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As some of you may already know, I'm planning to get a new toy some time later this year. I took the day off and decided to go on a few test drives. First I stopped by a Cadillac dealer to check out the CTS-V (2012 sedan) and then I went to the local Carmax store to look at a 2012 Boss 302. I'll start by saying these cars are completely different, and probably shouldn't even be compared, but I wanted to look at both because I want a high-performance value, regardless of packaging or brand.
Let's start with the CTS-V. It was very nice and luxurious. I loved the polished V-spoke wheels. The Recaro seats were comfortable but a little more firm than I'm accustomed, and having my wallet in my back pocket made it more noticeable. I prefer the SRT seats. The sueded steering wheel was awesome, but I'm not sure how well it would hold up to lots of use. The wood trim was really nice, but the center stack had black trim around it. I have no idea why they would use black trim there and wood in the other places. It was probably a cost-cutting measure, and I didn't like it. The pop-up NAV system was nice, but I think I would prefer a fixed one like the new SRT models have.
The CTS-V felt very refined and was more quiet than I expected, even at full throttle. When I mashed the gas, I was expecting a bigger shove back into the seat than what I got, and a bigger roar from the exhaust. The stock SRT8 exhaust definitely sounds better, IMO. Tip in throttle response of the CTS-V wasn't what I'm accustomed to either. You really had to press the throttle to get it moving. I'm not sure if the throttle response issue was because of the extra weight of the sales guy in the car. He was thin, but at over 6 ft tall he must have added some substantial weight to an already heavy car. The strange thing is that my Predator tuned SRT8 has a stronger low end punch than the CTS-V. This was unexpected. I tried several full throttle runs with traction control on and off. The power delivery of the CTS-V is different than the SRT, and the CTS-V pulls a bit harder at higher speeds. The CTS-V has a very linear power delivery that gets you going fast in very deceptive manner. The SRT8 by comparison delivers a quicker kick, but I'm sure a tuned CTS-V would feel different too. I also tried sport and tour mode. I was surprised at how compliant the ride felt in both modes. I must give big props to GM for creating a suspension that has such great handling capabilities and is so comfortable. It made me feel like a pro on some of the twisty roads. The brakes were fantastic and the steering was also better than expected.
The Boss 302 had no luxury whatsoever. It had manual cloth Recaro seats. The seats were very comfortable and nice looking though, and that's what's most important. It didn't have a NAV system or touchscreen. The interior was tight, but liveable and the driving/seating position was comfortable, as it was in the Caddy.
Once I started the Boss 302 and blipped the throttle, the love affair began. The sound emanating from the tail pipes was awesome. The short throw shifter was incredible (compared to all of the other manual cars I've ever driven), and the pedal placement and clutch were perfect for spirited driving. Clutch release was nice and predictable and was far easier to press/release than I expected. Unlike the CTS-V which had what I would consider "sluggish" throttle response, the Boss 302 said "try me" the moment I pressed the throttle. It must be the gearing because the Boss felt like it had more than the advertised 444 hp, while the Caddy felt like it may have been missing a few of its 556 advertised ponies. I rolled the throttle of the Boss to the floor and before I could blink, the sales guy and I were pinned to the back of our seats and I was rowing through the gears barking the tires on the shift into 2nd and 3rd gear. People on the other side of the road were probably wondering who the mad man was behind the wheel of the Mustang
. There was more vertical motion in the Boss over rough surfaces than the CTS-V, but the ride of the Boss was not uncomfortable by any means. I felt very comfortable pushing the Boss down a twisty road...and then the sales guy said someone put one in a ditch a few weeks ago, and it seemed like he wasn't comfortable with the way I was driving so I dialed it back a little, but still got a good feel for the car.
There was one thing I was disappointed with about both cars. I had a DVD loaded with MP3s that I wanted to play. We tried two CTS-Vs and the DVD wouldn't play in either one. I also tried to play it in the Boss 302 and had the same problem. I play this same DVD in my SRT8 and my wifes car and never have any problems with it. The Mustang and CTS-Vs displayed "read error" when I tried to play it. It's simply a DVD with one directory filled with MP3s. I did notice that if I put the files in multiple directories, my SRT8 will only load the files in the first directory it finds, but this DVD just had one directory with all the files in it. Maybe I need to not put them in a directory. I really wanted to listen to some of my favorite music, and couldn't because of the stupid DVD read problems.
I'm planning to test drive a bunch of other cars too, including the Shelby GT500, Chrysler 300 SRT8 (or Dodge Charger SRT8), and the Mercedes AMG C63. I usually agonize over which car to get for months, so I figure now is a good time to start because I can actually test them out on warm streets. Time is running out with cold weather around the corner later this fall. I want to wait until the weather gets real cold so I can go find a deal on one with ice all over it. LOL
I'm pretty sure dealers aren't going to want these cars sitting around all winter long.
The fly in the ointment right now is availability of a 2013 GT500 to test drive. No Ford dealer near me has one, and the one I called that did have one was far away and said they were not allowing any test drives in it. That's crazy. I refuse to buy any car I can't test drive first. I also refuse to pay these rediculous ADMs that greedy Ford dealers are asking. Perhaps I can find a 2012 with navigation and SVT package and just test it out for starters and just be patient on testing the 2013 later this year.
To sum it up, I liked the CTS-V and loved the Boss 302. It's the opposite outcome I expected. The price of the Boss 302 makes it an incredible bargain, and it's so much fun to drive that I forgot I'm 48 years old! I'm not sure which would win a drag race, but the Boss felt faster and lighter on it's feet. I suspect that the Boss would be a little faster in just about every conceivable objective test. Now I need to do some more research and learn more about the Boss 302.
EDIT:
Just remembered - There are a few thing I forgot to mention. It's not a big deal, but the Boss 302 steering wheel does not telescope, and I had to adjust the seat further forward than I like because it was necessary (for a guy my height, 5'9") to fully engage the clutch.
Another thing I forgot to mention is that the key FOB for the CTS-V was HEAVY, and big! I personally think these proximity FOBs are gimmicky and stupid. I prefer the FOB of my SRT8 because it's not this giant awkward device. I don't like the idea of carrying that large FOB around in my pocket. Plus, once in the car, you can't put it into the ignition (I suppose that is the point), so you either have to put it into your pocket or maybe a cup holder where it will rattle around and where I could potentially forget it and leave it in the car. Who are the idiots that decided this was something we want?
Let's start with the CTS-V. It was very nice and luxurious. I loved the polished V-spoke wheels. The Recaro seats were comfortable but a little more firm than I'm accustomed, and having my wallet in my back pocket made it more noticeable. I prefer the SRT seats. The sueded steering wheel was awesome, but I'm not sure how well it would hold up to lots of use. The wood trim was really nice, but the center stack had black trim around it. I have no idea why they would use black trim there and wood in the other places. It was probably a cost-cutting measure, and I didn't like it. The pop-up NAV system was nice, but I think I would prefer a fixed one like the new SRT models have.
The CTS-V felt very refined and was more quiet than I expected, even at full throttle. When I mashed the gas, I was expecting a bigger shove back into the seat than what I got, and a bigger roar from the exhaust. The stock SRT8 exhaust definitely sounds better, IMO. Tip in throttle response of the CTS-V wasn't what I'm accustomed to either. You really had to press the throttle to get it moving. I'm not sure if the throttle response issue was because of the extra weight of the sales guy in the car. He was thin, but at over 6 ft tall he must have added some substantial weight to an already heavy car. The strange thing is that my Predator tuned SRT8 has a stronger low end punch than the CTS-V. This was unexpected. I tried several full throttle runs with traction control on and off. The power delivery of the CTS-V is different than the SRT, and the CTS-V pulls a bit harder at higher speeds. The CTS-V has a very linear power delivery that gets you going fast in very deceptive manner. The SRT8 by comparison delivers a quicker kick, but I'm sure a tuned CTS-V would feel different too. I also tried sport and tour mode. I was surprised at how compliant the ride felt in both modes. I must give big props to GM for creating a suspension that has such great handling capabilities and is so comfortable. It made me feel like a pro on some of the twisty roads. The brakes were fantastic and the steering was also better than expected.
The Boss 302 had no luxury whatsoever. It had manual cloth Recaro seats. The seats were very comfortable and nice looking though, and that's what's most important. It didn't have a NAV system or touchscreen. The interior was tight, but liveable and the driving/seating position was comfortable, as it was in the Caddy.
Once I started the Boss 302 and blipped the throttle, the love affair began. The sound emanating from the tail pipes was awesome. The short throw shifter was incredible (compared to all of the other manual cars I've ever driven), and the pedal placement and clutch were perfect for spirited driving. Clutch release was nice and predictable and was far easier to press/release than I expected. Unlike the CTS-V which had what I would consider "sluggish" throttle response, the Boss 302 said "try me" the moment I pressed the throttle. It must be the gearing because the Boss felt like it had more than the advertised 444 hp, while the Caddy felt like it may have been missing a few of its 556 advertised ponies. I rolled the throttle of the Boss to the floor and before I could blink, the sales guy and I were pinned to the back of our seats and I was rowing through the gears barking the tires on the shift into 2nd and 3rd gear. People on the other side of the road were probably wondering who the mad man was behind the wheel of the Mustang
There was one thing I was disappointed with about both cars. I had a DVD loaded with MP3s that I wanted to play. We tried two CTS-Vs and the DVD wouldn't play in either one. I also tried to play it in the Boss 302 and had the same problem. I play this same DVD in my SRT8 and my wifes car and never have any problems with it. The Mustang and CTS-Vs displayed "read error" when I tried to play it. It's simply a DVD with one directory filled with MP3s. I did notice that if I put the files in multiple directories, my SRT8 will only load the files in the first directory it finds, but this DVD just had one directory with all the files in it. Maybe I need to not put them in a directory. I really wanted to listen to some of my favorite music, and couldn't because of the stupid DVD read problems.
I'm planning to test drive a bunch of other cars too, including the Shelby GT500, Chrysler 300 SRT8 (or Dodge Charger SRT8), and the Mercedes AMG C63. I usually agonize over which car to get for months, so I figure now is a good time to start because I can actually test them out on warm streets. Time is running out with cold weather around the corner later this fall. I want to wait until the weather gets real cold so I can go find a deal on one with ice all over it. LOL
The fly in the ointment right now is availability of a 2013 GT500 to test drive. No Ford dealer near me has one, and the one I called that did have one was far away and said they were not allowing any test drives in it. That's crazy. I refuse to buy any car I can't test drive first. I also refuse to pay these rediculous ADMs that greedy Ford dealers are asking. Perhaps I can find a 2012 with navigation and SVT package and just test it out for starters and just be patient on testing the 2013 later this year.
To sum it up, I liked the CTS-V and loved the Boss 302. It's the opposite outcome I expected. The price of the Boss 302 makes it an incredible bargain, and it's so much fun to drive that I forgot I'm 48 years old! I'm not sure which would win a drag race, but the Boss felt faster and lighter on it's feet. I suspect that the Boss would be a little faster in just about every conceivable objective test. Now I need to do some more research and learn more about the Boss 302.
EDIT:
Just remembered - There are a few thing I forgot to mention. It's not a big deal, but the Boss 302 steering wheel does not telescope, and I had to adjust the seat further forward than I like because it was necessary (for a guy my height, 5'9") to fully engage the clutch.
Another thing I forgot to mention is that the key FOB for the CTS-V was HEAVY, and big! I personally think these proximity FOBs are gimmicky and stupid. I prefer the FOB of my SRT8 because it's not this giant awkward device. I don't like the idea of carrying that large FOB around in my pocket. Plus, once in the car, you can't put it into the ignition (I suppose that is the point), so you either have to put it into your pocket or maybe a cup holder where it will rattle around and where I could potentially forget it and leave it in the car. Who are the idiots that decided this was something we want?