The O.C. Finally Shoots His CTS....!

[The O.C.]

After 5,000 miles, I do absolutely love this car.....!

I even like the looks of the '07 Sport package better than the v-Series....it has larger exhaust pipes, a bigger spoiler, nicer wheels, and a better grille....

A rare bird....only other 6-cylinder/6-speed manual CTS I've seen was in the pages of R&T and C&D.....

[Northstar]

The Sports do look great, though I think the V looks a little better still.

Has the fuel economy improved at all?

[The O.C.]

Actually love the interior styling....with the exception of one major bitch......the wood on the wheel, shifter, and door pulls is REAL.....the wood on the center stack is FAKE (and really looks it next to the real stuff.)

This car has some really nice un-GM-like touches......such as the right-hand wiper stalk, articulating headrests, headlight washers, and this....the "VW/Audi-esque" sunroof dial.....

Neat and stylistic placement of the Bose tweeter speakers......

The world's absolute BEST interpretation of steering-wheel radio volume controls....! LOVE this.....stroke of genius by Cadillac/GM. So why does the v-Series NOT have the dial volume control? Interesting.....

The imports have done this for decades....and now the CTS is just as good as they are in providing precise, clear, and attractive gauges with a minimum of fuss.....

[The O.C.]

The Sports do look great, though I think the V looks a little better still.

Has the fuel economy improved at all?

221924[/snapback]

A bit....I'm averaging 18-19 in mixed driving.....a little over 300 miles on a tank.....

I have yet to take it on an extended trip to see what straight highway driving will do.....

[Flybrian]

Our 2000 Bonnie has this...

This car has some really nice un-GM-like touches......such as the right-hand wiper stalk

articulating headrests

...and my Olds has that.

The world's absolute BEST interpretation of steering-wheel radio volume controls....!  LOVE this.....stroke of genius by Cadillac/GM.  So why does the v-Series NOT have the dial volume control?  Interesting.....

My assumption is that your right hand on the -V would be on the stick, but I do love the rotary dial. Brilliant.

[gm4life]

Gosh I love you car, I want it in White Diamond tho!

[turbo200]

looks fantasic, the best color on CTS is black, imo.....i don't like the spoiler though

[The O.C.]

Gosh I love you car, I want it in White Diamond tho!

221981[/snapback]

I almost ordered White Diamond.....but cheesed out and got traditional black because I just so much love black cars.....

[ZL-1]

Black's my favourite CTS colour. And it's very nice to see people buying manual-transmission CTSs!

Is the rear spoiler deletable in Sport package models?

[-R8-]

My friend's parents drive that model with a AT. It looks stunning and the wheels are absolutely gorgeous. It's a pity that the interior is ugly but the new CTS really gets my hopes up for Cadillac.

[DetroitNut90]

I love your car, O.C. CTS Sports are very slick, and black makes it much more so.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Nice car.

But, the right-hand wiper stalk isn't a big thing. Our G6 has it, and my grandparent's 2000 Grand Am has it, too.

[The O.C.]

Nice car.

But, the right-hand wiper stalk isn't a big thing. Our G6 has it, and my grandparent's 2000 Grand Am has it, too.

222432[/snapback]

Yes but it's been a big paradigm change for GM to start equipping cars with that....instead of the dreaded "multi-function-control-lever" on the left-hand side...

[ocnblu]

There's something right about a black Cadillac. Plus, it rhymes. I love saying those two words together in my pimp voice... "black Cadillac..."

[mjdart]

Excellent ride, I like that version of the CTS

[Cory Wolfe]

This car has some really nice un-GM-like touches......such as the right-hand wiper stalk, articulating headrests, headlight washers, and this....the "VW/Audi-esque" sunroof dial.....

221928[/snapback]

Hmm... My 95 Grand Am has a right hand wiper stalk... and 92-96 Bonneville's had headlight washers.

[Sixty8panther]

Very cool. Love it, esp. since it's a stick.

[ToniCipriani]

Both my Cavalier and G6 have wiper stalks.

Couldn't beat my dad's Volvo though: right hand side wiper stalk in a right hand drive car.

Edited December 11, 2006 by ToniCipriani

[gm4life]

Can you get bigger photos of it? I would love to see some high quality and large photos of your car. After I agree with you it looks better than the V-Series... (You ordered your car, it wasn't on the lot eh? Hardly anyone will do that anymore...) But finding a black CTS w/stick was prolly hard enough much less with the performance/sport package I am sure. I would love a CTS just like yours but no moonroof and in diamond white, and about dropping an LS2 in there hmmm that would be even sweeter. Although I think the 3.6L DOHC VVT V6 with 255hp would be game for almost anything!

Edited December 12, 2006 by gm4life

[big blue]

Not a big fan of the CTS's rear but the spoiler saves the tail end from looking overly chunky. That color-matched grille is definitely awesome looking though. Nice color choice.

[The O.C.]

Can you get bigger photos of it? I would love to see some high quality and large photos of your car. After I agree with you it looks better than the V-Series... (You ordered your car, it wasn't on the lot eh? Hardly anyone will do that anymore...) But finding a black CTS w/stick was prolly hard enough much less with the performance/sport package I am sure. I would love a CTS just like yours but no moonroof and in diamond white, and about dropping an LS2 in there hmmm that would be even sweeter. Although I think the 3.6L DOHC VVT V6 with 255hp would be game for almost anything!

226535[/snapback]

I HAD to order it. It was hard enough just finding "Sport" models in stock.

6-speeds were non-existent....except for one local Cadillac dealership that ordered a bunch of loaded 2.8L luxury models with the 6-speed manual by mistake. LOL

The only thing I would change is to make Navigation available. It's really inexcusable that you can't order it on this car.....especially since it's available with the 17-inch sport package and standard on the v-Series.....

[Backup7]

Subtract the moonroof and that would be the CTS I would get.

Black CTSs look lethal.

[OCcarnut]

What a PILE! Just kidding bud. Nice ride...nice pics.

[AAS]

My aunt and uncle just picked up an '07 CTS with the "California Luxury Package," in Diamond White (or whatever the pearl white color is called) with the Cashmere interior. I'm looking forward to using the navigation combined with the real-time traffic reports. I get to drive it from LA to SD, and take care of it once it's down there

I also don't get why you can't get any of the 18" wheel sport packages with navigation. The closest you can get is the 17" wheel luxury package, which has the sport suspension but not the load-leveling, upgraded breaks and a few other things, then have the dealer install the 18" wheels, body kit and exhaust tips.

[Northstar]

Not having navigation on the Sport is ridiculous. What the HELL were they thinking?

[ellives]

Not having navigation on the Sport is ridiculous. What the HELL were they thinking?

Umm - Bingo! You got Bingo! (They *weren't* thinking.)

Building *any* Cadillac without Nav now is just damn st00pid.

[mjdart]

I love the rear spoiler one of my favorite things on the sport

[AAS]

Umm - Bingo! You got Bingo! (They *weren't* thinking.)

Building *any* Cadillac without Nav now is just damn st00pid.

You can get it with the 17" Sport Package. Which, if i'm correct, has the same mechanicals as the 18" Sport Package. The only downside is that all the cosmetic things like the grill insterst, spoiler, rocker panels, exhaust tips are dealer installed options.

[The O.C.]

You can get it with the 17" Sport Package. Which, if i'm correct, has the same mechanicals as the 18" Sport Package. The only downside is that all the cosmetic things like the grill insterst, spoiler, rocker panels, exhaust tips are dealer installed options.

To this day, I keep harping on the dealer and GM about the navigation issue.

It's not that I really care all that much if I have it or not......it just seems like an absolutely ridiculous thing that you CAN'T get it with the Sport package.....and I want SOMEONE to be able to tell me....WHY...?

[The O.C.]

Fuel Economy Update on my CTS......

Los Angeles to Phoenix......

375 miles (on one tank)

100 miles of rush-hour dicing getting out of L.A.........275 miles of freeway cruise at 85-90mph.....

MPG = 21.6

I've finally decided that it's the gear ratios of the 6-speed manual that is causing me to experience less-than-expected mileage. Even at 75-80mph, the tach is still showing almost 3,000 rpms in sixth gear. The upside of that is that from 70mph and up, engine response in 6th gear is great with nary a downshift needed to pick up significant additional speed. In fact, the Caddy seems almost "BMW-like" in it's acceleration in 6th from 80mph to over 100.......

I'm guessing that at a straight 70mph cruise, I'd be lucky to hit the highway EPA number of 26mpg.

Overall, I guess considering the engine response at cruise and the high speeds I like to travel, anything over 20mpg is okay.......but it's still less than I expected. My Mazda6 V6 5-speed would average about 25mpg on straight freeway cruises at 85-90mph. The Corvette does 27mpg at the same speeds.....but then again, it's pulling less than 2,000rpms even at 85mph.

[Flybrian]

The Corvette does 27mpg at the same speeds.....but then again, it's pulling less than 2,000rpms even at 85mph.

And that, my friends, is the V8 Advantage.

[The O.C.]

And that, my friends, is the V8 Advantage.

LOL....

No it's really more about gearing......my V6 CTS will DESTROY my C6 in a top-gear acceleration run from 70-90......

The C6 is gutless in sixth gear....

But it delivers the goods.....

[RBB]

Overall, I guess considering the engine response at cruise and the high speeds I like to travel, anything over 20mpg is okay.......but it's still less than I expected. My Mazda6 V6 5-speed would average about 25mpg on straight freeway cruises at 85-90mph. The Corvette does 27mpg at the same speeds.....but then again, it's pulling less than 2,000rpms even at 85mph.

Interesting comparison, since top-gear ratio on my V6 5-speed Mazda6 is one of the main (though minor - turning ratio is the other) complaints with the car. At 80 MPH, I'm turning about 3300 RPM, IIRC, and it's a hair over 2900 RPM at 60 MPH. I've thought for a while it could use another cog, or at least a taller 5th gear - though as with your CTS, it's nice to be able to pass w/o downshifting at all.

I average low-to-mid 20's for fuel consumption in mixed driving, but rarely see anything over 25 mpg even on long hwy trips.

-RBB

[The O.C.]

Interesting comparison, since top-gear ratio on my V6 5-speed Mazda6 is one of the main (though minor - turning ratio is the other) complaints with the car. At 80 MPH, I'm turning about 3300 RPM, IIRC, and it's a hair over 2900 RPM at 60 MPH. I've thought for a while it could use another cog, or at least a taller 5th gear - though as with your CTS, it's nice to be able to pass w/o downshifting at all.

I average low-to-mid 20's for fuel consumption in mixed driving, but rarely see anything over 25 mpg even on long hwy trips.

-RBB

Low-to-mid 20's is what I averaged with my Mazda6 manual too......

On the trip BACK from Phoenix, at a 90-mph, cruise-controlled run......I got an almost-identical 21.7mpg compared to the trip out there. While in Phoenix driving around, I got 17.6mpg. I took closer inspection of the tach....and at 90, the car is turning a hair (and I mean a hair) over 3,000rpms.

Overall, I'm averaging 17-18mpg in the CTS in day-to-day commuting.....but remember most of my commute is 75-80mph cruise control as I go against traffic......I expect better mileage.....but overall it's not a "deal-killer" for me.

It just pisses me off because I passed on the v-Series simply because I wanted a similar car (CTS "Sport") without the fuel economy of the V8. I bet a v-Series would be getting pretty similar mileage (if not BETTER) than what I'm getting with the 3.6L HF V6.

[AAS]

But... at least you can use 87 octane in the 3.6L

[The O.C.]

But... at least you can use 87 octane in the 3.6L

It requires 89 octane actually if you read the manual (which I did.)

That's what I put in it.

Yes, technically 87 will not hurt it because of the knock sensor, but it does "require" 89-octane.

[AAS]

It requires 89 octane actually if you read the manual (which I did.)

That's what I put in it.

Yes, technically 87 will not hurt it because of the knock sensor, but it does "require" 89-octane.

I did read the manual, and I understood it to say something like "the engine runs on 87... and 89 is fine too (or necessary if it starts knocking)." I'm going to have to re-read that section when I get back to SD.

[The O.C.]

I did read the manual, and I understood it to say something like "the engine runs on 87... and 89 is fine too (or necessary if it starts knocking)." I'm going to have to re-read that section when I get back to SD.

I quote:

"If your vehicle has the 3.6L V6 engine (VIN Code 7), use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 87 or higher. For best performance or trailer towing, you may choose to use middle grade 89 octane unleaded gasoline."

Okay....so not definitive, but when something tells me "for best performance" to me that means that 89 is pretty much required. Yes, you can run it on 87 (which is good for GM's advertising, etc.) and the knock sensor will compensate.....but they still DID add those words "for best performance" so 89 is definitely what I use.

To use the Mazda6 as an example (3.0L, DOHC, 24-valve V6).....THAT car really did only require 87 octane and never said anything in the owner's manual about using 89 or higher "for best performance....." Therefore, 87 is all I ever put in it.

Edited January 3, 2007 by The O.C.

[regfootball]

i love your car, majorly jealous.

[The O.C.]

i love your car, majorly jealous.

:AH-HA_wink:

You know what? I love it too......

That's why I'm kinda underwhelmed by the new one......

[Spike]

To this day, I keep harping on the dealer and GM about the navigation issue.

It's not that I really care all that much if I have it or not......it just seems like an absolutely ridiculous thing that you CAN'T get it with the Sport package.....and I want SOMEONE to be able to tell me....WHY...?

I always assumed that it is because of the tire pressure monitoring system on the 18 inch wheel sport packages. Since it is in the instrument cluster in the CTS-V, and the DIC in the regular CTS, maybe it was an issue configuring TPMS with the navigation system?

[The O.C.]

I always assumed that it is because of the tire pressure monitoring system on the 18 inch wheel sport packages. Since it is in the instrument cluster in the CTS-V, and the DIC in the regular CTS, maybe it was an issue configuring TPMS with the navigation system?

Well, they still have all the other readouts for the DIC that they've somehow configured for the nav system.......or why didn't they move the TPMS into the IP like on the v-series?.....and doesn't the 17-inch "sport" package also offer a TPMS?