CTS V Coupe vs 370Z

JWillis72 · 12-19-2013, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spearfish25

Reviving the dead here, but I can attest to the comments of the OP. I traded my 370Z for a CTS-V Wagon. No question the Vagon is much faster than the Z. I did get the Recaros and the manual transmission which if FAR better than the crappy auto tranny they put in the CTS-V. But it's absolutely a luxury car over a sports car. The exhaust has a mild rumble since the sound deadening is so effective and there's no hiding it's a heavy car in the corners. It's what I'd call an 'autobahn burner'. It's an absolute freight train on highway trips and can do triple digit speeds effortlessly. When you pass a car on a two lane road in a fraction of a second and look down to see you're doing 130mph about 5 seconds later, you appreciate the benefits of a large displacement blown V8. I've been driving it a minimum of 60 miles a day since May when I traded in the Z.

And after all that...

I just told my wife and father today that I miss my Z. It was a much more fun car. The CTS-V is great, practical, and super fast, but it just doesn't stir my soul like the Z did.

I'm surprised at that, there was one at Sebring in October that impressed the hell out of me. I assumed they felt very sporty by the way it got around the track.

Tigger · 12-19-2013, 07:52 PM

Once again... two different cars. In the end, it is really all about you. Not the car.

DEpointfive0 · 12-19-2013, 07:32 PM

^Sweet!!!

spearfish25 · 12-19-2013, 08:07 PM

Don't get me wrong, the CTS-V will amaze the daylights out of you the first time you drop the hammer and see how it can go like a bat out of hell. I've never felt like I need more power in the V but I did in my Z.

There were a few things about the Z that I miss. I had the Stillen CBE and some high flow cats which made the car a blast to drive. The sound was perfect. The steering in the Z is some of the best I've ever experienced. Frankly, I think the Z's steering feel trumps that of the M3 and the new Porsches I've had a chance to drive. The V has artificial weighted steering that doesn't compare. It can grip in the corners but you always know you're piloting a giant and not a gymnast.

I think the Vagon is a perfect every day driver kind of car. It'll cost you a fortune as a track day car because it will vaporize tires and brakes with its weight. If I had the Z still, the Vagon would be my daily driver and the Z would be my weekend fun toy. I need the utility of the Vagon given my 7 month old daughter who needs to ride in the back and the dog that goes in the way way back. Also, the Vagon is a tank and does amazingly well in accidents. It's the perfect balance of utility, sport, speed, and family car. But I now understand that paying more for a car doesn't mean it will give more pleasure. In fact, I think that the more I pay for a car, the more critical I am of the car and its flaws. If I ever drop $130k on a 911 GT3, I will critique the hell out of it and be very unhappy with any shortcomings. And then I'll just say I miss my Z again.

Living in Naples has been interesting though. In the 8 months I've been here, I've seen 3 SLS AMGs, 2 Ferrari 599s, 2 458s, a McLaren 12C Alpha (6 in the world), innumerable Rolls and Bentleys, Lambos out the wazoo, and a total of 0 other V-wagons. Either I have poor taste or it's just a rare car.

JWillis72 · 12-20-2013, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spearfish25

Don't get me wrong, the CTS-V will amaze the daylights out of you the first time you drop the hammer and see how it can go like a bat out of hell. I've never felt like I need more power in the V but I did in my Z.

There were a few things about the Z that I miss. I had the Stillen CBE and some high flow cats which made the car a blast to drive. The sound was perfect. The steering in the Z is some of the best I've ever experienced. Frankly, I think the Z's steering feel trumps that of the M3 and the new Porsches I've had a chance to drive. The V has artificial weighted steering that doesn't compare. It can grip in the corners but you always know you're piloting a giant and not a gymnast.

I think the Vagon is a perfect every day driver kind of car. It'll cost you a fortune as a track day car because it will vaporize tires and brakes with its weight. If I had the Z still, the Vagon would be my daily driver and the Z would be my weekend fun toy. I need the utility of the Vagon given my 7 month old daughter who needs to ride in the back and the dog that goes in the way way back. Also, the Vagon is a tank and does amazingly well in accidents. It's the perfect balance of utility, sport, speed, and family car. But I now understand that paying more for a car doesn't mean it will give more pleasure. In fact, I think that the more I pay for a car, the more critical I am of the car and its flaws. If I ever drop $130k on a 911 GT3, I will critique the hell out of it and be very unhappy with any shortcomings. And then I'll just say I miss my Z again.

Living in Naples has been interesting though. In the 8 months I've been here, I've seen 3 SLS AMGs, 2 Ferrari 599s, 2 458s, a McLaren 12C Alpha (6 in the world), innumerable Rolls and Bentleys, Lambos out the wazoo, and a total of 0 other V-wagons. Either I have poor taste or it's just a rare car.

The next 4 months will amaze you even more! When the snowbirds are here the super car double or triple around Naples. I'm in all of the top neighborhoods around Naples for work all the time and it never stops amazing me how many garage full of crazy cars there are in that town. Just Port Royal alone is mind boggling!

ParkStr8 · 12-20-2013, 08:49 AM

Ok - just have to point out one thing. It is NOT a 50k car, they start at 64k and go to 72. The 50k was for a 2011 which is now essentially 3 years old.

So - basically 2x the price. and NOT 2X the car.

waaaasabi · 12-20-2013, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spearfish25

There were a few things about the Z that I miss. I had the Stillen CBE and some high flow cats which made the car a blast to drive. The sound was perfect. The steering in the Z is some of the best I've ever experienced. Frankly, I think the Z's steering feel trumps that of the M3 and the new Porsches I've had a chance to drive. The V has artificial weighted steering that doesn't compare. It can grip in the corners but you always know you're piloting a giant and not a gymnast.

I think that's a really good summation of the car's driving feeling - on paper it can produce some really spectacular numbers, especially in comparison to the Z, but it does without feeling completely natural, if that makes sense. Perhaps the same analogy can be said of going from any small car to a bigger one, though; for example, going from my friend's S2000 or my Civic into the Z, and the Z feels much bigger.

Also congrats on the V-Wagon; it is indeed a pretty rare (and pretty) sight!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ParkStr8

Ok - just have to point out one thing. It is NOT a 50k car, they start at 64k and go to 72. The 50k was for a 2011 which is now essentially 3 years old.

So - basically 2x the price. and NOT 2X the car.

Why isn't it 2x the car?

Chuck33079 · 12-20-2013, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ParkStr8

Ok - just have to point out one thing. It is NOT a 50k car, they start at 64k and go to 72. The 50k was for a 2011 which is now essentially 3 years old.

So - basically 2x the price. and NOT 2X the car.

Yeah, the one I was looking at before I bought my Z was $72k. That's with the Recaros, which you should not consider buying the V without. They're unbelieveable. They're also a $3k option.

If they had been willing to sell me the car under $70k all in, I'd be in it right now. It's a fantastic vehicle. I love magnetic ride control. Sporty when you want it to be, a Cadillac when you want it to be comfy. Not to mention that making more power is unbelievably easy, and far cheaper than on the Z. There was just no way in hell I was spending $70k on a GM product. No way in hell.

kenchan · 12-20-2013, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

Yeah, the one I was looking at before I bought my Z was $72k. That's with the Recaros, which you should not consider buying the V without. They're unbelieveable. They're also a $3k option.

If they had been willing to sell me the car under $70k all in, I'd be in it right now. It's a fantastic vehicle. I love magnetic ride control. Sporty when you want it to be, a Cadillac when you want it to be comfy. Not to mention that making more power is unbelievably easy, and far cheaper than on the Z. There was just no way in hell I was spending $70k on a GM product. No way in hell.

to me, the moment someone says caddy, it instantly triggers a geezer image in my head. which is fine if a true geezer in his 60's+ is driving it i suppose.

Ghostvette · 12-20-2013, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

to me, the moment someone says caddy, it instantly triggers a geezer image in my head. which is fine if a true geezer in his 60's+ is driving it i suppose.

Hey now, I almost resemble that remark....

kenchan · 12-20-2013, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghostvette

Hey now, I almost resemble that remark....

sorry, 61+ then?

Chuck33079 · 12-20-2013, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

to me, the moment someone says caddy, it instantly triggers a geezer image in my head. which is fine if a true geezer in his 60's+ is driving it i suppose.

Really? That's pretty outdated. These days, I think more "rapper or athlete" than "geezer".

kenchan · 12-20-2013, 09:46 AM

why we comparing our Z to a geezer mobile still?

are you those types that get excited when gray hair starts?

waaaasabi · 12-20-2013, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

why we comparing our Z to a geezer mobile still?

are you those types that get excited when gray hair starts?

If I ever have to grow up, I would drive something like this:

Chuck33079 · 12-20-2013, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waaaasabi

If I ever have to grow up, I would drive something like this:

Lord Vader, your grocery-getter is ready.

12-19-2013, 07:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
DEpointfive0 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 14,824 Drives: a lot Rep Power: 17153	^Sweet!!! __________________ Do YOU want to know what/where I got my username from? ( Click to show/hide ) NSFW due to language:

12-19-2013, 08:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
spearfish25 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 4,117 Drives: to work Rep Power: 1858	Don't get me wrong, the CTS-V will amaze the daylights out of you the first time you drop the hammer and see how it can go like a bat out of hell. I've never felt like I need more power in the V but I did in my Z. There were a few things about the Z that I miss. I had the Stillen CBE and some high flow cats which made the car a blast to drive. The sound was perfect. The steering in the Z is some of the best I've ever experienced. Frankly, I think the Z's steering feel trumps that of the M3 and the new Porsches I've had a chance to drive. The V has artificial weighted steering that doesn't compare. It can grip in the corners but you always know you're piloting a giant and not a gymnast. I think the Vagon is a perfect every day driver kind of car. It'll cost you a fortune as a track day car because it will vaporize tires and brakes with its weight. If I had the Z still, the Vagon would be my daily driver and the Z would be my weekend fun toy. I need the utility of the Vagon given my 7 month old daughter who needs to ride in the back and the dog that goes in the way way back. Also, the Vagon is a tank and does amazingly well in accidents. It's the perfect balance of utility, sport, speed, and family car. But I now understand that paying more for a car doesn't mean it will give more pleasure. In fact, I think that the more I pay for a car, the more critical I am of the car and its flaws. If I ever drop $130k on a 911 GT3, I will critique the hell out of it and be very unhappy with any shortcomings. And then I'll just say I miss my Z again. Living in Naples has been interesting though. In the 8 months I've been here, I've seen 3 SLS AMGs, 2 Ferrari 599s, 2 458s, a McLaren 12C Alpha (6 in the world), innumerable Rolls and Bentleys, Lambos out the wazoo, and a total of 0 other V-wagons. Either I have poor taste or it's just a rare car. waaaasabi and zefaulter like this. __________________ 2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z Last edited by spearfish25; 12-19-2013 at 08:14 PM.

12-20-2013, 08:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
ParkStr8 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dallas, Tx Posts: 361 Drives: 2015 370z Sport Tech Rep Power: 18	Ok - just have to point out one thing. It is NOT a 50k car, they start at 64k and go to 72. The 50k was for a 2011 which is now essentially 3 years old. So - basically 2x the price. and NOT 2X the car. Last edited by ParkStr8; 12-20-2013 at 08:52 AM.

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12-19-2013, 07:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tigger A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: NM Posts: 8,063 Drives: Awedeeeeee Rep Power: 604	Once again... two different cars. In the end, it is really all about you. Not the car.

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kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141522	why we comparing our Z to a geezer mobile still? are you those types that get excited when gray hair starts?