preowned 3.6L to your liking, invest the unspent difference, and purchase a second generation V, which is bound to offer more options in both the CTS and CTS-V models. There is also the prospect of the proposed Super V:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=109736#2

But, it is well known that life is too short, and if you follow and implement the fixes that the V forums offers, then go full-throttle and enjoy life in the fast lane starting today. You might also be able to purchase a V off the V forum from someone who has done many of the fixes. :thumbsup:

The V is not nearly as practical in the winter.

The reasons I wasn't interested in a V:

1. Sticker price was about $10-14K higher than I was willing to dedicate to a car.
2. Likely higher insurance rate.
3. Likely higher license tag renewal.
4. Gas mileage rating was lower than I am willing to go and would have cost hundreds more per year for gas. I think it requires premium, which makes the cost even worse. If gas stays over $3/gallon, next time I will probably not even consider a car that only gets 18/27 like my V-6 CTS.
5. I do a lot of stop and go city driving where a manual transmission isn't very convenient and a fair amount of interstate cruising where a manual isn't utilized much. And I'm just too lazy to drive a stick and I'm pretty rusty since I've only driven one briefly years ago.
6. The tires that came on the V were Eagle F1 Supercar tires, which last about 10K miles, are undriveable in winter, are very expensive to replace, and they are runflats, with no spare tire. They offer cheaper, more durable RS-As now, but they are still runflats, which I don't want, and I want a spare.
7. I'm not that fond of the V interior. I wanted the black/tan two-tone and real wood for a warmer look.
8. The stiffer suspension of the V would have been a bit too harsh on rough pavement. Sometimes I wish my sport suspension was a bit softer.
9. I'm more than happy with the 255 HP of the V-6. Sure, I'd like a car with 280-320 HP that can do 0-60 in 5.5-5.8 seconds, but 400 HP with 0-60 under 5 seconds is excessive unless you are driving on a track, which I don't have much interest in.
10. I'd probably either have multiple speeding tickets or have my license suspended by now for reckless driving if I had a car that fast.

The reasons I wasn't interested in a V:

10. I'd probably either have multiple speeding tickets or have my license suspended by now for reckless driving if I had a car that fast.

This is probably the one thing I've heard the most from my friends who I've let drive my car. If they owned one they would probably end up in jail or lose their drivers license. :)

My insurance went up 20.00 a month from owning a 2003 Nissan Murano to the V. Fuel bill has basically doubled, but then again that's more a question of how much you put/keep your foot in the accelerator. Let's face it a car that has this kind of horsepower and handling simply begs to be driven. However the engine is rated to run on regular unleaded gas if the owner wishes to do so. I personally use at least 91 though. My car came with the F1 tires, but I have traded them out with Goodyear for the RSA EMT's to get a better all season tire after 4500 miles. That cost me 61.00 a tire with the credit G.Y. provided. Like you I still prefer to have a full size spare in the car, which I added myself. From Tirerack that's 350.00, tire + wheel. Some folks have had their dealer replace the runcraps and add a spare to the car as part of the deal.
Bottom line, it's a more expensive car to own and drive. But then again it's a higher performance vehicle both in engine and handling. Anyone looking to possibly buy one should consider not only purchase price, but the added cost of ownership (gas, insurance,maintenance). Then again so is almost any high performance vehicle on the road. Just like the difference between buying an Impala SS or a Corvette. At the same time it's a hell of a lot of fun to drive everyday too :D

Do what I did... Get both

Here are my thoughts on a V. I recently traded my 03 CTS in on a 06 V. I loved the CTS but just had to have more power. I was planning on waiting for the new generation CTS but stopped by the dealer for fun and they had a black 06 V. I made the mistake of driving it and took it home that day. Now for the buyers regret part:
1. The ride is harsher
2. The Seats are harder
3. The trans is not all that smooth
4. Nav does not have the voice recognition feature that the CTS has (why not??)
5. Gas is more
6. Insurance is more
7. Interior is more bland looking (if you get the black on black)
8. They will make a better one on the next version (while I am still paying for the one I have)

Now the Plus side:
1. Holy Crap Batman!!! THis thing flies!!!
2. Hugs the corners MUCH better than the CTS
3. The seats hold you in like you are glued to them
4. The brakes kick ass
5. Hearing the engine rev as you shift is addictive
6. I might be doing something wrong... but I think this is better than sex
7. Wife can drive a standar shift but would rather not, so I get to drive more.

If you like the sport drive feeling in the CTS, you'll fall in love with the V. If the added power, better brakes, much improved handling, sound of a hi powered V8, fun of shifting, and the sheer joy of driving a 4 door corvette is not what you want, then stick with the CTS 3.6L, it's still a great car that has power and luxury near the top of it's class. Or wait and see the next generation CTS, it may be at the top of the class.

Good luck....

PS... don't test drive a V. You'll have to buy it.

for me the ~10k difference made me look at a 3.6L. Id rather invest that extra money on other things like new rims, audio system, etc. and still have some money in my pocket. if youre still wanting a v though look around on EBAY or on Autotrader. for some reason there are a lot out there and you might be able to negociate a good deal. then again, i saw some forums out there about superchargers for a 3.6L for 3k. 75 hp more??? WOOOOSHHH!!!!!

Depends what you want out of the car. For me the 3.6L was the answer because this was not meant to be my "speed fix". If the Caddy was my toy then it would have been a V.

then again, i saw some forums out there about superchargers for a 3.6L for 3k. 75 hp more??? WOOOOSHHH!!!!!

That supercharger is a pipe dream. Nobody can get the ECM to accept it.

I got the 6 for the wife because it had an automatic, for myself alone it would have been the V. Remember Einstein's theory relating to the curvature of time and space which says that the faster you travel the slower you age. I think this means you can enjoy the faster car for a longer time.

I'd have a V myself, if it were offered with an automatic transmission. Since it isn't, I have a 3.6. I drive almost exclusively in-city with only rare trips out on the road. All that shifting and clutching is NOT for me.

if you gotta the cash go for the v you will not regret it... and there are some nice discounts on the v now... its pricy but i have more fun in the v than i do in my dads c5...