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  • WilberM3

    Feb. 7, 2011 12:18 a.m. WilberM3 HalfDork

    just ran across a 2004 5sp 3.2L V6 with 133k for under $5k and though i previously wouldnt have thought about any CTS but a delicious V8 version budget dictates otherwise. so i'm thinking that perhaps a v6 model with a 5sp could be reasonably entertaining while being a decent sitting room for highway trips.

    unfortunately it looks like this one's the timing belted 3.2L and down 35hp from the newer 3.6L, but its close enough to me i may just check it out anyway.
    would one of these be a horrible pain in my butt owning one?

  • Twin_Cam

    Feb. 7, 2011 6:59 a.m. Twin_Cam SuperDork

    Wow. I'm amazed you found one. I only came across one working at a Cadillac dealer for three and a half years. I remember it being reasonably good to drive, although the clutch suffers from the same problem as the 'V' model's clutch...i.e. it's pressure on your foot isn't linear, the further from the floor, the more it pushes your foot. Very hard to get a smooth start.

    I can't recall any glaring issues with the CTS. The interiors are pretty bad, but if you don't notice that sort of thing, it's ok. Some years didn't have a coolant temp. gauge, which would annoy me. And the price seems to be right.

    Again, this is gleaned from working at a dealer...never lived with one day-to-day, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

  • ZOO

    Feb. 7, 2011 7:31 a.m. ZOO SuperDork

    I watched one at a SOLO 1 track day event one time. It acquitted itself quite competently -- it appeared stock, with the exception of R-compounds.

  • MrJoshua

    Feb. 7, 2011 7:54 a.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

    It would constantly make me sad that I didn't have 400hp.

  • John Brown

    Feb. 7, 2011 7:57 a.m. John Brown SuperDork

    Be prepared to replace suspension bits at an B5 Audi/VW rate

  • miatame

    Feb. 7, 2011 7:58 a.m. miatame Reader

    But on the plus side you know that an LS2 will bolt into the engine bay ;)

  • Junkyard_Dog

    Feb. 7, 2011 8:05 a.m. Junkyard_Dog Dork

    miatame wrote:

    But on the plus side you know that an LS2 will bolt into the engine bay ;)

    Anybody attempted that yet? As the older base models get cheaper that sounds like a great way to a CTS-V, and its stealthy to boot.

  • WilberM3

    Feb. 7, 2011 9:03 a.m. WilberM3 HalfDork

    John Brown wrote:

    Be prepared to replace suspension bits at an B5 Audi/VW rate

    i dont like the sound of that. lots of ball joints? under suspended?

    I'm more worried about the timing belted engine, which appears to be interference, and other related issues with which i may be totally unfamiliar.

  • dculberson

    Feb. 7, 2011 9:09 a.m. dculberson Reader

    Anybody attempted that yet? As the older base models get cheaper that sounds like a great way to a CTS-V, and its stealthy to boot.

    I only know of one third-hand, but it does exist. I don't know anything about the details of it, so have no idea how hard it was to do. Seems like you'd be able to order most of the parts from GM.

  • John Brown

    Feb. 7, 2011 9:52 a.m. John Brown SuperDork

    WilberM3 wrote:

    John Brown wrote:

    Be prepared to replace suspension bits at an B5 Audi/VW rate

    i dont like the sound of that. lots of ball joints? under suspended?

    I'm more worried about the timing belted engine, which appears to be interference, and other related issues with which i may be totally unfamiliar.

    Seem to wear bushings and joints a LOT. The aftermarket has not embraced them well. I would stay well ahead of the timing belt issue as well as they ARE interference engines. Also I believe you want to tetorque head bolts often as they can come loose causing coolant loss (I am assuming this is an actual problem, we have seen two milkers in the used car lanes here at the dealer and both had similar 120K+ mileage)

  • DWNSHFT

    Feb. 12, 2011 12:18 p.m. DWNSHFT Reader

    My experience with them tended toward a more extreme use. But I liked them and found them to be an attractive, good-driving BMW fighter. Power was decent, clutch feel wasn't good, interior looked pretty good but with hard plastic. Open differential really made you work to drift it.

    David

  • belteshazzar

    Feb. 12, 2011 3:32 p.m. belteshazzar SuperDork

    Isn't that a Getrag 260? (same as an E30, but different bell housing pattern)

  • mmosbey

    Feb. 13, 2011 10:41 a.m. mmosbey New Reader

    Test drove one once. It felt heavy, slow, and unsporting relative to the C230 sport sedan of similar age. I actually like the interior. I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't seem like a fun car to me.

    I realize that's contrary to every professional motor journalist's opinion, and I'm a random guy on the internet, so grain of salt and all that.

 
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