I appear to be following in Soup DeVille's footsteps ... PICS ON PAGE 3

[Vinsanity]

... because after my little romp owning an S2000, I now have a sweet Cadillac

Okay, so it's a CTS ... but I still think it's sweet I even looked at another Volvo S40 (non-turbo) today before I went to the Cadillac dealer, but once I sat in this car, I realized that this is the car I've really wanted since I saw it on autotrader. The Volvo vs. Cadillac decision was a classic needs vs. wants issue (the Volvo was $3,000 cheaper). The Volvo was a nice ride, but "needs" didn't stand a fighting chance. And besides, the Caddy dealer pulled the GMAC card to get me a much better financing rate. So my practical side is satisfied too

Secretly, I've always liked the way this car drives over the TL. It feels more solid and planted. Kind of like an old Mercedes S-Class. The TL kind of felt like a Honda Accord in a rented tux (one thing that always made me jealous of my brother's G35 was the underpinnings: his car has fancy 350Z blood while my car had homely Accord roots). So I'm proud to say, no lowly Chevrolet commonalities here (edit: ok I just remembered that the new Malibu now has this engine, but besides that...), just fine American ingenuity from one of GM's finest hours (wow, trolling is kinda fun, but also kinda awkward)

So unforunately, I won't be able to borrow my dad's good camera until I visit their house this weekend, so here are some "spoiler" pics from the autotrader ad:

[cawimmer430]

Let me the first to say:

CONGRATULATIONS!

[omicron]

Seeing that reminds me just how remarkable the change is for the second generation CTS.

Congratulations, young Sanity! Of course, you should have bought a lovely '65 Fleetwood, but I shan't necessarily hold this against you.

[cawimmer430]

Actually you should have bought a '76 Eldorado and live at a gas station. 

[omicron]

Actually you should have bought a '76 Eldorado and live at a gas station. 

That's my place

[Vinsanity]

Thank you, my good fellows

Although my heart does long for a "real" Cadillac (pre-oil embargo), alas, I do have to pay for things like fuel and maintenance (but not for repairs for the next 76,000 miles! oh snap!)

[omicron]

Thank you, my good fellows

Although my heart does long for a "real" Cadillac (pre-oil embargo), alas, I do have to pay for things like fuel and maintenance (but not for repairs for the next 76,000 miles! oh snap!)

Cadillacs pre-1984 run on effervescence.

[Vinsanity]

mmm...effervescence. I can taste it now

[cawimmer430]

That's my place

Thread Hijack Mode On

Check this out. 

Mercedes-Benz Actross "110" Special Edition for Australia

Mercedes is offering a "Roadtrain" version of the Actros for Australia that is capable of towing 110 tons of freight. It's powered by the most powerful Actros engine, 598-horsepower V8 Turbodiesel that is also equipped with BlueTec-4 because Australia is planning on adapting Euro-4 emission standards by 2008.




Thread Hijack Mode Off

[SJ_GTI]

Wait, so you went from an S2000, to a TL, to a CTS?

Seems like an odd transition, but congrats!

I test drove a CTS a couple of years ago. It reminded me of a 5-series (though a little more softly sprung) in the way it drove, though obviously it doesn't look anything like a BMW.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Pretty car! Needs a turbo, though.

[Vinsanity]

Wait, so you went from an S2000, to a TL, to a CTS?

Seems like an odd transition, but congrats!

I test drove a CTS a couple of years ago. It reminded me of a 5-series (though a little more softly sprung) in the way it drove, though obviously it doesn't look anything like a BMW.

lol, the s2000 is really the anomaly in my car history, because before that, I had an Infiniti Q45 (my brother needed to sell his s2000, so I bought it "on a whim" just to see what it would be like, lol)

I do recall that Cadillac benchmarked the BMW E39 when they were developing this car. So I suppose that explains the uncanny characteristic. But I've never driven an E39, so the closest thing I can compare it to is a W124

[cawimmer430]

Wait, so you went from an S2000, to a TL, to a CTS?

Basically, from boy racer car to intelligent young man car to extremely old and frail man car. 

[Vinsanity]

Basically, from boy racer car to intelligent young man car to extremely old and frail man car. 

part of me wished I bought a Lexus ES just to see how this thread would turn out

[SJ_GTI]

You need some rimz, yo.

[Rich]

You need some rimz, yo.

And about 10-20mm less offset on the rear wheels and about 10 less on the fronts

[Vinsanity]

You need some rimz, yo.

I know!

I can't wait for the tread to wear down on these tires (that way I'll have all the excuse in the world to blow $2 grand+ on a rim/tire set); I already have the ones I want picked out on tirerack.com

[CALL_911]

Congrats.

Now get your S2K back. 

(just kidding)

[TheIntrepid]

Nice find. Not a fan of the colour, but I like the CTS nevertheless.

[Vinsanity]

Congrats.

Now get your S2K back. 

(just kidding)

LOL. I wish.

That would make me quite the man, though. At least until I have to issue another rent check

[SaltyDog]

Congrats!

You need some rimz, yo.

Double Douces!

[Vinsanity]

Congrats!

Double Douces!

lol. I dunno if I have the balls to go +6

I know it's soo 2004, but I guess I'll just be a poser and stick to regular dubs

[Eye of the Tiger]

lol. I dunno if I have the balls to go +6

I know it's soo 2004, but I guess I'll just be a poser and stick to regular dubs

Well, then, at least get straight pipes.

[SaltyDog]

lol. I dunno if I have the balls to go +6

I know it's soo 2004, but I guess I'll just be a poser and stick to regular dubs

Nah I'm not at all serious, should have put a smiley in

[Vinsanity]

Well, then, at least get straight pipes.

Again. I'm still just a poser, so I'll probably just go with a pair of Flowmasters

Nah I'm not at all serious, should have put a smiley in

Oh, I know...I'm still getting some dubs, though
(prolly not really the Floamasters, though)

[Raghavan]

Nice car!
At least it's RWD.


You should've gone for the CTS-V.

[the Teuton]

Congrats!  How does it compare with your old TL?

[Vinsanity]

Nice car!
At least it's RWD.


You should've gone for the CTS-V.

Hey! I heard that

[Raza]

Another automatic?

Come on, man!  It's the big engine at least, right?

[Vinsanity]

Congrats!  How does it compare with your old TL?

I do prefer how this drives over the TL. I agree with early publications that Cadillac did their homework in designing a competitive sport sedan. It doesn't feel as light on its feet as the TL, but it has a much more "planted" feeling. What's amusing me most right now is the engine sound. It's not as refined as the TL, but compared to that car, it sounds like an actual engine (whereas the TL sounded like mpeg files from racing games were planted in the trunk and under the hood to masquerade as an actual engine)

But as far as actual power is concerned, it's 3 hp down on the TL, but 20 lb/ft up, so it doesn't seem to be bothered by whatever extra mass it seems to be lugging around.

Neither of these are track warriors, but out of the two, the TL feels more willing to drive spiritedly, while the CTS inspires more confidence going down back roads. It sounds weird, but it's hard to explain.