[Kadillaxin]

Looking to buy a CTSV.

04-07

I've done some research, but nothing beats talking to owners.

What should I look out for, problem areas?

I'm not a mileage snob either, I'll still look at well kept 100k plus cars. Does this hold true for the CTSV? Do they have lots of problems after racking up the miles?

Anything else you guys can think of. I am a car guy and I know the basics when looking at a new ride. Just want more input from owners, good and bad is welcome.

TIA!!!

 

[DarkCharisma]

Motor mounts, rear diff bushing, dual-mass flywheel, crappy OE radiator leaking, diffs exploding. Those are the big things that can (and likely will) go bad, and you'll want to spend some $$ on fixing or preventing those points. I bought my V with 100k flat on it, and have done motor mounts, trans mount, rear diff bushing and brace, and replaced the radiator with an Alradco unit. I have a new LS7 clutch/flywheel sitting on my floor now. All in all I spent a little under 1.5k for all this stuff (66% of it being the clutch and rad), which really isn't a ton of money at all given the performance/reliability you're gaining out of this.

The rest of the car is pretty solid. The LS6 is proven, as is the T-56 (albeit being mushy to shift), both are pretty cheap to maintain, repair or upgrade... tons of power potential and a decent bit of aftermarket.

 

[carlson_mn]

^ he said it. Now just read up on here and let us know what you find. It's a used car value.

 

[Kadillaxin]

Thanks, I will let you know what I find. I am in no hurry, looking for the right deal. I have a couple kids and I need the four doors. I got very excited when I came across the CTSV. I am so tired of automatics. I used to be into the early model SHO's, fun to drive, but I don't want to go there again.

 

[rand49er]

Several of us came from SHOs, me being one. (I had three.)

Personally, I haven't had the problems mentioned above though I've had my diff replaced on warranty, and I've changed out some bushings and the flywheel mainly because the mod bug bit. I think you'll find fewer problems with a great number of the Gen I Vs, but if there are some it'll be the ones mentioned. Where are you located?

Here's one somewhat local to me that I just ran across. Don't know the guy, and to my knowledge I've never seen him drive by on the roads, but the car sure looks nice. http://annarbor.craigslist.org/cto/3590723357.html

Good luck!

 

[Kadillaxin]

Pac NW, but I'm open to shipping if I can get someone from the board to check out a rig for me. I'm also considering a road trip.

 

[Chris Cornett]

That car has been for sale for a while IIRC. I never looked at it cause I wanted a lower mileage 06/7. These cars are awesome. Its killing me cause I have only put like a hundred miles on it since I got it on Xmas eve due to poor weather.

 

[thebigjimsho]

Thanks, I will let you know what I find. I am in no hurry, looking for the right deal. I have a couple kids and I need the four doors. I got very excited when I came across the CTSV. I am so tired of automatics. I used to be into the early model SHO's, fun to drive, but I don't want to go there again.

What's a SHOW?

 

[Kadillaxin]

What's a SHOW?

Ha, now I know you are kidding

 

[thebigjimsho]

hmm...

 

[JDB]

Get a '06-07, if you like trucks. :stirpot:

 

[Kadillaxin]

Seriously?

SHO = Super High Output it was a Taurus with a Yamaha engine. Pretty advanced for the day. Started in 89 I believe 220hp fwd with a 5 speed. They cost an arm and a leg when new. Now some people can't give them away. I was partial to gen II, 92-95. Then they went to a v8 and jelly bean body in 96. Anyway, if you really didn't know thats a bit about them. They were a 3.0 engine that could turn 8k RPM with an accessory pulley upgrade and ECU.

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Get a '06-07, if you like trucks. :stirpot:

Please elaborate

 

[rand49er]

... Please elaborate

It's a really old feud between those of us with the LS6 motor ('04 & '05) and those with the LS2 motor ('06 & '07). The LS2 is also used in trucks. It also seems to put down a bit more hp, but nobody to my mind has shown a clear performance difference between the two. BOTH are good cars.

BTW, I had a '91 SHO that got stolen while in El Paso, TX, a '92 to replace that one, then later on a used '95 ... all 5-spds, all bone stock. Loved 'em.

 

[thebigjimsho]

8k rpm is just silliness when power fell off the map at 7200...

 

[DangeRuss]

Get a '06-07, if you like trucks. :stirpot:

There's no replacement for displacement. :lildevil:

 

[thebigjimsho]

Spoken like a true dumb musclehead, haha!

 

[darkman]

There's no replacement for displacement. :lildevil:

Sure there is - revolutions per minute. It just costs a lot more.

 

[Kadillaxin]

8k rpm is just silliness when power fell off the map at 7200...

Still pretty sweet.

 

[DarkCharisma]

It's a really old feud between those of us with the LS6 motor ('04 & '05) and those with the LS2 motor ('06 & '07). The LS2 is also used in trucks. It also seems to put down a bit more hp, but nobody to my mind has shown a clear performance difference between the two. BOTH are good cars.

BTW, I had a '91 SHO that got stolen while in El Paso, TX, a '92 to replace that one, then later on a used '95 ... all 5-spds, all bone stock. Loved 'em.

The LS2 might have the same displacement as the LQ4/LQ9, but it wasn't exactly the same ... unless I am missing some other factory option

 

[mstrjon32]

The difference is simple: The LS6 will put you in a ditch and the LS2 will tow you out of it.