2009 Cadillac STS-V Review - The "V" Car No One Knows About!
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
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DISCLAIMER!
The thoughts, feelings, and opinions expressed in this video are the sole thoughts of Zack and no one else. The purpose of this video is to provide entertainment with the hope that you will take what you see and formulate your own opinions. I highly recommend consuming other reviews of this vehicle before making any form of financial decision.
#Cadillac #STSV
Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
1:27 - Engine / Transmission
4:39 - Interior
7:35 - BFB Test
7:56 - Interior
8:20 - Back Seats
9:24 - Trunk / Cargo Space
9:50 - Exterior
10:36 - Final Thoughts
13:20 - Outro - Auta a dopravní prostředky
"It whines like a newborn baby getting punted 40 yards"
- Zack Pradel, 2022
Some of modern Cadillac's iconic styling. The sharp design looks elegant and purposeful. GM can build a good car when they want to, they just always cheap out at the last minute. Whenever they finally get something right they immediately kill it. The CT4, CT5, and CT6 are finally good enough to compete with the Germans. The V brand is stronger than ever. What does GM do? Kill all the sedans in favor of generic crossovers. If GM had committed to the V and put some real development work we could have had an American M3 for the last 10 or 15 years instead of the on-again off-again V sedans. It could coexist just like the 325 exists beside the M3.
You’re definitely right! The CT6 was the epitome of what a Cadillac should be although they’re still producing the CT6 but, for China only tho unfortunately. 2004 Cadillac CTS-V was a M3 competitor also.
They can’t sell what nobody will buy.
@@Shadrach92 Somewhat true but, Literally everyone bought a Ford Focus, Taurus & Fusion but, they still discontinued it in the US. Sometimes Auto Manufacturer try and follow trends even if it means sacrificing their brand identity.
You are so right. GM is not brave enough and the Marketing is too weak i guess. A lot of damage was Done in the past with their Cost cutting and strange modell lineups :/ I live here in Austria, drive a 07 STS 4 V8 (beside a Renault Avantime) and love it! But I hardly See any Cadillacs here :/ Audi, BMW, Mercedes are so strong in the premium class:/ boring
@@MandusahRamirezFord axing their cars was shortsighted at best. They got rid of then in favor of higher margin vehicles like trucks and SUVs. But they've now moved to a lower volume profit model which has lead to extreme dealer markups and people are souring on the brand.
I'm a 2006 owner. Many will recognize my SN from the Caddy forum. Theses cars are great until they start breaking. Then you're faced with "parts unobtanium" due to the 2,503 production count.
My list of issues (some are common);
-Heated steering wheel failed. A common issue and GM didn't have enough left over by the time mine failed. It's ok though, I don't drive mine in the Chicago winters, so...
- Driveshaft center carrier bearing failed. Only option... Find a used one (hard due to 2,503 out there) or forking out a boatload for a custom 1-piece. I was lucky to find a low mileage used one at a GM specialty auto recycler in Sacramento, CA.
- Exhaust Manifolds. This is a one-piece manifold/Catalytic converter design. Both of mine split at that joint between the two. OEM's, if you can even find them anymore, are extremely expensive. Magnaflow makes a cheaper alternative, but the drivers side version wasn't well thought out accommodating for the oil dipstick. So I went through a couple dipstick assemblies modifying it to work.
- Body parts unique to the STS-V. I hit a dog with mine. There were no STS-V front bumper covers available through the GM NA SPO. We even had GM corporate trying to source one. We went through 9 covers from GM before insurance said enough was enough and waived my deductible. The difference is the headlight washers you see in the video. None of the covers would work with my OEM headlight washer equipment. So I had to forego them. The box of parts is sitting in the garage...
- Magnetic shocks. Another feature I enjoy, err, enjoyed on the car. Putting it in to "competitive driving mode" and handling some curves. Well, when they go out, the OEM's are next to impossible to find, so if you replace them, you replace them with passive units and lose another feature of the car.
Then there are the common things like thermostat issues, cam cover oil leaks, shifter/shifter issues, clock issues if you disconnect/replace the battery (mine finally came back) and a myriad of other things.
Overall I've thoroughly have enjoyed the car (had it 13+ years now), but my patience is wearing thin as the car has spent the later part of the last two years waiting on parts/installing parts and sitting in a body shop.
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How many miles did you have on the car b4 all these issues started popping up ? I want to buy one but the lack of parts and the northstars known to leak oil no matter the mileage is whats holding me back I found a 10/10 condition 2006 with 20k miles I'm tempted to buy and the price is great too
@@YanilMiami305I can't really say as they've been throughout my 13 years of ownership . I just turned 88k on it before putting it away for another Chicago winter.
@CMNTMXR57 ok I see maybe I'll keep waiting for a 2008 or 09 then cause I also asked on a cadillac page on FB and most ppl told me the 06 had the most issues since it was a new model and you know most new model years of cars are the ones with the most issues.
@@YanilMiami305 I can't say I've every heard that and don't believe that to be true. That could simply be because 2006 is also the most produced year of this car too at 1,306 vs. 2009 at 96. So naturally 2006 would also be the model year to have the most "failures" per car compared to 2009. Only 2,503 in total were made between 2006 & 2009. There is no difference mechanically between the years. The only things changed were some interior trim pieces/steering wheel, the addition of an exterior fender vent, addition of HUD and that later years had the engine assembler sign a plaque on the engine with their name.
Is it on the road yet ?
I just like the STS-V just for how unique it is. It's a rear wheel drive DOHC 4 valve all aluminum supercharged V8. That's just awesome
It sounds simply awesome 😍 Check out our vids about the STS with the Northstar youtube.com/@specialcarsgermany2214
Unfortunately it’s a northstar tho
@CodeineAbdulJabbar it's a quite different Northstar engine as the original Northstars were transverse mounted. From what I've heard GM fixed the issues of the earlier front wheel drive Northstars with the rear wheel drive Northstar engines. The earlier Northstar engines gave that name a bad reputation unfortunately.
@@damilolaakanniI mean makes them cheaper for those of us who know. There are years to avoid for sure but the latter years were excellent!
@@yamahaguy1732what years should people stay away from?
The early Northstars were the L37 and LD8, which were a front wheel drive application for the Deville, Seville, Eldorado.
There were other Northstar engines that didn't carry the flaws of the early N*L37(4.6) and LD8(4.6).
The N* L47(4.0) and V6 short star which were in the Aurora was different.
The LH2(4.6) in the STS, XLR and SRX is a rear wheel application didn't have problems like the early L37 and LD8
The N* LC3(4.4) STS-V and XLR-V is a solid engine.
ولكن أيضا باقي سيارات كدلك من الدفع الأمامي لم تعد تعاني من المشاكل بعد ٢٠٠٦ أصبحت ممتازه 👌
I had a gorgeous 2008 Gold STS with a V6 that unfortunately got totaled in an accident about a year ago. Such an underrated car the V6 wasn't bad at all, although it did burn quite a bit of oil, it was a joy to drive and surprisingly quick for a V6 while being extremely comfortable. Missed that car so much I bought another one just last week. Silver 2007 STS with the 4.6 Northstar and man despite the reputation on the Northstar engines it is such a wonderful experience to be behind the wheel of such a beast. I almost went with a beautiful STS-V that I saw for sale, but unfortunately I didn't have the funds to do so. I am more than happy with the 4.6, but hearing the whine on that thing really makes me wish I had saved up for the V!
my 06 sts v6 chugs down oil too lol. transmission and timing chain are also going bad at 80k miles , but it is 16 years old
My 2008 with V6 would get about 5000 to a Quart. The V6 was quite Peppy, and could certainly attain some Highly Illegal Speeds. I felt the Ride was harsh enough to injure my Kidneys(that was with the FE1 Suspension, the others must be like having no Springs whatso ever), and the pathetic Seats didn't help, it certainly didn't ride like a Cadillac should. The Timing Chains were replaced by GM at 8 yrs of Age, Mine was involved in a Collision over 2 years ago. I figured it would be written off, so I continued driving it for 23 months, then I put the Claim in. It was. I kept the Salvage and sold it to a Friends Kid, who is going to repair it, get it inspected. I replaced it with a XT5
My dad had a black ⚫️ one..(R.I.P.) it had carbon fiber kit on it..he was always had to replace the front splitter 2 or 3 times a year..he was goin to trade it in for the v2 CTS-V..but unfortunately he passed away 😢 😔..it was a sleeper car no doubt..very fast at the time..but it ended and elevated the CTS-V to the CT5-V Blackwing and the future of electrification..Semper Fi Pops..rest easy🫡
I own another of the 14 gray 2009 STS-V’s. Thunder Gray ChromaFlair to be exact. Mine has gray interior. I’ve owned it for about 10 years and it’s been one of the most reliable cars I’ve ever owned. Bought it with 38k miles and it currently has 71k miles.
I knew about the STS but never knew they made V version. This might be a good alternative and more estately
I own a 2008 STS-V to which it looks exactly like the car shown in the video (color and the painted wheels), I recognize the TC-Fab intake and the pully. I also own a 2005 CTS-V as well, so I'm constantly comparing the two. What it boils down to is what are you looking for, the CTS feels more sport oriented and honestly kinda lack luster of the two, it's more of a sports car and not really a Cadillac. Dont get me wrong its still nice but when I get into the STS, it feels like I'm stepping into a true luxury car. A couple other features I would add to the video is the fact the STS-V came with blind spot mirrors (arguably the first of it's time), rain sensitive wiper blades (automatically comes on and adjust speed based on intensity), and one of the first adaptive cruise control. The main competitor was the 2008+ Chrysler 300C SRT that came with a lot of similar features. In short, the STS-V is a nice weekend car to take out to the backroads and just enjoy the drive.
Ive been emailing Tim just yesterday, about to go Stage 2 & 3 on my 2007
Let me guess the ATS V didn’t exist later down the line
Soo I had a question if the STS Wasn’t in production why they choose to go with a Smaller version of the CTS ?
@@electricbird423forester9لأهتمامهم بنافسه الأوربيين اكثر
Had a 07 Sts-v with headers,borla exhaust,ported blower,timmyc intake, throttle body,heat exchanger and lower pulley and it made 470 to the tires
People who know the V-Series models know the STS-V existed.
I have an 06 STS-V and love it so underrated great video
Great review! Totally a rare special car. I wanted the sts-v and couldn't find it so I got the 2009 sts v8 model in AWD. Probably for MI the AWD was a life saver in the winter as that car is a tank and never got stuck. I still own my 09 sts along with my xts-v. Still love my 09 sts and its runs brand new with 270k miles on it.
Highly underrated Cadillac and of course I knew they made it! The sts in general was an underrated caddy
cuz honestly look at what was comin out at the time these early 2000s s500s a8s and bmw7 series 🤣🤣🤣
and well not early well pre 2010 to me is early so thats why i said but im on yo side man STS are sick someone was draggin one out here in irwindale CA near where im from HILARIOUSLY BEAT A CAMARO😂😂
@@ibeentossinaunties thanks man and honesty those generations of s-class A8 and 7-series were quite ahead of their time, but not as rare as the STS (though the STS competed primarily with the 5-series and e-class A6 etc.)
I found out about this car when Patrick Swayze drove it in The Beast. It is so cool and also simple and elegant. It was a proper E55 AMG competitor back in the day.
Great review! Never been much of a car guy, but have always really liked Cadillac and enjoyed this deep dive on such a rare model.
I have one. I have a CAI and tuned it myself as well. Just modified MAF tables and IAT vs timing. It's great. Ppl always mistake it for cts-v
Nice! Thought I recognized the car. Hope that these very unique cars are getting loved and appreciated oneday. I know there are some people in the US who really like to mod the STS-V and make them great but they are still getting looked over. Here in Germany it is even worse, we have too many RS/AMG and Ms...
You seem like a great guy and I love the BFB test. Subscribed
I'd say the ct6 might be a successor to the sts since the ct5 is a cts
Facts, and the CT6-V was the STS-V.
The CT6 sounds simillar to a 4.6 Northstar in the STS (yes I know the CT6 is a 4.2 Liter Blackwing). Love both cars. We poor europeans did never receive the CT6 Blackwing. Only the 3.0TT
The sts was such an odd car. Starting out as the funkily styled fwd seville in the 80's to a handsome but still fwd sts seville in the nineties, it was a bold move to change it to a rwd euro style car in the 00's. I'm assuming the dts sort of filled in the hole that was left when this model went more upscale.
What do you mean by 'European style'
@@vladislavdimitrov4646 For an American car it’s very European. Mimics the idea of BMW 5-series but still retains unique Cadillac styling. However they drive nothing like a Cadillac used to.
I almost bought one of these, but the dealership sold it the day before I got there!
I may be the only one but I love northstars
You’re not brother, their problems are Overblown by mechanics who were overwhelmed by the engine and their popularity. I have owned plenty without incident. 💯
@@DJKadilac And by people that "heard something aboout the engine". The truth is: A LH2 And a LC3 are strong And bulletproof with a good oil And frequent oil Service. Check out our sound videos youtube.com/@specialcarsgermany2214
I've never pressed the trunk button on my STS-V fob, since new. Like most cars, there is a pad above the rear license plate if the fob is in your pocket or hands. The fob can only be opened for battery replacement so many times (not many) before the fob falls apart. Likewise the doors - walk up and just pull on the handle to open. Walk away and it locks, as you can personalize this deep in the many menus. The Only time I use the fob buttons is to start the engine from afar on a cold or hot day, to cool or warm the interior.
How many miles you got on yours, do you know if these are reliable to go over 100k miles?
I have a few STS-V's. They've been completely trouble free. I change the oil religiously; When buying used, demand proof this was done.I I don't have 100k on mine yet, but I have no reason to think they will have any major issues. @@jankoakovic3564
I have owned an 05 STS, an 05 CTS-V, and an 04 E55 (among other cars) so I am qualified to comment on some things.
On the STS platform itself, yes it was supposed to be larger than the CTS but it was barely larger. My STS was a top trim (non-V) and was pretty athletic. I had my STS from 2017 to early 2022. The top feature I miss about it: the audio system. It had that 15 speaker Bose Studio 15 system and it was one of the best systems of the time (there is an old Edmunds article that validates this). It just sounded so good. Perhaps the second feature I miss was the steering. It had an upgraded ZF rack (still hydraulic) and the steering feel was just sublime. I think the STS-V may have an early ZF electric rack so probably more numb than my STS was. Fun fact: my STS had the GM MR shocks and they did work (on the firm side) but the STS-V has regular Sachs shocks similar to my CTS-V. The STS-V was also not available with the radar adaptive cruise (mine didn't have it, either).
Funny enough I bought my CTS-V from a guy who traded it for an STS-V. That said, when it was time to move on from my V (2010-2021 or so), I had considered the STS-V very carefully, and even test drove one. It seemed like it might be perfect - keep the good audio, keep the good chassis, add power, add brakes. What's not to like? That was when I discovered the E55. My E55 offered a better overall experience than the STS-V for less money, so I moved in that direction and have further embraced Mercedes as a result.
Bonus comment: I have owned two LH2 Northstars (08 SRX and that 05 STS) and I ran them both to around 158-160k with no engine issues at all. They are known for leaks more than anything. My STS was leaky but the SRX wasn't too bad actually.
Just pulled my 05's driveshaft... all I needed to do is the center support bearing but all the metal sleeves in the rubber doughnuts were seized to the dif.
Always loved these cars. I see a red one on my way to work everyday in the summer. If you thought the center console buttons were big wait till you see the DTS buttons as they were designed for old people with bad vision 🤣
Buick had massive buttons too because the designers knew old people would buy them. We had a '04 Regal that had a headlight knob the size of the shifter knob.
They never made these in red
I knew about these since knew. I still want one. They can be somewhat cheap. Luckily they fixed the head bolts etc
Back in the day I considered an STS - not a V, but the 8 with AWD (they did make a V6). It just didn't do it for me - might have been the specific car, the dealer, whatever - but it didn't give me the feeling that I was a part of the car. The CTS however, did. Maybe the STS was just too big. At the end of the day, I stuck with German (big reason was that I could and did get a 6 speed manual)
Been waiting on you to do this car, not that many people know about it
I couldn’t imagine a supercharged Northstar. My dad had a 2002 Eldorado and that thing would chirp the tires from 70 mph.
One of my dream cars right there
I own a 2009 STSV. I love it and it is also in thunder gray. The only thing I’ve had a problem with is the drivers door doesn’t want to open all the time I will have to look at that I did put a set a of power stop slotted and drilled rotors and pads and a cold air kit Love this car.
I have an 06 sts v with the same driver door issue
I plan on getting the 06 StsV supercharged does anyone know if they are reliable and worth fixing just needs a tensioner and valve cover leak fix
Fun fact: I almost bought one of these, but ended up getting the Celsior instead lol
Is that a ls 430?
I have a 2005 v6 sts.And I love my car.I want to ls swap it in the future with a corvette engine
Thanks for showing the backseats
I respect your channel and efforts but your knowledge of the vehicle and research is lacking. The STS-V was better in almost every aspect than the Generation 1 CTS-V that was produced during its run from 06-09. It was a large executive sport sedan for chewing up highway miles without being a stuffy Deville/DTS. The second Generation CTS-V from 09-14/15 check a lot of the same boxes and the STS-V was discontinued. Only approximately 2500 STS-V’s were produced. They are very rare with only 92 in 09. My 2008 has 300k on the odometer! Fabulous cars and engines. 💯💯
What maintenance did you need to perform to reach 300k?! Details pleeeeeaae
@@Darylrb1983 I purchased the car with over 200k on it. These engines are some of the best ever made. Only issues are the radiator/thermostat. Just don’t mod it or change the pulley.
Hey I am about to buy one, do you recommend? What should I expect to brake during ownership?
I love the Cadillac CTS-V blackwing
You lucky devil. Definitely a dream car of mine. 🤩
This is for sure the best color for any vehicle I have ever seen
The only whine I love!
i didn't even realize this was a thing they made until a few minutes ago. i thought the SC Northstar was only in the xlr-v. that said, the N* engine got a lot of flack but the one in my family has been running solid since my grandma got the 98 deville back in '01. 160k+ miles on it later and i'm daily driving it now. sure it has issues but it had't left any of us stranded til the alternator went out (which hardly counts as a engine issue). I wish there were less of a bad rep for them, cuz anytime i need some professional help, they see the engine and nope right out of it.
I didn't know the STS-V existed either. I own a 2011 CTS-V with a CAI and Cosa exhaust. It wines like a baby getting punted from the 20 yard line. Haha! Very fun cars. I would like to get a newer CTS-V (2016 or newer) or even a CT5-V Blackwing Do you have a Blackwing video? Thanks!
I have an STS-V but late March test drove a CTS-V the same year as yours it made 721 to the wheels and it was a totally different ball game
I absolutely love Cadillac’s sports cars ❤
Super clean
I loved mine I'm looking for another one
Are these reliable?
This is such a cool car!
I want to know is where I can get the front & rear bumper covers for the V model.
Junkyard or ebay.
Cause I need a front bumper
Great info
3:14 joker laugh lmao
What’s crazy is it’s such a low production number car. Only around 2500 made and you can pick them up for pretty cheap compared to other v models.
Anybody that knows anything about Cadillacs knew about this car...Trust me...this car is no joke
Had one the color i had was the rarest too
What an amazing car
Remember that the target buyer purchases S55’s and 750’s and S8’s so there are buyers for 400+ hp Uber sedans. The problem that Cadillac had was a legacy of poor quality from the late 70’s until the mid 2010’s and cheap (read parts bin) switch gear. Bob Lutz said it best: “we spend a lot of money on our interiors, it just doesn’t look like it!”
I miss mine. I had a 2008.
😂😂😂reminds me of the camaro lsa with the supercharger🤨😂👌
If you want to know more about how this car came about check out the 2005 Cadillac STS SAE 100. There are several advancements that were on that car that came out much later. The Supercharged LS motor is what should have gone into the STS-V but Cadillac wanted the SC Northstar motor to make it an "ALL Cadillac" vehicle. P.S. I'm PGA2B on all the Cadillac Forums.
The Northstar is the point that makes it special in both ways: Loves to rev, sounds unique but its hard to get parts for. What a shame that the SAE100 stayed only a concept car. Was a good proof how far the cadillac division was in 2005.
GM had been cancelling sedans in favor of crossovers/SUVs
Whenever GM finally gets something right, they immediately kill it. The CT4, CT5, and CT6 are good cars. If GM upgraded the interior materials they could better compete with the Germans. The Germans, Japanese, and Koreans must know a thing or two about the sedan market because they're introducing new sedans to fill the space left by the American carmakers' discontinuations.
@@bwofficial1776 The Japanese (Toyota/Honda) keep improving the sedans with every redesign. They don't give up and cancel it as the American automakers do
@@davinp Ultimately these companies have to cater public demand. If more people in the US are comfortable with crossovers/SUVs then they have to adjust their focus accordingly.
@@shariqhasan6220 yes and sedans make less profit then SUVs
I want one but they are hard to find
I swear I think about a car then I see you reviewed it
I’m inside your head.
What’s his Instagram of Facebook ? I have a few questions like where did he get those power folding Mirrors??
Some online market place
This is my dream car
My dream car 😫
I loved these things and after reading somethings about it found that this engine actually is nothing like the regular Northstar this V series Northstar is hand built and is made better
I know about this car. I owned a 2008 until I was stupid enough to sell it and buy a 2011 Cadillac DTS.
So nice! i have a 2011 sts and I love it.
Please drive a CT6V blackwing
I will watch later just because i had a custom painted 06 STS V
Aye buddy, ya forgot about the boost Gauge, the center screen that can move up or down, the av color set ups so you can hook up a game system or something or the main screen …. You can change the color of the main bezel screen ….. change the sound in the car to make it like surround sound or just for the driver. The interior i believe had its styling made by the people do who maybach And I’m deff missing something else.
Oh we know
If it wasn't for the negative press the Northstar got I'd trade my cts-v for an xlr-v but naw I'll save it for that Maybach 57s coupe
Thanks to the negative press, I own a fabulous 2009 XLR-V and an 08 STS-V! Let them keep hating so I can buy great cars cheap! 💯💯
Yeah I'm actually looking at a XLR now.
My friend owns a 2011 STS V. Such a cool and underrated car.
Sts-v only made from 06 to 09
@@larrythompson4043 Might be an 09 then.
I have a 2006 is not the v but mine has more options then this one. I also got the cooled seats and rca hookups to like a ps2 to it ha
Also I bought the grille and hood from the v and made a remake
not the cut out valves
The whine is great, the cackle not so much.
I have a 09 stsv I’m wanting to sell here
i just found out about this car today, i am going to buy one, and then make it a drift car 💪
No bro why?
@@CJmk3supra because its a shit box Cadillac
@@vjuOG damn lol
Great vid... but dude... Zack... let me buy you a new mic. Or processor. Whatever it takes to stop the crackling!
Fun fact, this was General Motors very first supercharged V8 from the factory.
I got an 06 sts v6 in white diamond and after 18 days of owning the car the engine seized
😂
And you do in fact, get in a lot of trouble in these vehicles. Love mine, 128,xxx and doesn't use a drop of oil.
When Cadillac still wasn’t trying to be Mercedes or bmw
I love my sts v I have a little clip on my channel if anyone wants to hear a little more of that whine 🍷
Yes we do...smh
the engine that goes boom
They dont
a differential cooler ? wtf never heard of that sounds like muffler fluid.
This guy is really making money from videos of your guys cars 🤦🏻♂️ y’all could do that and get your own shit
Too bad it just had to come stock with that N* engine :I
Would have been better with a LS engine. Good looking vehicle. I get a CTS V instead for sure.
Not true, LS engines have their own share of problems. Cadillac is known for smooth power and refinement. The Supercharged LC3 4.4l is HAND-BUILT bulletproof. I have owned 3. 💯
@@DJKadilac Oh yes - the LC3 runs very very smooth. It does not matter how much you rev it. Even my LH2 runs smooth. Yes the N* has less low end torque that a LS but it fits good into a luxurious cadillac
Exterior nice interior absolutely trash. My DTS had a far nicer interior with WAY more tech. Navigation rear sunshade heated/cooked seats massage seats wood on the wheel knob rear digital controls etc
Northstar engines were the worse, imagine having to remove the entire engine for a simple fix