april520

Hello fellow mbworld gurus and subject matter experts!

For the past 3 months, I have been reading threads daily on this forum and have gained a ton of useful info on my 2009 C63 AMG. I live in Vancouver, Canada and winter here is quite mild in comparison to other cities that readily see subzero temperatures (I guess that's in Celsius, not Fahrenheit lol)

As for my car, I love every bit of my silver beast (no mods done yet) however, it leaves something to be desired. There aren't too many but I am wondering if there's anyone out there that feel the same:

-subpar interior quality (and what's with the navigation unit that contains next to no information...my wife's 2009 BMW 335i wins by a wide margin IMHO)
-eats tires at an alarming rate and no matter what I put on, traction is always a problem with this beast of a car.
-I use my car as a daily commuter and I wouldn't call this a comfort cruiser haha.

Second part of this thread has to do with Cadillac CTS-V. My co-worker just purchased a 2009 Cadillac CTS-V and it doesn't look half bad as I had once thought. How does this compare to C63 AMG in terms of
-'real world performance'
-ride quality
-fuel consumption (about par???)
-any other input

Any input would be much appreciated!

gthal

I can't comment on the CTS-V performance (although I expect it is spectacular if you ignore the weight of the car) but, for me, I just can't get past the look. I really do not find the car the least bit attractive compared to the C63 (coupe or sedan). This, though, is very subjective and YMMV.

I have also heard very bad reports on reliability and quality.

_AMG_

Coming from 2 previously owned GM cars (Denali and Escalade), I can vouch for the quality not being great.
The CTS-V's performance figures are definitely impressive though. They look aggressive too, especially from the front.

YellowJacket

Ride quality is far better on the Cts-v. Nothing is better than that magnetic ride control, which even Ferrari pays GM to use.

april520

Is GM quality that bad? And thanks for the quick replies peeps
The only reason why I considered (for a millisecond) was the fact that it was 'slightly roomier' than my 63 and was on par with respect to performance. What I didn't know was cadillac's superior ride quality...whoa.

Helms

I really dont "feel" the new CTS-V, yes, it is very powerful and has many modding possibilities but i would take a C63 any day no matter what. It is a great car though, I am sure.

King335i

I love my V coupe, even though I'm constantly flirting with the idea of moving to a C63 Coupe, or even an E63. The V is incredible, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either an insecure brand-*****, or totally ignorant as to the capabilities of this car. The interior (aside from the scratch prone gloss-black center console) is immensely comfortable. The alcantara steering wheel and shift knob, the very supportive recaro seats, the hand-stitched leather covered dashboard, the pop-up nav which is clean and easy to use-- all of these aspects add up to an incredible experience when inside the car. And you will notice a performance difference, the V puts up when the C63 shuts up. I'm not trashing the C63, but most new mustang GT's can give the C63 a serious run for its money, but they can't come close to touching a CTS-V. Where the V comes with 285 tires in the rear, the C63 comes with only 255 and suffers greatly for it. The V prowls and has an incredibly aggressive stance, it is ready to leap at any moment but when you want it to it can plod along hidden among the other unassuming traffic. You simply cannot go wrong with a detuned version of the engine in the ZR1, 556hp and 550 lb-ft. As well the magnetic ride control is fantastic, with the push of a button you have a rough-and-tumble, nimble corner-carver, and when you don't want that just press the same button again and you have a superb grand-tourer with immense power.

I can't even begin to to express how much positive attention I get in the V too, everywhere I go someone wants to stop and talk about my car, and those who can't stop me are content to just gawk with their mouths wide open. The other day I was driving and these two hot girls were driving next to me, they rolled their window down and said, "hot car! and you look hot driving it too!", that put a sufficient grin on my face. I doubt that would happen in a C-Class.

You can't deny the C's credentials either, it's a hard choice to make, but I think you get far more for the money with the V, and the build quality on my V has been extremely high. Tough choice, but many people envy you for being able to make it in the first place, you can't go wrong either way my friend!

**edit** And both the C63 Coupe and the CTS-V Coupe look far better in person, those who say the V or C coupe is ugly simply haven't seen one in person. Neither of them photograph well, but in person their proportions are stunning.

Pickles

What a weapon.....looks like Darth Vader!
I think the supercharged engine in you car is known as the "LSA", a slightly less powerful version of the LS9 engine, found in the ZR1 Corvette.
We have the same "capacity" 6.2L LS3 engines in our HSV Commodores here in Aus, many owners fitting superchargers, enabling 400+ KW at the treads with absolutely NO reliability problems.
Cheers, Pickles.

april520

Wow..what a beautiful ride (love the color especially) and thanks again for your thoughtful feedback. One of the reason why I have been so hell bent on not getting (or even considering) domestic cars is mainly due to their poor re-sale value (and poor reliability). My 63 has been rock solid and I have never had an issue with the build quality. I guess it all depends on what day of the week the vehicle was manufactured from the assembly line lol.

One other question for those who own CTS-V, does it also eat up tires like most C63 AMG? And if I were to look for a used CTS-V (preferably 2009 or newer), what should I be on the lookout for? Any words of wisdom ?

King335i

And a pic or two of my old 335i for good measure, I miss her too!





My house looks so classy with my brother's old dog fence, dog beds, and refrigerator...ugh lol

lebreeze

Tinted tails looked so riced out

_AMG_

Its not as bad as people make it seem.
Despite the fact the quality is not up to par with some German cars, I would love to own one of these monsters.

derek

The one thing I found in both the coupe and sedan v's is if you have a long torso proper seating position is tough.

OT: anyone know why Ventana has ads on mbworld? Seems odd to me that a company that sells IHC cap ex and consumables would have an ad here.

wegentop

I love your Old 335!!!! it looks sexy ~

PistolWhipC63

I came from owning a 2010 c63, then to a 2012 Gt500, and finally a CTS-V. This car is truly amazing for what it is. I mean I was definitely surprised the first spirited drive I took on some very narrow windy roads. Even in 30 degree weather and taking turns at high speeds I never felt the car was at it's limit.

Sometimes I would come out of a turn with my heart racing, thinking how in the world did I just take that corner at that speed. My C was a great car and love amg for life, but cadillac truly made a well balanced beast despite it's weight. If I had it my way I'd have both, but for an overall package I couldn't be happier. If you have any question pm me or just ask me here.

E55 Bulldog

I came very close to getting a CTS-V Wagon. I drove a sedan and thought it was by far one of the best cars I have ever driven. The car has tons of potential for mods and GOBs and GOBs of power. I even had my wife (also a car junkie) drive one to make sure she liked and thought the same thing.... she came back with a huge smile on her face. It really is a fine tuned daily driver that could be driven like a care car. It is very refined even though it has all that power. I thought the interior was well done, finally... the options of Recaro seats was a good touch, and I love the standard Brembo's.... But there is still TONs of chrome on the car, not like the C63 isn't covered in it but there is a lot. It is a GM and I have heard nothing good about any GM cars, especially the high output ones. They do come with a great warranty. The wagon I wanted was still priced way to high and they would not budge on price.... and after a bunch of conversations we both agreed we couldn't stomach owning a Cadillac compared to a Mercedes. Im sure one day I will own one of there Wagons but just not today... so we picked up our C63 on Thursday.

VaclavSV

Haha The CTS-V is a hot car, in fact my brother is seriously considering one (just like I did). Sorry to burst your bubble though but this happens in C63...often. Ive had two girls follow me until I parked so one could give me her number. We hooked up about a week later, does your CTS help you notch!? didn't think so haha

zneB-sedecreM

Is it mostly Americans that think the CTS coupe is good looking? The Lamborghini Reventon is beautiful and you can see it being designed after a fighter jet. The CTS coupe looks like Porky Pig with tires. I still can't wait to see someone paint one pink and add a curly tail antenna on the rear to complete the look. I think theyre hideous looking, regardless of the badge.

gthal

Looks are subjective.

There is a CTS-V coupe at the dealer here and it isn't a bad looking car but not my cup of tea. I think it looks HUGE and like a big box. The dealer hasn't been able to sell it and one of the main reasons from talking to them is that the styling is polarizing. Either you love it or you hate it. But the great thing about having choice is that it will be a great fit, looks wise, for some. No doubt the car performs very well but, for me, I couldn't get over the look, size and weight when I was considering the CTS. In my case, I needed more balance in the car rather than something very large with a powerful engine. This isn't to say it wouldnt handle well but rather than the size was too much for me. In my view, the CTS-V is more competition for the E or the M5 than a C63.

propain

The CTSV coupe is ugly. The CTSV Sedan is nice.

1. CTSV has a better interior.
2. CTSV has better performance all around. Straight line and curves
3. CTSV is easily modded
4. CTSV is cheaply modded


1. C63 has a much better exhaust note
2. C63 when modded with a simple tune is very quick
3. C63 is a Mercedes so it has much more appeal
4. C63 is better looking in the Sedan and the Coupe


Real world results and not modding? Get the C63. It looks better and its a Mercedes so it has a much better curb appeal. It comes down to personal taste though as both cars are pretty much equal in quality and performance.

coladin

Thanks for the laugh! Porky Pig? LOL!

I don't mind them, just the proprtions and interior trim are not great, but I was considering a wagon. It needs a better exhaust note too.

Ex_Red

The CTS-V looks the way a C63 sounds....that's not necessarily a bad thing but my preference is towards a more understated "gussied up" C class (or 3 series) than a flashy blinged out Cadillac.

I tend to own cars more for how they make feel as opposed to the performance numbers they generate. Like others, the styling of the CTS-V is just too much for me.

TMC M5

I can understand about the chrome trim... I made sure my car didn't have the chrome wheels (yuck)... some CTS-V owners have blacked out the trim like in the pics below. My problem is that if I do the blacked out trim...I have to black out the wheels. My CTS-V is my daily driver and I know the painted wheels would get scratched...and look like "poopy" after a couple of weeks.

Nachtsturm

Best part about the CTS-V is you can row your own gears.

Be a very hard choice, my loyalty is with AMG.

But, easy power to be had, much cheaper mods to boot, combined with a 6-speed, and a nicer ride. The CTS-V does present a pretty good argument.

I think the next C63 should have the E63 bi turbo with a 6 speed manual so there is no arguement at all. Who is with me?

If I was shopping though, I would prolly stick with the AMG>

hyperion667

guess you have to ask yourself what you wanna see parked outside everyday

good luck!