Date: October 2011
Months in Fleet: 10 months
Current Mileage: 28,378 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 15 mpg
Average Range: 270 miles
Service: $0
Normal Wear: $1078
Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $1818
Since we last checked in with our long-term Cadillac CTS-V wagon, the car has finally overcome its case of electronic window-itis. A recap: The right rear window kept rolling itself down, most notably doing so once during a carwash. On our third trip to the dealer, techs found corrosion in the door’s wiring harness. They replaced the whole harness, and cavities that could collect water were packed full of dielectric grease to prevent the ailment from returning. While the window has been by far our biggest problem with the V, we’ve had a few other issues, some we can blame on ourselves and a few that we can’t.
One cold morning, a staffer entered the car and noticed the clutch pedal laying on the floor, not in the normal up position. A simple lift of the pedal returned it to the proper place, after which it worked normally, but the spring that handles the duty of keeping the pedal up was out of place and continued to occasionally snag it, trapping the pedal on the floor. Like the window problem, this repair was covered under warranty; also like the window problem, it has happened more than once. So far the clutch-spring fault count is two, although it’s starting to make noise again and we’ll be taking it back to the dealership soon. We’re beginning to wonder if we’re too hard on the third pedal.
Softballs, Science Tricks, and Repair Bills
A softball-sized dent appeared in the right-rear corner of the V, and out of ignorance or embarrassment, nobody claimed responsibility for it. One staff member theorized that a low-pressure pocket had developed beneath the fender, causing the sheetmetal to cave in like the old collapsing-can junior-high-science trick, but his theory has few supporters. A local body shop repaired and refinished the corner for $997.
A second front wheel fell victim to a Michigan pothole, and again we called Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists of Michigan (www.awrsm.com). They come to you and repair damaged wheels on the spot, even repairing curb rash and handling painting. This time, they charged $135 for the 15-minute repair. We’re told that some wheels are too damaged to repair (when the bend travels into the spokes, for example) and cheap aftermarket rims often cost less to replace than fix, but we’re very happy with the service. The convenience of the on-the-spot repair is unbeatable, and $135 is a lot cheaper than the $566 price tag on a new wheel.
Right after the wheel was repaired, one of our road warriors noticed the rear tires were on the wear bars despite having fewer than 20,000 miles on them (winter tires did duty in the snowy months). After a quick hunt for suitable rubber, we opted for OE-replacement Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s because, well, they’re good tires. Besides, the OE PS2s are designed specifically for the CTS-V, as denoted by the “TPC SPEC” marking on the sidewall. Balanced and mounted, they set us back $1078.
A short time later, we availed ourselves of a mobile wheel-repair shop, Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists, to see what it could do for the bent rim. As long as the wheel isn’t carrying a tire, Alloy Wheel will come to you and do its best to set it right. Because the dent was so massive, the technician wasn’t sure he could repair the out-of-round shoe, but he managed to get the wheel to within 0.02 inch of round. This service ran us $120; depending on the damage, it can cost a little more or a little less. Now we have a spare wheel if Michigan’s roads claim another victim.
The Key is the Key
Other than the hefty cost of ownership—primarily due to tires and unfortunate incidents—and a few gremlins that might point an owner to a BMW dealer for his next purchase, we have few complaints regarding the V. Many have noted how clumsy entry can be: When you pull a door handle, there is a clear pause before the door unlocks and opens. For first-timers, an impatient ingress can mean two tugs of the door.
On the other hand, we’re impressed at the real-world durability of the fob overseeing keyless operation. One staffer’s wife ran it through a complete cycle in the washing machine—the alarm going off during the final spin-dry alerted the editor to the fact that his keys were unaccounted for—and it still works flawlessly. (We later performed the same trick with the key to our long-term Jeep Grand Cherokee; the Jeep key proved less robust and needed to be replaced.)
We’re still gushing over our wagon’s power, handling, and ride—not to mention the stealthy wagon shape. Senior online editor Jared Gall has threatened to drive around with his head out the window proclaiming the V’s power in haiku:
Respect this wagon!
Five hundred fifty horses,
My V will eat you.
That the car only is returning 15 mpg is a huge problem for some. At this rate, and if premium gas costs an average of $3.50 per gallon (fingers crossed), 40,000 miles of driving will consume $9333 in gas. But that’s a reality of daily driving a 556-hp car, and we don’t like to think about anything having to do with our V’s odo hitting 40,000 miles. When that happens, we’ll have to give it back.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED: $68,640 (base price: $64,340)
ENGINE TYPE: supercharged and intercooled pushrod 16-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 376 cu in, 6162 cc
Power (SAE net): 556 hp @ 6100 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 551 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 113.4 in Length: 191.3 in
Width: 72.5 in Height: 59.1 in
Curb weight: 4393 lb
PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 4.1 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 9.1 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 15.1 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 21.3 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 4.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.3 sec @ 119 mph
Top speed (drag limited, C/D est): 190 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 158 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.89 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 14/19 mpg
C/D observed: 15 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt
WARRANTY:
4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper;
5 years/100,000 miles powertrain;
6 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection;
5 years/100,000 miles roadside assistance;
4 years/50,000 miles free routine maintenance
Continued…