Learn Me Cadillac CTS

I drove a CTS-V recently and am in love. I can't afford a CTS-V, though, so I was thinking of getting an older, V6 CTS that I can use as a DD until the CTS-V depreciates enough or until I can afford to just swap an LS into said V6 car.

I've recently seen some early CTSs advertised, with over 100K, for under $5000. How good or terrible are these cars?

While I like the CTS-V. A LOT. It will never depreciate to the range where I will be able to snatch one up.

The CTS seems to be pretty decent. I recently became the shop boss of a Cadillac, Buick, GMC dealer. While I see a few of them for petty wiring issues (Apparently VW is building their wiring because I see the EXACT same problems that the VW dealership had ;) ) The suspension seems pretty adequate and the fact a LS swap is only a grand or so away keeps me looking for the right one.

When I hired in there was a blue CTS Sport manual that was available cheap but a tech grabbed it before my first day. It is getting a V8 swap as we speak. It will be completed for about double Challenge money.

Are V8 swaps really that cheap and easy?

There is a nicely modded 2004 CTS-V on the local ricer forum for $19,500. Not much more than my 2010 Fit really.

I have always lusted after a CTS-V. Sadly it is out of my price range too. Tell me more about the LS swap please. Is it really bolt in? As for the sport manual tell me more please.

John Brown wrote: While I like the CTS-V. A LOT. It will never depreciate to the range where I will be able to snatch one up. The CTS seems to be pretty decent. I recently became the shop boss of a Cadillac, Buick, GMC dealer. While I see a few of them for petty wiring issues (Apparently VW is building their wiring because I see the EXACT same problems that the VW dealership had ;) ) The suspension seems pretty adequate and the fact a LS swap is only a grand or so away keeps me looking for the right one. When I hired in there was a blue CTS Sport manual that was available cheap but a tech grabbed it before my first day. It is getting a V8 swap as we speak. It will be completed for about double Challenge money.

Wait - these are that easy to swap?? Iiinteresting. I rented a V6 one for a wedding - it was REALLY pleasant to drive.

I rented a CTS a few times. For the life of me I don't understand why the designers made the interior such that your knees hit the bottom of the dashboard (Im 5-9). Just ridiculous GM design I suppose that I would ignore if I had the V!

the low end motor (2.8 i think) is a total yawn to drive. Hold out for a 3.6 manual.

My aunt leased one and while its nice it has some issues. The materials on the dash are thin and you will get wear spots in the vinyl.

I looked at a rough V a while back. You can see the cheapness everywhere but that might be forgiven when you put your boot in it depending on how much you paid.

Is it necessary for you to have an additional two doors and more usable trunk space? If not, you could always play around with the idea of buying a used GTO. If it's the performance of the CTS-V that you're in love with... then the GTO, depending on which model you buy, will have just as much of it.

You might be able to find an '04 with high miles for under 10K. Don't be too scared of reliability at this point because the LS blocks are known to go on for quite some time.

All I can offer is do NOT buy an early 04 model.... The one I worked on was one of those and to replace the burned up wiring harness and sockets for the rear taillights, turned into two new taillight assemblies at the tune of $850 for just the lights. According to the Caddy dealer, the late 04 and ups have a replaceable harness.

Besides most of all the CTS's being POS autotragics, I'd have one in half a heartbeat.

Can you easily swap the LSx into a newer model 6 cylinder manual trans car?

My future in-laws have a 3.6L CTS-4 (automatic, of course). I enjoy driving it, though the AWD is a bit strange in how it acts (power transfer to the front wheels and steering feel awkward sometimes). If these things can be made into homebrew CTS-Vs on the relatively cheap, that's news I can use.