toyotabike

Anyone went from C5Z to CTS V? I would like to know is the fun factor almost the same. Looking for a nicer smoother ride that holds at least 4 people and easier to get in and out of the car.

Thanks

TXGS507

Waiting for Zach.... He just sold his C5Z and picked up a newer V..... Wait for a min... He'll be here.

grantv

Consider an M3 if funds permit and you're flexible on the swap. Much nicer car than the Caddy IMO.

JerriVette

The Ct v is a hell of a sports sedan. I loved my c5 z06. I always enjoyed driving a cts v. The car is a beast. 2nd generation is the preferred value proposition.

TommyTomlin

Fun factor....not even close. We have a V wagon with an HPE700 kit on it. Yea it goes pretty well but its not the same feeling you get in a vette. Now on the other hand, the V is in my opinion a fantastic daily. Goes well, stops well, looks great and rides fantastic. If your really looking, the Wagon is needing to be sold.

toyotabike

I had a E46 M3 and it was slow IMO. Plus the car seems to be a maintenance nightmare. Every time I park it I hope it would start up without any issues.

Would a GTR or a Maserati Grantourismo be comparable?

Dont want unreliable cars

1Willy1

I'm astonished to see so many bmw's and german cars on the road as they are complete nightmares maintenance and reliability wise

Ive heard the V is a fun car but only in manual, in auto its boring and not worth the money.

Not sure what your budget is but right now is a great time to be a car enthusiast, so many options and opportunities

If I was to sell my Z for another "fun" car , id be looking at a gen 2 or early gen 3 dodge viper , or a dodge challenger.

I'm not into mustangs but they are a great value as well

toyotabike

Car cant be a fun only car as I am going to need 4 seats.

People usually buy BMW and Mercedes with warranty. Then sell them afterwards

Another option would be the 996/997 turbo

TommyTomlin

Where are you finding 4 seats in those??

TommyTomlin

I should re-phrase....

...4 usable seats?

grantv

Fully respect your choice, but for 17 years before my Z all I owned were BMW's. Crazy dependable IME. E46 might not cut it for power compared to a C5Z tho...

Z0SIS

I've had my share of BMW's, most recently an E60 M5 with the 6 speed manual - an absolutely fantastic car but the maintenance costs are just absurd. Anytime something popped up, I just cringed. And $205 oil changes to boot...

3sACROWD

We had a member by the name of Toque aka Mark that sold his Z06 and moved to a V. His site is www.toquez06.com. He is well known on this forum and had an exceptionally nice Z. Try his website. He likely has a link to contact him on the site.

MY03C5Z

Curious what is so special about a bmw oil change? I can get 7 quarts of M1 & k&n filter for my z for $50. Are you not allowed to change the oil yourself when under warranty with a bmw?

Z0SIS

Well its 10W-60 which is $15/litre @9-10 liters per change plus the overall BMW service premium. Yes I could change it myself it would still cost near $150 to do it.

2003Evo

If you are considering a second gen cts-v do it and dont look back. Cant compare it to the c5z, since the V has a lot better interior very nice seats (find one with recaros) and the lsa engine is superb. I have driven both auto and manual and they both perform well it just comes down how practical you want the car to be. You can easily make over 600whp with basic bolt ons.
Second gen cts chassis is very nice as well, i have a 2012 v6 cts and it rides like its on rails, and body roll is non existence. Also know that these cars are tight inside even though they look big, they are not. If I was you I would try one with everyone in the car, but either way I would def get a ctsv over any euro 4 door sports car. Cts-v is on my next daily list as well.

MY03C5Z

Ok, never even heard of 10w/60 here in the us. I assume you're in Europe?

Z0SIS

Nope, I'm here in the good 'ol US. Its readily available here, and was specifically designed for the E92 and E60 M3 and M5.

https://www.amazon.com/Castrol-10W-6.../dp/B00AED05PS

jpandes

I just bought a CTS-V wagon A6/Recaros/MoonRoof and I love it! I bought car a couple months ago from a guy in Reno, NV and drove it home 185 miles back to the SF Bay Area. It was a great way to get to know my new-to-me car. Driving down the mountain on I-80 through the sweeping curves was awesome. The car is deceptively fast! I say its "deceptive" because the car is so refined and quiet inside the cabin. When you step on the gas the gar just GOES without any drama. It will drop from 6th to 3rd if you go WOT and you'll be hitting 130mph in a blink of an eye. I was surprised at how fast I was going a few times, I had to laugh out loud. Some guys on the forum say that its too quiet. I actually like it quiet. If I want nasty, loud & obnoxious, I'll go drive my C5Z with LT's

The suspension is also really ******* good! (believe the hype) The auto journalists that cream their pants about how good the Magnetic Ride suspension are not exaggerating. The ride quality and handling is excellent and confidence inspiring. The suspension actually makes the car feel lighter than it is. The car is literally 1,200 lbs heavier than the Z!

The one thing that I don't love is the gas mileage. I averaged 17.7 mpg on the highway on my drive home from Reno. its about 30% worse than the Z. But who cares! I have 556 hp/551 ft.lbs in a station wagon- Woo-Hoo!

How does it compare to the Z? It doesn't, to me anyway...it's apples to oranges. My Z isn't the fastest Z out there with only 450 rwhp(and badly in need of a tune) But, it feels faster and way more raw than the CTS-V. It's lighter and louder and not luxurious in anyway, just the way I like it. I love them both in different ways and I plan to keep them

One more thing, Stage 1 CTS-V mods with only an upper blower pulley, higher flowing injectors, CAI & a real tune can result in gains of ~90 rwhp ($1,500-2,000). Yeah, I'll be doing that soon... Here's a pic. I installed Eibach Springs and some 20" Concept One CS6 Wheels

CS6 Eibachs by jpandes1, on Flickr

MY03C5Z

I had my z dynod after I got it a few years ago when it was stock. It did 363rwhp. The guy before me dynod his stock '11 ctsv wagon and it put down 490rwhp! I was really impressed! They are sweet cars, congrats.