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11K views 32 replies 14 participants last post by  deadringer 
#1 ·
Hello all, I just wanted to share this with everyone. A few months ago, Motor Trend borrowed our XLR-V for testing. The vehicle we supplied is a 2008 Glacier White XLR-V equipped with our stage 2 power package with 20" wheels and tires. This is one of our more popular packages and we felt a 'real world' vehicle, rather than one set up with full race suspension and drag radials would be better suited for this article. Obviously, because we went with a street tire package track numbers indicated are below 'typical' numbers with this particular horsepower/weight/gear ratio. Overall the vehicle performed very well and as indicated by Motor Trend, if the right tires and suspension are used for this type of driving, ¼ mile times, 0-60 times and handling would be greatly improved.



http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/convertibles/112_0808_2008_d3_cadillac_xlrv_review/index.html
 
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#2 ·
MPH in the quarter is usually the yardstick. 575 hp, 112mph in the quarter. :helpless:.

This is the second article that I've seen mention D3 as compared to Brabus, Dinan etc. I think it's great that you guys are trying to bring high performance packages to the Cadillac world. Even imagining this 8 years ago, would have brought belly laughs.

With that said though my opinion (..an I know everyone has one, just like an @ssh0l3) is you guys need to deliver more and bluster less. All your posts seem to be way long on promise, and way short on delivery. I pretty much cringe everytime I read what you have to say. To be compared to either of those tuners, you have to actually devliver quality performance, and innovation. By my chalk board you are 0/3.

A stock XLR-V runs the quarter at 109 (motor trend numbers to be fair as your article was also in motortrend, http://motortrend.automotive.com/39024/112-0603fs-2006-cadillac-xlrv/interior-pricing.html). 16k later and a supposed 130 more hp, you get an extra 3 mph? Even with big heavy 20's that doesn't make a lot of sense. The numbers don't add up for your STS-V intake tube mods either.

Your continued selling of rebranded parts is annoying as hell too. I must say that I did like when you tried to sell QA1 shocks to the CTS-V crowd, and offered 4 for the price of 2. That was a classic move.

We don't really even bother bashing you over in the CTS-V forum anymore, as the fruit hangs too low, and there is no longer any sport in it. Hell I've layed off for a long time, but when you guys get pub like this is pisses me off, because you make the whole Caddy resurgance look bad.

I expect this post won't stay long, and I probabaly end up on a little vacation because of it, but your continued posting of garbage like this is beyond annoying.

-Chris
 
#3 ·
First of all... do you have an XLR-V? Probably not would be my guess.

Second, have you ever seen a stock XLR-V run 109 in the 1/4 with 100 deg ambient temp? or for that matter 1500 feet elevation? I seriously doubt it.

Your rants about us is truley pathetic, you make fun of us for posting the QA1 shocks at a price of 2 for 4, it was clearly an error on QA1 for giving us incorrect pricing...more importantly, did we or did we not make good on our end? I'll save you the trouble and give you the answer. WE DID!

In the REAL world, the XLR-V did pretty well for the conditions that were...not to mention for the tires we were using. Here is something you may or may not understand, when you add more power to a vehicle typically traction becomes a serious issue, as was the case with our vehicle...

Chris- If you had an XLR-V, I would invite you to come to CA and race me...then you would truley understand how much power this car has.

How about this, come to CA and go for a white nuckle ride in our car...if you still think it's slow for what we have done than you can post all the smack you want, but in the end you and I will know the truth.


Thank you,

Mark
 
#4 · (Edited)
Mark,

I don't have an XLR-V. I'm not sure how that is germaine. 112 mph in the quarter is what it is. Now you have the DA excuse creeping in...:thepan:. You guys always to have a 'Ya but..' for every occasion.

The synopsis of your thread in my eyes is:

"Our car is fast, but the numbers don't really show it, and here are our excuses..."

The reason this bugs me, is a casual motor trend reader is going to look at that article, and think:

"A tuner Cadillac...cool!...Wait that thing costs almost 120k, and doesn't stack up to the factory tuned euro's, much less one of the high end euro tuners that's mentioned in the first part of the article. There goes another crappy american pretender....next page."

That impression makes our community look bad.

Regarding the QA1 mishap, that just shows that your quality control isn't where it should be. If everyone else is selling QA1's for 1k, did you not stop tho think, it might be worth checking out that very low price prior to spamming the CTS-V forum? It was even mentuioned in the thread, that your price was too low, and was probably only for one set. Yes you did send out kits to those that ordered at your advertised price. Should I give you kudo's for delivering an advertised product at the advertised price?

My take on you guys, is that your claims are stratospheric, and your delivery is lacking, and underperforms. You mainstay is glitz, without much substance. Any my honest gut feeling, regarding why you don't play in the in the CTS-V pond is because you'd actually have to deliver quality in a competitive market, vs the very little to no competition in the XLR/STS markets.

All this is my opinion. Everyone that reads this should take that for what it's worth. Some guy on the internet. Yes it's easy to be a hater, or an tough guy, behind the anonymouse keyboard. Since you guys don't really offer much for the CTS-V in regards to performance, I don't really have a dog in this fight. I'm just offering my opion on years of what I see as D3 propoganda. Make some quality CTS-V performance items, and I will step up and eat crow. The CTS-V market is larger than all the other V's put together, and we have plenty of V specific needs that aren't being addressed by other vendors in the greater LSX market. I'm not holding my breath.

-Chris
 
#5 ·
DA excuse? so some how we can control the DA?

If you want to argue the issue of traction, then you would be right...we should have done something to fix that issue. We were trying to stay as close to real world as possible. We did learn from this, our next article we did with Road and Track we did run a more aggresive tire...you will have to wait to see how it did when we post it in the CTS forum...


You still didnt answer the question of if you have ever seen a stock xlr-v with those conditions run 109. Probably because you know it's not possible. My guess is that you have never run a car at a track let alone have ever been to a 1/4 mile track.

When it comes to the CTS-V market we chose to let it be because there were other cars that cadillac makes that we wanted to focus on that other companies wont make stuff for. The CTS-V has either the LS2 or LS6, those motors are as easy to get stuff for as a chevy 350 these days, we have more intrest in the 3.6 DI and the northstar's because they are rare to get performance parts for. We are however working on stuff for the 09 CTS-V, because alot of the stuff from the 08 CTS will switch over...


I dont see you as a "hater" or a "tough guy" but as someone that just needs to be educated on what it takes to actually run a number and what real world numbers truley are.

thank you,

Mark
 
#6 ·
I'm sorry, but I need to throw in my 2 cents here. First, D3 is one of the ONLY companies that makes parts for the STS-V and XLR-V. I'd imagine they've spent a LOT of money and time on researching and developing new products for these two vehicles. This is not something they have to do for you, me or anyone else. I think we should at least show some appreciation for their effort. Understanding that not every project will net the results they (or we) desire as some things work well and some things don't. It's all part of R&D. From what I've read, they seem to have their stuff in order and they've done their homework.

Every single post they've made has shown some kind of evidence to back up their claim. If they say the new CTS intake and exhaust gained "X" hp, they provide before and after dyno sheets. The same for the STS-V and XLR-V mods.

I've owned (and built) several high horsepower cars before and just because they make the power to the wheels, doesn't mean the cars can pull off fantastic numbers in the quarter miles or skid pad. Did you read the entire article? D3 and Motortrend CLEARLY expressed this car could have performed MUCH better in the quarter mile if they had the proper suspension and most importantly, the proper tires. They chose to show 'real world' conditions with normal street tires, which I can respect and understand. Who the hell drives around with drag slicks and race suspension every day??

Also, there is a HUGE difference in the way these cars perform at different elevations and especially temperatures. ANYONE who has ever owned or driven an STS-V or XLR-V knows how big of a problem these cars have with heat soak. Ask anyone who owns one how much better their cars perform on a cold winter day vs hot summer day. They can tell you. D3 and Motortrend tested the XLR-V in the middle of summer at 1500 elevation. Drag times are going to suffer, even WITH the right suspension and tires. I think it's GREAT they made better times and mph with the 'wrong' suspension, 'wrong' tires and on a hot summer day!

Imagine this, you own a 100k vehicle, you have 20" wheels and 575hp through one of D3's packages. IMO, you have a sweet looking, killer ride. With 20" wheels and street radials there is NO way you'll be able to use that 575hp out of the hole. 100% traction probably isn't possible until third gear. What does this mean? You'll have a kick ass ride for killing the competition on the freeway with looks and styling to boot. If they happen to catch you at a red light, they might pull away initially, but they'll see you gaining faster and faster through the gears until they're eating your exhaust fumes with NO chance to catch up to you.

Give them some credit. They certainly deserve it. The STS-V and XLR-V is a different beast than the CTS-V. While you might have the 'luxury' of a dime a dozen manufacturers for aftermarket parts, the STS-V and XLR-V guys do not. While everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinions, remember this: D3 does not HAVE to provide parts for anyone. They CHOSE to.

I do admire Mark for putting himself (and the company) out like he did. I say it's your turn to step up to the plate and at least go for a ride with him. As he said, if their car doesn't perform, then you have every right to bad mouth them and their product. But if you don't even own an XLR-V and you won't take him up on his offer... personally, I don' think you have the right to say what you have. Come on now, go for a ride. What have you got to lose, except maybe your pride?

Show em what you've got!
 
#7 ·
I'm sorry, but I need to throw in my 2 cents here. First, D3 is one of the ONLY companies that makes parts for the STS-V and XLR-V. I'd imagine they've spent a LOT of money and time on researching and developing new products for these two vehicles. This is not something they have to do for you, me or anyone else. I think we should at least show some appreciation for their effort. Understanding that not every project will net the results they (or we) desire as some things work well and some things don't. It's all part of R&D. From what I've read, they seem to have their stuff in order and they've done their homework.

Every single post they've made has shown some kind of evidence to back up their claim. If they say the new CTS intake and exhaust gained "X" hp, they provide before and after dyno sheets. The same for the STS-V and XLR-V mods.

I've owned (and built) several high horsepower cars before and just because they make the power to the wheels, doesn't mean the cars can pull off fantastic numbers in the quarter miles or skid pad. Did you read the entire article? D3 and Motortrend CLEARLY expressed this car could have performed MUCH better in the quarter mile if they had the proper suspension and most importantly, the proper tires. They chose to show 'real world' conditions with normal street tires, which I can respect and understand. Who the hell drives around with drag slicks and race suspension every day??

Also, there is a HUGE difference in the way these cars perform at different elevations and especially temperatures. ANYONE who has ever owned or driven an STS-V or XLR-V knows how big of a problem these cars have with heat soak. Ask anyone who owns one how much better their cars perform on a cold winter day vs hot summer day. They can tell you. D3 and Motortrend tested the XLR-V in the middle of summer at 1500 elevation. Drag times are going to suffer, even WITH the right suspension and tires. I think it's GREAT they made better times and mph with the 'wrong' suspension, 'wrong' tires and on a hot summer day!

Imagine this, you own a 100k vehicle, you have 20" wheels and 575hp through one of D3's packages. IMO, you have a sweet looking, killer ride. With 20" wheels and street radials there is NO way you'll be able to use that 575hp out of the hole. 100% traction probably isn't possible until third gear. What does this mean? You'll have a kick ass ride for killing the competition on the freeway with looks and styling to boot. If they happen to catch you at a red light, they might pull away initially, but they'll see you gaining faster and faster through the gears until they're eating your exhaust fumes with NO chance to catch up to you.

Give them some credit. They certainly deserve it. The STS-V and XLR-V is a different beast than the CTS-V. While you might have the 'luxury' of a dime a dozen manufacturers for aftermarket parts, the STS-V and XLR-V guys do not. While everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinions, remember this: D3 does not HAVE to provide parts for anyone. They CHOSE to.

I do admire Mark for putting himself (and the company) out like he did. I say it's your turn to step up to the plate and at least go for a ride with him. As he said, if their car doesn't perform, then you have every right to bad mouth them and their product. But if you don't even own an XLR-V and you won't take him up on his offer... personally, I don' think you have the right to say what you have. Come on now, go for a ride. What have you got to lose, except maybe your pride?

Show em what you've got!
Wow. Without getting into an internet pissing match on this one. I have a few comments.

1) Do you have any D3 mods on your car? If so please post your experience.

2) I apprecaite your automotive background. You have 5 posts here, and joined about a month ago. Your don't have much of a track record one way or another. I'll try to take you at your word.

3) I can also apprecaite your dilema regarding not having many vendors making stuff for your car. While the CTS-V has an LSx engine, and there are a lot of vendors that offer products for it, the other non standard GM bits have a serious lacking of vendor support (for example suspension, and rear end bits). This is frsutrating.

4) You are making assumptions regarding D3, that appear to me to be rose colored due to the lack of vendor support for the STS and XLR V models. Do you really have an idea how much R&D they've done? How much R&D does it take to make some body kits. Actually, I guess it take about 3 years worth :nono:.

5) For what I've read, D3 likes to talk alot. Lots of claims, promises, and desciptions. If/when they finally devliver a product, there tends to be more dubious claims. Dyno sheets don't mean much to me, as each dyno is different, and they can be easily manipulated. Then the HP/TQ claims are 'flywheel adjusted', which is just another layer of abstraction.

6) Stating that you've ready aevery single D3 post, is a bold statement. regardint them backing up thier numbers. I am more include to trsut the numbers from their customers that have done competent before and after dyno comarisons.

7) Regarding the excuses for why the car didn't perform; they are just that, excuses. The average reader that isn't biased one way of the other, is going to look at that and think it's not really moot. Another excuse could be that had the car had more HP, it could have been faster. The bottom line to me is that the 585 hp claim, doesn't match up top to the trap speed of 112.

8) Since I brought up the trap speed, if D3 can tell us when and where the test was performed, we can look up the conditions on drag times, and see how much that really affected the test (http://www.dragtimes.com/da-density-altitude-calculator.php). I will assume the 1500' number was the corrected altitide and not the actual altitude. I looked up the conditions this morning at Irwindale. That track is at 250' above sealevel. At 8:37 this morning the temp was 72 degrees, the pressure was 29.91, and the humidity was 64%. In these conditions the DA was corrected to 1382. That's close to the 1500 that D3 threw out. Does anyone consider this horrific conditions? Conditions that would completely scew the trap speed for a 585 hp car?

9) Finally, the offer for a ride in the car is just a load of hogwash. You can look right at my profile for every post I make, and see I live in Elkridge Maryland. Craig knows I'm not going to fly 3k miles for a ride in that car. I could probabaly round up a SoCal CTS-V with a magnacharger (430 ish average RWHP) to go on a highway romp against that car, and report back the results. If that XLR has 585 hp it should WALK a magnacharged CTS-V.

-Chris
 
#8 ·
Just to add some actuall truth to this conversation.

I'm glad you posted the DA calculator, I was incorrect about the DA and the altitude...

track elevation of CA speedway is 1077

On the day it was tested- July 30th

air temp when tested varied from 82-89

Baro was 29.89

relative humidity was 38%

Corrected DA is 3283

Based on YOUR posting of the DA calculator

the corrected ET is 12.49 @ 113.7

but thanks anyways


as far as the mph, when traction loss on these cars happens there are lots of factors that cut back on the performance of the vehicle.

1) timing is cut

2) boost is cut *SCB solenoid is cut to 62%

3)the throttle goes from 100 to a varied 50-80 guestimate
*this changes all the time. It's varied to control tire slip


Like I said before, we should have put some more aggresive tires on the car to net a better result. But we wanted to show what the car would do as if you were to drive it off the street on to the track. This car is a street car, the owner drives it work here every day.

Bring that CTS-V down, I will gladly walk all over it :yawn:
 
#9 ·
Mark you quote 12.5@113 like that supposed to be some awesome number for a 585 HP car. IT'S NOT!!!

If you are so traction limited, then I'd expect you to have a crap ET, and still have a quasi-respectable trap speed. ET = traction, trap speed= power.

As an example with my car, I ran with nearly bald tires, just minor bolton's (cai and catback), and a small tune (still had all the factory TQ Mgmnt on):

13.6 (crap ET)
2.4 (horrible 60', shows traction was bad)
109 trap speed (respecable trap speed).

That's ina CTS-V that has a glass joe rear diff, that you have to baby out of the hole, to prevent diff exploding wheel hop.

If you are making what you say you are, with terrible traction, I'd a bad ET, but a good trap. Your numbers don't add up.

I'll ask in the CTS-V forum for a Socal V to run ya.

-Chris
 
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#11 ·
WOW, you dont read so well do ya.

I've got a 500 horse car that runs 11.90's at 115, but that car is a whole lot different than the car we are reffering to.

N/A cars like yours and mine respond differently than these cars do. unfortunately the XLR-V has built in parameters that limit us. I'll put it to you this way, we are going to throw some decent tires on this car and take it back out ourself. My guess is that it should run in the mid to high 11 sec zone with a trap speed close to 118-119. I will provide video of this.

Like I said before with severe traction loss the computer cuts timing, throttle position, and it open the Supercharger bypass solenoid. No I'm not happy with the way it performed, but I'm also not surprised...especially when they told us how badly it was smoking the tires.

Please let me know about the race, I'm ready and waiting.

Mark
 
#12 ·
His request was for YOU to race him or at least go along for a ride. Obviously you're not up to the challenge, it's quite understandable. Don't feel bad. But if you'll feel better about yourself, go find your 'friend' with the biggest, baddest car on the CTS-V forums and ask him to fight your battles. :rofl:

As for your remarks about me, say what you want. Sticks and stones my friend... I know what I've accomplished and my educational background. I don't need to prove anything to you. Again, IMO, D3 seems to be doing the best they can and offering a good product to the people. If you don't want or like their stuff, don't buy it. Simple as that. Unless you've personally interacted with them, their products or their cars as I have or even own the same kind of car you're bad mouthing, then maybe you should rethink your stance and opinion on something you clearly don't know about. Sorry buddy, but I have to go with Mark on this one...

Hey Mark, let us know if he ever shows up for your challenge. :thumbsup:
 
#16 ·
Just to add to this, this video is of one of our customers cars...it has the old stage 1.5 package w/ an estimate 515 bhp. With the Corsa it would have been more. This is now our stage 1 package as we have added more to the stage 1.5 package.

not apples for apples, but you get the idea. I really want to go to the track now :)

 
#33 ·
Just to add to this, this video is of one of our customers cars...it has the old stage 1.5 package w/ an estimate 515 bhp. With the Corsa it would have been more. This is now our stage 1 package as we have added more to the stage 1.5 package.

not apples for apples, but you get the idea. I really want to go to the track now :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TMkRYLCd7o
Thats RedV's car! nice guy... I need to give him a buzz and go to the track with him...
 
#23 ·
Guys,

You'd have to PM Urby about it. He PM'd me to keep it out of general circulation. Basically the whole purpose of a PM.

We both probabaly should have keep those two posts off of here. Just ignore them.

-Chris
 
#24 ·
I can't wait until the V1 guys start upgrading to the VII. when they graduate to FI from NA... Then we'll see posts like

Hey on a hot day I lost to a M3 whats up? Is something broke?

or

How do I up the boost?

or

on a hot day I floored it off the line and it felt sluggish. Is it a bad throttle body or cloged intake filter?

or any number of FI'd issues we deal with on a daily basis.

Thanks D3 for sticking in there, they will need you in the near future when they see how few vendors are willing to jump on the Cadillac FI'd mod bandwagon.
 
#26 ·
The xlrv shown in the video turning a 12.4 is mine. The car, as Craig states, only has D3 air intakes. It has a dyno tune which I got cause it was running to rich. It was very conservative and only bumped the rwhp by 3 hp. (from 405 to 408) The car dynos at 408 RWHP. The temp the night the video was made was about 60 in Houston. I had no traction problems. The car was power braked to about 2000 rpm. It was in performance mode with esp off traction on. I wonder how the motor trend test was run? The 12.4 was after waiting in line for my turn. I confident I could turn a 12.3 with proper cooling. I have found Craig good to deal with and very knowledgeable. I have since added D3 spark plugs and although I have not had it back to track or on dyno it feels faster. I bet if I was driving that white V I could get into high 11s

Quick 65 soon to be quick 66.
 
#29 ·
I own a 2006 XLR-V and purchased the D-3 stage 1 power package this spring. I have enjoyed the noticable increase in HP. Also, the whine of the supercharger isn't bad either. Craig has been great to work with and really seems to take an interest in this vehicle. Thanks again for your products and the attention that you have given this vehicle.

Todd
 
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