[Stealth]

I'm trying to decide which to go for.  I'm pretty loyal to the CTS-V, but there are 3 other challengers out there.  Tell me, out of the 4, which would you choose, and why.

Whichever I get, it's going to be black, with black leather interior and sunroof.

1) Cadillac CTS-V
6.0L LS2 400HP V8 (corvette Z06 engine and transmission)
0-60 in 4.6 seconds
standard (manual) transmission






2) Dodge Charger SRT-8
6.1L Hemi 425HP V8
~5 second 0-60
automatic transmission






3) Infiniti G-35 sport
i'm not as big a fan of this as #1 or #2, so i'm not going to post pictures or specs of it.  if you can persuade me to get it, then that's good, otherwise it's still between the #1 and #2.  The G-35 can't touch the SRT-8 or CTS-V in terms of performance.

4) Acura TL
i'm not as big a fan of this as #1 or #2, so i'm not going to post pictures or specs of it.  if you can persuade me to get it, then that's good, otherwise it's still between the #1 and #2.  The TL can't touch the SRT-8 or CTS-V in terms of performance.

don't include price or gas mileage in your verdict or recommendation, as neither of them matter to me.

P.S.
i realize you're all uber-boxy-import-fanbois, but please keep it just to the above 4, ok?  i don't want to know whether you'd rather have *insert ugly european car name here*.

Thanks!

[Polpolion]

Cadillacs = nice

[Hades]

Get the Cadilac.

[IceFire]

The Cadilac has gotten a fair number of good words about it since it came out.  Which is good given the reputation that North American car manufacturers have given themselves in the last 5-10 years.  Even Ford is making a decent car finally (Fusion).  The G37 Coupe is looking pretty swank as well...but the HP numbers aren't as high as the other two.  Although my parents have bought Chrysler's for a while...I think quality control has declined.  The Cadillac will probably go nicely.  None of them are practical but you don't sound like you want that specifically

Personally...I'd go for the G35 Sport or the Acura TL as they still have better reliability, longevity, resale qualities according to Consumer Reports and elsewhere.  But thats just me.  I tend to care less about raw horsepower and allot more about the handling and long term prospects of the car.  I don't own one but I'll probably be buying an "econo-****box" as I can't afford anything like this

[redsniper]

Whichever I get, it's going to be black, with black leather interior and sunroof.

Holy crap! You know how effing hot that's gonna get down here in the summer (unless you use a parking garage, I guess ). Are you mad?!

[Stealth]

i have a covered spot at work, at home it parks in the air conditioned garage, plus i'd get a remote start, which always helps

[Roanoke]

I think the Dodge has the edge on looks but I prefer manual and the interior looks low-rent. 

If I were you, and if you're keeping the caddy and mitsy, I'd be looking at something less pratical and something a little more bonkers. 

I'd quite like an early 90s Trans Am about now (the Knight Rider shape). Or the equivilant Camaro. 

[Stealth]

yeah but this would beat both the early 90s trnas am or camaro

that's the great thing about this cadillac... it's classy, 4 door (practical... somewhat), and yet it'll run with or beat most muscle cars

[DeepSpace9er]

Dont buy a domestic car.

[vyper]

Dodge.

[Unknown Target]

The Dodge has the edge on looks, but I don't know - I've heard manual is more fun to drive, although I've never driven one.

[Wobble73]

American cars!  

There are only a few sexy american cars, and those are sports cars, i.e. Dodge Viper, Trans Am, the Corvette and the Camaro. but those big bulky four seaters with suspensions so loose that make you feel your riding on a water bed 

[Dysko]

I find the Dodge the best looking one

I've heard manual is more fun to drive, although I've never driven one.

In Europe 90% of the cars have manual gear. And my next car will be of the 10% that has automatic gear. I hate manual gear, especially when you forgot to shift to 1st gear at the traffic light and so you depart in 3rd gear...

[diceman111]

Well I like both Automatic and Manual transmisison however I must agree that American cars s**** pretty bad, are a few exceptions but generally poor quality and trim, you would have thought that FORD would have learned something when they bought VOLVO or GM when they bought SAAB but aperently not.


/Dice

[Roanoke]

seems all FoMoCo have learned is how to make massive losses...(~$12 bilion for '06)

[diceman111]

seems all FoMoCo have learned is how to make massive losses...(~$12 bilion for '06)

Yepp and now they are selling Aston Martin, really dont understand them, I think VOLVO is one of the few companies owned by FORD who actually is making money (This is good since I live in the city where Volvos main production and R&D is located, Gothenburg Sweden).

So my advise would be to buy a Volvo S60 or the new S80 or maybe an Audi A4/A6


/Dice

[IceFire]

seems all FoMoCo have learned is how to make massive losses...(~$12 bilion for '06)

Yepp and now they are selling Aston Martin, really dont understand them, I think VOLVO is one of the few companies owned by FORD who actually is making money (This is good since I live in the city where Volvos main production and R&D is located, Gothenburg Sweden).

So my advise would be to buy a Volvo S60 or the new S80 or maybe an Audi A4/A6


/Dice

Mazda is also making money and so far 2007 has been better for them than ever actually.  So Ford is doing good with a couple of the companies that they have a stake in but they themselves haven't been doing nearly as well.  Still the Fusion has gotten good reviews (top reliability according to Consumer Reports) and the Edge is at least based on the same platform as the CX-7 from Mazda so hopefully they have a new kick on and can figure some things out.  The North American Ford Focus just sucks and the redesign looks aweful.  Ironically the Euro Focus looks amazing in comparison and the new Mondeo needs to be sold here it just looks far too cool to not sell in North America.  I don't know what crack they are smoking over here but the North American auto companies seem to have some really nice cars with good reputations and some awesome looks and somehow they manage to reserve those for Europe and elsewhere.

GM and Ford both have the idea now that maybe they need to actually not build some craptacular unexciting pieces of garbage.  My parents drive two of said vehicles.  Now thats not to say that Toyota doesn't make the most boring cars around but at least you can be pretty sure that they will hold together for a very long time.  But I am encouraged...the Saturn Aura is pretty swanky, the Astra looks good, Ford's got the Fusion and Edge (looks promising, crossing my fingers), and some good things are coming along.  Now, mind you, what Stealth is after there with the really high performance vehicles...not ones that most people are going to buy...but in that area I think GM, Ford, Dodge still do that right. 

I have hope for them mostly because I want to see the autoworkers keep their jobs but I think there will be allot of pain over the next few years.  And they really need to get rid of all the brands.  Toyota has three brands off the top of my head...GM has...what...8...9?

[Fury]

I love how majority of the posters here have more or less ignored Stealth's last part of the first post.

[jr2]

The Cadilac has gotten a fair number of good words about it since it came out.  Which is good given the reputation that North American car manufacturers have given themselves in the last 5-10 years.  Even Ford is making a decent car finally (Fusion).  The G37 Coupe is looking pretty swank as well...but the HP numbers aren't as high as the other two.  Although my parents have bought Chrysler's for a while...I think quality control has declined.  The Cadillac will probably go nicely.  None of them are practical but you don't sound like you want that specifically

Personally...I'd go for the G35 Sport or the Acura TL as they still have better reliability, longevity, resale qualities according to Consumer Reports and elsewhere.  But thats just me.  I tend to care less about raw horsepower and allot more about the handling and long term prospects of the car.  I don't own one but I'll probably be buying an "econo-****box" as I can't afford anything like this

Go with a Hyundai.  I've heard they're quite reliable.

I find the Dodge the best looking one

I've heard manual is more fun to drive, although I've never driven one.

In Europe 90% of the cars have manual gear. And my next car will be of the 10% that has automatic gear. I hate manual gear, especially when you forgot to shift to 1st gear at the traffic light and so you depart in 3rd gear...

Try downshifting to assist your braking; just don't downshift to 1st until you're only going 10-15 mph (or let the clutch out really slow).  That way, you'll already be in the correct gear to take off in.  Or, just shift it to neutral... of course, then if you try that, the engine will rev through the sky.  I personally (when I had use of a stick ) kept one hand on the shifter most of the time; I just let it relax there, which worked out pretty good.

[vyper]

Or just get your head out your arse and remember to take it out of gear when you're stopped; AS you're supposed to do.