DubVBenz

Don't shoot the messenger, because I argued with him about this:

I live in the DC area and he's an older guy who has been selling Cadillacs for probably 3-4 decades. I realize this means that I should take everything he says with a grain of salt. I also respect his opinion, because he talks **** about them as well. For instance, he thinks their new flagship is a bad idea because it's all aluminum (increased repair costs he says).

He said they brought him to a NJ track to test the new CTS-V. They got to spend a day driving it around with professional instructors and comparing it to other cars (notably, the M5). He said the M5 was no match for it and I joked with him that they didn't bother to test it against an E63 because it wouldn't even be a contest.

That's when he told me that Mercedes refused to send an AMG tester because they claimed it would overheat and not be able to do a full track day without shutting down.

Now... I like this guy. He's a lot older than me and I think he's a decent bar patron to chat with, so I didn't argue with him. I made a quick joke about the new Corvette shutting down because of overheating and he got defensive.

Anyways.... How full of **** is he? I'm not even an AMG guy (I like my diesels), but I can't imagine that MB can't withstand a track day...

Also, can anyone cite some numbers/articles that show otherwise so I can casually bring these up the next time I run into him? Does the E63S really have to worry about losing to a freaking GM?

PeterUbers

For all the many many threads I've read about the e63s, I've not yet read about it overheating on track days

The Swede

My 2010 na E63 wagon overheated once on a short track when it could not get enough cooling, every light on the dashboard flashed and the car started to missfire (safteymode).... Even when i visited the Nürburgring this summer it was running hot so i had to lift of in the last part of the track.

SilveRT8

I did 2 track days with mine this summer with multiple 30 min. sessions and the engine never overheated, and I was impressed at how competent this car feels on track. Right after my first session, when I came back to the pits I tought the car was on fire as I could see clouds of smoke coming from the back....turns out it was coming from the rear brakes. Lesson learned, you do need a full cooldown lap before stopping the car. I did not baby the car either.
Next week I'll be in Vegas for a Track day with the AMG performance tour, I'll report if I see any signs of overheating on any of the various models.

Munich77

Why would Mercedes send an E63 to a Cadillac event anyhow?

looney100

I think your friend is misinformed. In addition Munich's comment about Mercedes' motivation to send the car, what possibly would be their motivation to say that the reason they didn't send it was because it was of poor quality?
If they were approached, and weren't interested, they'd just say 'No' without further comment.

megasaurus

This thread is amusing. Love when Corvette SRT or Cadillac enthusiasts bring the inferiority to the conversation of topic

PeterUbers

The cooling system of 2014+ e63 ttv8's is more advanced and the 6.2L c63/e63 guys talked about overheating not infrequently

rory breaker

The C63s had an issue with overheating and it was solved with the optional cooling upgrade. For anyone curious.

megasaurus

agreed

nstanford99

the new CTS-V will be straight line fast i assume, hard to get around 630+ hp, a lot of juice! The benz would get off the line, but id expect the cts to pass it eventually, that being said, i think the AMG would handle around the track better due to awd. regardless, i would never consider the cts after being so used to the german quality of the M5 and E63.

DubVBenz

I didn't agree with the guy, but bit my tongue. He actually doesn't know I'm a mercedes fan as I only know him from my local pub that I walk to. I have a hard time believing mercedes would back down to any such challenge or have inadequate cooling systems (which seems to be a BMW trait).

2012 merc amg

The Quality on the Benz is just much better than the Cadillac, I've owned both and there is no comparison. The Benz is well worth the 30 grand extra, at least to me.

megasaurus

Understood, however people like him need to stand by the American automotive industry which is obsolete in Europe among the general consensus and especially exotic/sports car enthusiasts. Your buddy is better of sticking to talking about A AARP discounts. But many are like him hanging on to taking over German, Italian, or Japanese industrial or engineering feats stem from WW2 not just the car business.

Johnny Rad

My bet is on the new CTS-V over the current-gen awd E63 S on the track. It won't be long before we know, unless I'm mis-informed and a test has already been published.

kponti

What he said. The second gen cts v would run circles around the same year E63 or M5 on a track, straight line or curved. I expect the third gen to be even better (outdid it's own smaller brother the ATSv already).

I will also agree that driving both cars back to back you can tell that the cts v was priced to compete with the C63/M3. It's a lot more toss-able than the E or 5, grips much better, feels a lot faster, feels a lot cheaper.

Currently the one size fits all approach for the cts has been discarded. Now the cts has the E directly in its scope and it shows in the interior especially. Much much more improved quality! And a corresponding increase in price.

megasaurus

Disagree with you both on the cts v p.o.s

kponti

And that's ok.
Though I cannot even make out what you even mean

marcolarco52

The new cts-v is a beast definitely, might be quicker around a track, but I'll never hit the track I like the build quality on the benz much better, and the amg is faster in 0-60 and 1/4 mile (3.7 0-60 for 2016 cts-v with 11.8 i 1/4 mile, amg 3.4 0-60 with 11.6 1/4 mile).

I had a order placed for the new escalade and ditched it once I actually got to drive one and get a good feel for it, build quality is as usual, typical GM, looks fancy, not quite worth what it costs though.

Motortrend also did best driver's car where the newest gen cts-v placed behind even the c63s...

PeterUbers

Anyone ever taken their car for service at a gm dealer compared to a Benz Dealer? Is the caddy service experience on par? I never drove a gm

Davidkuo0330

Not to be sarcastic Peter, but I suspect it's the same service as one bring a Hemi into Dodge dealer ?

marcolarco52

Service is service, all depends on the dealership and the people working there. I've seen some benz dealerships that are total a-holes while others (the one I go to and bought my amg from) have been awesome to deal with.

kponti

Have you driven the new CTSv? I am not being facetious, I am actually curious.
Also I ask because driving the E350.....I assumed the E63 has lost all that made the AMG great in terms of quality and vault-like feeling. However after driving the E63....I will say its on par with the old E55. The E350 however is definitely not! I am driving a 2015 E350 right now and my wife's comment about that after driving it was "looks good, but feels cheap, you want me to give up my BMW for that???"

otakki

Is the cooling system also the same for 2012/2013 E63's as well?

As long as the CTS-V doesn't have folding rear seats, I wouldn't be able to consider it. BTW, I heard overheating has been an issue for Z06's.

marcolarco52

No I haven't driven the new cts-v the fit and finish inside (center stack) all looks identical to the escalade which I did not like at all still feels cheap just all show to look good. Also the e63 is a lot better than the e350, and the bmw's that I compared it to (yes even the m5, the e63 was better in my opinion, yes i've driven the m5 lot more than a test drive, friend had it before he totalled it). I didn't like the bmw interior, not sure how your wife thinks its better than the mercedes interior because it definitely is not, what so ever. In my opinion after driving all of them the rs7, m5, panamera turbo, I decided on the e63 simply because it was exactly what i wanted.

One more thing, I have driven a e55...does not perform as well as a e63s...it is fast and it handles ok, just not as fast and the handling is not on par with the e63. I am referring to stock vs stock.