Was waiting for the right CTS-V to pop up for sale so I could test drive it and see if I wanted to trade in the F. Finally a White Diamond sedan with the black wheels and yellow calipers got traded in to local Caddy dealer. As sales guy goes to start up the V he says "Get ready to hear a real V8 fire up, u won't be used to this coming from a Lexus". I snicker to myself cause I'm used to most people not knowing what an F is, especially with a Joe Z/PPE combo. After driving the V we went over to my car so manager could look it over. Priceless look on their faces when I fired it up and revved it a bit. They had no clue about the F, they thought the stock rims were custom, they thought it was lowered, they thought the exhaust tips were custom and they thought it had a body kit on it. After assuring them car was stock minus headers and exhaust they said they would call me in a couple hours to give me trade in prive. In the meantime I decided to join the V forum to see about price of Caddy opinions and other info. Couldn't believe the issues that those V cars have. Leaky sunroofs, recalled superchargers, rattling Recaros, rear differential issues and many more. Manager made me a fair offer on my F but after owning 2 Fs and having zero issues ever I decided to keep the F. Manager told me that V is certified so all those things are covered if they were to go wrong but I still don't like the idea of a $75k car built so badly.

 

Man if i could get a picture of every person's reaction on the looks of their faces when we turn our cars on... priceless!

 

but how did the caddy drive? was the additional power significant over the F? suspension? shifts? etc.

 

Stock Caddy felt nearly identical in acceleration as my F with headers and exhaust. I can imagine a modded V with a tune and pulley must be a beast. I talked to service manager and he said any mods to V would def void the warranty. He even said an exhaust could cause GM to void warranty, not sure if this is true. Caddy interior very nice, Recaros are awesome. Pulled good on freeway but I thought it would be faster with 556hp. Overall I really liked the V but the issues with reliability scare me and with a new baby always with me I would not want to get stranded. Plus my 3 month old daughter loves the sound of my headers, they put her right to sleep when she is fussy so I better keep my car.

 

yeah, i've heard others say that the V didn't feel that much faster than the F, or rather, they were underwhelmed versus the expectations of 556 horses. i've always kinda liked the V's, too, but like you, i have a fairly new baby boy (8 months old). the last thing i need to worry about are reliability issues w/ the car. an exhaust voiding the GM warranty? that's bogus! that would be the first thing i'd change out if i had a V.

 

might be bogus but, i've seen it first hand i own a exhaust shop and have had to restore a camaro ss back to stock exhaust before the dealer would repair a transmission fluid leak on a car that only had resonator and muffler delete. by law the only thing that can void your warranty is the removal of the emission equipment ie. exhaust manifold and catalytic converter, but the dealer reserves the right to decline service if they feel that modifications can cause or prolong a problem.

 

mileage is horrendous in the CTS-V something like 12/18

 

It was mind boggling when I asked guys on the V forum what things I should look for on the V as issues and more than one told me to have salesman pour cup of water on sunroof while I sit in the car and see if it leaks. Cannot fathom doing this for any car especially a $75k luxury car.

 

^^^ That's not bad, I used to get around 14 MPG on a 70 HWY / 30 CITY combined.

 

Must have some heavy right foot lol!!!

 

I wanted a V wagon but they are too hard to find and although the recaros are nice GM interiors are cheap looking/feeling. They are just too expensive for what they are.

 

Went car shopping with a buddy 6 months ago. Had him drive new GS 350 F Sport as a benchmark to compare what you get for the money. He was not interested in an IS-F for whatever reason, probably because I already have one. We then went and drove new Audi S6. Car was noticeably faster but felt also felt noticeably heavier and was $80k+. Last car we drove was the CTS-V. The V is a monster on the freeway, dealer let me take it up to an undisclosed amount of speed 1XX and the car kept pulling with three men in the car. Interior not comparable to IS-F with the exception of Alcantara touches and more bolstered seats. We drove automatic, biggest complaint was transmission. From a dig and the seat of my pants the IS-F just feels faster IMO. Needless to say my buddy ended up with the F-Sport, couldn't pass up the value and also liked the way it cornered. Me personally would not even think about owning a CTS-V after driving it compared to the IS-F.

 

I still think the CTS-V wagon is a looker, much more than the sedan or coupe variant. I feel the same way with the E63 AMG Shooting Brake. But the GM interior did look very dated and unrefined at best. The E63 is in a whole new league of performance. But for those who really like the performance of the CTS-V and the mod capabilities, despite its lackluster reliability, it is a solid option.

 

basically the same issue any person would have going from Lexus to an American performance car. I was looking at the ZL1 before I bought my F and was blown away by the issue I saw online in the forums as well. Stuck with the Japanese.......as always.

 

I also drove the CTS-V recently while I was at Carmax getting a car appraised. IMO the V pulled significantly harder than the F in the mid-RPMS. Interior was ok, a lot of flashy plastic in a cool design, but doesn't feel as nicely put together. I actually didn't like the alcantara steering wheel. They did a nice job with the cabin because you don't get the sense that you are in a bigger car; at the same time you definitely feel the weight in the transitions even in road driving. Overall I thought it was a bit different but not that exciting TBH.