I said goodbye to my E34

[Garlic Breath]

After 5 years and over 80k miles, I had to say goodbye to her. :(

One of the most reliable cars I have ever owned. :D

She was getting a little long in the tooth, the headlights were terrible, the heat and control of the vents were non-existent and I had a weird electrical problem with the side mirrors that went unresolved. I just didn't want to mess around with her any more.

I first started to look for a GXP but Pontiac bailed, then I went looking for a E39 M5.

I was about to buy one but the PPI was overwhelming and I spoke with a few indy's in my area and one of them told me he's not taking anymore customers. The other was a hack. So I would be at the mercy of the dealership for work and I was not in the mood to deal with the BMW service department for a car that was about to be out of warranty and the S62 quirks somewhat scared me too.

Last on my list was the CTS-V, I found a low mileage one that is in mint condition and she is now in my driveway.

I want to thank you all for the awesome website, it saved my ass numerous times. If it wasn't for this site I would have never have purchased one in the first place.

Good luck to all, best of health and happy driving! :)

[repenttokyo]

congrats on the cts-v - that will be my next car as well. nice to see other E34 fans following the same "progression" I plan to make.

[whiskychaser]

Let me into the secret then. Only CTS-V I could find was a Cadillac??

[Interceptor]

Let me into the secret then. Only CTS-V I could find was a Cadillac??

Yes, it's a Cadillac (had to google it, too). I guess American cars don't get much attention outside the US. Mostly for a good reason - they suck :D

[Garlic Breath]

Jeremy Clarksons review of the Cadillac CTS-V on Top Gear.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFYr7FTN-II

[BMWDriver]

Sounds like a fun car.

It's probably a long ways yet before I change my bimmer, but I'm rather fond of the e46 coupe and e92 body designs. Though someone with an M3 e46 went back to an e36 for the sheer pleasure of driving, commenting the e46 as over-assisted, that being a customer of a specialist West of Montreal who converts bimmers.

[Garlic Breath]

congrats on the cts-v - that will be my next car as well. nice to see other E34 fans following the same "progression" I plan to make.

It's very fun to drive.

Check out
http://www.cadillacfaq.com/
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-cts-v-series-forum-2004/
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-cts-v-2004-2009-68/

[Ross]

Yes, it's a Cadillac (had to google it, too). I guess American cars don't get much attention outside the US. Mostly for a good reason - they suck :D
This Cadillac which "sucks" will outperform most anything in it's class, has a proven reliable driveline and is easy and relatively inexpensive to service.
It will humiliate our E34 "ultimate driving machines" on a road course or dragstrip.
Your blanket statement is just plain wrong and this Caddy is an example of why.

[Ross]

Jeremy Clarksons review of the Cadillac CTS-V on Top Gear.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFYr7FTN-II

High praise from Clarkson, especially given how it just kills him to praise anything American.
The CTS V's test lap time was just a couple of notches below the Noble which is essentially a track car that Clarkson nearly climaxes over.

[Interceptor]

This Cadillac which "sucks" will outperform most anything in it's class, has a proven reliable driveline and is easy and relatively inexpensive to service.
It will humiliate our E34 "ultimate driving machines" on a road course or dragstrip.
Your blanket statement is just plain wrong and this Caddy is an example of why.

I believe you that this Caddy is a great car, but it's just an exemption from the rule. Sales figures speak for themselves. American cars don't sell well in Europe and are usually considered badly engineered (especially compared to German cars), unreliable and gas guzzlers. On the other hand, european cars sell very well in the US and together with japanese car makers almost completely ruined american car industry. It's not that americans don't know how to make good cars, it's just that you need a really bad fuel crisis to try hard enough.

That being said, I really envy you because BMWs in the US are almost half the price than in Europe :(

[repenttokyo]

I believe you that this Caddy is a great car, but it's just an exemption from the rule. Sales figures speak for themselves. American cars don't sell well in Europe and are usually considered badly engineered (especially compared to German cars), unreliable and gas guzzlers. On the other hand, european cars sell very well in the US and together with japanese car makers almost completely ruined american car industry. It's not that americans don't know how to make good cars, it's just that you need a really bad fuel crisis to try hard enough.

That being said, I really envy you because BMWs in the US are almost half the price than in Europe :(

some European cars sell well in the US, but there are no European cars that outsell American cars in the U.S. So it would seem to be an identical sales situation. Look at percentage of the market in North America and you will see it is Japanese first, American second and European brands third.


Interestingly, European cars are considered "unreliable" in North America, which would suggest a reflective bias.

[repenttokyo]

It's very fun to drive.

Check out
http://www.cadillacfaq.com/
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-cts-v-series-forum-2004/
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-cts-v-2004-2009-68/

thank-you for the links. I had the chance to drive one this summer, and I really enjoyed it. The only thing I am not enthused about really is the interior. I like the interior in my e34 more than the CTS. How do you find the interior compares to the one in your e34?

[Interceptor]

some European cars sell well in the US, but there are no European cars that outsell American cars in the U.S. So it would seem to be an identical sales situation. Look at percentage of the market in North America and you will see it is Japanese first, American second and European brands third.

Interestingly, European cars are considered "unreliable" in North America, which would suggest a reflective bias.

Top selling cars in Europe (2007):
1st: Peugeot 207 (437,505, +105.5%)
2nd: Volkswagen Golf (435,055, +4.5%)
3rd: Ford Focus (406,557, -7.5%)
4th: Opel/Vauxhall Corsa (402,173, +41.7%)
5th: Opel/Vauxhall Astra (402,044, -7.9%)
6th: Renault Clio (382,041, -11.5%)
7th: Fiat Punto (377,989, -5.9%)
8th: Ford Fiesta (300,566, +0.6%)
9th: Volkswagen Passat (300,566, -9.4%)
10th: BMW 3 Series (295,312, +2%)

0 trucks, 0 SUVs, 0 japanese cars, 0 american cars
(Fiesta/Focus are designed and built by Ford Europe)

Top selling cars in the US (2007):
1st: Ford F-Series
2nd: Chevrolet Silverado
3rd: Toyota Camry
4th: Honda Accord
5th: Toyota Corolla
6th: Dodge Ram
7th: Honda Civic
8th: Chevrolet Impala
9th: Nissan Altima
10th: Honda CR-V

3 trucks, 1 SUV (japanese), 5 japanese cars, 1 american car.

My point is, US and european customers have a completely different view of what a car should look, feel and do. We don't use pickup trucks as daily drivers and don't drive our kids to school in SUVs. It's simply a different philosophy and state of mind.

[Ross]

It's not an exception anymore.
The difference between US cars and others is not only in the cars it is in the drivers and their expectations.
My take on it is this; Americans for decades considered an automobile a disposable item, and they were. High style, huge power and a quickly fading newness. As a youth I was able to buy cars only a few years old for less than it currently costs me to fill the tank.
All along in the rest of the world an auto has been "durable goods", something saved for and cared for when attained. A fact is that US cars were still better even when made to be thrown away in a few years so the makers were fat and happy but unfortunately also deaf, dumb and blind when the rest of the world was catching up.
It's funny that 5ers and E class are fancy here but are taxis in Berlin. Your Caddy must be real head turner in Europe(make believers out of those folks in the fast lane for me, please), so lots to be said for being different.
US car makers made some truely craptacular cars for several decades, some exceptions in the higher ranks but the pedestrian(no pun intended) car most families bought was crapola and now it's time to pay the piper.
I can name PLENTY of shitastic Euro and Jap cars as well so we ain't alone.
Now that GM is on the government teat like so many Euro brands we'll see what happens.

[Interceptor]

I can name PLENTY of shitastic Euro and Jap cars as well so we ain't alone.
Now that GM is on the government teat like so many Euro brands we'll see what happens.

Honestly, I look forward to it. European car makers could use some healthy competition.

BMW (like most European cars) suffered a drop in quality since they started making cars more disposable, so it's very likely that US and european cars will meet in the middle of the scale in a few years :D

E90/E60 interior looks cheap and generic to me and the exterior looks more japanese than european :(

[repenttokyo]

Top selling cars in Europe (2007):
1st: Peugeot 207 (437,505, +105.5%)
2nd: Volkswagen Golf (435,055, +4.5%)
3rd: Ford Focus (406,557, -7.5%)
4th: Opel/Vauxhall Corsa (402,173, +41.7%)
5th: Opel/Vauxhall Astra (402,044, -7.9%)
6th: Renault Clio (382,041, -11.5%)
7th: Fiat Punto (377,989, -5.9%)
8th: Ford Fiesta (300,566, +0.6%)
9th: Volkswagen Passat (300,566, -9.4%)
10th: BMW 3 Series (295,312, +2%)

0 trucks, 0 SUVs, 0 japanese cars, 0 american cars
(Fiesta/Focus are designed and built by Ford Europe)

Top selling cars in the US (2007):
1st: Ford F-Series
2nd: Chevrolet Silverado
3rd: Toyota Camry
4th: Honda Accord
5th: Toyota Corolla
6th: Dodge Ram
7th: Honda Civic
8th: Chevrolet Impala
9th: Nissan Altima
10th: Honda CR-V

3 trucks, 1 SUV (japanese), 5 japanese cars, 1 american car.

My point is, US and european customers have a completely different view of what a car should look, feel and do. We don't use pickup trucks as daily drivers and don't drive our kids to school in SUVs. It's simply a different philosophy and state of mind.

we are talking about cars, not trucks. take the trucks out of there and you see my point immediately.

a big part of that different state of mind is the fact that Europe really is tiny compared to north america - how many countries could you fit into my home province of Quebec? In Canada, you can drive for 2 days and not reach another major city....so the distances involved have created a very different car culture and set of needs.

[repenttokyo]

Honestly, I look forward to it. European car makers could use some healthy competition.

BMW (like most European cars) suffered a drop in quality since they started making cars more disposable, so it's very likely that US and european cars will meet in the middle of the scale in a few years :D

E90/E60 interior looks cheap and generic to me and the exterior looks more japanese than european :(

i agree, very generic. it's sad :(

[Ross]

Peugeot, Renault, Fiat? None of those can be given away here, they are junk.
Not one on either list I'd care to own.

"My point is, US and european customers have a completely different view of what a car should look, feel and do. We don't use pickup trucks as daily drivers and don't drive our kids to school in SUVs. It's simply a different philosophy and state of mind."

No doubt.