Thoughts: C63 vs CTS-V
Oh,... almost forgot. I have a little over 850 on the odomether. Figure I will hit 1k this weekend,... plan on a trip to N.J. (Camden) and prolly a trip or two over to Philly while I'm there.
Tell you what,... I'm thinking I'll prolly end up buying new Pilot Sport for the rear before the summer is over. Man those things look like they're a year old.
One more thing,... they already have brochures showing off the CTS coupe. They were laying around all over the place. No pics of the coupe in V trim though. Wonder if that means plans for one have been scrapped? Then again, C350's hit the streets and brochures 2-3-4 months before the C63. When I asked how long it would be before the coupe (in any trim) would reach the showroom floors, no one knew. Some said it wouldn't be until late in the year.
I'm googling now to see if I can find more info on this dual clutch thing. I'd like to now more of 'how' and 'why'.
If I'm not answering your question, throw it at me again from a different angel, OR if there's something specific you wanna know about the 09, give me a situation I can re-create and I'll let you know. But based on the sensation I get from the V thus far, WOT in 1st gear sorta scares me.
I will have to hand over my V to the dealer for a few days come Tuesday. Been having major problems with my UltraView top. First it was an issue with the open/close cycling. It wouldn't completely close with one push, often requiring multiple button pushes to get the damn thing to properly close, and sometimes to completely open. They said it needed to be synchronized. As a C32 owner, that sounded reasonable as the most Mercs have the same problem after loosing battery power. But with the V, it seemed to be happening without reason. Earlier this week, I began to notice a lot of squeaking coming from the UltraView, then some unsettling grinding noises. Took it to them this past Thursday and now I'm being told there is probably a tracking or warping problem. They have agreed to completely replace the UltraView top under warranty. I checked over at the Caddy forum and others are having similar problems, but haven't read of any total UltraView replacements. I remember having similar problems with the C32 when it was new, but with the driver's seat. Kept getting seat module failures that would drain my battery overnight, and after a while, caused some other problems with the seat. MB ended up replacing almost everything under the seat. That was also within the first year of ownership. I'm thinking it's not a warping problem as I have not experienced any leaking through the Ultraview, and we've had some pretty big rain here lately. Will post again after picking the car up.
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
BTW, do the C63 have to recync their sun roofs after a power disrupt like the older C's? If so, what is your re-syncing routine? I've tried the one I normally use with the C32, but with very little luck on the V. If you routine is different, maybe I might more success tryin' to apply some of those basics. Thanks! I've heard most sunroofs pretty much operate the same and most use the same or similar electronics.
I will have to hand over my V to the dealer for a few days come Tuesday. Been having major problems with my UltraView top. First it was an issue with the open/close cycling. It wouldn't completely close with one push, often requiring multiple button pushes to get the damn thing to properly close, and sometimes to completely open. They said it needed to be synchronized. As a C32 owner, that sounded reasonable as the most Mercs have the same problem after loosing battery power. But with the V, it seemed to be happening without reason. Earlier this week, I began to notice a lot of squeaking coming from the UltraView, then some unsettling grinding noises. Took it to them this past Thursday and now I'm being told there is probably a tracking or warping problem. They have agreed to completely replace the UltraView top under warranty. I checked over at the Caddy forum and others are having similar problems, but haven't read of any total UltraView replacements. I remember having similar problems with the C32 when it was new, but with the driver's seat. Kept getting seat module failures that would drain my battery overnight, and after a while, caused some other problems with the seat. MB ended up replacing almost everything under the seat. That was also within the first year of ownership. I'm thinking it's not a warping problem as I have not experienced any leaking through the Ultraview, and we've had some pretty big rain here lately. Will post again after picking the car up.
BTW, you've got to like the way this thing sounds..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBaSnXlgZlY
BTW, you've got to like the way this thing sounds..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBaSnXlgZlY
Anyway,... I asked about torque flexing, but was told that with all the extra chassis and body bracing the 09 V is endowed with, it's prolly not the cause. According to the V tech I spoke with (that's right, most high volume Caddy dealers have on staff a tech specifically trained and certified for V Series models) it's either a known problem with the electronics, a tracking problem, a warping problem (which is more than likely the source of a tracking problem), or maybe even a combination of these. She says (yep, my dealer's V Tech is a chick, and she sounds like she knows her stuff) it's prolly better, easier and more cost effective to pull it apart and replace the major/moving parts. I'm all for that, especially since it's a warranty job! They've already tried lubricating everything and resetting stuff, and the problem persists. What's surprising is that there's nothing in the Owner's Manual or on the CD that addresses this.
Last edited by ericpd; May 2, 2009 at 08:10 PM.
I recently invested in a $400 (yes $400) handheld tune sold by a very sharp guy on the Cadillac Forum, we have several folks over there running 11's with this tune in stock cars, not even touching boost level. I am confident mine will get into the 11's (with traction). I have not had time to get to a track yet but will do so this Summer.
I am still very much a Benz guy, am going to upgrade my E550 to an SL55 pretty soon, but the CTS-V is a well sorted out and very gratifying car that is worth a look if you can get past that 3 pointed star bias. Try one out you won't be disappointed.
Here's the related thread on the CF: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...zr1-video.html
BTW, do the C63 have to recync their sun roofs after a power disrupt like the older C's? If so, what is your re-syncing routine? I've tried the one I normally use with the C32, but with very little luck on the V. If you routine is different, maybe I might more success tryin' to apply some of those basics. Thanks! I've heard most sunroofs pretty much operate the same and most use the same or similar electronics.
HAHAHA I love how you change the topic to the C63's sunroof after... Finally some valuable input!
Here's the related thread on the CF: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...zr1-video.html
Last edited by ericpd; May 2, 2009 at 10:32 PM.
Valuable? Well you haven't offered anything valuable yet. I'll ask again,... do the C63 have a recyn routine for the sunroof like the earlier C's? If so, what is it? I'm trying to see if it's any different than the one I go through after power disruption.
Last edited by ericpd; May 3, 2009 at 01:15 AM.
I recently invested in a $400 (yes $400) handheld tune sold by a very sharp guy on the Cadillac Forum, we have several folks over there running 11's with this tune in stock cars, not even touching boost level. I am confident mine will get into the 11's (with traction). I have not had time to get to a track yet but will do so this Summer.
I am still very much a Benz guy, am going to upgrade my E550 to an SL55 pretty soon, but the CTS-V is a well sorted out and very gratifying car that is worth a look if you can get past that 3 pointed star bias. Try one out you won't be disappointed.
I'd be interested in hearing what some of the C63 pilots in here paying for a comparable tune kit from some of the Euro tuners? Like I said in an earlier post, I've heard of some M pilots paying as much as 40k for a tune kit. I looked that kit up after mentioning it and it includes having their V10 stroked,... a massive tear down and rebuild!
Last edited by ericpd; May 3, 2009 at 12:57 PM.
I'd be interested in hearing what some of the C63 pilots in here paying for a comparable tune kit from some of the Euro tuners? Like I said in an earlier post, I've heard of some M pilots paying as much as 40k for a tune kit. I looked that kit up after mentioning it and it includes having their V10 stroked,... a massive tear down and rebuild!
Think of it this way - pulley kit, ECU tuning, headers/exhaust mods, heads, cams, all labor for installation, and a supplemental warranty, all for $15k. And that's for one of the pricey CTS-V tuners...? IMHO, just reinforces that domestic tuning is a whole 'nother ballgame from what luxury European marque owners are used to - much better bang for your buck. Be interesting to see if that does indeed get the V down to 11.00 ET w/ DRs.

For the C63, the most economically-priced option is Kleemann. Otherwise, you're probably paying close to $10-15k (tuner-dependent) for ECU tuning and headers, parts-only.
Still,... if you would take the time work your butt into a set of those Recaro's before you took the time to work your mouth, maybe you'd see the logic. But you may be right about one thing,... a small part of why I'm here may be an attempt to justify my purchase. But the other 99.99% of the reason why I'm here is because I still am ab admitted loyal Benz/AMG fan. It would take much more than the purchase of a Cadillac to end that loyalty. I think maybe a more relevant assumption is the confidence you have in your purchase. I know a lot of AMG owners, many of them behind the wheel of a C63, and I don't hear this kinda childish whinning from them. Instead, I sense an enormous amount of fellowship while exchanging mutual admiration. I know for a fact they're very confident in their purchase and have no need to bash or go into a frenzy at the sight or mention of a CTS-V. I know this in real life and from time on this and other boards. I suspect you also own a BMW,... you sure behave like you do.
Speaking of BMW's, I've noticed over time BMW owners seem to have this unspoken allegiance with Audi owners for whatever reason. Likewise, us C32 pilots still have a similar relationship with Crossfire owners. Masaratti owners have a twisted kinda connection with Lambo owners some would say,... but they collectively hate owners of the prancing horse, as do C32 and Crossfire owners nurture a dislike for M3 owners, and BMW and Audi owners scowl at AMG owners. Lord knows what goes on in the head of an Abarth owner,... I guess we'll soon find out! Anyway,... a lot of CTS-V owners, including myself, seem to have this gravitation to the AMG way of viewing the world. Me,... I got no problem with the connection. Sorry you do! What a waste!
Last edited by ericpd; May 3, 2009 at 09:04 PM.


