Cadillac CTS-V - Considering buying... Input?

Hey guys...

I've been looking for something new to drive for quite some time, and untill recently haven't found anything that fits where I am in life right now.

First off... I'm 28 and own my own small business. For now... My 2 Door Sports car days are behind me. Yet I still want something fun and easy to tinker with and play with on the weekends.

Thus... I'm thinking the "V" fits the bill.

I'm currently looking at an '04 w/ 140K Miles on it...

So my questions are...

Should I be scared of that kind of mileage on a "V"?

I've been looking all over the place locally, and I can't find much in the way of V1's... This one with 140K Miles is cosmetically in better shape than the only other one I could find... An 06 w/ 87K Miles.

The way I look at it... I won't leave much of anything stock for long... So the mileage doesn't bother me much since most of those parts will be replaced over time.

BUT... Am I wrong in that thought process? And should I just be patient and wait for something better to come along?

Sorry for the wall of text guys... Just looking for a bit of input as to whether mileage is something to worry about with these cars.

THANKS!

-David

V is a great car, that being said there are a lot of things you can nit pick on to get the price dropped.

If...the trans doesn't want to go into 1st, 6th or R easily you need a new trans mount and shifter bushings, easy fix.

If it sounds like a diesel and rattles alot on startup or shutdown you may need new motor mounts.

These cars are great but you need to be willing to put in some wrench time and a bit of money, but for what you will spend on a car with the miles your looking at you should be able to take care of this sort of stuff and still be within a reasonable budget. I just listed two basic things that are pretty much guaranteed with these cars at that mileage unless they have been previously upgraded. Look around the forum and you will be able to see what the fixes are and what other common issues there are. Good luck to you.

V is a great car, that being said there are a lot of things you can nit pick on to get the price dropped.

If...the trans doesn't want to go into 1st, 6th or R easily you need a new trans mount and shifter bushings, easy fix.

If it sounds like a diesel and rattles alot on startup or shutdown you may need new motor mounts.

These cars are great but you need to be willing to put in some wrench time and a bit of money, but for what you will spend on a car with the miles your looking at you should be able to take care of this sort of stuff and still be within a reasonable budget. I just listed two basic things that are pretty much guaranteed with these cars at that mileage unless they have been previously upgraded. Look around the forum and you will be able to see what the fixes are and what other common issues there are. Good luck to you.

Thanks a bunch!... I'll definitely keep an eye on those things while I'm searching.

Was really figuring there'd be more of a response to this thread... But... Eh well.

Going to go look at the first one (found it last night) in person tomorrow...

This one is an 04 with 82K miles.... They are asking $2600 more than the one with 140K.

Figure I'll go look at the one with 140K on Tuesday...

Then... If neither of those calls my name I guess I'll keep looking.

I just don't wanna buy something sight unseen and have it hauled in.... I want to look at it myself then drive it home, but I don't want to drive clear across the country either.

High mileage cars are....high mileage cars lol. interior panels are looser, generally more paint damage, etc. the "v" specific parts generally go bad at low mileage. mounts, bushings, brakes and ball joints should have been all worn out and replaced by then

Bought mine with 149k miles on it and haven't had an issue with it at all. Needs a clutch soon and a shifter but overall I love the car. And I couldn't beat the price I basically stole it from the dealership that had it they didn't know what it was.

In regards to the 2004:

I would just make sure the radiator has been replaced (almost all with plastic end tanks have gone at around 100k miles), and make sure the diff. has been replaced at least with an updated one (high failure rate).

Other than that, it's just the normal high-mileage stuff.

I'd also lean more towards a car with a black interior. I'm not so thrilled with the look of the wear and tear on the Tan interior.

-meaty

Meaty has a good point about a radiator, mine went bad at 95,000. My aurora has a tan interior, and my drivers seat certainly shows more wear than my black in my V. Tbh I can't picture a v with a tan interior.

In regards to the 2004:

I would just make sure the radiator has been replaced (almost all with plastic end tanks have gone at around 100k miles), and make sure the diff. has been replaced at least with an updated one (high failure rate).

Other than that, it's just the normal high-mileage stuff.

I'd also lean more towards a car with a black interior. I'm not so thrilled with the look of the wear and tear on the Tan interior.

-meaty

As far as radiators go, if your stocker is leaking save up for the ron davis all aluminum radiator. The thing is a piece of art, and love mine. Nit pick every detail when buying one of these from a dealer, and go get labor quotes and parts cost direct from cadillac to use as ammo for anything mechanically screwed.

Thanks again guys...

All great input.

I've bought high mileage cars before... So normally I'm not too scared.

Just wanted to make sure the "V" wasn't one of those cars that doesn't age well. LOL

I'll let ya'll know what I find in the next couple days.

The one I'm hoping to go look at tomorrow looks very promising... Just need the seller on Autotrader to get back with me! LOL

Radio buttons are gonna be worn btw.