@@deathdog7161 You my friend are ahead of the curve! You might as well start a nice collection of New Balances and Hawaiian shirts to complement the Corvette in your future.
Had one of these as a rental for a couple weeks in 2006 minus the V. I absolutely LOVED IT!!! Very fast even without the LS beast of an engine. Great handling fun to drive.
@@24bergman I had a 2006 CTS 4 in late 2007 with the 3.2 and it was decently quick. But I upgraded to the 2007 Grand Prix GTP Comp G and that was by far superior where performance came in. The CTS had too many parts similar to the Malibu and G6 at the time and the GP surprisingly has the same options from that exact time. I was very surprised!
I don't ever remember the wagons being affordable. wasn't there only under 1000 made or something i looked it up and am seeing 1200. Id think they flew off the used market shelves
@@drunk3n_m0nk12 GTO interior is worlds nicer than anything else GM built during the time... and it only took being built in Australia to do it... If you think the GTO interior is crap youve never been inside one. Seats are bar none one of the nicest ever.
The best thing about the CTS-V was that it got the ball rolling for Papa GM to finally end the dumpster fire that was the Northstar family of engines. Probably solved 80% of the issues those early 00s caddies by just switching to an LS.
By this te the Northstar was a well sorted engine. It was a quarter century old by the time it was dropped and didn't live up to its hype compared to then new competitors engines. If this car got the STS V supercharged Northstar it would have been just as awesome, but significantly less friendly to hotrodders.
@Mouse Fitzgerald Kids driving around in their Stang GT, at 30% interest, that they'll have to sell after they get demoted for getting caught drinking in the barracks.
Back in the mid 2000s, the commonly joked about enlisted car was the Cobalt SS/SC since the V6 Mustangs were still pretty slow and GM had discontinued the F Body. There was a really good chance that if someone said they owned one new, they were military. Relatively cheap, light, able to be kicked up to 250 HP with a smaller blower pulley and bigger injectors.
There is no E5 mafia. Those dudes sold out and left the real mafia for a little bit of pay and a mild amount of responsibility. That being said, this is absolutely a car an E5 gets within 48 hours of their pinning ceremony, and you bet your ass I want one at mine.
Cadillac CTS-V: The official car of "getting complaints at the apartment complex because your 100lb Pitbull is violating the lease agreement and your pounding trap music at 2AM is waking the neighbors"
Ah yes Dickson North Dakota. I drove across the country once stopped in Fargo for a drink and a hotel. Ended up having more than just a drink and in my youthful idiocracy decided to make more progress. Drove across that straight highway 94 blitzed at 2am. Woke up in my car at some park in Dickson
@@willdowns1745 nope, 3rd gen. Usually the one near the driver-side vent gets my cup because it's easy to reach, tho. The cupholders in the center console are in front of the shifter, so they don't get in the way.
A bit random but still about cupholders this reminded me of: As a German delving into American TH-cam Car Reviewers i always wondered what the obsession with Americans and Cupholders is and how especially in pre-2000s German and other European Cars the lack of Cupholders or placement of Cupholders was a major complaint until i found out why Cupholders have been super important and standard in American Cars since a long time: Drive-In & Drive-Thru Food Places and how normal those have been in the USA since a long time. Over here we also have American Fast Food Places (Mainly just McD, BK, KFC have Drive-Thru) but i still remember how in the early 1990s they were mostly in the center of Cities and at the Airport or Train Station, so they didn't have Drive-Thru. So in case anyone else wondered why most German and other European Cars pre-2000s didn't have Cupholders or just some Clip-on as Accessoires, now you know why. Also: As a Kid in the early 1990s when our Family would drive to the Netherlands or somewhere else with a long drive i remember we would always put the Soda Cans and Bottles in cheap clip-on Cupholders, it was normal and nobody expected Cars to come with Cupholders. Fascinating and weird how that differed between America and over here Prost & Cheers from the Berchtesgadener Land in the Bavarian Alps
@@mattskull16 Yeah, I've seen two 2nd gen Escorts in relatively good condition still being driven over the last 6 months. Both were the wagon models. (no visible rust, after all desert southwest car) Hardly ever see them anymore, remember when they were plentiful. I preferred the 2nd gen look over the 1st or 3rd gen, especially the more bulbus rounded look of the 3rd gen. The 2nd gen is closer to the European look i remember seeing when I was in Germany in the early 80's, and the early to late 90's 5th gen European Escort. I didn't realize tell later the Mazda 323/Protegé were built on the same platform with Ford. If you got the GT or LX-E, it came with the Mazda higher horsepower engine.
The mid to late 2000s were a really great time for cools cars. The LS' ability to lope around is incredible. You can legitimately get close to 30 mpg or more on a long trip.
Honestly i think now is the last hooraah for gas cars and a very good time to be a car guy. You can get a hellcat with 707 hp for roughly 50k and now all these older 400+ hp cars are getting affordable to the point where 18yr old timmy can get himself into one without breaking the bank. Almost anyone can afford a sub 5second 0-60 car thse days with the exception of the current market
I’ve got a cammed 04 V1, absolutely love it for what it is. Flaws and all. And I agree with the cupholder statement. I put my drinks in the rear cupholder, and replaced the armrest with one from a base model. It’s definitely more of a drivers car than the later ones from how light it is compared to later generations.
I bought a 2006 CTS-V last year after previously having a C5 and another sedan, it is the best of both worlds. Interior isn’t much to write home about but it’s comfy enough, great fun to drive and the best road trip car. 🇺🇸
My thoughts as well. I love the Corvette, but I wanted something more practical, and the added benefit over a Camaro/Challenger/Mustang is that you can actually see all around the car without too much car blocking your view.
I finally bought a V1 this year after looking for a long time for the right one. Already knowing most of the flaws, holy hell was I suprised on the titanics steering wheel they used in these. You can do a U-turn by turning the wheel 5” all in all, I absolutely love this car and the 7yr old inspired interior design!
I was delivering these cars when they first came out and one thing that impresssed me was the brake rotors were the size of serving platters. The other thing was that the dealers were having to replace a lot of cracked differntial housings.
"Do you want to drive a Kid Rock song?" is what earned the attention of the New Yorker! Are you ever going to auction off something weird & shlocky like a mint condition Geo Storm or Turbo Capri convertible?
It does suck, and the NAV was outdated in 2004, but you get used to it. I installed a Hurst shifter and that ties everything together more than the truck stick it used to have.
Whenever i see a Cadillac CTS-V, my brain goes to three things: James May complaning about his Cadillac in the Top Gear 'Merica special 1320's street racing videos Asphalt 8 (ew)
Your tribute to Dennis Wilson's song in here knocked me out of my chair. I often watch your videos multiple times in a row because there is so much in them that I typically miss some of your brilliance if I only watch them once. So ahead of what others do. Thank you.
The greatest thing about these first gen CTS-V's is that people bought them. Which spurred Cadillac (and GM really) on to continue with V-Series cars, and today's V's are absolutely nuts and really are BMW M and Mercedes-AMG competitors. I want either a first gen V with a 6.0L and the strengthened differential, or the 2nd gen with that crazy supercharged 6.2L LSA and MagnaRide.
The LSA supercharger can be bolted to the LS2 with a pair of adapters or a pair of LS3 heads. Pretty simple to be honest. A large number of parts can actually transfer from the V2 to the V1, such as the brakes and the entire rear cradle.
(2:55) GM ultimately made an "M5 killer", but it wasn't the CT-S and it wasn't even made or designed in North America (except for its' LS3 engine and its' manual and automatic trannies)... It came from HOLDEN Down Under: the 2014-17 Holden Commodore VF*, best known in US as the Chevrolet SS "muscle sedan". The SS had everything a NA M5 had in a more modern package and it felt the part. It was at least THE BEST CAR EVER EXPORTED FROM AUSTRALIA. * an older version of this car, the 2008-09 Commodore VE, sold in US as the Pontiac G8, was almost as good (GXP topline versions even had the same NA-6.2L LS3 the SS would get later on)
@@syxepop Its easily the best sedan you can purchase for the money state-side. The only other I can think of is the Lexus IS-F, but even the IS-F doesn't handle as well, nor is it as easy to work on.
We also had the reintroduction of the Monaro from ‘01-‘05 in the form of the rebadged Pontiac GTO complete with LS1 and LS3. Those things usually are pretty good bargains and absolutely rip performance wise!
7:50 These were never available with a 3.8l v6, (the 3800 i imagine). The base engine was an all aluminum 2.6 dohc upgraded to a 2.8. there was later a 3.2 that turned into the 3.6, but never a 3.8.. if i ever found a gen1 cts with a 3800, id be all over it
3800 is NOT a performance engine. It was a horse (or cow for that matter) but wasn't made for power. Even with the blower (and different heads) it was OKAY
Since this is a little misinformed, I will clarify. In North America, the 2003 CTS launched with a 3.2L V6. It was a variant of the 54 degree 3.0L Opel/Catera V6. In Europe it was also available with a 2.6L variant. In 2004, GM debuted the 2.8L and 3.6L High Feature V6. It shares nothing in common with the old 2.6/3.0/3,2L. For 2004, the 3.2L was still available if the manual transmission was optioned with a V6. All automatic transmission equipped cars in North America had a 2.8 or 3.6L High Feature V6. This is the same engine design that is currently GM's corporate V6, although there have been many RPO codes for many slight variations of the 3.6L. 2004 also saw the debut of the 5.7L LS V8 in the CTS-V, and was only available with a Tremec 6-speed manual. The first generation CTS-V was never available with an automatic. In 2005, the Catera-based 2.6/3.2L V6 was dropped. The 2.8/3.6L V6s, and the CTS-V were the only options. You can tell a 2.8L from the exterior by the presence of a single tailpipe. 3.6L equipped cars have dual tailpipes. The CTS-V did receive many upgrades over the base CTS beyond the LS V8. Ducted-cooled Brembo brakes, different suspension mounting for better handling, the Nav radio (seen in this video) which also had some performance setting options as well as a G-Meter, Recaro seats with suede inserts to help keep the driver in place (although more aggressive bolsters would have been better), thicker rear half shafts to put up with the abuse of the LS, and very subtly wider fender flares because the CTS-V had a slightly wider track than the base CTS. They also used 6-lug wheels and hubs. Although Mr. Regular states it was expensive, for what you got and given its target competition, it was a relatively competitive price. If memory serves (I was a tech at a Caddy dealer at this time) the CTS-V started around $55,000. One would be hard pressed to find another factory vehicle as capable as the CTS-V on the 'Ring for $55,000. To top it off, the ride is still fairly compliant for a vehicle that handles as well as it does. You can totally road trip in one and be quite comfortable. As others have pointed out, the biggest shortcoming was the material chosen for the dashboard, although many other mfgs were using similar materials at the time. The second generation CTS and CTS-V made huge improvements in this area.
What I loved about my GTO, that LS. Oh and the Aussies, they know how to build a car. When I would go on military leave I would have to travel 11+ hours to get home from my base in Arkansas to get to my house in Southern Ohio. I loved every road trip I had in that car. What usually took 11hrs and 20mins, with the GTO my quickest time was a hour and half off that. You really had to watch it on I-40 from Little Rock to Memphis. States love that stretch of highway. You know how you have those couple of cars you always see on road trips? Almost like you're traveling together. A Jaguar XJ and I met on the highway in between Memphis and LR, and we traveled all the way to Bowling Green(where Corvettes are made) where he turned off. That was my fastest time run. Fill ups and stops counted on time so it was usually gas, piss, and Go. I would have everything i needed food and drink wise before i left. Usually a snack sufficed. I would fill up before I leave and it would get me to Nashville. Fill up there. Which would get me to Cincinnati. Fill up to get me the next 132 miles home. The GTO got 20-25mpg regularly. I miss that car and road trips. Should have never sold it.
I was between this car and my 04 GTO when I was buying a car. Both were MT’s but ultimately I chose the GTO because it had 22k miles on it vs the 70k of the caddy.
13:34 "Because the CTS-V encourages misbehavior at nearly every step." Shoot, a base-model STS v6 encourages misbehavior... the CTS-V just delivers more of it. Cadillac *knows* how to make a car.
I love how it has the GM ignition switch recall BS where the dealer puts a key ring on the key and then puts that key ring on the main key ring to prevent you from switching the ignition off while driving and locking the steering wheel and dying. Every time the dealer did that to my CTSV I just removed it lol. Also I never drove mine with the traction control off unless I was performing a viking funeral for my rear tires.
No, lol the recall was to take the "oval" out of the key hole so your 15 lbs of keychains had less of a pendulum effect on your ignition cylinder when slaloming through neighborhoods drunk at 3am. They put inserts in to center the key ring or gave you new keys.
@@LS1Highwind That's not what they did with mine any of the times it was at the dealer. They told me they were legally obligated to do that stupid keyring on a keyring thing when they sent me off the lot.
@@lostinthemasses right. Keys have to have rings on them. The actual "fix" was the little bitch ass plastic inserts glued into the keys "oval". Unless for some reason Cadillac keys didn't have an oval so yea maybe they just inspected the keys n added the rings. Either way I agree it's dumb. Just wanted to clarify what they were "trying" to do. Edit: I will say you CAN decline a recall, at least in Illinois. Been at the dealership over 10 years n see it all the time. Camaro guys too cool to lose their flip key, etc 😬
@@LS1Highwind Ahhh, I don't have that many keys on mine, and forget that some people hang half their closet off of their keys and act suprised when cars weren't made for that.
cupholders like those are the reason I put a chassis mounted short shifter in my car. 30cm above trans tunnel, and now I can shift without hitting my drink! As a bonus, I can reach 5th without throwing my shoulder!
Cupholders? Let me introduce you to the spring-loaded cupholder that popped out of the dash on my 2001 Jetta. They held nothing larger than a 12oz can, but really low on the can, and tight enough that you could easily crush the can and spew soda all over the interior trying to wrestle it out of the holder.
I bought a 05 V in 2020. Really love the drivetrain, don't really care about the interior, styling is timeless. I've learned how to work on cars by doing mods to it. Still needs some work done, a constant money sink. Certainly not for everyone but for a debt-less 20-something, I'm enjoying the experience.
It makes me happy that America was so stubborn to get rid of almost century old technology (pushrod) and still managed to beat out many European cars in terms of power output and reliability over the ohc counterparts. It's cool that gm is going dohc for the new Vette.
More than a century, every Buick, ever made, and many others, had pushrods. Some even had complete valvetrains, exposed to the elements, to be lubricated by hand, frequently. Pushrod OHV engines have come a loooong way!
One of the things I liked to do with a new passenger in my GTO (same drivetrain) was from a stop, in fourth gear, no throttle, minimal clutch slippage to full release, full throttle up to 120 which is redline in 4th. One gear, 0-120.
I used to own one of these back in 2005 until I sold it in 2012...bought it right off the show room floor. Great car at the time!!! I still have the dealership calendar pic they took of me and the car.
I have a 2005 and always wanted to submit it but have always held off until I fixed a few naggy issues. Glad to finally see one on the channel. I also love the damn thing. It's imperfect but it's just right for me. Almost sold it once but ended up realizing I was way more attached to it than I realized. Might keep this thing till I can't drive anymore.
7:00 the 370Z has the exact same issue with cup holder placement, you straight up can't shift into 5th/6th/reverse without giving your shifter a reach-around.
The rank-car dynamic on my base is fascinating E1-E4: newish Challenger or Mustang E5-E6: this/Tacoma E6-O3: lifted full-size pickup O4-up: 2002 Corolla
As a former E-5 (no longer serving) I will contest this is the car for the Sgt. who got their signing bonus and wants to flex but not like the young PFC with the 23.9% on a V6 mustang/Camaro/challenger/charger or 26% on a Bimmer… 🤷♂️😂
As long as you can overlook replacing oil pickup tubes for cracking, exhaust manifold bolts that break consistently, camshafts that go flat for no reason, intake coolant leaks, valve springs that break for no reason, and burning oil because the valve covers fill with sludge even with regular maintenance then yeah it is 👍🤣. A LS is pretty subpar when compared to any Toyota V8, a Coyote 5.0, the Ford 4.6 or the Honda V6. It is better than Dodge/Ram V8 engines but that's hardly a accomplishment.
I've seen FJ's with an LS but never a Chevy with a UZ. An LS is enough. It's reliable enough, small enough, cheap enough, available enough, tuneable enough, powerful enough. I doubt there's another engine family that strikes that balance.
@@fj60driver we have a work truck with an LS2 in it. The odometer stopped working at just over 450,000 original miles. The valves are starting to get a little wheezy and she burns about a quart between oil changes... but that's pretty small issues for an engine that has never had a problem for any reason and been abused every day of it's life.
I just got one of these! And I love it. Also, it's the official car of John Smith, of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. This is my awesome dad car, my Mustang with room for the kids (since Ford didn't make a rear drive sedan with a V8 or a manual trans).
The Ctsv has become my dream car after my brother brought home his 05 v in 2014, he built the Top End and Had a BTR stage 3 cam, man did that car chop so nice, he ended up upgrading and got the V2 Wagon, Auto, but he was the person that really introduced me into Cars and made me fall in love with Ctsv
Loved the Apollo 440 reference! Personally I'd play "Electro Glide in Blue" by them in this car. Now I really want a CTSV. Also their front brakes are a great near bolt-on for 2G DSMs!
Crazy to think that there's a 50% chance I worked on the shift that built the front and rear super modules for this car. Shoutout to my pals working the night shift at Tower Automotive in Lansing between 2004-2008.
Just imagining the Commodore SS rolling up on a beach in Florida like a landing craft on D-Day cussing up a storm “(Rises from the depths like a spiteful kraken) Piss bugger bloody bloody arse crikey piss cock”
@@kevin9c1 Oh no, not related at all! Other than being manufactured by the same company, using the same engine, having the same suspension and handling characteristics, filling the same form factor, targeting the same demographic, and costing the same money, it's COMPLETELY different!
I used to love this car, but then a buddy of mine who is an nypd detective let me drive his duty issue taurus interceptor with the ecoboost, I fell in love with it. So I went to a government auction, found one with 35k and bought it on the spot. I love that thing. The thing is like a Swiss army knife. Amazing awd, really good power output, really good mpg (for what it is at least), and the thing is built like a tank.
The cup holders were something to get used to. Also, the cig lighter in the compartment under the HVAC controls also gets in the way of 5th and Reverse if you have any USB chargers there. Its a quirky car.
I'm glad to see all the comments on cupholder placement. I'm building a AMC Javelin, with a Tremec TKO, 5 speed, and love cup holders. Have to make a new Trans tunnel, think cupholders need to be lower, and on the sides, of the tunnel, ahead of the seat travel. ✌😎👍
with that closing thought, I suddenly kinda want to see a “where are they now?” at some point in the future that recaps what the cars and their new owners have gotten up to in the time since being given away
I can’t wait to talk about how hardcore basic training was at a cars and coffee with this car.
I got one two years before I joined the military. Am I doing it wrong?
@@deathdog7161 You my friend are ahead of the curve! You might as well start a nice collection of New Balances and Hawaiian shirts to complement the Corvette in your future.
The guys who tell everyone they were hot shit in boot/basic, are the same guys who told everyone in boot/basic how they were hot shit in high school.
This one time the Drill made us do pushups
@@TexasVexes Oh no.
2005 Cadillac CTS-V: Official car of "my trailer has mud all over the exterior and trash in the yard, but my car is always spotless."
In eastern Europe that would be an old diesel X5 with ak47 sticker all over back window
@ Omer Carrothers
And the 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T will take the title from the Cadillac.
Bro are you driving by my house? How do you know this?
Had one of these as a rental for a couple weeks in 2006 minus the V. I absolutely LOVED IT!!! Very fast even without the LS beast of an engine. Great handling fun to drive.
@@24bergman I had a 2006 CTS 4 in late 2007 with the 3.2 and it was decently quick. But I upgraded to the 2007 Grand Prix GTP Comp G and that was by far superior where performance came in. The CTS had too many parts similar to the Malibu and G6 at the time and the GP surprisingly has the same options from that exact time. I was very surprised!
*rolls past evo* "Oh that's a sweet escort"
Never change, Mr. Regular
There was indeed a old Escort on the right hand side.
As he completely overlooks the Evo.
I don't think he was talking about a car
To be fair, Evos are super generic. At least Escorts are something you don't typically associate with their brand.
Oh look an Evo, doesn't even turn head that way.
"that's a sweet escort"
When you want a Corvette, but you want some practicality, but you missed the boat when the wagons were still affordable.
Oh man I bet those numbers will make you sad
And you're too good for an SS.
When you want a corvette but you also desire a reckless driving charge
I don't ever remember the wagons being affordable. wasn't there only under 1000 made or something
i looked it up and am seeing 1200. Id think they flew off the used market shelves
The V wagons were NEVER affordable. And they likely never will be. They sold in such low numbers they're basically instant collector cars.
CTS-V: For cruising down memory lane doing 30 over the speed limit
🚕 💨 I've heard that it dampens the prefrontal cortex? 9:47
CTS-Vs get down what are you talking about
I'd never seen the interiors of these before. Imagine buying a luxury car with the interior of a malibu
Pretty much sums up early 2000s GM. Fun fact - the steering wheel and those weird air vents are the same as in mid 2000s Saabs.
This is the exact reason why I never touched a CTS-V, GTO, or SS.
Ahaa, thpught that steering wheel looked familiar, being outside the US you almost never see these, but Saabs are everywhere still
@@drunk3n_m0nk12 GTO interior is worlds nicer than anything else GM built during the time... and it only took being built in Australia to do it...
If you think the GTO interior is crap youve never been inside one. Seats are bar none one of the nicest ever.
Welcome to GM!
The best thing about the CTS-V was that it got the ball rolling for Papa GM to finally end the dumpster fire that was the Northstar family of engines. Probably solved 80% of the issues those early 00s caddies by just switching to an LS.
By this te the Northstar was a well sorted engine. It was a quarter century old by the time it was dropped and didn't live up to its hype compared to then new competitors engines. If this car got the STS V supercharged Northstar it would have been just as awesome, but significantly less friendly to hotrodders.
i had a Northstar.. the overhead cams sounded amazing.. never had any issues with it. it was 2002 sts
@@DrewLSsix The Blackhawk is Cadillacs replacement for Northstar. So far it's been cancelled for any future models. Sounds great though.
@johnsanko4136 , they pretty much had the Northstar sorted out by 2004 (finally). I have a 2004 Seville and a 2006 STS, both are excellent.
@@DrewLSsix , yes, the Northstar was great by 2004 and dropped after 16 years, not 25. They were gas hogs but I love both of mine.
A car for the sergeant that still hang on to hot rods and fast cars yet matured from the Cliché V6 mustangs and camaros the E-4’s drive.
accurate
@Mouse Fitzgerald Kids driving around in their Stang GT, at 30% interest, that they'll have to sell after they get demoted for getting caught drinking in the barracks.
Back in the mid 2000s, the commonly joked about enlisted car was the Cobalt SS/SC since the V6 Mustangs were still pretty slow and GM had discontinued the F Body. There was a really good chance that if someone said they owned one new, they were military. Relatively cheap, light, able to be kicked up to 250 HP with a smaller blower pulley and bigger injectors.
4:59 Looks like the dash has a 5 inch floppy drive in it...but that's impossible, because your 5 inch is never floppy in the CTS-V
Written so well, it should have been in the video
Yep, the best comment I've seen all day. You win the internet for today.
Excuse me, it's 5 1/4". That extra quarter inch matters, you know.
There is no E5 mafia. Those dudes sold out and left the real mafia for a little bit of pay and a mild amount of responsibility.
That being said, this is absolutely a car an E5 gets within 48 hours of their pinning ceremony, and you bet your ass I want one at mine.
More like mustangs and chargers
E4 mafia
Bullshit, NCOs always buy a lifted F-150 as soon as they are pinned lmao.
@@YouWillNeverKnow naw that's E3 lmao
Get a Lexus
Cadillac CTS-V: The official car of "getting complaints at the apartment complex because your 100lb Pitbull is violating the lease agreement and your pounding trap music at 2AM is waking the neighbors"
Nah, they get the base model with the 3.0 or 3.6 and stretch the chains.
Base model cts (coke dealer)
Base model Altima/Sentra (weed dealer) would be a little closer.
The best sounding car I've ever heard in person was a v8 cts-v in the Dickson city Staples Parking lot.
I had to do a double take, because I live in the OTHER dickson in the country (the one in TN)
White Lexus LFA on a one-lane highway in rural Idaho.
Ah yes Dickson North Dakota. I drove across the country once stopped in Fargo for a drink and a hotel. Ended up having more than just a drink and in my youthful idiocracy decided to make more progress. Drove across that straight highway 94 blitzed at 2am. Woke up in my car at some park in Dickson
@annie's big day Floyd
Oh no this was the city of Dickson City Pennsylvania. Which I guess would be called Dickson City City @MB
That cupholder placement is a hidden gem from my Honda Fit. Never realized how bad it could be.
1st gen Fit? I use the back 2 cup holders behind the e-brake in my 2007 all the freakin time
@@willdowns1745 nope, 3rd gen. Usually the one near the driver-side vent gets my cup because it's easy to reach, tho. The cupholders in the center console are in front of the shifter, so they don't get in the way.
A bit random but still about cupholders this reminded me of:
As a German delving into American TH-cam Car Reviewers i always wondered what the obsession with Americans and Cupholders is and how especially in pre-2000s German and other European Cars the lack of Cupholders or placement of Cupholders was a major complaint until i found out why Cupholders have been super important and standard in American Cars since a long time: Drive-In & Drive-Thru Food Places and how normal those have been in the USA since a long time.
Over here we also have American Fast Food Places (Mainly just McD, BK, KFC have Drive-Thru) but i still remember how in the early 1990s they were mostly in the center of Cities and at the Airport or Train Station, so they didn't have Drive-Thru.
So in case anyone else wondered why most German and other European Cars pre-2000s didn't have Cupholders or just some Clip-on as Accessoires, now you know why.
Also: As a Kid in the early 1990s when our Family would drive to the Netherlands or somewhere else with a long drive i remember we would always put the Soda Cans and Bottles in cheap clip-on Cupholders, it was normal and nobody expected Cars to come with Cupholders. Fascinating and weird how that differed between America and over here
Prost & Cheers from the Berchtesgadener Land in the Bavarian Alps
Vent cupholders are the shit - More cars need this feature
LazerLord10. I love the 3rd gen Honda Fit so much I bought a second one.
“You can drive a Kid Rock song”….haha…pure gold! 😂😂😂😂
Cadillac CTS, the official car of simping for the police on facebook, but filming them and throwing a fuss when its your turn to get a speeding ticket
I knew someone just like this. So True. She even had blue lightbulbs on her front porch lights.😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
@@megatronn194 address?
*I LIKE THE POLICE BUT ONLY WHEN THEY PULL OVER OTHER PEOPLE!*
I've never seen any of these performance Cadillacs that don't have tinted windows.
In a few years I'll be the first one to remove the tints off a CTS-V. I won't forget you.
Love how you gawked at a "sweet Escort" to your right while there was a Mitsubishi Evo X to your left. Never change, RCR.
Truth be told, it's surpringing to see a 20+y-o survivor economy car in running condition after many winters.
@@mattskull16 Yeah, I've seen two 2nd gen Escorts in relatively good condition still being driven over the last 6 months. Both were the wagon models. (no visible rust, after all desert southwest car) Hardly ever see them anymore, remember when they were plentiful. I preferred the 2nd gen look over the 1st or 3rd gen, especially the more bulbus rounded look of the 3rd gen. The 2nd gen is closer to the European look i remember seeing when I was in Germany in the early 80's, and the early to late 90's 5th gen European Escort. I didn't realize tell later the Mazda 323/Protegé were built on the same platform with Ford. If you got the GT or LX-E, it came with the Mazda higher horsepower engine.
I love the cupholder joke. It's like, hope ya don't have a big water bottle or you'll be changing gear like a crane game.
"Did you just join the E-5 Mafia?"
As a former Marine Sergeant, this had me dying laughing.
The mid to late 2000s were a really great time for cools cars. The LS' ability to lope around is incredible. You can legitimately get close to 30 mpg or more on a long trip.
Honestly i think now is the last hooraah for gas cars and a very good time to be a car guy. You can get a hellcat with 707 hp for roughly 50k and now all these older 400+ hp cars are getting affordable to the point where 18yr old timmy can get himself into one without breaking the bank. Almost anyone can afford a sub 5second 0-60 car thse days with the exception of the current market
Bruh, I have LOST count of how many new sergeants and 2nd class petty officers owned a CTS-V, before I got out. It was many.
I’ve got a cammed 04 V1, absolutely love it for what it is. Flaws and all. And I agree with the cupholder statement. I put my drinks in the rear cupholder, and replaced the armrest with one from a base model. It’s definitely more of a drivers car than the later ones from how light it is compared to later generations.
I have a 05 V1.
I’m waiting on my cam parts it’s been since December.
RCR: Featured in the New Yorker
Mr. Regular: now.....now its time to break out Dan's Diamond Hymen
Never, ever change.
It was pretty upfront about what this channel's sense of humor is like
@@fohkukohgeki I know, I'm actually giving props to RCR for continuing doing "them".
I bought a 2006 CTS-V last year after previously having a C5 and another sedan, it is the best of both worlds. Interior isn’t much to write home about but it’s comfy enough, great fun to drive and the best road trip car. 🇺🇸
My thoughts as well. I love the Corvette, but I wanted something more practical, and the added benefit over a Camaro/Challenger/Mustang is that you can actually see all around the car without too much car blocking your view.
I finally bought a V1 this year after looking for a long time for the right one. Already knowing most of the flaws, holy hell was I suprised on the titanics steering wheel they used in these. You can do a U-turn by turning the wheel 5” all in all, I absolutely love this car and the 7yr old inspired interior design!
As a hotel valet in 2007, I remember getting in this car. What a surprise to notice the stick shift and that... V ?
Wow, did I get a treat.
I love the “MY CORVETTE IS BEST CORVETTE” bit. Every time.
Mr. Regular, please find a CTS-V wagon for a review. I’ll bake you a 13x9 tiramisu brownie.
I was delivering these cars when they first came out and one thing that impresssed me was the brake rotors were the size of serving platters. The other thing was that the dealers were having to replace a lot of cracked differntial housings.
The first gen CTS-V is and always has been in my top three dream sedans
"That's a sweet escort". Be a gentleman and give her a ride.
Hell no
"Do you want to drive a Kid Rock song?" is what earned the attention of the New Yorker! Are you ever going to auction off something weird & shlocky like a mint condition Geo Storm or Turbo Capri convertible?
When i worked at amazon about 45% of workers had base model CTS's, they all looked up to the 2 people with cts and ats v's
That’s depressing lol
The "Hyundai you have a stop sign"
And "wow that's a really cool escort"
Moment is the most relatable thing Mr. Regular has said in recent memory
When I see this car, the one phrase that comes through my mind is "He just rammed through those patrol cars!"
...on his way to 10:32
Not my friend Jon, who lives in New Jersey, who is actually still super into the Sopranos, and has an 04 CTS 💀
Pretty clear that whoever designed the interior takes the train to work everyday.
It does suck, and the NAV was outdated in 2004, but you get used to it. I installed a Hurst shifter and that ties everything together more than the truck stick it used to have.
Whenever i see a Cadillac CTS-V, my brain goes to three things:
James May complaning about his Cadillac in the Top Gear 'Merica special
1320's street racing videos
Asphalt 8 (ew)
Cupholders in the 1st gen eclipse laser talons are horrible. Right behind the shifter but also under the arm rest so it has to be left open.
This is an upgrade from the 2003 CTS that DJ Double Lunch gave away on 93.3 FM *The Beer Belly*
Your tribute to Dennis Wilson's song in here knocked me out of my chair. I often watch your videos multiple times in a row because there is so much in them that I typically miss some of your brilliance if I only watch them once. So ahead of what others do. Thank you.
The greatest thing about these first gen CTS-V's is that people bought them. Which spurred Cadillac (and GM really) on to continue with V-Series cars, and today's V's are absolutely nuts and really are BMW M and Mercedes-AMG competitors.
I want either a first gen V with a 6.0L and the strengthened differential, or the 2nd gen with that crazy supercharged 6.2L LSA and MagnaRide.
The LSA supercharger can be bolted to the LS2 with a pair of adapters or a pair of LS3 heads. Pretty simple to be honest. A large number of parts can actually transfer from the V2 to the V1, such as the brakes and the entire rear cradle.
That wagon CTS-V review is gonna be dope if you can find a nice one.
Nobody is gonna let him have fun in a 200k Chevy, and the 6MT are hyper rare
He needs to get ahold of the the guy that owns the 2014 plum metallic 6speed wagon.
@@-._._._-_._._.- oh wow that exists?
@@-._._._-_._._.- Sigh. My dream car, right there.
If only there was a more common LS GM wagon like the Holden Commodore...
That Forza Horizon 4 joke about the TT and charger hit me very very unexpectedly, it's just so deadly accurate.
(2:55) GM ultimately made an "M5 killer", but it wasn't the CT-S and it wasn't even made or designed in North America (except for its' LS3 engine and its' manual and automatic trannies)...
It came from HOLDEN Down Under: the 2014-17 Holden Commodore VF*, best known in US as the Chevrolet SS "muscle sedan". The SS had everything a NA M5 had in a more modern package and it felt the part.
It was at least THE BEST CAR EVER EXPORTED FROM AUSTRALIA.
* an older version of this car, the 2008-09 Commodore VE, sold in US as the Pontiac G8, was almost as good (GXP topline versions even had the same NA-6.2L LS3 the SS would get later on)
He already did a video on it, he just didn't get to run it on twisty roads in that video. Was a shame too, the SS is awesome
@@gunshipproduct2 - I know! And the (Commodore ) is still THE GOLD STANDARD among GM's offerings...
@@syxepop Its easily the best sedan you can purchase for the money state-side. The only other I can think of is the Lexus IS-F, but even the IS-F doesn't handle as well, nor is it as easy to work on.
I love Holden, glad I found this comment
We also had the reintroduction of the Monaro from ‘01-‘05 in the form of the rebadged Pontiac GTO complete with LS1 and LS3. Those things usually are pretty good bargains and absolutely rip performance wise!
“If you know the exact speed to go in…” stalls 😭😂
7:50 These were never available with a 3.8l v6, (the 3800 i imagine). The base engine was an all aluminum 2.6 dohc upgraded to a 2.8. there was later a 3.2 that turned into the 3.6, but never a 3.8.. if i ever found a gen1 cts with a 3800, id be all over it
Yeah the 3.8 was almost dead by this point. Only in legacy platforms like the W body-same with the 60 degree V6 (3.4, 3.5, High Value 3.9).
Moooooo goes the 3.8 in Holden Commodores. As does the 3.6
3800 is NOT a performance engine. It was a horse (or cow for that matter) but wasn't made for power. Even with the blower (and different heads) it was OKAY
Since this is a little misinformed, I will clarify.
In North America, the 2003 CTS launched with a 3.2L V6. It was a variant of the 54 degree 3.0L Opel/Catera V6. In Europe it was also available with a 2.6L variant.
In 2004, GM debuted the 2.8L and 3.6L High Feature V6. It shares nothing in common with the old 2.6/3.0/3,2L. For 2004, the 3.2L was still available if the manual transmission was optioned with a V6. All automatic transmission equipped cars in North America had a 2.8 or 3.6L High Feature V6. This is the same engine design that is currently GM's corporate V6, although there have been many RPO codes for many slight variations of the 3.6L. 2004 also saw the debut of the 5.7L LS V8 in the CTS-V, and was only available with a Tremec 6-speed manual. The first generation CTS-V was never available with an automatic.
In 2005, the Catera-based 2.6/3.2L V6 was dropped. The 2.8/3.6L V6s, and the CTS-V were the only options. You can tell a 2.8L from the exterior by the presence of a single tailpipe. 3.6L equipped cars have dual tailpipes.
The CTS-V did receive many upgrades over the base CTS beyond the LS V8. Ducted-cooled Brembo brakes, different suspension mounting for better handling, the Nav radio (seen in this video) which also had some performance setting options as well as a G-Meter, Recaro seats with suede inserts to help keep the driver in place (although more aggressive bolsters would have been better), thicker rear half shafts to put up with the abuse of the LS, and very subtly wider fender flares because the CTS-V had a slightly wider track than the base CTS. They also used 6-lug wheels and hubs.
Although Mr. Regular states it was expensive, for what you got and given its target competition, it was a relatively competitive price. If memory serves (I was a tech at a Caddy dealer at this time) the CTS-V started around $55,000. One would be hard pressed to find another factory vehicle as capable as the CTS-V on the 'Ring for $55,000. To top it off, the ride is still fairly compliant for a vehicle that handles as well as it does. You can totally road trip in one and be quite comfortable.
As others have pointed out, the biggest shortcoming was the material chosen for the dashboard, although many other mfgs were using similar materials at the time. The second generation CTS and CTS-V made huge improvements in this area.
What I loved about my GTO, that LS. Oh and the Aussies, they know how to build a car. When I would go on military leave I would have to travel 11+ hours to get home from my base in Arkansas to get to my house in Southern Ohio. I loved every road trip I had in that car. What usually took 11hrs and 20mins, with the GTO my quickest time was a hour and half off that. You really had to watch it on I-40 from Little Rock to Memphis. States love that stretch of highway. You know how you have those couple of cars you always see on road trips? Almost like you're traveling together. A Jaguar XJ and I met on the highway in between Memphis and LR, and we traveled all the way to Bowling Green(where Corvettes are made) where he turned off. That was my fastest time run. Fill ups and stops counted on time so it was usually gas, piss, and Go. I would have everything i needed food and drink wise before i left. Usually a snack sufficed. I would fill up before I leave and it would get me to Nashville. Fill up there. Which would get me to Cincinnati. Fill up to get me the next 132 miles home. The GTO got 20-25mpg regularly. I miss that car and road trips. Should have never sold it.
I was between this car and my 04 GTO when I was buying a car. Both were MT’s but ultimately I chose the GTO because it had 22k miles on it vs the 70k of the caddy.
13:34 "Because the CTS-V encourages misbehavior at nearly every step."
Shoot, a base-model STS v6 encourages misbehavior... the CTS-V just delivers more of it. Cadillac *knows* how to make a car.
I’m not going to try to verify this but this video wins the award for the most times the word Hymen is spoken in all of TH-cam. Congratulations!🎈🍾🎉
I love how it has the GM ignition switch recall BS where the dealer puts a key ring on the key and then puts that key ring on the main key ring to prevent you from switching the ignition off while driving and locking the steering wheel and dying.
Every time the dealer did that to my CTSV I just removed it lol.
Also I never drove mine with the traction control off unless I was performing a viking funeral for my rear tires.
I had to go look up that 'recall'. woooooow.
No, lol the recall was to take the "oval" out of the key hole so your 15 lbs of keychains had less of a pendulum effect on your ignition cylinder when slaloming through neighborhoods drunk at 3am. They put inserts in to center the key ring or gave you new keys.
@@LS1Highwind That's not what they did with mine any of the times it was at the dealer. They told me they were legally obligated to do that stupid keyring on a keyring thing when they sent me off the lot.
@@lostinthemasses right. Keys have to have rings on them. The actual "fix" was the little bitch ass plastic inserts glued into the keys "oval". Unless for some reason Cadillac keys didn't have an oval so yea maybe they just inspected the keys n added the rings. Either way I agree it's dumb. Just wanted to clarify what they were "trying" to do. Edit: I will say you CAN decline a recall, at least in Illinois. Been at the dealership over 10 years n see it all the time. Camaro guys too cool to lose their flip key, etc 😬
@@LS1Highwind Ahhh, I don't have that many keys on mine, and forget that some people hang half their closet off of their keys and act suprised when cars weren't made for that.
7:28 drives by the evo, but noticed the escort instead. True car guy
Taking regular cars to the extreme
That burnout at 10:35 was sick
😂👎🏼
Goddammit. Better watch it again.
cupholders like those are the reason I put a chassis mounted short shifter in my car. 30cm above trans tunnel, and now I can shift without hitting my drink! As a bonus, I can reach 5th without throwing my shoulder!
Cupholders? Let me introduce you to the spring-loaded cupholder that popped out of the dash on my 2001 Jetta. They held nothing larger than a 12oz can, but really low on the can, and tight enough that you could easily crush the can and spew soda all over the interior trying to wrestle it out of the holder.
Found John
This was one of the funnier reviews I watched in a while. Thank you for this. I think I fell in love with this car.
Why do you make me want this car? I love Cadillacs.
Mr.Regular has the power to make anyone want a car unless he hates that car a LOT (or if it's one of his older videos)
Great car but mr regulars power doesnt reach me.
Get a lexus
I have a lexus gs350 2013
@@ahahuehafook4207 no
I bought a 05 V in 2020. Really love the drivetrain, don't really care about the interior, styling is timeless. I've learned how to work on cars by doing mods to it. Still needs some work done, a constant money sink. Certainly not for everyone but for a debt-less 20-something, I'm enjoying the experience.
It makes me happy that America was so stubborn to get rid of almost century old technology (pushrod) and still managed to beat out many European cars in terms of power output and reliability over the ohc counterparts.
It's cool that gm is going dohc for the new Vette.
Don't wanna burst your bubble but it's the specific output that matters
@@johnennis4586 yes I know
More than a century, every Buick, ever made, and many others, had pushrods. Some even had complete valvetrains, exposed to the elements, to be lubricated by hand, frequently. Pushrod OHV engines have come a loooong way!
Forgot to mention the fear of your rear end exploding every time you hit the gas. Adds to the experience.
Did I miss the part where he mentioned the rear ends on these were made out of glass? Well known to grenade if launched hard
One of the things I liked to do with a new passenger in my GTO (same drivetrain) was from a stop, in fourth gear, no throttle, minimal clutch slippage to full release, full throttle up to 120 which is redline in 4th. One gear, 0-120.
Pipe dream. But I’d love an RCR car bible. Short summaries and below the picture of the car is a italicized stereotype quote.
I used to own one of these back in 2005 until I sold it in 2012...bought it right off the show room floor. Great car at the time!!! I still have the dealership calendar pic they took of me and the car.
I know Apollo 440 had one big hit with Stop The Rock. I can’t shake the feeling that was a Gran Turismo soundtrack feature
I have a 2005 and always wanted to submit it but have always held off until I fixed a few naggy issues. Glad to finally see one on the channel. I also love the damn thing. It's imperfect but it's just right for me. Almost sold it once but ended up realizing I was way more attached to it than I realized. Might keep this thing till I can't drive anymore.
Solution to the cup holder problem? Tall Katana stick shift
So RCR is doing NFTs now, with their 'limited edition digital download'. Still not complaining, the content is fine
Every Monday I wake up early specifically to make breakfast and watch a Regular Car Review.
Same 😁
Sometimes breakfast, sometimes just coffee, but yes, you are correct. This is the way.
7:00 the 370Z has the exact same issue with cup holder placement, you straight up can't shift into 5th/6th/reverse without giving your shifter a reach-around.
Most sports cars tbh
"Do you want to drive a Kid Rock song?" I take it the car hasn't been washed in four years?
The rank-car dynamic on my base is fascinating
E1-E4: newish Challenger or Mustang
E5-E6: this/Tacoma
E6-O3: lifted full-size pickup
O4-up: 2002 Corolla
Are you an E5 or E6?
@@jizzyjake6783 nailed it
Ain't nothing like old school CTS 💪
love all those observational interjections while mockingly shifting gears over the cupholders
The Cadillac CTS-V: if bald spot spray paint was a car.
7:20 - marvels at the American shifting gears :D
As a former E-5 (no longer serving) I will contest this is the car for the Sgt. who got their signing bonus and wants to flex but not like the young PFC with the 23.9% on a V6 mustang/Camaro/challenger/charger or 26% on a Bimmer… 🤷♂️😂
23.9% interest? Who cares i pay less than $800 a month. And I got the special browneye edition which won't depreciate.
OH!! Whats wrong with sopranos? I find John has a making of a varsity CTS-V Driver.
I've been low-key waiting for you to review this car. I've gotten to drive one of these once and it was a blast.
Nice reworking of "Forever" Roman!
Honestly, the LS makes a case for being in the top five greatest engines of all time.
Get a Lexus
@@ahahuehafook4207 ...and put an LS in it
As long as you can overlook replacing oil pickup tubes for cracking, exhaust manifold bolts that break consistently, camshafts that go flat for no reason, intake coolant leaks, valve springs that break for no reason, and burning oil because the valve covers fill with sludge even with regular maintenance then yeah it is 👍🤣. A LS is pretty subpar when compared to any Toyota V8, a Coyote 5.0, the Ford 4.6 or the Honda V6. It is better than Dodge/Ram V8 engines but that's hardly a accomplishment.
I've seen FJ's with an LS but never a Chevy with a UZ. An LS is enough. It's reliable enough, small enough, cheap enough, available enough, tuneable enough, powerful enough. I doubt there's another engine family that strikes that balance.
@@fj60driver we have a work truck with an LS2 in it. The odometer stopped working at just over 450,000 original miles. The valves are starting to get a little wheezy and she burns about a quart between oil changes... but that's pretty small issues for an engine that has never had a problem for any reason and been abused every day of it's life.
I just got one of these! And I love it. Also, it's the official car of John Smith, of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. This is my awesome dad car, my Mustang with room for the kids (since Ford didn't make a rear drive sedan with a V8 or a manual trans).
Mr. Regular listens to 90s electronic pop while passing in the right lane. 🥴
That's because NPC drivers love going slow in the left lane
The Ctsv has become my dream car after my brother brought home his 05 v in 2014, he built the Top End and Had a BTR stage 3 cam, man did that car chop so nice, he ended up upgrading and got the V2 Wagon, Auto, but he was the person that really introduced me into Cars and made me fall in love with Ctsv
A vette with style
A vette with style would be the XLR
It's a cadillac with a camaro engine
My dad had this car and it was amazing. Corvette Z06's engine from the time I loved it so much
I wish the first gen didn't have such a weak rear differential. It really cuts down on the max capabilities.
What diff came stock? What is it's limit?
@@marthamryglod291 some underwhelming Getrag PoS. The limit was low enough to break it with spirited driving with the stock LS6 or LS2.
Loved the Apollo 440 reference! Personally I'd play "Electro Glide in Blue" by them in this car. Now I really want a CTSV. Also their front brakes are a great near bolt-on for 2G DSMs!
Crazy to think that there's a 50% chance I worked on the shift that built the front and rear super modules for this car.
Shoutout to my pals working the night shift at Tower Automotive in Lansing between 2004-2008.
I've been waiting on this review for years. My prayers have been answered.
Cadillac CTS-V, the closest thing Americans had to a Holden Commodore SS before the REAL Commodore SS showed it’s bogan arse face upon your shores.
Just imagining the Commodore SS rolling up on a beach in Florida like a landing craft on D-Day cussing up a storm
“(Rises from the depths like a spiteful kraken) Piss bugger bloody bloody arse crikey piss cock”
@@MilkDrinker218, “HOLD MY BEER CUNT, WATCH THIS!!”
The E4 Mafia's official car is a mustang v6 auto, with an aftermarket exhaust and a 24% interest car payment.
Hell yeah!
It's basically a Commodore, greetings from Oz 😋
Not related at all.
@@kevin9c1 Oh no, not related at all! Other than being manufactured by the same company, using the same engine, having the same suspension and handling characteristics, filling the same form factor, targeting the same demographic, and costing the same money, it's COMPLETELY different!
@@Novur I don't care about any of that. Sigma has nothing to do with the Holden Commodore. Same engine? Sure. Same parent company? Sure.
Bringing up Apollo 440 got me good, because Cold Rock the Mic is the song that I'd try to get every time I'd start a race in Gran Turismo 2.
I used to love this car, but then a buddy of mine who is an nypd detective let me drive his duty issue taurus interceptor with the ecoboost, I fell in love with it. So I went to a government auction, found one with 35k and bought it on the spot. I love that thing. The thing is like a Swiss army knife. Amazing awd, really good power output, really good mpg (for what it is at least), and the thing is built like a tank.
Cup holder thing bothers me too, but that's been my experience in literally every manual I've ever driven that wasn't a truck
The cup holders were something to get used to. Also, the cig lighter in the compartment under the HVAC controls also gets in the way of 5th and Reverse if you have any USB chargers there. Its a quirky car.
I'm glad to see all the comments on cupholder placement. I'm building a AMC Javelin, with a Tremec TKO, 5 speed, and love cup holders. Have to make a new Trans tunnel, think cupholders need to be lower, and on the sides, of the tunnel, ahead of the seat travel. ✌😎👍
with that closing thought, I suddenly kinda want to see a “where are they now?” at some point in the future that recaps what the cars and their new owners have gotten up to in the time since being given away
"that's a sweet escort" im so fucking happy you noticed it because I was staring at it the WHOLE time you were going 'oooOOOoooo'